Mistakenly Removed Listing Due to Creativity Standard Policy Violation

[GlitzNook]

Hello Etsy Community,

I’ve been selling on Etsy since August 2023, and many of my listings, including my top-performing one, have been doing well. However, three days ago, my best-selling listing was removed due to a claim about creativity standards. It was removed due to Etsy's creativity standard policy, and my listing was in accordance with it. Despite the fact that the photos are my own and I have a factory that produces the bracelets with process videos as proof, Etsy flagged it.

Since the removal, I have reached out multiple times via chat, call, and reminders. Yet, I’ve only received a ticket ID with no follow-up emails or updates. It's frustrating that Etsy has taken down my listing without providing more details or communication. Not every decision made by Etsy’s bot is correct, and I believe this might be a mistake on their part that they have yet to fix.

Additionally, I discovered that my photos were copied on some websites and Instagram accounts. I have already taken steps to address this by showing proof to the other party, and they confirmed they removed the content. However, I’m still being accused of reselling because my images appeared elsewhere, even though I am the original creator.

I’ve requested Etsy’s support team to review my ticket ID and listing number and resolve this issue promptly. It’s incredibly unfair for a shop owner to face this kind of situation without proper communication or resolution.

I’m also raising awareness about this issue on Twitter (X) as this is something that can negatively impact any seller. I hope Etsy’s support will respond to me in a timely manner and help me resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

Best regards,
Maciej

[CryzalisMasksUK]

You have 6 listings left in your shop, 3 are in the "made by" section and 3 are listed under "designed by"

As you use a production partner, all you listings should be "designed" by, only items which have been created by your own hands without any assistance from another person or company are allowed to be listed as "Made by"

Did you have the core details from the removed listing as "Made by" ? this would be a violation of Etsy's creativity policy.

3 more of your listings risk the same, unless you fix the core details.

The additional issue you have is that your images have been stolen by sellers on other websites, including Amazon and aliexpress.

You will have to issue take downs on the sites which have stolen your images to protect your shop

[GlitzNook]

When we started selling on Etsy, we initially received help from other sources and production partners, but that is not the issue. Etsy gives sellers the option to choose whether products are made by them or with the help of a production partner. Some of my listings were created with their assistance, but others are now fully made by me. This shouldn't be a reason for flagging. After exploring Facebook groups, I've found many others facing the same issue, which seems to be a common problem, possibly due to Etsy's automated systems. I want to request a manual review and reinstatement of my listing, as I have not received any response from them yet. Additionally, I have now updated my listings to reflect that all pieces are made by me.

[CryzalisMasksUK]

It is up to you.

The creativity standards are there for a reason, if you do not believe that it is an issue to publish your listing in "made by" then please do carry on.

Maybe take some time to check some of the sellers who had their shops closed down after 20000+ sales for Etsy's Creativity standards violations. They all have a common pattern

[Natalya1905]

One of your listings is "Custom Engraving Photo Necklace". It's listed as Handmade (Made by GlitzNook). The cheapest customization option is "No engraving". It means you resell a blank mass produced item (also available on Ali, Amazon, etc.) as handmade. It is against Etsy TOU. 

[GlitzNook]

No engraving means that sometimes customers only want the necklace without engraving, and they can choose to have it engraved elsewhere. We also offer blank envelope necklaces that we ship as part of our product range. This shouldn't be an issue, and it is unrelated to the bracelet issue. If there is a problem with the envelope listing, it’s strange that my top-performing listings were taken down. This doesn’t make sense.

[TheWestcountryWitch]

Your items are being sold elsewhere and the same photos are being used. If you are designing, creating and making them you will need to issue take down notices to amazon, shein and other etsy stores. Etsy bots scan images and if they're found elsewhere will remove items from your shop. 

[GlitzNook]

If a seller is using the same images across their website and Amazon, Etsy's bot may flag it as reselling, even though the brand is consistent on all platforms. However, using the same images shouldn’t be an issue if the products are original and personalized by the seller. It's common for brands to use consistent visuals for recognition across different platforms.

Etsy's bot might not always correctly distinguish between genuine handmade products and reselling, which can lead to issues. As long as the images are original and the seller’s brand is clear, it should be fine. However, Etsy's policies might still flag listings based on automated filters. To address this, it’s helpful to continue reaching out to Etsy for clarification, highlighting your brand and handmade status across all platforms.