E is For... Etsy

I just have to say I love Etsy... some of you are looking at me strangely...

Etsy is a website. And I decided that for 'E' I would tell you about one of my favourite websites.

So Etsy is a website that sells handmade and vintage items (and supplies for you to hand make your own items). It is a great place to just browse. Sifting through the different categories - in fact it is a bit like a jumble sale... only better!

Now obviously with some of the vintage items it is difficult to judge whether or not they are vintage as you can not physically hold them and check them out yourself. You are going on someone else's description and photographs.

Which is why I am going to impart some advice today for Etsy shopping:

1. Always check the feedback for the seller - see what other buyers have made of their items/service.
2. Check that they will post to your country - if it doesn't mention your country try sending them a message - some sellers will calculate postage for you.
3. Which brings me on to number three - if they do ship to your country without you having to ask check the postage. Some of the postage prices can be a little high and it greatly depends on the value/fragility of the item.
4. And finally, if you are like me, and enclined to go 'I want that!' and buy it straight away, add it to your favourites and wait until later. Just think about whether or not you really want/can afford it. Now I won't lie to you - I have missed out on items by doing that. But the world has not ended because someone else bought those shoes/that dress/that brooch before I could. And if there is an item that you want but you need to wait until payday - again try sending them a message - they will probably reserve it for you.

You can find some real little gems on Etsy - some of which I will tell you about in a later post - this time next week in fact if my calendar (and alphabet) is correct!