Etsy Sellers Pay It Forward – Promotion or Good Karma

Etsy Sellers Pay It Forward – Promotion or Good Karma?

Handmade sellers often talk about “PIF” item listings online.  What are these sellers referring to?

“Paying it forward” is a practice that allows an ordinary person to make a positive difference in the world. The concept is simple – asking that a good turn be repaid by having it done to others instead.

Although PIF can be traced many generations ago, the concept became popular in 2000 when Catherine Ryan Hyde’s novel “Pay It Forward” was published and made into a film by the same name.

Ryan Hyde describes “paying it forward” as a commitment to do three good deeds for others in repayment of a good deed that one receives. These deeds should be things that the other person cannot accomplish on their own.  Quickly, one can see that PIF can spread exponentially through society thus creating a social movement with the goal of making the world a better place.

Many sellers in the handmade community practice “paying it forward” as a part of their business model.

Mary Bence, from the website www.purbliss.com and Etsy’s purbliss, told HandmadeMarketing.org about her PIF efforts at Etsy.com.

“I post PIF listings which also bring a lot of exposure to your store while allowing someone to sample your product,” she said.  ”Even if you charge a nominal fee for posting the listing as well as shipping it’s completely worth it. I give samples out at craft shows and people will automatically feel obligated to spend at least 5 minutes ‘browsing’ in your store. I’d say a good handful end up being buyers.”

However, some think that sellers have “lost of spirit” of true PIF.  The Etsy.com forums are full of sellers discussing the topic of “paying it forward” being have turned in into a promotional tool.

Some sellers say others are forcing buyers to pay “sometimes grossly overpriced shipping” and losing site of the PIF concept.  “In reality, they are just trying to get potential buyers into the Etsy shop with the $0.20 listing,” one seller wrote in the Etsy.com forums.

If you’re confused on how a handmade seller can afford to give away items and pay for the shipping, you aren’t alone.  However, as one seller on the Etsy.com threads pointed out, “That’s the true meaning of PIF.  It’s a random of act of kindness.”

However, Etsy.com sellers are limited on PIF listings by the website.  “We have to price them at $0.20 because that’s the lowest Etsy will allow. But your “buyer” doesn’t actually pay the $0.20,” one seller commented on the forums.

What do you think of “pay it forward” in the handmade community?  Do you think this concept should ever be used as a promotional tool?  What goes into a “true PIF”?

5 Responses to “Etsy Sellers Pay It Forward – Promotion or Good Karma”

1. dahlila says:

   May 13, 2009 at 5:00 pm

   I just created my first PIF. I got carried away at an estate sale & grabbed some great little knick-knacks that really didn’t fit in my vintage store. I thought it would be nice to create a fun gift/goodie bag as a PIF. I did have to charge the .20 minimum and minimal shipping. Maybe, that ruins the concept, but I couldn’t really afford othewise. It still seemed fair, as there were some really great little trinkets, vintage ribbons, spools and such. It went fairly fast too. They sent back a happy feedback. I was pleased and would do it again.

   I was surprised, however, to see a LOT of sellers using the PIF tag on store items that were priced to sell. I don’t think that’s right.

   Still, if I find more goodies like that I would do it again. There fun to make and apparently fun to get too.

   d.
2. Jodi says:

   July 19, 2009 at 9:17 pm

   I didn’t understand the PIF concept until reading this article. I saw items that were marked PIF on Etsy, but guess I didn’t pay them enough attention. I appreciate the pay it forward idea if that is truly what you are trying to accomplish. I don’t however, agree with it being used as a marketing concept. Just seems deceiving, it’s like giving to a charity in the hopes of getting recognition, you’re supposed to give from your heart and not for what you might get in exchange. I’m all for getting attention and buyers to your shop, but use another avenue. Thanks for listening to my little rant.
3. OrangeCatArt says:

   July 23, 2009 at 11:50 am

   Thanks for this article! I’ve been thinking about posting some paper scraps that I have as PIF’s for folks who make their own paper or might use them in collages or cut-outs. But I was stumped by how to handle the $0.20 and shipping.

   I like the idea that my scraps will go towards other handmade items, rather than the recycling bin or worse, the trash!
4. Diana says:

   August 13, 2009 at 9:16 am

   Thanks for this article – it inspired me to engage in some Etsy-PIf-ing of my own

   Since I make printables, I don’t have to worry about shipping prices. I did however choose to have the ‘buyer’ pay the 20 cents for the listing. Not because I’m cheap, but more because I’m lazy: I don’t understand yet how to refund the 20 cents and I didn’t take the time to figure it out yet.

   I just hope somebody will want my PIF goodies! They make the world just look a little bit nicer, so the more there are aound, the merrier…
5. Annie Andre says:

   February 11, 2010 at 6:22 pm

   Thanks for this. I’m going to try this. In the least I hope it brings me some good Karma. I sure could use some.