Tag Archives: Small Etsy Sellers

For Love or Money?

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Maybe somewhere in-between? On a spectrum, perhaps?

I know nothing about Etsy. Honest, I swear. I am no expert on Etsy. High Spirits Divine has been open for just a smidge over 3 years, technically, although I really didn’t get working on it in earnest for about 6 months after I opened it. I am no “six figure” Etsy seller, not by a long shot.

I am, however, a self-taught expert on Etsy “experts.” I have spent hours and hours watching YouTube Etsy how-to content, for better and more often, for worse. There are some truly atrocious “coaches” out there, many of whom make me wonder if teaching on YouTube is a more lucrative business than Etsy itself.

Which it was, or at least in recent history it has been. In 2020 when everyone was stuck at home, there was a massive increase in the number of people shopping online, including Etsy. First, because there was no choice. You couldn’t shop out in the real world for a bit, and even when you could, many of us (myself included) were too paranoid to be in a crowded (more than two people I don’t know is crowded, lol) store. Second, the world was FAREEEEAAAAAKKKINNNNG out. Being stuck in the house and isolated was an ideal dream to me, but a lot of people didn’t take the isolation well at all. They needed a fix; a little something to make their lives better, even just momentarily. That rush, the dopamine hit, was what they needed, just to get through the day sometimes.

The Etsy shops that were already open were raking it in. Both the ones that pivoted to making cloth masks as well as the ones that didn’t. The “Etsy Gurus” that came out like a rash in 2020/2021 are the ones that saw that writing on the wall first: Teach people how the instant gratification of a convenient POD shop works and tell them they can be MILLIONAIRES. BOOM! Next thing you know, they’re selling outrageously overpriced lessons and “coaching,” and making their own millions hand-over-fist.

That’s not to say that all Etsy Coaches are like that. They are definitely not, any more than all Etsy sellers are like that. But from the outside, it can be damn difficult to tell one from the either in either category. Which is why I ask, “for love or money,” because it’s really hard for the average shopper to know the difference, and some of them don’t even care, 🫤much in the same way that some shoppers can’t tell really bad AI slop or Chinese dropshippers or again, don’t care. For that matter, there are sellers who don’t care either. Which sucks.

The sellers who create for love have a hobby, an art, a craft, that they’re really good at. They’ve given them as gifts, sold things at craft shows, and they’re ready for that next step. They love their craft, whatever that is…yarn work, painting, ceramics, jewelry, all of it, any of it. They come to the table with a product. They love making it, they’re good at it, and that’s what they want to show the public.

The sellers for money don’t care what they sell. They don’t care what it means or if it means anything at all. They want the easiest product available. You will find them the most in AI-accepting groups because they are inclined to use nothing but. The more automated their business, the better. They’ll use it to decide a niche that will sell, design a product that will sell, create the products that will sell, the pictures to sell the product that it’s made to sell, the entire listing for the product it made, and the advertising to get the business to the site, with as little actual effort on their own part as possible. They’ll often be found making over-done t-shirts with something “Mama” on it, with the latest cutesy trends…racoons, stripes, capybaras…whatever. They don’t care as long as it sells and they get a Porche or whatever.

I’m in the middle. I am definitely doing this for love, even though my products involve the use of AI as well as POD. I am a definite oddity out there, let me tell you. Which is why I noticed this so early on in my Etsy journey. It began to really get to me when I started looking for some sort of new Etsy community. Most of the communities that are accepting (or even promoting) AI and POD are for money, and most of the ones for handmade vendors who are doing Etsy for love are excessively anti-AI, as well as moderately anti-POD. I am also extremely control-oriented; I would never let any computer AI make decisions for me. They are tools. I make the decisions, not them, but I’ll use them for the menial work. Which is why I’m the odd woman out

When I realized that YouTube was only going to get me so far, I decided to select a coach. I had it down to a top five, one was definitely more for hand-made creations although the coaches themselves did POD, so they did have an understanding of and acceptance of that type of product creation. The others had clear-cut “plans” how to make six-figures a year…blah, blah, blah. Now, let me say that not all of them are scammers. There are many money-centered coaches who seem to me, at least, to have a serious interest in helping people to establish businesses on Etsy that theoretically will make money. The problem to me, is more about what it is they want you to do to get it. Don’t worry, I’ll get there. 😉

For my part, the decision at the time was exceptionally easy. I went with the coaches who had given me the MOST information for free on YouTube. Not the same nonsense over-and-over, and not straight out of the Etsy Sellers’ Handbook…although nothing that contradicted it, either. There was another important factor; they had already coached several different witchy sellers, and were in subcultures who are very comfortable with that as well as many I’m comfortable with myself. I knew they’d have some sort of idea of my customer base or my “niche” as they like to call it. Considering my desire to be all one person complete, this was a Gods-Send! In addition, they were the most sincere, the most empathetic, and at least performatively, the most considerate and friendly. These were my coaches. I signed up. I’ve never regretted that.

When I started having trouble with acceptance I wasn’t mad at them or anyone, really. Everyone has the right to their opinion, and it’s the Coaches’ space, not mine. They could incubate whatever kind of community they liked. I’d already been dealing with the occasional snarky comment about POD after all. This was different, though. I was more than just a little uncomfortable. People who hate AI also hate the people who use it, and honestly are as rabid as Evangelical Christians trying to convert any non-believer, or MAGAts coming into a progressive thread just to bully. That is why I did a quick exit, hoping I could go back after it all blew over eventually.

I’ve apparently made some progress in therapy as at their last live I couldn’t hold a damn thing in, and I spoke up. I’m all good with my coaches now, not sure about the community, but at least I’m speaking up and I’m not lost atm. Its progress.

However, in between the occurrences, I started re-examining what coaches are out there in YouTube University, and I noticed the differences. I did find a few very earnest, sincere, and honest POD/AI Coaches. One in particular I’m still thinking about simply because I have no practical graphic arts education, and would like a professional eye to look at my designs. My coach doesn’t touch that; they help you sell what you’ve already designed, but don’t tell you what to do. Which is a good way to spot the difference between love and money; for the money coaches will gladly and without question tell you what to sell. Blow by blow, even. Its all part of their plan. So if that’s what you’re looking for, they’re perfect. 

Thing is, for me, I’m not normal. I’m doing this out of my own love for the Spirits, and doing this all at their direction. Not the products so much as the images, or at least that’s what most are particular about at the moment. Who knows what tomorrow will bring! AI is the way I can do that. Would I like to be a millionaire? Sure, who wouldn’t? Billionaire? Excessive, but I think about my friends and family, and the world at large and what I could do with that money…so yeah, I’d take it for sure. But I don’t expect it. I’d like to make a decent living off of it, enough to at least give us some comfort as we get older. Health care being what it is, and the government being what it is, we’re going to need money to take care of ourselves unless something changes drastically. Especially as my we both have physical restrictions and my husband is only working part time at the moment. Yeah, we kind of need some money.

Right now, I’m breaking even, and that’s a perfectly fine start for me in what’s essentially my second year in business. The rest will come with time. I’m not in that much of a hurry. Yet.

Well, I’m personally useless as an Etsy coach, and that’s fine with me. I don’t think I’d want the headache! However, I’m seriously thinking of reviewing the Etsy Coaches. That’s something I haven’t seen out there, and something I think the community at large could really use. I might have to do it without using their real names, some of them are…well, one in particular is a bit lawsuit-happy. Most of them are in the US, and everyone knows how we loooooooooooooove litigation~! 🙄

Its about time, I think, we talk about this.

WTF is POD? On dropshipping, reselling, and POD

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Greetings, Curiosi!

It’s only a guess, but I’m pretty sure that the average shopper hasn’t any idea of the difference between dropshipping, POD, and other manufacturing methods. Which is as it should be, I suppose, because if you’re not in “the business” there’s really not many ways to find that out. But with everything going on with Etsy and how it was invaded by people obviously either reselling or dropshipping, I thought it might be time for me to address this myself. Especially as I use POD myself, and I don’t want anyone to think I’m one of those evil dropshippers!

There’s two different methods of invasion used by resellers. Some of them will actually buy products from AliExpress or even AliBaba (the difference being that the latter is a business-to business seller, while Express is more like Temu), warehouse them, and mail them out to buyers themselves.

There’s no tariff to worry about that way that would expose the seller easily as to what they’re about, so that’s a bit insidious.

This is printed on a mousepad; there’s no way I’d do this at home!

The second way is, of course dropshipping. I think most of us are familiar with the phrase, but for those of you who might not exactly and perfectly understand the term…

Dropshipping is more likely a deal between a seller and another vendor, most likely in China. It’s not always AliBaba, there are other sources. In fact, there are platforms dedicated purely to finding manufacturers and suppliers to contract for dropshipping. In this case, you can order it from anywhere in the US, UK, wherever, but it’s most likely going to be posted from China, India, Mexico, etc.

The hardest part about dropshipping is that the Chinese resellers in particular have a habit of stealing both the idea of a product and the photos from a legitimate maker on Etsy. China has much different trademark laws, so it’s actually possible that some are doing this without even knowing it’s against the law in most other countries. China, although a country with a Communist government, has a more unfettered and more unrestricted capitalist market than we do. Food for thought, that. 

A full size blanket would be outrageously expensive to buy in bulk

The best way to figure out if an Etsy seller is a reseller or THE artist who created the item in the first place is to use a Google reverse image search and see if it pops up on one of the Chinese marketplaces; AliExpress, Temu, Shein, or Wish. Look at the specifications if it comes up on one of them. All their t-shirts will be polyester, on Etsy they’re likely to be cotton or a blend. Often, items will be made of resin or plastic instead of ceramic. There are definitely ways to tell. Also, look at the other items that the Etsy seller has in their store. If all their other items are similar and look like they were made by the same people, if they have pictures of the items being made, you’re probably safe. If not, you might want to keep looking.

Now, there’s a hybrid that can *look* like it’s dropshipping, but it’s technically not. That’s known as “white labeling.” If there’s an artist who has such amazing sales that they can’t keep up with demand on their own, they might either hire people for their own production company OR they might give the design elements to another manufacturer to create it for them. It’s still out of the artists’ head, but in order to keep up they just can’t make it themselves. Etsy still considers this “handmade,” although its most likely someone else’s hands making them. 😉

52 cards, front and back? I think I’d rather have someone else print them, it would take me FOREVER

White labeling is made from a huge array of products, including an awful lot of beauty and self-care products. If you follow any of that, the Urban Decay setting spray is a perfect example of this; they had a contract with a different company to make that product under their own name brand, and recently broke that contract and began making their own formula. It sort of caused a stink. 😆In fact, many beauty brands use out-of-the country manufacturing, some even using the same ones.

Otherwise known as “Print-on-Demand,” POD involves using a printer or several printers to create the products that the artist has created. It’s the easiest method for artists whether it’s their physical art, digital art, or AI-assisted art. The design is sent to the printer digitally, they place it on the product and ship it. POD relieves the artist from the drudge work and a LOT of expenses. I couldn’t *possibly* buy all the equipment needed for all the various methods of print on the different range of products available. It also relives us of having to have warehouse space, and putting out outrageous amounts of money buying products to be printed at wholesale prices and quantity. (YIKES!)

Most of us smaller sellers could never afford what it would take to print everything ourselves.

Print on demand is the ultimate compromise. It’s still being made by hand (much like white labeling), just not the artists’ hands. The vast majority of printers I work with are in the US, but because I use a company that is another platform/marketplace, I have access to printers all over the place. The t-shirts in my shop, as an example, are printed in nearly every delivery zone; US, UK, EU, AUS, and CAN. I can have them printed at the location closest to the buyer which means a lot less postage time, a lost less postage cost, and no worries about tariffs. It’s a huge advantage.

Overseas printers makes my life so much easier!

Also, POD handles all the tariff laws. The US isn’t the only country that has them, it’s just the one that implemented them in the worst way possible. There’s also laws like the GPSR in the EU which requires an artist to have someone in the EU who will essentially testify to the quality and safety of the product. Using a print provider, I don’t have to worry about that; if I were printing from home, likely I’d be unable to sell overseas at all, at least to the EU. Many handmade artists had to stop selling to the EU when that law passed there.

Annnnnd…I’m over 1000 words again! It’s amazing how long I can wax poetic about the mundane, isn’t it? To finish this off, my creations are still my creations. They come out of my head. But POD makes bringing them into reality a heckuva lot easier. I’d never be able to do this business if it weren’t for them.

~*~Camylleon~*~