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Claiming (in whatever "official" existence this website is for the sellers) anything made in China, or any other non-western country, is "sweatshop-produced j

by shmatt 5y ago

Claiming (in whatever "official" existence this website is for the sellers) anything made in China, or any other non-western country, is "sweatshop-produced junk" is definitely not the way to fix this Manufacturing has moved to these places in some cases because many customers just can't tell the difference or couldn't care less about the difference Are the people organized under that website all wearing leather shoes hand sewn in Maine cottages? Or are they wearing more sweatshop produced junk

nerdponx 5y ago
Rhetoric aside, the point is that mass-manufactured products do not belong on Etsy.
pbourke 5y ago
> Manufacturing has moved to these places in some cases because many customers just can't tell the difference or couldn't care less about the difference Your argument does not hold in this case, because Etsy was established and sustained as a marketplace for handmade goods. This is true also for customers, who visited Etsy to support independent artists and artisans and to purchase unique and limited items. Many of the sellers of cheap knock-offs are engaged in blatant theft of IP and misrepresentation as independent artists. > Are the people organized under that website all wearing leather shoes hand sewn in Maine cottages? Or are they wearing more sweatshop produced junk I don’t see what this has to do with anything. But, yes, many sellers try hard to support other artisans. Etsy is but one part of a culture and economy of handmade goods that includes in-person shows and other off-Etsy venues.
- mitchdoogle 5y ago
  Hand-made is kind of a meaningless term these days because it has been abused over and over again. I've seen things that were clearly designed with the help of a computer graphics program, and then cut with a laser cutter described as "handmade". It is supposed to mean something that is made without the use of any machines, yet Etsy sellers seem to think it means "something produced in small batches". As the previous poster said though, why would I care about the distinction? Are handmade goods supposed to be better? Seems like a ludicrous proposition. Machines are more precise and faster, and so they make things cheaper. The quality depends on the processes used, and materials, not on whether machines are used.
fy20 5y ago
Since I had my first kid I've seen lots of targeted ads for educational toys on social media. Sometimes it goes to Etsy, sometimes it goes to an individual website. The thing is though, at least half of the ads are for products that you can find on AliExpress for half the price or even less. I've noticed kitchen goods are usually the same. And it's not just Etsy... I've even seen Kickstarters that haven't finished, yet the product can already be purchased on AliExpress :D Here are a few quick examples I found on Etsy. I just searched for "toys" and these were in the top results. Some of these even use the same photo as AliExpress: 1) https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1173294523/baby-bath-toys-diy-marble-race-run https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1173294523/baby-bath-toys-di... https://a.aliexpress.com/_v1syYw https://a.aliexpress.com/_v1syYw 2) https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1082197084/silicone-stacking-cups-baby-sensory-baby https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1082197084/silicone-stacking... https://a.aliexpress.com/_vD7zYA https://a.aliexpress.com/_vD7zYA 3) https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1036245657/rainbow-stacking-toys-with-peg-dolls https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1036245657/rainbow-stacking-... https://a.aliexpress.com/_vDw2AA https://a.aliexpress.com/_vDw2AA As far as I am concerned Etsy is not a place for home made goods, it's a place to learn how marketing and drop shipping works.

by shmatt 5y ago

nerdponx 5y ago

Rhetoric aside, the point is that mass-manufactured products do not belong on Etsy.

pbourke 5y ago

> Manufacturing has moved to these places in some cases because many customers just can't tell the difference or couldn't care less about the difference Your argument does not hold in this case, because Etsy was established and sustained as a marketplace for handmade goods. This is true also for customers, who visited Etsy to support independent artists and artisans and to purchase unique and limited items. Many of the sellers of cheap knock-offs are engaged in blatant theft of IP and misrepresentation as independent artists. > Are the people organized under that website all wearing leather shoes hand sewn in Maine cottages? Or are they wearing more sweatshop produced junk I don’t see what this has to do with anything. But, yes, many sellers try hard to support other artisans. Etsy is but one part of a culture and economy of handmade goods that includes in-person shows and other off-Etsy venues.

mitchdoogle 5y ago
Hand-made is kind of a meaningless term these days because it has been abused over and over again. I've seen things that were clearly designed with the help of a computer graphics program, and then cut with a laser cutter described as "handmade". It is supposed to mean something that is made without the use of any machines, yet Etsy sellers seem to think it means "something produced in small batches". As the previous poster said though, why would I care about the distinction? Are handmade goods supposed to be better? Seems like a ludicrous proposition. Machines are more precise and faster, and so they make things cheaper. The quality depends on the processes used, and materials, not on whether machines are used.

fy20 5y ago

Since I had my first kid I've seen lots of targeted ads for educational toys on social media. Sometimes it goes to Etsy, sometimes it goes to an individual website. The thing is though, at least half of the ads are for products that you can find on AliExpress for half the price or even less. I've noticed kitchen goods are usually the same. And it's not just Etsy... I've even seen Kickstarters that haven't finished, yet the product can already be purchased on AliExpress :D Here are a few quick examples I found on Etsy. I just searched for "toys" and these were in the top results. Some of these even use the same photo as AliExpress: 1) https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1173294523/baby-bath-toys-diy-marble-race-run https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1173294523/baby-bath-toys-di... https://a.aliexpress.com/_v1syYw https://a.aliexpress.com/_v1syYw 2) https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1082197084/silicone-stacking-cups-baby-sensory-baby https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1082197084/silicone-stacking... https://a.aliexpress.com/_vD7zYA https://a.aliexpress.com/_vD7zYA 3) https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1036245657/rainbow-stacking-toys-with-peg-dolls https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1036245657/rainbow-stacking-... https://a.aliexpress.com/_vDw2AA https://a.aliexpress.com/_vDw2AA As far as I am concerned Etsy is not a place for home made goods, it's a place to learn how marketing and drop shipping works.