Assistance Needed: Relocation and Bank Account Change Policy Issue

[JCRAFTDESIGNCo]

Hello Etsy Community,

I am Yasemin Aydin, the founder of Jcraftdesign. I have been an Etsy seller for several years and have invested a significant amount of time, effort, and resources into building my store. My store has gained a strong reputation and a loyal customer base.

I am currently in the process of relocating to another country, and I am facing a significant challenge with Etsy’s policy regarding changing bank account details. Etsy’s policy does not allow me to update my bank account to one in my new country, and I have been advised to open a new store instead.

I understand that Etsy has policies in place, but this situation puts me in a difficult position. Closing my store and starting from scratch would mean losing everything I have worked so hard to build, including my customer reviews, sales history, and brand recognition.

I am reaching out to the community to seek advice or support. Has anyone faced a similar issue or found a way to address it? Any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help and support.

Best regards,
Yasemin Aydin

[CraftyCornishMaids]

You can't change the currency you are paid in, or the country your shop is set to, and therefore the bank country you use

(unless you keep euros, and you move from one eurozone country to another, as they all have the same Eurozone banking regulator)

It can't be done.

You either have to

1. keep the shop in the country/currency/bank iban/tax id that it is

Or

2. set up another new shop, in the new country, with all the new bank, ID etc.

loads of people have faced the same thing, 1 or 2 are the only options

[JCRAFTDESIGNCo]

Hello,

Thank you for your response. From what I understand, Etsy’s current policies do not allow for changes to banking details and store settings when relocating to another country. However, I believe this situation can be quite challenging and unfair for many sellers.

In my personal situation: As the owner of Jcraftdesign, I have invested a great deal of time and effort into building and growing my store over the years. My current store has developed significant customer reviews, sales history, and brand recognition. I am relocating abroad and wish to continue operating my existing store with the same name and customer base.

Starting a new store presents considerable challenges for me, such as:

1. Loss of Customer Trust: I have built a reliable service for my customers over time. Opening a new store would require me to rebuild this trust from scratch.

2. Time and Resources: The process of setting up and managing a new store requires significant time and resources. Additionally, not being able to fulfill my obligations to existing customers would be both financially and emotionally difficult.

3. Brand Recognition: I do not want to lose the brand recognition I have established with my current store. Continuing under the same name is crucial for maintaining brand integrity.

While I understand Etsy’s policies are strict, I believe there should be flexibility for special circumstances. Perhaps a process could be established to review exceptional cases, such as mine, where a dedicated and successful seller could be granted an exception.

I hope Etsy can consider the real challenges faced by sellers and provide a fair solution. I would greatly appreciate any additional feedback and support on this matter. Thank you.

[BullBrosLeathers]

We are also facing the same situation, and there must be a solution to this, since we are moving abroad in my 4-year-old store, all our efforts are in vain.

[JCRAFTDESIGNCo]

Thank you for sharing your experience. It’s incredibly frustrating to face the same challenge, especially after dedicating so much effort to building your store over the past four years.

I completely understand how disheartening it is to think that all of that hard work might go to waste due to the relocation. It’s clear that there must be a solution to this issue.

Perhaps we can try to escalate our requests or explore additional avenues for support. I’m considering reaching out to Etsy through other channels and continuing to follow up on the forum and social media to highlight our situation.

If you have any additional thoughts or suggestions on how we can approach this, I’d love to hear them. We need to keep pushing for a fair resolution and see if we can find a way to continue our businesses without starting from scratch.

Best regards,
Yasemin

[CraftyCornishMaids]

there are only 2 things

stay the way you are

set up a new shop

.......

It's always been the same

.....

My new bank account is in a different country

If you’re in the eurozone

If your current bank account is located in the eurozone of Europe and you’re moving to another country within the eurozone, contact us for help updating your bank to the new country.

If you’re anywhere else

It’s not possible to change a bank account to another country.

The best option is to open a new Etsy shop. With your new shop, you can set your bank account to one in your current country. However, you can’t merge Etsy accounts or transfer information from your original shop to your new shop. This means that shop data, including listings, reviews, or sales numbers, can't be moved over to a new account. You can include the URL for your original shop in your new shop to display your reviews and sales numbers to shoppers.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@JCRAFTDESIGNCo 

it is disheartening

Etsy have restrictions around changing the banks regulators, and checking money laundering across banking regulators.
Amazon have the same problems, it's not just Etsy

It's been gone through huge numbers of times,

I really wouldn't waste your time

You can if you want, but your time would probably be better used setting up a new shop.

.....

your case is not exceptional, if you look at the forums, it's a very regular occurrence

[JCRAFTDESIGNCo]

Thank you for your reply. I understand that Etsy’s policy provides only two options: to either keep the shop as is or to set up a new shop if relocating to a different country. However, I would like to reiterate that this situation is quite challenging and disheartening for many sellers like myself.

My current bank account is indeed in a different country, and I am aware of the limitations for non-Eurozone countries. Nonetheless, given the significant investment of time, effort, and resources that I have put into my existing store, I believe there should be a way to address this issue more flexibly.

Starting a new shop would mean losing all the hard-earned reviews, sales history, and customer trust that my current store has built over the years. This not only impacts the business but also the loyal customers who have supported me throughout this journey.

I kindly request that Etsy considers a special review process for exceptional cases such as mine, where the seller has demonstrated a long-term commitment and success on the platform. Perhaps there could be a solution that allows me to update my bank account details without losing the integrity and history of my existing shop.

Thank you for understanding and for any further assistance you can provide.

Best regards,
Yasemin

[Vintorious]

Unfortunately, Etsy will not change it's policies for your situation.

If you have many repeat customers, you can send a message with their recent orders to alert them to the upcoming change, or put a note in their order that tells them about your new shop. New customers won't know the difference, and your new shop will have a temporary boost in visibility, so that is actually a positive for you. You can also place an announcement in your old shop so that anyone who is following your shop will know that you have relocated. If you were relocating a physical store, it would be no different.

[JCRAFTDESIGNCo]

Thank you for your response and for sharing your perspective. I understand that Etsy's policies on banking regulations and compliance are firm, and I appreciate the challenges faced by platforms like Etsy and Amazon in this regard.

However, I want to highlight that this issue affects not only myself but many sellers who have invested significant time and effort into their shops. It is disheartening to think that such dedication could be undermined by strict policies that do not account for exceptional cases like relocating to a different country.

My intention is to update my bank account details to a new account that is registered in my name and reflects my new address, while continuing to comply with all legal and regulatory requirements. Starting a new shop would mean losing valuable data, reviews, and customer trust that have been built over the years, which is a substantial setback.

I appreciate the suggestions to notify repeat customers and place announcements, but these actions do not fully address the challenges of rebuilding a business from scratch. This situation is not just about administrative changes but about maintaining the integrity and continuity of a business that has been built with considerable effort and dedication.

I hope Etsy can reconsider its approach and find a way to address these issues more flexibly. A special review process or alternative solution could greatly benefit sellers who are facing relocation and help preserve the hard work and customer relationships that have been established.

Thank you for your understanding and for any further support or guidance you can provide.

[Vintorious]

I am sorry you are struggling with Etsy's policy. You have no recourse, other than adapting. I do appreciate that this is going to require some effort on your part, but you are not "rebuilding a business from scratch:" you are simply having to re-market the business you have already built. You can choose to be frustrated about this new challenge, or you can embrace it with the knowledge that you have many advantages over an entirely new shop.

[JCRAFTDESIGNCo]

Thank you for your response. I understand that Etsy’s policies are firm, and I appreciate your perspective on the matter. However, I want to clarify why this situation is particularly challenging and why I believe that continuing with my existing shop is the more practical solution.

While opening a new shop might seem like an easier path, it doesn’t address the significant effort, time, and resources that have already been invested in my current shop. This isn’t just about re-marketing; it’s about preserving the valuable assets—data, reviews, and customer trust—that have been painstakingly built over the years.

Here’s why:

Loss of Established Data and Trust: Starting a new shop means losing all the data, reviews, and customer relationships that have been carefully developed. This is a considerable loss that goes beyond just re-marketing.

Additional Costs: Opening a new shop involves extra costs, including potential new equipment and the logistical challenges associated with setting up and managing a new account. These added expenses contribute to the financial burden during this transition.

Emotional and Operational Impact: Relocating to a new country is challenging enough. Dealing with additional restrictions and the need to start fresh with a new shop adds to the emotional and operational strain. It’s not merely adapting to a new challenge; it’s about maintaining the integrity of a business built with immense dedication and effort.

I respect everyone’s opinions on this matter, but I am deeply concerned about why my situation seems to be overlooked. It’s crucial to recognize that continuing with my existing shop is not just a matter of convenience but a practical necessity given the circumstances. I am curious to see how others would handle this situation if they were in my shoes.

I would greatly appreciate any further support or flexibility Etsy can offer to help ease this transition.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards

[Vintorious]

We are not dismissing your concerns. You are upset, and that is understandable. It is up to you whether to open a new shop or not, but you really have no other choice if you wish to continue doing business on this platform. Etsy is not overlooking your situation: they are conducting their own business in a manner that reduces their exposure to risk. What you view as Etsy's inflexibility is the product of years of deceptive sellers hiding their true locations in order to deceive buyers or to break laws. Of course you personally didn't cause the problem for Etsy, but you did agree to their rules when you opened your shop, and the rules help protect others.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

We understand the issues

We also understand etsy won't do anything about it.

The situation isn't overlooked, etsy has a firm stance on it. 

I am curious to see how others would handle this situation if they were in my shoes.

I wouldn't waste my efforts trying to change etsy, it's been like this since etsy payments was implemented in 2015, and the laws have only got more complex since then.
They wouldn't/couldn't even change it for the Ukrainian refugees, and they were fleeing for their lives.

If Amazon hasn't found a way around it, I doubt Etsy will invest their time and effort into finding a way, especially not any time soon.

If I was moving temporarily, I would  keep my shop as it is.

If I was moving permanently, I would open a new one.