BIG YELLOW BANNER.... "We removed listings from your shop that don't follow our policies..."

[pennyemporium]

today i notice a BIG YELLOW BANNER across the top of my shop 'listings' page, announcing that an unspecified number of my listings don't comply with Etsy's standards, and have been moved to my inactive folder.  and that i can look at an email that Etsy that i have not yet received.

however.... the only listings in my 'inactive' folder are two that expired several years ago.  all my regular listings are still in place and available.  (at least, it seems like they are available, although my sales have completely dried up in the last week....)

the big yellow banner reads..."We removed listings from your shop that don't follow our policies

It looks like some of your listings weren't in line with one or more of our policies for selling on Etsy, so they're no longer active. These policies help us keep our marketplace a safe and unique destination for handmade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies.

You can check your email (redacted email address) for more info on what can be sold on Etsy. Keep in mind, if you have multiple policy violations, we may need to remove any Star Seller badges you have or suspend your account."

has anyone else seen this yellow banner?  is this a bit of fallout from the 'mature listings' shake-up happening later this month?  

[BeaconwoodDettman]

I have not seen this - I had an item removed right after I listed it last week but it was reactivated the next day. But that was a single listing, it sounds like your banner refers to multiple items. 

Please keep us posted on what happens, hopefully they appear in your deactivated folder and you can review/dispute them. 

[PlatypusDream]

Have you reported other shop's listings?

I got dinged by Etsy for doing that... they sent ME the take down instead of the reseller!

[PlatypusDream]

Alternately... 

Do you make those pinwheels, or are you reselling them?

They do say "Handmade", NOT supplies.

[pennyemporium]

@PlagtypusDream: regarding the pinwheels... i hand paint the handles different colors and hand make the little pouches for the pinwheels.  

it is my understanding that by altering the pinwheel (ie: painting the handle) and handmaking the pouch, the pinwheel listings would fall under the Etsy rules of "handmade".

if i am mistaken, i would certainly appreciate a better understanding of the rules.  thank you for your response.

[Miniandminiature]

@PlatypusDream What???? Are your serious? They removed your item instead???

[BagmakerSupply]

@pennyemporium: There have been other reports in this forum of the warning banner appearing in error. If none of your listings are in the inactive tab with a 'Deactivated By Etsy' notation then you should  be okay.

[pennyemporium]

"should be" okay... however, Etsy chat tells me there is a definitive strike against my shop, but they can't telll me what is is!!!!!

they have "escalated the issue".... throws up hands!

[heavyistheheart]

Maybe this statement 

the "Whips by Axel" in the photos are NOT included. i can tell you where to get one (or five!); his whips are delicious and buttery, you just can't have mine... apologies"

[pennyemporium]

@heavyistheheart:  you make a good point; thank you for the feedback! 

i plan on combing thru all my listings and will try to "sanitize" them, as Etsy chat was unable to tell me what the issue was that caused the yellow banner to appear.  

[heavyistheheart]

No prob. I went through your listings and that stood out mostly because you are suggesting customers contact you to purchase elsewhere.

[pennyemporium]

@heavyistheheart:  can you enlighten me about exactly how i am directing customers to purchase offsite?  Etsy is very strict is telling sellers that they should only display the actual item for sale, and i thought i needed to inform that the whip pictured was NOT included in the listing.  i will re-take those photos for that item and remove the whip.  

if you saw other ways that appeared as though i was directing folks offsite, i would be appreciative of that information.  regards...

[heavyistheheart]

 i can tell you where to get one (or five!); his whips are delicious and buttery

As a potential buyer I would be very confused.

I have to contact you to find out where to purchase something? This would suggest you are giving a person details on where to purchase elsewhere. I don't this is 'etsy legal'

Not a criticism just how I would read it. I am also not your target market so maybe I am reading it wrong.

[AutumnHollowStudio]

@pennyemporium you asked in a comment a little further up this thread about painting the handles of your items to alter them so they qualify as handmade. That is a murky area, and one that sellers often try to use as a loophole. Basically, handmade means handmade by you - meaning you are making everything from scratch or assembling multiple items to make something new/different. Items that can be used "as is" - meaning, without altering them (I don't think painting a handle would qualify, but I could be wrong) doesn't count as handmade.

Do you own the "Fire Wands" company? You are using their photos in some of your listings with their logo on it, and those fire wands are commercially available for sale on the internet from various sources.

Perhaps read up on Etsy's handmade policy, and their criteria for craft supplies as I feel they are sometimes closely related.

https://www.etsy.com/hk-en/legal/handmade/

https://www.etsy.com/legal/policy/craft-supplies/239327031264

[pennyemporium]

@AutumnHollowStudio: 

"Do you own the "Fire Wands" company? You are using their photos in some of your listings with their logo on it, and those fire wands are commercially available for sale on the internet from various sources."

actually, yes, i AM the owner of firewands dot com.... and that website redirects folks directly to etsy to make a purchase.  

if you have seen my firewands for sale from "various sources" i would LOVE to know where that is, since i only sell on etsy.  

i have watermarked my images as they have been "stolen" over the years, and the watermark tends to cut down on the photo stealing.  

thank you for your thoughtful reply, i appreciate it!

[AutumnHollowStudio]

@pennyemporium I hope you get this straightened asap. Etsy  has been known to go after sold/expired listings as well.

As for your Fire Wand branded photos... just be careful. Etsy's bots are out of control these days and will take down listings if they detect those same images on other online marketplaces. Their "guilty until proven innocent" policies are really awful when sellers are caught up in bot sweeps that shouldn't be.

You really should complete your shop's "about" section and include this information about your company there, and upload videos to be included in the about section that shows you making the wands, so there are no questions if Etsy ever gives you a hard time about this.

[JerzeyRozeCreations]

Yes I received one the other day for my pacifier holders.... They did that when I put on other ones then they reinstated them because they said it was an error.. Now I put more on and it happened again only this time I can't seem to get a hold of anyone and I don't remember how to do chat... I don't understand when we can't get a hold of anyone.

[pennyemporium]

@JerzeyRozeCreations: chat simply told me to look at the email i never received.  

the phone rep told me that even if my listing was "removed in error, and might be reinstated" that the strike against my shop remains.

callback feature:
https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?segment=selling#issue_sell_manage_listings-callback

[hopeandjoystudios]

Pacifier clips are prohibited

"Teething or teether items with small parts that are intended to go into/near a child's mouth, including loose beads, nursing necklaces, rattles, and pacifier clips."

Children’s Clothing and Products - Our House Rules | Etsy

 down under choking hazards. If yours don't have small parts that may or may not be an out but they also may have issue with anything that could wrap around a child's neck. I think a paci clip is going to be a removal that may or may not be okayed. What that does to your shop if okayed..not sure.

[CuriousityShop]

@AutumnHollowStudio  You can take almost anything and "Personalize it " by putting a name on it, and it counts as handmade.  Taking a plain neck chain and adding any pendant on it is considered handmade. So painting a handle to the pinwheel should be OK.

[AutumnHollowStudio]

I know, I just wasn't sure if painting the handle qualified as modifying the use of something enough to make it "handmade" according to Etsy's policy. If that makes sense. 

[SugarTaffySoap]

@pennyemporium  Did you get credited $.20 for the listing deactivated? There's a listing number underneath it. Maybe that will help you. 

[pennyemporium]

@SugarTaffySoap: no, i was not credited for the listing fee, as the listing wasn't actually removed.  

the listing sold to a buyer and is already shipped to them.  the listing is in my 'sold' folder.

i got a call back from the etsy phone rep, telling me they could not reveal why my listing was removed, and that it was under review, and could be re-instated but the strike on my shop would remain.... and after they said they would "escalate it" they hung up on me.  in mid sentence.

which is why i am now playing a guessing game here on the forums.... 

thank you for your lucky guess.... i really don't know.

[SugarTaffySoap]

@pennyemporium  oh ok, your original post says in the first paragraph it was moved to Inactive. 

[pennyemporium]

@SugarTaffySoap: yes, every communication from etsy said that the "removed" listing was in my inactive folder.  

the giant yellow banner informed me that i should "look" for the "removed" listing in my inactive folder.  and yet.... no removed listings there...

in reality, the listing was one that had sold to a buyer and had already shipped.  

the phone rep tells me that my listing "might" be reinstated, but the strike agaist my shop will remain.