I've had a few items up for many years. Suddenly, and I only presume an automated AI system, keeps removing it and striking my shop!
For example, for just one of them, it's listed propely under craft supplies. Everything is absolutely listed correctly. Why does it get removed!? Meanwhile, other people are selling the very same thing just fine! So I get to lose a star seller rating while others are ok? Really!?
Cone on, Etsy! You used to be awesome. What on Earth is going on here? Can you PLEASE fix this error?
@Backyardsounds You have altoid in the title of 5 blank altoid tins and in the tags of 3 blank steel tins black. Just put altoid in the search bar in your shop and they will come up.
I'm not sure I understand how you lost a star seller rating because Etsy deactivated one of your items.
Did it say it was for "creativity standards"? If so, it's because the AI bot saw the same photo elsewhere online. Did you use your OWN photo?
Or is it for a trademark? What was the item, title, and tags so maybe we can figure it out
It may be because you are using a famous brand name to draw buyers to an unbranded item.
Remove “Altoids” from your listings.
Since you do not indicate what was removed, we can only guess.
Using Altoids unless you have permission, I suggest removing.
Are you using your own photos for the organic listings or are these photos found on the Internet? If you take your own photos then it is possible your photos have been taken. You need to find out where and issue a DMCA to that venue.
This does not impact your star seller.
I have a single tin listing. I didn't even use "Altoids-style" in the listing. All others are fine but I removed Altoids-style just the same.
@Backyardsounds: "I've had a few items up for many years." Unfortunately, immaterial. False positives aside, Etsy let a lot of violations slide for a very long time, and with the recent rule changes it is clear that Etsy has stepped up enforcement of those rules.
"Why does it get removed!?" While we can only speculate on what the trigger was that flagged your listing, the "violation" can be anything from a 'prohibited' word in your title, description, or tags, to a non-conforming primary image, to being misclassified in core details, to intellectual property infringements, and lot in between.
"... other people are selling the very same thing ..." Without getting into a discussion of what is fair or right or if your listing should be deactivated, the fact that there are other shops selling similar items it only means that they have not been caught yet, or those listings may not contain the same trigger that snared you. Additionally, we will not know how many other listings were deactivated using the same trigger - only those that appear to not have been.
https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/1075628311049?ref=handbook
I see a similar item on Etsy. Can I sell it, too?
Many sellers write to us saying that they’ve searched Etsy for a certain item to determine if they could sell similar items. Others say that they created the listing using materials purchased from Etsy. These are not reliable tests.
Etsy is a venue comprised of third-party content generated by our sellers. An Etsy seller may post content that’s not authorised and it may be visible on our site until we receive an infringement report or is otherwise removed.
This is a basic craft item with my own photos. Something is wrong with Etsy's removal.
Blank items that can be used as is do not qualify as Craft Supplies by Etsy.
https://www.etsy.com/legal/creativity
"The following are examples of items that do not qualify as ‘sourced by a seller’:
Perhaps Etsy doesn't view those tins as "craft supplies".
@Backyardsounds -- You still have a listing with the word altoid in it ...
What exactly are the items that are being removed? Perhaps we can help you with that.
"very high quality American sourced from Tennessee!" ... that made me LOL, as if you were selling yourself or another American who lives in TN! I was thinking ... "what makes them so high quality"? ha-ha-ha : )
In the title you see Altoids?
I got them ages ago here in Tennessee, where Im located. I sell them as a craft item. They're higher quality than the knockoffs. It's been listed since 2017. I used to copper plate and etch them for customers but it was a lot of hours of work.
If you can help I'd sure appreciae it!
TBQSC means you left out a word in that phrase.
"very high quality American tins sourced from Tennessee!"
If you're still allowed to sell them, ''American-made tins'' would be better.
You actually have 3 of them with that word found either in your title, description or tags. You should be able to find them via search within your listings (dashboard) and in your shop like a buyer would.
I'll look through the listing. Thank you
@Backyardsounds You have altoid in the title of 5 blank altoid tins and in the tags of 3 blank steel tins black. Just put altoid in the search bar in your shop and they will come up.