One of my listings was removed by Etsy yesterday for violating Etsy’s ‘Creativity’ policies. I work on my own and I design all items myself and the listing does not violate any of those policies and upon speaking to a Live chat rep, it turned out that the reason of removal was one of my listed image was found on one of other ‘platforms’ by their ‘search’ which is clearly done by mass AI scan of the web.
Like many other clothing designers, Chinese companies have repeatedly stolen my photos to use on their websites over the years and I’m guessing this is the reason but it could have been anywhere (website, social media? Etc).
I work on my own and design and make all of the products myself. No one else is involved. I’ve never allowed and will never allow anyone else to produce items with my designs.
I have been on Etsy for 16 years and this particular listing is as old. Etsy can clearly see this is my design since it was first listed and if they contacted me to ask for explanation, they would have understood this.
However, they let AI mass scan the web and remove listing without any human eye or decision and Etsy do not even give us right to appeal on this removal. All reps are told to say it’s not possible to reinstate this listing and we have to relist the item WITHOUT that picture, which is genuinely my design from the beginning and belongs to me. This is absurd.
Losing an old, popular even, listing is devastating for sellers. Not only we lose all of the reviews with photos from buyers attached to it, but also potential buyers’ bookmarks are now gone.
It's an insane situation where a very small independent shop like mine needs to fight for what belongs to me and as always, there is no way to contact someone in that decision making department and it puts me into this usual ‘screaming into the void’ situation, when we pay ever increasing fees of theirs.
This is the first time I post on this forum. It’s very disheartening and I saw someone’s similar post here (link below) and thought, well, I have nowhere else.
https://community.etsy.com/t5/Technical-Issues/Listing-Removed-for-Violating-Creativity-Standards-an...
I will continue to email/contact Etsy support but meanwhile if anyone could tell me how I can contact ThatRegina here, I’d be very very grateful.
Thank you.
