Etsy sellers scheduled a boycott for April 11, encouraging customers

In February, Etsy CEO Josh Silverman announced. That the Etsy platform would increase transaction fees for merchants, as it would increase from 5% to 6.5%. The increase will begin on April 11.

The decision to raise transaction fees comes after it was reported that Etsy’s revenue and sales were. At all-time highs, with the platform’s shares soaring in the first three months of 2021.

Etsy raises transaction fees

Vendors expressed disappointment at the increased fees. This platform specializes in connecting sellers with customers willing to buy handmade products. A lot of sellers have been able to grow their business by selling made-to-order and custom products.

However, over the past few years, changes at Etsy have hurt a lot of sellers, from soaring fees, forced marketing programs, and an increase in shippers. Etsy no longer feels like a platform where hand-picked vintages and crafts take precedence.

Immediately after the announcement, sellers took to the Etsy seller subreddit, which was flooded with comments about the news. According to The Verge, when sellers decide to put their stores on holiday on April 11.

Sellers continue to attack

On an aforementioned day, thousands of Etsy stores pledged to go offline and suspend sales for more than a week in protest of recent changes to the platform.

Sellers are also asking customers to refrain from buying anything on Etsy. This is a pro-strike campaign that has received more than 15,000 signatures in just one week, according to Engadget.

More than 5,000 sellers have signed up to strike, and those sellers can go offline for an entire-time or even a day, whatever they may be doing. Sellers are hoping that the strike will allow them to better organize their plans in the community.

The sellers say the strike is just the beginning and what they want to do for the future is form a solidarity movement.

Customer support for this action has been overwhelming and they understand why the seller is down. Some of the comments on the petition were from buyers, who said they shop on Etsy to support creators and independent businesses and would take their business elsewhere if sellers couldn’t. work for life.

Longtime sellers on Etsy

Are just waiting for the other shoe to drop. As they believe the platform will retaliate and possibly shut them down. If this happens, hundreds of sellers will have no income, and there will be nothing they can do to solve the problem.

The campaign’s request list focuses primarily on controversial policy changes Etsy has made since 2017, when corporate reshuffles, including. The firing and appointment of an executive new established a new chapter for the platform.

Some seller requests are emotional, such as canceling. The most recent price hike and allowing bulk sellers to opt-out of forced advertising is hated by sellers because of the excessive cost. high related to it.

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