Localization's role in diminishing sales, views, likes, engagement

[CuratedVintageCloset]

For a while now, I've noticed the little note on each of my listings encouraging people to buy local/shorter distances. I used to get so many sales from California/West Coast, Canada, and at least 1/3 of my sales were from Europe, and my store engagement (likes) were much higher. Like many others on Etsy, my sales are down close to 70%. I've been an Etsy seller for 6 years. Does anyone have thoughts on localization and its possible effect on sales, search? I wish we could opt out of this as sellers. Why not give US the choice to participate in an initiative that can only negatively affect sales, not encourage them. 

[SilwearIndia]

@CuratedVintageCloset There had been previous discussions about this topic on the forum and undoubtedly this is the most cruel and senseless strategy Etsy has been pushing on the buyers in the name of a noble cause. It straight away shatters the whole concept of online shopping. The buyer should have the mental freedom to purchase where they want to without any guidance, no matter which place or country the product is coming in. If all this is saving the planet then why won't they buy from their local physical store than coming on the online marketplace? So much fuel and energy saved all together, buying from the shop next door, and voila, clean and green earth. In the era of globalization, Etsy is pushing localization which is so foolish to even think of. There can be other ways to help save Earth from parcel deliveries, like instead of pushing buyers to go local, request the sellers to only use eco-friendly packaging, using no plastic etc. I have lost 70% of my business since this "purchase local" thing is being promoted by Etsy, which means the sellers from those countries where Etsy does not have their customer base have almost minimal chances to be seen, preferred, and sold. This is the very reason I have stopped using Etsy ads completely because since July I have been hearing about this localization issue on the forum and I haven't made any sales through paid advertising since then, hundreds of dollars spent no wonder in front of those viewers locally who never opened my listing with the interest of buying, because they do not buy on Etsy. With all the new updates and changes Etsy introduces I feel surprised at how even their team agreed to proceed with this stupid idea, it's such a big and reputed global platform and they must be having highly paid, super qualified, and skilled employees but the innovation happening here is so less thoughtful and childish. Sellers suggest here that I should add new items every day or very often every week, but how am I even a designer then? If I will be making so many items every month on month just to keep me up in visibility then what will happen to the unsold pile of inventory? Only a big factory or manufacturer can do that unless someone has very cheap merchandise to sell which can be made quickly, and this is the core reason resellers are finding success here on Etsy, because they are buying ready bulk goods from manufacturers and selling here with their brand names, no worries and no time needed for the design development process. Just select the items from their catalog, get the goods delivered and everything is all set to roll. A person who designs his/her own fine jewellery and manufactures it on their own or under their supervision can never upload items that fast everyday unless huge money is involved or the products have been readily sourced to sell. All the new strategies by Etsy are a perfect environment for resellers to flourish and the creators to perish.

[CuratedVintageCloset]

Excellently put. 

[DragonflyDreams1]

But most of the shops next door have their products shipped in. Unless it is a gallery selling only locally made products.

Localization sounds good on paper, but SELLING the items on the site should be the priority. Placing the items for sale in front of the customer that they have searched for should be the priority.

[SilwearIndia]

@CuratedVintageCloset Sadly, the bitter truth...

[mommawhazelsquilts]

I don't think "localization" has much effect on sales.  I am in North Carolina.

I went back to September and checked where my sales came from:

It's true that I had sales from KY, PA, CT, DE, FL, NY, MA, GA and OH - 9 states that are basically on the East Coast.

However, I also had multiple sales from - TX, CA, MT, WI, NE, NM, MO AND IL - 8 states that are either in the Midwest or farther West.  Wisconsin, Texas and California yielded me more sales than the 9 local states did.

I don't see localization having any effect at all.

[mommawhazelsquilts]

Just out of curiosity, I checked my other shop which sells sewing supplies and this is what my sales going back to September show -

Sales from States west of the Mississippi - 22 states

Sales from local states - 11

Sales from farther states more than twice local states.

[CuratedVintageCloset]

I appreciate this perspective. 

[FizzyStitches]

You'd have noticed for sure if you were based in Europe! 70% down on sales since localisation kicked in. Sadly Etsy prioritizes the American market and American sellers even though it is a international company. We are charged more commission despite having lower average wages and higher taxes, and on top of that Etsy pays less tax here in Europe than it is forced to do in the US.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@FizzyStitches 

I am in Europe, and my USA sales are doing well,

Etsy doesn't have localisation in USA yet,

you need to look elsewhere for your downturn in sales

If you believe it is something it isn't, you will never be able to fix it. because you won't even be looking.

In the last year alone, etsy has added more than 1 million sellers, our competition is increasing - a lot

[CuratedVintageCloset]

@mommawhazelsquilts Thanks for responding! I'm driving myself crazy trying to figure out what has caused the sudden and extreme downturn in sales and engagement in my store (like so many other sellers). It seems localization perhaps isn't the issue.

[mommawhazelsquilts]

I think it's far more complicated than localization - I think it's more how often we are seen.

October was a fantastic month but only parts of it.  First few days of November were great - then the crickets came for 3 or 4 days - finally today a sale and it was from Texas.  Who knows what the real reason is why we have a great week and then nothing the next - truth is, we will never know why.

[EnergyPeace]

I think localization absolutely is an issue. It depends on where the seller lives and if their target audience also lives in a certain place. 

I know from running ads on Facebook for example, which states my ads are shown to that have interest in my advertising. It is nowhere close to me and also the states I used to have sales in. But they don't see my shop anymore. 

[HotOffHerHook]

I'm in Maryland and definitely get less sales from way west (mainly CA and TX) than I used to; I'm in the process of tracking it exactly/doing the math but there are just too many totally quiet days (I've had 2 sales from Maryland within the last month and before, I barely ever got sales from my own State) .  IMO localization is definitely a factor in slumps….I just don't know how much of a factor.

[JJewellerySuppliesUK]

I think sales are just down for many many shops this year and we are all trying to look for reasons why when the reasons are external in terms of the poor economy and the sheer competition online.  I sell elsewhere and the picture is the same so it is not just Etsy. 

[BagmakerSupply]

A lot of good comments here, but I think that Etsy has made the decision (correctly or not) that their buyers suffer from the Amazon Prime affliction - where they want their purchase 15 minutes before the ordered it - and localization is the solution.

[CuratedVintageCloset]

 Someone in the forums somewhere said that Etsy was receiving TONS of requests to localize from shops/sellers. I have a really, really hard time believing this, because what seller would want to limit sales even a small degree? Etsy isn't Amazon, and most people who shop on Etsy know this, especially by the way Etsy markets itself through TV ads, etc. It's a craft/vintage market (or so it used to be), and I would think buyers would adjust their expectations re: shipping. Just my thoughts. 

[CBGWorkshop]

I was skeptical about the localization effect so I asked someone on the east coast (I am in California) to do an Etsy search on my most frequent search term and the placement of my items (sprinkled across the first and second pages) was the same as I get here. Of course, a customer might choose to buy more locally if the item would arrive sooner.

[CuratedVintageCloset]

This makes sense, but as a buyer, I've never considered shipping time into an item I really want. I guess it's a matter of needing an item for an event, like a wedding. 

[CraftyCornishMaids]

The EU and UK and Canada have had localisation for years,

A buyers, we see items higher up the search for our own areas.

It's not new.

If your sales from USA to those countries are going down, it's not etsy search, it's something else.

I am in the UK, and my USA sales are doing well, and I'm definitely not local to USA

[PriddeyThings]

I agree with this.  I'm also in the UK and the proportion of my sales going to the US is actually slightly up.  Ditto Australia and Canada. Yes, more of my sales are still from within the UK, but my overseas sales percentages are not going down. 

[FizzyStitches]

I'm sorry to say but you are not in Europe - Brexit saw to that! You are based in the second largest market on Etsy so localisation will have a minimal impact on your sales. We saw the effect immediately with reduced sales to the UK and the US and a slight uptick in sales within the EU. I do agree that it's worth looking at all possible reasons and the increase in sellers and resellers has hit most established shops. 

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@FizzyStitches 

I'm sorry to say but you are not in Europe - Brexit saw to that! 

Not sure how you are taught about geography, but we are definitely in Europe, the continent has not shifted.

You may be sorry we are not in the EU political grouping, I am definitely not.

The UK does have localisation, we had it before Brexit, and we still have it now.

The EU also has localisation, it is newer.

The USA does NOT have localisation, so my sales there are still doing well.

I stopped selling to the EU, not because of Brexit, but because of their packaging laws, so EU localisation has no affect on my sales, as I don't sell there anyway.

....

this also doesn't make sense.......

You are based in the second largest market on Etsy so localisation will have a minimal impact on your sales.

The sellers that are complaining about localisation, are USA sellers, complaining about USA localisation, who have the largest market here.

[mommawhazelsquilts]

I would like to think that buyers take more into consideration than location.

I think most buyers buy because they like what they see - they buy because they like the price - they buy because shipping is reasonable - they buy because the seller has good reviews.

I don't think too many buy because they might get the item a day sooner.  I could be wrong but that's what my stats are showing.  Closer to Christmas it "might" be a factor but I think for everyday buying location does not mean a whole lot.

[TDKJdesign]

Understandable for a shop that sends physical items but mine are digital, instant download and atm I feel like I'm doing a 4 day on 4 day off shift. Today has been extremely weird, I have 1 item with 140 views so far with the rest at 2 or 3. 6 views highest each is the max on a normal day.