Shipping Update
Added 2021-08-20 20:02:46 +0000 UTCEtsy is making some changes I am less than thrilled about, I’m considering leaving to find a new platform, but let me just explain the changes.
There have been a lot in the last two months that have made life difficult for sellers, but this one is the one that has me really upset. Particularly on the behalf of international buyers. I offer very cheap shipping for prints and stickers, two dollars for domestic and three for international. That covers the cost of the stamp, the protective sleeve, the envelope, and handling (me stuffing envelopes). These letters come to you without tracking but most times without issue. However Etsy is now enforcing tracking on orders over ten dollars, which means if you spend more than ten dollars in my shop then I need to print off a shipping label for your item. That means prices will go up. I’d need to go through the post office and that would mean paying 3-5 dollars for domestic shipping and 15-20 for international.
That is absolutely unacceptable when you consider that sending two prints and a sticker is BARELY an ounce.
But if I don’t make this change in my shop Etsy will not let me complete orders and ultimately suspend my store for “unshipped” items.
I’m really unsure of what to do here. For the moment I will be adhering to these new (absolutely shite) rules and change over shipping in my store, but I am also looking for alternatives. If you are international consider buying several items at once to keep the cost down, or going in with a friend!
Again I am so sorry. This is the last news I wanted to give you before ineffable con. I will think on it and hopefully something will work out!
I’m considering moving all my prints and stickers to my personal shop where I also put up PDFs. It wouldn’t be as easy since the shop only takes credit card but I couldn’t bare to put a 15 dollar label on a 5 dollar print, it just isn’t fair.
Thank you for being so understanding!
Whiteley
Comments
Thanks for the info. A shipping label means added taxes for us. So far I was super happy that at least in your store I could still but a few stickers / prints without having to pay added taxes because it fit a normal letter size envelope. - I assume that is why Etsy is changing the rules. Or too many people complained the items didn’t arrive? 😐 Kofi seems to have a good shop option.
Vera Weyl
2021-08-21 14:13:11 +0000 UTCI did mention it as a possibility above, I just do need to weigh the options and see if I can find a new spot. A lot is changing I just need a minute to figure it out.
Whiteley Foster
2021-08-21 13:57:59 +0000 UTCMost international customers would have one, I bet. Besides it's also possible to buy set amount credit cards for online use (i.e. they're not actually credit cards as you pay upfront for the amount on the card, but for paying purposes they're credit cards).
Silvia
2021-08-21 13:53:28 +0000 UTCI do have one, it just takes credit card though and I know not everyone has them
Whiteley Foster
2021-08-21 13:51:04 +0000 UTCHave you looked into just having a shop on your website for customers who know you? There are quite a few ready-made shop options and as I recall you did stell stuff through your website before?
Silvia
2021-08-21 13:49:39 +0000 UTCOh no how annoying!! I'm trying to set up on Big Cartel, it's a bit like Etsy but made specifically for artists. Could be worth looking into?
M Aidan
2021-08-21 13:37:00 +0000 UTCA complete shame, it's what it is
cs_patri
2021-08-21 11:07:10 +0000 UTCWow international shipping price was already unbearable, I literally can't buy a physical book from the usa because the tax is like 30% because that changed too and required to be paid, and the shipping moves from 35usd to 150, and then there's the price of the item too.. i was only able to afford cheaper keychains and small items and hearing from now that's won't even be an option for me is just shattering. Long live the rich, i guess
Gabriel Hale
2021-08-21 07:39:52 +0000 UTCI made my comment to Etsy politely protesting the change, pointing out the hardship to buyers and sellers and that it may cost business. They sent back a long list of their shipping conditions in case that answered my question. So I followed the instructions to reply and sent the original comment again because their reply wasn't helpful. So we'll see if I ever make contact with an actual human.
Tina Rhea
2021-08-21 03:26:10 +0000 UTCThe international shipping costs are simply ridiculous. They make me backtrack of buying stuff because the shipping is way more expensive than whatever I want to buy. It makes no sense to want to buy a pin that may cost 5-10 $ and the shipping cost being 20$. Or one of the prints and face 25-30$ for shipping. Absolutely crazy. I would pay less even taking the risk of not having a tracking number, but as it's not a choice, I have to give up
cs_patri
2021-08-21 01:03:48 +0000 UTCI can’t seem to get it to come up, Would you mind DMing me? (If you have time of course)
Whiteley Foster
2021-08-20 21:48:44 +0000 UTCthat's absolutely crazy ...
Sarah Marino
2021-08-20 21:45:26 +0000 UTCOh wow! I’m going to hop on now and See if I can get that changed
Whiteley Foster
2021-08-20 21:45:23 +0000 UTCI'm actually in the same boat, but another seller helped me figure out how to buy letter and flat rate shipping via Etsy. (The trick was that it wouldn't appear as a viable option until after I had input weight and envelope size, in my case 6.5 x 5 x .1") Much to my surprise the $.55 postage for a 1oz letter actually includes tracking. I'm using more shipping labels now, but the postage costs the same and I'm not spending time hand writing addresses any more.
Kitsune54
2021-08-20 21:42:54 +0000 UTCThis is unacceptable on Etsy's part and I'm def going to keep buying your merch wherever you go.
Luca Valentine
2021-08-20 21:01:00 +0000 UTCI have so much respect for you for talking about this, because a lot of creators just accept and don’t really care. I often find myself not ordering internationally because of the cost, and it’s actually one of the reason I closed my shop for a bit. Thank you for sharing ❤️
Pip Marchi
2021-08-20 21:00:23 +0000 UTCEtsy doesn't make it easy to contact them about anything but canned questions and answers. Try this link to get a page where you can type a question about shipping: https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=360000108008#issue_sell_ship_order
Tina Rhea
2021-08-20 21:00:04 +0000 UTCso sorry you're having to deal with this!! thank you for giving us all a heads-up though 💚
Planetary System
2021-08-20 20:58:03 +0000 UTCIf you’d like to send Etsy feedback protesting the required tracking I can’t imagine it would hurt! Thank you so much!
Whiteley Foster
2021-08-20 20:53:17 +0000 UTCThey can make it so much harder for sellers. I buy international items on eBay but the shipping charges in some cases e.g. from Italy to the US are now so high that I won't buy from Italy, and for many of us to decide that has to hurt Italian sellers. Can you protest, Whiteley, and hope that if enough others protest then Etsy may reconsider? We as buyers should protest too!
Tina Rhea
2021-08-20 20:52:08 +0000 UTCIt just went into affect today, we really didn’t get any warning 😔
Whiteley Foster
2021-08-20 20:51:55 +0000 UTCThat's pretty insane - I've bought from the UK, and have never had a problem. Happy to buy from your site directly. I thought the whole point of Etsy was to make it easier to support small businesses, so sorry you are having to deal with this 😟
Ali
2021-08-20 20:51:12 +0000 UTCUrgh, that really sucks :( Ordering the items seperatly is possible, but just not effective at all. Still, as I don't have a credit card, etsy is the only thing available for me. I hope you can find a solution. :)
NorNor
2021-08-20 20:35:27 +0000 UTCYeah, this is for all EU countries...at last in theory. Etsy says they charge the VAT so you shouldn't have to pay import fee and any further fees when you get it...but for some reason it didn't work, ultimately making us pay double. And with their shipping prices being so high, it's definitely making it unsustainable, sadly. Flat packages in regular envelopes have so far gone free for me....but now we do need to pay the extra VAT anyway and if shipping goes up to, one might have to opt out for most stuff. It's all just awful 😩
Anja Schmidt
2021-08-20 20:25:08 +0000 UTCit really sucks of Etsy, but we understand it's not your fault, I'm so sorry you will suffer from it and that every small business has to fight through so much 😔❤️
sick_pineapple
2021-08-20 20:21:50 +0000 UTCthat is indeed annoying. You can't do much about that with the new European rules. but thanks for the tip if I order prints in the future I will immediately make a large order of it then the shipping costs are still reasonable.
Lady Sammy
2021-08-20 20:20:07 +0000 UTCOh wow, that sucks!😿 I hope you can find a solution to this.🍀
rippingoffmyface
2021-08-20 20:17:07 +0000 UTCWhy are companies trying so damn hard to screw over their customers these day? I'm absolutely with you. If you need to change then definitely change. I hope you find a solution.
Gillian Muirhead
2021-08-20 20:16:27 +0000 UTCThat is so horrible, I’m so sorry. It truly is killing small businesses.
Whiteley Foster
2021-08-20 20:16:02 +0000 UTCAlso, I have to aware you that in some European countries taxes are changing. At least in Spain where I am from. Now every ship from outside UE (including UK) have to pay customs. Not sure about large business but small sellers can find this very problematic. They don't say a word to you until the ship arrives home and you have to pay that custom fee. It's very heartbreaking 🥲
AleenaBite
2021-08-20 20:15:02 +0000 UTCUgh, oh this sucks...I'm so sorry, I hope you can find other ways and let us know...
Lizzie the OwlyCat
2021-08-20 20:05:19 +0000 UTC
