Etsy and Blackmail Extortion

So, I recently closed my shop on Etsy, after 4 years of operation. I have to say, it was never something about which I was truly passionate. It was a nice hobby, and if I made stuff that people liked, and as long as it was at least breaking even, I had no problems with it. For the first three years, that seemed to be the standard. I loved trading and selling; I probably spent more than I made; and for the most part, it made me feel proud that I created things that people seemed to enjoy.

However, in the last year, I started getting a lot of complaints. And the more that I got, the fishier they sounded. Oh, it was a slightly different shade than I thought; Oh, I changed my mind; oh, the quality is soooo poor (for a $5 item). Always these complaints came with the demand that so long as I refunded their money, they would keep the product and not give me bad feedback.

I was a slave to the feedback system.

I was giving away and putting more money into it than I was getting. Not to mention the shipping expenses and headaches. I tried to tough it out, but my temper reached a head with the last extortionist.

I was sick of it. Sick of these scammers blackmailing me with bad feedback and only relenting when it involved free product.

So I quit. I closed my store, and a rush of relief flowed over me. I felt free. Freer than I had felt in a long time.

I’ll probably go back to Etsy as a buyer, but no more selling for me. My question is, what is Etsy planning to do about this? Surely I can’t be the only person that has had this happen. Will people just stick it out? I know that I was a prime target for scammers, since my prices were cheap. But what happens when they hit someone that has items that go for around $100 a pop?

I’d love to sell again, but it was just too much stress and I couldn’t really have something annoy me and cost money!

Year-End Sale!

I don't usually use this blog for self-promotion (oh, who are we kidding, a blog is the very essence of self-promotion!), but I just wanted to share that I am having a sale in my etsy shop. Everything ships free through the first week of 2012. If you want to take a peek, my shop is here.

Enjoy!

Giveaway- Jewelry set from Little Fairy Shop

I am sponsoring a totally awesome giveaway at Mommy Wants to Read! Check it out!!

mommywantstoread: Giveaway- Jewelry set from gwenwalls Little Fairy Shop

Etsy Love

Since I've been too bogged down to write lately, I thought that I'd do a little round up of what I'm currently loving on Etsy!

I love, love this octopus-like bracelet from MarchelloArt.

And this ring from JustRings begs to be on my finger...

I positively heart! this butter basin by Skeletal Dropkick

I think that I'd buy these vintage bird cabs and make some magnets and maybe a couple of pendants from PinkyNoodles. Love the dictionary feel.

Can you tell that I like octopuses (octopi?)? This antique/steampunk necklace by Cosmic Firefly is calling my name.

And finally, these awesome flower magnets and birdy stickers by my girl Katie! Love the pink and the cutie patooty birds!!!

Where Am I?

I've been a little checked out, socially. I moved away from everyone I knew, and I've become a bit of a shut-in since moving West. I've been working very hard on a novel, and I'm hoping that I can pound it out by the end of June. It's really all that I think of these days, so I'm pretty boring right now.

Otherwise, I'm cooking and working on getting some projects closed out that needed to be closed. I'm really hoping to close my Etsy shop once and for all by the end of the year. It was a great experience, but I'm not sure that I'm cut out for selling other than the occasional Ebaying a DVD. To that end, I think that I'm going to do some more giveaways. Maybe this isn't the popular opinion or attitude, but I think that I want to focus on other endeavors.

I've been working on my Bread blog, and it's beginning to get some readership, I think.

~** SPRING BARETTE SALE!! **~

Time to get your hair ready for spring! Through April 30, get $1 off each set of barrettes of bobby pins purchased! Simply make your purchase, and then I will invoice with the total.

Mid-Winter Blahs giveaway!

So kids, to battle the winter yucks (yep, I'm feeling them even in San Diego!), I've decided that a giveaway is long overdue! So, I'm giving away these awesome birdie clips to a lucky reader who answers this trivia question correctly. I'll pick the winner using a random hi-tech method (paper out of a hat -- ha!). So here is the trivia question:

What was the name of Mr. Rochester's first wife in Jane Eyre?

I'll draw the name on Friday, Feb. 5.

So pretty!

I really want this pic. I love this artist! Christmas present to myself? Nah.

Shop update!

Finally updated the shop! I've been working my fingers to the bone with work stuff, school stuff, and wedding stuff. Unfortunately, my etsy shop has suffered because of my busyness. I promise to update more often with movie reviews and fun recipes!!!!

I'm in the Sun!

Check it, my jewelry made the Baltimore Sun! Mine are the Audrey Hepburn rose earrings on the far right.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/crafts/

Giveaway!`

Wanna win this pendant? Then head over to the awesome giveaway going on at This Old Hen House and read her awesome reviews! :)

For your consideration...

As ya'll might have guessed, I really like to bake. However, I love to bake more than I'm able to eat, and it's really not good for me to have all these sweets.

So my question is this: What do you think about me opening another shop selling baked goods on Etsy? I'm thinking easily transportable items, such as cookies and sweets like buckeyes.

Perhaps it will be The Little Gnome Shop? I'll roll it around my head for a few more days, but please opinions?

Octavine Illustration

I admit, I'm very jealous of people with the ability to draw, paint, or otherwise illustrate. I never graduated past stick men, which is why I produce pieces using polymer clay and vintage bits and occasionally write my little stories and plays. I have always wanted to be able to express my thoughts in an illustration, and I'm always fascinated by others able to do just that.

There are a number of amazing painters and illustrators on etsy, one of which I have recently discovered is Octavine Illustration. Her work is focused on a renaissance of Art Nouveau, featuring flappers and incredibly vibrant colors, much like the drawings that I adore by Toulouse-Lautrec.

Based in Portland, OR, this shop sells, clothing, cards, journals, original paintings and prints featuring her incredible illustrations. Check out this shop!

Industrial Poppy

The next installment of Etsy Love is long overdue! I will kick this off with a review of Industrial Poppy, an Etsy shop that combines beading, vintage baubles, and wire wrapping to create original and eye-catching necklaces.

Each necklace is made by hand using semi-precious stones, vintage findings and charms, and of course, LOVE!

As well as the beautiful jewelry, her shop features handmade cat toys and water bottles! Do yourself a favor and check out her marvelous shop!

Phrog Phluff Tutu Design

When I was a little girl, I was obsessed with all things pink and fluffy (if you notice, not much has changed by the looks of my webpages). Phrog Phluff Tutus is a little shop on Etsy that brings to life the dreams of little ballerinas everywhere with her adorable tutus and hair baubles.

These handmade beauties are fashioned in her home studio in North Carolina, which I believe is somewhere near my second hometown of Wilmington/Topsail Island, NC! You can certainly see the beach influence in some of these gorgeous sky blues.

However, if your little one has special color requests (my sister always liked green--not a popular choice among little girl clothing), she does custom work in any color requested!

Check out her awesome store!

Recycled Ideas!

As most of you probably know, April 22nd is Earth Day, and what better way to celebrate than changing some of our habits to be a little more earth-friendly? Recycling is available in most areas as a service of waste management, but what else can we do?

Many Etsy sellers incorporate recycling into their craft, and recycledideas is such a seller. Using junk mail and other scrap papers, she creates lovely papers, cards, and boxes in a rainbow of soft and vibrant colors.

What better way to store Etsy jewelry treasures than in this gorgeous and environmentally friendly little box?

Other items offered are monkeys! Monkey jewelry, cards, and stuffed animals! These cuties are all, of course, handmade and use the same recycling materials techniques employed in her paper goods.

Like most Etsy sellers, her price are very reasonable, with most items in the $6-12 range, so it's affordable as well as earth-friendly!

Scraps 'n' Stuff!

The second edition of Etsy Love will focus on a very new shop, Scraps 'n' Stuff. This shop opened on Valentine's Day of 2008, and already looks to be a very charming little place.

I love dollhouses, and I can't think of any little girl who wouldn't love this adorable (and portable!) dollhouse for playtime.

What a great little place for dollies to live!

However, the store is about more than dollhouses, there are also adorable handmade hats for infants and toddlers, created in the most enchanting colors and patterns.

The detail of the stitching on this hat is incredible, and the design is very original and practical, with lots of good coverage to protect from harsh winds and sun. I love the whimsical color mix!

Along with these crafts are amazing prints that would look awesome in a nursery or kid's room. Again, the use of bright colors is extraordinary, and the subjects depicted are full of the whimsy reflected in the hats. This bubble print makes me feel like summer is already here!

And it gets better; she offers a free gift with every purchase! Do yourself a favor and check out this great shop!

Blossom Arts!

This entry is the first of a series that I am calling "Etsy Love!" I am reviewing shops from Etsy featuring various crafts offered. Etsy is seriously beginning to get some press, and the more people know about the great shops there, the better!

My first featured shop is Blossom Arts, out of Sterling Heights, Michigan. Blossom Arts creates pendants using a variety of media: polymer clay, beads, molds, and stamps, among other materials. Her work is incredible. Check out the details of this beautiful hand pendant and the glossy sheen on the glazed blue.

I also like how varied her work is. The hand is very classic and elegant, but there are plenty of fun, casual pieces, such as this bird's nest, which is my favorite in her shop!

The other aspect that is especially nice is the extremely reasonable prices at which these beautiful pieces are offered. Most of the pieces are $8-$10 for original, handmade goodness!

Check out her marvelous store!

The Golden City Pendant

I love Prague, and the colors and spirals of this pendant remind me of the breathtaking architecture of the city. I hope to return someday. Available in my shop!

Twelve Crystals!

Since my trip to Prague, I have gained a greater appreciation, nay, a fascination, with crystal work and the beauty of Swarovski cystals in particular. The Czechs have a long history of being experts with crystal and glass, and there are at least 1,000 glass shops in Prague alone.

So when I saw Twelve Crystals Etsy shop, I was amazed by the beautiful colors and the facets of the cuts. Her pictures remind me of vintage jewel photographs with the lights of the crystals reflecting the shine of the glass.



Check her out! :)