Etsy Handmade Guidelines news

I just googled Etsy Guidelines News and I was surprised that a number of major news sites are carrying the story of the Etsy changes:

Even ABC News:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/etsy-sellers-hire-staff-manufacturers-20432042

And the LA Times:

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-etsy-seller-guidelines-20131001,0,3353957.story

And Entrepeneur:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/228682

And others:

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5216-etsy-policy-change.html

http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/01/etsy-reworks-guidelines-sellers-can-hire-outside-staff/?utm_source=Mobile_Feed_RSS3&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget

It is getting much more press that I thought it would.  I wish some of the ways the site treats it's sellers and its negative changes, like the new feedback/review system and the new listing page format would get this much exposure and attention.

Etsy is selling out.

Hope I can stay there. Would like to   I have done very well.  Much better than I was hoping.

Etsy's new guidelines for "handmade"; USA Today article

So there was an Etsy online townhall yesterday.  I was not able to join it because I was at my grounds keeping job.  It turned out it was mostly about Etsy announcing it's new guidelines for handmade. Wow.

I am glad I sell vintage.

I think they are "relaxing" or "loosening" the definity simply to allow resellers on the site because they generate so much revenue.  And, from what I have read on the forums, and my experience selling vintage, is that since the search and Browse are set up to favor "relisted" sold items, then with the resellers make high volumes of sales because their items are so inexpensive/lowest priced/cheap, then they are mostly on the front pages of search.  And the cycle continues.

While genuine handmade items that are made by individuals at higher costs are pushed further back in searches and on Browse.

Here is USA Today article:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/10/01/etsy-sellers-handmade/2901649/

The Etsy forums are FILLED with Etsy handmade sellers:

https://www.etsy.com/teams/18091/new-guidelines/discuss

I have done very well on there for all my 33 months.  Especially the past 13 months.  Although I have lost thousands of views each month every month this year.  I have been lucky to make steady sales.  Due mostly to selling tea cups.  I plan on continuing to sell there.  Through next year.  Unless I have a dramatic drop-off in sales this christmas season.

And I can understand why the handmade sellers are so upset.  Etsy has been going for the money with their changes.  And it is not close to what its original intent was. \

But I am still happy at this point and am looking forward to see if I can continue to grow my shop in the coming months and possibly years.

Now off to the post office for me.

The Reds lost! In the one game playoff! I heard the fireworks last night

I am not happy about that. I will be mad about that all day.  I am not a Pittsburgh sports fan lol. Just gotta pack my big order and think about other things. lol.

200 views

So I just reached 200 views from Etsy search at 7: 44 pm.  About 2 hours later than yesterday.  Still glad to reach it.  Should reach 270 or so.

It has been an ok day.  Got one order packed and shipped. Still have to pack the tea cup order.  Might do that tonight or tomorrow.

Soon to bed!

Vintage cuff links for men, pink & black enamel cuff links, Mad Men style: Mexican War Streets yard sale

This past may I did great at the neighborhood yard sale.  At one of the houses I stopped at I got a box full of vintage cuff links.  One of them was this very cool pink & black enamel set:

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/154542156/vintage-1950s-pink-cuff-links-mad-men?ref=shop_home_active

Very quickly in june I sold a pair of patented crystal cuff links I got from the same people.  Maybe these retro pink ones will sell for Christmas.

Time to head to the post office and ship the green gazelle planter/lamp base.  I don't think I charged enough for shipping.  Lucky for me a guy in Florida bought it..

Good views today!

Here at just past noon at 12:17 I have 103 views from Etsy search!  Glad to see that!  Almost as many as yesterday.  I was expecting a big drop today.  But, so far, so good.

311 views

I ended sunday with 311 views from Etsy search.  The most since at least august. Maybe july?  That is encouraging.

Today I have things to do.  Have to get the chair boxed up and taken to greyhound, pack the tea cup order, and ship it, get a box for the green gazelle and ship it, other shop things and maybe do laundry?

Off to work!

300 views!

Here at about 11:48 pm I have 300 views from Etsy search!!  I believe that is the first time all september I have been at 300!!!  That is very encouraging....BUT....no sales....and only a small tea cup sale yesterday.

Google views are about 20 less than yesterday at only 62.

I got some things done today.  Got pics taken.  A good number of new items, including tea cups, listed. Tomorrow I have a lot to do.  Have to pack the chair, the tea cup order, find a box for the green gazelle, take the chair to greyhound, ship the tea cups, go put the plants inside, get up on the ladder, organize, laundry?, and take pics?

It is supposed to be a mild dry week.  I need to take advantage of it and make the most of it.

Almost time for bed!

Royal Chelsea tea cup and saucer; 300 Views??

I found this beautiful Royal Chelsea tea cup on Ebay.  It is still in great condition. No chips. No cracks.  The inside is clean and white.  I just got it listed today:

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/164233861/antique-royal-chelsea-tea-cup-set?ref=shop_home_active

 

Here at 7:23 pm I already have 243 views from Etsy search!  Will I reach 300 views for the first time this month???? 

200 views!

Here at 5:51 pm I have reached 200 views from Etsy search.  That is a good sign.  Well, it is good to see, anyway.  Views will probably drop.  Total views are high, too, in the 600's.

100 views! ; Coalport and Paragon tea cups

Here right after 12 noon at 12:10 I have 104 views from Etsy search.  That is encouraging.  I like reaching it at this time. Even though it is still lower than most of the year.

My google views are in the teens at 18.  That is good to see, too.

I just read that Google made another adjustment on the 21st of this month and I do see a drop in my views on about the 24th into the fifties.  But they were back yesterday.

Well, I was wrong about the sunshine.  It did get sunny enough to get some tea cup pics taken.  I had trouble getting the Royal Staffords clear.  So I probably won't be listing them.  But 2 of the others turned out ok.  My 1800's Coalport and 1950's Paragon:

 
I am off to go buy some drinks.  Might take a couple pics outside.  Should post a few things.

Google search views yesterday

I actually ended yesterday with 82 views from Google search.  That was good to see. Better than in the 50's and 60's that it has been. I would have loved to have kept grown from google this year and been in the mid to upper 100's.  But with the change in may and then the recent drop again, that didn't happen. I will see what happens for christmas.

Well, it is a cloudy morning.  So I don't think I will be able to get pics of new tea cups taken.  I should take pics of other new things. And views from etsy search are low again.  Lower than I was hoping for. Only about 35 at 7:30 am.

I want to go do a load of laundry too.

Off to work to see what I can get done.

Sleeping outside & a 444

I slept outside on the glider again last night.  I have for most nights this month.  Except for one night it rained.  Last night was a comfortable night with a cleary, starry sky.  I woke up about 4:30 or so and came inside. When I went back outside to go back to sleep as I was laying there I was thinking about something.  Then I checked my watch and the time was 4:44.

Vintage Grosvenor Jackson and Gosling tea cups; today's views

I was shopping on the internet for vintage china tea cups for my Etsy shop when I saw this pair of Grosvenor tea cups.  Wow. They were great looking....and the price. I couldn't believe that it was for just one of them let alone the two.  But the price was for the two   It was a very good seller and I got them only 2 days are I bought them.

I was able to get some pics of them before going to my grounds keeping job and yesterday I got the green one listed:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/164054898/antique-grosvenor-tea-cup-and-saucer?ref=shop_home_active

And just tonight I got the red one listed:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/119331433/antique-grosvenor-jackson-and-gosling?ref=shop_home_active

They are some of my favorite tea cups I have had since really I started selling tea cups about 2 years ago.

Todays views are so low.  I am experiencing even below the new normal.  Only 162 views from Etsy search here at 9:30!  WOW!  I might not reach 180 which was my previous record low for the year that i reached on the 6th of this month.

My google views are decent at 70.  I did make a tea cup sale.  And sunday has been my day of highest views for a few months now.  But I don't see them getting near 300 tomorrow.  Probably low to mid 200's.   I might not reach 300 again until november!

Well, time for bed.  I got some pics taken today and 2 orders packed & shipped.  Still have the big tea cup order to Kuwait, the gazelle lamp base planter and I have to get the chair boxed for taking to greyhound.

Good night!

Yesterday in the garden: Views at noon

It was a beautiful sunny morning, not a cloud in the sky, when I left yesterday for my grounds keeping job:

I loved being in the garden on such a sunny, cool, comfortable morning:

The pool fountains were still running:

When I went to the job earlier in the week I saw the begonias in one bed had fallen over. I believe it was from the rain we had the previous weekend:

It was probably one of the last days to water the garden.  Here at the end of september he did not want me to water it.  I had inside work for the day.

The summer has gone so fast.

Here just after 12 noon today I have the lowest total of views from Etsy search in a while:  only 67!
I would at least have about 80-85 during this big drop in Etsy search views.  I thought my views might actually be higher today with it being a weekend.  Sunday has been busy.

I have been lucky to keep making sales this month.  My revenue is about 70% of last month with a few days to go.  It is disappointing that views are so low.  That, to me, means some lost sales.

Glad to be making sales though.  That is what is keeping me motivated.

Well, it has been a sunny morning and I got some pics taken.  Now I have to try to get some orders packed and shipped and watch some college football.  I wanted to go do laundry, but I don't think I have time for that.  Maybe tomorrow.....

wow, low views; still making sales

Here at 8:13 pm I have only 158 views from Etsy search!  Wow.  That is low. And only 39 from Google!

Still made 3 sales today and 2 yesterday.

I don't think there is anything I can do about the views.  It is the new normal.  I believe views will probably pick up just to where they were or a little lower during nov & dec.  I don't think I'll hit 400 like I did last dec and this spring. I think I will max out in the low 300's.

The new normal is kind of discouraging and disappointing.  2014 is not looking good. If I am even open.

Google hummingbird search change; another morning of low views

I just learned yesterday on the Etsy forums about Googles recent algorithm change.  The just announced it and said it was first made about a month ago.  They call it Hummingbird.

 https://www.etsy.com/teams/7718/questions/discuss/13067300/page/1

The USA Today has a story about the change:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/09/26/google-overhauls-search-engine/2877491/

And so does Forbes:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthof/2013/09/26/google-just-revamped-search-to-handle-your-long-questions/

There was an argument on the Etsy forums in one of the threads about Google that was about whether our views from Etsy search originate with Google search.  Whether people are finding Etsy through Google and then searching Etsy.  Or whether Etsy search views are soley from Etsy.

Well, this could be a cause of my drop in Etsy search and total views????

I know my Google search views have dropped again recently.  After having come back some during the summer.  They have been back in the 50's and 60's  after recovering back into the 80's and 90's.

I woke up this morning to low etsy search views again. Only 33 after 7 am.  Not the lowest though.  That was on sept 6 when I had only 25. No sales yesterday. I did make 2 sales this morning already. One of them being the nice antique chair.

I will just see how things go in the coming days and weeks. And whatever happens in nov & dec, happens.
It will be very disappointing if I don't do well then.

I am curious how next year will turn out?  The past 2 years for the first 4-5 months I did very well.  Especially this year.

The new listing page on Etsy; views at noon

Views in my vintage Etsy shop are down considerably over the past 6 weeks since I got the new listing page on aug 9th.  My shop dashboard says I have 4,600 LESS total views over the past 30 days compared to the previous 30 days.  It is disappointing.

I was really looking forward to next year.  Now not so much.

I think views may come back some for nov & dec, then nose dive the beginning of the year again.

Today's views are at the new normal level.  Just before 12:30 pm I have 85 views from etsy search.
And 15 views from Teams from posting in the forums.  Which I shouldn't be doing.  It doesn't do anything. Just causes more people to copy my shop and increase the competition.

It is a nice sunny day.  I just got some pics of tea cups taken.  Since the sun came out late morning I thought it was too late to take tea cup pics, but I happened to look at the window behind where I take pics and the sun still hand't come in it yet.  Because of it being the time of year it is and the sun being lower in the sky.  That is a good sign.  I know I have a little more time on sunny morning to take good pics.  I haven't downloaded them yet.  I hope they turned out good enough.

I have things to do today.  I should take pics of new things. I want to go do a load of laundry.  And more organizing.  I did a little of that too.

Back to work!  

It was a beautiful sunny day at my grounds keeping job

When I first left for the job the sky was cloudy and grey.  But on my way over there the skies cleared up  By the time I got to the job the sky was completely blue.  There was not a cloud in the sky all day.  The temp was slightly cool but very comfortable.  The humidity was so low.  It felt great.  I got some things accomplished and the day went so fast.

I came home and check my stats and my views turned out to be better than I expected.  I even made a sale of 9 tea cups.  But I just got to 200 views from Etsy search at 9 pm.  So that is kinda of disappointing.  Not sure how it will play out.  If my total views will ever come back. Because the new listing page format is bad.  Bad for my shop. Bad for my total views.  I am not sure I will equal what I did last nov & dec. I doubt even my views will be as high as they were.  Even if they are the same, that is a drop.  Because I have hundreds more listings and more popular tea cups than last year.  I will see, I guess.

It is a cool night.  I want to get some things done tomorrow.  I hope to be able to take tea cup pics and pics of many other things.  I want to just spend the day taking pics of as much as I can. Even of fabric.

Looking forward to tomorrow.

simply the best by Tina Turner Lyrics onscreen