Guest Post: Audi on Shopping Smart on Etsy

I discovered Etsy in March of 2007 and fell deeply in love. Most of my jewelry collection hails from the site, as do many of my favorite garments and accessories. This artisan hub is an absolute goldmine.

But it can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate, so when Audi of Fashion for Nerds – herself a seasoned Etsy buyer and seller – offered to write up a guide to making the most of your Etsy experience, I was delighted. Read on to get the scoop on how the site works, how to track down that perfect item, and the importance of seller-buyer communication.

If you’re not already an Etsy convert, chances are you’re at least curious as to what all the fuss is about. In my experiences both as a buyer and as a seller, I can tell you that shopping on Etsy differs tremendously from shopping at a typical retail site. With this post I thought I’d share some tips for making your shopping experience more satisfying, both for you and for the sellers you interact with.

Why should I shop on Etsy in the first place?
There are many reasons to buy handmade: it supports fair labor practices and encourages small business, you’re more likely to find something truly unique, you can interact directly with the craftsperson, and in many cases your item can be customized. Etsy is a great place to shop for handmade items because it gathers together so many sellers (at last count there were nearly 260,000), offering a dazzling array of unique items.

How do I find anything on there?
Etsy is still a relatively new phenomenon and is not without its faults. Like I mentioned, the sellers and their wares are vast and varied, and finding the exact thing you’re looking for can present some challenges. So what’s the best way to get started?

If you’re looking for something specific, then start by searching with keywords, trusting that a good seller will adequately tag their items with the keywords that will enable you to find them. Alternately, you can use the traditional categories to narrow down the selection, and then either apply keywords or sort your results according to price.

Another great way to find sellers is to start with a few whose aesthetic you like, and then peruse their favorites. Additionally, Etsy has a blog that features their top picks, or you can look through the many treasuries that individual users create, or you can check the seller’s showcase pages each day. And finally, don’t forget your friends in the blogosphere; they are constantly digging up fresh new stuff on Etsy and posting about it to spread the word.

OK, I found something I love. Now what?
If you take nothing else away from this post, remember just this one thing: READ THE ENTIRE LISTING. Some items are photographed with props or as part of an outfit, so make sure you know what is included in the purchase price. Many items have different material options available or are custom made to order, and there may be specific information the seller needs from you in order to process your purchase.

What kind of information does the seller need from me?
Etsy has some fairly serious limitations from the seller’s side, and one of them is that there is a standard form for all listings that cannot be tailored to the item’s specifics. So if a seller is offering say, a dress that comes in several different colors and fabrics, there is no way to require the buyer to select those options during checkout; the seller must wait until the buyer provides that information to them. Likewise, many items you see in a listing are merely the prototype; your specific item will be custom made for you once you place the order and provide your size information.

Please keep in mind that “standard” clothing sizes are anything but. Telling a seller that you wear a size 6 or a bra size 34C means absolutely nothing; sizes vary greatly among different brands, and those sizes might not even fit you perfectly to begin with. And anyway, why pass up an opportunity to have a custom-fitted item created just for you? You took all the time to hunt down this amazing, handmade masterpiece, don’t blow it by being careless in how you take your measurements.

How does the communication happen?
There are a few ways to communicate with the seller: during checkout in the “Message to Seller” box, during payment in PayPal, or by opening up a conversation on Etsy. If you forget, then you will likely be hearing from the seller, and when this happens Etsy (or PayPal, depending on how the seller contacts you) will notify you by email. This is where problems can occur. Many of us have that alternate email address that we rarely check; DO NOT use this address for Etsy. Sellers might need to contact you for any number of reasons, and if you aren’t checking your email it can result in days, weeks, or even months of delay while you’re happily waiting for your pretty item to show up in the mail. As a seller, there are few things more frustrating than being unable to complete an order, and all the while living in constant fear of getting a terrible review from someone who cannot be reached and is upset that they haven’t received their item.

How do I pay?
PayPal is the most widely accepted form of payment these days, and if you don’t already have an account you should seriously consider setting one up. It’s easy, it’s free, it’s secure, and for the buyer there are no fees. If you really don’t want to set up an account, you can still go through PayPal and use your credit or debit card.

Sometimes PayPal has glitches for a variety of reasons, which may result in a delay of your payment being processed. If your e-check, credit card, or international bank account is going to create a delay, just send the seller a quick convo. It’s usually no big deal to have a few days of delay, just make sure you communicate.

What about returns?
The first thing to do is read the seller’s policies on this. Many Etsy crafters custom make your order for you specifically. Most Etsy sellers are not like large department stores, with warehouses filled with thousands of the same item in all kinds of sizes. Very often returned items cannot be resold, and the craftsperson will have to eat the entire cost of the materials and labor. Be sure that you really want what you’re ordering, and that you provide accurate size information. Remember, one of the biggest benefits of Etsy is that you can communicate directly with the maker, which means you can always ask for additional information and guidance before you commit to buying. Sellers want you to be happy with your purchase, and they are generally very willing to help you make the right choice.

Why should I leave feedback?
Feedback is a great way to assess the reliability of a shop and its products, so taking the time to leave it after you receive your item is immensely helpful to other buyers; likewise, reading a seller’s feedback before you buy from them is also a great idea. Feedback can go either way; it’s a great way to express your appreciation, and it’s a powerful tool to motivate sellers to make you happy if something goes wrong. If you receive your item and you’re really unhappy with it, I would suggest sending a message to the seller before doing anything. A good seller will have you send it back for a fix or a replacement, and cover shipping costs at the very least. Hold off on the feedback until they’ve had the opportunity to make it right. If the seller has 100% positive feedback they are going to want to keep it that way. Of course, if the seller is unresponsive or won’t work with you, then by all means express your dissatisfaction in the feedback, and follow up with PayPal to resolve the dispute (unfortunately Etsy does not offer much in this regard).

Above all though, be reasonable. It can’t be mentioned too often that the hand-crafted market is a different world than the mass market. If you received your item and find that it doesn’t go with the outfit you had in mind, that’s not grounds for a refund. That’s what department stores are for and that’s why they charge you $300 for a $75 item; returns are factored into their business model. The more people take the time to be smart about their Etsy purchases, the more we can preserve the unique, rewarding shopping experience that Etsy offers.

So, are you an Etsy convert? If you haven’t done much Etsying, did you find this post helpful? Any questions for Audi?