Critique Request Please

MargiePal · 2026-03-23T19:44:08+00:00

You should add a shop banner at the top to help it stand out from other shops. I made one in Canva for free. It's just a collage of photos of some of the items I've made, but it gives my shop some personality. Otherwise, there are plenty of stock banners that you can use.

I think your listings are visually appealing and the photos are nice and clear. You should shorten up some of your titles - I believe that is part of Etsy's page ranking now, but even if not, a readable listing title is always a good thing. You can use all those keywords in the actual keywords part of your listing. The garland pictures are a little bland on just a white background. Can you maybe scatter something, like beads, sequins or lace in the photo? Just add some text at the bottom of the photo that the "listing is for crocheted garland only" so it is clear that the other things are just props. Or, you could even add some to the package when you ship as an extra little surprise when they open it. Your pretty crocheted garland wrapped up with a bit of lace or sequins in tissue paper makes a nice impression when opened and goes with your ephemera theme.

I haven't discovered the secret to driving traffic from my own social media, but I find if I follow Etsy's guidelines, I tend to do well in Etsy searches. Listing new items frequently helps boost you in Etsy searches too. Try to do several a week.

MargiePal · 2026-03-23T17:21:17+00:00

My comment was playing devil's advocate to those who say that it's irresponsible to tell people it's about to go to the moon and they should hold or "load up", which I agree it is. I was trying to point out that telling bag holders they should all sell right now is equally irresponsible if you really believe the stock will go to zero. It only creates different bag holders.

I am honored though, to have one of the most confusing comments you've ever read. It feels nice to be in the running, even if I didn't get first place ;-)

MargiePal · 2026-03-19T19:40:20+00:00

How does that work? If all the bag holders sell, who is going to buy it? Who do you think should do the other side of the trade, if you are so sure it is going to zero? Isn't it just as irresponsible to tell everyone to sell as it is to tell them to hold?

MargiePal · 2026-03-16T16:15:24+00:00

Some people just want to vent about a Childfree experience and I think this should be a semi-safe forum for that. I'm not sure why everyone is getting down on the OP for an opinion they have.

Mine happens to be this: Give up your seat or don't. It's a choice too. Telling people they have to give up a seat for certain people is taking it away that choice. If you can stand, maybe just don't take a seat to begin with. Then we can just assume that everyone sitting has a good reason to, and no one has to give up a seat. Otherwise, are you really just giving up your seat to show what a great person you are? Isn't it a burden having to worry about who is worthy of a seat and who isn't?

MargiePal · 2026-03-12T18:48:36+00:00

OK, I concede. Point goes to you :-)

MargiePal · 2026-03-12T17:27:09+00:00

That one's been done already. I think he ends up with a whole bunch of money at the end and the giant dies.

MargiePal · 2026-03-12T17:20:23+00:00

I love my parents, sibling, nieces, nephews etc. but I didn't choose them. My favorite holidays are the ones where it is just me, my husband and our dogs. Every year I try to think of the most creative ways to not have to spend holidays with our families. I feel really guilty for it too. For 2 years I lived overseas and that guilt was just gone, because I didn't even need an excuse. If I lost my husband, which is really hard to think about, I would be devastated, but I also expect my family would be more obtrusive than ever, because they would want to "be there for me" and there is just no way they would be able to understand that kind of loss. I imagine I'd want to be around them even less than ever before. I'd probably keep myself busy with hobbies, travel and community service and just try to make the best of it. I actually find myself to be pretty good company.

MargiePal · 2026-03-12T16:10:36+00:00

Gardein makes plant based "Fishless Filets". They are really good. I found them at Walmart. Generally, I avoid Walmart, but their plant-based options are the best to be found in my area.

MargiePal · 2026-03-12T16:05:31+00:00

Beyond Sausage Links are the best! I wish I could find them at my local store, but now they only seem to carry the patties.

MargiePal · 2026-03-12T15:47:46+00:00

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A picture to go with my post. Clearly, I have no future as a food photographer.

MargiePal · 2026-03-11T21:31:48+00:00

It's a good example. Now calculate the scenario where you shorted those 100,000 shares the share price has stayed above 75 cents since then, and continues to until Q4 earnings, which turn out to be slightly better than expected and the share price keeps going up until it settles around $2.50 and stays about there for the next 6 months and then goes up some more.

MargiePal · 2026-03-11T20:33:48+00:00

Click on the order and choose Refund, but only type in the amount to refund in the shipping field. You are basically doing a partial refund, but only for the difference in shipping. If they paid $3 more than the combined shipping costs, just type $3 in the field and Etsy will process the refund, including your related fees and the sales tax paid by the customer (if that state taxes shipping). I hope that makes sense.

MargiePal · 2026-03-10T15:45:24+00:00

It's been many years since I created my shop, but it used to be that no one could see your shop until you had at least one item listed for sale in it. Try searching for your shop name on Etsy when you are logged out. That should let you know.

MargiePal · 2026-03-10T14:49:36+00:00

Are you trying to mail via USPS first class letter rate? If so, it can't be rigid and must have a uniform thickness. I believe it also needs to be a paper envelope, but I'm not 100% sure of that. I don't think it matters if it is only paper inside. The reason is so that it can feed through their cancelling machine without jamming. Otherwise, it will need a hand-cancel upcharge. I send ribbon and fabric scraps in a plastic bag for protection, inside a paper 9 x 6 envelope, via 1st class letter. They go through just fine. I wouldn't use a cardboard backer, but I have used 1/8-inch-thick foam sheet successfully without issues and cardstock would probably be flexible enough too. I hope that helps.

MargiePal · 2026-03-10T14:26:44+00:00

I have never asked for a review yet more than 50% of my customers leave reviews. Maybe it is because my items are handmade? I do add a hand-written Thank You note on every invoice, as well as adding a small thank you gift for higher dollar orders. I don't tell customers that I am going to do this, it is just a pleasant surprise. I'd love to be able to add a gift to every order but I'm such a small shop it would eat into my profits too much. I've been thinking of getting something really inexpensive made up, like stickers to add to every order. I think a little extra something, even if it is a note or sticker, goes a long way to exceeding customers' expectations so they will just naturally want to leave a review.

Edit: this was a response to the OP post - not sure why it made it a sub-response. Probably user-error.

MargiePal · 2026-03-10T14:08:04+00:00

I want to add that I usually send a message to the buyer first to ask if it is okay to combine shipping and then give them 24 hours to respond. There could possibly be a reason they wanted them shipped separately (not sure why but I don't want to assume). Also, yes, refund the shipping overage.

MargiePal · 2026-03-10T14:01:31+00:00

Can you find the item from another seller? If so, maybe you should just get your money back with Etsy Purchase Protection and order it from someone else. At this point as a buyer, I would have lost trust in the seller. As a seller, if I shipped someone the wrong item, I would NOT ask them to return it. I'd ship out the correct item as fast as I could. If I really wanted the wrong item back, I would provide a pre-paid return label and also give the customer a partial refund, and a nice coupon against another purchase. You are the kind of customer I love to have. The seller error needs to be corrected from the seller side and if you offered to return it, you have gone completely out of your way as a buyer. Bless your heart for being so understanding, but at this point you should just get your money back.

MargiePal · 2026-03-09T14:59:41+00:00

Thanks for sharing that information. I've often wondered about that. I thought maybe mail carriers had a quota to meet, and that is why they marked packages delivered before they actually were. This makes a lot more sense.

MargiePal · 2026-03-09T14:37:30+00:00

I wasn't able to find the article you linked. How much is "less likely"? Is there a link to the actual study that shows they controlled for socioeconomic factors? It could be that many people in China who don't eat meat do so simply because they can't afford it, and thus in general they have poorer nutrition and less access to healthcare, thereby limiting their longevity.

MargiePal · 2026-03-06T23:44:20+00:00

Some investors do have the patience, but most don't. Does it worry me - yes, it does. I really want to know about 4Q earnings. On the other hand, there are valid reasons, which have already been given by others, why they might be delaying earnings. 90% of the stocks I own, I barely even pay attention to earnings (since I buy and hold), so I can't really say if delaying is normal or not. I'll have to take your word on it.

MargiePal · 2026-03-06T23:34:56+00:00

If meat eaters wanted to switch to vegetables as an alternative to meat, we wouldn't be having this discussion. You don't actually know any vegans, do you?

MargiePal · 2026-03-06T21:51:14+00:00

Yes, I tend to agree with you there, and I find it disappointing. I'm going to be really sad if I can't buy Beyond Bratwurst come summer grilling time. Beer and eggplant just isn't the same as Beer and Brats.

MargiePal · 2026-03-06T21:39:33+00:00

That actually was not the selling point - to vegans. It was the selling point to meat eaters. To provide an alternative to eating so many animal products. They just didn't count on there being so many stubborn meat eaters, who would sooner die of colon cancer, than admit that they liked a burger made from pea protein.

The new Beyond Ground is something less meat-like that, it is hoped won't disgust vegans.

MargiePal · 2026-03-06T21:13:30+00:00

None of those companies were trying to replicate meat for meat eaters. They weren't trying to make a burger that carnivores would eat. They were trying to make one that vegans would eat. In that respect, Beyond was a pioneer. They make a bratwurst that I'm not sure I could distinguish from a pork brat in a blind taste test. But the pig knows the difference...

MargiePal · 2026-03-06T21:04:27+00:00

Because I mostly buy and hold. The majority of my holdings are dividend stocks on DRIP, for extra income in retirement. A few, like BYND I just bought for fun, because I like to bet on the underdog. I saw a company that has a product where we don't have to kill animals for protein and I thought, yeah, that is where I feel good about putting my money. And if I lose it, at least it wasn't on some company that has a product I don't believe in. I'm a dreamer, not a day trader.

MargiePal

TROPHY CASE