This is just a mild rant about how I feel as a buyer on Etsy.

Most of the time, the transactions have been fine. A few sellers in particular have stood out with their personal touch and, of special concern to international buyers, fast shipping.

I'm a seller too, so of course I know we can't control the amount of time a package spends in mail transit. What we can control is how soon we dispatch it. What's acceptable to me is probably 3 business days max for non-customised stuff, i.e. stuff you already have on hand - provided the processing time for a shipment to be mailed out is clearly stated somewhere. I do read everything on your profile page if I'm gonna buy something from your shop, you know.

What's unacceptable is a package being mailed out like 2 weeks after the purchase was made. The postage date stamp on the item says it all. Not only that, two bally weeks, and not even any follow-up convos. I hatehatehate it when I buy something and don't hear from the seller. Is it so difficult to even hit "reply" to the Paypal email and write one measly line about when the merchandise will ship? I've had busy sellers who still manage to communicate properly. I've had the occasional rogue package stuck in the mail for a month through no fault of the seller. Yes, you can mark an order as "shipped" in Etsy, but that doesn't tell me anything because there's no timestamp. I want to know when it shipped so I gauge when to expect it. So that I know something will have gone wrong if nothing shows up within a certain amount of time. Yeah, I know they might be clawing their way through an avalanche of orders, but still. Two weeks to ship? And then another two weeks to get here. All the while, I've been waiting, wondering and worrying because there was no communication.

So, this is getting to be a convoluted rant... but let me tell you, this has already happened a few times. What's the point of buying indie if I don't even feel like there's someone there on the other side?

The other thing I feel most indignant about is when sellers don't reciprocate positive feedback. As a seller, your feedback concerns mainly the buyer's payment. You don't have to wait for them to receive the item to leave feedback because it nothing else has any bearing on their rating as a buyer. At least, I don't think so. Again, I understand if your deluge of sales prohibits you from leaving timely feedback, but I kind of feel slightly "cheated" if it's not returned within a month.

From time to time I wonder whether this occasional cruddy treatment happens because I'm also a seller. Do they think I can afford to wait longer than other people? Do they think I know what's going on in their postal system and will somehow be more tolerant? Do they think I don't need the feedback? Don't I deserve the same treatment as normal buyers? Or do they basically treat everyone like they don't really need our business? Don't we all need to practise basic courtesy? Or am I just a spoilt Singaporean whining about life?

I'll say this, the good does outweigh the bad, but sometimes I can't help walking away with a sour taste in my mouth and disappointment in my bag that makes me wary of going on another spending spree so soon.