My Art Print Listings keep being taken down fro Creative Standards

[#1]

I was hoping someone might have some advise, I have a store selling art prints, recently a few listings have been taken down each week and I have no idea why? We print our own art prints, I am very worried that the more that get taken down I'm going to be suspended and I don't know why?

I have sent 4 emails to ask someone from Etsy to please advise me what the problem is and got one response from  Etsy that it was "tricky to know". They have also stopped responding which is dissapointing.

If they don't know, how am I meant to know!

Has anyone any advise please, is it the photo, or something I haven't put it?

Thanks in advance.

[FancyTogs]

It is quite likely that Etsy have identified your products being sold on other websites as the artwork is not your own.

There are also many legal problems in your shop, and so you are playing with legal fire, as well as risking losing your shop on Etsy.

For example Babar and Liberty London are both active trademarks in various countries:

https://branddb.wipo.int/en/advancedsearch/results?sort=score%20desc&strategy=concept&rows=30&asStru...

https://branddb.wipo.int/en/advancedsearch/results?sort=score%20desc&strategy=concept&rows=30&asStru...

Copyright and Trade Mark infringement for commercial use are both civil offences (can get sued) and serious criminal offences (jail & fines) in the UK.

In the UK Trading Standards, with police, do dawn raids on small businesses that are selling counterfeit goods. The sellers are taken away in handcuffs and all stock and equipment are confiscated. Really really.

It is treated very seriously by UK authorities as it is classed as "organised crime". The first you'll know about it is the front door being removed by a battering ram at 6am.

Trading Standards plus various anti-counterfeiting trade groups in the UK are actively searching for businesses that are counterfeiting. IP crime can be reported by anybody through Crimestoppers or Citizen's Advice, as well as Trading Standards.

Reconsider your business plan.

Get professional legal advice on what you can and can't sell.

Some useful links:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/seeking-intellectual-property-advice

www.ipo.gov.uk

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ip-crime-and-enforcement-for-businesses/ip-crime-and-enfo...

International trademark database: https://branddb.wipo.int

And if you think I'm being over dramatic, or that you are too small to be caught:

https://newsroom.shropshire.gov.uk/2024/02/stoke-on-tern-pair-imprisoned-for-sale-of-counterfeit-goo...

https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_information/media_hub/media_releases/t...

https://www.nme.com/news/music/mum-ordered-to-pay-back-140000-made-selling-fake-band-t-shirts-on-eba...

Lawrence (Clare's other half)