Done with Etsy and seller nonsense

[emmybee]

I got burned w/ an IG Disney photographer. I ordered a Halloween-themed photo prior to the holiday, but I wasn't expecting it on time because I ordered it a week before. His own website said it would ship w/in 5 days, but that the actual shipping company might have delays. Fine by me, but I went ahead and paid for expedited shipping. Other than confirmation of purchase, I got nothing for a month. I emailed him and got no response. After 3 days, I made a claim w/ Paypal. That's when he got back to me. At that point, it was clear he hadn't even attempted to mail it because he offered me a Xmas theme photo. No thanks, refund, please. Then he had the nerve to imply that I was being impatient, but that he put in for a refund that day. I ignored his mildly rude email and waited for my refund. After a week or so, nothing. So I had to make another claim w/ paypal. I guess he ignored them too because I heard nothing until the last day when the case was supposed to close. It leaves a bad impression, for sure!

 

[robinb]

I had a problem with Etsy in mid-October. I was shopping on a Saturday for an event on a Friday night and I was looking for a cool mask that would be delivered in time. I bought one mask for about $10 that was made from Haunted Mansion fabric, but it wasn't going to be there in time. I ordered it anyway because I knew I wanted it. I then noticed that some items were showing that they would arrive by Wednesday. OK, I thought. I don't need it by Wednesday but if I shopped for those items I would get it by Friday for my event. I found a really cool retro mask with a Wednesday delivery and paid a premium for it ($20). It did not arrive until the Tuesday after my event. In fact, the Haunted Mansion mask that I didn't need until later arrived before the expensive one. I was disappointed and felt like I was bait and switched. I contacted the seller and asked for a partial refund. The only reason I bought from her and spent so much was because she said it would be to me in time. She refused to refund me and said that she can't be held responsible for the postal service. I pointed out that she didn't even send it until Tuesday and that the estimated delivery time was the NEXT DAY. It turns out that Etsy sellers can set their delivery expectations and hers was at the absolute minimum. I pointed that out to her too (and I showed her how to fix it) and that she was not holding up her end of the bargain. She eventually gave me a partial refund, but there was no way to get Etsy involved. Unlike Amazon Marketplace and eBay, they do not get involved.

I sold on Amazon Marketplace for years and I also still occasionally sell on eBay. I am very aware of what sellers go through and I am usually sympathetic to trials and tribulations. If she had emailed me that it wasn't going to be sent right away, I would have felt differently. Setting correct expectations is the key to a happy customer.

 

[VandVsmama]

I've had good luck with Etsy. But so far, the only things I've purchased on Etsy are Disneyland/WDW-themed signs from specific sellers, and those sellers had a boatload of positive reviews. Based on how quickly the items got shipped out, it was apparent that the seller had pre-made the item and already had it on hand. One was an Enchanted Tiki Room sign which I've got hanging on the wall in our Enchanted Tiki Room-themed bathroom. Haven't purchased any customized clothing off of Etsy.

 

[Jennasis]

I do have a friend who has offered to make all my custom shirts in the future after she heard of my debacle. She was like "oh honey NO. Next time you bring me a shirt and the design and I got you." Good to have friends!

 

[sjberg79]

I buy a crap ton of stuff with Etsy. I love it because if you can dream it, someone else can make it (I am not crafty). But what the Original Poster describes.... YES, it has happened to me several times. Their experience is not unique and it is exhausting when it happens and very frustrating chasing sellers/etsy/credit card to get your item or a refund. Etsy has made me upset before because you can't leave negative feedback for someone unless you are giving them 5 stars. Like, cannot write out your experience. So I have mastered the art of the passive aggressive review that gives them 5 stars but also trashes them. Etsy is also a pain because you have to give the seller 11 million chances to make it right before they will refund your money. It's easier to go direct to your credit card with the proof, in my experience. If I buy 10 things on Etsy, this happens maybe 1x. It always happens at least once during the holiday season because more people sell stuff during the holidays and yes, you get scammers selling stuff during the holidays too. I'm sorry you had this happen but I wouldn't give up on etsy but I would be cautious about who you buy from.

 

[StephMK]

The lying would irritate me the most. I have ordered things for my DD but have not run into that issue. I don't blame you for being fed up.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

They shouldn't be allowed to post a "Your item has been shipped" notice unless they can provide a tracking #. It's so frustrating. 4 TIMES since October.

Part of the problem is they have a tracking number, because they paid for the shipping online, and printed the label...but they haven't taken the package to the post office! They shouldn't be allowed to mark as shipped until it's actually accepted at the p.o.

 

[mom2rtk]

Part of the problem is they have a tracking number, because they paid for the shipping online, and printed the label...but they haven't taken the package to the post office! They shouldn't be allowed to mark as shipped until it's actually accepted at the p.o.

That's a problem because the post office misses some of those acceptance scans. Then the seller is penalized as if they didn't ship on time.

Honestly, the best thing to do is to carefully check the seller's reviews before purchasing.

 

[nene0182]

That's a problem because the post office misses some of those acceptance scans.

Exactly. I had a package where the tracking number showed pre-transit (on its way to USPS) since 12/15, today it was finally scanned 70 miles from my house. So this package traveled over 1000 miles and never once got scanned.

 

[amcnj]

I have had purchases from “big, reputable” companies too where you get an email saying the order has shipped but when you check it really is only the shipping label that has been created and the post office has not yet received the item. OK, so I can accept that, but then expect the item will get to the shipping company within 24 hours. Instead can be many more days till it is actually shipped.

 

[Imzadi]

For the 4th time this year I've been burned by an Etsy seller. And they all must think buyers are stupid to fall for the laughable stories they come up with to try to cover their laziness, or lies.

I bought a T-shirt for our trip to WDW. I get a ship notice from Etsy, however the notice has (rather suspisciously) no tracking #. After the estimated delivery date comes and goes, I message the seller asking where the item is and can she provide the tracking # so I can see where it is. "Oh sure...I'll get that right to you!" she responds. The next day she sends me a tracking # and when I plug it in it says the item was shipped THAT DAY. I message her back saying this and she claims "Oh no! I sent it out last week...they must have lost it and then just found it."

Right.

Well, the item finally arrives and is 100 sizes too small...but I LOVE the design. So I gift the smaller one to my sister and, like an idiot, order again from the seller for a much larger size. Anyone want to guess where this is going? I get a "shipped" notice from Etsy again with no tracking #, and I wait a few days to ask her for the tracking #. "Sure, will get that to you when I get home". I get it two days later (a photo of the receipt from USPS with her fingers covering the date...like I'm not going to plug in the tracking and see everything!). Yep...was just sent that day. I mention that to seller again and this time it's "No I sent it out with the wrong address and it got mailed back to me so I had to resend it".

Really? In 4 days it managed to get all the way to my zipcode, been declared undeliverable and then sent all the way back to her?

This scenario has played out 2 more times with 2 other Etsy shops. Just today one claimed, after I messaged her because the tracking # showed USPS was still waiting to receive the package (so she printed the label but never took it to the post office), that she just saw my inquiry to her about the item (that I sent her 4 days ago) and she found the package in her car. She asked if I still wanted it or a refund, and I told her it was a Christmas gift for a gift exchange on the 22nd and could she overnight it? She refused and refunded the order even though I said I still wanted it. I then checked her shop a little closer and that's when I saw the "Going Out of Business" notice from September, and the many recent reviews from the last two months of people never receiving their orders.

Sorry small business folks trying to make a side hustle. As a small business owner I WANT to support your endeavors, but I'm done with the stories, and runaround and nonsense (you too Ebay). Amazon never lets me down. (I found a replacement gift for the gift exchange tonight and it will be delivered on the 22nd. Thank you Prime!)

Did you give the two sellers the approriate negative feedback, warning other buys what the practices of these sellers are? I would. I have done that on eBay.

People seem to only look at the positive feedback of Sellers. I look at the negatives too. Because IF there is a problem with my order, it will likely be the same as the negatives, especially when there are several saying the same thing.

Leaving a feedback like, "Item shipped MUCH later than the original date indicated. If fact, the date registered on the website stated the date was the SAME day I wrote the Seller asking what happened to my shipment as it was so late," lets people know the real situation."

 

[Imzadi]

The shirt was an XL. No size chart. I typically wear a LG so went up a size because my experience with these Etsy stores has been cheap cheap shirts that run small. The XL was so tight it was like a bathing suit! I actually posted here after I got it looking for suggestions to stretch it...then gave up and ordered another. I ASKED for a 3X and she sent me a 2X but luckily the 2X worked.

I wore it once at WDW, washed it when we got home and the cheap shirt already has a hole from washing it.

No more Etsy. I've learned. But I appreciate you trying to defend the shop and blame me for ordering the wrong size.

As for the size, they may be buying t-shirts in bulk from some China suppliers. Some of them are notorious for sizing things extra, extra small, according to China sizes, not U.S. sizes. And the stitching quality is bad. Read some of the clothing descriptions and reviews of third party retailers on Amazon. Many people will state how their size Ex-Large is equivalent to an U.S. size Small, and what size one needs to buy, from that retailer, in order to find an equivalent size.

Both the sizing and how the t-shirt didn't last long would also be something other buyers would like to know about in your feedback. It may also light a fire under these bad Etsy sellers to improve if they want to stay in business. I think many of them started businesses since they had to stay home. They have no idea what really goes into either a retail business, or an online business. Etsy has great commercials indicating how easy it is to sell on their platform. Most people don't have a clue to how it really is in real life.

I had an eBay business for a couple years, years ago. Was doing really well. I moved my business and haven't been able to set up to do online orders in an efficient manner again. I'm not doing them until I get properly set up.

 

[bsmcneil]

I've had mostly good experiences - but also things similar to OP. And, I think it's happening elsewhere. I recently submitted a quote for request to a travel agency. I very much got the "well, I sent this immediately" - so, I showed my spam, trash, etc showing nothing and asked for a copy of what they sent (which, had they sent it the first time, they probably would've emailed when I asked, "Where is the quote?" as in "Oh, here it is - I'm sorry if it went to your spam." I just wish people would take responsibility.