Etsy's EIN verification system is broken, can't launch my store, I'm about to give up

[#1]

I've been trying for two weeks now to get this tax information issue resolved since trying to launch my store. When I set up my store, I put my EIN and my full LLC name and personal name but I keep getting the "Your shop has been frozen due to unverified taxpayer information" error. I have done everything including the different naming conventions people on here keep saying to do (LLC NAME FULL NAME, FULL NAME LLC NAME, LLC NAME FULL NAME SOLE MBR, LLC NAME, FULL NAME, etc. All caps, no caps, no spaces, I tried everything.) Tried both as a disregarded entity and not.

Emailed the help email, and I only responded to one thread trying to get it resolved so I wouldn't get sent to the back of the line like everyone says. I was simply sent copy-pasted text instead of a real answer. They marked it resolved when it was not resolved and they stopped responding. I dug up the page where you can get Etsy support to call you, and I've had daily conversations with someone but this has never been resolved. I get left hanging every time. I get told it will be escalated to the finance department and they will email me, I have never gotten an email. The few times I got the rep to transfer me on the phone to a finance department person the finance person just seemed pissed off and told me I hit my 5 daily attempts to try to input tax info. I explained that I had not hit the limit and purposely didn't so it could be resolved on the call. They just wanted me to hang up.

On top of this, I was on hold for 2 hours before talking with the IRS yesterday just to verify my info is all correct in their database and I have been inputting the correct name. Everything is correct in the IRS database and I have been inputting everything correctly. This is an issue on the Etsy side, and customer support has no answers and no fixes. Good luck trying to open an Etsy store under an LLC. It is clearly impossible. I don't want to use my SSN but I even caved and said screw it I'll put that in and change my info later to my LLC/EIN, which customer support told me I could do. There is no option in the shop manager for me to put a SSN in after selecting the "individual" bubble.

This whole system is broken and they don't appear to be fixing it. I've abandoned hope. Good luck but if you're having a similar situation they will not fix it. I have tried everything I can possibly think of, had so many dead end conversations with support. I don't see light at the end of the tunnel. 

Does anyone know other platforms than Etsy to open a shop they can recommend?

[HoundandHoneyCo]

So there's hope for the rest of us. Haha. I've only been at this for 2 1/2 weeks. But I want to start selling my Halloween stuff.

[BelleRevivalCo]

Mine has been giving me the same issues. I even put in my SSN and it still doesn’t work. I even created a new EIN because I thought the old one was just not working and that doesn’t help either. Can’t find a human to speak to. Just bots sending suggestions. All the info I input is directly from the government. How is Etsy going to tell me that my tax information from the government is not valid? 

so far, getting my business off the ground is the hardest part!!!! How is anyone able to achieve opening up shops? They make it impossible to open!!

[OliviaCactus]

Hi congrats! How long did it take after you hit resubmit? for shop to be unpaused? Seconds? Hours?.. thank you so much for any hope! Been losing hope and thousands a day during this high season we prepped for all year.

[OliviaCactus]

Thank you for sharing this and providing some hope. Could you share how long it took for your shop to be unpaused after you hit submit on the same info? Thank you!!

[HellaBlessings]

So I'm taking a different route, and I'll try to keep everyone updated.

TL;DR I am now amending my LLC to be a partnership (more than one member/owner) to hopefully avoid using my social security # and adding my first/last name to my business name. I'll try to update the thread once I have more info. 

1) BACKGROUND: My LLC was set up as a sole owner/member (me). I did this to avoid all the additional paperwork when filing taxes - as this was largely the recommendation from my research online. End of the day, this meant that my LLC was classified as a "disregarded entity" by Etsy and Amazon. Therefore, it's required that I use my SS#, and include my first/last name is part of the business name.  So I needed to make a choice (see #3 below).  

2) DUE DILIGENCE: I called the IRS and requested they send me a letter with EXACT info to make sure it's all matching. What I learned was that the IRS had a slight difference on the 2nd line of my business address (#1222 vs. 1222), which is 1000% their mistake/discrepancy...  As I understand it, ETSY uses the info as it appears in the IRS system (during their lookup) and NOT the letter that the IRS mails to you. Wow.  Now it's 4 weeks later, I still do not have the letter from the IRS, so... 

3) AMENDED LLC: I finally decided to amend my LLC as a partnership by adding my spouse, who was always planned to be very involved. This should mean that I'm no longer required to use my personal information (first/last name + SS#). 

4) CURRENT STATUS: I'm waiting for my LLC to be updated as a partnership. Once I get the updated IRS status, I will attempt to update my ETSY Store status. Fingers crossed that I can get up and running before Thanksgiving or XMAS. 

[HellaBlessings]

Update: I changed my LLC to include my spouse and it still didn’t work. I’m now hearing that because we file our taxes jointly, that this still counts as a sole member and thus still considered a “disregarded entity”.  

Literally on hold w/ IRS to get request (2nd time) to send a letter with my business details so I can match 1:1 on Etsy. 

I have a feeling I’ll just need to enter my SS# and throw in the towel - but at this point, I’ve amended my LLC, made my taxes more complicated and missed halloween 2023.  Yay

[scentofakiller]

Well at least I don't feel crazy. Support keeps telling me the same bad copy paste instructions that just don't work and I'm literally copying info directly from my IRS letter. I've opened business bank account with anywhere near as much frustration and headache as this...

[BagmakerSupply]

@HellaBlessings: "This should mean that I'm no longer required to use my personal information" If you sign up as a business, you will need to verify your incorporated business information in addition to your personal identity.

[Former_Member]

I have been trying to set up my store and ETSY says that my store is froze due to an invalid EIN. I verified my EIN and is exactly what was given me by the IRS.

Any help you can offer me? 

I tried with my ssn as well and nothing.

What really upsets me is that Etsy does not have an phone support for sellers.

[ThePurplePuppy]

@Former_Member 

You are not going to get a reply here as this thread is a year old and no one will notice and will answer the OP instead of you.

It is best to start a new thread as the information presented might not now apply anyway!

And no, even if you use chat that is all outsourced and they read from a script and are no help at all.

[Souly4Christ]

I'm having the exact problem right now. I just attempted to set up my store. Etsy took my $19 with no problem, but I immediately received the same notice as you... that my store is suspended due to: "We were unable to verify the business information you entered." I'm wondering if I can dispute the charge with my credit card company until they fix the error on their end.

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