I've recently had three of my bestselling listings deactivated by Etsy for violating their creativity policy, and I have to say, it's incredibly disheartening and it's taking a huge toll on my mental health. These listings were up for over a year and became bestsellers for months, only to be flagged suddenly. Having bestsellers on etsy feels like a curse at times. Thieves are quick to copy designs, and I've seen my work stolen on platforms like Temu, Shein, Alibaba, and even TikTok. It's become impossible to send DMCAs to all of them because as soon as one shop goes down, another pops up.
I've also noticed an unsettling spike in direct traffic from unknown sources recently, which seems to have impacted my conversion rates, making me wonder if there's something more going on. I messaged Etsy support yesterday, and while they said they would escalate it, I’m not overly hopeful given how things have played out so far.
I’m considering sending screenshots of my photoshop files (which show creation dates) to prove that I am the original artist. I’m also thinking of having my lawyer draft cease and desist letters to target these copycat websites. Then send a copy to etsy? Has anyone had success with these approaches?
Right now, my biggest concern is that other listings might get taken down, especially since I have more bestsellers in my niche. It’s frustrating to see thieves copying my designs on so many platforms, and Etsy’s reliance on bots left me feeling vulnerable. I wish there was more focus on protecting sellers.
Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated!
