One of my best selling handmade necklaces deactivated

[LivinFreely]

Many of my best sellers have been targeted by sites like Aliexpress. I report them, but there's only so much I can do. 

They use my photos then make crappy versions of my design. 

A few weeks ago one of my listings was removed and marked that it violated the handmade policy.

I buy all my supplies from Etsy supply sellers and create my jewelry with my hands, but I keep being told its not handmade.

I've had 2 chats and 2 emails going back and forth, but have been told Etsy support can't help me so who can? I'm so upset about this because I have videos of me creating this necklace and photos of my supplies I use to create it, but no one will listen. Has anyone had this experience? Who did you talk to? They just keep telling me they can't help me and support can't reinstate listings. I've been selling only handmade on Etsy for 11 years and this whole situation has been so frustrating and upsetting.

I'm not sure who else I can contact or what to do anymore.

[FallenAngelBrass]

The easiest way to head this off is to take new photos and stop using the photos that appear on other websites.   In an effort to nab resellers, the bots are detecting duplicate photos and deactivating Etsy items that appear on other websites.  

[LivinFreely]

I'm totally willing to retake my photos and wish I would of sooner before this happened, but at this point don't I just need to give up on my old listing and start over? I wish they would just contact me and say we understand what happened can you please retake your photos and we'll reinstate your listing, but they just continue to tell me its not handmade. 

[FallenAngelBrass]

There are millions of sellers who are fraudulently reselling here now and Etsy is making attempts to curb their activity.  Unfortunately, some legit sellers are caught up in the dragnet.  Sadly, this isn't the old Etsy where admin works with sellers individually and checks out the hand making process of every shop in question.  We're wrangling with bots, no longer with customer service humans.   If you get a human (who isn't just copying and pasting from a script) it's a rare and lucky strike now.  

[nineteen27]

you need to continue filing DMCA take-down notices.

i would not re-photograph the items.

what if they steal those photos too?

[LivinFreely]

I looked this up, but it looks like it cost a lot and my photos have been stolen by Aliexpress, Temu, Shein and several others so now it seems to be everywhere. 

Is there a way to do these take down notices that doesn't cost much?

[howtobooksandmore]

DMCAs are free to file.  All it takes is lots and lots of time which you have now that Etsy took your best sellers down.

[ExquisiteEquestriaCo]

Etsy has removed items in my shop too.  I received a notice that if I have one more violation my site will be suspended.  I have reached out for support, but have also been brushed off.  I am so worried they will suspend my account.  They also said I can no longer earn Star Seller badges, but yet on May 1st I still have it.  Does anyone know what happens when they suspend your shop - do you still have access to your account and pictures, etc?

[FallenAngelBrass]

No, you won't be able to get into your shop if it's suspended. 

[leinweberstudio]

During Wednesday's earnings call Silverman expressly stated that in their efforts to rid the site of non-compliant merch, listings that are found by bots on other sites will be taken down.

The impression I got was that it's the old "Shoot first and ask questions later (or never)".

He also confirmed it was up to sellers to contact Etsy to dispute the takedown with proof it's their own stuff. 

What he didn't go into was how successful such appeals have been, or how easy it would be to file such appeals.

All of it had a definite "You're SOL" vibe.

[nineteen27]

guilty.

until proven innocent.

etsy has always been a little backwards.

[leinweberstudio]

etsy has always been a little backwards.

They can afford to be as they wish to be.

Because another feeling I had listening to him was that they are trying to downsize the seller pool, in other words they think they have too many.

This means they won't care about losing 1000 or 10,000 here and there.

[nineteen27]

etsy could start down-sizing the sellers.

by removing the infringers and counterfeiters.

just a simple search for a popular singer would remove about a bazillion products and thousands of sellers.

[leinweberstudio]

...by removing the infringers and counterfeiters.

Based on some of his comments, it won't be them. 

He sure didn't mention those, not even once.

[LivinFreely]

I was happy to hear from Silverman that you can "appeal" it if your item is wrongfully taken down, but there was no mention as to how to do that. I've included photos of my supplies, screen shots from a video of me making the necklace and have been told sorry we can not help you and that it violates their handmade policy.

I'm trying to do the right thing, but feel like I'm being penalized for something beyond my control and it's incredibly frustrating especially after being a loyal Etsy seller and customer for over a decade. 

[nineteen27]

does he ever mention them.

if he did...

he would probably be in trouble for letting people know that he knows the items are here.

[nineteen27]

@LivinFreely 

you have a beautiful shop.

and if i were you.

i would keep sending the videos.

until a real person actually takes a look.

and you really need to file DMCA take-down notices on the sites where they are stealing your pictures.

[SugarTaffySoap]

@LivinFreely  Yes, many of us have experienced a deactivation.  Unfortunately, chat support cannot help you. It's a different department. All Etsy has to do is look at your photos in your about section of you making the jewelry, your work space, etc.

There's YouTube videos and a lot of talk about deactivations and AliExpress and others copying sellers original photos. 

There's nothing further you can do but wait for a human Etsy employee to review the deactivated listing. It's a shame you're going through this. 

I know it's hurtful when you put your heart and soul into making a piece of jewelry only to have the photo stolen and then the listing deactivated.  Unfortunately, it's the good people that have to suffer because of the dishonest. Hang in there and by the way your handmade jewelry is beautiful!

[LivinFreely]

I've talked to a couple humans through email and they still told me it didn't qualify which makes no sense. I'm starting to think that I'm just going to have to take new photos and create a brand new listing which is super frustrating. 

Thank you so much!