The question most of you would ask is this; is Etsy safe to buy from? And the answer is Yes! It’s very safe to buy from Etsy because of its secure payment system, the protection it offers buyers, and its review system. Surprisingly enough, its online eStore marketplace has been around since 2005 and has processed billions of dollars in transactions.
If you buy an item on Etsy and don’t receive it, or receive the item but it’s not as described, you must first try and resolve the issue with the seller. If they’re unresponsive, uncooperative, or you’re unable to come to a resolution, you can open a case with Etsy. Etsy Support will review a buyer’s case by gathering information from both the buyer and seller.
They will mediate the dispute and make a decision based on the facts. If Etsy Support sides with the buyer, they will issue a refund for the buyer’s total amount (shipping, and cost of the item). With that in mind, let’s learn more about what this online marketplace platform is all about. As well as the best methods to stay safe while transacting on its eStore.
How Etsy Online Marketplace Works
Etsy is a global online marketplace, where people come together to make, sell and buy creative goods as well as collect unique items. It’s home to a universe of special, extraordinary items, from unique handcrafted pieces to vintage treasures. They’re also a community pushing for positive change for small businesses, people, and the planet.
In a time of increasing automation, it’s their mission to keep human connection at the heart of eCommerce. That’s why they built a place where creativity lives and thrives because it’s powered by people. They help their community of sellers turn their ideas into successful businesses. Their platform connects them with millions of both sellers and buyers.
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Particularly, those looking for an alternative — something special with a human touch — for those moments in life that deserve imagination. And, as a global business company, they strive to lead with their guiding principles. And, to help spread ideas of sustainability and responsibility — whose impact can reach far beyond their own business.
In nutshell, the Etsy global online marketplace is a vibrant community of real people connecting over special goods. The people who work there (team) also share the vision and values of the community. They’re driven by the idea that the best work is born from diligence, craftsmanship, and fun. That said, below are a few notes for its buyers and sellers to know.
Buy Extraordinary!
From the specific to the unexpected (or custom-made), their search tools help buyers explore all the special one-of-a-kind items offered by Etsy sellers. In particular, their Journal and Editors Pick curates exciting trends and ideas discovered in the marketplace by their own team (start shopping).
Sell Extraordinarily!
With low fees, powerful tools, and support and education, they help creative entrepreneurs start, manage, and scale their businesses. Want to become an Etsy seller? All it takes is $0.20 USD to get started (start selling).
NB: You’ll find product announcements, company news, and stories about their community members on their news blog. Whilst, for investor news and presentations, SEC filings, leadership, and governance information, you can as well visit their Investor Relations Site for more details. You can also visit their careers page to see if they have any open roles.
How To Become An Etsy Buyer
Well, in that case, you can visit their official website (etsy.com) to start exploring. Furthermore, if you’re looking for something specific, you can either search away or even find some inspiration through The Etsy Journal for more resource information. Or rather, join the community by registering for an account for free!
How To Become An Etsy Seller
First of all, if you want to sell your handmade, vintage, or craft items on Etsy, you need to check that they fit within their Seller Policy before you move forward. Then, visit etsy.com/sell to set up your shop. It only takes $0.20 USD and your imagination to set up your own global online business marketplace.
How To Download The Etsy App
The best of Etsy anytime, anywhere! Its key app features make it easy to shop handmade and vintage finds while you’re out and about. Below are some of the key features that make it a unique app for doing business online.
- Easy ways to organize favorites
- Notifications on the newest items
- Immediate tracking updates
- Chat directly with sellers
Put your shop in your pocket! Uniquely, this app makes it so simple and easy to run your online eStore shop on the go.
- Quick access to stats and orders
- Social media tool to share milestones
- Easy ways to create and manage listings
- Personalized tips for success
To acquire it, get the app download link on your mobile phone or get it on Google Play or App Store for free.
Is It Worth Buying On Etsy?
It is worth buying on Etsy because you’ll be supporting small business owners, can shop from a wide variety of unique handmade or vintage items, and will be using a safe and secure platform to complete your online purchase. It’s also very safe for buyers to use their credit cards on Etsy. Its sellers must use either PayPal or Etsy Payments.
More so, in order to accept credit card payments from buyers; two safe and secure payment processing systems. An Etsy seller will never see your credit card information or have access to it. Bearing in mind, its payments method encrypts a buyer’s credit card information using “Transport Layer Security (TLS) Technology“ making it even more secure.
That information is protected during and after a transaction. PayPal is also secure; credit card information submitted through the platform is encrypted. You should never share your credit card information with a seller. When you’re ready to purchase an item, you’ll add it to your basket, select your payment method, and complete the checkout process.
During Etsy’s checkout process, you’ll enter your credit card information or use your PayPal account. Etsy’s or PayPal’s secure payment forms are the only places a buyer should input credit card information. In nutshell, there are millions of sellers on Etsy, most of whom are trustworthy. It empowers sellers to do what they love and helps buyers find anything.
How To Know If An Etsy Seller Is Legit
Important to realize, that just like any other online selling platform, it’s quite likely for buyers to get scammed by individual sellers on Etsy. However, Etsy is committed to protecting its buyers and reimbursing them if scammed. A buyer must complete payment for an item before the seller ships it. To avoid the possibility of paying for an item that never ships.
A seller never has access to a buyer’s credit card information. So, a buyer mostly gets scammed on a one-time purchase. Meaning, that as long as they don’t purchase from the same seller again, the seller can’t steal more money from them. The best way to avoid getting scammed as a buyer is to take all the necessary precautions before making any purchase.
Please consider the following basic precautions:
Credit Card Details: Never share credit card information through Etsy’s messaging system. It has a safe and secure checkout process on its platform. Filling out the payment form is the only safe way to transfer money to a seller.
Site Transactions: Never complete a purchase off of Etsy. Be very cautious if a seller asks you to send money for an item through another platform. They may offer you a discount if you agree to purchase outside Etsy. As a buyer, if you don’t complete the transaction, you won’t be able to open a case if you get scammed, and Etsy won’t help either.
Refund Policies: Always make sure that you check on its refund policies before committing to any sort of transaction. Each seller will have a different refund policy. You can view them on the product listing page, or in the seller’s shop. You want to ensure you’ll be able to return the item if you change your mind.
Always remember, that some sellers won’t accept returns, so it’s important to be aware of a shop’s policies before buying. And, by all means, in addition to that, ensure the seller application platform you are using is also legit. You can get a good indication of an Etsy seller being legit by looking at their shop.
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There, you’ll be able to see how long they’ve had their shop, how many items they’ve sold, and read reviews other customers have left. After all, Etsy won’t allow a shop to stay open if it’s had several cases opened against them or if they’ve violated Etsy’s policies. When you find an item on Etsy you’re interested in buying, click on the thumbnail photo.
So that you make sure you’re on the product’s listing page. On this page, you’ll find more photos of the item, and details about the item (prices, descriptions, options, etc.). As well as some shop details. To the right of the product image, you’ll find the shop name, number of sales, and their rating out of five stars. Below are more facts to always remember.
(a) Number of sales
When an Etsy shop has hundreds or thousands of sales, it tells buyers it’s a trustworthy shop. Etsy won’t allow a shop to stay open and make hundreds of sales if the seller isn’t delivering what they promise and making their customers happy. A low number of sales doesn’t necessarily indicate the seller can’t be trusted. An Etsy shop may have opened in the past month or two and simply been unable to make many sales in that time.
(b) The 5-star rating
Scroll through the reviews on the product listing page or in a seller’s shop. Read what the seller’s customers have to say about how quickly items are shipped, if the objects look as good in person as depicted online, how the seller handles issues, and overall, their quality of customer service. Etsy buyers are pretty honest with their opinions, so you’ll know right away if a seller doesn’t tend to deliver what they’re advertising.
After a shopper buys an item, they’re automatically sent an email from Etsy’s system, asking them to leave a review. So the reviews left on Etsy are from verified buyers. Unless a seller creates several fake accounts and makes fake purchases, they cannot add fake reviews to their shop. Not all buyers will leave a review, but a shop with several 5-star reviews is a good indication that it’s safe to buy from them.
(c) On Etsy since
You can visit an Etsy seller’s shop by clicking their shop name found at the top right of a product listing page. When in their shop, scroll to the bottom. After the shop reviews section, you’ll find an About section stating which year the seller opened the shop. A shop that’s been open for several years tells you it should be safe to buy from. However, a new shop may be just as trustworthy. They just don’t have an Etsy track record to prove it.
(d) Overall shop ranking
Etsy wants buyers to have a great experience. So when choosing which products to show first, Etsy’s search engine will do its best to choose products from shops that have a good track record. Its search engine algorithm will look at various factors. Such as a shop’s rating, the number of sales, age of a shop, etc.
More so, in order to determine which products deserve the top spots in search results. For this reason, the products you see on the first few pages of search results are generally safe shops to buy from. You may also see a badge, such as “star seller”, which is a good indication it’s a trustworthy shop. Overall, all this helps you determine if the seller is legit or not.
What To Do If You Get Scammed?
Keep in mind, that it’s always easy for sellers to see your shipping address. For one thing, a buyer must share their shipping address with sellers so physical items can be sent to them. Unfortunately, although Etsy Support does its best to remove fraudulent sellers from its marketplace, people can still set up fake shops.
There isn’t an approval process a seller must go through to open a shop on Etsy, so anyone can join. However, to set up an Etsy shop, each seller must enter their banking information so Etsy can transfer funds for sold products. Sellers also must provide a valid credit card so Etsy can collect payments for listing fees.
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The required banking information will deter most scammers from using Etsy. If despite your best efforts, you get scammed on its online store platform, you can open a case with Etsy. They’ll review your experience with the seller and determine if you did indeed get scammed. You’ll be required to first try and resolve the issue with the seller.
If that’s not possible, Etsy support will ask for details about your order to help them make a ruling. Having said that, you can see the steps you must take to open a case on Etsy, and frequently asked questions regarding the process. But, if you’ll need more help, you can always Consult Us and let us know how we can sort you out.
