If you’re looking for affordable clothing or decorative items online, you may come across the online retailer “Etsy”. Here, you can also find branded products at a relatively low price. This raises the question of whether Etsy is trustworthy. GIGA has taken a closer look at the shop and examined the experiences of previous customers.
## How trustworthy is Etsy?
To put it shortly, it is not possible to answer the question of how trustworthy Etsy is. It is not an online store in itself, but a platform where various sellers can offer their products. Generally, Etsy is a large and trustworthy platform. However, the buying experience largely depends on the individual seller. Just like with eBay, the Amazon marketplace, or eBay classifieds, you can come across many sellers who work diligently. However, there are also sellers with whom you may have a negative experience. Here are some things to consider when using Etsy:
– Just like with eBay and other platforms with different sellers, you can find reviews for each seller on Etsy. Before making a purchase, make sure that the seller has a clean profile and has already satisfied many customers.
– Also pay attention to the country from which an item is shipped. Etsy itself does not have any warehouses and the sellers are located in different countries. If it is shipped from outside the European Union, you may be subject to customs fees, high shipping costs, and additional charges.
– Since it is often unclear who exactly is selling the items on Etsy, you are not immune to counterfeit products. Especially when expensive branded clothing or retro football jerseys are offered at suspiciously low prices, they may be fakes. These signs can help you identify fake shops:
## Experiences and reviews on Etsy
In the renowned review platform “Trustpilot”, the experiences with Etsy are rather poor. With over 6000 reviews, the provider only receives an overall rating of 1.9 out of 5 stars. Only about 25% of the reviewers give a good rating, while two-thirds of the users are disappointed, had issues, or warn against using Etsy. Bad reviews are mainly due to:
– Very long delivery times
– High shipping fees
– Customs and other fees in addition to the expected purchase price
– No assistance from Etsy when items are not received
– Doubtful quality of the products
– Incorrectly delivered items
– Returns not possible or very cumbersome
As mentioned, these negative reviews do not represent all sellers on Etsy. There are also many satisfied buyers. The following aspects are particularly highlighted:
– Affordable price
– Good quality
– Unique products that are not available elsewhere or are more expensive elsewhere
– Smooth process
## Should you order from Etsy or not?
In general, we cannot give a clear recommendation for or against Etsy. You will certainly find some desired products here that are not available elsewhere or are more expensive elsewhere. Always pay close attention to the seller and read the reviews from previous customers. Be prepared for a possibly longer delivery time and keep in mind that additional fees for customs and taxes may apply for orders from abroad. If you are unsure, contact the respective seller and ask your questions. If you are still uncertain, it is advisable to place a small, inexpensive order first. Even on Etsy, nobody is giving away anything for free. Therefore, if a price seems suspiciously low and an offer seems too good to be true, you should keep your distance. This is also recommended by Etsy customer service, which states: “Use your common sense. If something seems shady or too good to be true, it’s best not to risk it.”
