muddy
Today has been a bit stressful, boys fighting, screaming, being horrid, and more than I could bear to be honest.
Other stuff mounting up needing to be done, and then the Folksy forums, to be honest I have never encountered such bitching other than at school!
Last night I was trying to find a card for an anniversary and I wanted a nice letterpress one, now I knew this was going to be tricky as Letterpress is certainly more popular in the US and Australia, so it was a long shot!
Instead of getting maybe a couple of items back in the search, I think there were 76 pages! None of which were letterpress! I tried the search again, and got the same result, so I felt that the search must be broken, went to the forums and wrote this;
searching……..
for a letterpress card, so why are at least the first 20 results nothing like a card, let alone letterpress!!!???
I wonder why people go elsewhere 🙁
From that original post ended up with a seller on Folksy basically slinging as much mud at me as possible, and then personal attacks on me, the way I choose to sell etc.
If you want to read the sorry state of affairs it is here
Now maybe I took it all too personally, but I don’t think I did.
I was looking to buy from a UK seller, got loads of crap in the search, and so I HAD to go elsewhere, and found this instead (I know it isn’t letterpress! Couldn’t find anything to get here quick enough that I loved!)
But I feel much more positive about it now, the boys are asleep, it is quiet, and I’m listening to Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest which is perfect 🙂
ps see Mum, it is flowering!
5th August 2009 @ 8:09 am
Raspberry, it was horrible. To start with I thought I was reading too much into those replies but it just went on getting worse! I just thought the smugness of some of the people was unbearable and the way they would pick on a tiny part of someone’s post and misinterpret it was unreal. You were very clear in what you said, not just the first time, but the second and the third. It was obvious you were complaining about the search function itself and not the fact that there was a lack of letterpress cards on Folksy. Many of the people replying were blinkered and I think do the site no favours at all. I’m also frustrated by the “official” response which seems to condone someone’s behaviour.
5th August 2009 @ 8:32 am
I am horrified that you had such a terrible episode on Folksy! Everyone is usually so friendly that I can’t believe this has happened. Did you hear theres a new Community Manager called Anne whose job is to watch out for things said on Folksy good and bad – maybe you should contact her?
I am quite saddened…
xxx
5th August 2009 @ 8:34 am
It looks lovely, hope mine flowers soon.
love mum.
p.s. Hope the bitchiness has stopped
5th August 2009 @ 8:38 am
Oh, all sounds too scary for me, I’m not looking!
Hope today is a better day for you.
Love
Lyn
xxx
5th August 2009 @ 9:20 am
cool card, it’s so cute.
Hope you’re feeling ok today, shame that people have to be so pushy and have to be right all the time. There was nothing wrong with anything you said on folksy. I’m also frustrated that the response from Anne praised a certain person in such a way…..i was shouting NO at my computer when reading it.
Hope you have a better day today.
5th August 2009 @ 9:27 am
Curiosity drove me to go and read through it all and I can’t believe how all that biiterness came flying out at you. I don’t think some commenters had actually read the initial post and so where responding to other peoples comments so the argument/discussion semed to wander about a bit. But, others did seem to get your point and where then ignored just as if they’d said nothing.It seems a great shame that the discussion couldn’t have developed into an honest discussion of what sellers wanted from Folksy. It never helps if these threads become ‘mini’ wars. If Folksy can’t take on board or even listen to peoples thoughts/comments about ‘the experience of using Folksy’ regarding what are quite basic requirements of good search functionality then how is it ever going to realise it’s full potential as a market place for UK crafters.
I think that basically you touched a raw nerve and it all came flying out at you… I wish you a better day today and I agree perhaps you’d better not post this in the ‘Have you blogged today’ category.
5th August 2009 @ 10:13 am
Sorry you had a rough time on the forum. It was unpleasant, after commenting that I had a similar experience to you I stayed out of it as I didn’t want to be part of such a discussion. It was weird how people ignored the problem. Hope it doesn’t put you off joining in in future. xxx
5th August 2009 @ 10:21 am
Goodness me, you must have been exhausted after that evening on Folksy! It is such a shame. I am glad you found something nice on Etsy and applaud you for searching so hard to be sure you bought from a UK seller. All the best x
5th August 2009 @ 11:47 am
Oh Raspberry that was not at all nice for you, this isn’t the first time Ive seen bulling on the folksy forums, glad you managed to find something from a uk seller which is the important thing.
5th August 2009 @ 12:39 pm
Oh my goodness- what a nightmare! Was it me or was no one reading the comments properly?! All you were trying to say was the search doesn’t work properly- you would think that everyone would want it to work properly so they get more sales!!!
Thought you might like to know that DaWanda has quite a lot of UK sellers- I shop there as well as the others.
Em x
5th August 2009 @ 12:40 pm
Holy schmutz, I didn’t read the entire thread but those are some mighty bitchy comments flying around! Ugh. I’ve been spending less and less time in the folksy forums recently, there are lots of lovely people there but also some complete idiots. Sorry you had do deal with that. I posted a similar thread a while back – http://forums.folksy.com/forums/6/topics/3380 – Etsy is definitely my first port of call these days as the folksy search engine is embarassingly shoddy. Hugs x
5th August 2009 @ 12:46 pm
(first comment, long-time reader)
Gosh, what horrible business! I won’t name names, but I thought the replies you recieved were very smug, and not even really related to your problem. You stated your problem clearly, and they just went off in another direction! Not the kind of people I want to buy hand crafted goods from.
I’m almost ready to start selling online, and everyone keeps telling me to give Folksy a try, but I’m really put off with what I’ve read about it – especially on the forums. I know Etsy isn’t perfect, but it is well known…
5th August 2009 @ 3:27 pm
Hello, it’s a shame you had such a horrible time with Folksy forums. I’ve had similar problems somewhere else – you put in a simple enquiry, or a comment about a problem and some people seem to take it as a personal attack and come out with fists flying.
The first time this happened, I let myself get dragged into the mess and got very upset. When it happened again somewhere else, I just put in a message that the comments were getting personal, had got completely off the original subject and that I no longer wanted to be involved in the discussion, as it was not helpful or constructive. I then logged off and didn’t go on that thread again (no, not even to see if anyone responded to my “closing comment”).
Life is too short, Raspberry (and you are too nice to bother with all that bitching).
Having said that, I had been considering Folksy as a possible venture, as I wonder if a “local” UK shop would be a good plan, as well as my Etsy shop. Now I’m not sure…
5th August 2009 @ 3:30 pm
You think grown ups could be better behaved… but I think we’re all just the same children as we are at 7 under the skin, it’s just you hope to be treated better as we get older. Hope you’re all calm now.
5th August 2009 @ 3:40 pm
Oh dear, that was horrible, I hate conflict. i did see the start of it yesterday and just had another look after reading your blog. Not sure how making one minor comment can turn out like that. You poor thing.
Surely you would think as adults people could respect other peoples views, it was all a bit ridiculous. And I am not sure how saying something was working better for you, meant that you were slagging something else off. Very odd. And yes, people being treated like that will put people off.
Tea and Cake time I think.
5th August 2009 @ 4:19 pm
Its simple…everyone loves a good/bad story…I have never heard of folksy…only etsy…and I have never had any problems with them, the people are lovely there and some of the work is gorgeous…so I will take it as a warning and stick to etsy. Hard luck folksy, you should select nicer people. I think the world has gone a little crazy people are getting shorter tempered and less understanding. Hope this doesn’t put you off too much and you have better luck next time. Keep sewing….
5th August 2009 @ 5:24 pm
I understand exactly what you were saying. As just a simple browser/buyer on the web I have tried several times to find particular items on folksy. I have had frustrating experiences to say the least – taking ages to sift through all sorts of things I have not asked for. Reluctantly, I have never purchased from folksy as I cannot successfully negotiate the searches. It is a shame since I would like to buy from handmade buyers in GB. Why is it, therefore, that I have managed to use the searches on other sites such as etsy and, in fact, have purchased on several occasions?
I would like to add that I have met many very boring self-important people, who think they are superior by using specific ‘closed’ language and quoting all sorts of ‘facts’ and ‘statistics’. They fool no-one and just show how childish they are. Ignore the rantings of these narcissistic individuals. What you have to say is honest, clear down-to-earth common sense and your wonderful blog shows you have the style to make it amusing and interesting – otherwise, why do so many people follow it?
5th August 2009 @ 11:06 pm
My blood has been boiling far too often over the know-it-all attitude of some folk lately, but yesterday I was horrified. I have promised myself not to look again for a while 😉 Certainly you were only saying what loads of us have been thinking for ages – it doesn’t work, when are they going to fix it?
And thank you again for introducing me to etsy all that time ago.
6th August 2009 @ 10:16 am
Hello Raspberry,
Sorry you have been upset by the comments on the thread. Things can be misconstrued on forums and people say things which they wouldn’t ordinarily say in a different context. I’ve read and re-read the comments many times and I see a lack of empathy on all sides. I believe it’s unusual for the Folksy ‘community’ (or a small section thereof) to fall out like this and we get comments that it is usually a very nice and supportive ‘place’ to be. Should you decide to continue using Folksy I hope you’ll find this to be the case, as so many other people have.
For the record the search function was not working as effectively as it should have been (now fixed and working on better ways to navigate around the site) however, what you searched for a Letterpress Card only returns one result, a set of letterpress notebooks (as at time of writing!) not 76 pages.
Best,
james (Folksy) 🙂
6th August 2009 @ 6:05 pm
This is my first visit to your blog. I went to Folksy following your link. I have to say that I thought YOU started the unpleasantness by the sniping tone you used. I also found the smiley faces weird as you were obviously spitting bullets. WoodJewellery was a bit annoying yes, but frankly I am now put off from ever buying from Folksy and I am a regular Etsy buyer – my experience there has been wonderful. You did not make an enquiry in a nice way and I found you quite carping and aggressive. As I am not one of your followers I am saying it like I personally saw it and not being afraid of dissenting as so many commentators are. You apparently can only ever agree with the majority on blogs or you are not welcome! Perhaps the Americans just have better customer service skills? Maybe you should hone up on them too. You are right though it did make unpleasant reading and I won’t go back – most forums are like that! People are nasty. Even those who have lovely friendly blogs – often that is just a persona; a marketing tool, to suck people in. Ravelry also has nasty threads. The worst people I find are the “I hate to be nasty, I try and be nice” kind. The truth is that they often aren’t.
20th August 2009 @ 12:02 pm
Sorry you had a bad time Raspberry. Sadly the reaction you received is all too common, not necessarily just on Folksy. I wandered into a forum linked to a magazine group a couple of weeks ago and a new member was attacked in much the same way you were, for asking a question about something which they didn’t really understand.
It would seem that forums on the internet bring out the worst in some people, they lose even the most basic of social skills and behave in a way they never would if they met you in person! I think it is very sad that the internet brings out the worst in some people, I have only read the first page of posts and am left thinking that if I were you I would tell Folksy to take a running jump and sell my stuff elsewhere!