Personalization Issue for iOS users

[WaldWichtShop]

Dear Etsy Sellers,

I wanted to shed light on a persisting issue that has been affecting sellers on Etsy who cater to iOS users for personalized orders. For the past three months, it has come to our attention that personalization information provided by iOS users often gets lost somewhere during the ordering process. Despite the significant impact on our businesses, this problem remains unresolved. This forum post aims to bring attention to the issue and gather insights from fellow sellers who have experienced similar frustrations.

As Etsy sellers, we understand the importance of personalization in creating unique and tailored products for our customers. The ability to offer customization options sets us apart and allows us to deliver personalized experiences that customers value. However, it has become increasingly challenging to meet their expectations due to the issue with lost personalization information on iOS devices.

Here are some key aspects of the problem from a seller's perspective:

1. Incomplete personalization details: When iOS users place orders and provide specific personalization information, such as names, dates, or custom requests, we often receive incomplete or partially lost information. This issue not only leads to confusion but also prevents us from fulfilling orders accurately, resulting in dissatisfied customers.

2. Negative impact on reputation and sales: As sellers, our reputation is crucial to our success on Etsy. When personalization details go missing, it reflects poorly on our ability to meet customer expectations. Negative reviews and decreased sales are likely consequences, as customers may feel let down by receiving products that do not match their intended customizations.

3. Prolonged resolution period: It is disheartening to acknowledge that this issue has persisted for approximately three months without a noticeable improvement. As sellers, we rely on Etsy's technical team to address and resolve such problems promptly. Timely updates and transparent communication regarding ongoing issues are crucial to maintaining trust between sellers and the platform.

We implore Etsy's technical team, in collaboration with iOS developers, to prioritize and address this personalization issue affecting sellers. A seamless and reliable ordering process is vital for our businesses to thrive and provide exceptional customer experiences. We kindly request that Etsy acknowledges and takes concrete steps to resolve this ongoing problem.

If you are a fellow seller who has encountered this issue, we invite you to share your experiences, challenges faced, and any temporary workarounds you have discovered. By amplifying our collective voices, we can highlight the widespread impact and urgency of this problem, encouraging Etsy to allocate the necessary resources and find a resolution.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I eagerly await your thoughts, experiences, and suggestions on this matter.

Best regards,

[BootifulLabels]

I can't say I have ever encountered this issue, and virtually all my sales are personalised.  It has only been a few years since Etsy added the personalisation box.  Before that we used to have to contact the buyer after the sale (if they weren't savvy enough to add the details in the note to seller box) to get the personalisation details that way.  This feature has made life easier, but if it failed, it wouldn't be a huge issue for me, I'd simply go back to asking the buyer by message.  Of course mine is just a hobby shop, it might be more of an imposition for really busy shops.  Brings to mind the old saying, "you don't appreciate what you have got until it is gone".

[bradgoodell]

@BootifulLabels  I had seen other complaints about this, but only recently started seeing it on my shop. Instead of receiving :

Bob & Mary August 14, 2023

I get:  Bob

This is a big clue that something is wrong.  Luckily I've been able to reach my buyers quickly and get it fixed.

What worries me is I also have non-wedding items that are also personalized, and it might be missed if someone wants:

Bob Jones

and all I get is:

Bob

I don't even want to think about the conversation I would need to have with a buyer if I sent an item out with "Bob" when they wanted "Bob Jones".  

It's a bit concerning.

[DianesDecoupage]

I have had 2 orders this week with with missing personalisation.  The orders  were sent and customers have got back to me. They have both used the etsy app and I have had to send replacements.   So now when customers order from me I have to message them to check I have the correct info , problem.is not all of them read their messages  and it means there is a further delay in sending their order.  I went on to chat and reported it but I don't hold out much hope

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[WaldWichtShop]

Etsy is fully aware of the issue described. The purpose of my post is to bring additional attention to this problem. I experience this issue with approximately 1-4 orders every day. The latest response from Etsy regarding my support ticket stated:

"I would like to inform you that orders processed through the BoE-iOS app have been missing some personalization details, and our engineering partners are currently aware of this issue. To facilitate a more comprehensive investigation, we have included your report in the ongoing inquiry."

[myclearstamps]

I thought some of my customers just forgot to add the rest of their info or they hit send too soon.  Majority of the my customers get a proof so I always have to talk to them.

Thanks for the lovely write-up about the problem.

Good luck, I have had a problem for 4 months and they don't seem to know how to fix it or care.

[WaldWichtShop]

It's strange that the issue emerged following an update, and what's even stranger is that they seem to be aware of how to resolve it but have chosen to leave it as it is. They prioritized the upgrades introduced by the update, which they considered highly significant, over addressing the personalization problem, which they deemed less important.

[myclearstamps]

I have come to the conclusion, they are data mining.  

And the tech team that they have outsourced is keeping things in chaos to cover up other things going on.  

Recently, I had weird incident, customer ordered something from.  She was all over the place, thought we were clear then she asked for a refund.  I said no problem but would do it when I get back to my computer.  She told me I could do it via cellular.  Then basically threaten to open a case with Etsy.  All of this left me with a weird feeling.  I checked my account I was going to refund from and noticed it was the wrong account.  Then noticed card that I have had on Etsy was changed to RUPAY, a pay system that is only used if you are in India and buying from India.  

I am wondering if this how accounts are getting hacked.

I assume this will only get worst since they have a lot of accounts in reserve. More money to steal.

[EtchHog]

We've been seeing truncated personalisation messages for a similar length of time. Initially, maybe just one a week, but now it's about 2 per day.

For us it appears to be the ampersand symbol where the message gets truncated from. Customer types in "Mr & Mrs Surname" and we just receive "Mr".

It makes the order process really inefficient and costly in time which is annoying if you're working to short turnaround times.

The only good thing is that it is always obvious to us when the message is truncated, but if that isn't the case and a personalised product gets sent out with incorrect details, how do you resolve a refund request situation that has been caused by the selling platform?