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Etsy seller caught passing off marked-up Kmart shelf as ‘homemade’ - unbelievable!
We all love a good bargain, but there's nothing worse than feeling like you've been ripped off – especially when it comes to something you purchased online.
While we do our best to be savvy shoppers, sometimes we can't help but fall for a scam. And that appears to be exactly what happened to one TikTok user who found an unsettling listing on Etsy.
In a video posted recently, user ‘morgsmewtwo’ came across a trendy handmade wooden shelf on the popular online marketplace, where vintage, craft, and handmade products are sold.
‘This is why I don’t trust Etsy. Look at this shelf,’ she said while showing its listing on camera.
‘It looks cute, it’s $40, it’s from an Australian shop…’ she continued.
And then, the catch as she switches to another window on her computer: ‘It’s from f*****g Kmart…and more expensive!’
True enough, the listing posted by a seller named ‘DecorbytDesign’ was an exact copy of an embossed wooden shelf available at Kmart for only $25!
Clearly disappointed at her discovery, ‘morgsmewtwo’ said in her caption: ‘This is why we can’t have nice things.’
As of posting, her video has almost 200,000 views, over 9000 hearts (likes), and hundreds of comments.
Some blamed Etsy for the sad find, pointing out how the online marketplace isn’t doing anything to address the problem of users selling items that clearly aren’t their own.
‘I see so much of this on Etsy! It blows my mind!’ one user said.
‘Etsy does nothing about them,’ another added, ‘As someone who sells genuinely handmade stuff there, it is so frustrating.’
Some shared their own experiences as well.
One said: ‘I once found the Kmart wedding planner on Etsy was listed as "handmade", all they did was add the names of bride and groom.’
‘I bought a cute knitted baby toy at a market only to find it at Kmart the next day for like half the price, they had literally just cut the tag off.’ another added.
Aside from Kmart, items from the online shopping site AliExpress can often be found on Etsy too, according to other users.
Lastly, there were also people begging others to give legitimate Etsy sellers a chance.
‘Don’t let some Etsy sellers ruin it for all of us!’ one urged. ‘There’s a lot of great makers out there on Etsy.’
To her credit, ‘morgsmewtwo’ agreed: ‘Oh absolutely! I just wish there was some quality control being done so it wasn’t so hard to find the makers.’
Meanwhile, Etsy has disabled the account of ‘DecorbytDesign’. A glance at their reviews reveals other dissatisfied customers who also noticed their purchases were only resold items.
Key Takeaways
- TikTok user 'morgsmewtwo' flagged a seller on Etsy passing off a $25 wooden shelf from Kmart for almost double the price.
- Etsy a marketplace for vintage, handmade and craft items.
- Morgsmewtwo's post has been viewed more than 190,100 times and drew in hundreds of comments from frustrated shoppers as well as Etsy sellers
- Etsy has since removed the seller's profile.
For those wondering, Etsy does allow reselling, but only for its vintage and craft supplies sections and not for items sold as handmade.
So, be sure to keep that in mind the next time you shop online.
And like ‘morgsmewtwo’, it’s worth doing some research before you purchase products online. You never know what you might find…
What is your reaction to this story? Have you had similar experiences with resellers on Etsy or other online shopping sites?
Do let us know in the comments section below!
Source: TikTok/@morgsmewtwo