♦♦♦♦ Alberta Street Team CHAT THREAD for JUNE-SEPTEMBER, 2019 ♦♦♦♦

[#1]

Welcome to the Alberta Team Chat Thread for June 1 through August 31, 2019. Feel free to use the formatting options available for you as you post! We're going to try something a little different and leave the chat thread open for the summer. Enjoy the sun when we are able to see it through the smoke and share your favourite Alberta get away vacation!

Posting in this thread counts towards your team participation and is the main place to get up to date on what we are doing as a team! 

Post your New Listings in our promo thread (public & sharable): https://community.etsy.com/t5/Alberta-Street-Team/June-December-2019-New-Listings/gpm-p/126563177#M48597

WHERE TO FIND OUR TEAM & PARTICIPATE:
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/AlbertaStreetTeam
PINTEREST: www.pinterest.com/ABStreetTeam/
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/etsyalbertateam/ #etsyalbertateam

If you have any questions about the team or how to get more involved please contact Kalen, the Team Captain, at www.etsy.com/shop/minibytes

Previous chat thread here: https://community.etsy.com/t5/Alberta-Street-Team/Alberta-Street-Team-CHAT-THREAD-for-MAY-2019/gpm-p/126181030#M48564

[WireExpressions]

$ubtle enough 😝

I didn’t get an email. But I’m glad to hear they are looking for feedback from their non US sellers. I hope they get good feedback that represents us well. I think it’s fair to say that international sellers feel like they are getting the royal shaft here. And maybe that’s because we are, or maybe it’s bc Etsy has a really crappy way of communicating. (Or both). But either way, they’ve alienated a large group of sellers and their shareholders won’t be happy when and if that hurts their profits. Though as much as I hate to admit it.. I don’t think it will hurt Etsy’s profits, just mine!

I’ve learned one thing through the WestJet Onyx buy out (my husband works for WJ) - perception is everything to the shareholders! WestJet will be a much more profitable company once they are not having to make every single decision based on shareholders perception of what is profitable. I know Etsy is making decisions to please public shareholders now. It’s a whole different way of doing business and we’ve seen that since they went public.

[JenGregoirePhoto]

Hi Everyone Posted something yesterday but maybe it didn't post. I tried doing through the app.  I have a hard time finding this team since they made the changes to the forum.  I prefer the old team forum. I'm all for a facebook group or something, but realize not everyone is on facebook. 

I have offered free shipping in Canada... but not in US. I'm so grateful for you Cindy! and all your infomation! I'm not sure what im going to do yet. Just thought I pop on and say hi! Still recouping from Stampede!!!

[hopnflop]

I only add to the community forum on my desktop, but I still find it a hassle to look for it, so I actually keep the email nofitications on and when someone posts I get an email and a link straight to our team. I use that now just to get to our team to comment. How was Stampede? Have you done it previous years and if so, how did this year compare?

[JenGregoirePhoto]

btw having a harding time posting stuff.

[JenGregoirePhoto]

Stampede is long and hard. But I did it!!!! 11 days (12 if count sneak a peek) 11am-11pm with 3 theme days starting at 9am- 11pm. This is my second year doing the Maker Market. I also did it with Etsy! That was just a table though. You can do it in 4 day blocks there are 3 blocks. If you do decide to do blocks your best bet to pick a weekend block. I can't tell which block is better. Last year the Last block was the better and this year the first block was the best. There is to many variables weather plays a big part! You basically need nice weather to get them to the grounds and a nice storm to bring them in. If your Jewellery the market is pretty saturated with jewellery.  It's not an art market so you are going to hear this is pricey and so on. You will have really good days! and really bad days in sales. You kind of got to take as a whole not each day.  The neat thing is I have people from all over the world going home with my work. 

[JenGregoirePhoto]

Question I heard a rumor that Etsy might be dropping shop names in the search? So if you go on the Etsy app they are dropping the shop name and just having the price? Anyone know anything?

[cindylouwho2]

We were told it is a test. So, we won't know anything til they make a decision on how it worked out. 

[EpicStitching]

Hi all, I know I haven't been around in quite some time. Mostly because my daytime job got a lot busier and had more responsibility added to it; so my 'free-time' has to go into sales for the shop or having a personal life (lol). 

I wanted to share this with you all however. I've been persuing the free shipping fiasco from the legal aspect in Canada. After Etsy's (frankly) pathetic response to me that it's up to each individual 'business' (ie: us) to comply with our 'local laws' (they say it like we are all in tiny countries or something...) I have been very concerned about people loosing their businesses or having major problems with the Canadian law. For example; if you work work without business insurance on the basis of a sole prioritership (my scenario) because you bring in less than $30k a year then you could stand to loose everything if you were to  be sued by someone or the government were to fine you. Your personal assets are not protected unless your business is incorporated or a clear separate entity. 

Anyways, below is what the competition bureau has said about Etsy's 'free shipping' policy and adding the cost to the overall price of the item. It is clear to me and a few others who've read this response this morning that it is illegal to add the cost of shipping into our item prices and then claim we have 'free shipping'. I've talked with others around the world and for sure the EU and Mexico have this same law. (in fact it looks like most countries do... except the USA...) Based on the response below I will be investigating USA law next... 
I will be filing a complaint against Etsy itself with the Competition Bureau; but I'm concerned they will tell me that Etsy is not the 'business' doing the illegal selling as they are not selling anything and that it's our indivudal businesses on the hook. *sigh*

Interestingly since my persistent pushing of the issue on Canadian law my shop has dropped completely from all searches it used to be in. I've received no new customer orders since July 16. 70% of my core business is out of the USA. I have had some long-time customers order; but I know they don't look for my items in search; they have my shop bookmarked instead. To say I'm frustrated is an understatement. All that said I share the below email information because I am very concerned about sellers unknowingly breaking Canadian law (because Etsy is telling them to) and then being reported by someone. :( 

-----------------Email from Competition Bureau below---------------------

Competition Bureau / Bureau de la concurrence <IC.CBCompBureau-BurconcurrenceBC.IC@canada.ca>	Mon, Jul 29, 2019 at 6:11 AM
Reply-To: IC.CBCompBureau-BurconcurrenceBC.IC@canada.ca To: Epicstitching@gmail.com Cc: IC.CBCompBureau-BurconcurrenceBC.IC@canada.ca
Our File: R700055   Melissa Ladner Calgary, Alberta Dear Ms. Ladner: Thank you for your enquiry regarding Etsy.ca. We apologize for the delay in our reply. The Competition Bureau ("Bureau"), as an independent law enforcement agency, ensures that Canadian businesses and consumers prosper in a competitive and innovative marketplace. As part of its mandate, the Bureau is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Competition Act ("Act"), a federal law that governs most business conduct in Canada. The Act contains criminal and civil provisions to address false or misleading representations and deceptive marketing practices in promoting the supply or use of a product or any business interest. To learn more about false and misleading representations, please visit our website: http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/00513.html  As indicated in section 3.6 in the link provided above, it is well established that a representation for a "free" or other refund or coupon offer should not contain an essential feature or condition that is hidden from a purchaser who might not be willing or able to comply with it. Example: "When you leave your film for developing and processing, we will give you a new roll at no charge," where the processing price is inflated to cover the "free" film and refunds are given to customers not wishing to receive the film. Nor is it "free" in a "two-for-one" situation where the price of the first article is inflated to cover the cost of the second. If you believe that someone has, in some way, contravened any of the legislation enforced and administered by the Bureau and you wish to file a complaint, you may follow the link provided to submit online: www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/complaint. Please provide detailed information such as a detailed description of the situation, copies of advertisements (for example, a screenshot, if available) and the coordinates of the business in question, so that we may process your complaint accordingly. Please include file number R700055 where indicated.  You may also wish to contact the following organization which may be in a position to address your concerns: Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Avenue North West Washington, DC 20580 United States of America Telephone: 202-326-2222 Web site: www.ftc.gov  We invite you to visit our Web site, www.competitionbureau.gc.ca, to learn more about the work of the Bureau and to access public information on case developments and general information about our programs and activities. Thank you again for taking the time to bring this matter to our attention. Centre des renseignements Bureau de la concurrence / Gouvernement du Canada 1-800-348-5358 / Télécopieur : 819-997-0324 / ATS : 1-866-694-8389 Information Centre Competition Bureau / Government of Canada 1-800-348-5358 / Facsimile: 819-997-0324 / TTY: 1-866-694-8389

[MagpieQuilts]

Very interesting. 

[WireExpressions]

Oiy! My brain is just done with the free shipping stuff for a bit. But that is interesting. Etsy is sticking to the line "each business gets to make their own decisions" line. Time will tell if this will work out well or not for Etsy. As for search rankings...It's either a coincidence or they've already changed their algorithim...when I search for some of my stuff...it is pages down below hundreds of items that offer free shipping. When I searched very specific search terms, where I knew my stuff should come up higher, it came below items that didn't even contain those search terms but offered free shipping. And there seems to me to be even more clumping that there was before. 

The saying is true...don't keep your eggs all in one basket. Surely one day the basket handle will break! 

On another note...my two lost packages from June... BOTH of them showed up. (And I waited at least 4 weeks before reshipping each). So irritating. The one with USPS tracking just showed up today. (was supposed to be delivered on June 10).  This is one package I would like to have returned as I can resell it. SO hopefully the return gets to me. Then figuring out how to get it from Montana Mailbox without paying DYK Post their extortionist fees to clear it for me! Any suggestions? 

[JenGregoirePhoto]

Here what I found for US

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=4c2a16712079bc4bcaa6fed5899c2537&mc=true&n=pt16.1....

[lampworkbyjulie]

I am not going to sweat the term ‘free shipping’. Maybe it should be called  ‘no additional fee added’. Surely common sense should make everyone realize that the shipping is in there somewhere. Mind you common sense went out the window a long time ago . I think it’s a good idea to offer the free shipping.

I could care less if I, as a buyer pays for it, or the shipper pays for it, it’s easier to purchase when I see the whole cost in ONE amount. 

[hopnflop]

Oh wow! I missed a lot here. Thanks for all the info about the free shipping. On another note, I just got an email from Square about their new payment on-the-go terminal that can print receipts. Going to read up on it to see what the features are and if there's any cons about it.

[hopnflop]

The only difference I can see so far with the Square mobile terminal is that it prints receipts and you wouldn't need to use your smartphone anymore, but you still need to connect the terminal to internet. Definitely just going to keep using my current Square contactless reader. I think this promo is better for brick and mortar shops. 

[lampworkbyjulie]

Someone in a fb group I joined, is asking how to get their shop reinstated after it was closed due to using a Disney image. Does anyone here know what the steps are? 

[cindylouwho2]

@lampworkbyjulie  it's almost always too late once they are closed for IP theft. You usually get more than one warning before you are closed. They can beg the rights owners who have flagged them to lift the complaint, which occasionally works, but other than getting a lawyer to help push Etsy & the other party, they are likely screwed. 

So the way to keep your shop is to not be a thief on multiple occasions. 

[lampworkbyjulie]

Thanks Cindy. I’ll pass this along. 

Others have mentioned that Etsy no longer gives warnings. I had heard from 2 that said it happened to them. 

BUT, do you at least get an email saying that your shop is shut down? This one person says they did not. 

[cindylouwho2]

@lampworkbyjulie  yes, you get an email to your original shop email. Some Etsy emails may get sent to spam folders. 

I have not heard that Etsy is closing any shops on a first infraction, other than the usual cases where the whole shop is stolen and Etsy decides to put them out of their misery now. That generally only happens with newer shops. Often, people won't be entirely honest about how many takedowns they have already received, though. Etsy is becoming more strict with customer service standards, so if the shop had too many cases or poor reviews etc., one IP takedown could tip the scales, I suppose.

You can also be closed if a shop linked to yours has infractions that get them closed, & only the original shop gets an email in that situation. So, don't log into anyone else's account from the same device, or even the same IP address. 

Be aware there is also a bug where people are getting dashboard notifications for old intellectual property infractions. That shouldn't close a shop, though, as far as I know.  

They can email me through my website if they want me to look at it; I still help people with these cases from time to time. 

[lampworkbyjulie]

Thank you SO MUCH! Greatly appreciated. 

[SnowmanCollector]

Is there a new chat thread for September? I am so lost! LOL

[MagpieQuilts]

We are going to keep this discussion thread open until the end of the month! 

[SnowmanCollector]

I wasn't sure. It has been so quiet here lately. 

[MagpieQuilts]

Summer time is over, the kids are back in school and artisans are gearing up for the fall market season. 

What’s your number one tip for being ready for the busiest season of the year? 

My tip is leaving my phone in another room so I don’t get distracted. 

[hopnflop]

I love task lists, but spreading it out so I set goals of when I want certain items done by. Example, I just finished my 2019 Christmas card designs. Hahaha

[SnowmanCollector]

I love lists as well! The challenge is to block everything else out and find dedicated time to complete those lists.