I NEED HELP

[HealingServicesLLC]

I have had several products removed saying that they were prohibited items and none of the items removed broke ANY rules. I am so furious!!The latest being anti itch cream. It was flagged for drug paraphernalia and there is not one single word that should cause that. I looked at all the examples and there is not one single word that would associate itch cream with ANY drug paraphernalia. I sent a complain email and was basically told it doesn't matter, their decision is final. It's freaking itch cream! You can't get high off it, it won't help you smoke anything, it is just itch cream!

[audreytherese]

Sounds like they flagged it for the wrong reason. Anti-itch cream falls under a medical claim, which is prohibited. 

[DesertChains]

^^This

[CoquetteBath]

you can't sell an anti-itch cream as that's a cure for a medical condition.

Now, I'm thinking that the takedowns for anything are providing the wrong info/choice for the reason. As someone else got a similar and it was clear from a view of that shop that the issues were for IP violation.

You can't sell anything to promotes any type of medical healing. Even your shop name is problematic (and I would strongly suggest a rethink on that). Sorry if that's not what you want to hear. But curing medical conditions is what doctors do. I'm totally a believer on the efficacy of certain ingredients BUT...the government regulatory agencies (FDA among them) haven't given their blessing...so selling a cure for a condition without a medical license is...illegal.

soap cleans.

creams & lotions make skin feel better, smell nice, etc.

those are not medical claims. But to say that they cure itch, or reduce redness or help with eczema (as some shops do) is playing with fire.

[VintageRescueSquad]

As I've said in many other threads, I think the bots are misapplying the flag as "drug paraphernalia" for many takedown reasons. 

Your problem is probably the medical claims. Please read etsy's policy on making medical claims, or you risk having more items deactivated.

[CoquetteBath]

I've come to think that that may be the first choice of a drop down and they are going there and stopping.

[audreytherese]

About a year ago they removed one of my listings and gave me the reason it wasn't handmade. After 2 months they finally responded to my appeal (that I wasn't allowed to make because their decision was final) that it was actually removed for prohibited items (contained fairy lights which had cell batteries). I accepted that they couldn't comprehend 'no batteries included' so I can't list those items here, but did find it ridiculous they used a different reason for the deactivation instead of what it actually was. 

[HealingServicesLLC]

Oh wow ..thank you for telling me that. I really felt like they didn't understand either.

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

@HealingServicesLLC 

You have got a double whammy going on - healing not allowed - services not allowed.

Looks like you are batting 1000% in the not allowed territory.

[OneEyeCatStudio]

"You have got a double whammy going on - healing not allowed - services not allowed."

" ....services that produce a new tangible item that meets our marketplace criteria may be sold on Etsy."

https://www.etsy.com/legal/policy/services/242665313101

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

What I should have said is "services not supposed to be allowed but some sellers are immune to the rules"

Longarm quilters don't produce a new tangible item but they are allowed to flourish.

I especially thought it funny when I was told that my "hand quilting" services were not allowed.

Guess machines are better.

[HealingServicesLLC]

That is the name of our business.

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

Probably not a good name for an Etsy shop since the tous don't allow either one.

[HealingServicesLLC]

Our local business is a massage business with natural products, and this is our legal business name.

[HealingServicesLLC]

It's not a cure for a medical condition. It is temporary itch relief with essential oils.

[audreytherese]

Etsy considers even temporary itch relief as a medical claim. 

[HealingServicesLLC]

They even deactivated my soap because I used the word lather.

[TheVintagePineapple]

@HealingServicesLLC I don't think they deactivated your soap because of the word lather.  Were you making any health claims in it similar to the ones mentioned in the Self Care soap listing?  The names you've given to each type of soap are also seen as health claims.

[HealingServicesLLC]

I didn't have any health claims, it was a soap bouquet, and the email they sent said they were deactivating it because only soap can use the word lather. I told them it was soap but they did not understand.

[BagmakerSupply]

@HealingServicesLLC: "They even deactivated my soap because I used the word lather." Not withstanding the fact there are many reports of the deactivation eMail stating the wrong reason for deactivation, Etsy will never disclose the specific trigger that caused the deactivation. We can make inferences (like amber or ivory) and educated guesses but as sellers we will never know for sure the actual triggers that were applied to a specific listing.

[HealingServicesLLC]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I appreciate it.

[OmasFabricStash]

These are considered medical claims,

Lemongrass raises spirits, lifts exhaustion, and helps to relax
Lavender essential oils can help ease sinus, congestion, breathing and soothes coughs
Peppermint essential oils can helps with asthma, clearing sinuses, and clearing congested lungs, and helps with headaches

I don’t know what was taken down but there were a lot of listings that had similar claims. You might want to go over each listing and delete statements like these.   
I also saw a listing the had a long disclaimer on it. I don’t think these make a difference as far as being a disclaimer, sort of like the Disney infringement shops that say they are in no way affiliated with Disney. 

[HealingServicesLLC]

Mine used to say those things a while back, thought I had fixed them all, but maybe I missed something. Thank you.

[sharonjenkins1]

Also make sure that you don’t mention FDA approved.

[HealingServicesLLC]

Thanks for all the advice everyone!