Listings being removed

[BraveToasterDesign]

Hi,

I am trying to list a novelty, kim jong un bust. But every time I do it the listing gets deactivated. I've even tried tagging it as mature but it is still removed. Any ideas as to why this is happening? Lots of other people have kim jong un items.

[UniqueGiftOrnaments]

You can't list it. No. Korea is on a list of sanctioned countries (like Cuba) and is prohibited on Etsy. And why would anyone want to sell something about our enemy!

[BraveToasterDesign]

It's a novelty joke item. I am not glorifying it in any way

[MrsDsHandKnits]

@ BraveToasterDesign>

This is Etsy's site, Etsy's policies & rules and apparently the joke is on you because Etsy does not consider your item to be something appropriate for its site...

"there are thousands of other etsy listings like mine. " - and just because others list similar/same items does not mean it is right to do so......perhaps their items have not been caught & deactivated by Etsy...

Just because someone else does something does not mean it is right and/or legal to do so...

[BraveToasterDesign]

@MrsDsHandKnits 

I am not asking about the legalities of it. I am asking why other people have a listing seemingly the same as mine, while mine got removed.

@OneEyeCatStudio has posted what appears to be what is going on. 

I clearly stated that the other listings state the exact same thing as mine, and in fact mine had a lot less "profanity" regarding the country and person mentioned 

[Jewels2at]

@BraveToasterDesign  You can always report the other items.

[NanaLetha]

Did you mention North Korea?

[BraveToasterDesign]

Yes, but lots of other items also mention it, which is why I'm confused. I've literally only just started listing items today, maybe I have to have some sales to gain "reputation" or something? I don't know. I'm really stumped considering others have it mentioned 

[PlatypusDream]

You have more problems with your shop...  upload your legal licensing or get ready for more take downs in the future.

Wednesday Adamms, Dwayne the Rock Johnson...

https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/the-ultimate-guide-to-intellectual/22398703823

https://www.etsy.com/ca/seller-handbook/article/fan-art-and-fair-use-one-truth-and-five/39402098770

https://www.etsy.com/ca/legal/prohibited/#Q5

"Unauthorised replicas or copies of items, and patterns or designs enabling their creation, are prohibited on Etsy. We consider counterfeit or unauthorised goods to be items that imitate an authentic good, particularly by using a brand’s name, logo, or protected design without the brand owner’s consent."

[BraveToasterDesign]

I'm more than aware. This is nothing to do with what I asked. Not sure why you're so bothered about telling specifically me this, when there are thousands of other etsy listings like mine. I appreciate you're trying to help, but this is nothing to do with what I asked.

[PlatypusDream]

@BraveToasterDesign 

It actually does have something to do with the question you asked.

Every time you have a listing removed, it creates a black mark against your shop. Too many black marks, your shop will be permanently banned, and you will never be able to open another shop on Etsy.

I was giving you a link to ALL the banned items on Etsy, and guidelines for operating legally here so you can make your shop a long term success.

It matters not how many other people break the rules.  You shouldn't concern yourself with that... only your own shop.  Right now ANYONE can report your items as illegal counterfeits.  Angry customers, concerned citizens, the actual IP holders (who do regular sweeps here).

[BraveToasterDesign]

Yeah that's absolutely fair. The amount of times I tried to create the listing I've probably been thrown into some abyss of never getting any sales.. 

It still doesn't make any sense to me though, how there's so many listings referencing the things I'm referring to that are up, and are apparently fine. 

I already have another etsy shop, which is completely fine, I just want the stuff I create on here to be separate from it.

Appreciate your advice 

[PlatypusDream]

@BraveToasterDesign 

Please note that you MUST declare all of your shops in your public profile, or the About section of your shop according to Etsy's Terms of Use.

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115015651948-Your-Bio-and-Profile-Picture

If this shop is banned, ALL other shops associated with this one will be banned as well.  You are playing a very risky game.

[BraveToasterDesign]

I'm not playing a risky game. I made my shop TODAY. I am getting around to everything.

[MrsDsHandKnits]

@BraveToasterDesign 

"there's so many listings referencing the things I'm referring to that are up, and are apparently fine."

how do you know they are fine? ...just because they are listed?

Many listings are posted that do not belong on Etsy/do not qualify to be listed on Etsy, but having them reported and/or found out by Etsy takes time as listings must be investigated before removal...

[OneEyeCatStudio · Accepted solution]

@BraveToasterDesign  this is how it works .

You see things listed that likely shouldn't be listed here for 2 reasons.....

1. Etsy has just recently set a bot to remove the listings, and they do this only when someone first lists it or renews it. So the ones you see have not been renewed yet.
2. These are IP infringing items which Etsy itself will not take down until the legal owner does a sweep and tells them to. This is because Etsy has Safe Harbor status.

And yes, if this happens to your shop, you can either be shut down immediately or you can be given a warning.

[BraveToasterDesign]

Thank you. A reply which actually answers the question I asked

[NanaLetha]

@BraveToasterDesign  Anything North Korean is banned because of sanctions.

[BootifulLabels]

It doesn't matter what "lots of other people" are doing.  You are the one who has been caught breaching listing rules this time around.

You might as well ask the policeman who just arrested you for shop lifting why all the other people who shoplift weren't arrested at the same time.  YOU GOT CAUGHT, for all you know some of the others also got caught, you can't see what is happening to them, only to you.  Etsy's listing filter scans listings as they go live, that means when a new listing is added, as in your case, or when an existing listing (which may have slipped through previously) is renewed, or edited and republished.  Those who didn't get caught today, may get caught tomorrow, or the next day.  Etsy closes thousands of shops every year for repeated breaches of listing policy.  

You have already ignored several warnings and each time you listed it again, the filter has removed it.  Repeatedly ignoring the warnings and relisting could well get your shop closed, and on Etsy, that usually means a lifetime ban.

[BraveToasterDesign]

It might be useful then, if etsy gave a reason as to why it automatically removed it. 

I'm not stupid, I can figure out why it's been removed, but the fact I can go and search on etsy for the exact same buzzwords which just got my listing banned seems a bit counterintuitive, no? 

I think people are missing the point of my question - I was asking it from a point of intrigue, how people seem to have done the same thing as me, and got by the "filter". 

As @OneEyeCatStudio helpfully said, it must be the new bot they have added recently.

[bohemians]

I understand what you are asking and it really has been answered several times.

Why other shops get away with it is a question that is asked very frequently in the forum.

It's only the people that get caught in the net (by a bot or someone reporting a shop) that come here to complain. 

One of the shops that has similar items to your deactivated one(s) ... could be here tomorrow asking the same question.

Etsy's handbook is not easy to navigate, but that's the most you are going to get from them. The bots are acting as a 'filter' but as someone else mentioned ... they usually catch these things as new listings or renewed listings.

[TheVintagePineapple]

Actually, the ''North Korea'' bot has been around for a while now.

As for other shops selling North Korean items, it could be theirs were also removed when first listed and the sellers had to contact Support in order to get permission to relist.  That's what you going to have to do - contact Support and plead your case.  Whatever decision is made regarding yours is up to the powers that be.

[BraveToasterDesign]

Yeah that makes sense. I'm not in any way trying to circumvent these systems, was just intrigued as to how others seem to have been fine but mine wasn't. I'll contact support and see what they say, many thanks for your advice! 

[Jewels2at]

If you have had some listings deactivated because you are not following the rules...you may want to ensure you do not have any other listings that are an issue.

You are on Etsy's radar now...

Also, in case you want to report to other items you saw on Etsy...

• go to the item page
• scroll down, close to the bottom, and you will see "report this item" to the right
• select that is is against the policies, and in the box explain why.

[CoquetteBath]

I see 2 problematic items. Thing and The Rock.

If you don't have permission you can't sell those. And, doesn't matter what anyone else does when the lawyers start filing papers.