IMAGES STOLEN ON WALMART ALI EXPRESS & 4 SITES ! VIOLATES CREATIVITY STANDARD!

[#1]

I am at a complete loss and after 11 years find myself in a forum confused by new etsy standards?  My designs and photos have yeah routinely been stolen and copied and sure we all deal with it!  Sure I thought never me.  Well here I am, it is me.  I have reached out to ETSY with questions get a routine email saying read our creativity standards and yes ETSY I can READ and I follow the standards after 11 years and 25 years making a jewelry business and selling into big box stores oh and manufacturing jewelry in the USA I know how to not import from ALI EXPRESS and resell on your platform.   

No explanation given .... my guess about 6-7 sites have stolen the image and they think I resell or the image are not mine?  Any thoughts community?

 I filed IP report on the link and no help .....

I sent images reached out to legal ...... no help

Trust and safety ..... yes nothing 

customers service ..... live person ..... nothing sorry cannot help???

What do I do scrap a 6 figure shop and consult people on how to successfully fail on ETSY?

OH the best part 100% shipping 100% communication and 4.9 star review GONE STAR SELLER BADGE GONE!!!  YES JUST LIKE THAT BYE BYE BYE 

[CanningCrafts]

@CustomPortraitArt "I wasn't required to show DMCA notices and specifically asked then if I needed to."  Are you saying you were able to appeal to Etsy successfully without showing them proof of doing DMCA takedowns with reseller websites? Did you just show Etsy proof of your own art creation process? Just curious about your details

[cindylouwho2]

@CanningCrafts "Are you saying you were able to appeal to Etsy successfully without showing them proof of doing DMCA takedowns with reseller websites?" the situation mentioned here was a weird set of errors where some people got their items reinstated quite quickly. Even though I have told them that, they refuse to acknowledge their experience was different, they keep repeating their experience as if it were relevant to a thread like this. It isn't. 

Mind you, there are multiple reasons Etsy removes things under the Creativity Standards, so proof of DMCAs are not always required for reinstatement. That's only helpful when you know the takedown was due to stolen photos (Etsy does tell some sellers this.)  We don't have enough info about the OP to be sure what their circumstances are. @laosborn is welcome to email me if they need more help with this. 

[laosborn]

@craftycornishmaids, I looked into watermarks and reviewed Etsy's policies regarding them. As many of you know, the aesthetic on Etsy doesn't really support large white watermarked photos. While you can embed a pixel watermark that only certain programs can detect, my understanding is that those images can still be screenshotted and the watermark removed.

I recognize that protecting our work is our responsibility, but can someone clarify how much it costs a small business to pursue those who steal images? Also, I’m curious about how quickly Etsy's AI can flag a similar image online and issue a violation. After receiving two warnings just two hours apart, I’m concerned about the potential for suspension.

If I’m uploading approximately 9 new products with 81 images in total, are you suggesting that I should submit those images to a paid service for protection or copyright on the same day? Is that even feasible alongside managing daily orders, packing, shipping, creating products, taking photos, and keeping up with Etsy policies and SEO? It feels overwhelming!

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@laosborn 

I never mentioned watermarks, I have no idea why you would do that, they are easy to remove anyway.

You can protect your copyright any way you want to.

I do it by checking every month,

you can put in a plan, that works for you

you can check,
you can get a company to check,
or you don't check at all, and let your IP be stolen, and your customers and the consequences

it's all your choice.

as a note, my images get stolen from amazon, much more than they do here, so if you sell elsewhere, you might become even more of a target.

.....

Etsy only cares about the first image, and so do most people who steal, as that's the one shown on google etc, and they want to use that, to steal your customers.

....

I don't think you quite understand, they are taking the pictures, so they can take all your income - you need to report theft, to the correct places, in the correct way.

Etsy's current policies, are just highlighting what you have failed to do in the past.

Do not expect Etsy to do anything - you need to take charge, and report the IP infringement against you, on the sites/shops/sellers that are doing it.

[digitaldoodlebug]

Keeping up with all image thieves is impossible. Especially if you have a great number of items and hence photos. We can do what we can but even the big companies can't keep them down because it's like whack a mole. 

To hire a company to do it would no doubt cost a lot. Furthermore, if they were actually filing the take downs for you it may have to be a legal group which would be super high fees for the average small business. To try and police hundreds or thousands of images every month across the web, or even just the big sites, would take more time than anyone has (even if we weren't running our business).

Images do seem to get stolen on amazon a lot. They make it very easy to find top sellers so then those are reproduced. Guess it's good I no longer have any top sellers there. 

edit: just looked at one company. Full service is $200 a month for up to 9 notices (per infringing website). Monitoring service per image is $1 per month. 5 images scanning weekly would be $20 a month... so even if you just scanned 1x a month and had 1,000 images... that's $1k a month. 

[CanningCrafts]

@digitaldoodlebug I asked the law firm that helped me get my Trademark if they had experience with takedowns for AliExpress etc. They estimated it  would be $500 to get 1 image removed bwahaha ouch. 

I have used DMCA dot com multiple times in the past to get exact copies of my website removed because they can do it quickly. They do takedowns for just $199. But you can also submit up to 25 unique URLs for the same infringing domain. So if anyone has that many items on a reseller website, that sounds more reasonable. Except I have to imagine many resellers will just put the same stolen images right back up again after takedowns anyway It's whack-a-mole for sure! 

[laosborn]

I hope a moderator sees this and can provide some assistance. The responses I've received so far seem like generic, copy-and-paste replies without any real engagement. I understand the challenges involved, but it’s frustrating to see AI being used related to violations against sellers without considering the cause and effect.

[PlatypusDream]

@laosborn 

Moderators very, very, very rarely step in to provide assistance unless it is to remove nasty comments or shut down threads as they are "going off topic".

We are all other sellers here and we are TRYING to help you the best we can. Many of us have years of experience and we have seen this all before.

If you want help from Etsy employees, all you can do is contact Etsy Help yourself.

Just be aware that you will most likely receive ACTUAL copy/paste answers from the Seller Handbook, not real help at all.

[laosborn]

Do you know if putting my shop on vacation mode will negatively impact it? I was still receiving sales despite the violations and the removal of my Star Seller badge. However, I noticed that many of my images were stolen and found online, which made me fear that a bot might suspend my shop until Etsy responds. It feels like I’m inadvertently sabotaging my own business. Any thoughts on this?

[CanningCrafts]

Putting your shop on vacation means you aren't getting orders. Plus once you open back up, you will not have the same placement in search. It varies for shops, but some have found they regain their ranking after vacation mode in about a week. Other shops have taken much longer to regain their search placements. Either way, you lose by having your shop shut down. I can definitely see why you are worried to have it open though. 

[AnchorRoadVintage]

Of course we should protect our IP, but I don't believe that thieves based in countries who do not have reciprocity with the US concerning IP rights should drive Etsy policy. I understand Etsy's view due to their previous and ongoing history with resellers, but I don't think their current way of doing this is correct.  I'm not an IT or coding person but I would think there's a way to easily and automatically see when an Etsy listing photo was published and the first date it appeared elsewhere on the internet. 

The bigger problem (and much longer discussion about society) is that this is only putting a bandaid on something that should be ingrained into people's heads early on--theft is wrong.

[laosborn]

I agree thank you for your comments and support.

[laosborn]

@anchorroadvintage, I agree. I published these photos in 2018, and I have signed consent from the models. Additionally, I have screenshots from my hard drive showing the images in their raw form. However, all I'm getting are standard copy-and-paste responses, and no one is addressing my issue regarding the removal related to IP infringement and my photos. Instead of reinstating my content, they state they will not and cannot reinstate it, all in a standard copy-click email.  It is my belief that they are not reading or even opening the links I am sending.

[AnchorRoadVintage]

This would make me scream.  I don't have a good solution except I would probably pester them A LOT. 

[artbyjocelyn]

I got the same type of response for my takedown for a stolen bath mat design.

[laosborn]

@canningcrafts, exactly. I feel like I’ve lost so much, and it’s causing me a tremendous amount of stress. Many here can relate to the sadness, anxiety, and frustration that come with this situation. For us makers, this is our passion, and being part of this community means so much. Our customers often feel like friends, and I have many repeat customers. Unfortunately, I can’t reach out to them because they belong to Etsy.

All I want is for Etsy to communicate with me, reinstate my listings or remove the violations, and provide assistance. If they can’t reinstate the listings, at the very least, they should guide sellers on what steps to take and not penalize us for a mistake made by an AI bot. I know Etsy employees work hard to support us, but it’s frustrating that while we’re encouraged to communicate with buyers, we as sellers don’t receive any human response or support from Etsy when we need it most. I mean I got 4.8 - 4.9 star ratings and 100% on communication and 100% on shipping I wish I could screen shot I guess I can share on social if you want.  It means nothing all my years of service. 

[CanningCrafts]

@laosborn Yes, it is stressful & frustrating. I've done a ton of DMCAs over the years, but I gave up trying to get stuff taken down with AliExpress. It is possible to have photos removed from there though, Etsy sellers have been successful at it. I tried to shrug off my one stolen photo at first, but then once I started going down the rabbit hole, I found dozens of stolen photos there. It is impossible to find them all & play whack-a-mole. 

[BlushandRosie]

Id remove that announcement about why youre on vacation. Just say you'll be back soon and all orders already placed are in process. Something along those lines.

Your customers dont want to read about your 'issues'. Specially in all caps shouting at them.

[laosborn]

@blushandrosie, LOL, my customers keep messaging me! I apologize if it seemed like I was shouting; I was just trying to explain what’s going on. I don’t subscribe to all the social media platforms; I’m simply asking for help. To be honest, I believe my customers are kind, good people who genuinely care about my Etsy shop. Just a reminder, we live in a society that cares about these issues—or you wouldn’t be here adding opinions.

[laosborn]

Thank you for your honest feedback.  If it were you, would you risk a suspension over an IP infringement and the inability to get someone, anyone HUMAN to respond?

[BlushandRosie]

@laosborn  Ive had so many of my photos and designs stolen I lost count from other shops Ive had and my blog...

Ive had to file take downs on many sites.

Ive had my designs hit big stores that I cant do a thing about.

I just think its better to keep it simple in the announcement while you deal with it.

It sucks...

[laosborn]

I want to clarify this for anyone wondering how the bracelet in question was made. A violation of creativity was issued regarding a handmade bracelet, even though the images were stolen from me back in 2018 and are now all over the internet, including on sites like Walmart, AliExpress, and Temu.  

My items were handmade by me all items are hand forged, wire wrapped, soldered, assembled, attached to create a unique end-product as stated here, using tools!

• Hand assembled items: Commercially available supplies or components that a seller attached together or combined by hand to create a unique end-product.
  • E.g. Using jewelry-making tools to attach charms to a necklace chain; sewing patches onto a denim jacket

[laosborn]

My Etsy shop has received violations due to claims of intellectual property infringement. Despite having created the handmade bracelet in question, my images from 2018 were stolen and are now widely circulated on various websites, including Walmart, AliExpress, and Temu. I believe these violations stem from automated systems that fail to recognize my original work, leaving me unable to communicate effectively with Etsy for support.  What can I do?  ETSY keeps sending CLICK COPY EMAILS !!!! Help?? 

[DianesK9Creations]

Walmart: Claims of Intellectual Property Infringement 

https://www.walmart.com/help/article/claims-of-intellectual-property-infringement/6171b9ac00384f3f92...

Hope this helps. I had to report a seller on Walmart for selling mt dog beds. How to report an unauthorized seller on Walmart?

Feedback | Report Suspicious Marketplace Seller Activity. This form allows for submitting reports of suspicious marketplace activity. You may report by calling 1-800-WALMART (1-800-925-6278). Tell Customer Service you want to Report Seller Activity.

https://www.walmart.com/help/article/claims-of-intellectual-property-infringement/6171b9ac00384f3f92...

[designbayou]

Contact the FTC.  they have jurisdiction over the internet.  You first have to send Walmart or whomever a takedown notice with a specific timeframe.  If they do not, file a complaint with FTC.  I had something similar happen and the infringers got in a mess of trouble and were fined.