Frustrated with Etsy Seller Verification & Holiday Mode – My Experience

[ClipartArtist]

Hey fellow Etsy sellers,

I am very frustrated because I cannot receive new orders. Etsy should not put the shop on Holiday Mode just because verification takes so long on their end. This process is affecting my business, and I wanted to share my experience.

On January 27, 2025, I received a yellow notification in my dashboard stating:

"Get paid for your sales by verifying your seller info: Since we couldn’t verify the details you shared, your shop is in temporary Holiday mode, so you can’t receive new orders right now. To get paid and start selling again, you’ll need to upload a legal document (like a government-issued ID) confirming your identity in the next 60 days. If you can’t verify your info, any pending orders will be refunded to buyers."

I immediately uploaded my Driving License as a verification document. After submission, Etsy provided this message:

"Your document has been submitted for review: We'll look it over and be in touch soon (usually within 2-5 business days). We may reach out if we need more details. Keep in mind: Your shop will stay in Holiday mode until we can verify your info."

Now, I’m stuck waiting while my shop remains in Holiday Mode, unable to receive new orders. This is incredibly frustrating because verification delays are on Etsy’s side, yet sellers are the ones suffering the consequences.

Has anyone else experienced this? How long did your verification take? I really hope Etsy improves this process so that sellers don’t lose business unnecessarily.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

[ButtermilkCottage]

I too got put on forced vacation mode on the 27th and uploaded my passport and driver's license right away.  It was only a matter of minutes before I was back open, thankfully.  Not sure why there is so much disparity in verifying people's identities.  Good luck.

[ClipartArtist]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I’m glad your shop was reopened so quickly. I uploaded my Driving License as a PDF file—just curious, what file format did you use (.jpg, .png, or .pdf)? Wondering if that might have made a difference in the verification speed.

[ButtermilkCottage]

I uploaded my docs as a PDF file.

[PeacocksPrincelyGems]

Well you are fortunate!  However, people are complaining for a reason. Not just because they are being asked for verification. THAT is not the problem. 

The problem is that people DO send in a verification document and it is repeatedly refused - due to it apparently not being clear. This is because their machine is not picking it up. 

I have sent my passport in with very clear images showing all the details with my photo.

I have done that procedure about 100 times now, and it has not been verified. The generic email says it can’t read it.

I sent about seven other documents with my name and address as back up and they were not even acknowledged.

Etsy asked for verification just when I had a sale. I have been quiet for a long time.

I don’t know what the customer must think but she  paid £75 for some linen a few weeks ago and I’m still unable to send it.

I don’t think it’s professional to ask for verification just when you have a sale. 

This is beyond frustrating! 

[JJewellerySuppliesUK]

It has only been 2 days since you received the message.  Verification can actually take up to 21 days.  

[ClipartArtist]

Yeah, I understand! Just feeling a bit anxious. Hoping it doesn’t take the full 21 days. Thanks for the reassurance!

[DaysofYoreTreasures]

I think the big question is - why is Etsy putting shops into vacation mode at the same time they request the verification?

According to their own documented procedures, the original request should include a deadline.

A shop may be put into vacation mode if they have not met the deadline for confirming their seller info. 

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/14553858116759-Etsy-Asked-Me-to-Confirm-My-Seller-Info?segme...

Etsy is notifying some sellers that they must provide and confirm additional info about their business in their Shop Manager.
If this applies to you, we’ll email you from mail@etsy.com and post alerts in your Shop Manager Dashboard.

If notified, you’ll be given a deadline to provide and confirm your seller info. The deadline is a legal mandate that depends on what laws apply to your shop.

If you don’t confirm your seller info by the deadline emailed to you and displayed in your Shop Manager Dashboard, you won’t be able to receive funds from your sales and Etsy may need to place your shop on pause via Etsy-initiated vacation mode. You won’t be able to exit vacation mode until you take the required actions.

[ChillwolfArt]

@DaysofYoreTreasures  Well stated. The problem is how they are handling it, putting Shops on Vacation before (or at the same time), they tell tell the Seller they need to Verify.
"If you don’t confirm your seller info by the deadline emailed to you and displayed in your Shop Manager Dashboard, you won’t be able to receive funds from your sales and Etsy may need to place your shop on pause via Etsy-initiated vacation mode. You won’t be able to exit vacation mode until you take the required actions."
But they are not doing this; BAM, the Shop get put on Vacation FIRST, disrupting the Seller's business and causing unneeded stress and aggravation. I've seen mention that Etsy most likely doesn't have the manpower to handle these Verifications, but that's on them; it shouldn't fall onto the Seller. Yet it does. And you can't even get a hold of a HUMAN over the phone. I'm sure ebay goes thru Verification as well, but at least they have Phone Support. It's not right. 

[DaysofYoreTreasures]

@ChillwolfArt 

Yes, it is very concerning and it makes no sense.
Why would they deliberately stop sales coming in, especially when their own procedures contradict what they are doing?

Also, it seems the OP received their first request on January 27, yet the text in the email says:
Since we couldn’t verify the details you shared, your shop is in temporary Holiday mode...

[DaysofYoreTreasures]

@ChillwolfArt 

I found this in the US Inform Act.
https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/what-third-party-sellers-need-know-about-inform-cons...

Furthermore, the law requires online marketplaces to suspend a high-volume third party seller if the seller doesn’t provide the marketplace with the information the marketplace needs to comply with the law within 10 days or doesn’t respond within 10 days to the marketplace’s request for updated information. As the law specifies, the marketplace must give the seller written or electronic notice of non-compliance. If the seller doesn’t provide the information within 10 days of that notice, the marketplace must “suspend any future sales activity” of the seller until the seller complies with the requirements of the law.

Also from the act
The law defines a “high-volume third party seller” as a seller in an online marketplace that doesn’t operate the online marketplace and that, in any continuous 12-month period during the past 24 months, has had 200 or more separate sales or transactions of new or unused consumer products, and $5,000 or more in gross revenues. In calculating the number of sales or amount of gross revenues for the “high-volume” threshold on a given online marketplace

[Twoyoungz]

My shop was put in forced vacation mode on the same day as yours (January 27th) and I have uploaded my passport (in PDF format) immediately after I received an email but it still says that the verification is pending and my shop is still on vacation mode.

Just update here once etsy removes vacation mode from your shop so I can be aware of the timeline.

[ContrailFilmCamera]

Hello, my shop was also suddenly put into vacation mode on January 27th. I immediately uploaded the required documents, but it still hasn’t been lifted. Your shop has already returned to normal operating mode, right? That’s great to hear.

Could you let me know how long it took for the process to be completed? I’m really feeling anxious.

[ClipartArtist]

Congrats! I’m glad Etsy finally removed the vacation mode from your shop. That’s a relief! Thanks for keeping us updated—this gives me hope that mine will be reviewed soon too. Wishing you lots of sales now that you're back up and running!

[Twoyoungz]

I had re uploaded three of my documents i.e. Aadhaar card, Pan card and Passport (living in India) yesterday night and emailed a request to speed up the review process to the bot response on my initial raised help ticket on Etsy. And it’s worked out. My shop is live now. It took approximately 5-6 hours after I reuploaded my documents and emailed Etsy.

Hope the same process might work for all.

[daimblond]

"within 2-5 business days?" I have a document pending for verification since 2024! And now they put my shop on vacation mode. if I have to wait for months I'd better definitevly quit etsy

[ClipartArtist]

That’s so frustrating! I really hope they don’t take that long for you this time. Hang in there!

[RosyRetro]

that's terrible! Hang on in there...my last one was pending for 4 months but thankfully this latest one took 12 hours.It's a really stressful way to do things as so many of us rely on that income!

[BonnyJewelry]

My shop went I to vacation more on the 27th as well.  Just got back confirmation and open again about 30 minutes ago.  Verification took about two days for me from start to finish.  Hope everyone is back up and running soon.

[ClipartArtist]

That’s great news! Glad your shop is back up! Hoping mine (and everyone else’s) gets verified soon too. Thanks for sharing!

[Nutek3D]

Mine too in Holiday Mode since 28th and I uploaded Govt Issued ID 2days back. Still it has not been attended. Just few months back store was in Holiday Mode after they made roll out for Etsy Payment / Payoneer mandatory

[ClipartArtist]

That’s really frustrating! I hope they review your ID soon and remove Holiday Mode quickly. Fingers crossed for you!

[MEpresets]

I also got an email on 27th jan.I uploaded my pan card with clear image.But It hasn’t verified yet.I feel so frustrated with this issue.

[ClipartArtist]

I totally understand your frustration! Hoping your verification gets approved soon. Hang in there!

[WrappedRoundMyFinger]

I am in limbo waiting as well since the 27th. I really think that Etsy should give you some compensation when it is taking this long at their end as we are losing sells and customers.