AI taking down listings AGAIN!

[PrettyVagrant]

I just FINALLY after 5 weeks got a human to look over my items that were removed as “dangerous”.  My shop was one item away from suspension from lack of AI oversight. They told me they were taken down in error and that they would be reinstated.  I whipped my forehead in relief after much stress and tears.

NOW Today another 2 like times (only difference is the dangles) were removed for the same reason and now I am back to worry and fear today.  Do I need to remove all these items and lose sales and income form them to keep my shop open??

Then I have others that have been cleared before for creativity standards removed a second time months later

What gives?  I can’t keep battling those that steel my photos. 

Why does this keep happening?  Why does it take so long to get a human to look over things?   Why are shops getting warning emails and suspensions before a human looks over the flags to verify things?  Why can’t we be innocent until proven guilty?  WHAT can I do to get HELP?

[WhitetailRoad]

I am going through this as well. I am not sure what their end game is with not reinstating legitimate handmade listings. It's terrifying for small businesses on here.

[OneEyeCatStudio]

I wonder how much income they have lost from the apparent hundreds of legitimate best selling listings they have removed from the site.

Talk about the baby with the bath water .................

[WhitetailRoad]

Yes! I was thinking about that today...

They are quite literally deactivating all of the bestselling listings that are genuinely handmade.

I dread any bestseller badge or Etsy pick badge now. They're basically just highlighting the listings that would be best to steal and recreate using my photos.

[LurkerAndStrange]

I heard it was less than 1% from one of their shareholder meetings.

[ShadyCharactersArt]

I really hope that some of the Etsy employees realize this is madness and will advocate for the sellers.

[SpottedOctopusShop]

@WhitetailRoad, it's the best sellers on Etsy that are being stolen and put on temu and ali and etc. Having a best seller is great because they are surfaced in search and the gift keeps giving but they're also like  targets on your back.

[OneDottyDuck]

@OneEyeCatStudio Exactly this, and also, are they even sparing a thought to us sellers who are losing our incomes!

[TreeSeedMan]

I had a listing for poppy seeds taken down because it's supposedly a drug. Last time I checked poppies were flowers not drugs. Smh. I've asked them to review that they never have however when I was advertising the listing and they made hundreds of dollars off it the listing was perfectly okay it just so happened as soon as I stopped advertising the listing because of how much money they were charging me on advertising fees that's when they decided to list it as a drug. I'm sorry but flowers are not drugs that's so stupid

[GieseDeseiGns]

What type of poppy, big oriental poppies are where opiates come from. Yellow CA poppies not so much. Etsy just errs on anything  that contains poppy seeds, I imagine. Even read the other day where you cannot take  a Trader Joe’s  seed mix that you cook or sprinkle on bread, salads, etc. because it contains poppy seeds thru TSA.

[DivineCrossings]

I honestly think Etsy vastly underestimated the reseller population and, when they unleashed the bots, they became completely overwhelmed. They can’t keep up with the takedown reviews and they seemingly abandoned the human review process altogether. Sellers are often found guilty without due process.  The lesson here should be: listen to your sellers, Etsy, ‘cause denial ain’t just a river in Africa…we’ve been screaming about resellers for years and now you can’t handle the problem without causing mass casualties to your legitimate sellers. Selling on Etsy has become a minefield.

[RebelJewelleryShop]

I'm going through the exact same thing. The stress levels I feel are insane right now. Its been weeks and no response. Every day mote listings deactivated. 

I'm getting zero back from Etsy even though I've made them tens of thousands of pounds. This is pushing me to close shop and do the travelling Ive always wanted to do.

This whole thing means I would never trust Etsy again. This is my income my business and my financial security. I'm so angry they can do this

[WhitetailRoad]

I am sorry you're experiencing this as well. I understand.

It has made me seriously consider leaving the platform to pursue other interests.

I just can't trust that my shop is safe after this.

[HintJewellery]

Same here. Chat is useless ~ I've been on there every day since they removed my best selling listing and they just refer me to their policies which they've accused me of violating. I managed to find my photos on AliExpress and got them removed but I want my old listing back as it had 6 years worth of sales, favourites and 5* reviews. Support are ignoring my emails and I don't know what to do now. I've de-actived my whole shop as I found other stolen photos on other sites and don't want them shutting me down completely.

Posts on here keep getting closed with promises from the mods that they are getting a "specialist team" to review our concerns, or removed completely. I haven't heard from any "specialists".

The whole thing stinks.

[OneDottyDuck]

I feel your pain. I am going through the same battles. Still haven't heard a thing regarding the deactivation of one of my best selling listings on 21st August. This has got beyond ridiculous!

[PrettyVagrant]

I had to wait 5 weeks and then more happened with the treat of suspending my shop with the next that could happen at any time.  The stress put me over the edge!

On a side note the specialist was quicker the second time around, but we shouldn’t have to have the worry.  I get it, you need to have checks, but do not find us guilty without a human appeal.  

[annadrawsstuff]

I woke up to the same this morning, my bestselling item being removed after already going through it with another last week. They can't even tell me WHY the listings were taken down in customer support, just that the listing 'Violates Etsy's Creativity Standards'.

We get our photos and items stolen by bootleggers on aliexpress and as the cherry on top you get a policy violation strike, feels good man.

Supposedly editing the listing and submitting it again will put it back up for review (according to the customer support I spoke with this morning), but I see no proof of this and haven't read about it anywhere else.

I've provided proof of copyright, proof of the item it applies to being handmade (I even showed a video I had made 2 years prior of me making the item in question), offered to show the original art files, everything.

They just don't seem to have any sort of appeals process, which is RIDICULOUS since this is an automated system taking everything down. At the very least they should have a form you can submit to, or an email address for appeals.

[RebelJewelleryShop]

I can't believe this is happening to so many sellers. Surely it must be eating in to a huge amount of their revenue as well! 

Is there away everyone could come together on this? The lack of explanation and just being git with "violates creativity policy" is ludicrous.

It makes me feel better knowing I'm not the only one being treated in this way. I have rent to pay.. bills and not to mention its approaching Christmas. How can they get away with this!?

[SwallowDigitalArt]

I have encountered the same situation. My designs were stolen and sold on the same sites. It's unbelievable!!! Why does ETSY ban us when those sites allow it!! Doesn't Etsy believe that the designs are ours? I don't know when I will be able to contact a real person. I always get the same automated response. It's really frustrating. I don't know if I should close my Etsy shop and move on to other marketplaces

[EliteBabyNursery]

I think the only way to get around the takedowns is to take a new main photo of what you are selling. Maybe a different background or on your hand or something.  Then the photo of the item will not match what is on other websites.

[SwallowDigitalArt]

Yes, this may be a solution. But Etsy has closed my shop and I am waiting for it to open. If it opens, I will change all my photos and add a watermark with my logo. But this may not be a solution either. Bad-intentioned people can buy and use my product. They can also edit the images themselves. I don't know what to do, believe me.

[FabioMcMustache · Accepted solution]

Hello! We're sorry to hear you're experiencing issues with your listings. We've forwarded your concerns to a specialist team. Thank you! 

Please know we handle support inquiries privately per our Community Policy – we’re closing this thread, so you can get the support you need from us directly.