Most of us make online purchases daily, from toilet paper and pet food to ordering delivery for dinner and streaming the latest movie. So it makes sense that couples turn to online options when planning their wedding. Shopping online makes it easy to access stores and artists from all over the world. At the same time, it exposes you to potential scams or underwhelming final products.
Shopping online for Handmade Wedding Items
Handmade items are the best way to customize your weddings and online platforms have made it easier than ever to connect with artists and designers. But shopping online comes with its own complications – especially when you’re purchasing something handmade.
Etsy has become the Go To platform when looking for customized or handmade wedding items. The site is made up of thousands of sellers, each with their own style and area of expertise. Other shopping sites have customized items but when you want something genuinely handmade, Etsy is the place to go.
And that’s the first important tip when it comes to shopping for handmade wedding items on Etsy – if you don’t care that it’s homemade, don’t buy it from Etsy. Mass produced customized options can be found more cheaply on various other websites. The pricing of Etsy items reflects the effort and time that goes into them which makes their prices higher than other websites.
With that in mind, it’s still important to shop wisely on Etsy and these simple tips will help you find the perfect handmade items for your wedding.
1. Check Out the Product Details Closely
Etsy sellers include a description of their product as well as several photos. Be sure to look at these sections closely. The product description is written directly by the seller. Does it sound like it is written by someone who understands their craft? Do they mention things like what materials are used, tips on care or information on customizations?
Look at the photos carefully and, if in doubt, perform a reverse image search. There have been cases where shady sellers have been selling things they bought from other websites. It is also a good idea to consider their products as a whole. Do the items look like they could be made by the same person? Are the photos similar in style and lighting? Etsy shops are typically very small businesses – often it is just a single artist. So the products – and the way in which they are described and photographed – should reflect that.
Major Red Flags in Product Descriptions:
- Descriptions that are vague or don’t reflect an understanding of the craft.
- Evidence of watermarks removed on photos.
- Pictures or descriptions that can be traced back to other websites.
2. Artist History and Social Media Presence
Not everyone has a social media presence but an artist selling online definitely should. Many artists now post Work in Progress (often hashtagged as #WIP) for customized pieces or special commissions. Also look for how long they have been on Etsy. You can find this information by reading through the About section on their storefront page. In addition to information about their store or journey as an artist, there is info on how long they’ve been with Etsy.
Asd a general rule, going with shops that have been on Etsy for a few years as well as posting on social media about their work and progress, you’ll be less likely to find people who are simply reselling items from other artists or shops.
Major Red Flags in Artist History or Social Media:
- Be wary of shops that have just opened.
- Check social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) for information on the artist or examples of works they have done in the past.
3. Check the Reviews
As with almost any seller online, it is always a good idea to check out the reviews for sellers on Etsy. the Etsy platform has always taken negative reviews seriously and there was a time when just a few negative reviews could put an Etsy seller in danger. These days Etsy gives shop owners more of a chance to address customer concerns before taking action but you can still tell a lot from the reviews section.
First, check out how many overall reviews a shop has. Even a shop which hasn’t been open for a long time may have racked up several sales. A shop with only a few reviews, however, is a definite red flag. Either their customers simply aren’t submitting reviews (which is unlikely considering how much Etsy encourages reviews from customers) or the shop has been removing reviews. Either way, it isn’t a good sign.
Next, look for item specifics or pictures submitted along with the reviews. Some negative reviews might be down to things simply out of the seller’s control. Problems with delivery, for example, are troublesome but are not necessarily indicative of the quality of work coming from a shop. Pictures and specific complaints, however, should be taken seriously.
Major Red Flags in Reviews:
- Very few reviews based on number of sales.
- Reviews that complain about delivery or USPS issues outside of the seller’s control.
Ready to Buy? Do these Two Things FIRST
Shopping for things on Etsy is a wonderful way to support local and small batch artisans and buying handmade wedding items on Etsy is increasingly common. At the same time, it is something shoppers should do carefully, especially when making larger purchases. If you’re ready to buy, we would encourage you to do two things before completing that purchase.
- Do a Search on the Shop or Artist’s Name – Etsy reviews aside, reviews and information from across the internet can be useful to get an idea as to whether or not the artist or shop is well known, just starting or has a poor reputation on other platforms.
- Send the Seller a Question – Ask about customization, shipping options, or literally anything else. Sending the seller a direct message will simply give you an idea of how well – and how quickly – they handle customer inquiries.
