Important surprising info on abandoned cart coupon (freshly after Etsy chat) FUMING

[#1]

I have listed a dress literally less than 14 hours ago. Etsy has sent "abandoned cart" offer to a buyer in less than 24 hours of the item even being on the site. Buyer applied coupon and purchased. Thing is, I was convinced that there must be at least 24 hrs for item being carted for this to even happen. I contacted Etsy via chat and after being pushy and not letting go, the customer service ADMITTED that now there is no time limitation for this type of discount anymore! Quote:[This content has been removed by Moderation. We ask that you please review Section 1, Item 2 of our Community Policies prior to posting.] Oh wow. Shouldn't such info be available so that you know precisely what you get your shop into?? But guys, keep reading, it only gets better. 

 I kept being pushy calling them out on absolute lack of transparency and it only got better from there... Here comes literal quote from the chat about the ABANDONED CART OFFER:[This content has been removed by Moderation. We ask that you please review Section 1, Item 2 of our Community Policies prior to posting.]. This made me lose my mind. I have sent them literal quote from my dashboard [This content has been removed by Moderation. We ask that you please review Section 1, Item 2 of our Community Policies prior to posting.] And I asked how on earth am I suppose to conclude from this dashboard info that offer ISN'T IN REAL abandoned basket but something entirely else ?! And can be sent out by Etsy randomly, not just in case of abandoned basket as stated ?! THIS IS LITERALLY MIND BLOWING. They have forwarded my case to specialists who should reach out to me via email. I will update this thread when I receive such email.

This is absolutely horrendous case of misinformation and I am not just leaving it like this. Especially that they had audacity to tell me I should be happy item sold. It would have sold full price and I know it but it isn't even about that anymore. It's the principals. How is it even legal? Even though I'm reading this forum daily and am aware of much worse things going on recently (refunds of delivered items make my skin crawl), I am still shocked. It's like they told me "yeah, we say it is A but in real it is B, sorry for confusion, hehe, ciao". U N R E A L

[MouseGarden]

Etsy has often liked suddenly changing the rules and expecting people to adapt.  Like when they introduced Etsy Payments and they took away Paypal.  Some people could only use Paypal, and had just listed new stock.  They didn't get any kind of listing refund, even though the rules changed right after they listed it. 

Some had to leave entirely.  Etsy had budgeted for how many would leave.  That was pretty eye opening as to how Etsy operates.  I know some sellers had no sympathy for people affected, but it always seems like next time it might be me.

Can terms of service be infinitely flexible if the handbook tells you you're getting a certain service and they are doing something completely different without notifying you?  I can honestly say I've never sold on a platform that kept changing the rules and not telling anyone.  Even Ebay does a better job of communication. 

At this point it's sort of bizarre.  I think I'm finally at the end of my patience with it.  There aren't many businesses that can plan for things they aren't told about.  I'm sure the coupon thing is not the only policy that changed without notice.  

[PillowDetails]

"Can terms of service be infinitely flexible ..."

* Yes, when the TOU also include that the TOU can change at any time, and without notice.

[SMasinDesigns]

I would be fine with that just to see a sale. lol It's been so slow. 

[TinLizziAntiques]

OP, cancel that sale if you haven't already and remove the coupon codes. Etsy doesn't need to tell you when and how to sell your newest listings. It reminds me of the push to require vintage sellers to accept offers.

[NoFrogsAllowed]

Since sellers do not know who puts an item in their cart or when they put it in their cart, how do you know that Etsy is not waiting 24 hours to send out the coupons?

[ParchmentPosies]

In this particular case, the OP had just listed the item. It hadn't even been available for 24hrs. 

[Adorabilities]

@ParchmentPosies 
Those coupons aren't item-specific, so in theory, the customer could have already gotten the coupon due to a previously-carted item.
It sounds like Etsy may have recently dropped the 24-hour requirement for these coupons going out, though, which is what happened in this case.

[NoFrogsAllowed]

@ParchmentPosies 

But we (and the OP) have no way of knowing that the buyer got the coupon they used for the item they bought, because they put that item in their cart.  

I do not trust Etsy's transparency one little bit, however there is not one ounce of proof that they sent out a coupon for the OP's purchased item.

The most likely scenario is that the buyer carted an item and got a coupon.  They went back to the shop, saw the new item and decided they liked it better, so used the coupon they already had.

[ParchmentPosies]

@NoFrogsAllowed @Adorabilities 

That's all true. I'm just saying what the OP was saying. Her frustration was that she had just listed it and she didn't even get a chance to sell this particular item at full price. The info in the TOUs says it applies to an item. So, she's understandably not happy about it.

[dlcgems]

Would have been nice to be able to actually read Etsy's responses.  Why are we so determined to protect Etsy's interests at all costs?

[PillowDetails]

Just some copy-pasta on what we all signed up for - ( and blue highlights are by ME)

https://www.etsy.com/legal/advertising/?ref=list

This Advertising & Marketing Policy may change over time, per the terms of Etsy's Terms of Use. By continuing to use Etsy's services you agree to those changes.

https://www.etsy.com/legal/terms-of-use

By using any of our Services (even just browsing one of our websites), you’re agreeing to the Terms. If you don’t agree with the Terms, you may not use our Services. Agree with us? Great, read on!

Let's be clear about our relationship. These Terms don't create any agency, partnership, joint venture, employment, or franchisee relationship between you and Etsy.

We May Discontinue the Services Etsy reserves the right to change, suspend, or discontinue any of the Services for you, any or all users, at any time, for any reason, including those laid out in Etsy’s policies under these Terms of Use. We will not be liable to you for the effect that any changes to the Services may have on you, including your income or your ability to generate revenue through the Services.

WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT: (I) THE SERVICES WILL BE SECURE OR AVAILABLE AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME OR LOCATION; (II) ANY DEFECTS OR ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED; (III) THE SERVICES WILL BE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL MATERIALS; OR (IV) THE RESULTS OF USING THE SERVICES WILL MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS. YOU USE THE SERVICES SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

12. Changes to the Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we believe that the changes are material, we’ll definitely let you know by posting the changes through the Services and/or sending you an email or message about the changes. That way you can decide whether you want to continue using the Services. Changes will be effective upon the posting of the changes unless otherwise specified. You are responsible for reviewing and becoming familiar with any changes. Your use of the Services following the changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.

*****

So - when people say "Etsy's sandbox / Etsy's rules" - this is what backs that up.

We don't have to love it, but Etsy has it all covered in case we complain. 

[hopeandjoystudios]

How is it going from an email 24 hours after it is carted for those items to an immediate coupon for any items in the cart or the shop NOT a "material change"? It isn't even apples and oranges..it is apples and a purple fish!

[MyOrganisedHome]

WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT: (I) THE SERVICES WILL BE SECURE OR AVAILABLE AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME OR LOCATION; (II) ANY DEFECTS OR ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED;

Etsy have been resolutely sticking to that part of their Terms & Conditions for some time now.

[DaysofYoreTreasures]

@PillowDetails 

I regard their change to the abandoned cart offer as a material change to a service they provide. We should be allowed to decide whether to continue with that service or not. But Etsy as the service provider has not played their part.
If we believe that the changes are material, we’ll definitely let you know by posting the changes through the Services and/or sending you an email or message about the changes.
That way you can decide whether you want to continue using the Services.

[EnergyPeace]

I had thank you coupons sent out to previous buyers. Then people who never ordered from me used them. I turned them off right away. 

The one thing I noticed, is that there are coupon programs that harvest any available coupons. So people might have an app installed and that way they will find any coupons on etsy. I tried it and they gave me so many coupons. I didn't try any of them. It is a blindshot on Etsy as it is hard to know what shop but you might want to google your shop and with "coupon" and see if they found it that way. 

[ShimmyBoutique]

So basically what happened is the buyer put the item in their cart to purchase it & got a coupon with a discount immediately on her way to checkout!

This explains why I just turned this coupon on a couple of weeks ago & had over 10 sales, all the while thinking I got business I thought I had lost & now only finding out these sales were on their way to pay FULL PRICE!!!

I now feel so DIRTY every new day with my 10 year partnership with Etsy.

Watching resellers dupe, lie, & exploit loyal Etsy customers & Etsy doing the same to SELLERS has reached it's saturation  point for me!

Correction I just checked 28 SALES!!!!!!!!

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@ShimmyBoutique 

We don't know that, 

all we know, is they purchased a listing that had not been listed for more than 24 hours,

this is what could easily have happened ..........

They could have carted a different item more than 24 hours previously, and had the code,

got an "update" notification there was a new item in that persons shop, then purchased that one.

This has always been able to happen, it's not new

[ShimmyBoutique]

added above

[cindylouwho2]

I was going to test this but realized I probably have a fair number of things in carts already so I turned it off immediately LOL

[BlackSheepDyeworks]

@cindylouwho2, it's especially dangerous for supply sellers ... remember that Etsy also removed the quantity for anything over $20, so buyers have to cart things, just to see how many are available.  Now I see more clearly (wearing my tin foil hat) what Etsy's goal was, it all ties together.

[cindylouwho2]

@BlackSheepDyeworks very good point! 

[HauteGemsDallas]

@BlackSheepDyeworks 

Tinfoil hat squad! 

[DragoninKnots]

Speaking of coupons, has anyone noticed an issue with repeat customer coupons? The popup for items in my cart shows a coupon code that looks like it's for previous buyers (the code includes the word "Thanks"), but that shop isn't one I've ordered from. I'm wondering if Etsy is offering me a code they shouldn't be offering.

[ChantillyAvenue]

I hate to admit it, but I put things in my ebay cart just to see if the seller will make an offer.  I noticed this too, happening within minutes, not hours.  I guess I thought more people had as well, but not everyone shops here as much as I do. 

[HauteGemsDallas]

There is a now a survey available at the bottom of the Marketing/Sales and Discounts page.