Etsy Ads Automatically Started

[TheWoollyDesignCoUK]

As a heads up for other sellers, after having Etsy Ads automatically turned on last Thursday without my permission I have finally received a response from Etsy to my Email as follows:

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Please report by email if this has happened to you. The more sellers that report this the more likely it is that Etsy will look into and stop this illegal and immoral behaviour! It might only be a few dollars here and there but what a way to make an easy profit if people don't worry about the collective outcome! 

[modernandvintage]

@TheWoollyDesignCoUK 

I’ve been checking my ads page daily since hearing about it and yes, yesterday they turned mine on! Cheeky is not the word! 

Who do we email?

[TheWoollyDesignCoUK]

I emailed through the help page. Scroll through all the 'pre-set' answers and at the bottom you can contact them by email. Took 4 days to get a response though!!

[Angrymonkeys]

I’ve had this twice I check mine a few times a day 

[ArtDollsbyJD]

Are you sure you didn't set it up by removing the checkmark in the box in the listings to not show an ad for the item?

Or maybe renewed an item where you had once used the ads.

Contact Etsy to let them know so they can fix a possible glitch.

[DOKOcreations]

@ArtDollsbyJD  This is not a “one-off” incident! There have been multiple threads about this recently, including from sellers who have NEVER used Etsy ads in their shops. And Etsy knows full well that this has been happening, as they have been issuing refunds to sellers who got upset enough about it. So don’t blame the seller by assuming they must have done something.

[CraftsmanOakDesigns]

The FTC may have something to say about this in the future, especially if enough people complain about it. It seems this has gotten much more common in the last month or two, maybe with the rollout of the mandatory new listing form. 

The FTC is already hounding Adobe over their deceptive practices, maybe they'll add Etsy to their list. 

[HeartwdHomesteadFarm]

I was automatically signed up too!!! So unhappy with Etsy sometimes. I read an email about the ads and somehow it signed me up. I turned it off as soon as I got another email telling me my ad campaign was live (wtf?!). Got customer service to refund the $1 they charged my account. 

[ChillwolfArt]

I'm sorry this happened to you. My Shop is On Vacation (Seasonal), and I was not aware of Etsy Ads being automatic for some Shops. I came across a Thread about it (maybe a month ago). After that, I checked mine to make sure it wasn't set. I also placed a sticky on my desk to go in and check again when I reopen my Shop. Yeah, it shouldn't be automatic.

ETA: I just went back to check. There is a Banner of sorts which says my Shop is currently inactive. And once it's active, I can start Etsy Ads. So it may very well be automatic when I take the Shop Off Vacation.

[TinyTurtleGiftsuk]

Just found ads turned on by Etsy in my shop I've turned it off and told Etsy I do not expect a bill. They are aware of a widespread issue. Something else to check daily sigh

[AmoreTreasure]

Okay, I'm furious!!!  They turned my ads on without my consent/knowledge a week ago.  I contacted them and they refunded my money.  Now today I happen to look at my payment account for something else and there is another blanking charge for Etsy ads.  Sure enough, they turned them on again!  For the love of God, FIX THIS Etsy!!!   

[AmoreTreasure]

I'm on hold with Etsy support right now. Looks like it happened very soon after the last time I called Etsy support.  They are figuring out how much to refund me. I pushed them that they need to do more for their sellers caught in this web to compensate them for the time/hassle of policing this and contacting support to get a refund.  Big surprise, that's not their policy.  They will only issue a refund for the money they stole from our accounts WHEN someone notifies them that it happened.  Time to contact my state's attorney general and the FTC.

[TheWoollyDesignCoUK]

After nearly 2 weeks and no conclusion from Etsy I replied to the ongoing email I have open with them this morning and they are still telling me that it is a known problem that their engineers are working on. How have other affected sellers managed to get a refund for unauthorised Ad campaigns? I't not about the small amount of money taken without my consent but more about the principal. Luckily my unauthorised campaign was running with the minimum budget but what's to say that it wasn't set a lot higher and had multiple clicks before I realised? 

Are there any other sellers still in this situation?