If Etsy going to use AI and image search to remove listings for violations...

[#1]

If Etsy going to use AI and image search (bots) to remove listings for violations...

...they should remove no more than they have staff to (promptly) handle the reviewing of, and re-instatement of listings removed in error.

It feels like this is getting out of hand. So many are a shops' best sellers (and livelihoods).  Legit shops losing Star Seller status, holds on funds, or closing shops completely.

[9ElizabethStreet]

@PristinityJewelry  Almost everything you've had to say through the years has been "preaching to the choir" for me - you say it so very well. I've had the same listing taken down for a 2nd time, after an actual human researched it 9 months ago and declared it was indeed "handmade in line with Etsy's policies." I've been unable to get a reply this time after 3 separate requests for follow up, and at this point I'd just as soon chuck the item in my "future gifts for friends & family" bin. It's no wonder Etsy is getting panned by CNBC & NPR.

[SereneGarlands]

@Rubycrazycrystals They should be able to see which photo is the oldest.  That could go haywire really fast and be unreliable info for shops that deactivated a stale listing and added it back later as a new listing. Right?

[Rubycrazycrystals]

No necessarily, if it's your product you will be the first taking the photos. In any case in my humble opinion there should be some sort of human check before someone's shop is closed. I know its time consuming, but in the long run it will be Etsy who will lose as sellers end up leaving 

[ChillwolfArt]

There are Sellers who sell on multiple sites. And they may use the same thumbnail photo. I've never used stock photos, but I can see how some Sellers would (for example, those who sell Supplies, Candles, Soap, Knit, Crochet, etc.) So for example, a Seller lists a bead on Etsy and another site (using the same stock photo), are they really expected to take two different photos of a bead, so they can sell on two different sites (rhetorical question). And heaven help Sellers who have their photos stolen.

[ArkansasMineralsLLC]

we sell on etsy, ebay, our website, etc. we do not use stock photos ever. But we take one custom set of photos per item, and use across all of the platforms. There is no way we have enough time to take 10+ seperate unique to etsy photographs for over 300 (3500 photos+)  listings just to make the etsy bots happy....absolutely unrealistic...Its already hard enough to fill in all of the required etsy attributes manually.    

[C20Ceramics]

A friends shop was shut down a few days ago....a  consistent star seller, great track record, vintage legal items - no explanation provided. Etsy seems to have lost control of its bots. 

[EightMileVintage]

why can't they shut down the shops selling brand name chocolate bars and chips?

[PhenomenalWomenShop]

Cancelled reply. Sorry

[Former_Member]

We all have to decide if it is worth the aggregation trying to deal with ETsy. All AI and no help for sellers at all.

I am very close to shutting down, after being a success here since 2017. Tough dealing with such an unprofessional organization.