Help! Shop forced into holiday mode - No response or help from Etsy Support!!

[JonsCountryIronwork]

I've been a seller on Etsy since 2014 with sales of nearly 17,000...I've never had any issues with my shop. On Monday 27th January my shop (like others) was forced into holiday mode. This impacts my life hugely, no sales impacts my whole life. Holding funds affects my life! I have tried endlessly to contact Etsy Support with the same email looping back to me. I was asked to provide I.D  (passport) but my legal name for some reason on the system is my business name - therefore it won't match up as my business name is not on my passport! I have processed a name change as this should then match my passport, but it still states pending. Etsy stated it would be 48 hours to get back to me but we're past that now. In the meantime, I'm receiving emails to tell me to provide my I.D in 59 days or refunds etc will be made. I'm trying Etsy, I really am!! Any help or positive outcomes would be so helpful, I'm at a loss what to do and its pretty scary! Thankyou.

[NanaLetha]

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/22504854625815-Identity-Verification-with-Persona-on-Etsy?se...

[DaysofYoreTreasures]

@NanaLetha 

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, in this article:
https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/articles/14553858116759-Etsy-Asked-Me-to-Confirm-My-Seller-Info?segme...

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

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.

[ArtDollsbyJD]

Did you start your shop with your personal name?  If you entered business name where the personal name should jave been that is part of the issu probably.

If your passport address has a different name or different address that can be an issue too.

Does your bank account name match your personal name.   The business inforamtion belongs in the tax information area,

If you have an email from Etsy reply back that you need help. If you are willing to have them phone you provide a phone number providing you are in an area that can receive phone calls.

[BagmakerSupply]

@JonsCountryIronwork: How long you have been on Etsy is immaterial - the continually changing laws mean that shops will face ever more often and more in depth reverifications. What was acceptable verification yesterday may be inadequate today. Keep in mind that for a business, both the business AND a responsible human being now have to be verified. Since so much of this process is now automated (and not just by Etsy) small discrepancies can cause rejection as not matching - John E. Smith is often considered to not the same as John E Smith.

Since many shops are reporting almost instant reverification success, perhaps there is some issue that has put your verification into a queue to be reviewed by a person? It is just too bad that Etsy cannot be clearer about the status of a shop's verification journey.

[zoeysattic]

They have no right to go straight to vacation mode without even giving us a chance.  My information got glitched by Etsy, not me and when I went in to change it, my shop was already on vacation mode and I can get no one to help.  This is truly awful. 

[zoeysattic]

This exact same thing is happening to me.  At this point, I might not be able to pay my employees as etsy is holding my weekend funds and Friday is payday. In addition, I've been losing out on $1000s of sales a day.  Been on this platform since 2008 and cannot get anyone to help.  I've sold over 500,000 sales in total on Etsy and I have literally no way of getting any support.  Truly truly disheartening.  My other sites updated the verification fine even though it's the exact same on my main shop, it is being forced on a hold.  I'm broken.  I can't believe this. 

[JonsCountryIronwork]

Thankyou for your reply - today my verification was confirmed, shop back up and running at last! BUT then after a sale it went straight back into holiday mode!! So frustrating!! I hope you have had a better day today.

[PiecefulDesign]

I had the same glitch happen to me on Monday.  Apparently a bot took mine out.  Grrrr..... I got it back online by uploading my driver's license for the umpteenth time.  But they admitted via chat that it was a glitch and a mistake on their end.

[DaysofYoreTreasures]

@JonsCountryIronwork 

Did you initially receive a message on your dashboard with a deadline and a Confirm info link?
According to Etsy:

To confirm your seller info:

1. On Etsy.com, go to Shop Manager.
2. Choose Confirm info.
3. We’ll point out any missing info and direct you to the right page to enter it.
4. Go back to your Dashboard and choose Continue to confirm info until a notice says Thanks for confirming your info!

If you need to pause, select Do this later. Your progress will be saved. Just make sure to finish confirming by the deadline displayed in your Shop Manager. We’re unable to grant extensions, due to the legal requirement of the deadline.
https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/articles/14553858116759-Etsy-Asked-Me-to-Confirm-My-Seller-Info?segme...

[JonsCountryIronwork]

Thankyou for your reply - no  I didn't receive a deadline and confirmation link. Just a forced holiday mode with zero previous requests or warnings. Reading through the forums this has happened to lots of sellers.

[LeatherArtShowroom]

A few days ago I had the same problem. I uploaded the documents and passed the verification. Immediately after the sale, the store went on vacation again! 
In the chat they promised to switch me to a person who could help. But the chat just froze. It's so annoying! Right before the holiday!

[ModAngie · Accepted solution]

Hello! We're sorry to hear you're experiencing issues with your account. We've forwarded your concerns to a specialist team. Thank you! 

Please know we handle support inquiries privately per our Community Policy – we’re closing this thread, so you can get the support you need from us directly.