Views- Another Shop's Listing

[Former_Member]

Today was my first day getting a view from another shop's listing. I feel a bit bad about that and hope that Etsy stops this practice. We all work so hard on marketing and we are all independent shops. Unless an item is a one-of-a-kind, buyers can message and ask if a particular piece that is sold out can be made again. By showing buyers similar items in other shops and letting buyers redirect directly from your shop to another, I feel Etsy is making it that much harder for shops to make a sale.

I respect all of you as artist and business owners. I would never go to a show and call people away from a table to my own. I would never go into a store and tell customers they could get a similar item down the street. I just choose to conduct my business differently than that.

Do any of the rest of you feel uncomfortable that people may be drawn directly from a shop's personal store front to your own or from your own? Sorry if it sounded a bit like a rant. I shall get off my soapbox now. :-) Just wanted to voice my opinion on this.

[LovgrenandDaughter]

Sorry I'm a bit confused. How did you get a view from another shops listing? Where do you see that? Puzzled.

[RusticNorthern]

I have a view today from another shops listing too ...

[RusticNorthern]

Kristin LovgrenfromLovgrenandDaughter says

Sorry I'm a bit confused. How did you get a view from another shops listing? Where do you see that? Puzzled.

It is on the traffic sources from Etsy stats ...

[Former_Member]

If an item in a shop is sold out or not available, under "other suggested items" are some items from the shop you are in if they are similar and if not there are other shops' items. If a buyer clicks on the picture, they will be redirected to the other item even if it is in a different person's shop.

[Former_Member]

Actually I get a number of views from other shops listings and I send people from my shop to other shops as well, all on purpose.

I do cross promotion with other shops so if a soaper purchases one of my soap dishes and is in agreement to let me use their photo with my dish in one of my listings then I'll put a link to their shop in my listing as well.

[Former_Member]

I totally understand that and have no problem collaborating in marketing with other shops in ways you have mentioned, Crochetgal. What I feel badly about is that this type of Etsy "referral" is not a collaboration between the shops and they may not even know it is going on.

[LovgrenandDaughter]

thanx fluminus - I did not know that. I had an arrangement with another shop until they closed.

Still not in my shop stats. huh. Something to think about. thanx for the info.

[spacefem]

No, I do not feel bad. Someone shopping on etsy finds an item that's available and closer to what they're looking for? That's always a good thing, in my opinion. If etsy does well, I do well.

[PaperCreationsbyDeb]

I've often promoted other shops and directed potential buyers to other shops. It's just good business.
The only issue I have with Etsy redirecting to other products is if the shop being directed away from has similar items then those should be seen first.

[Former_Member]

I agree totally, Deb. I have no problem promoting other shops and directing a potential buyer to that shop.

The problem that I have is that the shop a buyer has gone to originally makes similar items that the buyer is redirected to.

[wildwomanbeads]

I too promote other shops as a gesture of goodwill with my fellow artists, but I'm not sure I like Etsy doing it for me. On one hand, I can see that Etsy is trying to drive business (sales) in a pro-active way.

This works for Etsy, of course, but possibly not for the artist who made the original item and might want a chance to design something for the person looking. I think I'd prefer that Etsy made this an optional "service," to which I, as an artist, could subscribe or not.

Thanks for raising the issue!

[Former_Member]

I wish someone would send people to my shop, that'd be fantastic