New Forum Section Needed

[PlatypusDream]

Etsy needs a "SCAM" board.

That way all of the people who are wondering / warning / panicking can go to ONE Forum section and find the thousands upon thousands of similar posts.

[heavyistheheart]

Yes, I made a similar post a couple of weeks ago. The forum is full of spam posts all about spam.

[BlushStitchStudio]

Totally agree

[Vintorious]

I proposed this a while ago, and it got no traction:  So much spam so many scams

[OneEyeCatStudio]

That would involve admitting that it has become a gigantic problem on the site, wouldn't it?

IMO, that will never happen.

[PillowDetails]

Yep.  Bad p r

[MirageRiverCreations]

I don’t know if it’s really something that’s necessary for them to admit per se. The Etsy forums are public. Ten seconds in here and everyone and anyone can see its a huge problem…

[PlatypusDream]

@MirageRiverCreations 

Actually, they just announced that, for privacy issues, most the Forum will be viewable only by Etsy sellers (sometime soon). Only Announcements and Technical Issues will be public.

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Announcements/We-re-making-a-few-updates-to-protect-users-privacy/td-p...

[HouseofWhisperingFir]

@PlatypusDream:  Unfortunately, since the  Etsy site is not vetted,  any scammer can open a shop.

[hopeandjoystudios]

@PlatypusDream so it won't be Google searchable?

[MirageRiverCreations]

@PlatypusDream And I’m happy to hear it, but as of now and as of months prior to this, they are and have been public. So Etsy admitting it isn’t really necessary. Acknowledging, maybe, but admitting it, no.

[TheVintagePineapple]

Agree, but how many would still post under Technical because they think their shop account has a tech problem?  They aren't aware (yet) that they received scam spam.

[Vintorious]

True: they don't know what they don't know, until it's too late. At least enough of them are sharp enough to know that it doesn't seem right and come to the forums for answers.

[Hertfordweaver]

Actually, scam alerts need to be warned when a new shop or account is opened. Unfortunately by the time a seller comes to the forums, it's too late.

[HouseofWhisperingFir]

Yes, scams alerts for new sellers would be great.

Unfortunately,  the only thing Etsy alerts new sellers for is the 20 cent listing fee.

[GalleryAntiques]

Post of the day and I agree, it is much needed and it would be invaluable for new and existing sellers.

[GlassyFields]

Great idea. 

And although admitting that there are scams might feel like bad PR, denying the reality and pretending everything is ok when it's not is even worse. 

[moonbeamgifts]

Honestly, I miss the old forums.   I realize the chit chat section was probably a nightmare for moderators but it fit a lot of topics that were cathartic to sellers as a "watercooler" scenario and now just get closed after a few replies.   I'm not talking about politics - no way! - but more like the seller who was adjusting to life without her faithful cat companion.   It's still kind of applicable, it touches many here but it was a stretch for the 'running your shop' category.

I also wish the highlighted topics were a little more on point and updated.    Last week, three of the six posts were shipping carrier related, now we're down to two.     Those could be combing into one heading and free up some slots for useful info.

[MirageRiverCreations]

Would be nice too, if Etsy could keep track of what posts are Etsy’s version of outdated. I saw a post from about 4 months ago being shut down a couple days ago for being outdated, but a few days ago almost every post I clicked on near the top of the main forum page were months if not years old! I don’t know why they all started coming up. Not to mention if you start a new thread you get told “this has been posted about. Look for similar threads before posting” but if you post in a “similar thread” you get told to start your own…