Issue searching for specific shop. Is anyone else experiencing this?

[CostumeCoutureNaomi]

I just tried to search for a specific shop to purchase from.

In the past, when using the search bar, a customer would receive a list of auto completed prompts based off similar terms to the characters keyed into the search bar, followed by a prompt at the bottom of the list which said something like "search for shops with (search term) in their shop name."

It has been like this for years, since before I had a shop on Etsy.  Using the "search for shop name" has been one of the main ways I purchase things on Etsy, as the search through my purchases is cumbersome and unusable, since we cannot search for terms within our purchases and must go item by item by very short pages of purchases.

Today, I tried to search for a shop name.  Unfortunately,  for me, that option is no longer there.  The only option is to search terms.  Typing in the entire shop name does not bring up the shop, unless the item is tagged with the shop name.

I tried this on 2 different browsers, plus mobile.

Is anyone else experiencing an inability to search for a shop name using the Etsy search bar?  Or am I in a test?

[NancyQstudio · Accepted solution]

Yes, I had this problem.  And when I followed up with a search to to try and find their items I was flooded with POD items when searching for them which was even more frustrating. They make handmade clothing.  I gave up and ended up both shopping and buying elsewhere.  

[KKbraceletsandmore]

Well, search by shop name has been wonky for a while now, but wow, it is no longer there at all!

[JMOldeVintage · Accepted solution]

Yes, others have mentioned this. The solution provided was to enter the shop name & then hit the search button. Then in small letters to the left, above the first photos of 'results' will be the question "Did you mean the shop......?"

Clicking the link in that line does bring you to the shop you want to go to. But Etsy is now trying to throw some random stuff at you first before you get there.

[Pixelsinparadise]

Unfortunately that did not work for me either. I don't understand why they would eliminate that, Does not help anyone.

[BanyanTreeClothing]

Well, that is not helpful for them to do that. I sure didn't see that til I read it here.

[RaineyGirlVintage]

Ugh, I just now tried this, and yep, I didn't see the option to use my search term to find a particular shop!  So do we all need to start using our shop name as a tag?  So frustrating.  I guess the hope is that the buyer goes to Google to search for a shop, clicks on the Shopping tab, and then clicks an OSA for that particular shop?  

[NancyQstudio]

Since Etsy is not the only company using Google Ads I'd think this would also drive traffic to competitors.  I had this experience.  I went to another site where it was easier to shop.

[StonesAndLeatherUS]

Shop names are not showing up on google all the time either

[UppNorthCo]

I have noticed this too.  The option Do You Mean the Shop........................ doesn't come up any more.  What could be the motivation?  Even more reason to put your shop name with no spaces in your tags. 

[CostumeCoutureNaomi]

I hope this is just a temporary change.

The items I sell are not gift or black Friday items, so it does not necessarily affect me as a seller for this big shopping week. 

However, as a shopper, it has made it more difficult for me to find the shops I want to purchase from. 

I am sure that this will negatively affect sales on Etsy.  There are shoppers who, while they might be skeptical of some of the resale/mass produced items sold on Etsy, still shop here due to brand loyalty to specific sellers and specific shops.  Removing the ability to search for a specific shop is a huge negative to me as a frequent buyer on Etsy.

[NancyQstudio]

This is especially true with Etsy's growing fraud problems.  Sadly, Fraud is on the rise these days in many places.  

[ChillwolfArt · Accepted solution]

@CostumeCoutureNaomi  Hi, In the Search Bar I typed, "costumecouturenaomi".  As others stated, "Did you mean the Shop...?" did not appear in the drop down menu (as it has in the past). But when I clicked the Search Bar, "Did you mean the Shop CostumeCoutureNaomi?" showed (top Left of search results, tiny font). Clicking that takes me into to your Shop.

I have my Shop Name as a Tag. I don't get tons of searches for it, but I do get enough of them.

[JMOldeVintage]

@ChillwolfArt  - Did you post this in a different thread a few days ago? If so, then I have followed your tip & it does work for me (W10/Chrome/Laptop).

I couldn't remember where I'd read it or who had posted this trick, but thank you! 

[ChillwolfArt]

@JMOldeVintage  Yes, I did post it in another Thread (I think there were a couple of Threads.  Others in those Threads posted about it as well.  And I couldn't remember if that tiny font with the Shop Name was there all along, and I just didn't notice it.  Entirely possible:)

[CostumeCoutureNaomi]

Thanks @ChillwolfArt 

I tried this on mobile, but it does not work on my device unfortunately. 

[ChillwolfArt]

@CostumeCoutureNaomi  I forgot to say, I'm using a desktop computer, Chrome.

[DivineCrossings]

Yup…same here. I do use my shop name in tags, so hopefully, that’ll help someone find me. Etsy wants buyers to see what Etsy wants them to see. It goes hand in hand with the screwed up search. I’m on IPad Safari and Chrome.

[SkyGliderDesigns]

Yes, I have noticed this too.  Just hate it!   Sometimes it's nice just to buzz back to what you already KNOW you want.

[MirageRiverCreations]

If I type in a shop name like mine (all small letters, no spaces) it goes directly into my shop. However, I’ve been very careful not to put my shop’s name on anything because that’s how it was supposed to work. Since shops started tagging their own items with their shop name, it messed up searching for shops. Likewise, if a shop insists on name recognition when using a pattern of theirs to create an item to sell, that can also cause the search to malfunction when searching for the shop. If their name is in tags, titles, or descriptions because another shop acknowledges them it will cause search to become confused. 

If you type the exact shop name (no capital letters, no spaces) and the search is messed up for them, their name should appear directly beneath the search bar with the question “were you looking for the shop…” 

This info for anyone wondering why their shop isn’t coming up in search right or why typing the shop name isn’t bringing you directly into the shop like it’s supposed to. I know there used to be a search for shops function in the search but I never really used it. I either favorited or purchased from the shops I want to shop again, so I go to either favorite shops or purchases when I’m looking for one.

[cindylouwho2]

@MirageRiverCreations "Since shops started tagging their own items with their shop name, it messed up searching for shops."  Unfortunately, some of us had no choice but to tag our names  - something I never used to do - since Etsy was showing other shops and not us for our name search. 

At one point, the only thing that showed up for the "cindylouwho2" search was one necklace from another shop. That no longer happens, thank goodness. 

[MouseGarden]

This has been happening for at least 3 weeks.  Test?  Bug?  No idea.

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Technical-Issues/Search-is-not-bringing-up-shop-names-anymore-WHY/m-p/...

[MouseGarden]

I was searching for a shop name and was one letter out.  Couldn't find it so had to resort to Google with a shortened version of what their name is and what they sell.  This is not a very good system. 

[BebeChicBoutique]

Yes, and this is terribly frustrating!! I shop by typing in the shop name because a shop has been recommended to me by friends for items I am interested in. I have been away from Etsy due to illness for a while and when I returned, I can't search for shops by typing shop name any longer.

[ChristmasMemory]

I also have noticed the lack of being able to find a shop. That is costing sales for everyone including Etsy. This needs to be fixed ASAP.