Samurai Incense Holder removed this listing for not following our Creativity Standards

[3DOnePro]

Etsy removed my listing because it didn't meet its Creativity Standards. The truth is, I'm the only one selling this item, which I modified to make it more user-friendly. The box and lid are one piece; others sell it in two. The box and lid must be glued together. I'm a stlflix subscriber, and I was able to modify the file to make my print more attractive and different from other sellers. I would like to add that I have sold this product on Amazon and eBay without any issues. I believe Etsy's work regarding this is not correct.

[NanaLetha]

Do you have the same photo on another site?

[3DOnePro]

Yes

[PlatypusDream]

Etsy is not eBay or Amazon.

You need to create the file from scratch to sell the 3D printed item here.

Sell that item elsewhere.

https://www.etsy.com/legal/creativity

"Items produced using computerised tools: Physical items that a seller produced in their personal shop or home, using computerised tools such as a laser printer, 3D printer, CNC or Cricut machine. These items must be produced based on a seller’s original design and are often personalised or customised to a buyer’s specification."

[3DOnePro]

I created a new design, it's like a remix, but how is it possible that so many sellers with the same samurai incense are still here, and I, who modified the original and took my own photos, was deactivated?

[3DOnePro]

I invite you to look for samurai incense, and you will see how many dozens of these there are.

[bradgoodell]

The problem with 3D printing while using commercial files is that everyone and their sister can and do make exactly the same thing.  In the exact same color, since ya'll are buying the same supplies.  Many people don't even bother to take their own photos, they use the ones from the file service.  So when Etsy looks at your shop or runs your photos through AI, it appears you are re-selling commercially available products.  Which is a violation of Etsy's creative standards.

Create your own files, take your own pictures, and police your IP and it won't be a problem.  

[3DOnePro]

That's what I did, I modified the original file, took my own photos, but they still disabled the listing. I invite you to search for Incense Samurai and you'll see dozens of these.

[3DOnePro]

The problem with this is when a law works for some and not for others, that's a problem.

[TBQSC]

"I'm a stlflix subscriber, and I was able to modify the file " -- 

THAT is the whole problem!  You modified an original pattern that you did not design or create yourself ... therefore, you are infringing upon the original design creator's intellectual property rights by selling it as your own ... this is against Etsy Terms of Use (IP Infringement) and is against Etsy's Creativity Standards!

[3DOnePro]

And how the law applies to me but not to others?

[TBQSC]

@3DOnePro -- they just have not been caught yet, but they will be ... today, tomorrow, or maybe not til next XXX.  Just because you see someone else selling the same thing on Etsy (or anywhere else) does NOT make it right or legal for you to do the same.  Read up on IP Infringement ... it's a punishable criminal offense!

[3DOnePro]

Come on, isn't this hard to find, or does no one at Etsy handle this?

The problem is that doing so could potentially affect 20% of the platform's revenue.

[GlassyFields]

@stlflix

It's luck of the draw. Some speeders get caught. Some don't. It's like my parents told me about a million times while I was growing up - 'life isn't fair'.

Follow the Etsy rules on Etsy, not what the Etsy rule breakers are doing.

[pennyemporium]

@3DOnePro:  let's assume, just for talking points, that you have altered the existing other-person-designed files in a significantly material way as so to render the new product to be considered a "unique" design.  (that's a BIG leap of faith.  this feels very much like the "putting a sticker on a dollar-store mug and calling it a new product"... is no longer allowed)

even if you took your own photos of your new widget, when you list those same photos on multiple websites, (or when other people steal your photos) the Etsy bots think there are many people selling the same widget.  they think you are a re-seller.  

the solution (only to the 'i have the same pictures posted everywhere' question) is to take new UNIQUE photos of the widget for Etsy and ONLY list those photos on Etsy. do NOT relist the widget without Etsy saying it is okay to do so.  consider appealing your take-down, and also consider not listing the widget AT ALL on etsy if they will not re-instate the listing.

[bradgoodell]

@3DOnePro 

What you don't see is the listings removed last year, last month, last week, and yesterday.  Nor do you know which listings will be removed tomorrow, next week, or next month.

Etsy has policies, not laws.  Etsy is attempting to enforce their policies, while new shops open daily and new listings go up every single minute of every day.  Your chance of getting dinged is sometimes chance, sometimes luck.  

Sorry, I know this isn't what you want to hear.  But I can assure you, other sellers are also getting their listings removed while you read this.  Best of luck.

[GlassyFields]

I can hear my parents saying 'life isn't fair' and 'if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?' Little did I know they foresaw Etsy and how it works.

[DragoninKnots]

Etsy recently changed the rules to require that 3d prints be the seller's own design. So if your listing is new, it probably came under scrutiny sooner. The others may get taken down when they come up for renewal. Or not - the Etsy bots are fickle. 

[3DOnePro]

My listing has been more than 1 year old, and I have sold many of them

[MrsDsHandKnits]

@3DOnePro >"My listing has been more than 1 year old, and I have sold many of them"....and now You have been told by Etsy that it is NOT ok; that the item does NOT adhere to the Creativity Standards that were implemented a few months ago...Rules change and you must change with them ... You are the one that got caught, sooner or later others will too...It is what it is...end of story!

[3DOnePro]

@MrsDsHandKnitsYes, you're right and the truth is that I'm selling it quite well on other sites, much better than here, so on Etsy I'll just put my own design here, it's not worth wasting time on this.

[TBQSC]

Another case of denial!

[3DOnePro]

If I fall here, many will follow my fall, because I will point out all the subscribers of stlflix here, Thangs, Patreon, etc.

[MrsDsHandKnits]

@3DOnePro ->"I have sold this product on Amazon and eBay without any issues">>>Etsy is NOT eBay or Amazon. Etsy has different rules and policies pertaining to what constitutes handmade and/or what does or doesn't adhere to the Etsy Creativity Standards..A seller cannot simply modify an existing design...the design MUST be an original design created by the seller.

Please read:

https://www.etsy.com/legal/creativity

[3DOnePro]

Yes you are right but Etsy is full of subscribers from stlflix, Thangs, Patreon etc. The designer's business is not to print or produce anything, it's just to sell their designs and get them to sign up for a business subscription, maybe a couple of people are designing and selling but I don't think Etsy is going to cut this in the root, maybe they will do it gradually, they would lose a lot of money if they did.