Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Is it me or is Etsy less attractive these days?

For the past few days I have been wondering if it's me who have lost the passion for the Etsy community tools, or are they simply less attractive.

Once upon a time, I used to roam the forums, read the Storque (which is now boringly titled "Blog"), hunt for treasuries featuring me and my friends, look for cool new findings using Pounce and curate as many treasuries I could get my hands on.

These days I can hardly find any interesting topics on the Blog, since most of it discusses local affairs directed to Europeans or US citizens. The forums seem empty and tired, and the treasuries, with the new mechanism, lost all interest to me. I almost never click anything, despite the fact I used to click all items on a list before. I feel the community either moved on to Facebook, or maybe the interface changes celebrating Etsy's 5th anniversary overdid it. Or maybe it is my general lack of handmade passion these days reflecting on a poor defenseless Etsy?

On top of that, my sales are low, as they usually are in the month of June. But I do admit I have not been actively promoting lately. Just don't have the energy for it. In fact, I am contemplating putting the shops on vacation till my family affairs are less energy consuming. Not sure what to do about that..

I would be interested in hearing what you, my Etsian readers, think.


Oh almighty Etsy Sales Fairy 
spread your sales dust on me

6 comments:

TheFrogBag said...

Hmm, interesting that you should mention that! I have been feeling much the same way, and I'm not sure why. I thought it was just me!

Unknown said...

I know with me, my etsy interest comes in waves - it's a lot of work and sometimes, being motivated is really hard. Especially when sales are low.

I usually feel guilty when I don't put all of my effort into it, because right now etsy is my main source of income.

What usually works for me in those low times is either start a new craft or pick up an old one I haven't practice in a while or to do a large project, stay of etsy entierly for a couple of days or a week and return with new energies.

At any rate I stopped attending the forums entierly over a year ago because I didn't find it very helpful and actually it was quite depressing after a while.

Noa said...

Trully feel for you with the things you go through at these times.

Other than that, I completely and totally agree with Aya.
She put all my thought strings into words in a much better phrasing that i would.

:)

Sharona R - שרונה ראובני said...

Hmmm well this is the first "off Etsy" wave I've had in a very long time. The forum thing may be due to lack of energy and time, but the treasuries and such - I just don't like the new mechanism.

Aya, what proved to be your best marketing strategy, if I may ask? I seem to remember you got a huge kick from being featured and from your beautiful handmade wedding feature.

And thank you Noa!

Unknown said...

I'm with you on that one!
Feels like everthing is going in a circle - same conversations in the forums etc...
I've been trying this week to get back into it, though I've found I like spending time.... erm... elsewhere (zibbet & felt) :-)

Sharona R - שרונה ראובני said...

I know.

I am trying to get myself into the whole Christmas in July thing, but am so out of it.. I don't know..