Search results (tags) for: "rules"

New Rules: Support Your Local Economy

2009-11-20T15:00:00-05:00

Stacy Mitchell is a senior researcher with the New Rules Project at the Institute for Local Self Reliance (ISLR), an organization started in 1974 to work with citizens, activists, policy makers and entrepreneurs to help communities improve their economies, reduce waste, manage local infrastructure and provide better overall living environments.

The New Rules Project “challenges the wisdom and inevitability of economic consolidation and works to advance policies that support strong local economies and vibrant communities.” In a nutshell, she works to advance many of the same things that Etsy stands for — handmade, local, independent production, and a connection to communities and producers.

I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Stacy about the growth of local and independent businesses over the past several years, which many people attribute to both a backlash against “big box” retail and an appreciation for knowing one’s maker. Stacy took some time to talk to us about these issues, and her latest book, Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses, goes into much more detail.

Tell us a bit about the New Rules Project.
The New Rules Project is a national initiative started by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The project's mission is to make the case that bigger isn't necessarily better — that small-scale production and independent businesses nurture community and create a more sustainable and democratic economy.

Our focus is on changing public policy. If you look at the laws and regulations in place today, many of them actively favor big corporations. Federal farm policies subsidize big agribusiness; local zoning rules favor Wal-Mart; banking regulations aid big banks; and the list goes on.

We're calling for New Rules: public policies that support local economies and build strong, self-governing communities.

How did you get involved in the organization and what do you do?
I started working for the New Rules Project when it was founded in 1997. Much of my focus has been looking at the consequences of the rise of big retail chains, like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Barnes & Noble. These companies have taken over much of our economy with the promise of delivering good deals, but it turns out that the big-box model has been incredibly expensive. In my recent book, Big-Box Swindle, I document how these companies are fueling many of our most pressing problems, from the shrinking middle class to rising greenhouse gas emissions.

The good news is that there's now a widespread backlash. The New Rules Project has helped hundreds of grassroots groups stop big-box development projects and enact new policies that keep the chains at bay and support local businesses instead.

Even more encouraging, our research is finding growing public support for locally produced goods and independent businesses. Local food is soaring in popularity. Over the last four years, we've seen increasing numbers of new independent businesses, from bookstores to food markets, opening across the country.

Local business alliances — like Stay Local New Orleans, Local First in Salt Lake City, and Portland Buy Local in Portland, Maine — have now formed in over 130 cities and collectively count some 30,000 businesses as members. These alliances are running very creative "buy local" campaigns that are not only changing people's shopping habits, but engaging them in a conversation about community and how to transition to a more sustainable future.

Why should people shop local this holiday season?
One reason is that shopping at an independent business, instead of a chain, generates far more benefit for your local economy. Several recent studies have found that a dollar spent at a locally owned business generates 2-3 times as much local economic activity as a dollar spent at a chain and supports many more local jobs.

Another compelling reason to go local this year is to make the holidays fun again. Who wants to sit in traffic at the mall? It's so much more rewarding to stroll through the small stores in your neighborhood or downtown. You'll not only find unusual gifts that don't come from a sweatshop, but you're bound to run into friends, get into an interesting conversation, enjoy the beauty of historic buildings decked out in lights, take time to savor a hot chocolate at the local café — in short, you'll have a chance to really experience and celebrate the place in which you live.

Of course, you can't always find everything you're looking for in your own backyard, and that's why sites like Etsy and Indiebound are a great way to take advantage of the convenience and diversity of the web while still supporting independent artists and small businesses.

What kind of impact does supporting the local arts have on a community at large?
Buying anything produced locally — food, art, music, fashion — has a sizeable economic benefit for your community. The money you spend stays in the local area and helps to keep your neighbors employed.

These creative professions also contribute to the welfare of the community in so many other ways. They make the places we live interesting. They create focal points for reflection and community.

Artists and craftspeople are great problem-solvers too. As we grapple with big challenges, like climate change, we need their special abilities to help us envision a different way of living.

Do you have any specific examples of cities or towns that are experiencing a positive change?
Thanks largely to the work of Sustainable Connections, a coalition of about 500 local businesses in and around Bellingham, Washington, that community has made huge strides in incubating new businesses, expanding regional food production, and reducing the carbon footprint of buildings.

Local First Utah has changed how residents and elected officials in Salt Lake City think about economic development. A recent survey found that three-quarters of residents want fewer chains in their neighborhoods and more local businesses.

Arizona Local First was instrumental in convincing the state legislature to outlaw the kinds of subsidies that are commonly provided to big-box development projects.

Here in my hometown of Portland, Maine, many local business owners say that Portland Buy Local has made a big difference in terms of galvanizing public support and helping them survive the recession.

What are you doing to support your local community in Portland, ME?
I'm one of many volunteers with Portland Buy Local, which has about 280 members, including local businesses, artists, and nonprofits. We create new poster and advertising campaigns every couple of months that highlight the value of independent businesses and encourage people to support them.

Our posters, which are displayed on hundreds of storefronts all over the city and reproduced as ads in local newspapers, are all designed by local artists, so they are very eye-catching as well as incredibly varied in their style.

Steve Darnley and Arielle Walrath, for example, designed this gorgeous poster (pictured below) for our holiday campaign last year. Sean Wilkinson produced a very powerful graphic for one of our economic messages (shown above).

Poster by Steve Darnley and Arielle Walrath

Etsy seller pineconeandchickadee created this amazing Valentine's Day poster, which was so popular that we turned it into T-shirts that have been selling like hotcakes.

Poster by pineconechickadee

Our latest poster series, by photographer Nathan Eldridge, emphasizes the wide range of products — from the unusual to the everyday — that are available from independent businesses.

How should people get involved with New Rules?
The best way to keep up with what we're doing and learn how you can start some of these initiatives in your own community is to sign up for our monthly email newsletter, The Hometown Advantage.

We publish lots of useful research and information on our website. Take a look and, if you find an idea or an article you like, please forward it to your friends, your neighbors, your elected officials, your local newspaper. We're a small organization, so we need all the help we can get to make our research and ideas part of the public discussion.

Lastly, like any nonprofit, we are dependent almost entirely on donations to keep the lights on and our staff fed. Contributions of any size are gratefully appreciated.

Any Etsy sellers you're particularly fond of?
I adore ferdinandhome — terrific T-shirts, my favorite greeting cards, and fabulous potholders made from vintage fabric.

Another favorite is pineconeandchickadee. I'm smitten with Amy Teh's designs.

I hope my husband is reading this, because one thing I'd be super happy to find under my tree this year is a messenger bag from bobbinstudio.

And, lastly, there's a real gem of a little business in my neighborhood that just became an Etsy seller a few weeks ago: HomegrownHerbandTea. Sarah Richards is a skilled herbalist who has been blending teas for both health and pleasure at her tea shop here on Munjoy Hill for several years. She just made the leap online and her teas are definitely worth checking out.

Further Resources:
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) proposes a set of new rules that builds community by supporting humanly scaled politics and economics. The rules call for:

Decisions made by those impacted
Communities accepting responsibility for the welfare of their members and the next generation
Households and communities possessing or owning sufficient productive capacity to generate real wealth

NewRules.org discusses the importance of rules and catalogs the best. We make the rules and the rules make us.

The Related Items below are all from Stacy's native Maine!

Find Etsy Sellers in Your Town | Read Our Shop Local Series | Check Out the Etsy Maine Team

Clarifications and Changes: Updates to Etsy's Site Policies

2009-10-27T18:45:00-05:00

Last week we let the Etsy community in on a "sneak peek" preview of the proposed updates to our site policies in the DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy. During this preview week, we received lots of feedback and discussed the policies in the Forums, by Conversations and email with members of the Etsy community. After a rather positive reception and a few tweaks, we're ready to put the updated DOs & DONTs into effect today. In addition, we have updated the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy to complement the revised DOs & DON'Ts. These are important changes that every Etsy member should review, so we're sending out an email notification to all members (with millions of members in our community, it may take a few weeks for the emails to reach everyone).

For the most part, the core of the policies are still the same. Our aim was to address concerns expressed by members over the past year, and we made several clarifications and a few additions to the policies. For your convenience, we've summarized the highlights below, but we expect every member to read through the updated DOs & DON'Ts and Terms of Use in their entirety.   The updates below will look familiar to those who participated in the preview last week. Please follow the links to see the specific sections where these policies are defined.

Membership: A few notable policies that apply to all members have been moved up to the Membership section, like our policy for linking from a shop or profile to another selling venue. Collectives (seller accounts involving multiple people) have been further defined with the categories of Collaboration, Sharing a Shop and Shop Management Help. We clarified our rules for younger Etsians; collectives that include minors under the age of 18 may not utilize community features unless otherwise stated by Etsy.

Conversations: You may not use Conversations to interfere with a transaction (with details on this in the Transactions section, too). We've also elaborated on the definition of "spam" as it relates to Etsy Convos.

Transactions: We’ve added information to the Transactions section, describing the roles of the seller, the buyer and Etsy in a transaction. Keep in mind that in addition to these basic expectations for a transaction, each seller has their own Shop Policies and the policies of third-party services (for example: PayPal, shipping services) may be a factor. Additionally, we’ve outlined in detail various concerns or scenarios in which a transaction may be disputed, including: non-payment, non-delivery, refusal of service, dissatisfaction and interference. We’ve clarified the circumstances in which a transaction may be canceled. In general, the additions to this section outline in greater detail the processes and policies already in place for transactions.

Feedback: To better accommodate custom orders and international transactions, we will be increasing the time frame for submitting feedback from 90 days to 120 days. Additionally, we’ve clarified the circumstances in which Etsy will review feedback for removal, and we've lifted the 30-day limitation to requesting review of feedback for a policy violation.

Shops and listings: Formerly called “Selling,” this section has been expanded to include detailed policies about shop set-up, listing items, tagging and specific rules for handmade items, vintage goods and supplies. The section on Tagging is entirely new to the DOs & DON’Ts, but most of this information was available on Etsy’s Help site or through guides posted on Etsy’s blog, The Storque. Expanded sections of rules for handmade, vintage and supplies items should help sellers understand what can be sold on Etsy and how to list items for sale.

Charitable shops and listings: Etsy appreciates the spirit of giving back. Due to some laws and the existence of unsavory individuals who may try to take advantage of this spirit, we have added some policies for shops and listings that use charitable fundraising as a promotional tool. Etsy does not intend to limit your ability to donate to the charity of your choice; these rules merely apply to members who wish to promote or advertise charitable giving as a reason to purchase from their Etsy shops.

Prohibited Items: In response to a variety of community concerns, we have clarified our prohibited items list. These items — though they may be handmade, vintage or a crafting supply — are not allowed to be listed for sale on Etsy.

Showcase and Treasury: Making a first time appearance in the DOs & DON'Ts are specific sections for participation in the Showcase and the Treasury. We have gathered information from other areas of the site about these interactive features to formalize as policies in the DOs & DON'Ts.

Terms of Use: In general, the Terms of Use and DOs & DON'Ts complement one another. Notably, we added an arbitration clause and an idea submission clause. To explain the idea submission clause in plain language: if you submit an idea to improve Etsy, Etsy may use the suggestion to better the site. If you have a secret idea to improve Etsy, simply do not share it with Etsy, on the community spaces or via email. We truly appreciate all members and your feedback to improve the site. Both Etsy and the community benefit from these ideas.

The policies are live and in effect as of today, October 27, 2009; therefore, all your activities or content on Etsy from today forward must be in line with these new policies. As we mentioned in the post about the sneak peek, we are allowing all members a grace period to bring their existing content (for example: account information, shops, listings) up to speed with any changes in the policies. We also wanted to take into account the timing with the busy holiday season. All members have until the end of the day on December 31, 2009 to edit their content created prior to today's date (October 27, 2009).

Thank you for your input over the past year and during the policy preview week. By keeping our policies clear and up-to-date, we help preserve the integrity of Etsy.

If you have questions or comments about Etsy's updated policies, please join the discussion in this Forum thread or email support@etsy.com.

How-Tuesday: Lunch Bag From Bend the Rules With Fabric

2009-09-01T15:37:00-05:00

Lunchtime at school is an hour of politics: jockeying to get the prime seat, trading tuna fish for fruit roll-ups, and gossiping through juice-stained lips. In an effort to endow you or your child with some social clout, this week's How-Tuesday project is a vintage-inspired lunch bag from Amy Karol's book, Bend the Rules With Fabric. Whether you're going back to school or bringing leftovers to work, this reusable pouch will induce cupcake-worthy envy. Amy's book is all about customizing fabric to fit your style, so the best part of this project is that you could make one for every kid in your class and still feel unique!

Purchase Bend the Rules With Fabric

As a kid, I loved altering my own clothes and fabrics. I was constantly drawing on shoes and T-shirts, embroidering my jeans, and adding bits of trim to all kinds of things. Later, in high school, I airbrushed T-shirts for my first paying craft gig. This was when I had my first sense that I was going to live a life filled with art and design — and a whole lot of messes.

There is something thrilling about marking up fabric. It's easier than ever to learn how to customize fabric — you don't have to take a college-level surface-design class. Nor do you need to break the bank buying supplies in vast quantities: Suppliers have made it easy to get materials, and much of what you need you already have around the house or can find at fabric or craft stores. Look in your kitchen! Stamping can be as simple and inexpensive as using a cut potato and some paint.

We Have the Technology

You don't need a computer to customize your projects, but it sure adds to the fun. A computer, printer, and — even better — a scanner open up a whole world of possibilities. Even though you might use a computer for some of these techniques, that doesn't mean the images have to look digitally created. So many examples of uses for printed fabric sheets involve photos, which is great, but that doesn't even skim the surface of what you can do. For example, you can paint a real watercolor onto paper, scan it, and then print it onto fabric. Wow! You now have the look of a watercolor (a very tricky thing to do directly on fabric) printed onto your fabric from your computer. Same goes with drawing, painting — all of that. The computer is just a tool.

Lunch Bag

I love packing a lunch, and I like to do it in style. Why use disposable paper bags when you can reuse supercute ones? Adorn this clever lunch bag with your favorite images from magazines or books. The fabric for this bag has an image scanned from a vintage magazine, complete with a cookie recipe. This project uses only three photo fabric sheets (or homemade sheets with Bubble Jet Set 2000), and the pattern cleverly uses 8 1/2" x 11" (21.5 x 28cm) sheets, so you won't waste any fabric. Once you make one of these, you'll be hooked.

Finished Size
10 3/8" high x 6 1/4" wide x 3 1/2" deep (26 x 16 x 9cm), unfolded

Materials
Outer bag fabric: (3) 8 1/2" x 11" (21.5 x 28cm) photo fabric sheets for your printer or copier, or homemade sheets using Bubble Jet Set 2000, cut after printing into:

(2) 6 1/2" x 11" (16.5 x 28cm) front pieces
(2) 4 1/4" x 11" (11 x 28cm) side pieces
(2) 6 1/2" x 11" (16.5 x 28cm) front pieces
(2) 4 1/4" x 11" (11 x 28cm) side pieces
(2) 6 1/2" x 4 1/2" (16.5 x 11.5cm) bottom*

Binding:

(1) 2" x 20" (5 x 51cm) piece of fabric for homemade binding, or, if using premade binding, (1) package (3 yards [2.7m]) of 7/8"-(22mm-)wide single-fold bias tape

(1) 1" x 2" (2.5 x 5cm) piece of Velcro (optional)
Vintage magazines or other images to copy
Printer
Sewing machine

Seam Allowance
1/4" (6mm)

*One bottom lining piece is used for the bottom of the outer bag.

1. Prepare your artwork by scanning and printing it onto your fabric at home, or make color copies of it and print it onto color copier fabric sheets at the copy shop. You will need 3 printed sheets total.

For printing images onto fabric sheets, there are two primary options. The easiest is to use sheets designed for your printer (or copier) that have fabric on one side. They come in different fabric types, are usually only white or cream, and can be quite stiff. Several brands make them, and they can be found at most craft and fabric stores. Some things to keep in mind: Not all brands are waterproof/washable, so don't assume they are; read the fine print and care instructions carefully, making sure to check the type of fabric used (a twill is very different from a cotton poplin) and make sure to purchase sheets compatible with your printer. The second option is to create your own fabric sheets. Bubble Jet Set 2000 is a liquid solution that enables you to make your own fabric printer sheets. You can use whatever fabric you want, as long as it is 100-percent cotton or silk. You can save a ton of money. The fabric feels better than premade fabric sheets and is much easier to work with. You also can use colored fabric.

2. Cut out the outer bag pieces from your printed fabric. Cut out the lining pieces and binding strip if you are making binding. (Skip this step if you are using premade binding.)

3. Make the outer bag: With right sides facing, sew the long sides together on the front and side pieces, creating a box without a top or bottom. With right sides together, pin a lining bottom piece onto the front and side pieces. Sew carefully, flaring out the sides and front, stopping and pivoting with your needle down at each corner.

4. Repeat step 3 with the lining fabric.

5. Turn the outer bag right side out. Place the lining bag inside the outer fabric bag, wrong sides together. This will now look exactly like it will when it is done, minus the binding. Baste around the top edge to keep the layers together.

6. Make binding by ironing your strip in half lengthwise. It will now be 1" x 20" (2.5 x 51cm). Align the raw edges of the binding and the top of the bag and lay out on the printed side of the bag, right sides together. Fold the short end of the tape over so there is no raw edge, and stitch using a 1/4" (6mm) seam allowance from the edge. Flip the folded edge to the inside on the bag, and hand-stitch it to the lining.

7. To create the closure, machine-stitch one Velcro piece centered just under the binding along the top edge of one front piece.

Fold the bag over twice toward the other front piece, and mark where the Velcro touches the other front piece. Stitch the opposite Velcro piece onto the other front piece where the two Velcro pieces would touch.

Tips, Hints, and Other Suggestions:

You can make this with a vinyl lining. Plastic-coated fabric like oilcloth can be tricky to stitch with, so try a Teflon presser foot or use masking tape on the edges and sew through all layers to keep the oilcloth from sticking.
Create a cute closure by stitching an elastic band into the binding on one side and adding a button on the outside front instead of the Velcro.

Looking for more ways to innovate with fabric? Check out Bend the Rules With Fabric for ideas in paint, dye, and thread. Thanks to Amy Karol and the good folks at Potter Craft Publishing for sharing this project with us.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

Amy Karol, a.k.a. The Angry Chicken, Was a Guest Curator

You be the Judge: Chocolate Kisses

2009-06-12T10:49:00-05:00

I'm sitting in my Etsyified office on a beautiful spring afternoon eating some delicious Hershey's Kisses and researching a newsworthy and entertaining pending issue for the Etsy community to judge. I'm in heaven!

I unwrap the silver foil from the bite-sized tear-drop chocolate morsel and pop it into my mouth. Although this treat is delicious, I do sometimes prefer the more expensive Jacque Torres chocolates made just a few blocks away in Brooklyn.

Hershey’s is one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in North America. In 1907, Hershey's introduced its small flat-bottomed conical-shaped pieces of chocolate named “Hershey’s Kisses.” Hershey Chocolate & Confectionary Corporation, a subsidiary of The Hershey Company, owns the U.S. federal trademark registration for the mark “Kisses.”

Brooklyn-based Jacques Torres Chocolate specializes in fresh, hand-crafted chocolates. Jacques Torres sells “Champagne Kiss” truffles, which contain Taittinger Rose Champagne, and cost around $1.50 each.

Recently, Hershey’s attorneys sent Mr. Torres a letter stating “Hershey is concerned that Jacques Torres Chocolate’s use of the mark KISS or KISSES may cause consumer confusion with Hershey as to the source, sponsorship, or affiliate of Jacque Torres Chocolate’s product.” The letter went on to demand that Mr. Torres immediately discontinue the use of the mark KISS or KISSES in connection with its chocolate candies.

A lawyer for Torres replied and offered a number of examples to substantiate their claim that any concern of “consumer confusion” is without merit. According to Torres’s lawyer, Jacque Torres chocolates are “high end” and are not marketed like Hershey’s products as the first ingredient in Torres’ Kisses is champagne. Also the shape of the chocolates is flat and unlike a Hershey’s Kiss.

According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, a trademark protects "words, names, symbols, sounds, or colors that distinguish goods and services from those manufactured or sold by others and to indicate the source of the goods." To find a likelihood of confusion, the parties will examine 1) the similarity of the marks; and 2) the commercial relationship between the goods and/or services listed in the application.

This potential lawsuit is very near and dear to my heart because I am a fan of both types of chocolate. Do you think that Hershey’s has a point? Is there a likelihood of confusion? In the case of the Kisses, You Be the Judge and post in the comments below!

Etsy's Trademark Guidelines

2009-05-19T14:45:00-05:00

Hi! This is SarahSays, Etsy's in-house legal counsel.

A little over a year ago we launched the Etsy Trademark Permissions Program. Since that time, dozens of Etsy members applied to use and were granted permission to use the Etsy marks in products, for free.

In an effort to further support and encourage ideas, services and tools that use and supplement the Etsy services while also protecting Etsy’s reputation and brand identity, Etsy is excited to introduce the Etsy Trademark Use Guidelines. We hope that these Guidelines will help Etsy members, Etsy Teams, and others refer to Etsy or our services without compromising the strength of our trademarks or our brand identity. Please note, these Guidelines are intended clarify Etsy’s existing policy; this is not a policy change.

The Guidelines consist of three parts: a general overview section, an examples section with specific and detailed explanations, and a section dedicated to the Etsy Trademark Permissions Program to request permission to use the Etsy mark.

The Guidelines only concern the use of Etsy’s intellectual property (for example, the term “Etsy”). For issues regarding any intellectual property which is not exclusively owned by Etsy, please refer to Etsy’s Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy.

We will be holding a Virtual Labs at 10:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, May 21, 2009 to answer any questions you may have regarding the Etsy Trademark Use Guidelines or the Etsy Trademark Permissions Program. I want to personally thank the community for your passion, your patience, and the creativity you bring to Etsy.

Etsy’s Treasury: Finding Focus

2009-04-15T15:15:00-05:00

Recently, we've decided it's time to revisit the way we utilize and maintain the integrity of our Treasury feature. Below we will walk you through a brief history of the feature, where we find ourselves today and our plans for the Treasury moving forward.

Where we've come from
Upon launching the Treasury on Etsy in August of 2006, our original goals for the feature were to create an interactive place where members could create and share their own featured lists of Etsy items. Over time, it evolved into a community feature, and Etsy staff (“Admins”) would occasionally promote outstanding lists from the Treasury pool to the front page of Etsy. As the Etsy community and Admins have worked together using the Treasury, gathered feedback and discussed the rules for creating lists, a few guidelines for the feature organically evolved. Collectively, with the community's input, a general understanding has developed that the Treasury feature is:

A community space for members to create and share handpicked lists of items on Etsy.
Treasury lists are not intended for self-promotion, but members may add one of their own items to to their handpicked list.
If a list containing an item from the curator’s Etsy shop is promoted to the front page of Etsy, then that one item will automatically be excluded from the front page collection.
Similarly, if a list contains more than one item from a shop, only one item per shop will be included on the front page.
Etsy generally has not changed a curated Treasury list from its original state when promoting it to the front page.

Again, the above guidelines have evolved over time and represent the way Etsy’s Treasury is understood and loved today.

Where we are now
As we've grown, this more relaxed evolution and set of guidelines isn't working as well as it had previously. While the original purpose of the Treasury was a community feature not intended for self-promotion, we realize that by promoting lists to the front page, this creates a sense of competition and leaves room for abuse of the feature. The integrity of the Treasury is something we know is important to each of you – and it’s important to us, too, and so with your help we are taking steps to keep the feature one that can benefit both the community and Etsy as a whole.

Where we are headed
We realize the current set of Treasury guidelines has been shaped as we have grown together and that we have not been as clear as we could have been in laying out concrete, visible guidelines for the feature as it has grown and changed. Moving forward, we are laying out clear guidelines for the Treasury which you will find below. We will actively be upholding these clearly-posted guidelines. Violating Treasury guidelines may result in suspension of privileges and/or account termination.

With this transition, we will also begin using our more focused merchandising themes as a criterion in choosing Treasury lists that are promoted to the front page. Whole lists or partial selections from a list may be promoted. When a partial list is promoted to the front page, we will still be giving credit to the original Treasury list as inspiration. The original list within the Treasury will remain just as the curator created it, even if only a partial selection is promoted to the front page.

Revised Treasury guidelines

Only one Treasury list per person. Do not create lists with multiple accounts at the same time.
Treasury is not intended for personal promotion. Please do not include more than one of your own items.
Etsy may, at times, promote whole or partial selections from a Treasury list to the front page.
This list will expire two days after creation. Bonus time (up to 24 hours) may be randomly added to the lifetime of your list.
Etsy reserves the right to remove Treasury lists at any time.

We've come this far together, and we welcome your comments and feedback in the Forums.

CPSIA: Blog-in, Updates & Clarifications

2009-01-29T14:17:00-05:00

UPDATE: MomsRising.org shared this letter with us. Click here to sign their petition.

"Ask the Consumer Products Safety Commission to Clarify New Child Products Rules to Protect Safe Handmade Toys and Clothes."

[The following was originally posted on January 28, 2009.]

Today, bloggers are converging with a blog-in on the CPSIA issue — which has become such a huge topic of discussion for artisans and vintage sellers who sell children's items. We encourage all of you to blog about the CPSIA today! See the Common room for more info.

Here are some of the latest headlines from the BuyHandmade blog:

Matt spoke with the CPSC and the exemptions are not yet a done deal, and they won't be by February 10th. Congress gave the CPSC this new law, and it's their job to figure out how to enforce it. The CPSC needs to decide which exemptions they can have within the framework of the current law. In other words, they are trying to clarify and interpret the law — and Congress wrote this law very broadly, albeit with good intentions.

This is why it's so important for concerned crafters and vintage sellers contact their elected representatives in government. The CPSC told us that Rush & Waxman are the Congressmen who could deal directly with this issue. Please see the Etsy Action Kit for sample letters!

On the topic of exemptions, the CPSC can't exempt groups of people (say, artisans or crafters). But they are looking at the issues of:

One of a kind items (OOAK)
Levels of production or scale of manufacturing
Proposed exemptions include untreated cotton, wool, leather and wood, gems, steel.

After January 30th deadline, there will be another February 17th deadline for commenting on exemptions.

See our other posts on the CPSIA issue!

Tech Update: New CPSIA Forum & Buy Handmade Badge

2009-01-13T16:00:00-05:00

Many of our members are aware of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) and the resulting sense of confusion sellers of children's items are experiencing. These sellers need to know how the legislation will impact their businesses and need to be informed.

The CPSIA is by no means a done deal. We are in conversations with the executive director of the CPSC, and they are listening to the micro-business community! Discussion is ongoing: makers and supporters of handmade and vintage items still need to voice concerns.

In light of this need for information, discussion, and feedback hinging on this important CPSIA issue, Etsy has launched a special temporary forum. Please post any relevant threads there.

Furthermore, for up to the minute info on the CPSIA, we would like to refer folks who are involved or concerned about the CPSIA issue to BuyHandmade.org's new blog, which includes resources and news updates. The Etsy homepage now proudly sports the new badge from BuyHandmade.org, reflecting the focus on this issue.

Please take the Buy Handmade Pledge and show your support for sellers of children's items by placing the badge on your websites and blogs.

CPSIA: Exemption Announcement, Resources & Action Items

2009-01-08T15:15:00-05:00

We've gathered some encouraging news for makers of toys and children's items. Seems like the voices of handcrafters are being heard!

This just in from the ombudsman of the CPSC:

CPSC Clarifies Requirements of New Children’s Product Safety Laws Taking Effect in February

Guidance Intended for Resellers of Children’s Products, Thrift and Consignment Stores

"Washington, D.C. – In February 2009, new requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) take effect. Manufacturers, importers and retailers are expected to comply with the new Congressionally-mandated laws. Beginning February 10, 2009, children’s products cannot be sold if they contain more than 600 parts per million (ppm) total lead. Certain children’s products manufactured on or after February 10, 2009 cannot be sold if they contain more that 0.1% of certain specific phthalates or if they fail to meet new mandatory standards for toys.

Under the new law, children’s products with more than 600 ppm total lead cannot lawfully be sold in the United States on or after February 10, 2009, even if they were manufactured before that date. The total lead limit drops to 300 ppm on August 14, 2009.

The new law requires that domestic manufacturers and importers certify that children’s products made after February 10 meet all the new safety standards and the lead ban. Sellers of used children’s products, such as thrift stores and consignment stores, are not required to certify that those products meet the new lead limits, phthalates standard or new toy standards.

The new safety law does not require resellers to test children’s products in inventory for compliance with the lead limit before they are sold. However, resellers cannot sell children’s products that exceed the lead limit and therefore should avoid products that are likely to have lead content, unless they have testing or other information to indicate the products being sold have less than the new limit. Those resellers that do sell products in violation of the new limits could face civil and/or criminal penalties.

When the CPSIA was signed into law on August 14, 2008, it became unlawful to sell recalled products. All resellers should check the CPSC Web site (www.cpsc.gov) for information on recalled products before taking into inventory or selling a product. The selling of recalled products also could carry civil and/or criminal penalties.

The agency intends to focus its enforcement efforts on products of greatest risk and largest exposure. While CPSC expects every company to comply fully with the new laws resellers should pay special attention to certain product categories. Among these are recalled children’s products, particularly cribs and play yards; children’s products that may contain lead, such as children’s jewelry and painted wooden or metal toys; flimsily made toys that are easily breakable into small parts; toys that lack the required age warnings; and dolls and stuffed toys that have buttons, eyes, noses or other small parts that are not securely fastened and could present a choking hazard for young children.

The agency has underway a number of rulemaking proposals intended to provide guidance on the new lead limit requirements. Please visit the CPSC website at www.cpsc.gov for more information."

Bloomberg reported on January 6, 2009, via blog.buyhandmade.org:

Panel Exempts Some Products From U.S. Lead Rules

The Consumer Product Safety Commission voted to exempt electronic goods and products with lead embedded inside from new rules banning the metal in toys. The CPSC also exempted wool, cotton, silk, gemstones and pearls in its proposal today. Important news for handmade artists and small business owners! Read the full story on Bloomberg.

"The two-member commission, reacting to complaints from manufacturers, also agreed to exempt natural products such as gems and cotton from mandatory testing for lead. The proposal, given initial approval today, will be open for public comment for a month and may be altered.

Companies had urged the safety commission to pass more far- reaching exemptions and to put them in place immediately, before the ban on lead in toys takes effect Feb. 10.

'The deadline is coming up very, very quickly,' said Sheila Millar, a lawyer representing the Fashion Jewelry Trade Association. Companies 'want clarity and they need it quickly,' she said.

Still, companies shouldn’t expect a crackdown, said Julie Vallese, a spokeswoman for the commission.

'There’s a need for compliance, but it’s fair to say that the toy police will not be descending on all of America on Feb. 11,' Vallese said."

In a related story, the LA Times ran the headline "Regulators rethink rules on testing children's clothing and toys for lead: The Consumer Product Safety Commission gives a preliminary OK to exempt some items from testing after complaints of hardship to thrift stores and sellers of handmade toys."

Even though these exemptions have been announced, the CPSC is open to more comments. The deadline is now January 30th.

Visit www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.HTML for more info:

"Request for Comments and Information Mandatory Third-Party Testing for Certain Children’s Products Section 102 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (“CPSIA”): Component Parts – COMMENT REQUEST, January 30, 2009 [PDF]"

From Healthy Child Healthy World (healthychild.org), via blog.buyhandmade.com:

Let's Talk about the Toxic Toy Bill (CPSIA)

"Join us for our monthly Green Grapevine conference call to discuss this important issue. Our expert panel will include Jennifer Taggart (attorney, product testing consultant, aka The Smart Mama), Adele Meyer ( Executive Director of the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops), Dan Marshall (owner of Peapods Natural Toys and founder of The Handmade Toy Alliance) and Kathleen Fasanella (Owner of Fashion Incubator and apparel industry consultant). Since there is so much confusion and so much to cover, we are requesting that people submit questions in advance for our panel of experts to address on the call. Please enter your questions in the comments section below. We will try to cover as much as we can.

When: January 15, 1:00PM PST  
Dial: (218) 339-3600  
Access Code: 1036416#
These monthly conversations are recorded and archived as podcasts."

Healthy Child also referred to the following links for more info:

The CPSIA and the Resale/Thrift Industry

CPSC Proposes Exempting Certain Materials from Lead Content Testing

Confusion over the CPSIA – What is Covered?

CPSIA: How to Move Forward, Coping with Crisis

Also, blog.buyhandmade.org gave a heads up about The Smart Mama and Learning Resources:

The Smart Mama is a great blog that “provides eco-consulting to make your home healthy, green, non-toxic and safe”. It also happens to have a ton of CPSIA info. Give it a look, and follow her on Twitter @thesmartmama.

Learning Resources CPSIA News & Tools
Learning Resources (an educational toy company) has a ton of helpful links and info. Rick’s blog is great for breaking news.

Save Small Business From the CPSIA at Change.org:

Bloggers and non-profits can endorse the Change.org issue and individuals can get behind the cause at this link. Watch the related video below:

Handcraftivist on Youtube:

More video content! Handcraftivist is collecting pertinent videos on her Youtube Channel.

See our past posts about the CPSIA and this thread.

Thank you to Cecilia aka paperdreams and RainLily for keeping us in the loop!

Tech Updates: New Tools for Flagging

2008-11-19T15:00:00-05:00

Today we released an update which will make it easier to flag an item on Etsy. If you notice an item listing that violates Etsy's site policies, you can "flag" it to notify the Etsy Support admin who work on Content. Previously, the "Report this item to Etsy" link would lead you to contact Support by email; now the link leads to a simple form you can fill out and submit right on Etsy.

If you're new to flagging, here are some FAQs:

What is flagging? How do I flag an item?
If you find an item on Etsy which appears to violate the DOs & DON'Ts or Terms of Use, you can bring it to the attention of Etsy's staff by clicking "Report this item to Etsy" in the right sidebar on the listing page. Just complete the simple form by selecting a reason and adding any additional information in the message field.

What happens when I flag an item?
Etsy admin review every flagged item. If the item appears to violate Etsy's policies, admin will contact the seller by email. In extreme cases the item may be removed from the site immediately. Flagging is confidential; only Etsy's staff will know who flagged an item.

Oops, I flagged an item by accident! Can do I undo it?
There isn't a way to undo a flag, but don't worry, each flag is reviewed by a human being. If you flagged an item in error, it will be cleared when the Content admin reviews the shop.

Will I know right away if one of my items gets flagged?
Etsy admin review each flag before notifying the seller. You will only be contacted if there is something you need to change about the listing or if Etsy's staff have questions about the item or shop. If you do get an email from Content, it's important to respond promptly so the issue can be resolved quickly. Etsy admin will email you at the address on file in your account information (Your Etsy > Account Info), so be sure that info is up-to-date.

What else do I need to know about flagging?
You can read more about the people who work on Content here at Etsy in this previous Storque article: Meet the Content Folks on the Support Team. You may also want to familiarize yourself with Etsy's policies for flagging from the DOs & DON'Ts.

All about Etsy FAQ Series| TechUpdates | Help

Reminder Time! Policy Grace Period & Feedback Expiration Deadlines

2008-06-25T12:18:00-05:00

Hello Etsians,

We have two friendly reminders for you about important things happening next week on Etsy.

Policy grace period coming to a close.
Last month, we announced an update to our site policies in the DOs & DON'Ts and Terms of Use. We provided a grace period of seven weeks for everyone to comply with the new policies. My-oh-my, how time flies! Next Monday, June 30, 2008 (at the end of the day, midnight EDT) marks the end of that grace period. Please take some time to review the policies again and make any necessary last-minute changes. (The previous announcement article from May highlights the most important updates to our policies.)

Feedback expiration is on the horizon.
Another big thing happening next week is that Feedback expiration will go into effect. As of Tuesday, July 1, 2008, the ability to leave Feedback will automatically expire 90 days after the transaction date. When we activate this feature, all your pending Feedback that is 90+ days old will disappear. If you intend to leave Feedback for those past transactions, please do so as soon as possible! Expiration of old pending Feedback is a feature many members have requested, and we are pleased grant this wish. We chose 90 days as a generous time frame to accommodate concerns about shipping time, gift-giving and custom orders. This was first announced in May's policy update article. For more information on how Feedback works, please check out the Feedback Help Guide.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns about these upcoming changes, please join us in the Forum thread for a discussion (we've closed commenting on this article to keep your comments and concerns in one place). Thanks!

Ch-ch-ch-changes: Updates to Etsy's Site Policies

2008-05-15T18:20:00-05:00

Dear Etsians,

It's spring! Time to refresh and renew. And that's exactly what we've been doing here at Etsy — a bit of spring cleaning. We brought out the site policies and noticed they were looking a little dusty, rusty and rough around the edges. So we've polished up the DOs & DON'Ts and Terms of Use and are pleased to present some shiny, new and improved updates!

Last week we posted a sneak peek preview of the proposed updates to get feedback from the community. After a very positive reception and a few minor tweaks, we're ready to put these into effect today.

For the most part, the policies are still the same. We've reorganized and clarified the existing policies to address some concerns expressed by members over the past year. We have made a few changes and additions. This update is in response to questions and issues raised by our community; our aim was to make the policies easier to understand and to address some of the preceived "gray areas." For your convenience, we'll outline the basic changes below, but we expect every member to read through the updated DOs & DON'Ts and Terms of Use in their entirety.

Both documents have been reorganized to provide a more logical arrangement of information. The Terms of Use has been tightened up as strictly the legal agreement for using the site. The DOs & DON'Ts contain all our site-wide polices that pertain to specific features and functions of Etsy. The DOs & DON'Ts have also been reformatted out of the constraints of the "Do/Don't" list structure.

Below is the Cliff's Notes version of the updates. (This will look familiar to those who participated in the preview last week.) Please follow the links to see the specific section where these policies are defined.

Collective shops: The definition and requirements for collective shops have been clarified. (These are the rules for shops with multiple people involved.)

Conversations: Sending a Convo to notify a seller that they are featured in a Treasury list is no longer explicitly considered "spam." Instead, common sense prevails — do not use Convos for advertising or promotional purposes.

Transaction disputes: Buyers and sellers are encouraged to communicate and resolve matters on their own. Transactions may only be reported in three situations: non-payment, fraud and non-delivery. Issues should only be reported after there has been an effort to resolve the issue between the buyer and seller.

Shop Policies: Sellers now have a dedicated page in their shops to outline personal policies on payment, shipping, returns/exchanges and more. Please note that your shop policies may not contradict any of Etsy's site-wide policies. You can read more about the Shop Policies feature in this article: Hello Policy.

Non-payment time frame: We have removed the "three days to pay" policy. We trust our sellers to use good judgement in developing their policies and provide excellent customer service. We encourage all sellers to post their payment terms on their Shop Policies page.

Feedback: We've outlined the specific situations in which Etsy will consider removing feedback for members. You have up to 30 days from the date feedback was left to contest feedback. Additionally, we've expanded Kiss and Make-Up to allow members to resolve neutral (as well as negative) feedback issues on their own. Another feedback change we'll be making soon: the ability to leave feedback will expire 90 days after the transaction date. That change will go into effect on July 1, 2008, so get your backlog of waiting feedbacks cleaned up before then.

Rules for listings: We've clarified a few of the long-standing gray areas, such as: defining vintage and supplies, conditional listings/upgrades, graphic design services and explicitly prohibited items.

Community: We've added an official anti-spam rule for the Forums and a policy prohibiting solicitation for donations in the community spaces.

Teams and Storque: Making a first time appearance in the DOs & DON'Ts are specific sections for participation in Teams and The Storque. Nothing here is really new; these polices just have a new home alongside all the others now.

Terms of Use: The alterations to the Terms of Use have been mostly cosmetic, so we won't get in to the nitty-gritty here. We cleaned up the language to make it easier to understand and reorganized some information to more appropriate sections. We added a new section on Meetings and removed the section on Feedback (as this info is more appropriate for the DOs & DON'Ts). In general, the Terms of Use and DOs & DON'Ts complement one another.

The updated DOs & DON'Ts and Terms of Use are effective as of today, May 15, 2008. However, there are some changes that will impact existing sellers and shops, and we want to give everyone a fair amount of time to adjust and edit. As such, we are allowing everyone a grace period of seven weeks. The deadline for full compliance is June 30, 2008 (by the end of the day at midnight EDT, for those of you who are sticklers or procrastinators). The grace period only applies to compliance with the changed policies as mentioned in this article.

Be sure the email address in your Account Info is up-to-date; we use this address to send vital messages about your account. An email will be sent to all members about this policy update, as well as the recent Search and Category changes. We are revising the Help section (FAQs and Help Guides) to be consistent. If you're interested in getting other important news sent directly to your inbox, subscribe to our Etsy News Alert emails.

If you'd like to comment, ask questions or discuss these updates to our policies, please join us in this Forum thread. Etsy Admin Beth (aka bethela) and Lauren (aka stellaloella) will also be hosting office hours in the Virtual Labs on Friday, May 16 at 3pm EDT to chat about the site policies.

Forum Decorum: Be No One's Puppet

2008-01-24T17:09:00-05:00

You know who gets a tough break on the Internet? Sock puppet makers. While innocently pursuing their age-old craft, the Internet at large steals their identifying term and applies it to a particular kind of mischief. Sock puppets are commonly used around the 'net to generate fictional support for some belief or cause. Alternate accounts have been similarly used to post on the Etsy Forums in the past, and the term sock puppet has been adopted in our community to cover a range of anonymous posting agendas. This week's Forum Decorum is about the sock puppet phenomenon: why you might be tempted to make one and what you can do instead.

Using an alternate account to post in the Forums is against Etsy rules, so why would you do it anyway? Why not just post on your original account? Typically, someone who has made a alternate account either can't use their original name or simply won't. Let's look at these two circumstances in a little more detail.

If you were to start a second account to post on the Forums because you can't do so with your original account, this is a good sign that you need to privately contact support@etsy.com to determine what can be done. Posting with a second account is likely to cause more problems than it will solve, so it's best to email Etsy and find out what is up.

What circumstances might lead you to say that you won't post something on the Forums with your original account?

Maybe you want to avoid the "no calling out" rule. If that's the case, it's probably still best that you take your concerns to Etsy's staff privately. If you really want the input of your peers on the Forums, sometimes it's possible to rework your question into a more general one or give a hypothetical case. See our article about calling out for more tips on dealing with this scenario.
Maybe it's too embarassing or too personal to post under your own name. If it isn't Etsy-related, you might want to consider a different venue (maybe one that's more anonymous overall) to share what's on your mind. If it is Etsy-related, go ahead and email us about it. We won't tell, we promise!
Maybe you're just having a bit of fun with a practical joke. No harm there, right? Well, not exactly. Since sock puppet accounts are against Etsy's rules, you would be held responsible for the consequences of breaking a rule. That joke might not be so funny once you realize that you're putting your primary account at risk.

There are probably reasons beyond the ones we've listed here, but in general when a sock puppet is used it's because there is a need for discretion. A private email to the right Admin team at Etsy offers the maximum level of discretion. If you really want to reach out to the Etsy community for input, we can help advise you on how to word your question/statement/story for the Forums so you can feel comfortable having your username attached to it. However you do it, don't post on the Forums with a sock puppet. Doing so can put all of your accounts at risk, and we want you right here with us!

(No sellers of sock puppet-related items were harmed in the writing of this article.)

Share your thoughts in this Forum thread: Keep your socks on your feet!

In the Forum Decorum series, Lauren (stellaloella) and RobWhite of the Community team explain some of the finer points of cultural etiquette in Etsy's community spaces. When something is an official site rule, we'll be sure to link you up to the DOs and DON'Ts or Terms of Use. Simply consider these as tips for avoiding a forum faux pas.

All About Etsy FAQs: Playing by the Rules

2008-01-17T17:23:00-05:00

Don't get left out in the cold! Lauren aka stellaloella and the Community Team at Etsy have this important installment of the All about Etsy FAQ Series to share with you — especially newbie — Etsians! Etsy, over the company's short lifespan (two and a half years young!), has developed rules and guidelines that have helped the community and marketplace run smoothly. Often times the rules and guidelines are picked up informally, by getting a hang of things around the forums and asking questions. Here, Lauren addresses some of those most frequently asked questions.

One thing we hear occasionally from new members is that they don't know what the rules are or where to find them. In this article, we'll try to explain the differences in the policy documents on Etsy, remind you where to find them, and let you know who to ask if you're not sure about a rule.

What are all the different policy documents on Etsy?
We have a few different pages that detail site policies: the Terms of Use, the DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy, the Privacy Policy and the Copyright Policy. It's important that every member reads and understands the rules before they join Etsy.

What is the Terms of Use document?
The Terms of Use is the legal document all members must read and agree to when registering to become a member of Etsy. Being a legal document, it's written in the ancient language of Lawyerish. It outlines all the legal terms for using the site, from membership eligibility to Etsy's use of member-submitted content to explaining Etsy's role as a venue (not a retailer) to a whole lot of other things. The ToU also refers to the other Etsy policy documents. By agreeing to the ToU, you agree to all of Etsy's policies by proxy.

I read the Terms of Use when I signed up, but where is it in case I want to read it again? What about these other policies?
You can find the Terms of Use linked in the site footer at the bottom of every page on the site, and also in the Help section. In fact, all of Etsy's site policies can be found in the Help section.

What are the DOs & DON'Ts?
The DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy explain in greater detail all the rules for using features on the site, including buying and selling. The D&D were written to explain things in a more easily digestible format by breaking down the complexities of Etsy into a series of "Do" or "Don't" statements. It's vital that every Etsy member reads these rules and knows what they can and cannot do on the site. Each section of the D&D also outlines what the consequences are for breaking a rule.

What is the Privacy Policy?
This document explains how we protect the personal information you provide us with in your account information. Important tip for sellers: The Privacy Policy explains how and when you can use the information Etsy provides you about your buyers from transactions. Make sure you read it!

What is the Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy?
This page explains what to do in the event you believe an Etsy member is infringing upon your intellectual property rights (like copyright and trademarks). Etsy's Copyright Policy complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. We also have a Copyright FAQ page to help educate members about their IP rights.

What happens if a rule is broken?
Well, that depends on which rule it was. The DOs & DON'Ts outline the consequences for breaking different rules under each section. Sometimes it's as simple as Etsy staff contacting a user to ask them to correct something. Other times breaking a rule can lead to suspension of certain privileges or full account termination.

Where are the rules about what can be sold on Etsy?
These rules can be found in the DOs & DON'Ts under the Selling section.

What if I have specific question about the rules, something I don't understand?
Please email support@etsy.com with your questions, and we'll be happy to help you.

What should I do if I see something on Etsy that is a violation of a rule?
Please email abuse@etsy.com with as much detail as possible. We will look into it and take the appropriate action.

You may also be interested in Rob aka Rokali's Ironing-board Chat (a podcast where he answered a lot of thought-provoking questions about Etsy). See all posts in the All about Etsy FAQ Series.

Policy Talk: Minor update to the DOs & DON'Ts

2007-11-27T11:40:00-05:00

In order to clarify Etsy’s policy concerning the use of language and images on the site, Etsy has updated the wording of the DOs & DON'Ts slightly. (Please note that these are not policy changes; these are the same policies that were implemented at the time the DOs & DON'Ts were launched Spring 2007.)

People on Etsy come from many different walks of life; we're an international, multi-cultural marketplace. These policies are about keeping this community healthy – and growing. Reaching a diverse audience is essential to the success of our marketplace.

New under Member Accounts:

Don’t use profane or racist language in your username and/or public profile.

New under Selling:

Don't use profane or racist language or images in the public areas of your Etsy Shop, such as: username, public profile, item title, first image of a listing, tag, avatar, banner, announcement, and/or shop section.

The rules for listing Mature Content items have not changed.

Please brush up on these policies and make sure your shop is up to date.

Policy Change: Abraham Link-in!

2007-10-16T15:52:00-05:00

A very smart man I like to call George Bernard Shaw once said, "The golden rule is that there are no golden rules."

With that in mind, I am pleased to announce that we will be altering two of our rules for the general benefit of Etsy. Effective immediately, the admin reserve the right to include links and attachments in the emails we send out. We will soon be beginning a number of opt-in emails that will help drive sales and keep users informed. Including links back to Etsy will be essential in making these emails effective, and do not, we have ascertained, pose an increased security risk. Furthermore, we are exploring ways to improve the registration process, and have decided that link-based confirmation may be required. As before, no email from Etsy will ever ask for your password or credit card information. Thanks.