mountainpeacock

YSK: How to protect yourself against Etsy’s plan to prevent class action lawsuits

Why YSK: You should know that you can protect yourself as a buyer or a seller as anyone who uses Etsy. It's a very popular sales platform and they're making some changes to prevent class action lawsuits against any shenanigans they might pull against buyers and sellers on the platform. You have the ability to opt out of this to... #etsy #class

https://indiesellersguild.org/etsys-plan-to-prevent-class-action-lawsuits/

Etsy’s Plan to Prevent Class Action Lawsuits

Did you know that when you agree to Etsy's Terms of Use, you agree never to join in a class action lawsuit against them, no matter what they do? At least, that's how it used to be.  Until very recently, Etsy had a mandatory arbitration clause.  It stated that by using their service (or continuing...

Indie Sellers Guild
Jul 13, 2023 at 10:11pmWeb
Show threadSamsonSeinfelderJul 13, 2023
Crazy that a corporate TOS can take away your legal rights like that. Sounds like Etsy is as well in the sprital of Enshittification: They lured in the Customers with great deals on personal/handworked products, they lured in more seller by offering them the customer base. Now that they are both in, they change the rules and make it just shitty enough that people do not quit, but the revenue is maximized. Here is a great 29 Minute Podcast with Cory Doctorow explaining this shift that platforms are currently making.
Cory Doctorow: Platform capitalism and the curse of "enshittification" - Future Tense

Amazon now feels more like a racket than an open shopping platform; you can't find posts from your friends on Facebook because it's clogged with unsolicited advertising; and Uber no longer seems like a cool, efficient taxi service, it's morphed instead into a global machine for turning gig workers into the new underclass – it's all part of a process Cory Doctorow has dubbed "enshittification". In this feature interview, the acclaimed Canadian sci-fi author, journalist and digital rights activist explains why the digital world seems so exploitative and taudry. But he has optimism for how things might be improved in the future.

Pocket Casts
Show threadAlexWIWAJul 14, 2023
How on earth are these legally enforceable?
Show threadSamsonSeinfelderJul 14, 2023
Lobbying and rule-of-money (in the US, the side who has the most resources has leverage over the legal discourse by having more, better and longer working lawyers which somehow will often be able to win a case)
Show threadpipsJul 14, 2023
Not sure about the specifics but it might not be enforceable. Just because a company says something in their TOS doesn’t mean it’s true.
Show threadslaortaJul 14, 2023
I’m currently involved in a lawsuit against amazon that is being forced through arbitration. It’s been 3 years since the process started for me with no end in site because there are 50,000 others in queue to arbitrate the same claims. This is why they do it and it is unfortunately enforceable.
Show threadthermal_shockJul 14, 2023
Your case doesn’t speak for every case.
Show thread353247532631Jul 16, 2023
Re: enshittification - I totally agree that they’ve ruined what Etsy was actually good for and now they’re just milking it dry. It’s all generic, mass produced crap now and the search result ads within their site are incredibly obtrusive.
Show threadXbSuperJul 14, 2023
I still don’t get etsy. It’s like the world’s shittiest craft fair.
Show threadloopyJul 14, 2023
Idk, I found a lot of shops for custom pieces that I would not have otherwise found. I’ve never had an issue with them
Show threadkeeb420Jul 14, 2023
I want to start 3d printing as a side business. Etsy has seemed like a decent way to get some products out the door. But the more I look into it and the more I hear about moves coming from etsy makes me nervous to get too far into it.
Show threadJohnvanjimJul 14, 2023
I do run a 3D printing business, I’m on Etsy, eBay, and my own platform. Most of my sales unfortunately come through Etsy, they also take the largest chunk out of my profits…
Show threadmountainpeacockJul 14, 2023
I haven't either, but I also realize for me that's survivorship bias. It must have enough issues that they're trying to weasel this into their TOS.
Show threadloopyJul 14, 2023
I agree, it’s sketchy and unfair practice to include those lines. I’m thinking they either had an issue in the past like you said, or whatever legal team works for them decided that was something they could get away with to aggressively protect the business.
Show threadthermal_shockJul 14, 2023
Some really cool chess sets on there, sets you’d probably never see again in your lifetime. Probably other unique stuff too.
Show threadhubba_bubba_luvaJul 14, 2023

It’s always the same simple algorithm by the wealthy:

“Keeping those poors divided”

Show threadFollyDollyJul 14, 2023
Thanks for this, I have gone ahead and opted out!
Show threadmountainpeacockJul 15, 2023
Glad it helped!