YouTube and Etsy and Free Crap, Oh My [a disappointed rant]

The Feeling When a pretty prominent YouTuber and Instagrammer is "so shocked" that someone with an Etsy shop reaches out to them for stuff (be it free product or extra help with a product, etc, sending them "gifts") and "they didn't have to do that" and "they are so amazing."

Insert straight-faced emoji here. Also insert facepalm here.

Uh, you realize that, uh, well, they're expecting you to mention it. They know that you will say that they "were so kind" to do whatever-it-was for you. And then, ya, that brings their shop into more people's eyes and ears. They get something out of helping you.

Sure, it can be out of the kindness of their own heart, but there is no way that they aren't expecting some kind of mention from you about it...because that's what we do as people - we want to thank those that help us out. But they get that mention, they get that many extra people looking at their stuff.

And, yet, you're saying "they were so kind and helpful, I just can't even!" and, you, well, are part of a problem. You can "even" if you tried - you could just simply say it was kind of them to reach out to you, and so you are mentioning their shop. Not saying "she was so kind, oh and I'll leave a link because she is awesome." She isn't being awesome, she's expecting that link back, she's expecting that name drop. She is not any more awesome than any other shop (because most people on Etsy are, really, very good at customer service), they just are taking advantage of the fact that you are a YouTuber and Instagrammer with more than enough people following you. If it were someone with lower numbers, they would not have offered you whatever free product is was. If it was someone with lower numbers, they would not have added so many extras to your order.

You can say "they didn't have to do that!" all you want, but for their business, they did have to do that. And I think it's pretty crap that you don't mention that or even try to suggest that. I think it's crap that nobody mentions that. These shops are, obviously, running a business. And the fact that you are treating it like they are just your friend is hurtful. Not to you, and not to the shop, but to the rest of the world. Average person x is not going to have the shop go out of their way to reach out to them when they have whatever problem with the product. Average person x is not going to get extra sheets of stickers with their order (unless the shop always sends an extra, but they certainly won't get as much as you are!). Average person x is not going to get asked if they love the product as you are.

But you're suggesting that the person running that shop is "so friendly and helpful!" when, really, they're pimping their wares and they are running a business. They are probably friendly and helpful across the board, but you can guarantee that once they realize it's you they are dealing with, they are going above the above and beyond. If it's me, that's not going to be the case.

Stop it. Don't be shocked. Don't be amazed. Don't say they didn't have to do that. Don't gush over it.
Say that they are a shop, they sent you this, and you are mentioning them, because that's part of the unspoken agreement. And then we can  move on.

~Havok

P.S. This post was inspired by a video by a fairly prominent YouTuber in the planner "community" who did just this in a video, who is also trying to start up an Etsy shop, and yet did these very things in their video. And it made me angry. One, because it happens all the time (on YouTube and Instagram alike), and it was the straw that broke the camel's back. And two, because of their popularity, this is a tactic they won't have to use to get eyes on their shop (yay for them?). And three, because of the fact that they sound so sincere in their claims of "they are so amazing and they didn't have to do that!" that it just irks me. Be thankful. Always be thankful. But be honest, too.

P.P.S. It's like famous people and product placements. You can bet those companies are going to go out of their way that their product works for said famous person. The average joe (or jane!) is not going to get that tailoring, and they are not going to get that focus and help, so that they can get those kind of results. Everyone knows it, but the company and the person are not saying it. But outside sources are saying it, and it makes sense. In the planner "community" this is not said. It's hopefully on peoples' radars, but it's not something that I see (please let me know if you have!) and these company-to-YouTube/Instagram relationships are shown as "friendships" and, sorry, but they are not that - there is a business side to that friendship as well, and that needs to be taken into account.