wow. this is a first....

[Former_Member]

I just got a message from a seller saying
"I noticed you liked these items, what keeps you from buying them?"
I was pretty shocked, this is a first. I found it extremely rude and very forward, and im pretty sure it must be against the rules.
has anyone else ever experienced this?
my reply was " I like lots of things I cant afford to buy. do you write everyone who likes one of your items but doesn't purchase?" I don't like being a meanie, but I just really didn't appreciate being asked that. she didn't even put her name at the end or anything. simply stated what I put in quotes, nothing more.
sheesh

[Former_Member]

I don't know if it's against the rules, per se (anyone know?), but it surely goes against Etsy etiquette. Or internet etiquette in general. Not all who favorite items are buyers.

[Inugurumi]

She could have worded it better, but there is a chance she just wanted an advice from another seller?

[Anthropologeek]

WOW! That is crazy!!! It is against the rules because it is considered spam...Maybe it's a new shop and she was trying to get some feedback. You should maybe gear her towards this team and then she can ask point blank about her shop.

[PIXELGRINphotography]

Hmmm. I'm on the fence.. I would probably be shocked as well, and not quite sure how to answer, although I know I would just say something to be nice and of course, respond probably similar to you.."because I like stuff!" I'm sure she probably wasn't trying to be mean or rude at all, and maybe didn't know it was against the terms of use here... but really, sending someone a convo about that is spam? It's not unsolicited.. if Etsy shows us who they are, it could be considered business, or perhaps she was trying to start a relationship with that person..

I mean, really... Etsy JUST emailed people who favorited items in our shops, about new items in our shops! Yes, that person subscribed to emails, but they are using specific data from the website.. it isn't fair that we aren't allow to convo people who like our items. Looks like I need to go back and read the Do's & Don'ts again. -- I would never do anything like that, but I could see how the seller could use that to her benefit to improve her products and certainly could of worded it or explained a bit more why she was asking.

[Former_Member]

I agree Jennifer, I could never do that, it's not my style. But there are a lot of ways I could see messaging a potential customer being beneficial for everyone - but any contact is against the rules. If you were running a brick and mortar, you would have ever right to talk to someone who picked up an item in your shop to look at it! I also think that they could have been a little less generically blunt about it though. A friendly message would go a long way in getting helpful feedback!

[Former_Member]

its a very complicated subject for me. ive asked questions on this team about similar issues before, but this was especially rudely done. it makes me wonder if "they" (I don't want to be specific about anything) have a personality disoder or something, and don't realize that it was rude. I literally cant fathom sending anyone a message asking "why wont you buy my item", its just crazy. I can also realize the opposite side of this as, like you all have mentioned, someone just reaching out to get advice, etc, just done very poorly.
thanks for everyone's input!!

[Former_Member]

I have had that happen before. At first I ignored them, when it kept happening I politely told the shop owner(s) I did not appreciate it and to stop. Also, if it continued I would report it to Etsy. Maybe I should have just reported it anyways, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt of not knowing the rules. I agree, it is off putting especially when you yourself own a shop and know its not right.

[Former_Member]

Direct quote from Etsy's Do's and Dont's:

"If someone hearts your shop/item to mark it as a Favorite, that is not an invitation to send a Conversation to that person."

In short, they could actually get their shop closed and account deleted for behavior like that.

[Former_Member]

so I got a response, and now im a little dumbfounded. I was about to write back and say in a nice enough way, that its not ok, and in fact makes me not want to buy it at all. the answer to my question "do you write everyone who favorites and doesn't purchase" and the reply was " yes I inquire to everyone who views my items". can you even access literally each person who views an item? ive never tried to do that before, but I am not surprised to see that the shop hasn't had much luck with sales.

[artpassionsdesign]

Totally rude! Who said "liking" means buying? We hope it leads to that. Sad.

[Former_Member]

I just gave in (im a real softie) and told the seller, that its a big no no, it was a bit rude, and I hope they learn that the bottom line is, IT DOESNT LEAD TO SALES. it is sad, because that's exactly what they must think. the way I try to look at it is, im thankful it was me that they wrote, and not someone with a zero tolerance attitude who would have reported them.

[Former_Member]

Good on ya, Erin.

I myself 'favorite' things that I am interested in buying, BUT the majority of my 'favoriting' is related to things that just strike my fancy or intrigue me in some way. I also favorite things that I want to add to a Treasury, although now there is that 'Add to a Treasury' feature which is nice....

The bottom line is that this is an extremely rude way to try to make any kind of sale, no matter what Etsy's etiquette is on the subject (although I am glad to see they disapprove of these types of initiated convos). I would NEVER buy some someone who resorted to bullying to get a sale. Big no-no indeed.

[Former_Member]

I store up favourites to show other people who I think might like them, or the colour scheme inspires me or i just think that the item is beautiful and Iw ant to share that with the creator...lol. if i purchased every item i favourited i would be broke :)

i certainly would not have been happy to receive that mail.

rachel

[Former_Member]

I still cannot stop pondering this situation. it simply baffles me

[Former_Member]

I also just realized the shop has zero handmade, vintage, or supply items. unless I somehow missed how they qualify as that. I asked the seller, I also have conflicting "tattletale" type emotions. I am SO not that sort of person. this whole situation is just annoying. if It wasn't somewhat common, I don't think I would have created this thread. I am one of those people who need to be reminded sometimes that others go through what I do.
more feedback is much appreciated!

[Former_Member]

I also just realized the shop has zero handmade, vintage, or supply items

Huh?

[Former_Member]

well the whole thing started with a care bear dvd. my 2 year old daughter adores them, and her 3rd birthday will be that theme. I often browse all the categories of items related to care bears. the seller in question had some dvds for sale, so I naturally assumed they were vintage. for whatever reason I wasn't scrutinizing the other items in their shop when conversing with them, I only glanced at them. mostly clothes. anyways, last night after discussing this topic with everyone, I was in my bathroom, I remembered what their shop profile header said, "cleaning out my closet". it made me think, "what if this person somehow missed the entire purpose of etsy "(though I seriously do not understand how one can set up a shop and list multiple things without realizing the obvious:supply, vintage, handmade. its so simple) and thinks this is another ebay. well it seems that is exactly what they thought. I asked, "are any of your items handmade, supply or vintage?" they reply "no but thanks for your inquiry". what?!! madness. I went ahead and told them that (I also wrote last night explaining the rules for writing people for favoriting/viewing your items) everything in their shop is basically against etsy policy. now I feel obligated to report them. I still totally feel mean though. what do you all think? I mean Its a no brainer I guess, but I cannot help feeling that tattletale/meanie feeling again.
I really appreciate any further advice. this team is so helpful, and meaningful. I have learned so much here.

[flauntdesignsjewelry]

Erin, that was such a nice way to reply, perhaps seller truly did not know rules and was purely looking for feedback to help them market better. I am one of those people that likes to see the best side, but I do have one antennae severely twitching and saying that the particular seller's convo to you was Rude, abrupt, not well phrased! Perhaps English not their first language?

[WilliamsGiftshop]

Mwuhaaaaa!
That's a new edition for the top ten list of promoting errors (or better: blunders).
Very rude.

[WilliamsGiftshop]

Erin, reporting them is the right thing to do and not mean at all.

[PotteryLodge]

I don't think the seller meant anything rude by it, though her wording could have been more politely stated. I think she was just wondering what was keeping YOU, as a purchaser, from buying her products. She probably just wanted feedback even though it came off as too forward. just my thoughts.

I also think it would have been better for her to ask this type of question in a forum rather than personally messaging you.

[Former_Member]

I wouldn't even respond to something like that. Not worth it. If anything, maybe remind them of Etsy rules? I'm just they are just curious why they aren't getting sales, but still...

[Former_Member]

Care Bear dvds have no place here. If you try to list an item that is less than 20 years old, Etsy will prompt you and advise you that it cannot be listed.

Etsy is confusing enough for the average shopper without being glutted with junk.

[Former_Member]

I used to send messages to people if they favoriting an item back when I first opened my shop, because I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't know how the etiquette worked, but I certainly didn't word it like that.

Maybe they're new and don't understand how it works? I would clue them in so they don't ruin their chances of having a good shop by offending lots of people!