Check Your Monthly Statements After Your Shop is Restored from Forced Vacation Mode

[#1]

For those whose shops were put on forced vacation mode, the troubles may not end once your shop is restored. Don’t breathe too easily just yet.

The first thing you should do when your shop is back is check your monthly statements.

When my shop was restored this afternoon, it didn’t look like the same shop it was before the incident. For example, the listing arrangements and featured products were all out of place. I couldn’t feature products or collections on my main page because the function was bugged. I had a weird feeling, so I immediately checked my monthly statements and discovered that I was charged listing fees and tax for all 1,021 products in my shop—$247.04 CAD at once. I contacted customer service via chat right away and was able to get a refund. The explanation I received was that all the listings were deactivated when the shop was in vacation mode, and when it was restored, the listings were relisted automatically, which generated bills.

I’m so glad I followed my instinct and checked. Otherwise, in addition to the financial loss during the vacation mode, I would have faced another loss due to these mistaken fees.

And when calculating the amount you should be refunded, make sure to do your own calculations first. The first agent I spoke with didn’t verify the amount properly and issued me a rough refund, which was incorrect. I had to contact them a second time to get the rest refunded.

[GenWoo]

I posted in the forum twice  yesterday, and my shop was restored right away without any explanation or notification. Etsy did not contact me or request any new documents or information. My original request submitted through the Help Center also remains unanswered.

My shop was put into vacation mode on Dec 12 and back on Dec 16 afternoon.

My shop was forced into vacation mode on December 12 and restored on the afternoon of December 16.

A few hours after my shop was back, I received an order, but not many. My shop specializes in parties and holidays, and missing the last critical days of this holiday season due to the forced vacation mode has likely ended this year’s sales.

I’m not sure if this affected the algorithm, but honestly, I haven’t had the energy to dig into it—I’m just too tired of all this.

[PrairiePrimitives]

@GenWoo You've got New Year's party decor and there are other Winter holidays, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa for starters. Valentine's Day isn't that far away and there are birthdays & weddings every day of the year. Don't give up yet! 

[BeforeTheIDos]

Thank you for the heads up. I hope my shop is taken out of vacation mode soon.

[ChillwolfArt]

@GenWoo  Wow, Thank You for the Heads Up. I hope others see this (Threads aren't Bumping to the top when someone posts to them). I'm glad Chat was able to help you with the listings which were erroneously activated (and for which you were charged). That is one big glitch.
I'm also glad your Shop has been restored. What is disturbing however, is the fact that you never received any communication as why it was halted in the first place. Like so many others this is happening to. Major lack of transparency.

[GenWoo]

There was no communication from Etsy at any stage regarding the forced vacation mode. The only interaction I had was after my shop was restored, when I contacted customer service to request a refund for the listing fees. During that chat, I mentioned the forced vacation mode, but the agent didn’t provide any information or explanation about it. My primary focus at the time was getting the refund, so I didn't bother to ask further.

[vintageNCtreasures]

Just speechless.........So glad you caught Etsy's screw up and got refunded.

Wonder how many other sellers this happened to and they have no idea. 

[LeLightFantastique]

Aren't all these shut-down threads on forced vacation mode really scarey?!  Etsy's AI is turning into Frankenstein's monster: taking over, out of control and ultimately destroying.

[GenWoo]

I still don't understand why those threads have to be locked. They can't let people share and discuss it?

[audreytherese]

In my opinion what's actually scarier is their lackadaisical response to so many shops being erroneously placed on 'vacation' the week before Christmas. It's one thing to make a mistake, it's another to dismiss how detrimental this mistake can actually be, both to those shops and the site as a whole, and think it's going to be ignored because the posts were closed and the info was sent to 'specialists'. 

Just like their last big err (putting out a coupon that crashed carts so people couldn't check out on Cyber Monday - which I'm still waiting for support to get back to me to let me know it's safe to check out again, as was promised when I contacted them), while I feel bad for the individual shops, I hope the overall effect is enough to get the attention of some higher ups that might actually do something to stop these reckless programmers and their callous disregard. 

[Duckwells]

There was an executive leadership shakeup last week.  Maybe no one is in charge

[PWOriginals]

My "gut" is telling me there could be something on the horizon along those lines.

[GenWoo]

What we truly need is an entirely new management team that values handmade and vintage items, understands their significance, and shows genuine empathy for small businesses.

[KanjaniCraft]

Definite sinking ship vibes here

[WishesontheWind]

Get a grip etsy!  This situation is beyond ridiculous.