Thursday, November 18, 2010

PREPARING FOR THE RUSH

Another quickie today. First Horoscopes are good for all of us this November. Take a minute to read this info and get back to work. Things will slow down again later in December.

If your shops are slow these past few weeks, just wait a few more days. I remember last year, thinking it was going to be a lean Christmas. Then on Thanksgiving Day the dam broke loose. I started getting sale after sale on Thanksgiving.

 Apparently people get bored sitting around socializing with their families and start early browsing. Also people want to see what deals are out there on Black Friday to compare and balance budgets.


Get your wrapping stations in order, get your free gift with purchases and inventory made, Tell your family they will not get home made dinners for a few weeks and hold on to your sanity. Holiday Season is about to hit. 

And don't forget to refresh items in your shop on Thanksgiving. Be at the top of the search on the Holiday too.


Re: Poppy

 I also want to thank everyone who has supported Poppy and me the past week. Things are a little rough now, but we will be fine eventually. No news, our shops are still closed. You can now find Poppy at Poppy.artfire.com and PoppysWickedGarden.artfire.com and we both appreciate your letters and your help in spreading the word of her new location. 

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Day Four Finally A Reply

Well I finally got a Reply from Etsy Legal about My shop closing. I got the same second letter that Poppy did.  See Previous Post. My shop was closed for repeated copyright infringement violations.


Well that is a lie. I was contacted ONCE about PacMan merchandise I had on and I immediately removed it and even though their lawyer conceded that it could be sold under the First Sale Doctrine, I kept it off so as not to rock the boat.


Also this time there was an attachment to MY email, saying that this information is private and not to be shared with anyone. What are you going to do CLOSE MY SHOP! I have every right to share the lies that they are trying to hand me.


I was going to let this rest, but now I am truly inflamed.


Post Script note: Apparently in the Etsy Terms of Service, All of your shops and Any shops you are involved in can be shut down at any time for violations of their terms. That means violations of ANY terms of service or Dos and Don'ts. I do believe however that actions are enforced unequally.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Etsy Shop Closings

This week I'm making it personal. My blog will be in 3 parts. First a plea for your help, second a brief description of My Daughter Poppy and her work and life and third I will try to make it as clear as possible why Etsy closed her shop so you will understand how to protect yourself.

If you read any of this please part one. I am making a request of buyers and sellers, to contact Etsy with an email at support@etsy.com with the subject line "Why is PoppysWickedGarden closed "

In your own words mention that you've looked for her shop, she was in a treasury, or whatever reason, you noticed that her shop is closed and you'd like to know why. Please only ask about her main shop. I am trying to flood their email. I know there are many shops closed, including one of my own, but she doesn't deserve the blanket closures.

I'm going to give you a little background on Poppy. She's a single mother of two boys who started her business when she was struggling to find work to support her little ones. She couldn't find a job that paid enough and she stumbled on eBay. Living with me at the time, she said “I can do that” of the reconstructed band and genre shirts that were selling. So she started Poppy's Wicked Garden.

Eventually she discovered Etsy and opened her first shop with reconstructs. She felt that she would fit in to Etsy better if she made original fashion, so she did that and moved her reconstructs to XpoppyswickedgardenX, last fall we opened PoppysGardenGate with home accessories together  (in my name) and we opened a children's shop PoppySprouts (in her name). She recently had her 4 year Etsyversary.

Poppy was not only able to support her boys, but help support me at my job loss and other issues. She was able to support her family on the income from Etsy alone. She's a strong woman who has been through a lot. Recently she had a near fatal bout with a ruptured appendix and collapsed lung. She bounced back. When our house caught fire and we were forced to leave it and most our possessions, she bounced back. Still she works hard with a smile on her face and determination. Even after Etsy closed her shops, she immediately opened another shop off Etsy with great determination.

Etsy closed down all three of Poppy's shops and My shop that she was involved in. They have answered her, but have yet to respond to my inquiry.

See email notices from Jason at Legal

Hi

Etsy has suspended your selling privileges indefinitely. Our system was forced to take this action after a history of Intellectual Property notices about content in your shop. Etsy responds to a proper Intellectual Property notice by (1) removing or disabling access to material claimed to be subject of infringing activity; and (2) removing and discontinuing service to repeat offenders.

The Policy and the notice requirements are found at: http://www.etsy.com/copyright_policy.php.

I'm very sorry about this, but Etsy must comply with it's policy.

Jason
Legal Support

When you use Etsy you agree to our policies.

As you know, Etsy was contacted many times about the content in your shop. We were told that certain material in your shop infringed on certain intellectual property. These notices gave Etsy reason to believe that content violated Etsy's policies.

Each time we were contacted, we convoed you and emailed you. We take allegations of intellectual property infringement very seriously because it may have serious consequences.

Etsy's policies are clear. As explained in the email that was sent to you each time, Etsy terminates accounts when we receive repeat notices of infringements. We received repeat notices of infringements about your shop. The system terminated your selling privileges.

Jason
Legal Support


Please note that He mentions shop, not shops. No explanation as to why they are all closed and no response to follow up inquiry
What Poppy sold is legal under the First Sale Doctrine. She worked out the issues with those that contacted her, but Etsy will not take that into consideration. Under the First Sale Doctrine, you can take your purchase, alter it and resell. It is not copyright infringement. You paid for the original material and you can do whatever you want with it.

Etsy did not give Poppy the option of closing the offending shop and keep her other shops open. They will not answer me as to why they closed my shop.

Although you may not have copyright infringements, you can be called out, and Etsy does not investigate. Another Etsy friend's shop is closed because competition posed as a company lawyer and contacted Etsy. They apparently do not have the staff or inclination to follow up.

Beware, Etsy is cleaning house. Many shops are now closed.

You can find Poppy at Poppyswickedgarden.artfire.com 

And my PoppysGardenGate at PoppysGardenGate.artfire.com

Thursday, November 4, 2010

FLAWLESS

For the next few weeks my blogs will be brief. This is not the time for lengthy advice. This is the time to make make make and sell sell sell.

Flawless. Should your merchandise be flawlessly perfect? In my opinion no. If a buyer wanted perfection, why would they come to Etsy to purchase handmade? For that reason, why does a buyer come to Etsy?

A buyer comes to Etsy with the hope that they can find a lovely handmade item that they can't find anywhere else. A buyer might also come to Etsy to help support the handmade movement, but I believe the percentage of those buyers is woefully slim.

Vintage by it's nature, has wear, character and flaws and I think that is why so many buyers are drawn to it. Many vintage sellers do extremely well because of the character of their wares.

Don't misunderstand what I mean by flawless. I don't mean sloppy. We should aim for originality and beauty in everything we produce, but beauty is not always in perfect symmetry, or a flawless finish. Beauty is in the natural shading of patina, or the asymmetrical balance of rose petals. Flaws remind us that we are human.

Perfection is the flaw of the machine age.

Now get back to work!
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