tech glitch reported?

[LikeNewCollectibles]

Am I the only one experiencing this?  Etsy is now giving me free shipping on every listing regardless of selling price, It says something to the effect of "this listing will get free shipping because its 35 dollars or more" . I have to post it, and then re open it under the old version in order to change th free shipping ITS A ROYAL PAIN IN THE ***.  Please fix this. 

Also the contact button on peoples profiles has disappeared. I cannot contact anybody. WTF?  I tried to report this to support, and got nowhere on both issues

[BagmakerSupply]

@LikeNewCollectibles: "Also the contact button on peoples profiles has disappeared." This was removed because too many people were abusing it to send SPAM. The theory is that there is never a legitimate reason to contact a buyer who has not contacted you first or ordered from you. You can still contact sellers.

[LikeNewCollectibles]

So etsy can send SPAM and fill up peoples email  all day long but I cant send a coupon  offer to someone who gave a like. WHAT A CROCK OF BS

[vintageNCtreasures]

@LikeNewCollectibles wrote "but I cant send a coupon  offer to someone who gave a like."

It's NOT a crock of BS because it's against Etsy's rule for sellers to send a coupon or a message to someone just because they "liked" your item.

Just because someone "liked" your items doesn't mean they are interested in buying it.
If I favorited an item and a seller bugged me with a coupon or message about it, I would un-favorite that item in a heartbeat and I would mark it is SPAM.

This can get your ability to send messages DISABLED for a few weeks.

You've sold here for 3 years and this has always been the rule.
DO not send messages/coupons/discounts to shoppers just because they favorited an item. 

ETA: the difference is A SHOPPER has to agree / opt in to receiving those discount/coupon codes from Etsy to get them so those messages ARE NOT SPAM.
Shoppers are NOT agreeing to this when YOU send them a coupon, so those are considered spam.
A BIG difference.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@LikeNewCollectibles 

you can't just contact people, unless they have given you express permission, that is illegal in many countries, including USA, UK and all of EU, and probably a lot more

[BagmakerSupply]

@LikeNewCollectibles: "WHAT A CROCK OF BS" Whether or not it is a crock is subjective, but sending an unsolicited non-transactional message such as "a coupon offer to someone who gave a like" is the very definition of spamming and therefore illegal almost everywhere.

[TheVintagePineapple]

Use these instead of sending unsolicited messages:

How to Set Up Sales and Discounts for Your Shop – Etsy Help

If you don't want to receive what you consider spam messages from Etsy, go to Your Account > Settings > Emails and uncheck any type of email you don't want to get.

[LikeNewCollectibles]

I KNOW WHAT THIS IS. I AM NOT AN IDIOT. SENDING A COUPON CODE TO SOMEONE WHO LIKED A LISTING IS NOT SPAM.  i USE EVERY COUPON OFFER THERE IS. ETSY IS SUPPOSED TO SEND A COUPON CODE  TO PEOPLE WHO LIKED A POSTING. I CAN COUNT THE NUMBER OF EMAIL THEY HAVE SENT IN ONE BREATH.  SO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME SENDING THEM A CODE AND ETSY DOING IT

[TheVintagePineapple]

@LikeNewCollectibles Please stop yelling at me.  I'm not the one who took the ability to annoy people away from you.

[LikeNewCollectibles]

GOOD FREAKIN  GRIEF

[LikeNewCollectibles]

I will try one more time to see if you can understand me. You can set it up so etsy will send email to the customer when they give a like on a product. You can choose what the percentage off is.  The problem is they only send out a handfull.  Why I have no idea. But they do send out some... so what is the difference between etsy doing it and me doing it. Can you answer that?

[TheVintagePineapple]

The reason why only a handful are sent out is because those buyers did what I suggested you do -- ''...go to Your Account > Settings > Emails and uncheck any type of email you don't want to get.''

We are only allowed to contact buyers when it relates to their orders.

[vintageNCtreasures]

I did answer that question above.

A shopper has to OPT IN to receive those offers.

IF a shopper has NOT opted in then Etsy cannot send them a coupon.
Simple as that.

Shoppers are NOT opting in for your coupons and that is why it is considered spam.

See LINK To house rules below.

[PillowDetails]

@LikeNewCollectibles  The difference is Buyers opt in to receive promotions from Etsy.

Not everyone even wants that.

Etsy considers users to be their customers, not yours.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@LikeNewCollectibles 

That option, is for Etsy only, to send to those that have clicked the opt in, to receive marketing from ETSY,

If they have not opted in, Etsy does not send it, as it would be illegal

That's why they only send out a handful of stuff - because the others have opted OUT

Also, they have not clicked to say they will let YOU send them anything - and they have to opt in, specifically for you, for you to send.

And you do not even know, if they have actually opted out for even etsy to send stuff.

What you were doing, is 100% illegal

[vintageNCtreasures]

Maybe you should check out the LINK to the HOUSE rules below where it states sending unsolicited coupons / advertising IS SPAM.

Seller Policy - Our House Rules | Etsy

2. Being a Member of the Etsy Community

At Etsy, everyone is expected to treat fellow members of the Etsy community with respect. As a seller, you have additional responsibilities to safeguard personal information and communicate promptly with buyers in order to provide a great customer experience.

As a member of Etsy, you have the opportunity to create and upload a variety of content, like listings, Messages, text, photos, and videos. In order to keep our community safe and respectful, you agree that you will not upload content that:

5. Contains unsolicited advertising or promotions, requests for donations, or spam;

[PlatypusDream]

"SENDING A COUPON CODE TO SOMEONE WHO LIKED A LISTING IS NOT SPAM. "

Yes, yes it is.

"SO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME SENDING THEM A CODE AND ETSY DOING IT"

Because Etsy gives the opportunity for customers to CHOOSE to OPT IN or OPT OUT of receiving emails.

You don't. You just spam anyone that shows interest.

BIG DIFFERENCE.

Perhaps read the rules. I've highlighted what you've been doing.

https://www.etsy.com/legal/sellers/

"c. Communication Standards

i. Messages

With Etsy's "Messages", you have the ability to communicate directly with your buyers or other Etsy members. Messages are a great way for buyers to ask you questions about an item or an order.

Messages may not be used for the following activities:

1. Sending unsolicited advertising or promotions, requests for donations or spam;
2. Harassing or abusing another member or violating our Anti-Discrimination Policy;
3. Contacting someone after they have explicitly asked you not to;  
4. Interfering with a transaction or the business of another member;
5. Exchanging personal contact, financial or other information for the purposes of evading the checkout process on Etsy, including phone number, address, email, social media handles, external URLs, instructions for money transfer, etc."

[FancyTogs]

@LikeNewCollectibles 

"SENDING A COUPON CODE TO SOMEONE WHO LIKED A LISTING IS NOT SPAM"

Perhaps you are unaware . . .

Sending unsolicited marketing communications to an EU or UK citizen without a positive opt-in is an offence of the EU & UK GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) law, and also national laws derived from EU Directive 2002/58/EC.

The regulations apply to businesses anywhere who are processing data of UK or EU citizens, and the maximum penalties are limited to a mere 20 million euros, or up to 4 % of total global turnover of the preceding fiscal year, whichever is higher.

A brief summary:

https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/59160674124

Various US states have also been tightening local state laws in a similar manner in the last few years.

Meanwile you should consider reviewing Etsy's policies which you agree to when selling here:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/legal/sellers/?ref=list#community

Quote:

Messages may not be used for the following activities:

1. Sending unsolicited advertising or promotions, requests for donations or spam;

unquote

Lawrence (Clare's other half)

[TastefulArtisan]

My husband loves analogies and last night when we were talking about the astonishing number of shops that message to a random favorite, he likened it to a car salesman. 

I think that is the best analogy ever. I don't even like to go look at all the pretty new cars since you have to explain, in triplicate, that you are just looking.

Same concept applies to someone favoriting an item. People favorite stuff all the time for various reason. It doesn't mean they are going to purchase, only that they liked it.

OP, no one called you an idiot. There is no need to go about shouting your injustice over something that shouldn't have been going on anyway.

If your viewers who favorite things are interested in getting a coupon, they would have opted in to get the emails. They didn't opt in to be, what is essentially, stalked.

If only a handful of emails have been sent, then it's likely your favorite givers have not opted in. Giving it a good assumption they don't want to be randomly contacted.

Sorry you find this BS, it just is what it is.

But you do you. Eventually Etsy will disable your messaging for an undetermined amount of time and it could lead to the closure of your account.

Is it worth it? Only you know.

[bradgoodell]

@LikeNewCollectibles 

The Federal Trade Commission disagrees with you.  You can read the US federal law on what constitutes spam:

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business

Etsy only sends out a handful of your coupon codes because the other buyers have opted-out of receiving them.  Only those who opt-in and choose to receive promotional messages will receive them.

That is how the law works. You can't spam people who haven't chosen to get those messages.  It's illegal, not just in the US but in many, many other countries.

And this is why Etsy has changed things, to stop sellers from illegally spamming shoppers.  

[SugarTaffySoap]

@LikeNewCollectibles  If someone sends you a message to your Inbox you can message them a "quick discount" that expires in 5 days. It's a new feature if you haven't heard about it.  I just learned of it recently.