Help! Deactivated listings

[OurTimeArt]

Hi everyone,

I make money leis for graduation, I have my listings for over 2 years in Etsy without any problem. I had done some marketing this year so I could have better sales during the selling season, which is starting now; and all of the sudden Etsy deactivated most of my current/best seller listings.

It has been over a week, I've called and e-mailed multiple times and just today I got an email from the "Integrity" Team indicating that money leis are not allowed on Etsy. I have already replied indicating that there are TONS of similar listings; including money bouquets, money cakes and so on that also include bills and I can't understand why my listings have been aleatory deactivated. Still no additional feedback.

I found this very concerning and discriminatory. Did anyone else encounter a similar situation? What can I do? 

[dayspringcollectible]

If Etsy has told you they are not allowed, there is nothing you can do.  You'll have to find a site where they are allowed.  Though others may be selling them, they just haven't been caught and removed yet, and more probably pop up in their place.  It is a never-ending task to remove listings that are not allowed.

[OurTimeArt]

Thank you, but I found this very aleatory and discriminatory... Specially considering the fact that they collected money on Advertising for the whole year, and they just deactivated them right at the beginning of the selling season.

I can imagine it'd be a never-ending tasks, but there are so many more listings that have been active (and with much more traffic) for much longer than mine. 

[PillowDetails]

Thanks for my new word for today - "aleatory" !

[VINTAGEbytheMAGPIE]

this isn't discrimination , you listed the items  , Etsy say they cant be sold here , you got caught today maybe they will get caught tomorrow. If you dont want your listing to be deactivated in the future then make sure you know what can and cant be sold here  https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360024112614-What-Can-I-Sell-on-Etsy

[CraftSupplyHouse]

Etsy doesn't apply rules equally across the site.  I had a listing deactivated.  I can't get a valid reason except "it's not allowed" and there are others of the same thing right on the front page of search (table top Christmas tree).  It's frustrating but it's their playground and we just live with their inconsistent rules.

[OurTimeArt]

Thank you for understanding

[OurTimeArt]

"I got caught|?" I wouldn't have contacted and argue with Etsy so many times if I thought or knew these items were not allowed. Etsy had no problem taking my money on advertising for these listings. 

And yes, if these items are definitely allowed it is discrimination as there is an enourmous amount of items that include bills. It is just graduation season! Just search for money leis, graduation leis, money bouquet, money cakes and you will see what I mean.

Thank you for your feedback anyway. 

[NoFrogsAllowed]

Maybe you got ratted out by a competitor.

[OurTimeArt]

I have the feeling this is what is happening, as I told you before I was putting money on ads for the whole year and I was finally getting some good traffic. But still, my sales were not that significant either  

This is why I believe it's  discriminatory and arbitrary.

[PillowDetails]

I would like to know what rule is against having origami money as part of a handmade item.  Until I see it, I would think they would be allowed.

Anyone?

[CraftSupplyHouse]

I can't find it in their prohibited items list.  Then again I can't find that table top Christmas trees are prohibited, either...

[dayspringcollectible]

I can't imagine why either one would not be allowed either.

But when an answer comes directly from the Integrity team, it is hard to win that argument.

[NoFrogsAllowed]

@CraftSupplyHouse 

There must be something we don't know about the table-top Christmas trees.  Are the real trees, do they have amber lights, etc.

@PillowDetails 

I haven't seen anything about money leis being prohibited.  Only thing I can see as a possible problem would be selling to a foreign country.

[SmudgePlant]

According to the Prohibited Items Policy:

Given associated regulations, lottery tickets, cryptocurrency mining rigs, and current, exchangeable currency and postage may not be sold on Etsy. We also prohibit the sale of financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, and other securities. Handmade items containing any of these items in a usable condition are also not allowed. Collectible postage or currency that priced at less than $1,000 are allowed unless subject to legal or other restrictions. Collectible currency may not be offered as 'unsearched' or as a mixed lot of unknown contents

https://www.etsy.com/legal/prohibited/

Maybe if you use old bills they can qualify as "collectible currency."

[PillowDetails]

Ah - @NoFrogsAllowed  - that would make sense - easily solved by a shipping profile for only domestic sales.

I've been searching for US treasury rules, and folding isn't defacing - plus it's meant to be used/spent by the gift recipient.

[CraftSupplyHouse]

@NoFrogsAllowed Nothing about amber in my tree.  The guy on help chat saw no reason they couldn't be sold, either.  Integrity has supposedly sent me an email about it and I've asked it to be re-sent.  Haven't received either. 

[CraftSupplyHouse]

@PillowDetails I know one lei seller who only ships to the US that had a money lei deactivated.  Yet if you search for money lei on Etsy, there are still a bunch listed.  It wouldn't be so bad if they applied their rules to everyone so the playing field was level.

[CatsBeadKitsandMore]

self edited

[maggiemaybecrafty]

Just because others are doing it does not make it discrimination or Etsy legal, the other sellers just have not been caught yet. Possibly you were reported by a competitor.

[OurTimeArt]

Honestly I have no clue. If that's the case, the competitor's listings should also be deactivated! 

I'm still waiting on a feedback to my reply, I had sent them many screenshots showing them a large number of items that they said are not allowed.

My biggest frustration comes from the lack of communication and transparency shown by Etsy. 

[PlatypusDream]

If you want it to be fair, feel free to report other shops that are breaking the rules.

Etsy is a complaint-driven system, so complain.

DO NOT try selling the same items again unless you want a permanent ban.

[TreeTreasuresCanada]

@OurTimeArt  I was curious and did some digging.  The quote below is from Etsy Prohibited Items Policy, Section 5.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/legal/prohibited/?ref=list

"Given associated regulations, lottery tickets, cryptocurrency mining rigs, and current, exchangeable currency and postage may not be sold on Etsy. We also prohibit the sale of financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, and other securities. Handmade items containing any of these items in a usable condition are also not allowed."

[dayspringcollectible]

Well, there we go.  That's why they were taken down.

[PillowDetails]

Ah!  Thank you @TreeTreasuresCanada  There's the answer.