When it was founded back in 2005, Etsy was created for a special kind of small business owner. The platform promoted itself as a place for the artisan or craftsman specializing in homemade goods.
The rules still call for handmade products, but critics say some have managed to skirt them essentially becoming resellers of mass produced items on the site.
New Etsy Rules Open Door for Mass Produced Items
Etsy’s basic selling information divides products merchants can offer on the site into three basic categories:
- handmade goods
- vintage items 20 years or older
- craft supplies
But critics say changes to Etsy’s “Dos and Don’ts†section in 2011 in an effort to help sellers grow their businesses have created gray areas.
For example, one passage of the Etsy’s official rules now states:
A third-party vendor may be used for intermediary tasks in some crafts. Acceptable examples include, but are not limited to: Printing the seller’s original artwork, metal casting from the seller’s original mold, or kiln firing the seller’s handcrafted ceramic work.
However, the rules also state these third party vendors should not be performing the majority of the work on items sold as handmade.
Meanwhile, another passage of the Etsy rules explains:
One artist screen prints fabric, then another artist sews clothing from the fabric. The finished product is listed in a collective Etsy shop.
Critics say the rule could be used to justify outsourcing of work on items that are then sold as handmade.
The Rise of the Resellers
Disgruntled Etsy members claim merchants like Laonato, a popular jewelry store on Etsy, have already become resellers of mass-produced items, reports The Daily Dot.
Back in May of 2012, thousands of Etsy sellers staged a silent protest putting their shops in vacation mode for a 24-hour period to draw attention to the issue.
Etsy claims to conduct investigations of stores flagged for violation of its rules, but some members say the the site hasn’t done enough about the reseller issue.
If you’re not happy with Etsy, check out some other alternatives for selling handmade goods.
Handmade Items Photo via Shutterstock
