Etsy "Star Seller" badge. . .

Great. . .etsy has come up with yet another new badge program. 😕

I logged in today and found an announcement of the "new thing" of the season. I went and read the article and find myself disappointed, as usual, because there are buried criteria that means in spite of my 100% shipping rate I will likely never achieve the badge. 😔 Then I found myself actually annoyed by the statement that it would all be "things that are within a seller's control" which is blatantly untrue. I know they were saying that trying to give leeway and assure people that postal delays would not count against the seller mainly because they would require tracking to qualify. However, there are other qualifiers that are not within the seller's control, like the minimum number of orders and $ amount of sales in a 3 month rolling period. Ohh and only "fresh" reviews count, so my years of all 5 stars don't matter. 😖 That's right my 37 perfect 5 star reviews in the last 5 years equals nothing.

Also it seems like I'm being punished for having clear descriptions.  I rarely receive etsy messages initiated by customers, unless it's to ask for a custom order which like I said is rare, most people just buy the already finished item listed.  I don't get a lot of questions about "how big is this?" or "what's this made of?" it's all in my listings. Now this lack of messages to respond to quickly will count against me?!  😒 Please explain how that is fair. . . 

This is not my first ride on this Merry-go-round back in 2018 etsy tested a similar Shiny Trophy program, it was called "super seller" and the badge was in the shape of an actual trophy. ~LOL~ 😄  I had for about a week.

I guess I really shouldn't complain even if I never qualify for the new shiny badge at least it's better than the stupid ODR program they tried in between.     https://rainbowmaille.blogspot.com/2019/11/etsy-backhand.html

Special Secret project. . .finished

I started this monster on June 16th, the week after my first event weekend, it was my husband's idea that a LARGE display piece that could be seen from a distance would be a good way to get attention for the wire trees.  Now I'm not saying it was a bad idea, I'm just saying it took me weeks and caused me many hand cramps because it's hard to tell scale in photos but that thing is on a 19" hoop 😳 making it the largest wire tree I've ever made.

I have nicknamed it the "ridiculously oversized tree".  The day I found the giant hoop in the store, at first I was shocked because I had never seen a hoop that big, then I thought "wow what luck, exactly what I needed".  After I brought it home I hula-hooped with it in my office, no that's not a joke I wanted to see if it really was that big so I slipped it over my head and then over my shoulders and had a holy crap moment when the hula-hoop notion worked. 😲

All fun & games ended when I set to work on it, I ended up on the living room floor for the wire cutting portion because my bench was not big enough to accommodate 5' foot wire lengths. 

Getting the trunk twisted up and the branches separated out was a pain in my hands, unlike the small trees where I use pliers this bundle was too big and the thicker gauge wire is stiffer making it much harder. I had to actually hammer the trunk to get the flatness. 😏 

That is not only many feet of wire but many strands and due to the huge hoop very awkward to try to hold and work.  So I think it goes without saying that this is a "display" only piece and I never intend to make another this size, but just in case let me repeat that. . . This is a Display Only piece and I have Zero plans to ever make another this size.  😐

The finished monstrosity is rather impressive though and I managed to incorporate several different techniques and options, from the "Fairy door" in the trunk, to the wire bird's nest, knots in the branches, top 3-D canopy with dangling leaves, if I attach a "keepsake vial" it will be everything except a "family tree" and I am not doing it over to add a second trunk. ~LOL~ 😎

Integrity in a marketplace. . .

Many people, both buyers and sellers, have complained for years that places like ebay and etsy let anyone list anything they want with very little oversight.  One of the first things I really loved about goimagine, aside from the charity concept, was that they actually vet the sellers. 

Unlike etsy, ebay, zibbet, where ever else, on goimagine you don't just create an account and start listing things for sale.  You have to fill out an application, provide some frame of reference, some proof that you actually make the things you plan to sell, social media links, work in progress photos, shop photos, etc.  There is an approval process, yes you have to be approved to sell on goimagine, it's not automatic.  Also they are serious about enforcing the anti-infringement rules, as in do not use copyright or trademarked faces, names, etc., or your items will be removed.  

I love that goimagine.com is being run and managed by real people with integrity.  😇