Etsy rolled out sweeping new policy guidelines for adult products that took effect earlier this week. The hardest hit by these new changes are adult toy-makers – people who create sex toys to higher standards for quality and skin sensitivity (and artistry) than what you can get from mass manufacturers. It’s unknown what prompted these changes – but we’ve seen speculation that it’s related to pressure from payment processors, or in response to age-verification requirements implemented by some US states.
It’s left many sellers scrambling to stay afloat. Unfortunately there is no one-size-fits-all answer for what an Etsy seller can do if Etsy decides to pull the rug out from under your entire business demographic – but we’re putting together a survival guide for adult product makers, based on what our members have told us.
1: Get a website, or a shop on an Etsy Alternative Platform
If you have a large customer following, an independent store on your website might be your best bet. In this case, you’ll need an option where you have full control; where you aren’t in danger of being excluded via a change of terms in the future. That means the “free” options are all out – you’ll need to use an online store builder at your own web domain. The two most commonly recommended by our members are Shopify and WooCommerce. Shopify costs $29 a month, and most people find it to be the easiest option to set up. WooCommerce requires a bit more technical expertise to set up, but it’s a much cheaper option – it’s a free plugin you can install on a WordPress-based website to convert it into an online store.
Stripe doesn’t allow adult products, so you won’t be able to use built-in payment options with either Shopify or Woocommerce; you’ll have to set up an alternative payment processor. Paypal can be an option, but it’s best to ask for permission first, and hope that you can get the right rep to give you the go-ahead. Otherwise, they could shut you down at some point in the future. We know of only one payment processor that explicitly and reliably allows adult products. It’s called CCBill – and unfortunately the fees are quite high – 10.8% to 14.5% of each transaction. CCBill can be installed in a Woocommerce store via a free plugin.
For small sellers, an Etsy alternative marketplace might be the better option. If you’re part of a marketplace, you don’t need to post new products as frequently in order to stay relevant in search engine algorithms, as there are other sellers posting things when you are not. There is a new Etsy Alternative marketplace formed specifically for adult-product indie sellers that looks promising – Spicerack. As of the time writing this, it’s free to set up a shop on Spicerack, with a 5% transaction fee (plus Paypal fees) on each sale. Membership is open worldwide, although all orders must ship to the US until they figure out tax compliance for other countries.
The ISG is working on an Etsy Alternatives Database to help sellers find the best alternatives that will work for their unique businesses. “Allows Adult Products” is one of the filters we’ve built in – but we could use some help researching which options are actually adult-product-friendly, and which aren’t. If you’re interested in collaborating with us on this project, please reach out!
2: Extract what you can from Etsy
Will you continue to sell on Etsy in the future? The answer to this question varies based on your business, and whether there are portions of your product line that are still allowed, and still viable with the restrictions. If you plan to continue to sell some of your adult products on Etsy, create an image to add to each of your listings. In the image, let shoppers know that you create more things that can’t be sold on Etsy anymore, and where to find them. If you plan to take this route, be sure you’re complying with these Etsy policies:
Whether you plan to continue to sell on Etsy or not, we recommend extracting a list of emails for your past customers. There are Google Chrome extensions that can do this very quickly, or you can find the emails individually by clicking the down arrow next to the person’s name on your Etsy “Completed Orders” page. Spam laws vary by country – and we recommend researching your local laws – but in most countries, it’s okay to send an individualized followup email after a customer purchase. Ask them if they are still pleased with their purchase, and let them know about the changes on Etsy and where to find you in the future.
If you’re a long term Etsy seller who must leave entirely, we don’t recommend closing your shop. Instead, deactivate all your listings, and update your shop banner, shop avatar, and shop announcement to share where you’re selling now. This way, people who have bookmarked your shop (or even added your sold-out listings to favorites) can immediately see that you moved rather than shut down, and more easily find you in your new location.
3: Connect with your community
Are there any events local to you that are adult-product-friendly? A well-attended local event can be the best way to replace income from a lost Etsy shop – so if you haven’t done local vending yet, now is a good time to break into that market! It can be hard to find kink-related events if you aren’t plugged into specific communities yet – but niche communities are typically interwoven. Find a con – any con – make some friends, ask specific questions, and leave your business cards out everywhere you can. It will only be a matter of time until you’re connected up with the niche community that best matches what you make.
It’s also possible that established events nearby will allow adult products, even if you haven’t seen any there yet. Think of which events your customers would be likely to frequent, and ask event management if your products are allowed. You’ll never know until you ask! Some of our members have found success partnering with local brick and mortar stores. It’s all about putting yourself out there, and starting conversations with people.
It’s possible to find community online too. You can search through hashtags of similar indie products, or issues surrounding your specific products. Right now, for instance, searching for “Etsy” in adult-related online communities brings up a bunch of toy makers and kink gear makers who are not happy with these new changes, and quite ready to network with one another and spread the word about alternatives.
On that note, please join the Indie Sellers Guild, if you haven’t yet! Membership is free, and we welcome makers of adult products. Once we finish working out the kinks and learning how the technology works on our new community website, we plan to create an adults-only area there. We would love to have you join us!