Sorry if you have read this all before, but I am sad..................

[Former_Member]

..........about these changes!
I have been posting on other threads about the CPSIA, but I feel ignored! Nobody follows up my queries.
I am in the UK and feel a little removed from all of this, but of course it affects me if I send items into the USA!

I joined Etsy just over a year ago. It has been wonderful for me! It is the only place I sell! I don't go out to work, so I have been able to expand, what basically had been a hobby! I don't enjoy good health, so running this little store has been good medicine for me and great because I am at home!
I have met some wonderful people here, learnt a lot and have become more confident in myself!

Now with all this CPSIA stuff I am really confused and upset! What do I do? Do I close up shop on the 10th?
I don't want to leave Etsy, but I want to abide by the law.
I can't get my head around testing all what I use, as I use so many different things!
I've only had 46 sales in a year, so as you can see I'm not rolling in money!
Just a bit of support from my fellow Etsians would be nice!
Ty!

[Former_Member]

There is a UK store called Folksy, which has always been my second choice. I'm wondering if to put everything child like into there and use this shop for my more adult ideas.
I make art dolls which are intended for older folk, but will the CPSIA see it like that??

[Former_Member]

I suppose I could leave the child stuff in my shop but take out the shipping option to the USA!
BUT the USA is where my best customers have been!!
AGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!

[Former_Member]

It is all so sad, isn't it?

There is also Dawanda the German site where you can sell your lovely art dolls.

[Former_Member]

What will happen on the 10th!
Will there be an official post here saying what the law is??
I haven't a clue how these things work!!

Ty Holland! But I love Etsy!!

[Former_Member]

Hi Bloomsbury

Like you, I'm in the UK and I'm feeling more than a little removed from it all. There's nothing worse than watching something happen and not being able to do anything about it. Even if I could afford to get all my stuff tested (and I can't), where would we go to get it tested? It has been suggested to me that we already similar laws in this country anyway. I know we had the lead paint thing here years ago.

To be frank, the US has been my best market for my stuff and Etsy has been good to me. I don't want to offend my UK customers, but in general I think the US 'gets' handmade in a way that some of my fellow Brits don't. Some of them, and I repeat SOME of them see the stuff I knit as homemade in a kind've of Peoples Friend meets Blue Peter sort of way! I know there is a UK market out there, I'm just not sure how to get to them. I've tried Dwanda and Folksy but so far they've both been a dead loss. In theory, I could continue to sell my children's stuff on Etsy to my non-US customers but I would feel extremely unconfortable doing so. I have some good friends here on Etsy. What am I supposed to do? Say 'Oh well, I'm sorry for you but I'm going to carry on selling anyway'. I'm sure that there are loads of people who'd say that business is business but it just wouldn't feel right to me.

I'm a member of Team Etsybaby so I'm kind've hanging on to their shirt-tails at the moment, waiting to see what they all do. My understanding from the Terms of Use is that it will be our responsibility rather than Etsy's to abide to the rules but I'm not pulling my stuff out until I have to. I hope to keep a few teenage and adult hats and slippers on Etsy. Likewise, I'm sure you could have a few adult options for your art dolls as long as you make it clear they're not for children. I know my teenage daughter (a 16-year old) loves your stuff. I don't think teenage girls ever grow out of cute things!

[vixigirl]

I can't figure it out either. My stuff is not intended for children, but who will be the judge of what painting/tile/wall hanging is for childrens room etc. I guess there will be a detailed info on this topic, when it comes clear.

Anyway, if I continue to not sell anything, I guess I won't have to worry much LOL

[Former_Member]

Vixigirl

Your stuff is beautiful!

[Former_Member]

Hey Bloomsbury....
It's not a easy topic at all and there seems to be so much confusion because things are not very clear right now.

[Former_Member]

Bloomsbury -don't feel sad for yourself, but do feel sad for all those American Etsyians.

Why do I say that..... For you and your work this is time for a new opportunity.

If you only sell on Etsy, then chances are your best customers are in the US because Etsy is a US site and therefore very UScentric.

So, think positive, I know you say your health isn't great but hopefully it's good enough to sit down and get a new plan of attack into action.

Think of all those people in the UK and Europe, maybe even people who live round the corner, who have no idea what cute and fun little people you make. Now is your time to work out how you can expand your business, by finding them!

Etsy is a wonderful place, and I feel *so* much for everyone affected by this.

But for outside of the US sellers perhaps try and think positive (because thinking negative just isn't going to help really is it). Think now is the time to find ways to sell to everyone out there who has never heard of Etsy and is not in the USA. Think about how much you love what you do, and therefore how to get sales nearer to home. I'm not saying it'll be easy - but where one door closes and all that.....

Good luck with it!

[Former_Member]

This is really upsetting to me as well. I will miss all of the lovely items.

[CarissaBlackBags]

Just sending warm thoughts your way and to all of those this law affects.

[Former_Member]

I wish we could give you more definitive answers to your questions, but the law is so broad, and says so much (and often is contradictory to itself!) that a lot of us here in the States don't know either.

What I can tell you is that as currently written, the law applies to anyone who sells children's good in the States, whether they make them here or import/send them from elsewhere, OR if they're made here in the States and sent elsewhere. So if you planned to continue selling children's items to customers in the US, you would be liable for these tests. :(

I don't know how they'd enforce it if you're outside the US, but so far that's my understanding of the law as it would apply to sellers outside the States.

[Former_Member]

I think that if people outside the us close up shop that would be even worse! The not only would people in the US not be able to buy kids stuff because of this crazy law but then there also would be no sources for people outside of the US. Just because your customer base has been from the US so far doesn't mean it will continue to be that way. If people outside of the US have been buying kids stuff from etsy sellers here then they will have to look for new people to buy from, you. All you will really have to change is your shipping profiles to not ship to the US.

I really hope it doesn't come to that though, I want to be able to buy handmade kids stuff when I have children which will be long after feb. 10th 2009.

[Former_Member]

Ty everybody!
I will be reading every post!