Anyone want to open a new Etsy shop?

Etsy does have a referral program, so if someone you know already has a shop they could give you a link like this one https://etsy.me/2KltzJ0 

And if you use a link like that to sign up and open a new shop you get to start with 40 free listings. 😇  Not a bad way to start a shop really as most don't start with that many listings so it could cover the initial round of listing and even a round of renewals and since listings are good for 4 months that a nice long free test period. 😉

Of course, then one learns how hard it is to get really good photographs, and SEO and all the other complicated things. 

Etsy forums. . .

I really do find it astonishing reading the forums just how many sellers have no clue about anything. 

Seriously, there are so many posts by people who don't understand the fees, people who can't do math, people who have never bothered to read the Seller Handbook, the House Rules, the Terms of Service, etc.  

Some days I read these things and wonder how these people manage to turn on a computer, let alone get online and login. 

Pinterest and Etsy . . .

I don't normally try to write tutorial style advice stuff but in this case I'll give it a go.  😉

Last year there were a lot of complaints about etsy-pins not linking directly back to the listings in the pin but instead linking to an almost "market" page with competing listings at the top of the page.

Many sellers were really upset at the notion of competitors listings showing above the item that had been pinned, there was some advice from an admin to edit the links after pinning but that's extra work/steps and a bit of a pain in the you know what.  😒  

I'm not sure why but very few of my pins ever had that problem, I did double check and edit a few but then I just changed how I pinned and started only using the official "Social Media" tool under the marketing tab. 😌

My Pinterest is officially a "business" account so maybe that is part of it, not sure.  Recently, Pinterest has changed many things and now allows you to "Claim" things other than a stand alone website. I had previously tried to " Claim your website " but was never able to because that function was made for stand alone .coms and there was no way to add the code to the header or whatever for an etsy shop.  

However, now Pinterest allows you to "claim other accounts" including Etsy shops, instagrams, and youtubes.  Since "claiming" my etsy shop my pins from etsy (social media tool) look different and include my shop info, listing description, price, proper link, etc.  Perhaps those still having link issues have not claimed their shops, or are not sharing from the social media tool or do not have "business" accounts on Pinterest.  Honestly, I'm not sure which thing makes the difference and makes mine always work right while other's still have problems.  😉

A little disappointed Etsy

Well I figured the "Super Seller" trophies were just a test but I am sad to not see mine today, not sure if I'm not seeing it because I've been dropped from the test group or if the test itself is over. 😑  I do hope they decide to make it a real thing and it will come back.

I am also pretty disappointed that I still do Not have the new
"simplified" finance yet.  The announcement said it was going to roll out to every one by the end of October but welcome to November and I still don't have it. I did see it for about 2 hours one day last week but it came and went away again, not really understanding that. 😕