So I was on Etsy Today and I saw a pair of Sterling Silver ruby earrings being sold for 11.99. I was of course shocked at the price but what shocked me more was that the owner of the store claimed to have handcrafted the piece herself. Now as an artist I know that when pricing something one takes into consideration, time, cost of materials, perceived value, and other things along the way. Also as an Artist that works in gemstones I know the going price of fine gemstones, Rubies being one of them and let me tell you that for 38 carat rubies, set in .925 sterling silver, you would not make a profit if you sold them for 11.99. Now the killer of this whole story is not only was I shocked at the price and claim of "handmade", but what topped the whole deal was the fact that I had seen the EXACT pair of ruby earrings at a wholesale show in VA.
Now Etsy is supposed to be a marketplace for all things handmade, and that is what makes it wonderful! So when people come in claiming to be selling handcrafted goods that are actually imports and selling them at rock bottom prices, it makes me slightly upset. Not only does it go against the rules, it also brings down other sellers work that actually is handmade. I think most people will agree that it is incredibly hard to compete with commercially made goods. Which is not to say that commercial goods are not a God send in their own Big Box, assembly line sort of way. It's just that handcrafted goods are created by individuals that spend a lot of time and concentration to create beautifully unique and one-of-a-kind pieces that cannot be bought at any old store. So the fact that people are trying to sell non-handmade goods basically says, "Hi I am trampling on and disregarding artists efforts!". It just makes me a bit upset. Sorry for the rant, thanks for listening!
