What Happened with Etsy?

Lately I've been getting quite a few messages and inquiries about my Etsy shop. Why do I still have it? is the same stock on your site also on Etsy? Should you shop here or there?

Last year I made the big switch and upgraded this site to include e-commerce. This was sparked by recent changes in the way Etsy markets products to buyers, prioritizing products with free shipping in search results. That's all fine and dandy, but free shipping is not something I can reasonably offer without feeling grimy about raising my prices by $15+. Since I was driving all of my own traffic anyways, this turned out to be a cost effective move too!

So now all of my shop updates, current stock, and anything else I make will be primarily listed here. NOT Etsy. My Etsy shop will not carry the same inventory either; that would be a back end nightmare! 

Why still have an Etsy? It's a great way to be found by new customers thanks to their massive search engine and growing customer base. However, as a potter who makes mostly bespoke pieces it's a little tricky to take advantage of their SEO. So I decided to keep it for items I have a high quantity of (like prints and stickers) and the occasional ceramic piece to draw in new clients. I'm still experimenting with what to list there to gain new customers, but for now I have no regrets!

I hope that clears up all the Etsy mysteries. If you were used to shopping there and have recently found my site, welcome! If you have any thoughts or questions on the matter I'd love to hear them. I'm always down for some business chatting.