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Store Back Online After #EtsyStrike by Temrin
Reopening my Etsy store after the #EtsyStrike, currently just with lettermail items as i'm in the process or adjusting my larger listings.
https://wildelementstudios.etsy.com
I am unable to move shops for a lot of reasons, but i'm still fighting for a better platform for all those still on it. I don't have other places to shop for physical items online, so sales here are important for me to stay afloat. However, lots of artists have personal shops outside of Etsy so if you see something you like, be sure to reach out to the artist and see if they have a preferred shop!
And if you see ads for Etsy listings online other than Etsy, that aren't posted by the artist themself, don't click them! Using ads to shop costs anyone you shop from in the next 30 days, an extra 15% right from the same priced order, which will send a lot of folks into the red on that item because upping prices 15% is assinine and many don't want to cause the customer to pay that much more. Some artists cannot opt out of offsite ads, at all.
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Yeah the issue is that Etsy is the only "marketplace" platform that covers VAT/sales tax in terms of that they collect and remit on my behalf. I don't have the time, energy or money to do it myself or hire someone to handle all that for me because it's a BEAST for a solo small business person to handle. There are some places that if the taxes haven't been collected then they wont even admit the package over the border or the customer will get dinged for the VAT AND an extra fee for the inconvenience of the postal service having to handle it. So like, if I want to ship worldwide at all, it's just about the only place that will do it for me. (Patreon does too but that is a different beast as well. It's why I'm still on Patreon and Etsy, because they handle it worldwide. I do offer things on Redbubble and other "print on demand" sites but I do have my own items physically that i can't sell through them and I haven't done conventions in years now and don't plan to go back to them soon so online selling is my only way to try to make some money and get rid of my stock. @.@ )
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That makes sense. I think sometimes the small sacrifices have to be made when it comes to business. Taxes are one of those burdens you definitely want others to deal with. For many years, where I lived, taxes weren’t collected by Amazon for products……but my state made us pay a minimal fee every year on the income taxes. It’s much better to have the taxes collected up front.
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keirajo
Wow..........this sounds like a real problem. I know tons of people who use Etsy to sell physical products (one of my pen-pals makes homemade plushes and sells on Etsy). I don't know of much outside of Redbubble in the way of arts and crafts and I know Redbubble is kind of a different beast than Etsy.
I know this is an idea going backwards, but maybe for your regular customers on a platform such as Etsy--or for when you're physically at a convention?--maybe create your own catalogues for people to order from in the old-school mail-order style? You might be able to do a mail-order kind of catalogue through sites you're on, or by e-mail, too.
I wish I had more ideas for you, or suggestions--but I hope that this situation gets better.