Etsy put my store in vacation mode but I can't edit my store info for the IMPACT thing?

[bitbybitphoto]

I'm starting to grasp at straws here and am hoping other folks might be able to help as Etsy seems to be going out of their way to be difficult to work with. We have all the documentation (IRS/EIN, state tax, articles of incorporation, drivers' licenses, etc.) for the IMPACT act thing. As an aside, eBay doesn't require this and I'm not sure why Etsy is given they handle taxes for us? That's one of the reasons to use a platform like this versus a direct storefront?

At any rate, the web form for updating our business info has all the info on it except we can't change the business name for whatever reason. The Save button is greyed out. My better half may have had better luck that I have but it seems to just revert back to my name (rather than our LLC). We've opened several cases with Etsy now to provide the information directly but they tend to come back with a cut/paste response and our store has now been in vacation mode for days.

I'd love to know if/how other folks solved this, beyond just throwing our hands up and closing our store entirely and just moving to WooCommerce or something and hoping for the best. I'm about ready to start sending things out on socials but that's not really a great way to leverage our platform. Etsy might not care about customer service, but I do, and I don't think that'd be a great move for us (we'll do it if we have to though).

[ChillwolfArt]

Hi, There are quite a few Sellers who's Shops have been put on Vacation. And some have received no email from Etsy about it. I don't know if this is the case with you, but here is an Announcement re: the INFORM Act.  About a rolling Re-Verification for some Sellers. (this Announcement is at the top of Tech. Issues).
https://community.etsy.com/t5/Technical-Issues/Heads-up-Some-sellers-will-need-to-review-their-busin...

You could try to contact Etsy via Shop Manager > Community & Help (Left Column) > Contact. If they respond with an email that does not address your problem, Reply directly to it, "I still need help".

I really hope this helps you.

[bitbybitphoto]

Yep that applies to us. Thanks for providing the info and the help!

I've reached out several times now via the "I still need help". I suspect we're not alone since they had a live chat option that has since been removed which makes me think they're getting lots and lots of requests. It seems like such an odd policy to force shops into vacation mode given it seems Etsy is the one that is both setting the timetable and has a rather poor process for providing the updated information.

[nineteen27]

etsy is supposed to be emailing the sellers.

and.

there is supposed to be a dashboard announcement too...

giving them a deadline to verify their accounts.

if the deadline passes.

they put your shop on pause via vacation mode.

they say the deadline is mandated by law.

and that etsy support cannot turn off the vacation mode for you.

however.

etsy does not seem to be doing that.

and have decided to make a mess of things.

as usual.

[nineteen27]

while you wait...

i found the feedback form for this specific thing.

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7353042/Pre-Notice-Feedback-May-2023

[bitbybitphoto]

Ah thanks! Can't hurt to try!

[nineteen27]

here is some light reading for you.

this is how it is supposed to work:

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/14553858116759?segment=selling#h_2

this is my favorite line:

Our hope is we’ve made it as quick and easy as possible to confirm your seller info and meet legal requirements.

and.

this is how you contact etsy about the inform act... click on... i still need help.

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

[bitbybitphoto]

This is also a good one, noting the quote above:

" Still have questions or need more help? Reach out to Etsy Support to chat with a member of our support team 24/7. "

I haven't heard from a real person at Etsy since Wednesday. That's what 120 hours?

[bitbybitphoto]

Just received another cut/paste canned response from them to provide documents. And, yet again, I'm providing all the documents they're asking for. This is nearly aggravating me to physical tears that Etsy cares so little about actual human beings and shops that they can't read an e-mail.

[nineteen27]

@bitbybitphoto 

let me call a mod in here who may be able to help.

i doubt any etsy mods are here now but maybe they will see it when they are back.

@ModFabio 

can you help this seller please.

[bitbybitphoto]

Thank you! I'm just feeling so helpless from the whole ordeal. I really appreciate the help!

[nineteen27]

@bitbybitphoto 

most sellers know how frustrating it is to contact support.

but it must feel much worse when they close your shop down and then you have no idea...

when it will re-open.

especially when you are doing everything right.

and doing everything they are asking for.

i hope someone comes in tomorrow and helps you.

[bitbybitphoto]

The part that is infuriating is all the canned responses. I lost count of how many times we've sent the documents they need but I'd honestly be surprised if they even opened them. Then their responses have incorrect information which include the threat of shutting down the store. That really turns the screws because they already have done that, several days ago. Then you include the tagline on their help page of "Keep Commerce Human" when they seem to be doing everything but that.

I once worked at a company where everyone, and I mean everyone, had to work a support shift. That went all the way up to even the CEO. It was a great way to understand customer struggles while helping with the occasional torrent of customers when things like this happened. It was incredibly empowering and provided a ton of empathy and made us way better at both support and development/improvement of our products.

Preaching to the choir in part here but that's just a long winded way for me to say thank you! Just knowing there's other folks out there that understand the struggle helps.

[bitbybitphoto]

Another update, I re-re-re-re submitted PDFs. One thing I finally noticed is their form that says "upload your PDF document" (singular) actually lets you upload multiple. I had to do that because the support person said "for security reasons we cannot look at email attachments" even though they literally told us to send them our documents as email attachments (and also these are public documents so I don't know what they mean in regards to security).

Shop is still down, but progress has been made...I guess? Apart from sprucing up our WooCommerce store and getting a business coach to help us look into better SEO and things, we may look at Instagram or Tik-Tok stores. I don't like either of those but certainly better than not having a store at all and allowing Etsy to dictate the future of our business (and oddly their business - how they still are IN business with these sort of behaviors baffles me to no end).

[MirageRiverCreations]

They mean your attachment could contain a virus (yours would not), so they will not click on them. And that’s what’s security purposes about it. 

I agree with you, some of Etsy’s business practices are truly baffling. But if we all stay and don’t do anything we legally can to hold them accountable, they have no reason to change.

[bitbybitphoto]

But then why specifically tell us to e-mail them a PDF if they can't (won't) open the PDF? It's like Etsy is out to make things for difficult than they need to be rather than being simply apathetic.

[JDTotesnDolls]

@bitbybitphoto    Is Etsy asking for PDF or jpeg?  That makes a difference.  Usually they ask for JPEG for forms and ID.

Do you have one email?  Take your form and submit it as a jpeg format.  Then if they reply again use that one email.  Opening several just ends up with previous being closed as completed.

BTW I would remove your shop announcement.  Etsy may construe that as fee avoidance.  I know it isn't fair but they just could interpret it that way.

If the tax information is for an LLC, make sure all forms of name match on everything.  Makc sure addresses match.

If sole proprietor with an LLC that may require something else as IRS regards sole with LLC a disregarded entity. 

How to Update Your Legal Name and Taxpayer Information – Etsy Help

[nineteen27]

still no help in here?

@ampersay 

@ModFabio 

can someone please help this seller.

[bitbybitphoto · Accepted solution]

Thanks @JDTotesnDolls!

I was writing a diatribe about why I changed the vacation notice (figuring if they did find me in violation, well, they already forcefully took my store down) but looks like they _FINALLY_ approved my documents and our store is back up!

Alas, no apology, no understanding of the substantial impact to our business, no offer to make it right (at least at present) but our shop is now *FINALLY* open.

Thank you for all that helped, even if it was just words of encouragement! Good to know I'm not alone. Feels like Etsy sellers should unionize...

This has caused so much damage my plans are probably still to become relevant enough I can front my own store so I can be more the steward of my own destiny. Etsy has shown they seem to prefer to actively torpedo their own customers than be a viable partner and I'm not sure that is going to change. Etsy just has too much power over the success or failure of my business at this point.

I've been trying to keep track of all the businesses that seem to actively try to ruin themselves and Etsy is now on that list (alongside Unity, Reddit, and also fairly recently, Cinestill).