Etsy removed AGAIN my Own work

[atelierTAMI]

Hello Everybody!

It is 5-6th time that Etsy removes my OWN work as "Etsy's Creativity Standards violation ", I create aaaalllll my dresses from the scratch and every listing has pictures taken in my studio, videos made in my work space. I have lots of professional pictures of my customers and photographers as well to display them in my listings. 

I have been contacted many times by my customers that my images are stolen by some other platforms (like Alliexpress, Alibaba.etc) and many sites as well. I often c9ntact them and require removal, but after sometime they use my pictures again. This is the only thing i can think of that Etsy thonks I steal their work? I am just frustrated. 

I contacted via live messaging, i get the same automated reply about "violation" that i have NOT violated anything! This is my OWN work from the scratch to final result. Now they even do not reply to my messages.

What do you think I should do?

Have you experienced anything lime this?

Thank you for hearing me!

[GlassyFields]

Sorry this is happening to you.

You'll have to ask the sites stealing your images to take them down.

I wish there was a better way to deal with this.

Wonder if changing your images regularly would help (having extra photos that you could rotate through) ... or marking your images in a way that would make them more difficult for someone else to use.

[atelierTAMI]

Is this a solution? I am tired of asking them all the time to take down my images. They do. But after sometime they dusplay them again. So, your suggestion is just this? And no matter that my account will be suspended if this kind of issue will happen again? This is VERY unfair, isn't it?

[atelierTAMI]

Oooops, I thought you were from an Etsy support! Sorry if i sounded rude in my reply

[CuriousApothecary]

Etsy may not be the platform for you anymore. Etsy has not figured out a solution for this to help sellers. It is clear to me your work is made by you. Etsy know thatthis happens all the time with Etsy artisans.

I had a product and listing that was ONLY on Etsy and they said same thing. I even showed them it was not anywhere else on Etsy.

They have some absurd ideas that are never complelty thought out befroe implementing on site.

Get your own website

[atelierTAMI]

This is so disappointing! I work so hard and others make decisions for me. Etsy support even does not listen me - they have an automated reply and no actual human to discuss. 

Thank you for your reply

[ThePathologicalDyer]

Put watermarks on your photos with your shop name, maybe, that makes them harder to steal? 

[atelierTAMI]

They are so insolent they add their watermark to my pictures that are taken in my home based studio. My home - their shop front.

[ThePathologicalDyer]

Wow.  That's terrible.  

[TBQSC]

@atelierTAMI -- Have you filed a DMCA with every site / every seller who is stealing your work?  If not, Etsy cannot do anything to help you.

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000344448-How-to-Report-Intellectual-Property-Infringemen...

[atelierTAMI]

Yes, I have done this!

Thank you

[digitaldoodlebug]

If you filed a DMCA then they can't just put it back up. That legally removes it. They could make a new listing or other sellers (or accounts) put a new one. It's like whack a mole but must be done. At your price point perhaps you can hire it out? Or else do regular reverse image searches. Or if etsy keeps doing it to the same listings after putting them back up you may need to seek legal help. There can be legal help to go after the ones that keep doing it too.