My listing was WRONGLY removed due to "Etsy's Creativity Standard Violation"

[WhitetailRoad]

I feel defeated.

A best selling HANDMADE listing was wrongly removed today.

I hand make every single item in my shop. I am a veteran seller over 10 years with no issues, and I am shocked that I am being penalized for respecting and following all of Etsy's rules over the years.

I would imagine this is a case of my photos being stolen? However, no one will tell me what I have done wrong. Only that the item is not handmade. I have hundreds of sales on this listing and reviews.

I hand dye the beads, hand paint the pattern on them, hand make the tassels, and hand assemble. It is actually a bit of a pain to make, it takes so long. This doesn't qualify as handmade?!

I now have zero help from anyone, and a strike against my shop, and a best seller taken down.

[ArtDollsbyJD]

Check to see if your photos have been stolen.  That could be one reason.

Also your items could be mistaken for other items of a similar nature.  Bots are written with a wide range.

Etsy will not tell you because that is considered giving business advice.  Most likely their lawyers have cautioned them about what can be said. 

Use Contact us and send an email to Etsy asking about your item.  If you have photos of your workshop and you making the items that may help.  The first reply back will be generic.  Simply reply back that you still need help.

Others are undergoing this too.  In order to curb fraudulent items ETsy has designed the bot with a wide area and unfortunately that means that sellers whose items are legit will get caught up in this.

[WhitetailRoad]

Thank you so much.

I will keep reaching out. I also have all supplies and can literally let them watch me make it.

They just kept saying that it isn't handmade which is infuriating.

I did a reverse image search and I can't see my photos being used elsewhere. It could still be a possibility I guess.

[cindylouwho2]

Join the club! It's happening to many legit sellers. Probably your photos were stolen by another site. 

Sometimes posting here can get results, but lately that has not been as successful. Other options:

1. Keep trying through Support - they managed to fix my issue, although they said they couldn't the first several times I talked to them
2. publicize this through social media, and try to get as much attention as possible
3. get legal help. This clinic: https://business-law-clinic.sites.umanitoba.ca/ may be able to help you, although I realize they are a bit of a drive from you

[WhitetailRoad]

Thank you so much for your response Cindy!

What a terrible feeling! I will try reaching out to support again.

They need to reevaluate their strategy for taking down listings. I would imagine that most best selling listings photos are being ripped off. They will end up with all of the best selling items gone off Etsy. 

I feel like I am fighting a losing battle.

I will keep trying to get an answer.

[WPshoppe]

@cindylouwho2 Is that law firm you've shared gather info on Etsy sellers with the same issue? I see they are in Canada, do you happen to know of one in the states? I'd like to keep the info incase it becomes necessary to defend my shop.

[cindylouwho2]

@WPshoppe no, that is a law school clinic in the OP's area that helps small businesses.

I don't know of anyone currently taking this on for multiple sellers. 

[TailoringByDebra]

Is it by chance the Navy Blue Wood Bead Garland? It shows as not available in your shop. Do an image search for it, I found what looks exactly like your photo on a blog (can't post the link, that's a no-no)

You can use that info to defend yourself and your shop.

Edited: FYI, I clicked on that photo on the online blog and it linked right to your shop

[WhitetailRoad]

Yes, that's the listing! I will try and do a reverse search.

Edit: They must be an affiliate or something then. Thanks for looking!

[MouseGarden]

Bizarre.  It's a shop the look link on a blog from 2021.  Gathered living.

You'd think the bot would limit itself to recent examples.  And if Etsy wants us to share links around, are we actually going to be punished by the bot finding that link and image somewhere else?

The other thing that bothers me is that if it is something on trend, obviously more than one shop will have one.  But they don't want anything similar.  So how does that work exactly?  

[WhitetailRoad]

@MouseGarden 

Good questions! Now I am wondering if being featured on a blog is a bad thing.

Influencers or blogs are almost always Etsy affiliates and get a commission when they link to Etsy items and sell them via their blog/affiliate links.

Is this now risky business for sellers?

I have never been asked for permission by an influencer, and have always been flattered when they link to an item, as it's usually good for traffic and extra exposure for me.

[WhitetailRoad]

Requested a call back, spoke to someone and they just keep referring me back to the email that they sent.

The email just says that it is not handmade, etc...and to read the policies.

I may have to take this further.

[HolyGuacamollyCo]

You have to keep replying to that ticket even you got an auto response. This happened to me three times now, but they reinstated my listings eventually each time. But wait period for me is a month at least every time.  Keep replying and hope you get your listing back soon. 

[TheBeadCounter]

This happened to me as well! My best selling listing after 3 years was just removed for "violating Etsy's creativity standards" which is a load of bs. I've also been a star seller every month since the program started. I've tried to contact Etsy through phone, email and chat numerous times to fix this and have yet to receive a response after 2 weeks. I am now losing sales because of this. How can they treat their sellers like this, especially star sellers? So disappointing on Etsy's part. 

[WhitetailRoad]

It's incredibly disappointing and really makes me feel vulnerable selling on their platform.

I have had no luck so far getting the listing reinstated. They just keep referring me back to the vague email that they sent when they deactivated the listing.

My item is indeed handmade and I follow the rules, so I am not sure what to do with that information.

I am sorry your going through this as well. It's a terrible feeling.

[my2lilpixies]

Me too. They will not email me . The Etsy chat person said they can’t do anything about it and closed the chat on me . I have no idea what is happening at Etsy. I have been a seller here for 15 years and have already gone through the process of showing them how I make my items . 

[my2lilpixies]

What if there is no ticket that allows you to respond ? What do we do then? Etsy chat won’t help. Seller for over 15 years here. Never have we not been able to get someone to help resolve a matter. 

[TBQSC]

@WhitetailRoad -- I am sure Etsy fully realizes you do hand make all your items, but I think when they find the same listing photos on other websites, they may actually think you are reselling, and since reselling handmade is against Etsy TOU, they have to take action against shops and claim "not handmade".  Etsy can't technically give sellers business advice, all they can do is be vague in their reasonings.  Keep filing those DMCA's and appealing Etsy decisions ... I hope you are able to find some help soon.  Good luck!

[BowTieLoveINC]

happened with me too last week . Good luck with support team. I tried to contact them sooooo many times EVERYWHERE . I also sent detailed photos of my items and how i create each piece ..with all details step by step . they never replied me back . they only sent me same auto- message i believe is not from real human . i have no hope . so disappointed . 

[WhitetailRoad]

I am sorry you're experiencing this as well. It is so frustrating.

I am not sure that I can ever feel safe selling on Etsy again.

[ForeverWindingWool]

@WhitetailRoad In an effort to get the most exposure I can, now have a shop on GoImagine and last night opened one on Michaels Makerplace.  I already sell here, my website and eBay.  Right now, eBay is giving me the most sales but I am hoping Makerplace will begin to gain traction since they have the money to back a handmade marketplace.  Goimagine will be much slower to gain traction but has possibilities.

[WhitetailRoad]

Smart to broaden your horizons!

[TheBeeStop]

I think I will do the same. Having all our eggs in the Etsy basket especially when harmful  stuff like this happen with not option to fix it.

[TheBeeStop]

This literally just happened to me. An item that was once a bestseller in my shop and has been for several years was removed today for the same issue. I originally listed this design in 2018/2019 and during the pandemic it blew up as a bestseller. From then resellers on aliexpress began stealing my photos and using them to sell knock off versions of my design. I have reported several listings over the years here on etsy regarding this design and have had them removed. 

The design is my own original design, the pictures are taken in my own backyard, of my own body wearing my design. I still have the original design piece as I keep all of my original design pieces. I even had a video attached to the  listing SHOWING a tiny bit of the process of it being made.

This is so frustrating especially because the email doesn't give any options to report their error and threatens to take away our star seller status! 

[WhitetailRoad]

I'm sorry your going through this as well. It is so frustrating! I have had zero luck with getting my best seller reinstated. They just keep pointing me back to the policies.

My listing is also a few years old and it is handmade. I have offered to send video of me making the item and they aren't interested.

It is really sad that they can't let us formally appeal or give us the opportunity to send proof.

CEO Josh Silverman previously told investors that we would have a way to appeal listings that were wrongfully taken down by AI bots. It seems that he wasn't being transparent.