I am not sure if this is the proper board to start this discussion. But Since our shop was placed on Payment Reserve, and all the support can give you is a link which is still kind of unclear. They give you reasons but will try to make on guess which one you are being affected to be placed on reserve.
- A sudden sharp increase in orders - it reads hoor-ray but somehow it feels like the chances of new shops to become a star seller just became impossible, I guess to protect the star sellers.
- Orders are consistently missing tracking information or tracking events - This is tricky, since we are based in Canada, most of our products ship using Canada Post postage stamps, which the client receives but his majesty's postal service sadly does not provide tracking; so this will start to weaken a majority of Canadian stores, but will make stores in America stronger since their basic postage already offers tracking. I feel like Etsy was made more for American sellers but not for Canadian sellers.
- Orders are not shipped on time - I guess the problem with us is we offer customization which instead of being lauded since it gives clients an extra service, is causing problems for the store owner since clients sometimes cannot respond or approve their artwork immediately therefore causing the delay themselves, still it will fall as the Seller's fault.
- A recent increase in refunds - Canadians like to save, We as sellers also help clients by telling them they can pickup locally since they are in the city rather than paying for upwards of $14 to ship their order. once picked up, we return the excess which is the ship charges. I guess sometimes being good has it's disadvantages.
- If they are a new shop to the marketplace - not new. but feel like a new kid being spanked for something that we were not responsible for.
I wonder how many other sellers out there feel the same thing....
I believe that A.I. is starting to take over and can be helpful, but in this case it has failed miserably.
That is what I think is the real reason, on why they cannot tell you exactly the reason why your shop has been placed on payment reserve. Because a computer did it for them, and they cannot communicate with it.
So sad it has come to this. I feel sorry for some small businesses who might not have the cash reserves to keep buying supplies to fulfill an order when their money is being held.
Just imagine if 1$ is put on reserve for every seller in a day. How much interest do you think Etsy's account can gain just by placing our hard earned money in reserve.
Just saying.... It is possible, and we can always blame it on a computer.
Praying hard this will all be resolved soon.
(and I thought consumer protection rights were already in place to protect buyers, this payment reserve is a hard sell to prove it was developed to protect buyers, so just sharing what I feel)
