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

[#1]

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. 

[CuratedVintageCloset]

Precisely. I've never bought anything based on proximity, and I don't go out of my way to buy according to region. I'm all about local support, but more in terms of the neighborhood I live, and I'm not going to limit all my purchases to Chicago. I've purchased from Etsy stores based in Turkey and China, and I knew my items would take longer to arrive. 

[TheHomespunLoft]

Localization maybe... But I get just as many buyers from the west coast as the east.. I am shipping right now to Calif..and I am in NYS. I do get more buyers from NYS than before-- but no less from Western States.

[ChillwolfArt]

@CuratedVintageCloset  Hi, I went through my sales regions for this year, and the states were all over the place.  But I'm not discounting it happening to Sellers who very well know their Shops activity. 

Here are my sales states for this year (I'm in Michigan):  NJ, NY, VA, OH, OR, GA, MI, MA, MO, PA, WA, WV, WI, UT, KY, SC, LA, CA, FL 

[EccentricHandbags]

Its hard for me to tell at this point, but I am concerned about it.  I'm in Idaho.  Oct was good.  What I find odd is the drop off I've had for a week now.  I know its only a week, but it is November.  I normally get Christmas shoppers so Nov Dec are usually my best months.  In almost 650 sales only 2 of them are from Idaho.  Not so many people here.  Part of the reason for selling online is to have a farther reach. Being closer to California might save me, but it is a really unfair way to run search.  I'm paying the same 20 cents per listing as someone in the center of New York City or Los Angeles, but their 20 cents buys more exposure?  Won't this also hurt Etsy in the long run?  If they aren't basing search on what has shown to sell well then maybe people will have an even harder time finding what they are looking for.

[mommawhazelsquilts]

Why do you think shops get more exposure for their 20 cents than you do?

I see you just fine here in North Carolina!

[EccentricHandbags]

I have also decided I'm not going to try to run a sale to try to get sales.  I don't mind doing this once in a while if its slow, but I don't see how it can help if I don't have fair exposure in the first place.  Another idea expressed on a different thread is that Etsy is greatly favoring those that are participating in the month long cyber sale.  I don't want to cave in to that either.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

My UK to USA sales are doing well,

I don't do sales, at all, ever

[EccentricHandbags]

Editing my reply because it may not have been polite.  I just may have to ignore your dismissive posts about the problems others are seeing.  

[EccentricHandbags]

I also want to mention that this looks different.  My views and visits are normally really good for a small shop that gets on average just 2 sales a week.  Even if my shop is slow people are still seeing and looking at my shop.  The activity is inexplicably way down for November.  Compared to how stats usually look, especially for November, I am hidden.   

[EccentricHandbags]

Nested wrong.

[MouseGarden]

I'm betting Etsy tests this just like it does everything else.

I also sometimes wonder if it isn't a buyer based thing, but the rotation of where a shop is shown, which I think used to be server based.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

Etsy only has one platform, it does not have separate platforms fr different places, and even if it did, it makes no sense that my UK to USA sales are doing well, if there is USA localisation

[botanicallampshades]

It is definitely affecting my shop. I rarely get sales from my area of the US (northeast). Now about half are from NH and MA. My most frequent buyers used to be from CA. Now those are way down. I couldn't figure out what was going on until I came here and read about this. Am hoping this isn't permanent because I am down 30-40% across the board.     

[Adorabilities]

I'm in New York and I get twice as many orders from California as any other state. Texas is next.

[FallsAveVintage]

I'm in Ontario, Canada and most of my orders come from CA, NY, OR, and TX. I do get orders from OH, PA, and MI often as well and they're close to me. Even for domestic orders, I get more overall from the west coast. 

Think maybe Europeans are having a harder time of it than us though. Sure sounds like it anyway. 

[Adorabilities]

@FallsAveVintage 

Yes, I'm sure that localization is part of the algorithm in lots of countries. I just mentioned my situation because the OP is also in the US. 

[CBGWorkshop]

Another idea here. I just googled "gift for mom" and "gift for dad". Etsy was so far down I probably would not have seen it if I was not looking for it.  So, maybe Etsy is depending on all of us to get our own traffic. And hoping we do.