Digital Download via Etsy app

[GetKnitfacedInCO]

It's that time of year again! The time when knitters/crocheters are purchasing digital items from sellers and then getting pissed off because they can't download them via the app and reaching out to us sellers in anger because of Etsy's lack of download functionality in their own app.

So, now as sellers we will be spending more time answering messages telling buyers how to go about downloading via a browser and possibly losing our Star Seller status because of poor reviews that pertain to accessibility.

Come on Etsy! We as digital sellers have been asking for this for YEARS!

There HAS to be a better way! Figure out how to allow buyers to access their digital content via the app!

[BigXStudio]

It will probably never happen because of mandatory commissions charged by Apple/Android for downloadable content. If a company makes downloadable content through their app, the platform (Apple/Android) charge a percentage (like 30%) of the purchase price. There is no way Etsy (or we digital sellers) can afford to pay that kind of commission. So the only solution is to only allow the content to be downloaded outside the actual app. 

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

Etsy could at least put a message in the app that downloads need to be made outside the app using a regular web browser.  But no, they can't manage to do that. Sheesh.

[leatherpatternstore]

I use a picture slot in all of my listings. Tells them everything they need to know!

[mmmcrafts]

I hate to sacrifice a photo slot for that, but I may have to

[FiddlestyxStudios]

I tried that.  Most don't read it.

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

There are work arounds, although nothing elegant (sadly).  I use the personalization feature so that buyers have to read and acknowledge they understand they're buying a digital download that must be downloaded using a browser and not the app.  It's set up so they have to type something in the box to place their order.  I probably lose some potential customers who don't bother to read closely enough, but at this point, I'd rather lose a few sales than suffer unfair feedback and/or explain how to download and/or email their files.  

[ArtDollsbyJD]

@GetKnitfacedInCO   It costs money to allow for downloads for Android devices.

One seller I buy from has a notice in her note to buyer that the buyer should download from the browser on their phone or use another device. 

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

The ETSY APP needs to make this clear, first and foremost.  It shouldn't be only on sellers to put extensive instructions in their listing descriptions, in their photos, in their payment receipt messages and/or in personalization boxes.   People don't read their receipts, or descriptions or view all the photos in a listing. (The Etsy receipts also go missing for a whole host of reasons.)  I suppose one could argue buyers also won't read a message in the app, but Etsy *could* make a message very difficult to miss, if they so wanted.  But the current situation is no skin off their nose, so it'll never happen.

Sorry, this is one of my big pet peeves with Etsy, especially since it would take soooo little on their part to address it.  I don't like that it leaves customers unhappy with my shop and their purchases (and by extension, Etsy as a whole).  I've had to ask Etsy to remove at least a few dozen unfair feedbacks that gripe about the download process;  fortunately, they've removed most of them.  But why do we -- buyers, sellers, and Etsy -- have to play this farce at all?

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

I had a customer place an order for two PDF patterns two days ago, and she couldn't figure out how to download them.  We had several rounds of communication and I ended up sending them by email twice, to an email not on her Etsy account. After I followed up on the 2nd email with the patterns, she wrote back to say she got them finally.  It wasn't clear exactly what the specific issue was, but my priority is making sure a buyer gets her purchase, not detailed troubleshooting (which is often irritating to customers who just want their order).

Most importantly for this thread, she said there were so many cute patterns on Etsy that she wanted to buy!  BUT she just couldn't manage the Etsy download process, so she's hesitant to place more orders.  It's just so frustrating.  

[FiddlestyxStudios]

There is a way to get Etsy to remove unfair feedback?  I have numerous 1-star "I can't download it" reviews. errrrrrrrr

[mmmcrafts]

If I had a nickel for every time a confused/frustrated customer contacts me about why they cant download on the app I would have a boatload of nickels. Many folks do not realize there is a difference in the app and the website. There’s got to be a way to address this better! Like how about the app NOT automatically opening anytime the customer goes to Etsy.com or clicks an etsy link????

I have a note about not using the app to download in my shop announcements and also in my message to buyers but none of that seems to matter. So many frustrated folks. HELP, ETSY. 

[FiddlestyxStudios]

And here it is ANOTHER ENTIRE YEAR later and still the same issue.  I lose my star seller status over and over and over because of this.  I am tired of receiving 1-star reviews over something I have absolutely no control over. ETSY FIX THIS!!!!!!!!!!

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

@FiddlestyxStudios   You might like to take a look at one of my listings, and see how I use the personalization feature to stress to buyers that you can’t download with the app.  To complete the purchase, the buyer has to type yes in the box to indicate they read it.

This hasn’t completely solved ALL my customers’ download issues, but it’s helped a huge amount.  I put the same information in a graphic that’s one of my photos, and in the message to buyer in the payment confirmation email that Etsy sends.  

After all this time, it’s crystal clear Etsy will never resolve this, so sellers are left to figure out their own workarounds.

[FiddlestyxStudios]

Thank you!!! I will definitely do all of these options.  Buyers may find it repetitive but I agree with you that Etsy is NOT going to fix or even address this issue.  How did you get Etsy to remove unfair feedback?

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

You can report feedback to Etsy and there’s a few questions to answer why you think the feedback is unfair.  If the feedback is only about download problems, Etsy MIGHT remove it. But in recent years, they’ve got a lot stricter about what feedback they’ll remove, because feedback is not supposed to be manipulated by  a venue. My last request was refused,even though it was only about download issues. So don’t get your hopes up, tho it’s always worth a try.

[BagmakerSupply]

@FiddlestyxStudios: "... Etsy is NOT going to fix or even address this issue ..." Not defending Etsy but if you mean downloading via the app then you have two options. #1 Convince Apple and Google to change their fee structure for digital purchases via an app. (Apple takes 30% of all transactions for in-app digital purchase downloads). #2 Convince Etsy that you and all other digital sellers are willing to reimburse Etsy for this as a surcharge.

"How did you get Etsy to remove unfair feedback?" Unfortunately 'unfair' is not one of the legal reasons to remove feedback.

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

@BagmakerSupply   Not to speak for @FiddlestyxStudios, but Etsy could easily add a little line or two in the app in appropriate places, to the effect of "use a web browser to download digital purchases".  It's been awhile since I've looked at the app, but I don't think they've added anything since I last looked.  

In years past, Etsy would fairly readily remove negative feedback if it was solely about 3rd parties, i.e. shippers, customs, and Etsy. I also noticed that whether such feedback was removed or not seemed to be dependent on the human that happened to review the removal request. (I think I've asked Etsy to remove feedback about Etsy's download system 10-15 times since whenever they implemented it.)

I'm guessing that now there are no humans doing this task, like so many other things around here.