Etsy shop permanently suspended for an unknown reason. This is going to kill my start up business!

[#1]

Hello there everyone, 

I am writing this as I'm literally out of options and don't know how to proceed. I was just setting up my laser engraving etsy shop and I had created a initial product of some personalised tabletop RPG slate coasters. It was up a matter of days perhaps when the account was permanently suspended. I got no email as to why this was and all I could do is guess at the reason. 

I decided to make sure everything I could possibly have gotten wrong was sorted (things like enough pictures and not naming any specific games etc in case of copyright). I appealed the decision and within 30 seconds to a minute I had an email saying that it was rejected. I wrote quite a lengthy explanation and this could no way have been read before the ban was rejected. 

So I contacted support and I waited.....and waited....and had absolutely no reply in 2 weeks. At which time the option to appeal again came up so I submitted the appeal again and I am waiting again. I have submitted multiple support requests that just get ignored. Its been over a month now and still nothing.

I even somehow managed to get to the point on the support page where you could have an agent call you back. I thought great! Finally I can get this sorted! Nope, the agent could not do anything for me on the phone other than disinterestedly tell me that "I had to wait for support to contact me via email". I asked for a supervisor and I was told  was "They had no way of getting me in contact with a supervisor, I would have to email support". So another dead end. 

I am even writing this now from a different account as I can't use the Etsy community on my business account that's suspended. The name of the shop in question is "Squirrel Wizard".

I am literally at the end of my tether. I am a start up business and I quit my day job to pursue this full time and I have been delayed so much for no reason that its going to kill this dream off.

If anyone has any sort of advice or can get me in touch with someone to get this resolved I would be forever grateful. This has been so stressful and I just want to be in my tiny little corner of the internet, selling my gifts to people and make a modest living. 

Thanks a lot in advance everyone! 

[GlistersFrance]

Just to add my tuppence worth- RPG also means Rocket Propelled Grenade. The bots are very hot on anything to do with weapons and firearms

[Cadmium3DPrints]

That's a good point, hadn't even thought of that. Maybe I just use tabletop in the name. 

It was suspended before I changed it so its probably to do with in being called D&D originally. But this is definitely worth noting for the future! Thanks  

[CanningCrafts]

Is your website https://squirrelwizard.co.uk/ ?  Are those coaster images the same as what you had on Etsy? I don’t know game stuff, so I don’t know if any of the “example” names on the photos are actual character names that are trademarked or not. I know bots can pick up text in imagery, so maybe that’s what happened. And sometimes sellers have used props in photos that have caused unintentional removals too (like a Chanel perfume bottle in the background).

Unless I’m misunderstanding, it sounds like people just enter a name to engrave, it’s not necessarily an actual game character name? So one could put Dan or Joe on the coaster?

[CanningCrafts]

I did notice one of the font options was Dumbledor.... perhaps that could've triggered a removal if you had that text on Etsy.

[JackisJustVintage]

How do the buyers know it is a product for a character name if no reference to the game or character is mentioned? Maybe I am missing something...

[nineteen27]

how were you able to appeal.

if you did not know the reason for the suspension?

if the items have nothing to do with dungeons and dragons.

why did you call them dungeons and dragons.

what was the place holder image of?

it all sounds like a bunch of copyright and trademark infringement.

plus some trademark confusion.

mixed in there.

[MirageRiverCreations]

@nineteen27for the link posted above by @CanningCrafts the images were that of slate coasters with words etched at the very edges of the role playing character names. Then some with the “Squirrel Wizard” logo. And, finally, the only one with possible infringement with an image of the font options including one called “Dumbledor.” Everything else is above board and non-infringing. The OP is correct (if that is his website) that his images are not infringing on anyone’s rights except in the name of that font. Which he might not have realized if he’s not the one who named it in the first place.

[nineteen27]

@MirageRiverCreations 

i was only talking about.

what he said he did on etsy.

like this:

 I also used Dungeons and Dragons in the name originally for lack of a better idea.

[MirageRiverCreations]

@nineteen27 And I was referencing 

“what was the place holder image of?

it all sounds like a bunch of copyright and trademark infringement.

plus some trademark confusion.

mixed in there.”

Where you asked about images, and I was explaining the images shown on the website. Since it’s hard enough to take pictures once, I assume the OP has one set of product photos used both places. I’m sure I’m wrong, but I guess a lot of people use the same images on their own websites and on their Etsy shops.

[nineteen27]

@MirageRiverCreations 

he said this.

The only two things I can think of is that I used a placeholder image briefly as I was setting things up but these were on for maybe a day or two max before I put all the proper ones on there.

and since he was using the trademarked name dungeons and dragons.

i was just wondering what his *placeholder* image was that he thinks could be one of the reasons for his permanent suspension.

[Cadmium3DPrints]

@MirageRiverCreations Has covered most of what I was gunna say lol

But in reference to the place holder image, it was literally a grey background with the words "Image coming soon!" on it. I was just thinking this might have been something that Etsy didn't like. 

I only used Dungeons and Dragons in the name as I couldn't think of what else to call them at first. RPG game or Tabletop game seams obvious now but at the time I was getting writers block it would seem...  

Oh and yes, the images are the same from the website to the Etsy store. The name of the font should actually be fine as in the olden times it was used as another name for a Bumble Bee. But again, I checked all this and its all copyright free so shouldn't have been an issue. It could have made the Etsy bots have a moan though i suppose  

[MirageRiverCreations]

Here’s something no one else has suggested but used to be a bit of an issue, did you disclose each of your shops in your profile “about” section? So if you go into your shop and click on your own name, you’ll be taken to your profile page and it is required that for each open account you have on Etsy that you disclose them in your “about” section on that profile page, whether the account is a buyer account or a seller one. I seem to recall it was a big problem back a few years ago with new shops being suspended quickly if the shop owner forgot to disclose the new account in their profile “about” section.

For anyone confused on RPG, that stands for “role playing game” and they can be played online or in person. During a role playing game, the player becomes a completely different character from themselves and takes on a new identity and a name. These names are 100% player concocted (no guarantees of zero infringement), however, if the OP is taking custom names to etch on a blank, image free coaster, then there’s no way he was infringing by the custom names given by his customers, because they would not be shown on the listing in any way, shape, or form. Just like anyone else doing a custom it’s impossible for Etsy to know what that custom would be before it’s ordered. 

Dumbledor is probably a trademarked name and, thus, having it as a font in one of your images might have triggered an IP bot to catch it. That might have been why you were suspended, but there’s really no way to be sure if Etsy didn’t say what the reason for the suspension was. OP, I would suggest you change the name of that font (if you’re using it) or remove it from your options even on your own website. It’s not worth getting someone’s knickers in a twist over.

[Cadmium3DPrints]

Thanks @MirageRiverCreations for the info  

I had no idea about the about section to be honest. I don't think I ever added my "Cadmium" shop to the about page either.... Will have to check that and see if I did. 

Thanks for the explanation about RPG games. That was my impression of custom orders as well. I really have tried to keep things above board!

Perhaps your right on that one, I'll have to see if there is a way of looking up what is considered trademark. But I'll probably change it anyway to be on the safe side. That image was added after the suspension however so I don't think that's what cause the ban in this case. I can only assume it was using D&D in the name  

I am really frustrated with this platform to be honest. Like have a three strikes and your out rule, don't just ban people. Or if you are going to just ban people, at least give them a proper avenue to talk to a human and explain what's happened and correct it. You still achieve the same but you keep your sellers happy as well.  

Anyway, ranting isn't going to help, thanks a lot for your input! Lets hope I can sort something out! 

[heavyistheheart]

Seems to me etsy is starting to do its job