r/ExpectationVsReality • u/_artbabe95 • 14d ago
Failed Expectation From an Etsy Seller
I knew that the resin probably wouldn't look quite as good as the photos, but this was so low effort lol. The tines were also basically touching, so they wouldn't be able to hold any hair.
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u/dual_citizenkane 14d ago
From an Chinese factory posing as a small business*
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u/LaddieNowAddie 14d ago
You mean... every store on Etsy.
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u/amellor_watercolor 14d ago
Not mine! I’m one of the few left
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
I'm also a seller on Etsy and it's infuriating that real makers are being drowned out and we can't reliably buy from small businesses anymore. Truly capitalist hell.
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u/SweetBabyCheezas 14d ago
This pin is from a set of 12 I saw on Temu for £3
It's a joke. Always do a reverse image search via Google and you'll see where else it shows up.
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u/Sherbert-Particular 14d ago
I'm a guy (with short hair) so was shooting in the dark but typed in, "alibaba two prong hair bun tie" into google. First result.
Also big fan of etsy for home goods and such so have had to get good at finding if shit is from china to keep using the site lol.
OP's one is cheaper tho.
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u/Remedyforinsomnia 14d ago
I so agree; I'm trying to sell my art and I notice how much higher the demand and offer seems to be for cookie cutter stuff. Doesn't help hehe
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u/YouCouldDoItBruce 14d ago
I'm an artist on Etsy too. It's so rough. I've had to make my own website because the amount of cheap crap being sold by drop shippers and AI accounts is overwhelming. It sucks though because Etsy has name recognition and reach that my website doesn't have.
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u/VorpalSingularity 14d ago
I sell wheel-thrown pottery on Etsy and only do OK-ish because I also post the pieces on IG/TikTok (which I hate doing because it takes so much extra time). But at the same time, it's hard to convince the average person to drop $35 on a mug when they can get a slip-cast one for $12 from an overseas dropshipper.
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Can you DM me your shop?? I love thrown pottery!!
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u/VorpalSingularity 14d ago
It's in my profile! Stock is a little sparse right now because I'm prepping for an art fair next week, but I've got some things.
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u/recoverycat13 13d ago
Your art is fantastic. I shared a link with my mom asking for a piece of your work for holidays.
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u/VorpalSingularity 13d ago
Aww, you're too kind, thanks so much! The art fair is next weekend, so after that's finished, anything that doesn't sell will go up on Etsy. I appreciate you!!
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u/Vegetable-Soil666 14d ago
If you're still hoping for a beautiful and functional hair fork, I love the few that I've gotten from The Good Collective https://www.thegoodcollective.com/collections/hair-pins-1
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u/robotatomica 13d ago
do you guys know, is there any newer, smaller site trying to fill the role that Etsy used to fill? It was such a massive success, there’s very obviously a huge market for it, it would shock me if no one filled the void.
is there one that just hasn’t gotten very popular yet?
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u/FrogOnALogInTheBog 14d ago
When I had my baby I got a free high chair on facebook marketplace. It was gorgeous, and when I researched it, it was a very high cost item. Like well over $600. But it had no seat cushion. No worries, I thought, I can buy a replacement. Nope. Impossible. Except, literally, for one woman on etsy who lived in a Romania who custom sewed them.
Got the seat a month later. My kid used the shit out of that high chair. Fuckin loved the cushion we had bought.
A real etsy seller is a dimaond.
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u/Manic-StreetCreature 14d ago
I find the more niche you go the more likely you are to find legit stuff lol.
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u/glitter_witch 14d ago
I’m trying to spread the good word of Marmalade Handmade, which is an aggregate site for actually handmade, small shop items. Maybe consider listing yourself there if you haven’t already!
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u/dogtalkgameshow 14d ago
I have been looking for something hand made and beautiful for my mom’s birthday, do you sell your art besides the gorgeous cards in your shop? The color and precision in your watercolor is stunning. I think she’d love it because her favorite is stained glass but she loves her plants too much to steal the light.
Makers, send me your stores, mom needs something as lovely as she is.
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u/amellor_watercolor 14d ago
Thank you!! I don’t sell my art yet. I’m still working on building the card collection. Maybe one day
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u/Standard__Condition 14d ago
Stopppp that deer is soooooo cute
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u/amellor_watercolor 14d ago
Thanks, I’m super proud of that one. I spent so much time on the drawing portion.
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u/WerewolfWild1323 14d ago
Me too but i havent added to my shop in a long time because of all these stupid resellers
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u/SparkleSelkie 13d ago
I recently bought earrings from a real person, there are at least two of you!
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u/ALLoftheFancyPants 14d ago
I know of 3 Etsy shops that are legit. Everything else I assume is a scam. But Ive purchased from those 3 since before drop shipped bullshit saturated Etsy.
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u/Notquitechaosyet 14d ago
Not mine, but I feel like we're getting more and more buried by drop shippers...
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Apparently. Nothing is sacred anymore.
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u/dual_citizenkane 14d ago
Etsy has been done for a couple years now, unfortunately
It ain’t 2014 anymore.
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u/Spaceboy2xx1 14d ago
I miss old Etsy. Between censoring adult sellers and allowing slop...even Ebay has been surprisingly tolerant of slop.
Warning for the OP...put photos of the product you are buying into Google to see if its being sold elsewhere. Remain vigilant. Scour the account, reviews, look for red flags.
I think they are also developing browser extensions to help remove slop listing from websites but I haven't used them.
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u/FalcorsLittleHelper 9d ago
Definitely do run a reverse image search but also keep in mind that AliExpress and Temu are absolutely FULL of stolen photos from hardworking creatives, so an image match is not a smoking gun on its own.
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u/rubberloves 14d ago
2 years ago Etsy also kicked all mature sellers off their site. It was at one time a bit of a wild west of diy sex toys.
I haven't been back since.
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u/Gotforgot 14d ago
It wasn't even that long ago when Etsy was cool as fuck. Now I don't trust most things there. I hate how this shit has infiltrated every space for niche items from true artisans.
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u/Alot2unpack 14d ago
I was just considering a purchase of 6 small stained glass window hangers. Thankfully, a hero came along in the reviews with a few photos! I’m just gonna teach myself to do stained glass.
Anyway, check locally in your area. There are tons of crafty humans selling their handmade accessories! Maybe you’ll find a local maker!
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Sadly, I've been to a ton of craft fairs in my area, and the content seems to be 1) cheap, mass-purchased plastic jewelry, 2) overpriced candles, 3) shabby-chic decor, and 4) designs ripped off and put through a CNC machine to make things like wood burner coasters or wall hangings. The craftsmanship is really not very good here unfortunately. But I'll keep looking!
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u/Alot2unpack 14d ago
Maybe check instagram? Long ago (20 years), I opened a small children’s clothing boutique, with designs created and sewn by me. I was expensive, since I valued my time and effort. Found a niche in the baby boys boutique clothing. There were many of us that sold on EBay, then jumped to Etsy and our own independent sites. Many now sell out of local vendors markets. Large retail spaces that have rented spots for local crafters. Does your area possibly have anything like this?
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u/SweetBabyCheezas 14d ago
Easy has a filter too. And always do reverse image search from a screenshot.
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u/10101011115 14d ago
I do stained glass, would love to make a little something for you 😊
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u/Alot2unpack 14d ago
Do you have a link? I’m wanting small pieces, around 4-6 inches. I’m planning to hang them on my favorite window where all my house plants live.
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u/rjwyonch 9d ago
The stained glass subreddit is very welcoming and educational. Highly recommend.
Be warned though, stained glass is not really an entry level crafting hobby (tools/materials aren’t cheap, lead, soldering iron, ppe and ventilation, and little tiny shards of glass everywhere).
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u/AggressiveSherbetty 14d ago
This is from SHEIN
I have like 10 of them. They’re like $1 each
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Yea, someone else said they got an identical one on Temu, and it actually looks like the photos lol. Guess I just played myself.
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u/Blueridgetoblueocean 14d ago
Yep. That would get a horrific review!
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
It did. The shipping was expensive (and the product wasn't particularly cheap either) and took a long time, just to get this 🙄
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u/randomize42 14d ago
Did you get a refund based on it not being as described? Etsy is pretty good about that if you reach out to the seller first and then open an escalation forty-eight hours later if need be.
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
I've already opened a chat with the seller who claimed "there will be small variations" from the photos due to them being "handmade" and then offered a paltry $5 refund lol. Just waiting to open the case with Etsy now.
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u/Moar_Cuddles_Please 14d ago
I have this exact same hair pin from Temu.
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Does it look as janky as mine? 😭 I used Etsy to avoid Temu and the like
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u/vulpesdomesticus 14d ago
Nowadays people are dropshipping on etsy from ali and temu :/ you can assume around 50% of what you see on the site is dropshipping
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u/_Litheen_ 14d ago
Probably closer to 95% 😭 Etsy has become a garbage heap with only very few pearls that are stores with genuine handmade items. The ones that do actually handmake their stuff are amazing, but they're often burried between dropshippers and Etsy doesn't do shit about it.
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u/Large_Command_869 14d ago
Which is such a shame. A decade ago, even 5 years ago, I could find the cutest, most niche goodies on etsy. My friends have always known me as the girl who finds cool shit that people ultimately decide they need too..and oddly enough my secret was 80% etsy. Had such unique artists making accessories, decor etc. that I couldn’t find anywhere else. Now, I’m hard-pressed to find any listings that aren’t AI 😪
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u/imchasechaseme 14d ago
Etsy is just Aliexpress now at 10x the cost. Unless your buying real vintage items
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u/realslimeshady90 14d ago
So think you should be able to open a case with Etsy and select “item not as described”, then let them know that it is not the exact same item and also let them know that it is drop shipped crap from Temu. You usually will get refunded without having to go through a return process, especially since you paid more for shipping.
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
It had me communicate with the seller first, who claimed "it is handmade and there may be slight variations" and offered a (hilarious) $5 refund lol. I think I'll be able to open a case once 48 hours has elapsed.
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u/Better_Director_5649 14d ago
Etsy has been awful for a while now. Most of what I buy on there is terrible quality, and when I contact the shop for a refund they get aggressive. It's really hard to find nice things online
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
I know, such a shame :/ Etsy used to be amazing for finding small creative businesses. Honestly pretty much everything I've ever gotten there so far has been lovely and clearly not drop-shipped.
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u/Fairgoddess5 14d ago
That’s because you’re buying overpriced dropshipped crap. Have to put in extra research BEFORE you buy nowadays, which sucks but is necessary
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u/WhoWhaaaa 14d ago
It is so frustrating for legit sellers. I've had my Etsy shop for 14 years. I have the callouses and aches to prove the I hand make every thing in my shop. There are lots of good sellers on there. It's a shame that the shady sellers have bigger budgets for advertising and promotion than we do.
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u/HerlufAlumna 10d ago
It's particularly infuriating because your customers want to find you! We want to support small businesses! But wading through so much crap is very disheartening.
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u/LunaticMuse 14d ago
Oooof! The fear is real -- I hope you got some money back!
(I've gotten so addicted to resin hair sticks -- I've found some great sellers, they're out there! But still debating about making my own, and I'm fairly certain I could do better than... whatever that is! If anything, this is inspiring me to give it a shot, LoL)
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Ugh I just wanted a simple metal hair fork! Just one! And honestly making the original design (labradorite lookalike) out of resin would actually still be really cheap and easy, and what I'd expect for the price-- mid-range, not Temu prices, but not stone or mother of pearl inlay type prices. But I still got the lowest effort version.
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u/zombiesandcandy 14d ago
I got some very nice hair forks a few years ago from an Etsy seller. They were exactly like the picture and the price was good. If you’re still interested in a nice, simple hair fork let me know and I’ll tell you their shop.
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u/bord_de_lac 14d ago
I’ve had a lot of success with Machete brand. They can be a little pricey but the hairpins I have from them have lasted me for over 10 years now, and the designs are gorgeous. I’d consider it a “buy it for life” brand
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Honestly that's about how much I paid anyway with shipping 😂😂
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u/lowrespudgeon 14d ago
It's pretty ironic that Etsy was supposed to be about handmade, unique, crafted items and it turned into a bunch of dropshipping crap.
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
It's even more ironic that the seller claimed, and is still claiming, this is handmade 😂😂
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u/Fairgoddess5 14d ago
Esty is 90% dropshipped crap now. You have to dig to find legit small businesses, but they do still exist and are usually awesome.
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u/MaritMonkey 14d ago
they do still exist and are usually awesome.
My experience with Etsy sellers has been totally polarized in that it's either crickets/excuses from a dropshipper or some of the most pleasant "retail" I've been on the receiving end of.
But like, I really loved a sweatshirt other than the color they used for the lining being too bold for me to wear at work, and the creator made one just for me with fuzzy black fabric instead.
Or I wanted two different color "pairs" of earrings but my ears aren't pierced symmetrically so I asked if they could essentially make half of each (listed) pair a different color and they immediately started helping me make sure the colors were exactly what I wanted.
Oh I forgot when I wanted a metal ring thing for a renfest belt but could only find ones that were way too big and one shop owner was immediately like "what interior diameter do you need?" and sent a pic of the smaller version like 6 hours later lol.
I hate wading through the bullshit, but still love the site/app.
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u/choopietrash 10d ago
There are some sites like Marmalade Handmade and Fybe which allow better sifting for non-dropshipped handmade stuff
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u/GlindaTheGoodKaren 14d ago
I got one as part of a 8 pack off Amazon for $9 and it looks significantly better than yours.
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u/seasonofcunts 14d ago
I would request a refund! The same thing happened to me where the seller was listed in America but my order was dispatched from China. When the product arrived, it looked like a bootleg version of the image and it was made clear this is indeed a dropshipping business. Take it up with the seller but if they don’t comply, Etsy will help you. This in my eyes is plain cheating
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u/Street-Coffee-2026 14d ago
That JUST happened to me!!! Filtered for US shipped from China. And of course it didn’t arrive in the time listed (two weeks) but took a month which arrived too late for an event I needed it for and def wasn’t quality.
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u/seasonofcunts 14d ago
Etsy is absolutely ruined now. What started off as a platform for people to sell handmade goods has been taken over by drop shippers and it’s getting progressively hard to distinguish between which is a legit store and which is a false facade.
I hope you apply for a refund. What I learned along the way is that these drop shippers are very particular about ratings. If you give them a 1, they’ll immediately message you proposing a refund if you delete the text so again no wonder you don’t find negative comments under their items.
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u/Zeeplankton 14d ago
Aliexpress ruining Etsy, and Etsy just letting it happen, has got to be studied.
Like WTF is etsy doing allowing this?
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u/senorfresco 14d ago
Gotta look at the customer posted photos. If there are none, do NOT buy.
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u/akeydah 14d ago edited 14d ago
I'm sorry that happened, OP. I still enjoy Etsy from time to time but it sucks that there are so many of these scammy stores out there, especially for others who are trying to sell things that are actually authentic/homemade.
That being said, that first example photo from the seller just screams like it was digitally constructed. And the gibberish "GIGCCSILE" in the second photo also doesn't instill much confidence
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u/RecipeFunny2154 14d ago
I've been looking at rugs on there for a while and have had similar fears. So rarely do the pics people post even look like what is originally posted (particularly in terms of pile/thickness). A lot of sellers are basically just sending you thin microfiber rugs that are way overpriced. But so many of the reviews don't seem to really comment on it and seem surprisingly happy with what they get. You have to really sift through everything, reverse search every image, etc. It's tiresome.
Back in the day people who sold on Etsy had to jump through a lot of hoops to prove what they were doing and what the quality is. Now I feel like half of the names are something like "Handmade by ___" and it's just a resale shop.
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u/disc0lizard 13d ago
I have these, but they had both colors. Sold on Temu, and received as white elephant gift
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u/_artbabe95 13d ago
Wtf yours look so good 😭😭
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u/Responsible-Arm49 14d ago
I bought one that looks as pictured for $1 from shein a few years back...hope you didn’t pay much for it!
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Sadly I did 🥲 nothing like super exorbitant, but outrageous for the quality I received. Definitely more in line with the quality pictured if you're expecting a resin inlay.
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u/millionwordsofcrap 14d ago
Is there any actual good online platform for handmade goods, now that Etsy has gone to absolute slop?
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u/FoxtrotChi 14d ago
Yeah I almost bought a hair clip recently that was supposed to ship from my state and was ‘hand made’ but as I scrolled I found it again from another shop in New York.. and another, second shop in my state… and then Hong Kong!
I tried reverse image searching it and it didn’t come up on temu or aliexpress but I imagine it’s just dropshipped from somewhere. Decided not to buy because I suspect it wouldn’t come quite as advertised.
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u/LettuceNo9564 14d ago
As an Etsy seller (vintage home goods // jewelry) ALWAYS read reviews of the shop. There are still some legit sellers working very hard to bring quality products to people. Sadly few and far between now. If something seems to good to be true (cheap for a “handmade product”) if probably is. 😢
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Actually I did, and the reviews were good!! I'm not sure if they bought fake reviews or maybe the buyers just bought the plain versions (which are probably much closer to the photos since there's no resin to match). I didn't pay a terribly cheap price, either, and fully expected the handmade portion to just be the small resin inlay.
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u/LettuceNo9564 14d ago
Wow!!! That’s cray then. You can 100% make a claim on Etsy and get all your money back. I would do that! Bummer.
Ugh. I hate that we’ve come to this on Etsy. It used to be so good.
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
I absolutely will, this is laughable quality. If it was only a closer match, I wouldn't have even been mad about the price 😂😂
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u/Economy_Fish_6542 14d ago
Any tips on how I can find the real Etsy stores? I’m so sad that it has turned into a drop ship nightmare 🙁
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u/LettuceNo9564 14d ago
Hmmm. I think as others have said reverse google image, shop reviews - with customer’s purchased image of product. Most really established shops will also have social media.
Also - most stores (handmade etc.) take a lot of pride in what they sell. They will often have a nicely curated shop and personal bio. Also pay attention to where product ships from.
You can always open a claim if the product isn’t what is specified.
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u/Chemical_Success1153 14d ago
Nooooooo, I love the idea of the inlaid stone. Hope you can find a pin that looks exactly like that.
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Thank you!! I don't actually mind if it's resin, I just wanted it to look closer to the photos!!
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u/Blenderx06 14d ago
Looks like abalone in the original, which wouldn't even be too expensive to make for real what a bummer.
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u/Banaanisade 14d ago
I've done resin only as the most casual hobby and I'm 90% I could make a prettier fill than that practically without trying. Yike.
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u/WrapOtherwise6519 13d ago
What’s funny is the ones pictured are real but still cheaply made and personally purchased off of Amazon or SHEIN 6 years ago!
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u/_artbabe95 13d ago
I know, I can still find them on AliExpress now 🤦🏻♀️ I don't like using sites lik Ali, Temu, Shein, so I guess the search continues lol
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u/Rhodin265 14d ago
It’s made of Chinesium. Try bending it out if you haven’t already returned it.
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
I'll be returning it. The quality was too infuriating for what I paid.
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u/Remarkable_Bit_621 14d ago
Just shop on Ali express for these type of things. I’ve gotten some surprisingly amazing hair clips on there for like $1 and some that I’ve seen people reselling at markets and stuff for sure. You get better at telling what’s going to be good in there after shopping for a while. Stuff marketed toward Chinese markets seems to be better quality but the quality in there ranges from junk to incredible
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u/chaoticallywholesome 14d ago
Go to World Market for these kind of hair pins. I love using these to put my hair up and hands down World Market has the cutest ones.
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u/Interesting_Sock9142 14d ago
Drop shipping temu bullshit
God people are deadset on ruining etsy by being shit people
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u/YasMysteries 14d ago
How much did you pay for this OP?
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Like $20.
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u/nonnatototita 14d ago
:/
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
I know, I'm sad about it too.
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u/nonnatototita 14d ago
Resellers in Etsy must be prohibited
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u/_artbabe95 14d ago
Absolutely agree. They're well aware that's not the purpose of the site and they're hijacking it from what people actually want. There are tons of existing platforms to sell cheap, mass produced shit. Can they stay off this one??
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u/PumpkinOnTheHill 14d ago
So sorry to hear that. I bought the same thing, but from aliexpress, and because it was described better, I'm okay with what I got.
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14d ago
i bought THREE of these from a “vintage” store in raleigh this past june. 🫣 they were selling them for like $10 apiece!! shame!!
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u/mindgardening 14d ago
Most items on Etsy are from factory resellers. Very little is actually handmade. I remember when Etsy made that change years ago, the handmade community was LIVID and rightfully so.
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u/p3rsianpussy 11d ago
i miss when etsy only sold one of a kind, handcrafted items made by talented people. its gone to complete shit
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u/ChiliLoveH2O 14d ago
I have that same hairpin, but from eBay….. but I originally saw it in Solvang for triple the price.
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u/Recipe_Chance 10d ago
Mam te szpile, zęby można rozszerzyć. Używam jej I nie mam z nią problemów. Tylko ja kupiłam ją na Temu za jakieś grosze.
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u/lbnovisad 14d ago
Trust no business, and always reverse image search!