Etsy issue or just me?

[Former_Member]

Is the issue only the new search or more? I do not know about anyone else but, I have noticed the past two weeks have been very slow on views and that has lead to less sales (for me). Over the past few months I have had steady sales on the average of 4 sales a week (sometimes more, sometimes less). Does anyone have any ideas if this is an etsy issue or my product type issue. Any explanations would be great.

[Former_Member]

Hi, there was a new search implemented. It isn't you, it has effected many, many shops. I have been told to look at "key words", etc., but have had a huge decline as well. There were many shops voicing concerns, however, it seems that it will stay on the route that they have "piloted". The search sections have changed, which makes it more confusing to the buyer. My best to your small business and the many others this effects going into the holiday season.

[Former_Member]

They didn't change search - they added new Browse sections. The search itself is the same as it's been for the last year.

If you're having problems getting found - tweak your titles and tags. Yellow, you don't have invitations anywhere in the first few words of your titles - that's hurting you. Put WHAT it is FIRST - - then describe with keywords later in the title. Then repeat those words in your descriptions and tags.

[lightboxing]

it seems to be an across-the-board change now, after lots of trials and different people seeing different things..

[Former_Member]

I'm fairly sure that search is he same as always, it's the browse pages that are new. I hardly ever got views from categories previously so I'm not too concerned that they changed. Most my views are from google and etsy search from people looking for specific products. Nothing seems to have changed with those, though I have started seeing views from google shopping which is new for me.

Personally, I like the new browse page. I think it'll be a great addition for people who have never been to Etsy before. They'll look at browse, see some great things, then decide to try a search for a product they're interested in. Those people are more likely to buy than the casual browser anyway.

Just my two cents.

[Former_Member]

Something changed with search recently. I now see supplies showing up in handmade searches. I reported it in Bugs, bumped the thread a few times, but nada from admin apart from 'we'll look in to it'. Maybe it's a secret new direction, or they just don't care.

[Former_Member]

I just looked at the earring section, of which there is no more category for metal work, of which many of my tags were. This is a type of jewelry. There is beaded as a category, why not metals? Maybe artisan also? It seems so limited to me, why explain in titles if it is not in the categories? Will I be lost if I continue to name my pieces such as metal work, artisan and not just dangle earrings or drop earrings? Am I missing something here?

[Former_Member]

Hi Lauren, you have a good point. They really do need more sections in browse. My two main products, soap dispensers and ring dishes, simply don't fit into any of the categories in browse. I'd have to lie in my tags to get them to show up anywhere.

Personally, I wouldn't have thought to even search for metal work or artisan in jewelry. Do you get a lot of search views from those? I think that to shownup in browse your titles and rags have to match their keywords exactly. So, right now, your items probably wont show up in browse, but you'll show up in search for those keywords.

[EarthlieTreasures]

absolutely ... my views are way down....so much for hoping and hanging on for the "busy" holiday season ... BOOO Esty!

[Former_Member]

Mollie, metal or metal work was a category and was searched for. To me it really is quite different than other different types of jewelry, it is not beaded, it is not button, these are some of the categories besides drop, chandelier, eco friendly, etc. The beaded and button describe the process and findings used, the process of metalsmithing or silversmithing is using metal and its process.

It seems to me that it will make items harder to be found as some of my earrings or whatever I list will have to be named drop or dangle rather than
copper metal leaf earrings. How many drop or dangle earrings are out there? Millions?

The artisan tag was used more for branding. What do you think?
Can't they put more categories, such as metal, copper, silver, etc?

[Former_Member]

My views actually went up with the new browse, so in that sense I'm happy (if only the sales went up to I would get truly happy ;)

[Former_Member]

My views have dropped too. They always fluctuate but I have noticed a distinct drop compared with a week or so ago. Maybe the buyers are just getting used to the new search/browse thingy?

[DarkRide]

You can see exactly where your views are coming from on your states page. If you are experiencing higher views, and you think that's because of browse, check your stats. Any views that come from browse will be marked (example) 'Jewelry Browse Section'.
I don't think it was well thought out. Most of my wares are beaded, not beadwork. There is no category in browse for beaded, leaving me to tag my items as beadwork. This should totally infuriate artisans who do actual bead weaving -- that's beadwork.
I'm seeing supplies in handmade browses, vintage in handmade, and tons and tons of repeat shops. Example, yesterday page 3 of a 'chain bracelet' browse were 11 items in a row from the same vendor(!!!) and their bracelets didn't even use chain, at all.

[Former_Member]

My views have been consistently higher in the last few weeks. I don't think it is from the change of the browse pages, however. Hang in there!