Fake users and fake likes

[JenMRamosHandmade]

I’ve brought this up before with no resolution. I go through several weeks at a time where hundreds of fake Etsy users all like the same item - every day, every few hours. They add to cart, favorite my shop. They’re not real users and all they have in common is they consistently like the Same bridal party robes, and other mass-manufactured items with very little variation. It’s been going on for months. Sometimes it’ll stop if I deactivate the account (vacation mode) or the item. The time passes and they hit a different item.

I’ve contacted Etsy and they blew me off. The response was, maybe it will help you. It hasn’t. And that they’d tell a manager or something. 

The response in forums was that I shouldn’t worry about it (which is kind of rude since I deserve the same account features as everyone else -including an accurate representation of my account stats), and no these aren’t “teams playing games.” They’re genuinely not real people. 

[NanaLetha]

If they don't have an account they can't do that.

[JenMRamosHandmade]

The accounts are made up presumably for this purpose. Each one has zero followers and is following zero and has a very common sounding  name (only a first name), and no profile pic. I realize that’s not uncommon but it’s every single one, all spaced out by an hour or two. 

I’m not sure what you’re getting at. As I stated, these are fake accounts, ie, dummy accounts. “If they don’t have an account they can’t do that,” doesn’t make any sense so maybe you want to flesh that out a bit?

[ChillwolfArt]

Wow, several weeks of hundreds of users Faving the same item/s. That's excessive. Are you saying that they have an account, then they are suddenly gone? (they could be scammers and Etsy deleted the account/s).

[JenMRamosHandmade]

when someone faves an item, I check to see where they’re coming from. It’s always the same - no profile pic, following no one, no follows. And on top of that they’re all fav’ing the same items. 

[LastCentury]

You have been here a long time. By chance are (or were) you on a team you've forgotten about but they haven't forgotten you? Could this be one of those time waster faving teams or whatever promo teams?

certainly some team member still play those games even if they don't have shop anymore. 

Just guessing out loud.

[JenMRamosHandmade]

No I didn’t know teams existed until the last time I tried to gain insight into this. I haven’t even been posting to forums that long, relative to when I started. 

[JenMRamosHandmade]

And again, as I stated in the original post, it’s not teams stuff unless they’re creating fake accounts to do this one thing for weeks and months at a time. 

I wish I could post a screenshot. 

[PoochandTabby]

I was thinking bot attacks. Many sellers get them, but I haven't heard of bots adding to cart, just liking to drive down conversion. 

[JenMRamosHandmade]

Yep. So before this started, maybe 350-400 people “faved” my shop. Now it’s 700+. There’s a possum bag I made that’s cute, but as of today it’s allegedly in 20+ carts. It had stopped for a while but before that it was holiday patches, and before that it was the cactus zipper pouch listing. Listings will either show as being in carts or favorites. But again it’s consistently looking like bot activity - fake accounts and liking (always) these bridal robes and similar, along with a few people who seem to have had their accounts also targeted. 

I don’t know why and I don’t know how to make it stop. 

[JenMRamosHandmade]

I actually just checked stats and my conversion rate is now at .4%. Ridiculous. 

[GroundZeroCreations]

@JenMRamosHandmade  According to most industry data, the average conversion rate for online sellers (e-commerce websites) is around 2.5% to 3%. So your conversion rate is still better than average.

[PoochandTabby]

@GroundZeroCreations

Her conversion rate is .4%. If that wasn't a typo, that's point 4, under 1%. 

[ArtDollsbyJD]

It could be sellers still playing games.  There seems to have been a resurgence and many are not keeping this to their team members only.

They cannot favorite unless they have an account on Etsy.  And it has to be a real account.  Etsy has algorithms in place to preven false accounts,

Your possum bag only has 34 favorites and 20 people have it in their cart.   There is nothing wrong with such numbers in the cart.  Doesn't mean people will buy.  If the numbers have dropped it means Etsy removed them as they do after 30 days.

If these are views then the BOTS are removed several times a day,  What are the visit figures.

Methinks you might be making a mountain out of a molehill.  I mean how is it damaging your shop?  Anyone can still buy the bag.  Until it sells it is up for anyone to purchase.  

[JenMRamosHandmade]

I think you’re misreading the info here. The bag I referenced is in “20+ carts” with 74 favorites (grabbed that from stats) and only 8 views. It’s in WAY more than 20 carts that’s just their limit  when it comes to what’s shown under a listing.

As someone else stated, these things affect algorithm.  So fewer are seeing my shop.  But aside from that, again, not sure if you read my whole post, I deserve an accurate representation when it comes to stats and how my listings are doing. I’m paying for that with my fees like everyone else. 

As I said already, these aren’t games being played. It’s been ongoing since before September and it’s not just one item. It’s usually a couple of items at a time. The items the fake-users have also favorited are ALWAYS the same bridal robes listings that come from just a couple of shops. Then other sellers’ oddball items (like mine) get thrown in there I suppose to make this look authentic. 

Your speculation and accusations of blowing this up are neither supportive nor welcome. It’s a drag I can’t include screenshots to illustrate but it’s an even bigger drag that the first thing another Etsy seller would do is find ways to make their fellow seller look stupid. Honestly I’m hoping to find someone else with the same experience who can shed light on this, which is why I posted on technical support.

[TinLizziAntiques]

Do you have competitors who make similar items? Could it be targeted harassment? Use Google Lens on your best sellers to see if your items pop up in other shops. To me, it sounds like deliberate harassment, perhaps by jealous competitors.

[JenMRamosHandmade]

No. That’s not it. 

What all these accounts have in common - the shop likes and single-item likes - is they also like/favorite bridal robes by AphroditAus and TapTalCo. These are mass produced items. Five pages worth of these with just a few odd items interspersed like a tshirt with a frog on it. All the accounts are identical in this way. 

And again, I’m not looking for speculation I’m looking for help to make it stop. I just want my normal account back. 

[PlatypusDream]

@JenMRamosHandmade 

We’ve seen this before. These are what we call “pod people” - fake accounts with just one item that are up to no good.

They used to come to the Forum and comment one posts with unrelated things like “Great!” or “Thanks!”.

You can report them to Etsy as Sock Puppet accounts up to no good, and Etsy will remove them.

Gather all of the store names in a document, then report each and every shop to Etsy with an explanation and the list. Say the it is Business Interference, which is definitely against the Terms of Use. Provide a link to Etsy’s own policy when reporting.

It did work (or at least used to0 when I reported them, so it is worth a try if you feel it is negatively affecting your business.

[RHLJewelry]

@JenMRamosHandmade  How do you check to see who favorites a listing in your shop? I did not think it is possible to see who actually favs an item..  ??

[JenMRamosHandmade]

It’s listed aa recent activity on your dashboard. I don’t know if this is different in the app. I use my browser. 

[GlancesBackVintage]

I see the possum bag- very cute.  Most everyone who has followed you recently have one thing in common- they are looking at robes.  Your items may have been shared on social media- prompting a large number of viewers.  Possums are popular right now- so if someone shares it- you may get a lot of lookers.  I have had huge increase in sales and looks when someone shares one of my items.  Everyone's conversion rates are down.  Lots of window shoppers out there.  

[JenMRamosHandmade]

It’s not that simple. I just counted 17 favorites on this item just since midnight. Overnight? And it’s been like this for at least a week already. The favorites are for the identical robe listings. And not just one or two. Many listings from the same two shop pages. 

[JenMRamosHandmade]

And again. This isn’t the first time. It’s been happening for less than a year but more than 6 months. The item is different each time and I can’t predict the onset of this burst of activity. It dies off when I delete the item or put the shop on vacation mode. Then it starts up again with another item. Same pattern.  I pay fees and I don’t want to have to delete an item I’m hoping to use this platform to sell. 

[RHLJewelry]

@JenMRamosHandmade  again I ask...  How do you check to see who favorites a listing in your shop? I did not think it is possible to see who actually favs an item..

[GroundZeroCreations]

@RHLJewelry Your favorites show on your seller dashboard under recent activity. That is toward the bottom of the page. Just click the name of the person there and it will take you to their profile.