etsyone of the most popular e-commerce platforms today, is facing mass boycott starts today. And the fact is that the recent increase in sales commissions has caused strong discontent among thousands of sellers. Although they tried to attract attention in less “aggressive” ways, Etsy did not listen to them, so they went on strike, which includes not only them, but also buyers.
The Verge declares that the boycott begins today, April 11, and will work until 18 the same month. During this period, sellers wishing to participate must suspend their stores using vacation mode. At the moment, they are supported by about 15,000 suppliers who have signed their obligations in just one week. It is expected that in the coming days the figure will continue to grow.
Now, on any e-commerce platform, buyers still play an important role. For this reason, sellers encourage them do not make any purchases through Etsy during the specified period. The above, of course, would benefit the cause, but at the same time it would harm the shops that are not interested in participating in the strike.
Etsy has been dragging along a few problems for a long time.
The scandal facing Etsy today was born on February 24, when the company announced that the fourth quarter of 2021 was the most successful quarter in its history in terms of revenue. However, Josh Silverman, CEO of the platform, took advantage of the financial report to announce that sales commissions will increase by 30%. Namely, from 5% will grow to 6.5% from 11 April.
Christy Cassidy, who owned one of the most popular stores on the platform and is now leading the boycott, says Etsy has long been making a number of decisions that hurt sellers. Some of them since Silverman became the new director in 2017.
In addition to the issue of commissions – this is not the first time they have been increased – there is also the fact that some sellers are forced to participate in advertising programs or admission to the sale of mass-produced products. Another act that damages the image of the platform is that there are many resellers They don’t even offer their creations.
Cassidy warns that this boycott is just the first protest against Etsy. He even believes that the creation of an organized community for self-defense could set a precedent for sellers. Fortunately, many buyers are also on your sideWell, a good part of them buy on Etsy not only upon receipt of the goods, but also to support the creators.
“As Etsy has drifted further and further from its core concept over the years, what began as an experiment in democratizing the marketplace has turned into a dictatorial relationship between a faceless tech empire and millions of artisans.” part of their petition on Coworker.org.
Source: Hiper Textual
