Here's why thousands of Etsy sellers are boycotting the platformTricia Robinson is one of over 17,000 sellers planning to boycott Etsy from April 11 to 18 after the site announced it would be hiking its transaction fees from five to 6.5 per cent. 

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Etsy hikes transaction fees from 5 to 6.5 per cent despite strong earnings last quarter

Nojoud Al Mallees · CBC(Mark Lennihan/The Associated Press)comments

When Tricia Robinson first got on Etsy in 2013, it was to help save her cat's life. 

"My cat got really ill and I was getting vet bills through the roof and I couldn't afford to pay them," Robinson said. "So I created an illustration that was inspired by him and I sold it." 

That's when Robinson realized she could use the platform to sell more of her work and actually make a living off of it. 

But after receiving her first payment from Etsy, the Montreal artist says she was struck by the difference between her sales and the amount that was being deposited into her account. That's when she paid attention to all the fees Etsy charges sellers on the platform.

At first, she was okay with it.

"It kind of became this thing of like, okay, well, I'm making money as an artist. I have access to this online marketplace. It's pretty cool for the most part," she said. 

WATCH | Why this Etsy seller is striking: 

Etsy sellers boycott fee hike on platform

6 hours agoDuration 2:00Thousands of sellers on Etsy are going on strike, protesting the e-commerce platform’s decision to hike transaction fees from five to 6.5 per cent. Etsy argues the fee increase will help the company invest in marketing and expand support staff.Etsy stock price doubles after $276M IPO

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