I just visited Facebook to check things out and saw that one of my favorite Bloggers had shared a blog post that I think we all need to be aware of. Apparently there is a seller on Etsy who calls them self "youstupidbitch". This seller has a store full of inappropriate greeting cards. Etsy has been made aware of this seller by multiple people and has not pulled their listings or put this person on probation. In fact the most offensive card in this persons store sold today.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/60054498/greeting-card-congratulations-for
This is a congratulatory card for being sexually assaulted, abused or raped. (*sold today after it was brought to Etsy's attention)
While there is no excuse at all for the above card and should never have been created let alone sold on Etsy the seller does not stop there. Apparently they think Breast Cancer is funny and created this card:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/60052809/greeting-card-congrats-you-got-breast
This is a congratulatory card for being diagnosed or treated for breast cancer.
Then you have this card which in and of itself goes completely against ETSY's rules and regulations
Rule number 10: * Items that promote or glorify hatred, racial, religious intolerance. I am just not sure what part of this card does not promote intolerance. http://www.etsy.com/listing/60053498/greeting-card-congrats-your-kid-has-down
Here is the Email I just sent to Etsy after checking that the links for myself as to how inappropriate they are. I have deleted out the first part which is just verbatim what I have posted above.
[...]By allowing this store to stay open people are now calling for a complete boycott of Etsy which will hurt your sellers at a time of year that they truly count on sales. You are quick to jump on Bloggers who contact sellers directly about doing product reviews for them which actually benefit your site (with the links to your site) as well as the Sellers themselves. Yet when faced with a seller with complete disregard for your rules you do nothing about it and allow them to function as usual. I know that my friends who sell on Etsy will be very upset to hear that people are calling for a boycott of Etsy completely as they count on the sales from their store to pay their bills. If your goal is to protect your sellers then the thing to do is to pull this persons store until appropriate material is posted and then put them on probation to keep watch on their store to make sure they do not keep violating ETSY rules.
FelissaI know that all of the Etsy sellers that I know and have worked with would be devastated to hear that Mommy Bloggers are calling for a Boycott of Etsy and have taken their information to traditional Media Outlets. With so many sellers who follow the rules and produce beautiful work it is a shame that Etsy is allowing their site to be used by someone in this manner.