5/08/2009

RU an Etsy Bitch


I've been reading Etsy Bitch religiously for the past 9 months or so. Since I don't read the forums hardly at all anymore it is my real source of gossip and news about Etsy. You will get the 100% no holds barred, honest to God truth in their pages. I'm sure those who are still in the honeymoon period will probably say they are just a negative bunch of whiners but trust me your day will come. My rose colored glasses were rosier than anyones but the glow is definitely faded.

If you are unfamiliar with the site here is their mission statement:

EtsyBitch is a communal blog of likeminded Etsians who are tired of the demeaning treatment, abuse, and general mismanagement of the Etsy.com site. We want Etsy to improve so we bitch to call attention to the unfairness and general stupidity of its admin and the unprofessional way they treat their sellers.

We're bitching because we care, dammit. That's right. It's snark for a cause. Crabbing for progress. Whining to make the handcrafted world a better place.


A recent post gives 8 Etsy propagated myths that should be required reading for anyone interested in promoting their craft. Myth 7 cracks me up and makes me sad all in one:

"ETSY IS REALLY ABOUT THE SANCTITY OF HANDMADE IT'S JUST CONFUSED SO LOOKS LIKE A CRAFT MAGAZINE SPINOFF WITH ALT-CRAFT ONLY. IT ONLY PROMOTES HOT GLUED TOGETHER NEON HOODIES WHEN IT'S DRINKING - ONE DAY IT WILL WISE UP AND LOVE ME BECAUSE IT ALWAYS TELLS ME IT KNOWS NO NICHE, AND IT LOVES ME, REALLY IT DOES!
"

Of course Etsy has every right to target whatever market they want with their front page and gift guides, but don't tell us that you are for all things handmade when you are really for all things handmade in Brooklyn.

Leave it to them to point out here how New York Magazine actually said this about Etsy in a recent article, "The Etsy lifestyle has a recognizable aesthetic, which looks remarkably like that of skinny-jeans-wearing, Slow Food–eating, bike-commuting hipsters." So if you live in the Midwest and haven't worn skinny jeans since your were 8 years old than you will never belong. Clearly this hipster image cannot be denied any longer when the media is taking it as common knowledge.

And then quite possibly the funniest post I've read ever was the Etsy on Sunday Morning. Leave it to Etsy to put a dirty Brooklynite peddling handmade hoodies and underwear to the Sunday Morning crowd. And to actually have Martha Stewart point out the flaw in the workmanship. Wow, talk about great press.

So RU an Etsy Bitch or do you still think they are the greatest thing since handmade bread?

9 comments:

Krystal said...

I've never seen that site.. but now my curiousity is becoming cat like. This could be dangerous.

Patrice-The Soap Seduction said...

Yes, I'm a (Etsy)Bitch...LOL. I love that site. You must have a sense of humor and not take yourself or Etsy so seriously to appreciate it.

Anonymous said...

Definitely going to hop over and read those posts next. I think I'm frustrated in general, but haven't really been in the loop enough to point the finger on the sources of my frustration with etsy. That "target market" issue is interesting, sort of goes along with my post this past week about how sick I was over selling cards just because they had a bird on them while the rest of my inventory just sits around....

storybeader said...

I've never heard of it. Will have to check it out. I can bitch!

LiPeony said...

I have read it and I take everything lightly... they do point out a lot it's alwyas fun to read. =D

Contrariwise said...

Wow, I never heard of this site. But now I have it bookmarked. Thanks.

MagicMarkingsArt said...

wow - just checked it out. and i guess my question is, would you run into these same issues on any other craft site. being that my only shop is on etsy ~ because it is so time consuming, i figured i'd never get anything else done if i had more than 1 shop ~ i really don't know if other host sites are more user friendly.
kudos to the bitch for making people stand up and take notice.

Coloraddiction said...

I'm definitely an Etsy Bitch! I love the blog - and I am a jaded Etsy member as well. I still hold out hope, but it's faded a lot in recent times. Great post!

Krystal said...

Oh that was a funny site! sadly, some true stuff n there.. but as they say "etsy is what it is" and you gotta get yourself in every venue you can.

 

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