Etsy sales down 70% -- Can Anyone Help??? Please!

[TrademarkAntiques]

If anyone out there can help, we would very much appreciate it.  We've been selling on Etsy since 2012 and have loved it -- until now.  Our sales are down 70% year over year and we have no idea why.  If you search for items, you can't find our products.  It's like we've been shadow banned.  I've tried calling Etsy and the person I spoke to told us that we're doing everything right.  Has anyone experienced something similar and figured out what to do about it?  We're willing to try whatever is needed. 

Desperate in PA

[NanaLetha · Accepted solution]

You posted under "technical issues" - If you want a shop critique, that's where you need to post.

[TrademarkAntiques]

This is a technical issue.  We've done nothing differently, yet our shop is suddenly invisible.  I'm assuming that it's an algorithm update that's tanked us, or maybe something with AI, but without help from Etsy, we can't fix the problem.

[BagmakerSupply]

@TrademarkAntiques: "We've done nothing differently, yet our shop is suddenly invisible." Almost certainly this would be due to changes in the Etsy search algorithm, but they are not going to provide specific details - partly because they consider it proprietary and partly because it is constantly changing and being tested. Information they give you today may not be valid tomorrow.

Search is designed to be to Etsy's benefit not any individual shop's, so from their standpoint there is no "problem" that you can fix.

Many shops are complaining that organic search has all but disappeared for them.

As Etsy search stands now, you need to drive your own traffic and sales so that the algorithm continually knows that people want what you are selling, but if you have your own website that may be counterproductive.

[OneEyeCatStudio]

I wouldn't say that you are invisible. or shadow banned. Your clover brooch is an "Etsy pick".

[ElysianArtisanCA]

That is an assumption that it is shop based when it could well be an Etsy technical problem. 

Especially considering wall street just downsized etsys stock value yet again, marked it as a sell and earnings are downgraded.

Not everthing can be solved by adding some more Tags or Alt text.

[PhenomenalWomenShop]

Nevermind……….

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

What a lovely shop!  I wish I had some concrete suggestions - from what I can see, you're doing everything right (and the photography is stunning!).  Hopefully someone else will post some ideas to try.  Wishing you all the best in turning things around.

[TrademarkAntiques]

Thank  you for your support!  We're a small business and we can't sustain this much longer if our items are invisible in the Etsy search.  We have a website, but Etsy is the primary selling platform for us. 

[TrademarkAntiques]

This is a technical issue.  Something has happened with the algorithm.  My "shop critique" que is empty because we are doing that right.

[paperandplaydesign]

This has happened to my shop. I have had an etsy shop since 2012 and my sales have been cut by 70%. It has been awful for my family financially. Just here to let you know that it affecting others as well and youre not alone. I wish that we could get answers from etsy. 

[Girlfriendnecklace]

Must be a technical issue, I'm selling on barely no views and I don't know how it's even possible!!!!  What is great my conversion for my ads is higher...

[ElysianArtisanCA]

This is possible but unknowable.

Unfortunately the knee jerk reaction from "community makers" is generic advice to boost helpful ratings.

It is also possible that some stores could marginally improve engagement of their stores with advice.

Both things can be true. But certainly no one should be dismissing your concerns by telling you to goto the shop critique section,

[DinkymouseDesigns]

Same here.  I went from having 23 orders in a week to zero since May 15.  When I search using any of the keywords on my listing, my listing does not show up. 

Have you been able to figure out what the issue is?  

[LyonesseLady]

@TrademarkAntiques.  First of all may I say that I have always admired your shop for the exquisite and rare items you offer. I see you are saying " we have done nothing different" and therein lies the issue. Etsy have moved on hugely and now relies heavily on AI and search engines. We have keep up with Etsy to stay afloat- or we sink. Since last October things have changed . Now we have to improve the quality of our photos, preferably using a white background where possible. The AI bots will avoid such dark photos. Secondly the bots read the first 20 characters of the title to match with searches. Around 50% of your listings need the titles adjusting. For example , your jade earrings , the bots will only see 'Vintage jadeite jade' as the first 20 characters. If you wrote 'Vintage jade earrings' first the bots would pick up the word 'earrings'. then in your descriptions, if you could just write a few sentences first, exactly describing size and content then that would help enormously. leaving spaces in the description means that many buyers will not bother to scroll down.

Finally, until recently I used to sell good pieces on the site Ruby Lane in the States which would suit the quality of your items. Are you on there ? If not you should give it a try. I only stopped because a sudden heart issue now prevents me travelling to France to search for stock. Their seller support is excellent.

I sell vintage jewelry on Etsy but really only low price items and am glad to say that having paid attention to Etsy prompts regarding SEO my stats are actually up on last year.

I wish you well, you have such beautiful things, 

Jessie

[BagmakerSupply]

@DinkymouseDesigns: Keep in mind that if everyone on this forum searched for the exact same phrase or keyword they would all get different results. Even exact word matches to your title no longer ensure that you will appear in search.

Because of "personalized searches" you can NOT rely on anyone's search results - especially your own - to define how your listing is ranked. There are many many factors that affect listing placement and the relative weight of each factor probably changes constantly.

Additionally, when the algorithm keeps seeing that you are not purchasing the items it shows you it will eventually stop showing those items to you regardless of how well they match your search query.

Etsy is proud of the fact that they provide search results which they think you will actually purchase regardless of what you actually searched for.

[NanaLetha]

Your listing are showing up in Etsy search. I tried one and it came up on the first page.

[TrademarkAntiques]

Thanks!  We are appearing, but we're really buried.  I'm wondering if it is related to the changes in EU shipping policies. 

[VintageRescueSquad]

Your shop is indexed (I checked) and items appear in search (I searched for your thermometer pendant and it's on the first page).

Given what's going on with the economy, it could just be pricepoints. 

[TrademarkAntiques]

We're indexed, but really buried compared to where we were prior to January 2025.  Our Etsy traffic is down between 70-80% quite suddenly.  We have a 13 year track record selling on the platform, so this is quite puzzling to us.

[OneEyeCatStudio]

" but really buried compared to where we were prior to January 2025"

In the U.S., prior to January 2025, people were more comfortable spending their money.
There was a major change in January.

The economy is tanking now, and beautiful, expensive, unnecessary items like yours are going to be the first to go down with it.

And on Etsy, just as sales beget sales, lack of sales begets lack of sales.

[pHashIONpassION]

My only suggestion would be to sprinkle more $500.00 and under items in your first page. Gorgeous items!

[vintage4creations]

The current Etsy commercials that I've seen are promoting less expensive items, ie:  shop this category for items under $50, etc.  Could be a sign of the times with buyers having less disposable income due to the economy, tax time, paying off Xmas debt.      

[KnobSnobbery]

And with all the new tariffs, people are afraid to spend money on non-essentials. The world's economy has been affected, not just the US. I cannot see how this will bounce back anytime soon, We may have to work on getting another revenue source in order to survive. My shop is used to getting 14-15 orders per week.  Now I'm getting anywhere from 0 to 3. Sure can't afford to live on that!!! I'd like to know how Shopify shops are doing right now, especially those that left Etsy to go with Shopify.

[CoquetteBath]

@KnobSnobbery 

you may wish to ask for a critique.

One jumped out at me, though...all of your prices are in 'odd cents' though you state you are in Missouri. If so, I wouldn't see that, because normally that's due to a currency conversion. May want to check that in your shop. Because, I should see 'even' USD pricing...and I'm definitely not.

9.19

20.47

3.73

etc.