Transaction fee increase

[HobbiesByHeatherCo]

Thoughts on the increase?

[NaomiMenceArt]

This seems a bit of a sudden increase to me - a bit out of the blue! It did take me by suprise when I just opened up my dashboard to read about their plans to increase fees from 5% to 6.5%.

If etsy is going from strength to strength and doing so well, why do they need to take more money from us? I understand it's to invest further into improving etsy which are all good ideas I'm sure.

I recently read that the head of the technical team at etsy gets paid around 3 million dollars a year.

Hmm..

[BethsPouredCreations]

That makes me angry. For the most part we are small businesses trying to make a profit. It's already hard to do that with the fees that they implement now. Why not invest in your sellers without taking from them. This is very discouraging news!

[EmpressEnergyJewels]

Yeah I don’t agree with it at all. We struggle enough as it is with big companies like amazon and raising our prices as a small business doesn’t always work to cover costs when sales go down. I think all the fees are excessive. Especially since all of their marketing that they’ll be doing with this increase won’t have any affect our shops, considering we still have to pay for our own marketing/ Etsy ad budget. 

[NaomiMenceArt]

That's a good point - we already have to pay a pretty extortionate amount to be advertised on etsy!

I would love to know exactly where this extra money will be spent. They really should do more of a clear breakdown of what they plan to be pouring our hard earned cash into. I don't know how they can make a statement like this without thoroughly detailing all of that, maybe they will in due course.

It's just a case of greed really. I recently tried to find a number to call etsy support and somehow came across photos of their stylish architect designed headquarters offices in Brooklyn.. wow! I guess that's where these extra fees are going.

[ShoreCrafty]

They are not helping promote my items at all anymore! They do not deserve another cent of my hard earned money, I'm looking for another site! My sales have drastically decreased with all their changes!

[artistandpuppy]

I can say I am very disappointed, but, let's be real, who cares? Obviously, Etsy is a capitalistic establishment and has to follow certain rules and regulations in concert with this fact. In that case, why just simply say, we are rich and want to be richer? No one would be blamed in that case.

[NaomiMenceArt]

I agree Etsy is a capitalistic establishment so by their very nature they will be doing things like this, to increase their yield and become richer. Etsy is just huge obviously.

It is a shame for the smaller businesses trying to exist in this world, when the rich just want to become richer.

[LaurieJaneArt]

This is true - I've read a total of three comments, made two of my own negative ones, and you've helped me think about how much comfort I already have.  Even if I pull off of Etsy who cares?

[StyledinJapan]

Time to move on

[LaurieJaneArt]

I agree.  Planning for the future without Etsy

[SnuggleBubs]

It would be nice if they included Australia, and no doubt other countries besides the US, in all these marketing and advertising plans. I resent paying more fee yet getting no advantage from doing so. 

[LaurieJaneArt]

I am not a happy camper.  This is sudden, and it's a 30% increase, which I think is too much.  If things are going so well why the increase?  And what are we supposed to do?  Raise all our costs 35% to keep up?  I don't know who would buy from me; sales right now are waaaaaay down and I'm paying for Etsy ads.  

NOT happy about it.  I'm thinking about pulling off of Etsy not that they would notice.  

[MadMamaMiller]

This really hurts us small shops. Didn't they bother reading my answers to the their survey?

Looks like they are hiring more employees & advertising on tv more. That hasn't helped my small shop increase sales no matter what they claim. I imagine larger shops may not care so much, but I am hot happy about this!

[BeadPassionbyAB]

They DO NOT CARE about us, the very people who make them rich. We get punished for everything: Offer FREE shipping to local customers, Free shipping to USA customers on orders greater than $34.00 ( the amount so absurd) what makes me lose money, not shipping with tracking ( the Canada postage with tracking is almost $20.00 now and shipping the $24.00 earrings with tracking minus Etsy's fees would leave me with no money at all. They will not change their mindset to squeeze us even more for their profit. No matter how many shops will go on strike. They do not care because there are so many of us that a few shops will not make any difference.

I think it is time to look for another platform.