That was annoying to me, too. I'm German. I learned English at school and so I translated all me descriptions. When I saw that all these german sellers did not take the time to change their listing language I asked myself why I worked on my descriptions when most of the others went the easy way...

On the other hand... hey, it's not perfect but maybe the english speaking buyers understand the stories I tell. *g*

Greetings and all the best for the holidays, :)
Irina

Milomade - we are not trying to put anyone at a disadvantage, but we work very hard to translate the whole website and offer you the possibility to make use of several different language platforms. When searching, there is a tick box at the bottom of the page to choose which platform you would like to retreive results from.

Airihnaa - cognratulations on putting in the work to translate your listings! It is very important if the German community is able to translate their listings, because I imagine that alot more native German speakers have a good level of English than the other way around! (I am a native English speaker living in Germany, and this is my firsthand experience).

I should point out that the German DaWanda team is regularly advising the DE community that it would be very helpful to fill in English translations to their listings. Sellers who submit listings in German to the English site receive specific emails from us asking please to work on their translations.

I list my items in English, in the French and German sections too, as if we live it empty will look empty to customers from Germany and France and I think there is many people in the world who will get the basics even if they don't speak English, I think that in the Dawanda Community we should do everything we can to get to people, always with respect, professionalism and with the human crafters touch!

Interesting...I wish I could expand to foreign customers. I don't translate well, so unless I find someone who can translate it for me I'll have to see if they can find me!

I'm guilty of writing English in the German & French section. I guess I was ignorant & thought Dewanda site did the translation. I will have to decide if I will stay with Dewanda when fees start. I too came because I wanted a bigger range of potential customers.

Elizabeth,
one thing I have noticed and maybe you could ask the tech team to work on :

When I check items, I tick both the English and the French boxes, because those are the languages I am really comfortable with.
As a consequence, I get to see listings of items listed in these two languages.
But - and I've verified this - when it is an item from the German site, I get the German language title and listing by default, even if the German seller did indeed go to the trouble of writing up a listing in English.
Most, of the time, I don't bother clicking on the British flag to check whether they did. I'm afraid I'm not the only one.

Which also means that German buyers will get the impression my own listings are in French only. Shame, after all that bilingual work I put in...

Oh and please, Everyone, don't take this badly, but it is totally unrealistic to expect "the site" to translate your listings.
If you are not familiar with working on languages, just take my word for it : it is HARD WORK, even if it doesn't seem that way from outside, so much so that some people get paid (badly, granted, but still...) for it. It IS a job. Think of it, and respect it, as a craft, just like yours...

And I'll say it again: translation software such as you find online is absolutely not up to it. Do not trust it, if you cannot proof-read it or have it proof-read.
Some of the results you can see here are entertaining at best, but often, just irritating, I find.

Sorry, one of my pet peeves...

I'm still unclear. Admin please help.

If I list only in English, will my listing also be seen on the French and German platforms, even if only in English?

If despite being an international platform, my listings are not visible internationally, then I probably won't bother adding any more or relisting when they expire.

***

I have been using online translators. My written French is adequate for this purpose, but I use the on-line translator for speed. I often alter the english in various ways to test out the translation, then edit to tidy up.

My German though is almost non-existent and I am almost entirely dependent on the translating software. I always say how the translation is produced in the listing though. I have always managed to work my way through when English listings have clearly been done this way and I am certainly never irritated. I know my own limitations so would have no justification for complaining about others, and I suspect that applies to most of us.

Expecting perfect translations before listing internationally is simply not going to work. I _want_ to trade internationally and if DaWanda tells me I can't unless I have perfect command of the other languages, I'm afraid I will simply go elsewhere.

If you list in English only, your listings are shown automatically to English platform users, but only to those German/French users, who have ticked the English box at the bottom of the Categories page.

I am also new here, haven't set up shop yet, still looking for the right place for me to do it. I think that it would be best for both sellers and customers to see all listings by default. If people can't find what they are looking for, they might not recommend the site to other people. And if the item they wanted actually exists on the site, just wasn't found because the buyer didn't notice (or dare to check) the check-boxes, it's a huge opportunity that has been wasted! This kind of exposure would be good for all sellers, not just the one that made the sale. I have been looking around to see what kind of a place this is, but don't always remember to tick the (very well hidden) boxes, and have to start my searches from the beginning when I notice this.

Being European this would be a very cozy place for me, but... This matter was brought up over a year ago, when the thread was started, but no changes have been done. I don't know enough French or German to be sure to get the translations right (I'm able to shop in those languages), so the exposure I would be getting would be very scarce.

hmm .. unfortunately i only speak English and im disappointed to learn that Dawanda is not so strong with the British Audience ..this seems to be the experience from what people are saying in this thread.
I too wanted to reach a European audience because rightly or wrongly, i suspect there might be more a wider appreciation for art related things amongst a European audience, who love to decorate their homes and apartments.
Now im wondering what my next strategy should be ? after all, this thread confirms the English speaking Dawanda shopkeepers are getting quite alot more views, even if they are posting in only French and English.
I Wonder what i can do ? Any suggestions ?
Maybe a separate website with alternate langauge modes, with links to Dawanda explaining that my Dawanda shop is only in English ? does anyone have any experience with this ?
Thanks in advance Dawanda folk.

Reading back over the posts again .. this is actaully a serious central issue for Dawanda and one THAT SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED OR LEFT TO SLIDE.

from what people are saying in the last 5 PAGES of posts, DAWANDA has to address this issue in a satisfactory way if DAWANDA is to reach its FULL PROMISE AND POTENTIAL as an INTERNATIONAL platform.

THIS IS FUDAMENTAL .. otherwise people are gonna seek OTHER SOLUTIONS. Listen up DAWANDA .. address this if you can.

I try to at least tag my items in german, and what the item is in the title. I don't speak german although I speak both French and English. I think at least that way German buyers have a chance of seeing my shop, and if they do not understand what I have written in french and english then it's their choice whether to take it further or not. I would not consider trying an online translator to do my listings, it's better to let the buyer decide to walk away if they want.