Did Agreeing to The New Beta Listing Optimization Trial Cause My Shop to be Suspended?

[MSGBLADES]

We have been forced into Vacation Mode. I've found numerous threads with similar issues and know that I am not alone dealing with this issue.

We are a Star Seller Shop, with no billing issues, no shipping issue and no payment issues. With no prior email notification or messages to us in any way, our shop was places into "forced" vacation mode this afternoon! Our shop has now been shut down for 8-10 hours on a Friday evening, which is usually our biggest sales time of the week and still no idea when it will be open again??? 

Again, there are numerous threads on this issue, but Etsy has closed most responses, even some from earlier this week.  Our chat feature was cut off so we could only send an email help ticket to Etsy, which stated that we would hear something back in 1-2 days. In the mean time, we are completely shut down and cannot sell or list items in our shop.  This whole experience has been infuriating...

While still no response from Etsy through the email, I found this link on another thread to have them call me: Submit a request – Etsy Help.

They called within 2 minutes but the customer service rep had no information to provide and was basically just reading from a script. He acknowledged that my account was "under review" but couldn't tell me why and for how long and he also acknowledged that I didn't receive any prior warning about the freeze and said that it was because "this type of review usually doesn't take very long to complete"?!?! Seriously??? 

The worst part was, when I asked to escalate the issue to his supervisor, he put me on hold for a minute or two and then hung up on me!!! 

20 ,minutes later he sent an email saying sorry we got disconnected and asked if I had any additional questions, I responded with my concerns and still haven't heard anything else back. That was over 3 hours ago.

This is obviously a widespread internal Etsy issue and it's negatively impacting our businesses and livelihood. Etsy is not admitting the issue or doing anything to expedite correcting it either...   

In addition, I've read in the past that going into vacation mode significantly lowers your Etsy SEO placement level?!?! There have been many threads on this topic in the past.  Therefore, I've actually skipped real-life vacations in the past, so I could avoid this from happening to my shop and have never ever put our shop in vacation mode status for this very reason! Now Etsy has forced this upon us, for a mistake on their end... I hope this SEO thing isn't the case for my shop and all of those other loyal Etsy sellers that have been incorrectly placed on vacation mode restrictions as part of this fiasco. 

Fix this Etsy!!! Do better and make this right for your loyal sellers!!! 

[TastefulArtisan]

This usually happens when you have to re-verify your identification. Go to Finances -> Legal & Tax 

Scroll down to Your Documents and upload whatever they are asking for. 
Peek at the Legal Shop Information to make sure everything is correct while you are there.

If you contact support, head them off at the pass by providing the last 4 of your bank account number (not the whole thing, only the last 4 digits), your full name and the dollar amount from a very recent sale and let them know you've uploaded whatever they asked for and you are looking forward to getting back to it. Thank them for their time.

Be polite and professional. It goes a long way. Hard as it may be when it's so frustrating trying to guess what the issue might be.

I hope things get worked out for you!

ETA: I have no idea about vacay and it's effect on traction. There are conflicting opinions and Etsy isn't telling so it's an unknown. Plus, things change so much here, what may not have had an impact 2 days ago may have a massive impact today. Maybe someone more in the know has better info regarding vacay.

[MSGBLADES]

The elephant in the room is that this shouldn't have happened to begin with... 

If Etsy needs more info or updated info, they should of just asked for it as I would have and will still provide it without question. But to suspend our upstanding account, with no warning on a Friday afternoon, and then not provide any response as to why, is just wrong. 

It is apparent that to them, we are just pawns, but to us, the impact is much greater... 

[MSGBLADES]

Also, why does the thread heading state SUCCESS?  My account is still locked and Etsy has still provided zero assistance with this issue... 

[DaysofYoreTreasures]

It's possible that you responding to the email has caused a Help request to be raised. Go to the Help Center and click on your profile image top right. If there is an open help request continue to communicate there instead of trying any new forms of contact.

I am sorry you are going through this.

[MSGBLADES]

Yes, I've got a tab with ths open on my computer. My initial email and followup email, with zero response other than the email from the guy I spoke to on the phone, is on there and then a second ticket with the same phone call hangup response is also listed under this new ticket number. Either way, no results and an Etsy Shop that has been shut down for no reason!

[ParvousBoutique]

My store too have been placed on forced vacation mode for 2 weeks in August and once again since last week. They still did not tell me the reasons and "specialists" will get back to me but crickets..

[MSGBLADES]

So sorry you're going through that. I know how incredibly frustrating it is! I haven't received any information or feedback as to what caused it to happen to us either, even though I've reached out to Etsy multiple times asking for more info. It appears they don't care... 

[PlatypusDream]

Were you selling mammoth tooth or ivory?

It is prohibited by Etsy and can trigger take downs and a shop review.