Disappointed with etsy

[Wouldyouguess]

I always thought Etsy to be the place where peoplesell their own stuff. I recently missed on a pair of 'handmade' earrings. I was browsing for a bit and low and behold, found 5 more sellers selling identical stuff, even closer to home, so saved on postage. Presumable, handmade somewhere in China and shipped in bulk abroad. Plus, also found a lot of fakes/copies of brands such as Kate Spade and Les Nereides...
It took me a while to find jewellery bits that were really original, designed by the seller.
Did I have a wrong image what etsy was or has it gone downhill?

Bit of both really. That was the selling point of it when it started, but it hasn't been like that for years.

It's been like that for years now. Etsy aren't bothered. I gave up reporting listings.

It's a shame, because it's kind of offputting as it takes forever to trawl through the sea of mediocre copies and identical items with the 'handmade' tag.

Yes it’s rubbish.

I do really like SilverRainSilver on Etsy though, I’ve bought lovely earrings from there and given some as gifts etc

Isn't there another similar website to Etsy that does handmade now?

Folksy is a UK version of Etsy but there arent many makers on there yet.

I find this too but I’ve also found with some earrings gifted to me by SIL which are crafty (sold in William Morris Gallery) quite a few of them the backs or earrings break very easily despite me being careful with them. They can’t have been made that well and are definitely made by crafters. The designs were pretty though.

I mentioned it to SIL and she now gets better made jewellery for me!

There is an ongoing issue with Etsy sellers designing and making items and then companies in China will copy their designs, make them and sell them in bulk. A big company in China that has stolen designs from Etsy sellers (and others) is Shein.

Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done, it’s illegal for Shein to do this but there is no way to enforce copyright law internationally when you are a regular person making and selling cool things you designed. You don’t have the money to access justice.

I am very much aware of Shein stealing designs. I just wodnered how often it happens the other way round, where lest say 5 'independent' sellers sell the same design as their authentic handmade product? Unless one person once designed it, China copied it nd sent back. Still, that means that there are many re-sellers rather than actual artisans.