Critical site error, over 2 months and no fix. I’ve filed a complaint with the Better Business Burea

[HighgateMansion]

I have an issue with my new site which has resulted in customers not being able to make credit card purchases on it, essentially making the site inoperable. I first reported this error over 2 months ago. Numerous emails, chats, and phone calls, and it has still not been resolved and it’s now the busiest sales time of the year. For the last 2 months Etsy have said the error is being looked at by their engineers. But there has been no progress. They haven't even replied to my last 3 requests for my complaint to be escalated. As a last resort I’ve filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. But does anyone have any other suggestions as to what I can do. Is there any other external entity I can go to? I’m based in California.

Thanks 

[CoquetteBath]

first, the BBB isn't a government agency. And has about as much 'teeth' as a 15 year old rottweiler. JMO, but, when anyone can 'join' it by paying a fee...regardless of their egregious business behavior, I completely discount that organization.

yes, I know businesses that lie, cheat & steal and ARE members. So, that's not going to help you.

I am not sure what issues you are facing. BUT, Etsy has millions of sellers and sometimes the issues are shop specific, so while stating 'patience' is correct, I get that it is also not sufficient. Especially this time of year.

Not sure what you can do other than be patient, find other places to list your products but...you could also benefit from a critique. Many of your photos are dull & dark and while that may be how these items ARE in RL, that's not helping you with conversions.

HTH

[HighgateMansion]

It's a technical issue on the site. Etsy have confirmed this. This is not about conversions. I'm not complaining about that. Thats irrelevant to my issue. 

[HighgateMansion]

I agree that some of the pictures are dull. But that's an accurate representation of the actual product. Specifically the doormats. But I don't want to misrepresent them by artificially brightening them. It's how the image will appear on the material that the item is made of. 

[Duckwells]

You have copyright violations, your shop may never hear from Etsy until their removed 

[GroundZeroCreations]

@Duckwells It is fine to mention if you see IP violations, but would be helpful if you say what they are. I was looking at this shop and I just didn't seen them. I even did a google lens search on a few and none of them showed up elsewhere. But I may be missing something simple that I should know. 

[Duckwells]

Oh, the AI generated art looks so much like the Twilight graphics.  If I assumed, bots will too

[HighgateMansion]

I do not have any copyright violations. And that is not the issue. 

[GroundZeroCreations]

Are you a new shop? It really sounds like it may be that something in your shop has not been properly activated. Have you enrolled in Etsy payments? Do you have a credit card on file with Etsy?

Enroll in Etsy Payments to accept credit cards and other payment methods:

• Go to Shop Manager > Finances > Payment settings
• Enter your credit card, bank account, and residential address
• Read the Terms of Service and click Continue
• Enter your personal information
• Enter your bank information

Etsy Payments allows sellers to accept payments from:
• Credit cards
• Debit cards
• Etsy Gift Cards
• Etsy Credit
• Etsy Coupons
• Some bank transfer services
• PayPal (where available)
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• Some country-specific installment payment methods

You can read more about it here: https://www.etsy.com/legal/etsy-payments/

[HighgateMansion]

Thats the issue. But I can't enroll because of a technical issue on the site. It's something the Etsy engineering team has to fix. It's nothing that I can do. There are some specific functions that don't work. 

[GroundZeroCreations]

@HighgateMansion Stop and consider for a moment that if it was a technical issue you would not be the only shop that is effected. I suspect you are getting Etsy's outsourced seller support and they know pretty much zero about anything!

You need to drill down into the issue with the assumption that you are missing something or doing something incorrectly.

Exactly where is the process hanging up? How far do you get before it won't let you go any further? 

If you are in the USA, you have to be verified by Plaid. Did you do that?

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001980067-How-to-Verify-Your-Seller-Information-for-Etsy-...

[NanaLetha]

@HighgateMansion  did you verify your bank account with Plaid? That's a requirement for all US shops.

[HighgateMansion]

Thats the issue. I can't do it because of a technical issue with the site. Etsy have been aware of this for 2 months. Only their engineers can fix it. 

[NanaLetha]

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115015775908-How-to-Update-and-Verify-Your-Bank-Account-for-...

[HighgateMansion]

Thanks for the input. But yes I have verified the bank account. Its a technical issue which essentially means that when I click on the save and continue button, it does not enable the credit card acceptance function. 

[GieseDeseiGns]

Are these mock ups or photos of the real thing, Etsy wants the item photoed to be exactly wat the customer receives.

[PrairiePrimitives]

My understanding is that the edges of the product need to be visible in the thumbnail; otherwise they're considered mock-ups. 

[TinTeddy]

They are definitely mock-ups.

There are other shops using the same background.

[MrsDsHandKnits]

Many of the pictures are dull,blurry...some are pictures of art work; not actual photos...

[TinTeddy]

They are AI generated, just not declared as such.

[HighgateMansion]

Printify mockups. But that's not the issue. 

[TheOldBarnDoor]

@HighgateMansion  not sure if this might be part of your challenge however - does it have anything to do with customers in countries you don't ship to trying to purchase one of your items?  For example, I'm in Canada and when I put an item in my cart I cannot complete the purchase as you do not ship to Canada. 

Additional thought, how often has this happened? Once? Might it have something to do with the customer's credit card?  Have other orders gone through fine?

[HighgateMansion]

No. That's not the issue. Etsy know what the issue is. But after 2 months their engineering team haven't fixed it. 

[PrairiePrimitives]

@HighgateMansion You mentioned contacting Etsy several times. If you're sending them separate emails for each contact (regarding the same issue), you are effectively keeping your concern near the bottom of the queue. If you're calling AND emailing regarding the same issue, I'd be surprised if you get help from both sources. Several years ago, when I had an unresolved problem with Etsy (via email), I requested a callback but the phone rep said they couldn't help me  because I already had email correspondence open regarding the same issue! Granted, Etsy policy may have changed since then, it happens! 

Now a few questions that may help, if you don't mind?

Did you take the photos / create the art which is used on your products? 

You're based in LA, using a POD based in SF and the item I looked at ships from New Hampshire; another item ships from North Carolina. Wouldn't your POD products ship from wherever the POD is located? 

[HighgateMansion]

The issue is to do with not being able to take any credit cards. It's a tech issue on the site. Other people have the same issue.