Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with etsy

Name my Etsy store

MsMolly — Sat, 04 May 2013 17:23:49 -0800

You guys did a great job naming my vintage self-help blog. Now help me name an Etsy store that will focus mainly on items I picked up at school district auctions. Obsolessons actually would work well for this too, but the focus is different enough that I don't think I want to go that way. "Old School" is very accurate, but maybe too bland? So tell me what you'd call a store where you could buy old cassette recorders, textbooks, school desks, maps, etc.

What iOS software do we need for a small resale business?

LarryC — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 12:46:29 -0800

Starting a small business of one-of-a-kind items and looking for an iOS software package for inventory and sales. My wife is about to start a very small business buying and selling vintage bar ware. She buys at estate sales and such, and wants to sell at summer fairs but also to have on an online presence.

She is looking for the right software to keep inventory, handle sales (online and through a credit card reader attached to her iPad), and maybe even to print bar codes and shipping labels. The idea is that she comes home from an estate sale with her loot and uses one program to record when she bought the item and what she paid for it, to manage a few pictures she takes of the item, to record her description and the price she wants to charge, and to put the item and description online at her web store (probably Etsy). The same program would print off bar-coded price tags that she could attach to the items. When she scans an item it would record the sale and remove the item from her inventory--including on the web store. The software would support a credit card reader attached to her iPad.

Does this software exist?

Best semi-pro sewing machine for heavy fabrics?

WorkingMyWayHome — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:30:54 -0800

What pro or semi-pro sewing machine would be best for a home sewer opening an Etsy store that sells denim, canvas, and Cordura (1000 denier) luggage and other bags? Ability to sew lighter fabrics as well would be a plus, as would overlock capability (a separate overlock machine would also work). This is for a class project and hypothetical, so price is no object.

US customs when shipping from Canada?

CrazyLemonade — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 18:16:21 -0800

If I'm ordering something online and they're based in Canada, will I have to pay customs when they ship to the US? I want to order some wall decals, either from Etsy (for example) or from this website. These places seem to be shipping from Canada and I want them shipped to a PO Box in Texas. Will I have to pay taxes/customs?

We're having some trouble picking a name for our vintage clothing business; lend a hand!

faeuboulanger — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 13:59:58 -0800

Help us name our vintage clothing business! A couple friends and I are starting up a vintage boutique (etsy for now) that will carry both men's and women's clothing. Though we're not confined to a specific era, the majority of our merchandise is from the 1940-late 1960s. We need your help deciding on a name. We don't mind being a little campy or witty, but we're trying to avoid being too cutesy. We're also trying to avoid alienating certain customers by being too gender/era/subculture specific.

Which of these names do you like the best? If none of them strike your fancy, feel free to make suggestions!

1. Milk Money Vintage
2. Rockabetty Vintage
3. Penny Candy Vintage
4. Beehive Vintage
5. Do-Re-Mi Vintage
6. Nose Dive Vintage

Help me put a great big smile on my mother's face Christmas morning please!

humph — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:21:49 -0800

Could you help me find a necklace for my mother? A year or so ago my mother (unusually) commented on a necklace worn by a television presenter (Bargain Hunt auctioneer Anita Manning). I've searched off and on ever since but having suddenly realised I need to start Christmas shopping, this would be the perfect gift.

Except I still can't find one. And it's now complicated by the fact that I've found images of her wearing two different necklaces - this with square glass tiles (the one I've been searching for), this with circular beads? tiles? I suspect that she would love either one so if you know of anywhere selling either necklace that would be able to ship to the UK before Christmas, that would be swell.

I've just contacted a few Etsy sellers with the details so would also be happy for recommendations for sellers you've used and been happy with.

We're trying to start a vintage clothing business! How do we source the best clothing at the best prices?

faeuboulanger — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 10:06:15 -0800

How do I source reasonable to high quality vintage clothing at low prices Some friends and I have a bit of capital with which to start a business. We've decided we want to try selling great quality, mid-century vintage garments online, probably etsy at first... and later (if that works out... fingers crossed), through our own website and/or a brick-and-mortar shop. What we're struggling most with so far is finding reliable sources of good clothing--we're really trying to minimize losses and not accumulate a bunch of stock that won't sell. Online vintage lot dealers seem of questionable quality for the price, and e-bay often gets rather expensive. We've just thought to look on craigslist, and so far that seems the most promising... we shall see. Any advice on where to find the best garments at the best prices would be much appreciated (we're Chicago-based if that's relevant)... or, any general wisdom about starting a business of this type, for that matter. We're really hoping to make a go of this, and want to make all the right decisions from the outset. Thanks!

Complete_clueless_beginner_filter - Selling/marketing your photography: how? Edition...

everydayanewday — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:55:57 -0800

Selling your amateur snaps... how did you do it? So I've recently been trying to make a habit of taking photos, because after leaving the UK I realised we didn't have any pictures of the place we'd lived in for ten years. So for the last 3 weeks I've been trying to take a picture every day. I use my husband's Cannon 500D and mess around with the raw files on photoshop before transferring it to Instagram, where I sometimes put one of their filters on and then share it with friends and family.

Everyone is really happy with the pics, and I'm happy with them and think they're OK, but some people are suggesting I could sell them. Firstly, I'm not sure they're good enough to charge someone else for, and secondly I would have no idea how to do that. I know I could probably put up and etsy shop (you can sell anything you like on there and quality isn't always an impediment so long as people like what you offer) but beyond that I'm lost. How to market them to appeal to a wide audience is another concern.

Has anyone out there sold their amateur pics, and if so how did you go about it? Do you frame them too?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Where should I sell my art online?

suburbanbeatnik — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 20:38:06 -0800

I want to open an online store where I sell my paintings, and possibly prints. Should I go with Etsy and/or Redbubble? Soooo.... I'd like to sell my paintings in an online store, and possibly even selling calendars and other prints down the line. Etsy seems to be the most frequently mentioned go-to place for selling traditional art, but Redbubble also seems worth considering, at least in terms of selling prints.

For the past few years, I have a Cafepress store, and the quality is decent, but I have been less than thrilled with their interface. Should I open an Etsy store and/or a Redbubble store? Or should I consider other alternatives? Do you guys have any recommendations, warnings, or experiences you'd like to share in helping me make this decision?

Am I infringing copyright by repurposing old goods?

chrisamiller — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 12:55:33 -0800

I have some questions about crafting and copyright. If I make objects out of old boardgames and then sell them online, am I running afoul of any copyright or trademark laws? As a contrived example, let's say that I make a lamp out of a Monopoly game, using the actual game board and pieces. If I try to sell it on Etsy, would Hasbro have any kind of claim against me? You are not my lawyer and this is not legal advice, but I'm having trouble tracking down legit information online and could use some assistance. I keep finding forum posts that use the term "found art", as well as many suggestions that as long as I'm substantially altering the item and not selling it as a board game, then I should be fine, but I'd feel better if I could find a source that was more reliable than Joe Schmoe on the internet. Pointers to reliable references explaining the legality of this would be appreciated. Thanks!

Advice for buying a wedding dress online

logic vs love — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 22:07:29 -0800

Did you buy a wedding dress online? Do you have any shop recommendations or advice to make this as painless as possible for me? Apparently, I can't wear silk pajamas for my wedding this December, so I think I need to start looking for a dress. I had the dumbest couple hours ever at David's Bridal and I hate most wedding dresses anyway, so I want to try getting my dress online, for the larger selection and the way more tolerable shopping experience.

I'd love to know if anyone here has any experience buying a wedding dress online? Any advice or shop recommendations, whether it's a handmade dressmaker from Etsy or one of the made-in-China knockoff companies or some wedding dress wholesaler?

I've tried looking at a lot of regular wedding forums for reviews, but most of the super positive reviews seem pretty scammy. (Identical posts on multiple sites, or posted by someone who never posted anything again, etc), so I don't trust them. I trust you, Metafilter!

Esty sucks for travelers

jeffburdges — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 17:42:33 -0800

I made the asinine mistake of ordering something off Etsy to a Spanish address. Very bad idea. How do I deal with Spanish customs? What happens when packages are returned for non-payment of duties? I'll depart Spain long before they fully process the customs paperwork, but I could perhaps set all the wheels in motion to get the duties paid and forward the item, but that's all quite tenuous.. and involves imposing upon people who didn't make this mess.

Should I simply let Spanish customs send it back and pay for a second delivery? Will U.S. customs try collecting anything from the seller? If so, how much? Just fyi, Spain's various "expenses" add another 14% onto their 40% VAT + duties. Also, does Spanish customs habitually damage packages they return for non-payment?

I've given up wanting this handmade silliness quickly, so realistically I'd simply ask the seller to reship to a U.S. address where I'll turn up in December, assuming Spain returns the item without damage or extra fees.

There is an awful lot of combined stupidity on both my part and the seller's part here. I gave the seller my list of known future addresses for the summer, they unwisely selected the one in Spain. At the time, this made me nervous, but I went along with it. And unsurprisingly Spanish customs has taken much much too long. Of course, there is a deeper stupidity that Etsy just invites these customs disasters, with effective markup for importing can exceed 50% rather easily.

B2B or not 2B? Wetting beak in manufacture.

evil holiday magic — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 01:50:16 -0800

New to manufacturing. How do I go from making things to having something made? A couple years ago, I developed a line of notebooks to address the shortcomings I saw in existing products. They were handmade, but I only did that out of necessity. Now I'd like to have them manufactured in quantity.

I'm familiar with some of the basics of binding (through experience in graphic design, and the primitive techniques I used while making them myself), but I've never had blank books made, or sought out any kind of manufacturer.

When I say I made them, I mean I cut the stock with an X-Acto knife, clamped them individually, glued the spines, attached the covers and closures, and clamped them again. So there is some leeway in what manufacturing entails -- whether it meant renting access to some cutting or binding equipment, getting certain stages of the process done and doing the rest myself (or sending them elsewhere to be completed), or getting them made somewhere from top to bottom. I just need to make it more practical to continue selling these.

I'm in the Los Angeles area.

help finding an unnamed etsy vendor

adamrice — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 09:18:03 -0800

LongshotFilter: looking for an Etsy vendor that seems to have gone away. They made canvas utility belts/pouch belts and had a logo something like this. Can't seem to find them now, but they had a sizable presence a couple of months ago. I don't remember their name, and I'm trying to figure out if they've shut down operations or are doing business elsewhere now.

What other book crafts can I do?

spunweb — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 23:39:15 -0800

I want to do something crafty and fun with old books. I like to think of myself as a book rescuer, but in reality I just like quirky covers. However, I'd like to start culling my shelves, while at the same time finding a creative outlet for my stressed-out grad school brain. So: crafts!

I've already heard about making book purses. For that, I'm using The Looking Glass War, which is a pretty but stupid book.

I'm presently waiting for the glue to dry on my copy of Lore of the Unicorn, which I'm trying (and possibly failing) to make into a Kindle cover.

What other things should I try? I've got a lot of books, glue, access to the craft section of Walmart, and a partner willing to help me glue things. I suck at sewing, but don't mind learning more about it. Drawing is an impossibility for me, but I can mod podge with the best of them. Assume these crafts are more for my personal satisfaction then for anything else.

Bonus points if you can think of things I can do with SOFTCOVER books, because that copy of Magical Herbs and Witchy Spells is not going to mutilate itself!

Wore 'em out, time for more

sucre — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:18:51 -0800

Where can I find a pair of leather gladiator sandals? Requirements inside. About 3 years ago, I bought these from Etsy. I had them in a lighter leather color. You could wrap them any which way and they were very comfortable, though flat. They were custom made; I remember sending very specific measurements to the seller. One of the straps recently broke and the footbed is coming apart as well. I've considered getting them repaired, but the leather is also stinky and dirty. The Etsy seller doesn't have any for sale right now (I'd messages them awhile back asking if they planned to sell more, and s/he said yes, but nothing yet).

Anyway, I would love to find some similar sandals for the upcoming summer. There are a few options on Etsy, but none that allow for customized wrapping of the straps.

Any ideas on where to find strappy leather gladiators?

Awesome and practical Etsy gifts?

joan cusack the second — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:00:17 -0800

What are some practical and reasonably-priced Etsy shops and/or gifts? I love this thread from last year, which formed the basis of my 2010 holiday shopping. In perusing that thread, I loved the custom camera bag idea, and the links to other great Etsy sellers (although that comment is particularly container-specific). It seems like there are probably lots of Etsy shops that specialize in useful things that are customizable and would make great gifts...I just don't know where they are or how to find them.

My trouble is basically this person's problem: I can't navigate Etsy to find great stuff. Unlike that AskMe, however, I'm in search of great gifts that are are practical, and aren't terribly expensive (I'm thinking less than $50, but price would probably depend on what the gift is). It seems like Etsy should have lots of useful, custom gifts that I'm unable to find amidst all of the dangly earrings and art photography.

Any ideas?

Looking for online community platform

slim — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:27:35 -0800

Looking for an ecommerce platform suitable for building a web community such as Etsy... I am looking to develop a web community where individual craftsmen can set up their own online "shops" very similar to Etsy. The idea is for a niche market that has little to no presence on Etsy already. The fundamentals would be the same though, with sellers handling their own inventory, shipping, and receiving payments, with us taking a small commission monthly for managing the community and marketing these sellers.

I've identified one company called Supercorp that does this for sites like these, which is exactly what I'm looking for. However, I have contacted them and they have no interest in what I am looking to do, which leads me to believe their business model involves a partnership of some sort.

So, short of building it from the ground up, are there any other companies out there that will provide a platform like this for a one time or monthly fee?

There was another very similar post here back in 2009, but I figure a lot can happen with web tech in two years so there may be more options at this point. Thanks for any insight!

Is there really money in taking photos of trees?

anastasiav — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 07:57:34 -0800

Tips on getting started selling photographs as art? I have taken a decent body of landscape/still life photographs that a growing number of people (not just friends) have suggested that I should sell as art. I am not a professional photographer - just an amateur with a decent eye - and I don't work with high-end equipment, and am basically clueless about how I would go about doing this. Would Etsy be the way to go here? I've browsed Etsy quite extensively, but there doesn't seem to be any way to tell if anyone is actually selling anything, or who the more popular/best selling artists are.

I'm sort of ambivalent/dubious about doing this, but it's becoming increasingly clear that there is some population of people out there who at least claim they would pay money for a print of my work, and we could certainly use even a small amount of extra income. I do have a great local shop that does great quality prints for me (so far just to hang in my own home) at a reasonable price, but I don't have a ton of start up money to invest in a big inventory, so doing the craft fair circuit (or even coffee-shop shows, as lots of photographers around here seem to do) is right out.

Any thoughts you have on how I could start this would be appreciated.

Etsy Etiquette?

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 21:48:05 -0800

Etsy etiquette for neg/neutral/positive feedback?etsy etiquette? i bought a pair of handmade sandals from a seller on etsy, who has loads and loads of positive feedback and reviews. the seller was very prompt and helpful in our communication before my purchase. the shoes broke within hours of wearing them outside for the first time. warn't no jungle neither, just some average pavement.

i explained to the seller the circumstances and that i was very dissatisfied with the quality of the shoes and would like a refund. profuse apology extended, refund granted. i left neutral feedback for the seller, commenting on their great communication and customer service, and chose to not mention that the shoes had broken. it may have been a fluke, however incredibly inconvenient and annoying, of a faulty batch of glue or whatever, and the seller had had a lot of other customers who were pleased with their shoes.

however, seller has contacted me and explains they would like me to change my neutral feedback to positive, as my comments suggested the overall transaction was positive. they haven't left me feedback yet, and i'm concerned they will dock me when they do (happened the last time i left neutral feedback for a diff. seller). i've bought very few items on etsy, and i'm worried their feedback would negatively effect my standing as a buyer. but of course, i'm pissed off they're requesting positive feedback when i normally would have just left negative feedback for a bad product.

total plate o' beans here.. but i really hate confrontation. what to do? i've heard some horror stories about sellers berating buyers for leaving neg feedback, and i feel that neutral feedback is nothing to complain about, but is that normal in the etsy world?

Is buying an engagement ring on etsy a good idea?

asnider — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:15:22 -0800

I'm planning to buy an engagement ring. Is it a bad idea to buy one from etsy? My girlfriend and I have been talking about marriage a lot and we're now at the point where it's simply a matter of when. I'd like the answer to that question to be: soon.

With that in mind, I'm starting to look at engagement rings. I have found a really nice one on etsy -- decent price, one-of-a-kind, very much the type of thing she will like -- but the problem is that it is on etsy. (I won't link to the specific ring; GF knows I'm on MetaFilter and while I'm OK with her potentially seeing this question, I don't want her to see the ring until I actually put in on her finger; MeMail me if you'd like to get the link.)

Is buying an engagement ring on etsy a bad idea?

I can appreciate that there are some risks associated: I haven't seen the ring in person and I might not be able to return it if it's not what I was expecting (though, this particular seller appears to have a solid return policy). Are there any obvious risks that I'm overlooking?

The seller has 100% positive feedback from more than 500 previous customers, but she also hasn't replied to my email inquiring about getting the ring re-sized (it's only been 2 days, but still). Is this a good idea or should I be going with a larger, better established jewellery company?

What can I do to make it clear to this Etsy and Ebay user that ripping people off has consequences?

dflemingecon — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 06:09:23 -0800

What can I do to make it clear to this Etsy and Ebay user that ripping people off has consequences? I have been purchasing on-line and via Etsy for a long time. I've had a great set of experiences until very recently.

I purchased a $40 item via Etsy as a present a month in advance. I paid via Paypal (which drew from my bank account) and everything was great...until I didn't hear from the user for two weeks about the item being shipped or not. I tried contacting them several times without response.

I then filed a claim through Paypal. The user, of course, showed up saying they were on vacation. The gift was going to be late at this point, so I said I didn't want it and asked for a refund. They said they already sent it, and out of good faith, I cancelled my claim so they could get paid. They promised me a vague refund for my troubles before I cancelled the claim.

It's been a month since then. I have tried to get a tracking number, or any response from the user, and they are not responding at all to me. I've filled a non-dispute claim through Etsy, and approached Paypal about re-filing a claim, but both organizations seem to want to point to the other for help and nobody's actually doing anything. I can't file for a chargeback because Paypal took money from my bank account.

They're a fairly prominent Ebay and Etsy user and are still active, as I have seen them post auctions since. I seem to, for whatever reason, been singled out as someone they're not going to provide a product to. I know that happens, but I want to ensure that this doesn't happen to other people.

I've left feedback on their Etsy "wall" instructing other buyers to be weary.

So, I want to take a route to ensure this user provides a service when they're paid to do so. They're located in Germany, I have the handle they use everywhere and their name, address and phone number. I've tried the phone number and asked for the person by name (in broken German), and a male called for her and she came to the phone (and I could hear kitchen noise in the background), so I think the information is legit.

Is there a business registration service in Germany where I can find out if they're a registered business? Is there a better business bureau, or comparable? Furthermore, is there another avenue I haven't thought of if it's a self-proprietorship (for example, a government department that deals with Ebay related tax payments)?

I'm not looking to enact revenge, but rather I want to make sure this user understands that being a world away doesn't make you impervious to action. My first route will be to explain to them the organizations I am going to contact about this, and to give them a chance to make it right. I do want that information to be right though, which is why I'm reaching out to Mefi.

Mefites, do you have any advice?

If I Can Pay Someone To Do It...

polly_dactyl — Mon, 30 May 2011 19:59:11 -0800

Are there people out there who will manage an etsy store FOR me?? Love etsy to death but I find listing items and dealing with paypal and emails and all of it extremely de-motivating. I know that with ebay you can find brokers to sell your items and manage your auctions, and I wonder if such a thing exists for etsy sellers or if I should just look for a personal assistant on craigslist.

I want someone to work FOR ME, for pay, (but not necessarily a commission or cut of sales.) I would want them to upload photos, list items with my descriptions, accept payment, and then notify me what I need to ship.

Are these magical elves out there in the ether or am I dreaming?

Another Name Assistance Plea

Glinn — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 20:47:35 -0800

Please help name another business/Etsy store/website. (I had to ask because I am stuck and you are good at it!) My future web presence is stalled because I cannot come up with a good name for a site and Etsy shop. My given name is pretty dull, and I’d rather a cute/funny/memorable business name.

My art is primarily pen and ink (occasionally acrylic) imaginary creatures. Sort of dragon-like, horse-like, dog-like with teeny interior details or sometimes just bright colors. Planning on hawking prints and possibly t-shirts at some point (I have done tees in the past). Here’s a not great scan/doodle/example: Rawr.

My thus far unsatisfactory stabs include: Fancy Beast (taken), Beast Factory, Stellar Thicket (favorite so far, but not very descriptive), Kindly Beast, Hypothetical Pet. My previous Etsy shop was MonsterOps but I don’t love it.
You guys are quite excellent in the roller derby/Etsy Store/Other naming of things, so please help. Thank you!

Help me find the best of Etsy

kat518 — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:21:42 -0800

Etsy aggregator? I like Etsy and would be interested in purchasing more things from there but it's hard for me to look through when I don't know exactly what I want.

I'm not sure that it matters what specifically I am interested in but I like jewely but nothing too wild - mostly small silver pieces. I also like clothes and shirts. I'm interested in art, especially photography.

The thing is that if I just look through shirts for example, I get frustrated easily and quickly. But when I search something very specific, I'm rarely pleased with the results.

I know I can request things on Etsy but part of what I like about it is being able to find things I otherwise would not have been able to. Am I just doing it wrong?