Etsy Shop Suspension and No response to Appeals

[JewelrybyJayUS]

Hello Etsy Community, 

I am writing on my husband’s behalf who has been selling handmade jewelry on Etsy (shop name is MysticPlanetJewels) since 2019 and had 5-star reviews and no open cases/issues. His shop got suspended in November 2022 and never received any warning or email. He is still wondering what went wrong. He put in a lot of work in setting up his shop and puts extra efforts to ensure he is sourcing genuine gemstones for his jewelry and I feel sad to see this happen to him. This was the second time within 2 months his shop got suspended. The first time happened when his webmail account linked to Etsy account got expired and he had to change the email address linked to the account. That issue got resolved with Etsy support. 

This time he does not know why and what happened. He wrote multiple emails to Etsy support but did not hear back. Since he cannot access his account, the links to the previous issues opened with Etsy does not work. He filed an appeal 3 times (3rd one still open) but there has been no response to his appeal as well which has been v strange since Etsy says appeal is a way to ensure a specialist will review your case and respond via email. After 2 weeks, the appeal period ends and he then filed another appeal. There is no phone number or email to Etsy support where he can send his query to. Can anyone help what to do? 

[JackisJustVintage]

If you still have an open appeal, do not open another one. It just drops you back down in line. Try responding to the open one stating you still need help (if you received a canned reply.)  Also, check e-mail and spam to see if he received anything about needing to verify or re verify identity. If they requested documents and he did not reply, they may suspend or close the shop. Hope you get things worked out.

[JewelrybyJayUS]

Thanks @JackisJustVintage, he is opening another one after 2 weeks of first appeal, the appeal FAQs says a specialist will respond within 2 weeks. During those first 2 weeks, it shows the appeal number in process wheneverhe tries to access his account but it goes away after 2 weeks so he files another one. He has responded to the canned one that he still needs help but still Etsy never responds. He has been checking his junk email and spam everyday but nothing there. 

[JackisJustVintage]

@JewelrybyJayUS  I am sorry this is happening. Etsy is horrible with the way they handle these things. Hopefully, someone comes along that has more advice for you. This will bump your post back to the top.

[JJewellerySuppliesUK]

If I search for MysticPlanetJewels it says there is no shop with that name!!  

• Has he ever received any infringement notices?
• Has he ever had any items taken down?
  
• Was he selling amber, bone, ivory or any other prohibited substances?

Did he log in elsewhere than his usual place as his account could have been linked to someone else's but since I'm guessing you and your husband log in using the same WiFi account and your shop is still here that that's not the problem or they would have closed yours too. 

You have probably read these.  Have you been appealing a Permanently Suspended Account?  If not, then I would do that using the links in the article. 

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/articles/115015672628-How-to-Reinstate-Your-Suspended-Account

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/articles/6298920789271-How-to-File-an-Appeal-for-a-Permanently-Suspen...

I'm not in the US but hopefully someone who is will dig out the Support phone number for you so that you can speak to someone. 

It's so awful that people are left hanging like this and I hope it gets resolved soon.  

[JewelrybyJayUS]

Thanks @JJewellerySuppliesUK , his shop is not searchable anymore since it says permanently suspended when he tries to log in. He never received any notices ever and was not selling any prohibited items. At the time of suspension, he did not log in from anywhereelse too. He is using the links you posted to appeal. Thanks though to try to help out. 

[daisysjewellerygifts]

I found the shop, and from what i can see i cant see what the problem would be, all it says is that this shop is currently not selling at the moment, can he not post anything on here from his shop, and maybe the Moderates might be able to help to push it through to get some sort of conclusion.

[JewelrybyJayUS]

@daisysjewellerygifts  Yes when he tries to log in, it says the account is permanently suspended and shows a link to file an appeal. He filed the appeal but did not hear anything back. 

[therecyclingethic]

Hi have you chatted, emailed, or asked for call back?

am going to look around for link to request call back 

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

[therecyclingethic]

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

[JewelrybyJayUS]

Thanks @therecyclingethic  so much for the link, trying it now. Will let you know how it goes. Keeping my fingers crossed! 

[JewelrybyJayUS]

They never called me back Can anyone help me why they are not responding to the appeal and what to do next?? 

[CarpetCollectionAU]

Go to the Help Center as a Buyer and request a call back.

If necessary, do this "logged out" of your Seller account as the system may be blocking returned calls to suspended shops.

Etsy Customer Support have been instructed not to discuss anything with suspended shops. They want everything through email but, if that is not working for you, it may be worth a try with a call back.

[therecyclingethic]

Re CarpetCollectionAU

agreed

[JewelrybyJayUS]

Hello all, I want to provide you all an update on my husband’s situation with the suspended shop ‘MysticPlanetJewels’. My husband tried the chat link as an Etsy buyer and talked to customer support. He has been following up pretty consistently with them, they told him that his case has been escalated and someone will reach out to him but he is still waiting :(. Etsy does not provide the estimated time when their ‘special team’ will reach out to him. The wait is very painful and we do not know when will they reach out and if it will resolve his situation. Any other recommendations? 

[SugarTaffySoap]

All is in Etsy's hands. There's no way around it. The necessary steps, i.e. filed an appeal etc. were taken. Etsy's policies were not followed which caused his shop to get permanently suspended.  There's no guarantee the shop will be reinstated. Maybe he'll receive an email requesting additional info. Here is some info I found in the Help Center:

"What happens after I file my appeal?

A specialist will review your appeal and your account history, and reply with a final decision over email. Due to the complex nature of these investigations, it can take up to several weeks to receive a decision.

We encourage you to be transparent and forthcoming with any details requested during the appeals process, as it is a seller’s final chance to potentially reopen their business on Etsy.

Submitting an appeal doesn’t guarantee reinstatement of your account privileges. The appeal only ensures that a qualified specialist will conduct a review of your account history and information to determine the status of your account."

[tropicalcreations]

There is no phone number or email to Etsy support where he can send his query to. Can anyone help what to do?

@JewelrybyJayUS 

I am so sorry this is happening. I read here often, and there seems to be no excuse for the lack of etsy response.  I was actually wondering the other day if they actually have any humans employed there anymore.  Perhaps they turned on their autobots and all left the building.  Anybody in NY been by there to see if the structure is boarded up?   

There is no excuse for repeated nonsensical auto bot replies.  There is no excuse for a two week lag, where nothing happens after it is over.  There is no excuse for ignoring and frustrating their customers with this nonsense.  They read the boards, etsy KNOWS, and they choose to ignore each and every person that has a serious problem.  That is unless you post something that they don't like (one of their silly bot responses for an example)  on the community and then they are on you like white on rice. 

I had a good run on etsy. I started here where it was ONLY handmade.  My best day, was when I  deactivated my 400+ listings and sold them all elsewhere in less than two weeks.

Stay a while if you think it is going to get better, or pack up your toys and do what is best for YOU.

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@JewelrybyJayUS Chat abd Callback are currently offered here. Wait time 1 minute

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?segment=selling#issue_buy_help_with_order-contact_select

Make sure you are logged into the Contact Us / Help Center

[LikeNewCollectibles]

There is Ebay, but it seems too complicated with a lot more fees. Any experience with ebay?

[EnergyPeace]

I found the cache of his shop. There is no reason for them to shut him down. 5 star shop, handmade jewelry. 

It saddens me that Etsy will shut down true handmade jewelry shops and allow resellers galore with poor reviews thrive and sell here. 

I am so sorry your husband experienced this. Etsy truly doesn't care about us as individuals at all anymore. They don't understand we are real persons behind our shops and the pride we take in them. The long hours we put into them in order to get some sales. How we take pride in our products and truly care about customers. 

Unfortunately, many of us are dependent on income and under Etsy's thumb, and one day it may hurt us badly. Many don't understand it until it happens to them. 

Perhaps he can try some other places to set up shop? I know it isn't ideal, but we have no choice if we want to keep going.

I learned recently about something called communitymade but I don't know if there are sales there. Etsy is after all one of the largest websites for sales, it just is sad that they have gone the opposite direction of what they promised. 

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@JewelrybyJayUS I think thesecond  issue may have something to do with the first issue your husband encountered

"The first time happened when his webmail account linked to Etsy account got expired and he had to change the email address linked to the account. That issue got resolved with Etsy support". 

Perhaps the issue was not resolved and all communications are still going to the old "webmail" account? Was the old "webmail"  expired or "hacked"? That, too, could explain why your husband is not being responded to.

i still think you need to speak to a Support Rep using the Buyer contact pathway. There is absolutely nothing that any of us can see that would result in suspension of a compliant Shop.

Perhaps @Herrmoustache or @thatregina or @TonsOfPaper will see this thread and pass it along to the correct Team?

[JewelrybyJayUS]

Thanks @SugarTaffySoap , @tropicalcreations , @CarpetCollectionAU , @EnergyPeace, @LikeNewCollectibles for your support, kind words and trying to help. My husband did not violate any policy and he does not know what could be the reason behind suspension. And looking at all his gem identifying gadgets at home, I know he puts in extra efforts to make sure he is using genuine gemstones in his jewelry. He had been working very hard to create his shop and inventory. 

@CarpetCollectionAU Yes what you mentioned about the issue with his email came to our mind as well. The previous email was a webmail address that we missed the payment on and it expired. They sold the email domain to a third party who was asking for exorbitant amount of money to give it back. My husband realized it when his shop got suspended the first time but he was able to work with Etsy support and get his email changed to a gmail one and his shop reinstated. This second suspension came after 2 months of that first one. In these 2 months, he was getting all account updates on his new email address just fine. 

He talked to the customer service 3-4 times through chat but every time they tell him his ticket has been escalated and there is a special team that will get back to him. They cannot provide any more details and it is only the special team that will reach out. And when asked about expected time, they say there is no such timeframe they can give. So still waiting! I hope one of the community members can help look into this. 

[EnergyPeace]

I have never seen anyone get help through the forum for issues as yours I am afraid. 

I hope it resolves for him. This shouldn't even be happening. 

[thatregina · Accepted solution]

Hi @JewelrybyJayUS, we appreciate you reporting this! I can understand the confusion and anxiety here. I've raised this with our account specialists, who will review this and get in touch directly. We want to ensure that we uphold discretion and privacy when it comes to our members' accounts, so we cannot discuss this publicly. I'm closing this thread, with my best wishes to you and my appreciation for everyone who offered help here.