On Monday, in protest over a 30% seller transaction fee hike, a host of Etsy sellers turned their accounts to vacation mode, taking to social media to blast the company and urge customers to avoid the marketplace this week.
Etsy declined to say how many are participating, but thousands have signed onto a petition site. According to a website dedicated to the strike and via social media, sellers are demanding an end to the increase as well as other reforms. Through their site, the Etsy strike organizers are providing tools like customizable shop banners, sample “vacation mode” notices and a message to customers that can be affixed to outgoing packages.
They’re apparently not buying into the company’s rationale for the increase. In February, when Etsy announced it would boost its seller transaction fee from from 5% to 6.5%, Chief Financial Officer Rachel Glaser told analysts that it would allow the company to “invest in more ways that benefit our sellers.” On Monday, as the increase went into effect, the marketplace reiterated that.
Source: Retail Dive
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