Please can you remove the 'gold stars'.
Featured sellers now have gold stars against every item listed for sale. Gold stars, by their very nature, indicate to buyers and browsers that those sellers' items and shops are better than the competition's, and therefore gives them an unfair advantage. Featured sellers are already on a special list, and will be there forever, so this further boost is not only unfair, it's unnecessary.
Thank you for your contribution to this feature request.
We have no plans for removing the marker for Featured Sellers.
However we are planning to introduce other ways for Folksy designer-makers to be featured and promoted on the site (other than editorial ones).
Folksy Support
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Anonymous commented
Please folksy don't waste any more time and effort on this insignificant issue. I'd rather see you carrying on with the improvements you have planned rather than having to firefight against the vocal minority.
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craftienellie commented
As a seller I didn't understand at first why gold stars had started appearing next to listings - did I miss an email update from Folksy? I wondered what they were for - did the sellers pay extra for them? Had they reached a particular number of sales? I couldn't work out why they were there until reading Rosie's blog post. It seemed a bit odd to introduce a new feature and not explain it.
Perhaps 'Featured Seller' tag could be more helpful - it gives across the message that this seller and their items caught the eye of the Folksy Team and you might like to have a look too. Using stars could imply a rating system and that these sellers are rated better than others. As a feature for buyers, some may find it useful such as first time buyers who may find the number of sellers and products available a bit daunting. For others, it may not influence them at all. I've not come across it on other platform sites such as Etsy and Luulla. -
allowedtohaveanopinion commented
Rosie, I'm quite upset by your attitude to people who have a different opinion to yours. I've always respected what you've had to say on the forums until now, but having just read your blog where you are insulting people just because they don't agree with you, well, my opinion of you has changed. I feel like I have been personally attacked just for thinking differently to you. For the record, selling in a category which has 1000's of items is ALOT harder than one where a few people have yellow stars and you don't - seriously, you should try selling jewellery then you will find out how tough it can be. To continually talk about this 'level playing field' is very naive on your part because in business it just doesn't exist - if you want everything to be 100% fair then sites like this aren't for you. Yes I would like a star, am I jealous of those that have one though? no I am not, good on them, it just gives me something to aim for.
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Anonymous commented
What you believe in is not having any competition! How dare you tell people they should be ashamed of themselves, when you have caused a split in the community that has supported you. If we all had fair play there would be no featured items, no front page, no emails, no re-tweeting from folksy etc etc etc. This is business and Im afraid people who work hard and achieve something so small as a yellow star have worked hard for it, not to the detriment of yourself and others, but as a small bit of recognition. Other people will be featured and some perhaps will work hard on their photo's and shops to be featured and I for one will be very happy for them if they do.
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Rosie. commented
If I was a featured seller, I'd be horrified that I'd been awarded a star (of any colour) to the detriment of my fellow Folksters BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN FAIR PLAY. And the last thing I'd be doing is accusing them of 'sour grapes'. You should be utterly ashamed of yourselves.
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Anonymous commented
Hands up those who would be voting against it if they had their own star?
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RJ commented
From a buyers perspective: I like the gold stars. They add an element of interest while browsing the site - they do not influence my decision to buy an item from that shop. The only thing I look for before making a purchase is a good quality, well made product.
(In fact the only thing that makes me NOT want to buy from a shop is the poor attitude and conduct of certain sellers on these Forums!)
I hope the stars stay - they are a nice feature. -
voiceofreason commented
Its yellow, not gold. I can personally vouch that it doesn't necessarily boost sales. People are very much capable making their own decisions. What about a 'sour grapes' symbol folksy? Keep the star and keep improving folksy. You're heading in the right direction.
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heather leavers commented
I like my gold star.
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Eileen Critchleuy commented
Gold Star's always suggest excellence just look at the star rating for hotels etc.
Are the shops on Folksy now be graded on a 2 tier system? Those who have with a Gold Star rating and the rest?
I thought we all paid the same price to be part of Folksy.
If it is to say this shop has been featured then put a 'Featuered banner across them but not a Gold Star.
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Anonymous commented
Gold stars is a terrible idea, and immediately isolates those with none. Its an unfair and totally biased tool that should be removed. This is a professional (one would hope) selling site, not a school class room.
EarthKandi
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Rosie. commented
On this one page alone, at the time of typing, there are THIRTEEN gold stars –
http://folksy.com/women/bags_cases/kindle_cases
If prospective buyers aren’t influenced by that, I’ll eat my hat!
Rosie.
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Catherine commented
I must admit those little stars do ensure that these particular items stand out (and apart) from the non "starred" items.
This gives an impression of something extra special, well to me it looks that way. Those that have no stars are not "as special" as those that do.
Seems rather odd to me to just suddenly add them without explaining to buyers what they mean, but then there has been a lot of oddness on Folksy recently :( -
Rosie. commented
Replace the stars with something relevant if you must, but as featured sellers are already on a perpetual list for all to see, and we all pay the same listing fees, further promotion, especially via the categories, seems quite wrong to me.
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Carol commented
How about replacing the gold stars with the words 'Featured Seller' instead. After all, that's what they are.
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Anonymous commented
Agree!
Gisborne x -
Anonymous commented
I agree! It's lovely for people who are featured, and most of us won't ever be, and never even get on the front page, We all pay the same fees, but some people are getting a lot more free exposure!
Sara
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Rosie. commented
Oh, for those who are unaware, the gold stars are against their items in the drop-down categories on Folksy's front page, the ones prospective buyers use to search by, hence my suggestion.