HELP!!! listings have been incorrectly flagged as not handmade - cannot update, change, or add.

[KitNKatShop]

Recently Etsy deactivated several of our physical product listings. We make scale jewelry for ball jointed and vinyl dolls - 1/3 scale. We have been scrupulous in following the TOS and complied with all requirements - even changing our packaging for LUCID. We make everything ourselves (there are 2 of us in the shop). They even deactivated a listing that I showed making on our about page!
We have tried chat several times to no avail. We requested emails from Trust & Security and twice recieved canned responses that do not address the issue at all - completely unrelated to our issue. We cannot get any response from Etsy - what do we do?!?! It seems even our emails are going ignored. 
We have been on Etsy for several years, nearly 6000 sales and a consistent 5 star seller with great reviews and repeat buyers. We don't want to lose the reputation we have earned via this shop. Before this we had nearly 150 listings (some digital sewing patterns for doll clothes) and now we are down to less than 85. We no longer come up on searches that we consistently were top results for. We don't even come up on Google like we did before the deactivations. We had a steady income and watching it disappear!
I can no longer modify, update or add any jewelry to our shop - it is AUTOMATICALLY and IMMEDIATELY DEACTIVATED!!!

[FancyTogs]

Are you sure that it is "not handmade" as the problem?

Etsy have started using their bots to pull listings that may be child safety concerns. They started with amber anywhere on the listing page (including seller name), but they also have had bots identifying listings with batteries mentioned.

There will is usually a trigger word.

Do the listings mention magnets or magnetic? I'm guessing, as magnets in childrens toys are a big safety concern.

The bots only look for trigger words, and combinations of words, they don't look at context.

The "Toys" listing category may also be a trigger.

Lawrence (Clare's other half)

[moonbeamgifts]

Their top listing is for a set of magnetic earrings so guessing this is the tip of the ice berg.

[ArtDollsbyJD]

The magnets are most likely the issue.  Small parts like this and under Toys would cause the BOT to deactivate. 

[Amaradorn]

Have Etsy specifically told you that the listings were removed for 'not being handmade' or is that your assumption?

Is it possible they were removed for mentioning 'Smart Doll' which I believe is trademarked?

It could also be the magnet thing as mentioned above.

Side Note: some of your tags appear to be missing spaces between words (not sure if that's a bug or misunderstanding of required syntax)

[KitNKatShop]

We have a email direct from Danny Choo - the owner of Smart Doll and it emphatically states folks are allowed to use the term and he is well aware of our business and actually encourages folks to use Smart Doll to sell items intended forthe doll. Also this has had NO effect on selling digital patterns - ONLY our handmade jewelry for the dolls. However, I tried removing any brandnames and it STILL deactivated them, immediately and automatically. 
EVERY email we get about why is because it was flagged as reseller, not handmade.

[Amaradorn]

@KitNKatShop That's fine - it's just one of the things we like to check as trademark infringement is a huge cause of items being deactivated on Etsy.

[CatsBeadKitsandMore]

@KitNKatShop  , Do not relist a listing that has been deactivated by etsy unless you've been told you can. That's a good way to get your shop shut down permanently. If batteries, amber, ivory, Cuba are used then that's the problem.

[OneEyeCatStudio]

" That's a good way to get your shop shut down permanently. "

@CatsBeadKitsandMore  would you mind posting where you have seen that written? 

I ask because I don't find that to be true at all. I've reported counterfeited designer fabric and as soon as Etsy takes the listings down, the sellers put them right back up. Over and over. Etsy does not shut down the shops.

TIA

[ArtDollsbyJD]

@KitNKatShop   it is probably the magnets if that is the common theme of the takedown.  Listing the items under Toys is subject to EU/US regulations on toys for children.

You may need to change the category and state that your items are for adults only. Not children.

You will need to contact Etsy directly to ask for the specifics.  It is most likely the regulations for toys that have caused the takedown.

[CatsBeadKitsandMore]

@OneEyeCatStudio , That's what I was told when I had a listing taken down for using the word 'amber' . I fixed it and replied to the email telling them it was fixed. No response from etsy for weeks about it. Came to the forums to ask if I could just relist it since I had fixed the listing and was told that by others here in the forum. I was repeating what I had been told.

[OneEyeCatStudio]

@CatsBeadKitsandMore  Ahhhhh. Well, thank you for answering.

[KitNKatShop]

We state emphatically that they are for adult collectors. Etsy does not have a category for ball jointed dolls as art - only as toys. IF that was the issue, Trust & Safety should be tellings us instead of saying repeatedly that we are "not handmade, a supply or vintage". They also picked oldest listings and 2 newer listings but not the intallation kit that has the magnets in it???? 
The problem is they claim we violated TOS but we did not. We even changed packaging to meet LUCID requirements and made sure to include "not suitable for small children" everything they say to do. We can't get anyone at Etsy to respond other than a canned email that often doesn't even remotely connect to the reason we emailed them (Harrassed by a buyer, try to work it out with them????)

[Amaradorn]

They use bots - bots don't understand context as they are badly programmed.

[VibeEnvy]

The word TOY is in 30 of your listings for DOLLS. That would indicate these may be intended for children and the bots will see toy and doll and magnet and assume these are dangerous for children. They may not have singled out the items, they may have sold, renewed, etc and THEN triggered the bots to catch them. The handmade policy includes all the rules, not just "being made by hand" which includes copyright infringement, health and safety laws, fda restrictions, shipping restrictions, hazardous materials, etc etc etc etc etc. By claiming handmade you have to follow ALL the rules that come with that and breaking any of them breaks the "handmade" policy even if it's made by hand.

[ArtDollsbyJD]

You need to remove your items from Toys.  Your items need to be under Doll collecting rather than the toy area. 

You are specifying that these are not toy items but you are now caught in the category that is very particular about the regulations for children,  

[KitNKatShop]

We should still have an override or category for collectible dolls that are not vintage. This is where and WHY Etsy needs real people, not just offshore chat with a script to help. 

[FancyTogs]

There is:

Art & Collectibles
> Dolls & Miniatures
>> Art Dolls
>>> Goth & Horror Dolls
>> Figurines

Lawrence

[FancyTogs]

Useful:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/seller-handbook/article/updates-to-listing-categories-and/362857340643

https://www.etsy.com/uk/help/categories/seller

Lawrence

[ArtDollsbyJD]

There is a place for collectible dolls and the items that go along with collectible dolls.  FancyTogs has posted the category.

[BootifulLabels]

Just a thought, if it is the jewellery that is being removed it may be because of the size and nature of the pieces, magnetic fasteners etc, as in general, dolls and doll accessories are meant for young children.  Etsy does not allow anything with small beads  which could be targeted towards children to be sold here.  They were sued by the parents of a child who choked on a bead on a teething necklace.  Giving small children magnetic jewellery is a bit of a risk. 

[KitNKatShop]

Nothing in ANY of the emails has suggested this, but even if I wanted to - the Deactivations are AUTOMATIC and IMMEDIATE. I cannot fix or add or change any listing that is NOT deactivated because any change and it is immediately Deactivated by Etsy. I cannot FIX any listings that are currently active (not even qty) because as soon as I hit the publish button it gets deactivated. Note: ONLY physical products, not digital patterns that use the same exact keywords, etc. 

[FancyTogs]

"AUTOMATIC and IMMEDIATE" and "as soon as I hit the publish button it gets deactivated" indicates to me that it is being done by a bot, which is most likely to be a keyword trigger, possibly in combination with listing category.

Lawrence

[Amaradorn]

@FancyTogs It does indeed indicate a bot but how can that be for 'not handmade'?? None of this makes any sense - unless Etsy are just sending the same generic email for everything now.

[VibeEnvy]

Note: You can not choke on a download. Kids can choke and die from magnets on small pieces intended for childrens toys. The fact the digital downloads aren't affected should actually tell you more that the problem is something to do with the physical product and not the keywords specifically but the words applying to physical items and the rules regarding physical items.