PIRG’s Post

A recent investigation has uncovered that Etsy, a well-known marketplace for handmade and vintage items, is employing misleading tactics to boost sales. The platform has been found to use fake countdown timers to instill a sense of urgency among buyers, misleading them into believing that a deal is about to end. This practice is designed to hasten purchasing decisions, depriving consumers of the opportunity to conduct thorough research or comparisons. The investigation focused on 20 bestselling or Etsy-curated products featuring countdown timers. Shockingly, 80% of these countdowns simply reset after reaching zero without any change in pricing. In some instances, prices even dropped after the expiration of the countdown. This technique was observed across 10 different product categories, demonstrating its widespread adoption by sellers utilizing Etsy's automated timer feature. To further exacerbate the issue, sellers use layered sales, allowing a new sale with a fresh countdown timer to commence as soon as another ends. This tactic creates an illusion of exclusivity and scarcity, encouraging consumers to act impulsively. Accompanying strategies, such as scarce stock alerts or inflated demand indicators, further pressurize buyers into decisions they may later regret. In response to these practices, consumers are advised to remain vigilant and skeptical of digital pressure tactics. Awareness of these manipulative strategies can empower shoppers to make informed and deliberate purchasing choices. Additionally, concerned individuals are encouraged to communicate their objections to Etsy, advocating for the cessation of such deceptive marketing methods. By staying informed and cautious, consumers can safeguard themselves against unnecessary and hasty purchases, ensuring that their shopping experiences remain genuine and fulfilling.

Sure, we may know the difference because we're sellers. We're not as consumer-minded as our Etsy customers. But in a poll conducted by FedEx, 73% of online shoppers say that free shipping is what they want to see at checkout. So even if it feels silly, when possible (yes, there will be scenarios where it isn't practical) try incorporating your shipping cost into your item price in order to obtain Etsy's "Free Shipping" badge. It's annoying, but sometimes you have to appeal to the Etsy machine, as well as consumer psychology. This is just another one of those things that seems totally irrational, but may help you to rank better in search (on mobile, where free shipping is prioritized), and help you to turn more views into sales. Experiment, test, gather your data - then conclude whether free shipping is right for your shop. 👁️👄👁️ #etsyseller #etsyshipping #etsy #handmadealphas #etsycoach #etsylove #etsyshop #etsyetsyetsy #etsymeme #etsylife #etsyshopowner

The more complete the information in your Etsy shop, the better. Etsy actually favors shops that have filled out their ABOUT section and added their shop policies. The FAQ section is also important to complete. Use this section to answer your most common or frequent questions. This helps customers and saves you time in reducing repeat questions.  Comment with 👍 thumbs up if you have your ABOUT section completely filled out, with a ⭐ star if you have your SHOP POLICIES completed, and an 🧡 orange heart if you have FAQs. #erank #eranktools #etsysellertips #etsyshop #etsycommunity #etsy2024

𝗘𝘁𝘀𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 "𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲" 👉🏽 Etsy plans to launch its first loyalty program, Etsy Insider, in September to combat declining sales and attract occasional shoppers. 👉🏽 The program will offer select buyers free U.S. shipping and access to discounts, aiming to encourage shoppers to start their shopping journey on Etsy. 👉🏽 The company has not disclosed the cost of the loyalty program but hinted that the monthly fee would be comparable to the price of a latte. 👉🏽 Etsy experienced a surge in business during the pandemic but has since faced challenges, including a decline in gross merchandise sales and stock value, as well as increased competition. 👉🏽 To address these challenges, Etsy is focusing on returning to its artisan roots and differentiating itself in the competitive e-commerce landscape.

📈 Etsy Store Performance - One Week Recap! Excited to share some fantastic results from the past week on our Etsy store: Total Visits: 5,388 – Seeing this level of interest and traffic is thrilling! Orders Placed: 282 – We're keeping busy and loving every minute of it! Conversion Rate: 5.2% – A solid rate, showing that our products resonate with our audience. Revenue: £7,635.15 – Just one week in Q4, and we’re already seeing incredible growth! 💸 We’ve been focusing on optimizing our listings, enhancing customer experience, and engaging with our community, and it’s truly paying off! 📈 The holiday season is here, and Q4 is looking strong. If you want to boost your e-commerce journey or explore growth opportunities, let’s connect and chat! 😊 #EtsySuccess #EcommerceGrowth #Q4Performance #SmallBusinessOwner #LetsConnect

We’re making it even easier to find the best of the best on Etsy. 🔎 With over 100 million items on the Etsy marketplace that don’t map back to a catalog or SKU, it’s essential that our teams find innovative ways to surface relevant, high-quality items for shoppers. We recently shared that Etsy is now factoring the quality of a listing into where it shows up in search results and recommendations – including key factors like listing detail, photo quality, customer service track record and more. We’ve also improved the variety of listings we’re serving up in search results, giving more sellers visibility while helping buyers discover great items, even when they’re not sure what they’re looking for. And, we’re providing sellers with tools that give them more actionable insights than ever before to help them improve their visibility on our platform and chart their path to success on Etsy. For more on how we’re elevating the best items Etsy sellers have to offer, check out our latest news blog: https://etsy.me/quality

Strategies for competitive pricing on Etsy can make or break your shop. As an experienced Etsy seller, I've learned that understanding your costs, researching competitors, and considering customer feedback are essential to success on Etsy. I've implemented the 2x rule and dynamic pricing to help me generate over $1.5 million in revenue. Learn more about my strategies and FAQs in the post! #Etsy #Marketplace #PricingStrategy

Strategies for competitive pricing on Etsy can make or break your shop. As an experienced Etsy seller, I've learned that understanding your costs, researching competitors, and considering customer feedback are essential to success on Etsy. I've implemented the 2x rule and dynamic pricing to help me generate over $1.5 million in revenue. Learn more about my strategies and FAQs in the post! #Etsy #Marketplace #PricingStrategy

Strategies for competitive pricing on Etsy can make or break your shop. As an experienced Etsy seller, I've learned that understanding your costs, researching competitors, and considering customer feedback are essential to success on Etsy. I've implemented the 2x rule and dynamic pricing to help me generate over $1.5 million in revenue. Learn more about my strategies and FAQs in the post! #Etsy #Marketplace #PricingStrategy

Did you know? Etsy is making strides to improve their shopping experience by refining search results and highlighting top-quality items from reliable sellers. The platform has begun factoring in listing details, photo quality, and customer service track records to ensure top listings appear first, leading to more 4- and 5-star reviews site-wide and fewer refund requests from buyers. Plus, they're optimizing search results to showcase a broader array of products from more sellers. A new feature, the Etsy Search Visibility Page, will provide sellers with actionable insights to help them improve their position in search, among other things. Stay tuned for more industry insights! Full report here: https://lnkd.in/eEeWtMTS #Etsy #EtsyMarketplace #Ecommerce #SellerSupport #CustomerExperience #IndustryUpdates