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RECENT NEWS, RESOURCES AND STUDIES, Mid-October 2022

Welcome to my latest summary of the top news, studies and helpful resources for ecommerce (including Etsy), social media, marketing and SEO, compiled since my last update at the end of August. (Yes, it has been that long - sorry! I’m definitely struggling to keep up with the informational blogging and still keep my business running.)

You can always follow me on Twitter to get more timely important news, especially about Etsy and general ecommerce/SEO/tech.

TOP NEWS & ARTICLES

Top news story is Etsy imposing new return policies on sellers as of October 31. The good news is that you can have different return policies for different listings, and they no longer allow returns on digital items, but sellers are free to refund those if they feel it is appropriate. It’s still possible to disallow all returns where that is legal (i.e., not on sales to the EU or UK.) There is a bulk edit option to apply the new return policies to listings. Other parts of this have brought mixed reactions at best. Things to note:

For older shops, the ability to write text in the Returns section of policies will be removed. If you never accepted the Etsy template for returns and only have written return policies, the Returns section of your policies will be removed Oct. 31 and you will not have any return policies (leaving you in violation of Etsy rules, and ineligible for seller protection and other benefits). At the time I am writing this, you can still update written sections on the old Sell on Etsy app, and even restore your old policies there if you accepted the brand new ones already. It is not clear whether or not the other sections of written policies will vanish October 31, as some have upgraded yet still have the old sections, while others do not. Etsy only states that written return policies will be removed, not the others, but that is not what is happening to all shops consistently.

If a shop already uses simplified Etsy policies or has the old returns template, Etsy will convert it to the new policy template on Oct. 31. There have been many errors in Etsy transferring listings to the new format, including adding a 30 return limit when the shop previously had shorter limits, and marking all made-to-order as not eligible for returns. Make sure you check these before they go live.

The new template is extremely short, and does not have the previous options to refuse returns on custom or other types of items, so if a shop has a listing with both customized and regular variations, there is no way to have two different policies for items in the same listing. Etsy’s suggestion to add this distinction to your FAQ’s, descriptions and your message to buyers won’t work in some jurisdictions, as only the legal policy and contract will matter. Etsy Support have given mixed responses to whether or not they will consider your FAQ section to be legal policies, so assume the FAQs aren’t policies unless they are legally required for a particular transaction. (e.g., if a particular law applies to an order but that law can’t be included in Etsy’s new limited policy section).

7 days is the shortest return window, and 90 days the longest.

The new template no longer separates a buyer notifying you they want to return from their actual deadline for returning, but the wording is “Buyer must contact me and ship item back within…” so contact is required. Etsy’s legal policy also says that “[i]Items that are returned without a return agreement” are not eligible for purchase protection. However, this means that the new returns policy template does not comply with EU and UK law; Etsy again states you can add things to your FAQs, and doesn’t seem overly concerned about this and other issues regarding EU and UK selling law. Any sellers concerned about the legality of the new template options should contact the relevant authorities in their jurisdiction, or seek legal advice there.

It is not clear if sellers who accept returns must also refund the full initial shipping cost, except where required (e.g., EU and UK). Again, Etsy Support is not providing consistent answers. The template does state that “[b]uyer is responsible for return shipping costs and any loss in value if an item isn't returned in original condition.” [my emphasis] There are also questions about restocking fees. Note that if a buyer and seller come to an agreement on returns through Etsy messages, the seller must honour it, so you likely won’t be able to enforce restocking and non-refund of the initial shipping unless you mention this in the communications about the return. I use a snippet/saved reply for all return requests so I don’t forget anything important.

ETSY NEWS

Etsy is testing integrating printing and framing services with digital download art for US buyers (shops can be from any country). Note that only some US buyers will have this option; it's random. Etsy says you can flag reviews that are "only about Printify or Shutterfly" and Etsy will consider removing them, but be aware they tend to be very picky about what gets removed. If someone says "disappointed in the art and the frame", you are likely out of luck. Forum discussion thread is here.

The site has had recent issues with 2-factor authentication (2FA), so here is my periodic reminder that you can regenerate new backup codes here, just in case your phone is lost or Etsy isn’t sending the texts correctly. Keep that code in a safe place! 2FA can help prevent your shop being taken over by hackers who rip off Etsy buyers, as happened to this seller. I tweeted some screenshots of reviews of another hacked shop; Etsy let this go on 19 days before closing it.

All of Etsy’s features and nudges for the holiday season are linked on one page here, but experienced sellers can likely limit their reading to:

the site wide sale dates (Oct 24 to Nov 17 for early birds, Nov. 18-30 Cyber Week, with the 18th being the app only); discounts must be at least 20% off for the slim chance at being promoted by Etsy

the holiday trends report (includes a list of key days in November and December, as well as the search terms with the biggest recent increases) There is also a media/buyer article on holiday trends.

the trends podcast with trend critiques [link to podcast and proper transcript]

Shipping deadlines and surcharge information (as always, check with your carrier to verify these dates)

The Etsy Up Holiday workshops are all on YouTube (links to other sessions below the video) with bad auto generated transcripts that make a mockery of accessibility. They mostly are old news and fluff, so don’t feel like you missed much if you skipped them. The session on SEO for Google is here. They neglect to mention that it is also not worth spending a ton of time on Google SEO in Etsy shops any more because Etsy gutted the coding on shop home pages in particular so that Market pages and other Etsy-focussed results would rank better. (The one exception to this is Google Images, due to Google changes, not Etsy changes.) One good point I often mention to people: don’t share the sub-domain link for your shop online (e.g., cindylouwho2.etsy.com); always use the real link to your shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/cindylouwho2 Otherwise, it’s not worth an hour of your time.

Plaid complaints continue, with some US sellers not wanting to use the verification service to reverify their bank accounts, while others are trying really hard but just can’t make it work. If you can’t or won’t reverify within your 30 day deadline, the Indie Sellers Guild put out an article on what happens next. TL;DR it seems Etsy isn’t suspending shops right away yet; they are just suspending shop deposits for those who miss the 30 day deadline.

The Canadian tax issues also continue, as does pressure from sellers. The Globe and Mail covered the “add the tax to your listing prices” angle here.

Etsy has new guides for shops offering children’s items for sale. While this will likely be helpful for some sellers, it could also signal that Etsy is about to enforce some rules and regulations more strictly. There is a virtual event on the topic October 24th.

Etsy is rolling out sustainability attributes, but only a limited number are available at this time, and like other attributes, not all of them will be available for all items.

Etsy officially confirmed that the live chat options are mostly for Star Sellers, in a post that mostly reports on past changes to the program. The only thing worth looking forward to is a more flexible auto reply for messages, currently in beta-testing, that will be available to everyone.

Etsy extended bill payments and Star Seller status by one month for those dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, but apparently did nothing for those affected by Hurricane Fiona, including those who have been without power on Prince Edward Island for over 3 weeks and counting.

Last edition, I mentioned that the group behind the Etsy “strike” earlier this year is now called the Indie Sellers Guild. They picked up more media coverage in Mashable, The Verge, and TheStreet, and that last one shows that investors are still interested. In related news, some sellers involved in the strike are trying to build an ecommerce co-op marketplace for artisans.

CEO Josh Silverman is still touting how prices on Etsy haven’t changed for buyers despite inflation elsewhere. “So Etsy sellers on average have raised their price by about 8% over the past 5 years cumulatively and have given back about 8% in price in the form of discounting to consumers with the result that their actual price is flat, meaning relative to the market, the value on Etsy has gotten better and better.” And the value for Etsy and Silverman, too, given that the company raised our fees several times during that 5 years, and Silverman got a huge stock bonus that he is slowly cashing out every 2 weeks. He did add “there may be an opportunity for us to help coach [sellers] on how to set better pricing.” I guess that is where this new article on pricing came from. Sadly, it pushes discounting and site-wide sales, not making a healthy profit off of your wares.

SEO: GOOGLE & OTHER SEARCH ENGINES

Google’s Helpful Content Update continued to roll out until September 9. Here’s another overview of it, and a humorous overview, saying it might not have been that helpful.

Almost as soon as that update finished, the September Core Update started, on September 12, taking 2 weeks to complete. It seems to have been milder than some previous core algorithm updates.

A lot of on-page SEO is about making things easier for your readers as well. Here are 25 tips for doing both.

Goodbye to Webmaster Guidelines, and hello to the new Google Search Essentials. Google claims they are streamlined and updated, with spam policies replacing the old “Quality Guidelines”.

How long should your titles be for Google? This study says you probably can safely go over the usual 60 characters when the page demands it, even though “Google wants shorter titles in SERPs”.

While meta descriptions aren’t a Google ranking factor, they still often get used in Google search results. Here’s how to make them better.

My favourite keyword tool, Keywords Everywhere, now has a backlink checker [text and video link] Like all backlink checkers, it misses some things, but it also found some I didn't know about, especially when I check links for individual pages. It’s part of their free tool as well! [If you have never used Keywords Everywhere and would like to try the paid tools, this link gives both you and me 20% more credits on your first purchase there. So yes, I get a benefit too, but this is a tool I truly believe in and have been recommending for years. I only use the $10 worth of credits in a year, as that gives you a lot of keywords. Feel free to sign up without clicking my link, though!]

Catch up on Google search news for September here [video with topic time index, and links to text].

SOCIAL MEDIA - All Aspects, By Site

Facebook (includes relevant general news from Meta) If you used Meta’s newsletter platform Bulletin, it’s time to find a new site, as they are shutting down by early next year.

Facebook and Instagram are both losing engagement, with TikTok gaining the most from this.

You can now hide likes on Facebook. As this article points out, “For many brands, turning off like counts on Facebook is a great way to encourage your audience to judge the content objectively. This is particularly helpful for brands that are just starting to grow their presence on the platform.”

Facebook changed Pages, supposedly to help smaller businesses connect with their target markets.

Instagram Shopping on Instagram is being downgraded soon, and of course video is still being pushed.

Instagram is testing the ability to add multiple links to your profile, instead of just one link.

LinkedIn LinkedIn will soon introduce a post-scheduling option from within the site. Currently, you need to use third-party apps to schedule posts.

If you use advertising on LInkedIn, you will want to learn about matched audiences.

Snapchat Snapchat is really struggling, but still aims to have 450 million active daily users by the end of 2023.

Copying BeReal, Snap added a dual camera option. TikTok TikTok wants to have its own fulfillment network with warehouses similar to “Fulfilled by Amazon”. “According to the job postings, TikTok is looking to build an "international e-commerce fulfillment system" that will include international warehousing, customs clearings and supply chain systems that support domestic e-commerce efforts in the U.S. and cross-border e-commerce efforts. The systems will eventually perform parcel consolidation, along with transporting goods from one stage to the next and managing free returns.”

Because all big sites want to be just like the others, TikTok now allows users to post photos. You can even add music!

Twitter Twitter is testing an edit button for real this time. Edits will be possible for half an hour, and visitors can click to see the original. Right now the testing is limited, with Twitter Blue subscribers added in early October. Wired provided some more analysis [soft paywall] “People may well capture an image of a pre-edited tweet that still lives on through resharing on the platform—potentially eclipsing the reach of any corrected tweet. Another issue—one no platform can solve—is that any fix to correct information only exists on the platform itself: Many users will have already seen the original, incorrect tweet and will never see a corrected version.”

If you reset your Twitter password since 2020, check to make sure you didn’t stay logged in on some devices. They claim it was a bug.

Oh yeah, you probably know that the Musk-Twitter deal is apparently back on. That doesn't necessarily mean it will go through.

YouTube YouTube Shorts will be eligible for the Partner Program (ad revenue) in 2023, although creators of Shorts will get a smaller cut than the full-length video makers.

Your engagement rate is an important metric on YouTube - here’s how to improve it.

ECOMMERCE NEWS, IDEAS, TRENDS (minus social media)

General Ecommerce app installs slowed down in the first part of 2022, dropping compared to the same time in 2021.

Amazon Fall Prime Day didn’t turn out to be a big holiday shopping event, with “necessities” being the main purchases, and sales were likely down from July Prime Day. Amazon is still planning on hiring another 150,000 people in the US to handle the holiday season.

Amazon Prime’s 2-day shipping isn’t as consistent as it used to be, and Amazon isn’t even offering it on products in some areas now. “Freese ran an experiment in August to test Prime delivery promises in all 39 counties in Washington state. He found that in a third of the counties, 13 in total, Prime orders would take either four or five business days to arrive. (He chose a random residential address in the biggest city or town in each county.) These orders still carried a Prime badge on the checkout page, but had the simple branding of “FREE delivery” rather than any mention of “two-day” or “next-day” shipping….[a spokesperson] denied the possibility that Amazon had stopped offering two-day Prime shipping to some parts of the US where it was previously available, despite some customers having that very complaint. Amazon’s website says that “nearly all addresses in the contiguous US” qualify for two-day Prime shipping.”

BigCommerce BigCommerce partnered with SheerID, a novel verification engine which can confirm a shopper’s qualifications for special discounts. For example, you could set up a special offer for US military members, or students at certain universities, and SheerID will confirm the buyer is eligible. Is this the next big thing in marketing?

The last big thing in marketing - buy now, pay later - has also come to BigCommerce, in the form of Affirm.

BigCommerce sites will now be able to take payment in various types of crypto currencies.

eBay eBay has expanded their Promoted Listings to the top 4 positions in search, and something like 100 slots on the listing pages.

There will be a new international shipping hub in Chicago, and unlike the Global Shipping Program, this one will be for eBay only.

If you don’t want to buy ads to be seen on eBay, make sure the first 3 words in your title are the important ones. eBay provided more information on how search works in a recent presentation.

eBay has followed Amazon and is getting rid of its Shopify app that allows integration between the two sites. The last day is December 31 2022. Note there are other apps available, but most if not all cost money.

Sellers in areas affected by Hurricane Ian and Fiona are getting their seller performance protected from issues caused.

Poshmark Poshmark ran an in-person seller meeting September 29-30. The CEO claimed they will be reversing search algorithm changes made earlier this year, among other news.

The big news they didn’t mention is that Poshmark was later sold to Naver, a South Korean company with multiple sites including in ecommerce. Resale markets are still a big deal.

Shopify You can offer “Buy with Prime” from Amazon as a payment option on Shopify, but Shopify really doesn’t want you to. Adding the code makes this message pop up: ““You have a code snippet on your storefront that violates Shopify’s Terms of Service. This script removes Shopify’s ability to protect your store against fraudulent orders, could steal customer data and may cause customers to be charged the wrong amount.”

Shopify has introduced a portable payment terminal in the US called POS Go [paywall; Business Insider]. It’s part of a line of products to keep brick and mortar selling connected with Shopify sites.

Walmart Walmart’s “Be Your Own Model” uses photos of you to show you how clothes in their stores will look, and it covers over a quarter million items. The company did not respond to questions on how they are going to safeguard those semi-dressed photos, though.

Walmart’s ecommerce business is slowing, so they are laying off warehouse workers.

All Other Marketplaces Mercari is raising its per transaction payment processing fee to 50 cents from 30 cents as of November 1, 2022.

Reverb payment processing fees are going up for both “preferred sellers” and all others as of October 27. Since they blamed the fee increase on credit card fee increases, it will be interesting to see what happens on Etsy’s other 3 marketplaces.

Payment Processing Buy-now-pay-later darling Klarna is losing money at a faster pace than before. They blame “rapid international expansion, higher credit losses in new markets, and rising staff costs”.

Shipping Canada Post customers with Solutions for Small Business accounts can get 1 free package to both Canada and the US each Tuesday in October. Note you have to use Snap Ship for the free labels.

The Royal Mail strikes continue; the next dates announced are October 20th and 25th. The company recently announced they will be dropping 10,000 jobs in the next year, most of them through layoffs.

This neighbourhood [video and text] in Indianapolis isn’t getting their mail very often, and the response from USPS seems to indicate that short staffing is the problem.

Something to watch for: UPS employees may strike next year; contract negotiations are expected to be tough. This would have a huge effect on the supply chain as well as just normal consumer purchases.

(CONTENT) MARKETING (includes blogging, emails, and strategies)

What is content marketing? Here’s everything you need to know. [article is long, and is more directed at companies with staff than at the average microbusiness]

ONLINE ADVERTISING (NOT SOCIAL MEDIA OR ECOMMERCE SITES)

Online advertising, especially search advertising, continues to grow.

Some people have noticed chat buttons on Google Shopping pages. It’s not clear if this is a rollout or just a test.

It’s now easier to exclude your Google ads from some types of sites and content.

Microsoft has several new ad updates this month, including 66 new markets.

STATS, DATA, TRACKING

If you aren’t already using it, here’s how to set up and get basic info from the Google Keyword Planner.

More differences in Google Analytics 4 - attribution works differently. UTM still exists but is broader.

BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS, STATS & REPORTS; SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY, CUSTOMER SERVICE

US ecommerce spending is projected to be up 2.5% this year, to almost $210 billion. A survey found that close to 50% of Gen Z and Millennial shoppers plan on buying holiday items using buy now, pay later. Another survey reports that 25% of consumers will buy used items to cut back on costs this year.

Product descriptions are crucial to getting the sale, despite some large sites’ unpopular habit of hiding them. There are well-known and researched elements you should be including wherever possible. This one is definitely worth reading, even if you know some of it or think it is all mostly obvious; they include good stats too.

The decoy effect applied to pricing and product lines teaches you to add an extra price point to maximize sales of your preferred product.

People really do want sustainable products. A survey reported that “[o]ver two-thirds of consumer respondents said they are willing to pay at least 10% more while two-thirds of retailers stated that shoppers would pay no more.” Of course, the truth may be somewhere in between. “American shoppers consider product sustainability more important than a brand name” was another interesting finding.

IMAGES, VIDEO, GRAPHIC DESIGN, & FREE ONLINE TOOLS

Looking to create your logo but don’t know where to begin? Check out 16 free sites for logo creation.

Also, here are some web design tools including free fonts.

MISCELLANEOUS

Looking for a new email and like your privacy? Duck Duck Go’s new email service is now in beta.

Here are 20 search operators to narrow your Google searches.

#EtsySellerNews #etsy #search engine ranking #ecommerce #social media #small biz

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