I am part of the 1% of vendors on Etsy who have chosen to put their stores on vacation today to protest the changing of the rules to include "cooperatives" who, in reality, are not artisans who make their goods using their own hands.
I have chosen to be a part of this group because I feel that Etsy has betrayed the artisan who cannot have a shop with over 800 listings and renew their listings every ten minutes. Etsy has chosen to allow importers to sell their goods as handmade, when they are not.
Part of me does not blame Etsy, after all, it is a business, and their primary goal is to make money for their cooperation. However, the part of me that feels betrayed is that when confronted, they simply changed the rules to allow "cooperatives" as they are now called.
Etsy used to profess its belief in handmade artisan goods. When discussing the future of Etsy, click here to read the manuscript, the word handmade is not included in the document.
I realize that times change. I also realize that 1% won't hurt Etsy for one day. I also understand that this might be an effort in futility. Business is business. However, I think it's time to take a stand on handmade. Handmade is made by the artisan's hands not by the hands of someone in another country to be sent off to another person in a small factory to add more to the piece, then finally shipped to the importer, I'm sorry, I mean artisan to be sold on Etsy. Handmade is handmade. I am disappointed.
Unless my store is closed by Etsy, I will be open tomorrow. See you then.
