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Shopping @ Etsy

Irina

Veteran

I apologize for posting too much! But I could use your advice if you have it. I never shopped at Etsy. Have an account, browse once in a while but get overwhelmed fast and give up.

I’m looking to add more contemporary jewelry to my wardrobe. This time I persevered and found some earrings that I like (only from Canadian sellers). I hesitated to place an order. Some are inexpensive, for $30-50 Can. One pair I like is $150.

What do I need to know before I buy? What do you buy from Etsy and how do you like it?

Shopping

32 replies

Latest reply was from LJP

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

We love your posts! Post away, Irina

In my experience, hit and miss with Etsy, I'm afraid. Some KILLER, some awful - hence the term "Etsy Regretsy".

Keep your expectations low, and make sure there is a return policy.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I used to sell on Etsy.

My best advice is, first, make sure you click through to read the entire description. Etsy sometimes truncates important information.

Second, check the reviews. Most sellers are truly individuals or small artisan groups, but Etsy is also plagued with resellers and drop shippers. You'll see it in the reviews if a seller is inattentive, items are low quality, or shipping is slow.

I have not used Etsy for clothing, but I have bought jewelry items there, bed and bath, candles, unique items, and linens, all with good results.

LJP

Veteran

My two experiences with jewellery orders from Etsy haven’t been great . One was a local maker and the other likely imports from China. I wasn’t looking for high end stuff though - that I’d only buy if I could see it .

kkards

Veteran

I’ve bought some great things and some ok things. Yes to reading the descriptions, but more importantly to reading the reviews. I also look for reviews that include pictures from the reviewers. I also try to see if the seller has an independent website, that can give you a clue to whether or not the maker is a i actual maker or a reseller

SarahD8

Veteran

I LOVE shopping Etsy for jewelry. Actually it’s pretty much the only place I buy jewelry in the last decade or so.

Most of my experiences have been great. I can think of a few that left a sour taste in my mouth but really the proportion of regrets has not been higher than when shopping conventional retail.

Mostly what I buy is vintage and it sounds like you are looking for newly produced pieces. I echo what others have said about reading reviews, looking carefully at pics, reading descriptions (esp for size and material), and trying to suss out whether the seller is truly an independent artisan. Finding identical items offered by different sellers for example is often an indicator that the thing isn’t really handmade.

If you post some of the listings you are looking at we can look and see if we notice any red flags.

ETA: some of the red flags I look for in this thread:
https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....ice-please

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I haven't bought much jewellery from Etsy (just a couple of stone bracelets, I think) but I've bought other things -- masks when we were wearing cloth masks, little fabric purses, a sheepskin bed for my cat, labels for spice jars—a real mishmash of stuff! And all my experiences have been excellent. Once, there was a slow delivery issue and I contacted the seller -- she forwarded a new item immediately. (I subsequently got the first order, which I returned to her.)

I read the reviews, look at the photos, look at customer photos, and match my expectations to the price and the description/ images. I wouldn't buy without a return option.

Irina

Veteran

Thank you all for your advice. I decided to order a couple of inexpensive earrings from one seller. Her products have lots of reviews and photos of customers wearing earrings.

I’m playing with an idea of adding once in a while bold, contemporary earrings to my outfits. I usually wear small gold jewelry. I can’t buy rings without trying it first, so I can only experiment with earrings or bracelets.

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Runcarla

Veteran

Late to your thread, Irina. I ordered one thing from a Canadian Etsy seller last year and was very happy with the item and the service. (A hat Pom Pom made from recycled fox fur.)

Here’s the thread https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....s%e2%80%a6. With my detailed experience down thread.

JP

Veteran

@Angie, "Etsy Regretsy" lol, I had never heard that before, that's perfect!

Two years ago I ordered two '14K gold' name necklaces for my sisters and last summer when I was visiting, my sister showed it to me and it was discolored like a fake jewelry. I am not happy at all because I paid a lot of money for those. That's my only experience.

Minaminu

Veteran

Watching this interest as I am still looking for a pair of summer earrings! Etsy is a great source for handmade pieces and thankfully reviews give a good indication of the craftmanship.

nemosmom

Veteran

I’ve had good luck on Etsy, but it takes a LOT of patience and searching.

I’ve bought linen pieces from a European shop, a woven scarf from Australia, and jewelry from makers here in the states.

Lesley

Veteran

I am in the minority--I love Etsy so much!

I have bought lots of jewelry, and even a pair of leather shoes once. (I still look back at that and can't believe I did it, because the return would have been an absolute headache, but I followed their instructions for measuring my feet and they fit perfectly.) In my experience whenever you think to yourself, "I wish I had this thing with these specifications," you can go on Etsy and find it. Beyond checking seller stats I have never dived any deeper and I have zero regretsy!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Those are beautiful, Irina! I love both but especially the first. I hope it works out!

Kate

Veteran

I've only had great experiences with Etsy. Like Suz, my purchases have been a mishmash of things. One of my first purchases was a sterling necklace about 10 years ago. It remains one of my favorite pieces of jewelry. I'm so sorry that jewelry maker no longer sells on Etsy.

I do always look at photos, read reviews, and check out the seller's profile.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I have bought a few things from Etsy over the years - vintage jewelry pieces (this is a very long time ago) and more recently a belt. (I have also sold.) I have had good experiences but have been dealing with vintage not mass produced articles.

rachylou

Veteran

I’ve only had good experiences on Etsy. I’ve only bought from crafts people making things, that should probably be said. I will say, check the next day after your purchase for any communications from the seller. I’m not an email checker and my inbox is crowded with junk… I miss messages if I don’t log on to a site.

Irina

Veteran

Than you all. I ordered both earrings from the same seller and will report my experience once (I hope) the order is here.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Things I have bought from Etsy: gold jewelry from Greece; carpets from Turkey; personalized business cards from Korea; personalized stationery and giclée print from US. The Greek jewelry has been the most satisfactory, along with the embossed business cards. Both times I’ve talked to sellers and read a lot of reviews.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

@JP I've found that you really need to read between the lines with some of the 'gold' jewellery - because '14k gold' can mean gold vermeil or filled or plated, rather than solid gold. I've had some luck with gold jewelry off Etsy before, but it wasn't cheap!

I'm currently considering DIYing a veil using some fabric I've found on Etsy, & have asked the seller to send me extra photos from particular angles so I can check the edges etc. They were happy to oblige - good sellers usually are! If they aren't, it's often because they're a reseller working from a warehouse...

So don't be afraid to contact them before purchase - & double check they can ship to your area (since COVID can change things quicker than they can note in the listing).

I want to stress that it's important to do both things BEFORE you purchase - small businesses may find it difficult to accommodate changes/ customisation etc after they've started working on your order.

Jonesy

Veteran

I'm with Lesley--I love Etsy! I have purchased a lot of things for our home there, mostly mid-century pottery and art (see attached pics). I favor Scandinavian and Eastern European pieces from the '50s and '60s, and they can be readily acquired on Etsy. I also buy things that are practical, such as a silver extender I bought to replace a ribbon tie on a necklace, a boiled wool box for storage in our foyer, and a pair of custom-sized striped linen curtains.

I have had only one negative experience, when I bought an inexpensive small decorative box, and it turned out the lid was plastic (vs. metal, as it appeared online). It was cheap, so not even worth the bother to try to argue with the seller or return it. Otherwise, everything has been fab. I agree with others re. reading the reviews and really checking out each seller, before making the leap. Also make sure you are aware of their return/exchange policies.

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oooh, Jonesy, love those items! They must have been well wrapped, too, which is also great information.

LaPed

Veteran

I've spent a lot of time on Etsy over the past decade or so. Clothes, toys, decor, housewares, stationary, you name it. The threads linked by Runcarla and SarahD8 have good advice on how to avoid the cheap-o drop-shipped/AliExpress type products that have started to proliferate on Etsy. The platform is wonderful as long as you're able to stick to smaller vendors. When purchasing from a new-to-me shop, I almost always message with a few questions first, even if I'm not interested in customizations. If the vendor doesn't get back to me promptly with a clear answer, I'll look elsewhere.

I have a bunch of friends who are artists or craftspeople who sell via Etsy, and I love being able to support their work even if we live far apart. I'd say about 50% of my gift shopping is from Etsy shops, or direct purchases from artists/artisans I initially discovered through Etsy. Etsy's fee structure has become less and less friendly to small businesses in recent years, so if a vendor also has their own website, I try to shop there instead.

Anonymous

I used to buy a lot more on Etsy than I do now. Most of my experiences have been good, but there definitely seem to be a lot more sellers that buy stuff you can get on Amazon and try to pass them off.
I've bought- a few clothes (easy fit things like wrap skirts), jewelry, craft supplies, pet gifts, cosmetics, mailing labels, and decor things. Plus I had one of the artists on there design the cover for my first novel- I have the full size painting + the graphics file. Hopefully he's still in business cause I'll have more work for him this year

Irina

Veteran

Jonesy, that looks lovely!

I’m impressed by all your shared wisdom and also amazed by various things you buy on Etsy.

Jules

Veteran

Love those earrings! I am also in a phase of wearing more statement earrings. I have ordered from an Etsy maker in Montreal and been happy. My main issue is that I have trouble assessing size/visual impact online (photos of the earrings on models often aren’t provided). I have had good luck buying at maker markets, or getting their instagram info and buying online later. It’s not really market season anymore, but places like Arts Market feature different vendors (of course I also enjoy the vintage vendors etc so I’m not just there for earrings - I probably wouldn’t make a special trip).

Let us know how your earrings work out!

https://www.artsmarket.ca/

lyn67

Veteran

Wow, cannot wait to see them in person on You!

Irina

Veteran

Jules, thanks. I ordered earrings from a maker in Alberta. Will model for all once they arrive. I also bought a pair of glass, statement earrings from COS. I have to be careful, once in a few years I go through a phase of wearing bold jewelry. It doesn’t last long and I go back to wearing fine, minimal jewelry.

Helena

Veteran

Late to this thread, but I've had generally good luck with Etsy ... all I could have added was to read reviews and DM with the seller for any questions ... good luck Irina; hope these purchases turn out!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Irina, I hope the earrings work out. Those look fab and fun

Jonesy, KILLER cute decor that is soooo you, and in your happy colours

I have a KILLER Etsy purchase too. A pair of UNUSED and BRAND NEW pair of white pearlized sunnies from 1963. I had prescription lenses put into them.

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