New test? Or a bug?

[#1]

I often go from a listing to a shop home page, to look at what else a seller has to offer.  I just noticed today that clicking on the (now teeny) shop name, within the listing, now goes directly to the "About" section, rather than the top of the shop home page.  It's hard to tell that it's even a shop, let alone that the seller has other listings.

An example, from a listing in my shop ... clicking on the BlackSheepDyeworks link, below the title, takes me to:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlackSheepDyeworks?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=272267816&from_page=listing#about

That #about at the end of the url is the culprit; without that added, the url goes to your shop home; but with it added, goes to the about section.

I see this in a different browser/incognito as well, in all listings.  I sincerely hope this is a bug rather than a test or change - it's a really terrible time to be messing around with any limitation on what buyers can potentially see once they (miraculously) land on one of my listings.

[decotini]

I am seeing it as "normal", going straight to your shop front page.
PS - your shop is gorgeous - those yummy yarn colors and textures - just beautiful.
Happy Sales!

[BlackSheepDyeworks]

@decotini, thank you for your kind words!

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

From this, I  conclude that not only do Etsy programmers not have their own Etsy shops (as once everyone at Etsy did), they also do not have any actual experience shopping on-line.  

[PieceByNumberQuilts]

I inserted my shop link as the first line in the Story of my About section, hoping that anybody that lands there from this test will more easily find their way back to my listings.

[BlackSheepDyeworks]

@PieceByNumberQuilts, I thought about that, but was still holding out that this was a bug.

I may do that too, but with some label added, like "See all items in my shop here:"

[BlackSheepDyeworks]

@PieceByNumberQuilts, ooh, I just had another idea ... I could add "Visit my website at ... to see all my yarns" as the first line.  Of course, it wouldn't be a live link, but may give me some degree of satisfaction.

[decotini]

This! I was a web designer waaay back in the 1990s (when all of my friends would say "what's an email address, and why would I ever need one"?). One of my biggest complaints was that the back-end programmers who were writing early e-commerce code for me had never even visited a website, let alone bought something from one.
Yes I agree - You HAVE to put yourself on the user end of whatever service you are selling in order to be efficient and knowledgeable..

[BlackSheepDyeworks]

@decotini, @PieceByNumberQuilts , IMO, I don't think Etsy's UI design (at least in recent years) has much basis in standard practice, or following good UI principles.  It's more geared toward manipulation, to steer users toward whatever behavior Etsy is aiming for.  So it's not so much a lack of Etsy's knowledge of online shopping, but a disconnect between our goals and theirs.

[CozyExpressions]

Ugh, another useless test.    I actually thought it was my OS or browser acting up.    IT does this and corporate is complaining that sales are flat for 2 years now?    Someone really needs to shake some heads in IT and have them do something positive for a change.

[decotini]

@BlackSheepDyeworks 

That is a great explanation of the issue! Yes!

[JMOldeVintage]

On a laptop/W10/Chrome, signed in, from both @BlackSheepDyeworks link & clicking on any shop link after looking at any item found in search, I am immediately brought to the "About" section of a shop. 

As a buyer I'm already frustrated by the sudden lack of category filters. Now Etsy is 'dumping' buyers into the about section of a shop instead of bringing them to the start of the home page so they can easily see the other items the shop offers? Yes, I know I can scroll up the page to get there but what about new visitors to the marketplace? Or even more veteran users of the site? What might they be thinking? 

[EightMileVintage]

I'm seeing this today. Straight to my About section. Because showing buyers my listings might lead to sales and who'd want those?

[MarioTreasureChest]

I see it too

[FlatRockGoods]

I was seeing the same thing yesterday but, thankfully, not today in the same shops.

[MyOverstuffedAttic]

I see it too unfortunately.

Why, just why?

[SmudgePlant]

Do many Buyers know about clicking on the, very small, shop name? I don't think I would know unless I was a Seller. And because I'm a Seller I know how things get screwed up around here.

I think as long as we have shop links in our listings then, when people can find them, they will be able to get back to our shops.

[BlackSheepDyeworks]

@SmudgePlant, I guess it may depend on how long you've shopped on Etsy - for a long time, the shopname used to be much more prominent, and what I consider the "standard" way to get from a listing to the shop.

By "shop links in our listings," do you mean within the description?  I do that, but now with the description mostly hidden, I doubt many people see or use that link.

[SmudgePlant]

Yes, that's what I meant.

I saw that you have a good assortment of links in your listings.

[CreativeSpiritGlass]

I'm being sent to the about section also.

Really brilliant, Etsy.  (not)

[OrangeGroveBeads]

So during this crucial 4th quarter holiday shopping season we have experienced: 1. Another test hiding item description from buyers 2. Removal of category filter to help buyers find what they want to buy 3. An attempt to keep buyers from seeing all items within an individual shop

I can only guess that Etsy has already given up on this quarter and is just throwing random things at the wall hoping something sticks? I mean at this point, Christmas shopping pretty much IS over anyway but it sure wasn't when they were playing description hide and seek or no-filter-for-you!.

[CozyExpressions]

Ohh no no no   you have it all wrong.    Its nearing the end of the quarter and the IT teams needs to run all the tests they can so they get their trophy !   Trophy?    more like foot out the door !

[OrangeGroveBeads]

@CozyExpressions Yes, because clearly the bizarre test team wasn't on the cut list from yesterday. 

[chocolaterabbit]

I'm in the test also. I thought it was just me. I really don't like it - too much scrolling to get to the actual items. More of a frustration than anything else.

Etsy can go ahead and drop this one. 

[BlackSheepDyeworks]

@chocolaterabbit, but you know to scroll.  What about your average buyer who lands on that About section?  My bet is that they bounce.

[chocolaterabbit]

@BlackSheepDyeworks You're right! 

Another useless busy-work etsy tech failure.