I am impressed with both the quality (at least from the pics), as well as prices. However, since we are dealing with individuals, I am wondering about credit card security, etc. So I am curious if any of you have dealt with them. Coco, I know you were going to have an account on there for your crafts!

I've purchased some amazing things from Etsy, lots of the crafters using the site are incredibly talented and have terrific products. Others though are reselling cheap junk mass manufactured in China etc. That's against Etsy's rules but they don't enforce that and in fact they are very unwilling to hear complaints or reports of abuse of that rule, they have banned people for speaking out about it in fact. Add to that the reports I've read from so many regarding issues with paypal withholding money and you're left with what feels like a less than secure and welcoming environment in which to sell your handmade wares.
I'd still prefer to buy handmade one of a kind goods from real people. I'm just not so sure about using the site for a shop of my own .

This is an irreverant but funny take on Etsy with lots of info on Paypal as well. Check it out.
[www.regretsy.com]

The site is an archive now but here's a sum up from the woman who ran it. Worth a read .
[www.wired.co.uk]

Coco, I am approaching this as a customer...Do you think it's pretty safe for buying online? The vendor doesn't have the personal info, right?

I've bought lots of stuff there, no probs so far. Some of my fave stuff too, really great hand crafts.

I actually bought foodstuffs there: some delicious raw macaroons. I also buy beads and jewelry supplies. I haven't had a problem yet with sellers from Etsy.

Oh, there is just NO way I'd ever buy food from an online shop. Not from a craft show either. I am too suspicious about the kitchens those things are prepared in, the hand washing habits of those food preparers, etc etc etc. Paranoid!

I saw some cute reusable sanitary pads (TMI?). I wish I would have known about them way back when instead of getting the more expensive ones. Good to give crafters my $$$!

Yeah, me too about the food. Where I used to live, there were people selling tamales and elotes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elote) from their car trunks! And people dared to buy them! Probably because they were used to it in Mexico so it was no biggie. I am pretty squeamish about such things. Plus, I would NEVER consume mayo on a corn cob!!! Yuck!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/2013 05:24PM by banana who.

I used to buy tamales from a Mexican lunch truck in Chicago all the time. I worked in this Bucktown warehouse with no air-conditioning. There was nowhere else to get lunch around there back then. They were fantastic but obviously not where I'm at right now with my diet.

You won't order any food online? Not even nuts or dates?

Well if it's from Amazon and packaged, of course. But not from Etsy, which is a crafty homemade type of site. As Coco says, it's a crap shoot. You have no idea the conditions of the food being prepared. For the same reason, I avoid buying food items from China. I am also a little leery of India. I bought this brand of samosas from Whole Foods and although it was good and all, once there was a piece of metal in it! After that, I stopped buying it. I wondered about the production conditions. India is a developing country and they have also had cosmetics turn up with nasty stuff in it so I am cautious.

I made some reusable pads, they are still waiting for snaps though so they've been sitting in the partially completed craft pile for over a year, ha!

Coco, I would totally buy from you but I need some snaps. What do you maxipad makers have against Velcro, though...?

I don't know why I didn't use velcro, I think I had the dumb idea that snaps would be easier, ha! I'll just sew in some velcro, I'm headed to the craft store in a bit so will add that item to the list.
I don't sell them though, they are so time consuming to make. It would have been totally worth it for me to just buy them. I get a little nutsy about diy sometimes...