Tips for shopping on Etsy and how to support sellers from the Triangle

Etsy is a global, online marketplace where you can buy anything from hand drawn stickers to spreadsheet bundles to custom toilet plungers. Etsy was founded with the goal to keep commerce human and create a more immediate link between sellers and buyers globally. Find more about Etsy’s mission here.

When Etsy was originally founded, the concern was that automation was going to remove the human connection from everyday commerce. Today, there is growing concern that the use of generative AI, and other AI tools, is going to strip the humanity out of, well, everything.

Read on for tips about shopping on Etsy and how to find human artists from the Triangle selling on Etsy.

Finding Trusted Sellers

Shopping on Etsy is almost exclusively between the seller and the buyer. This might sound like the prime space for scammers, but Etsy makes it easy to find trusted sellers.

The Star Seller Badge

One of the highest achievements a seller on Etsy can have is a small purple badge next to their profile name. This is the Star Seller Badge, which is awarded to sellers on the first of every month after a review of their service statistics over the past three months. The qualifications for the Star Seller Badge are:

• Replies to 95% of first messages in a thread within 24 hours.
• 95% of orders ship on time with a valid tracking or shipping label purchased on Etsy (when required)
• Average review ratings are 4.8+ (out of 5)

The Star Seller Badge is relatively rare, so not having one does not mean that a seller isn’t trustworthy. Etsy has high customer service standards that all sellers are required to meet, such as:

• Having less than 10% of reviews be under 3 stars
• Less than 3% of orders refunded due to a case opened by the buyer (a “case” is a buyer contacting Etsy due to an issue with an order that has been unresolved by the seller)
• At least 80% of orders ship on time (this does not include delays due to mail carriers)

Falling short of one or more of these requirements make sellers appear at the bottom of search results, and if they are repeat offenders, they may even have their selling rights temporarily or permanently revoked. So, generally, if you are seeing a product early in search results, that seller is reputable.

Other Tips

Here are some other things to keep in mind:

• Always look at reviews on both the seller and, if available, the specific product you want to purchase. These are reviews from other buyers who have interacted with the seller, which can give you more detailed information.
• Another green flag on a seller’s page are photos obviously taken by the seller. Scammers and resellers will often have images, but they look more like stock images or a photo that was taken from an existing company.
• Google has a reverse image search function you can put a photo into and it will show you if there any results of someone else selling the same thing either on Etsy or a different platform.
• Trustworthy sellers will often have social media profiles linked to their page where you can further verify their products and reviews.
• The longer a seller has been on Etsy the better. If they are still actively selling after years on the platform, that means that they have maintained Etsy’s customer service standards. A seller’s page will also show you how many sales they have, so if that number is high with good reviews that is a great sign.
• If you are unsure of a purchase with the available information, you can always message the seller to ask questions or for more photos.

Avoiding AI

As we are all learning to navigate a world where art and AI are mixing, sometimes in an undetectable way, there are a few ways you can go about differentiating person-made versus AI generated art when shopping on Etsy.

Etsy’s AI policy

Etsy does allow sellers to list AI-generated products, but, “only when the seller plays a clear creative role, is transparent about their process, and doesn’t pass off machine output as handmade or original. Human input, disclosure, and authenticity are essential.”

Sellers are required by the platform to disclose the use of AI tools in the listings of such products. However, there are thousands and thousands of listings on the online marketplace, so it is not always a guarantee that the sellers who neglect the guidelines will be caught. Below are some tips on verifying that products are human-made.

Tips for detecting AI artwork

Keep in mind that every situation and seller is unique and these are just red flags to look out for. None of them prove definitively that the image was created with AI, but they indicate increased likelihood that it was.

• Images including humans, bugs, etc. might have random anatomical flaws like a missing finger that is not coherent with the rest of the piece. They also may have abnormal proportions, or blend into objects they are touching. For example, a hand blending into a cup instead of fingers wrapped around it.
• If something includes writing, AI generated pieces may have jumbled sentences or grammar that does not make sense in the context of the piece. Some examples are a brand name or logo that looks almost right, but slightly warped or varied, or font/text weight varying throughout the sentence.
• Background inconsistencies such as buildings or tree lines melting together, or lighting that doesn’t match.
• Hyperrealism where everything seems too perfect to be real.

We use a Chrome extension called Hive AI Detector that is good for detecting AI images. It provides a rating that indicates how likely it is that an image was created with AI.

Artists on Etsy from the Triangle

How to shop locally on Etsy

As we mentioned, Etsy is a global marketplace. You can buy almost anything from almost anywhere. However, sellers are not required by the site to ship globally. While the platform is a great place to see what sellers of the world have to offer, it is also a great place to support local artists during uncertain times.

On Etsy’s homepage, usually under the search bar (may vary depending on device), there is an option called “Shops near you — explore local finds.” Or go directly to the “shops near you” page if you don’t see this option on the main page. This will show you highlighted artists in your area and Star Sellers in your area. If you scroll to the bottom of this page it shows you a list of all local shops. You can also change the location on this page to find sellers from different areas.

Other Helpful Etsy Tips

• Read shop policies and descriptions carefully. Some things may not be eligible for returns, are only available digitally, etc. If the seller is clear in their description, but you didn’t read it, you will not be able to file a case with Etsy regarding it.
• Keep in mind that if you message a seller, they are almost always just one person and it might take a little longer to hear back than Amazon or other companies.
• If you are ordering a customized item, make sure to check your messages frequently, as they may have clarifying questions for you.
• Leave reviews! If you bought something you love from an Etsy seller, leaving them a good review helps them and their shop a lot.