Creating custom order problem.

[#1]

The way we create custom orders from a customer message seems to have changed. Instead of being able to create a full listing I seem to just have a side bar to add basic details. I cannot add shipping profiles or an image to this. I have to go back into the listing once the order has been created to complete the details.

I'm hoping this is just a temporary glitch.

[atelierflorine]

Same problem here. It was my first experience with the new setup and a very frustrating one. I didn’t notice the price issue and the customer got a €33900 price instead of €339.

It is absurd and unacceptable. 

[PerryLancasterWood]

I have the same problem, talk about trowing a spanner in the works, why make it harder to create a custom order and not even be able to post a photo! The biggest issue is there's no way of knowing how to price shipping without asking the buyer where they live, come on etsy, this is very incompetent, please employ someone who actually knows about selling on etsy and sort this mess out.

[CalendulaHandmade]

I know, and isn’t it ironic that Etsy is breathing down our necks to improve our customer’s experience when they are constantly causing us problems that slow us down. Has anyone had any luck getting ahold of Etsy about this because I haven’t?

[MillionOfStitches]

Agree with you. Now I have to ask where the customer is located before creating a custom listing since we don't have the profile shipping available anymore. This for me is the biggest concern with this new format. 

[TedsHobbyShop]

Totally agree. It's actually much worse as Etsy requires you to enter a shipping value.  I learned that if your listing is listed as 'free shipping', Etsy will not add the shipping cost that you enter in the custom order to the total cost, yet it doesn't update the qty in your listing.  From now on, custom orders will have a shipping cost of a penny. Ughhhh!!!  

[EarthworksJournals]

Yep, still having the same problems this morning. The customer cannot click on the link. Come on Etsy, please sort this out.

[PillowDetails]

Since this thread was started a couple of weeks ago, I have seen this new Custom Order window in action, and I agree with everyone else that it's nearly useless.  The only thing it has going is the option to create more than one Custom from a single message thread, which is something we've been requesting for years.  So we got that, and this is the best they could do?

This is not worth my time - to need to edit and add shipping and pictures, and send the link myself to my Buyer.  I'm just publishing normal bare-bones "Reserved For" listings - I can copy a past listing, and remove all the tags, Attributes, sections, etc. to make it less likely to be found by anyone else before it's purchased.

Since there is no longer a link to give Etsy suggestions, I was able to reach Chat with the Support links and voice my frustration over the new Custom setup - of course it was sent onto a "Special Team".  

[CalendulaHandmade]

@PillowDetails Thank you for persisting and finally getting ahold of Etsy about this. I gave up up when I got too frustrated with the ridiculous merry-go-round of trying to contact them. I agree with you that sometimes it’s easier to just make a regular “reserved” listing instead. I wonder how long it will take for them to fix this. 

[CostumeCoutureNaomi]

I also contacted support to express my displeasure and frustration with the new custom order format.  It took me several days and several back and forth emails before I reached a person who actually read my email and responded in a not 100% cut and paste canned response about something entirely different from what I emailed about.  Unfortunately, all that person could do was summarize the problems I listed with the new custom order format, and state that they would pass my issues to their team.

I did manage to find a work around for the picture and shipping profile issue.  It is definitely a temporary solution, and one that is not really a viable long term solution as it takes extra time and steps, which opens the door to oversight and errors.

Before I create a private custom order, I first send an Etsy message to the customer such as this:

"I am preparing to upload your private listing.  Etsy changed the way custom orders are formatted. The system sends the order to customers before shipping profiles are selected and photos attached to the order. Those require an additional step. Please hold off on purchasing your order until the fabric sample and custom design photos show in your order so you can review for accuracy prior to purchasing.  The system does not let me make changes or add any photos once the item is purchased.  I will send you a separate message notifying you when the listing is complete and ready to purchase."

After sending this message, I create the custom order.  I then go into listings, select the individual listing, delete the unprofessional stock clip art, replace it with the listing photos, update shipping profiles, and save.  This allows me to view the updated listing and check for accuracy and proofing.

Once everything is correct, with photos and shipping profiles added, I message the customer to let them know their custom order is ready to purchase.

When Etsy first made this unfortunate change, I tried to beat the customer's timing and edit the listing.  Unfortunately,  the customer immediately purchased the incomplete listing before I could even get to the listing to edit it.

Since I started sending the message first, I have not had any issues beyond lost time.

I hope Etsy fixes these obvious flaws so sellers have a functional custom order option.

[CalendulaHandmade]

@CostumeCoutureNaomi That’s a GREAT idea about sending the message prior to listing the custom order. Luckily I haven’t had a customer beat me to it yet but I will follow your advice on the next one. It really is a shame that Etsy has caused all this extra work for us. I can’t imagine what the customers are thinking about this new “improved” (?!) process. 

[ArtFlowerAtelier]

I have the same problem and it's horrible. I do custom orders all the time and it's a mess.
I have to copy the ad, I can't add photos not even editing it, I have to ask the client where he is from after finishing the conversation because he won't let me put a shipping profile and I can't see the finished ad either. (I have never known whether to put a semicolon in the prices and Etsy changes them).
Please fix this because it's a waste of time and a hassle for the customer.

[CalendulaHandmade]

I reported it to Etsy and got a response today from someone who actually took the time to rehash what I said (instead of a canned response) and told me that they will be looking into this. That’s a step in the right direction I hope. We’ll see if they actually fix things or maybe go back to the old way which would be fine with me. In the meantime I’m not going to use this new broken way of doing custom orders.

[sweetpeasartstudio2]

I received another response today and I was told it is the new form and the rep said she will pass on my experience. I am not going to use it.

[PrettyVagrant]

This stinks and should have never been rolled out for testing.

I have had it for at least a couple weeks, maybe more.

Can't add photo

Can't add shipping profile

Can't scroll through message when the side box is up to look at details you may want to include

Have to scroll to find my country 

Who thought this was a easier way for us to manage our shops?

It needs to be turned off until it gets reworked, because this is unworkable!

[sweetpeasartstudio2]

I was thinking it may be a test. I was surprised last week with it. No photo and not adding shipping profiles is no good. When I looked at the seller handbook it is the regular way and has a video.

[sweetpeasartstudio2]

I heard back from Etsy regarding this. All the rep said is I will pass on your experience to technical support.

[nemeton]

It's so annoying not being able to add a photo or a shipping profile - I just set up an order and wanted to give the customer free shipping but it wouldn't let me. Also, I always used to email or message them with the link to the listing just in case... and now I don't have access to the link, unless anyone can tell me how to find it from the listing page or the shop manager? How is any of this an improvement???

[nemeton]

And of course I got a message from the buyer to say the link Etsy sent them didn't work... and I can no longer send them the link. Good thing they are a returning customer and will (I hope) be understanding. Spent a while with an Etsy Support chat operative but eventually all they could say was that a specialist would email me. So I'll wait and see and meanwhile I'll have to go back to putting up 'reserved' listings rather than creating private ones, because at least customers can find those to purchase them!

[BaubleShoppeBeads]

@nemeton  The way to copy the link for a custom listing is to go to your "listings" page, open the listing from there via "view on Etsy", then copy the link from your browser bar and paste it into the convo you send to the customer.  I hope this helps! 

BTW, I remember you and your work from my days in the Beading Daily forums.  Your beadwork is absolutely STUNNING!

[PrettyVagrant]

I am about to quit offering custom orders until they fix this mess!

[Create2MotivateGifts]

Yep, same here. It has been like this since they changed the custom listing set-up a few months ago. I have to immediately go to my shipping settings after creating the listing and update that part. The thing is, once you save the listing in the message, it is sent to them, so you have to be fast lol

[TextileTrolley]

I've had this issue for well over a month.  Hoping there will be a solution soon, it makes us look very unprofessional.

[glassden]

Add me to this frustration . . . . also . . . . it seems that when I click on the listing it goes to the page where I can edit it  . . .  I'm guessing the customer will be on that same page from the link . . . . will they be able to purchase the listing?  Or will they be able to edit the listing?   I don't get it . . . .   : / Help!

[cindylouwho2]

Wow, this really sucks! How am I supposed to know the shipping price when I don't know where the buyer lives? 

And yes, no photo is ridiculous. It was bad enough when they limited us to just 1. 

[TreasuredMemoryLane]

Yup! I am still having the same problem. This is my 3rd custom order request in the past 3 weeks. Today I decided to create a "reserve listing" instead of creating a custom listing so I can put in all the required right information including an image. Hopefully, it will be fixed soon.