21–30 of 181 posts
This sounds like business the stores wouldn't be getting otherwise (so it's incremental), and all at the cost of what you'd be to an affiliate network anyway. Forced participation if you do more than $10,000 is ridiculous, but I otherwise fail to see what the uproar is about.
Well the easy, non-controversial way to do this is to just introduce it as an easy and awesome new product, that stands on its own and let people opt-in at their own discretion. By auto-enrolling everybody and requiring them to opt-out, that’s creating a huge controversy just asking for backlash. And then forcing anyone who makes over $10k to now be required - that’s a strong hand they’re playing. Can only point to s…
I assume the logistical reason they're doing it is because they need ad volume for negotiations.
That doesn't make it "right" or even good corporate strategy (although I suppose it might be), but I can see why they'd do such a thing.
Does anybody know what happened to the small businesses that used to use Etsy? Did another service open up for them? I suppose they may have gone to Shopify, but that fragmentation of storefronts reduces discoverability. The ability to search a vast set of niche widgets was probably Etsy's best selling point. Every small business having its own storefront, and may or may not be doing SEO properly, is likely to mean l…
The users who can't opt out are subject to a 12% fee, but this is on top of the the existing 3%-4% transaction and payment processing fees.
On the one hand, this would be great if it was all opt-in. On the other hand, this is nutty for any business running on low margins or with limited supply (and a sufficient customer base that they don’t need advertising to sell out). A lot of small business owners aren’t great at marketing, and having a push button solution is great. Forcing your larger sellers into something that might not even need is borderline pr…
Etsy shops don't strike me as low-margin. Unless it has drastically changed since I last used it? At least back then, it was for "self-made" and/or creative works. Such products are typically under less competitive pressure because there's no competition for "Aunt Jill's Organic Cotton Socks". I used to deal in high-end organic foodstuffs, and we sold nothing below 50% margin. "Sure, you can by other olive oil for 1/…
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You should really try to reduce dependencies. Have a look into passive computing and selling to higher animals, maybe?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Etsy shops don't strike me as low-margin. Unless it has drastically changed since I last used it? At least back then, it was for "self-made" and/or creative works. Such products are typically under less competitive pressure because there's no competition for "Aunt Jill's Organic Cotton Socks". I used to deal in high-end organic foodstuffs, and we sold nothing below 50% margin. "Sure, you can by other olive oil for 1/…
Margins aside, anyone selling hand-made goods has a very limited stock and can't really scale up production. What is the value of this advertising to a seller who is already selling at the rate they can produce goods?
On the one hand, this would be great if it was all opt-in. On the other hand, this is nutty for any business running on low margins or with limited supply (and a sufficient customer base that they don’t need advertising to sell out). A lot of small business owners aren’t great at marketing, and having a push button solution is great. Forcing your larger sellers into something that might not even need is borderline pr…
Etsy is buying advertising on other sites, to the benefit of their customers. In the event that traffic converts, they take another 12/15% on top of the existing 3-4%. This sounds like business the stores wouldn't be getting otherwise (so it's incremental), and all at the cost of what you'd be to an affiliate network anyway. Forced participation if you do more than $10,000 is ridiculous, but I otherwise fail to see w…
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This comment sounds similar to, "I shed no tears for people involved in car wrecks, which are a known risk of driving." Yes everyone knows that it's dangerous for your vendors to be bigger than you, but it's still bad when we're reminded.
Your argument is effectively everything is OK as long as you’re not told.
The bottom line is that small business and consumers have a responsibility as well.