Etsy took away my stars due Etsy's Creativity Standards...

[DRAGONPIPES]

So here it goes again.  Had two listings taken down for French Hoods.  Contacted Etsy as to why and of course no information given.  That was about a month ago and I decided I wouldn't list any new ones till I figured out what was going on.  But I sold one and then relisted it and Etsy again cited me and took down my listing...now this French Hood I have been making since around 2015 using the same picture.  Etsy support email said they would take away my stars and they did today.  Since the second listing was pulled I came to the forum and everyone was great and said to check to see if someone was using my photos.  Well there is a seller on Aliexpress that is using all my French Hood photos.  So I came back here and asked about DMCA etc...and once again this forum was great and I filled out all the information and submitted it to AliExpress and I am still waiting.  I tried etsy support again and they just sent me a "form" email saying exactly the same thing as before.  So I am coming back to you all with two questions.  1. Can I get me stars back and 2.  How do I let Ebay know that I did not break their Creativity Standards?  I don't understand why Etsy just automatically assumes that I am breaking the rules rather than AliExpress.....I mean really these are Handmade Renaissance French Hood Headpieces that I have been making for almost 15 years here on Etsy and many of my pictures are the same.  How do I get someone to listen...I am a very small shop.  I don't make much money each year just enough to make ends meet.  I would appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you

[pennyemporium]

@DRAGONPIPES: since the forums are just sellers like yourself, we often can only guess about the problem, just as you are doing. 

i found this comment on another thread, here; https://community.etsy.com/t5/Technical-Issues/TEMU-stole-my-pictures-then-Etsy-removed-14-of-my-lis...

@cindylouwho2 says "Because the appeal page does not allow appeals of listings removed for stolen photos, and Support even told me they couldn't let us appeal now."

could you look at your Etsy Appeals Center ( https://www.etsy.com/appeals ) and see if there is a blurb at the top that says "It looks like your account doesn't have an issue that's eligible for appeal."

that's what my page says, even tho i have an open ticket for an widget that was removed on july 6th.

[DRAGONPIPES]

Thank you for responding...It doesn't say anything like that on my email from etsy support.  So I started another one...sent them all the information, sent links to the stolen pictures and the forms I filled out for AliExpress.....I'm not holding my breath - but I so wish I had a lawyer in the family.

[cindylouwho2]

@pennyemporium "could you look at your Etsy Appeals Center ( https://www.etsy.com/appeals ) and see if there is a blurb at the top that says "It looks like your account doesn't have an issue that's eligible for appeal." Yes, that is what I saw when I tried to appeal. 

[PrideForAllKinds]

@cindylouwho2 @pennyemporium 
Hi! I'm currently on the same boat. Etsy deactivated 3 of my listings for violating their creativity policy. These are some of my bestsellers currently on aliexpress, temu, walmart, etc.

I just checked that link (etsy appeals center) and at the top it says: "It looks like your account doesn't have an issue that's eligible for appeal." which is odd because I already contacted support last Friday and the agent said they'll escalate it with their team.

Does this mean i need to message them again? What did you guys do? Did you get your listings reinstated? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

[cindylouwho2]

@PrideForAllKinds Yes, most people with items taken down can't appeal from that page any more. 

I would wait to see what happens with your ticket escalation, as I couldn't even get then to say they'd do that. (I did get my listing reinstated, but I don't know why.) You can see your tickets here: https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/requests?segment=selling

[vintageNCtreasures]

@DRAGONPIPES wrote: "2.  How do I let Ebay know "

Don't you mean "ETSY" and not Ebay?

You still have a few mins to EDIT your post.

Hope you get everything straightened out, sooner rather than later.
If Etsy reinstates those listings you'd think you'd get your stars back (since it was Etsy's mistake and you're not reselling those items) but then, they might not.

[DRAGONPIPES]

Thank you for finding that - I reread that at 3 times and didn't notice that - how do I correct that?

[PalladiaTrims]

Can you add a copyright watermark to your photos? That would establish your copyright and also make the photos digitally different than the ones Ali Express is using. 

[DRAGONPIPES]

I did add watermarks to the ones I have left in my shop - but since I don't know what code Etsy is using when I do a reverse image search AliExpress is still showing up.  Now the ones that Etsy closed were direct matches as the seller was using my exact pictures so they showed as a match.  Ones that the seller is not showing still shows up - just not as source.  I am really confused.

[pennyemporium]

@DRAGONPIPES:  could you look at your Etsy Appeals Center ( https://www.etsy.com/appeals ) and see if there is a blurb at the top that says "It looks like your account doesn't have an issue that's eligible for appeal."

i see that on my account even though i have a removed listing.  CindyLouWho2 sees it on hers, and she has removed listings........ do you see that on YOUR page?  

[DRAGONPIPES]

Ok..tracked down the original appeal and that statement is at the top.

[TBQSC]

I believe when your photos are stolen, you need to file a DMCA against the seller/website that stole your photos and submit that as evidence to Etsy as proof along with possibly other sorts of proof ... video of you creating the items, your workplace, etc.  Sorry this is happening so often lately ... wishing everyone affected best of luck!

[pennyemporium]

@PrideForAllKinds: regarding the message "It looks like your account doesn't have an issue that's eligible for appeal"... i would NOT appeal again. you already have an appeal open ( you can check for updates here: https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/requests?segment=selling ), you don't need to open yet another appeal.

as you have said your violations come from stolen photos, @cindylouwho2 posted up a chrome extension that searches a multitude of website for your photos, here: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/search-by-image/cnojnbdhbhnkbcieeekonklommdnndci

it is good policy for sellers to pursue the DMCA takedowns with these other websites, simply to protect their rights. some Etsy sellers have had luck showing Etsy evidence that they have filed these takedowns.

my appeal has been open since july 6 and escalated three times. crickets. so, going forward, rather than wringing my hands and begging Etsy for help..... i will take the advice that @cindylouwho2 has given from the beginning of time... "don't put all your eggs into one Etsy basket... you must diversify".

i would advise you to think about where YOU will list your forbidden widgets, and get that plan in place while you are waiting for an Etsy decision. for me, the choices include my own website, eBay, or Amazon handmade.

[PrideForAllKinds]

@pennyemporium @cindylouwho2 all my listings that were deactivated are now reinstated. I posted a separated thread here on etsy forums and a moderator replied. A couple of hours after, those listings were reactivated.   

[AnnaleasFinest]

@DRAGONPIPES 

you need a moderator to step in, mark here or contact community manager ThatRegina.

Best wishes!

[DRAGONPIPES]

Thank you for your response...how do I get a moderator to step in or contact community manager ThatRegina?

[my2lilpixies]

I need help with the same issue @thatregina @ModJuan. Star badges were removed final warning for items that we sent photos for over 10 years ago and were told they would be kept on file and would have no more issues.  Help Here 

[MeggiexStore]

Same here please @thatregina 

[my2lilpixies]

@cindylouwho2I don't have an appeal option either, How did you get your items reinstated ? Etsy won't give me the option to open a support ticket either . Chat rep said they cannot help. I have been waiting to hear from someone for over 2 weeks. In the meantime I had a couple other listings taken down. Since then they have removed my star seller badge that I have had since we were able to obtain it and also a final warning . This has been so upsetting . I cannot sleep , I am sick over it . I have been dedicated to Etsy for 15 years and never have I once not been able to resolve an issue. 

[cindylouwho2]

@my2lilpixies I am not sure, and they won't tell me. I just kept talking to Support via email and chat. 

One thing that I think helped was posting this in Chat: "In May, Josh Silverman said that sellers can appeal removals of duplicate images: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/q1-2024-etsy-inc-earnings-114544569.html So why can I not appeal?" - just a few hours later, a Support manager told me that my listing was reinstated. 

I also asked for a copy of the chat so I had evidence for the media and investors. (I am still working on the post about all of this, which I will then work to get exposure for)

[cindylouwho2]

@my2lilpixies "I have been waiting to hear from someone for over 2 weeks." If you have been told that your issue has been escalated to Trust & Safety, then it very well could take more than 2 weeks. 

[MeggiexStore]

@cindylouwho2 do you find chatting via the support ticket or chat more helpful? I've only bothered with the support ticket so far incase chat close my support ticket. But if it is helpful then I might give it a go.

[cindylouwho2]

@MeggiexStore I literally do not know what helped - I am sorry. The only advantage of Chat was that I got something other than pure cut & paste, so I could tell he was reading my replies. 

[my2lilpixies]

You are correct ,  He did say that !  And since Josh did say that, it should be a valid reason to be able to appeal the listings. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for the Etsy community . It's greatly appreciated .