Etsy deactivated my listings...

[TarotFamous]

I have been selling on Etsy for over a year now. I have great customer service and I do a great job. I have never violated any rules, policies or standards or received any complaints. I have also had a star seller badge since I opened the shop.

But about an hour ago, I got an email about that 5 of my listings deactivated by Etsy for no reason and I do not know why this happened. I read every sentences Etsy wrote about their policies, rules & standards but there's nothing that I've violated. Etsy doesn't show anything about why they deactived these listings.

More interestingly, I've been selling these listings for months/years and nothing happened before and everything was great. I didn't also change anything and everything was the same as I added these listings before.

3 of them were my best seller listings of all time and this really bothers me because I'm really worried and I just need help. I do know that Etsy is trying to get a bigger place in the world and they also need to help us too so we can help them to get bigger in the future. I'm also a star seller and I'm a respectful store and my customers always love and support me.

I do not deserve a treat like this and Etsy really needs to improve themselves for these situations because they're also growing with our help and we're growing too.

I really do not know what to do or what to say, I just want Etsy to reactive the listings that they deactivated because I'm not violating anything. I'm selling the same products in the same category. I have also too many different listings in the same category too but I do not know why they deactived my listings now. There wasn't anything wrong before and they didn't deactive it before but why now?

[TarotFamous]

Is there anyone that can help me?

[PsychicGoddess1]

what were the name of the listings? 

I had 2 removed i wondered if it's because of the word "brutal" and the other one I can't think of why it was "exact thoughts

[AutumnHollowStudio]

What specifically was removed? You have a lot of listings in your shop for various tarot readings. The only thing I can suggest is to read over Etsy's policies on selling tarot readings and metaphysical listings, and see if any of the removed listings had any violations:

https://www.etsy.com/legal/policy/services/242665313101

[TarotFamous]

I did read over everything about Etsy's policies, rules and standards. I copied this from the link you gave me to read:

"Divination
Divination-related items are allowed on Etsy if they meet our Seller Policy. Tarot, psychic, or other divination readings must include a tangible good, such as photos of the tarot spread, audio/video of a reading, or text of the reading."

As you can read, this category is allowed by Etsy and I'm not the only store that is selling these services, there are a lot of stores aswell. I'm not violating anything and there's no reason for deactivating my listings..

5 of my listings were removed and they were readings aswell, 3 of them were my best sellers and I was having a lot of volumes.

That's why I'm saying, I have a lot of listings in my shop and I was selling that listings before and I do not know why they deactivated now for no reason. That's why I'm here.

[TarotFamous]

Brutal tarot reading, one question tarot reading, 3 question tarot reading, in depth love tarot reading and brutal love tarot reading, these were the listings that Etsy deactivated. It's not because of that word. I did sell that reading for months.

I'm the first seller on Etsy that is selling brutal tarot reading and I'm the best of it. After me, everyone added that listing and too many shops are selling currently aswell. @PsychicGoddess1 

[PsychicGoddess1]

Not sure then, I've been here since 2021, 75,000 +  sales, many things have changed 

[TickleYourWitch]

Metaphysical listings can't promise outcomes. Titles like "When will I conceive" sound like you are promising an outcome. Otherwise why would someone pay? Just playing devil's advocate. Those bold questions in your branding might end up more like red flags. 

[TarotFamous]

All of them are tarot and psychic readings and the title you mention is related to a pregnancy reading for example. These are not metaphysical listings, you're thinking in a simple way. 

"When will I conceive" listing wasn't removed before and that's not what I'm asking. Let's accept that the thing you say is true, there are too many tarot and psychic shops aswell and they'd have been removed because of metaphysical listings then.

[TickleYourWitch]

I would not go by what other shops are doing.

I also would not trust AI to use any but the most simplistic interpretation. That's how it reads to me. And I am not a dumb bot.

I'm pretty sure that Etsy considers tarot in the same vein as metaphysical shops. Why wouldn't they?

Etsy seems to be on a push to return unique search results for buyers and not have pages and pages of things that look the same. This might be another reason behind deactivations. Just surmising. 

[OneEyeCatStudio]

Have you checked the internet to be sure that no one has stolen your photos?  Are you using the same photos on another site?

This is what most listings are currently being removed for.

[TarotFamous]

Etsy doesn't consider tarot in the same vein as metaphysical shops. If they would have considered, they would have changed the policies because I do know what I'm doing since there are too many tarot and psychic reading shops on Etsy and Etsy is letting us to work here. Nobody knows the answer why my or others' listings deactivated before and I was just here to talk and get your opinions. 

( You can check: https://www.etsy.com/legal/policy/services/242665313101 )

Also, I didn't check the internet before and I do not know where to check, you might be right about that because I got good volumes of sales. I'm not using the same photos on another site but someone maybe is using my photos. Even in Etsy, I'm seeing some shops that are using my listings' titles, descriptions or personalizations. It's really hard to handle them but maybe you got a point, we still do not know what the real reason is but thank you! @OneEyeCatStudio 

[AutumnHollowStudio]

@TarotFamous I think you should consider accepting the fact that many of your tarot readings imply metaphysical outcomes, which is against Etsy's seller policies, as outlined below. Offering tarot readings is allowed here, provided you aren't promising any sort of result.

This is an excerpt from their metaphysical policy:

• Items with a metaphysical outcome (e.g. attracting wealth, love, gambling luck, more business, employment opportunities, or assistance with legal or relationship situations)

Their policies on selling services - which tarot readings fall under - is found here, and compliance is not optional.

https://www.etsy.com/legal/policy/services/242665313101

It also doesn't matter what other shops are doing vs yours - if they are violating Etsy policy, eventually they will get caught and have their listings removed and / or their shop shut down if they don't clean up their shop after the initial removals.

[FallenAngelBrass]

---

@TarotFamous wrote:

I've been selling these listings for months/years and nothing happened before and everything was great.....There wasn't anything wrong before and they didn't deactive it before but why now?

---

Etsy is now cracking down on listings that violate the policies.  Etsy has been pretty lax about this in the past. 

[TarotFamous · Accepted solution]

I agree with everything you have said and I create all my listings according to these rules and I tell my customers and I write all of these policies in the descriptions. I also have a DISCLAIMER in the descriptions of my listings and you can go and read it. I know how to sell these readings and I have memorized all the rules, policies and standards on Etsy.

However, I still think that my products were removed in error and especially my 3 best sellers were removed because of this. There is a lot of competition on this platform and there are a lot of people copying my products exactly and taking my descriptions, personalizations and titles. So this also raises suspicion.

I am just asking you what I can do about this issue and how I can find a solution. I know everything you have told me and I know all the rules. I also know all the internet links you sent me. @AutumnHollowStudio 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts but probably I will not find a solution here because everyone just sends me the same things that Etsy Support always send. I just want to hear real answers, not a guide/seller book or not the policies, rules or standards that Etsy have.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

You cannot have policies in listings, or disclaimers in listings, because the description is not e-mailed to the buyer on purchase,

And if you have a disclaimer, then you know there is something wrong with it.
You can't escape the law, nor etsy's tous . by putting in disclaimers

also, your items say they are designed by you, readings are not "designed" by you

[AutumnHollowStudio]

@TarotFamous you are welcome to contact Etsy support, but be advised that they normally do not tell sellers what they did wrong because they assume sellers already know. They are also known for not engaging with shops that break rules.

I am sorry it's not what you want to hear, but as @FallenAngelBrass said Etsy is  under a lot of pressure from investors and shop owners to clean up the site and that has been their mission as of late.

Here is one more link, to etsy's new-ish creative standards policy: https://www.etsy.com/legal/creativity/

[GamedayGirlGlamCo]

It is unfortunate and i can understand your frustration. I wish it were easier to speak to someone at Etsy support. It would make the process simpler for sure. 

[FallenAngelBrass]

@GamedayGirlGlamCo 

In case Etsy comes calling: Helpful policies

[TheVintagePineapple]

@GamedayGirlGlamCo  Are you aware that your Production Partner is selling the same shirts you claim are designed by you?

[TarotFamous]

Unfortunately they're not answering when they think we do something against laws, policies, rules or standards. I wish they'd help us to teach what we're doing wrong since everyone is in the same ship but nope. Can't talk to them and can't reach to them when something happens like this. I created a case today and Etsy visited and saw my request and marked as completed without writing a comment about it. There's nothing we can do.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

Etsy expects sellers to know the law, and read their policies.

I personally think they should shut shops that sell illegally, 

no address and e-mail address in sellers details, no GDP policy etc,

etsy is way to lenient

[TinTeddy]

https://www.etsy.com/legal/policy/listing-image-requirements/253962679005

"..we require sellers to use original photos of the actual product buyers will receive.."

The items I looked at didn't have any pictures of what the buyer will receive.

[MavisSteptoe]

How do I get in touch with Etsy support ? One of my listings has just been deactivated with no reason given and I am sure it has not violated any policy at all!

[pattigallo]

I am having the same issue with Etsy deactivating one of my listings with no explanation. I see no policy issues and I’ve emailed 3 times getting only generic replies. They seem to either not know the reason and don’t care to find out. Very frustrating that sellers are treated this way. I too am a 5 star seller with very good reviews. All I’m asking is to know why an item was removed and they cannot seem to answer or just won’t. Very frustrating to get 3 replies from 3 different support team members all saying the same thing but not answering the question. What a joke. Do they think we don’t notice this behavior? Perhaps they just try to wear us down so we will quit asking.