$47 A Month for Etsy Secrets..
8:50 PM Friday, May 15, 2009Look at this super cheesy web layout for "<a href="http://etsysecrets.com/">Etsy Secrets</a>". You think you would want to class it up a little bit so it didn't look so sham wow-y.
Ran by <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5074716">TimothyAdamDesigns</a> he is sending people "quick! reserve your spot" VIP emails to join in the $47 a month "secret club".
One month the secrets are blogging, the next tweeting, etc. basically all "duh" information. His shop has 1300 sales, nothing to balk at yet not sure if that warrants $47/ monthly for his shop wisdom. It hasn't gotten him THAT far.
He at least conned one person, read about it <a href="http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6152138&page=1">here</a>.
Yikes. Not a single thing about the design of that site says anything but 'potential scam' however legit it might actually be.
JK September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Oh wow, why don't people just search his name on the fora and then print out all his threads.
There ya go, just saved 50.00.
Now who wants to paypal me that money I saved them ;)
me September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Whatever little respect I had for him is now gone.
If someone's product really sucks, do you think he's going to tell them? Or keep yanking their $47 a month?
Helping people with an ebook or whatever is fine. This smacks of ego and greed and nothing else.
Gern Blanston September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
He comes across as the guy who says, "Want to learn my secret to how I got rich? Send me $50 and I'll send you my info." --- and in the mail, he sends, "Get thousands of suckers to send in $50."
LearnedTheHardWay September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
looks like one of those 'work at home' schemes. yeah, he can get rich off of etsy if he gets enough people to pay him 47.00 a month!
elizabeth September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Well, what do you expect from the guy that tells Etsians to spam social networking and bookmarking sites (Stumble, Digg, etc) in order to make a sale? He doesn't have other sellers' best interest in mind. As a self-serving "helper," he's built up a nice little fan club on the forums though... I'll be curious to see how many of his cheerleaders take the bait.
I have to admit, if this scheme totally backfires on him, I'll be watching with a healthy dollop of schadenfreude.
Honestly, what happened to helping people purely out of a sense of goodness or community? I guess it's anything to make a buck.
Sarah September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Seriously. I think he has single-handedly given Etsians a bad rap on Twitter. All he does is think of ways to shove your products under other peoples noses. He encourages obnoxious behavior.
Spam, spam, spam, spam, everyone!! Never stop thinking of ways to get your products out there! Your friend just had an operation? Don't bother asking how she is, that's wasting valuable time better spent shoving your handmade tea cozies down her throat! That lady down the street just had her baby kidnapped? Rush over there and see if she needs any necklaces! That guy you work with just lost three fingers? Now's the time to show him your beautiful fingerless gloves!! I'LL SHOW YOU HOW!
toonces September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
His shop may have 1300 sales but if you go in and actually look at what has been sold all the way back around 18mths he's been selling just as much and probably more of his e-books and those handmade catalog things(not really sure what they are but he got several negatives for them). I think he figured out that it is alot easier to sell people the dream then to make things.
I just can't believe anyone would pay $50 a month, but judging from the number of people being tweeted as joining Etsy Secrets today he has made a nice chunk of change in the last 24hrs.
anonymous September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
What a scam. There's NOTHING he could possibly tell you that isn't freely available elsewhere.
Disgusted September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
If he were a woman there wouldn't be anyone sticking up for him in that thread :=P
toonces September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
It is totally ridiculous - the whole thing is set up like one of those awful work at home scams, and is really dodgy.
I feel awful for anyone who did get conned.
OhDear September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
'If he were a woman there wouldn’t be anyone sticking up for him in that thread '
Toonces -- I think you might be on to something with that. Some posters seem terribly keen to defend him.
Never thought to check out his sales before, but it does appear that he sells more 'handmade' how-to-spam than physical goods. Interesting.
JK September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
he's a total cheesewad. just google business tips and you'll find all of his. the only reason he "helps" anyone on etsy, by directing to his blog of course, is to increase his google analytics.
1300 is not enough for someone who promoteshimself 24/7. his sales are down, probably because everyone sees through him.
he'd rather direct you to his blog than help you out = dillweed!
oh joy! September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
^^
Totally agrees with oh joy!
OhDear September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Dillweed and cheesewad are my two new favorite words....lol
toonces September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
50 dollars A MONTH? that's horrendous. I can't say that I'm not jealous of the money he'll get from hopeful nubies though---I'm trying to pay for grad school for the next several years, and the thought of someone getting a hundred people to send him 50 dollars a month for "lets all spam twitter!" is pretty mind blowing.
Geez.
margaret September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
I call bullshit on his "making a living through his art." Those sales in that amount of time with his price point amounts to a pretty meager living... a decent supplemental income, but no one really wants advice from someone raking in 20k a year in their full time job. Double that... and then I might start to listen.
Furthermore, if his art was what he was truly passionate about, he wouldn't be wasting so much time on his promotional schemes. He'd be doing his art! Sound more like he's passionate about blogging.
Who cares? September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Side note, this person is using Etsy as her own Garage Sale:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_1&listing_id=25136807
Me September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
It shouldn't surprise me that people are dumb enough to fall for such a scam but damn! I'd rather see people drop 50 bucks to the homeless guy on the corner.
laughs September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Hey Me! The shop is gone! I am seriously shocked.
Gern Blanston September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
That's disgusting. I was mildly interested by his books like a year ago (not enough to buy space in them, mind you -- they too had a touch of scammy feel to them, published monthly but not distributed or anything proper), but this just kills it. What a douche -- I hope no one else falls for this travesty. Ugh.
Jana September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
This is one of the stranger things I've come across in Etsyland.
1300 sales is pretty good. But it's not terribly difficult to accomplish without buying in to get rich quick schemes. Is that what this is?
I feel sorry for the people who sign up for this... on the other hand, many people are desperate and greedy and perhaps could learn from that mistake.
Lisa September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
if you multiply 1300 x 50, saying his average sale is a 50 dollar sale, which is a generous estimate, that comes to 65000, not including fees, materials,etc so in two years that is little more than you could make working at a fast food place as an assistant manager.
oh joy! September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
It's just, so sad. I used to think from his forum posts that he was really just passionate about helping clueless etsy sellers...now I really feel like the whole thing was just a build up towards this abomination. Not to mention about halfway through the time he was making the posts it became apparent that all he had left were spam suggestions. Sad.
marcia September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
I have no respect left for the guy. I dont' read his forum posts or any of his blog drivel.... it's all a big self promo
not a fan September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Has anyone looked at his sold section? Half of it is handbooks and secrets, not metalsmithed items.
toonces September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Indiepublic even sent out a mass email advertising for this 47 dollar a month secrets thing. Really irresponsible.
margaret September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
To his credit, he is only one of maybe 4 or 5 sellers who sell an Etsy Success sort of thing under their own name. Most of the "Etsy Success" books and whatnot for sale are sold under accounts who do not disclose their other shops. So they are not only breaking the TOU, there is no visible track record. Not saying TA necessarily has one, just sayin' he isn't flagrantly disregarding the rules like almost all the others.
forum rubbernecker September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Has anyone noticed that he's only about increasing views? Not sales, views. And of course lining his pockets with the money he's raking in from the couple handfuls of people he managed to dupe into signing up for his "secrets". As (un)popular as he's become it's really done nothing for his shop sales. If those tons of views don't turn into sales what's the point? You'll just be pissing off people (& potential customers) with all of the spam. Last I checked that's how you lose sales. It's a fine line and he's way past it.
As for his VIP thing, he ticked off a lot of Etsians since there was never any mention of payment for access to the new site just that only "VIPs" would get in. People felt duped. Granted he never said it would be totally free but neither did he say it would not, if you get my meaning. You know the marketing fast talk eluding to the idea that it might be free but then, wham!, $50/month on a chintzy "as seen on TV" looking site. And since your already there you might as well sign up... hurry you might lose out! Disgusting. Yes, I got the emails and checked it all out but there was no way I was paying to be a "VIP" on his new site. It was sounding to good to be true and it was.
Seriously as someone else pointed out, and from reading the threads on Etsy about it, you can find all of his "secrets" by searching for his name in the Etsy forums or hit up one of his blogs. And there is really nothing to ooh over. No magical formula or anything of the sort. But there are noobs out there that will buy into his nonsense because they think it's the quick way to amazing sales. Oh and of course he's got plenty of backers, the women drool over his every word (which I don't see the appeal personally) and he did take the time to make lots of friends in the forums. Of course he did, all good marketers will smile in your face while trying to lift your wallet.
Lastly he did not associate himself, his blog, etc with "EtsySecrets" until he got called out. It seems he was initially trying to keep it separate from his shop & blogs. Probably so new people won't see it all could be had for free if they had just looked a bit farther, hmm?
"Nothing in this world that's worth having comes easy."
EthelStrange September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM
Also take a look at his blog it's full of misinformation and BAD ideas that will eventually hurt your ranking on google and other search engines. The guy's work is overpriced and his ideas are crap. Every time he posts misinformation on the forums a shop dies.
less September 16, 2009 at 7:06 PM