Shutterstock POD is ok or no?

[QUEENBEDDING]

I still do not have access to the rest of the Forums, so I have to post this here:

Is it "Etsy"-legal to use images from Shutterstock for Print-On-Demand items?  I cannot find a clear answer to this.

Thank you.

[nineteen27]

no.

it has to be your own original designs.

that nobody else sells.

[QUEENBEDDING]

Are you absolutely sure about this??  As I am seeing several shops with 20000+ sales with un-edited Shutterstock imagery plastered on their items.

[nineteen27]

yes i am positive.

yes i am aware what other sellers are doing.

[audreytherese]

Many people break the rules/laws. Doesn't make it ok. 

Then there's the difference between POD and printing your own stuff. 

I could use un-edited Shuttershock imagery and plaster it on items and sell them, all within the rules, because I physically create my own products. I have invested tens of thousands in printers, heat presses, and embroidery machines, so I am allowed to use those images. That's different than someone just creating a mock-up and sending it off to a POD supplier. 

[nineteen27]

i just reported 6 sellers.

for selling alcohol.

it is against the law to sell alcohol here.

it does not stop them from listing the items.

[nineteen27]

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000336547-Working-with-Production-Partners-on-Etsy?segmen...

A production partner is a company or individual (who’s not part of your Etsy shop) that helps physically produce items based on your own, original designs, such as a printing service, an apparel producer, an engraver, etc.

Production partners only apply to items that you are designing, then having made with production assistance. Production partners don’t apply to items that you or your shop members physically make or to products that you are not personally designing.

[BarronDesignStudio]

What part would be your design? Of course etsy is overrun with items that the seller didn't design but this is still a policy (for the moment)  https://www.etsy.com/legal/handmade/?ref=list

A designer is a seller who has come up with an original design, pattern, sketch, template, prototype, or plan to be produced by in-house shop members or a production partner. Simple customization, such as selecting colors, shapes, or choosing from ready-made options is not considered design on Etsy.

[QUEENBEDDING]

Are we supposed to report such a shop?  Is Etsy removing such shop or simply turning a blind eye?  They have been selling for years with thousands of sales here...

[FallenAngelBrass]

@QUEENBEDDING 

Come hang put with us in the forum for awhile.  You can read along with all of the threads started by long time sellers who have been selling for years with thousands of sales and have now been deactivated, put on vacation, suspended, shut down.  Etsy policy enforcement is haphazard, but it's happening.  Whether you want to do the same as them depends on how lucky you feel. 

[BagmakerSupply]

@QUEENBEDDING: "Is Etsy removing such shop or simply turning a blind eye?" The fact that there are other shops selling "Etsy illegal" items only means that they have not been caught yet, or their listings may not contain the data that the bot is currently looking for. Additionally, we do not know how many listings were deactivated and shops closed for violating the rules only those that appear to not have been.

[QUEENBEDDING]

Are you saying long time HANDMADE sellers are being shutdown???  I'm sorry I don't quite understand...

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

As @FallenAngelBrass says, it happens all the time.  They skate along for years and thousands of sales and then one day, sis boom bah, they are posting in the forum wanting to know why their shop has been closed, because " I didn't do anything wrong!"

Read the forums more often.  It definitely happens.

[EnchantedWhispersArt]

You cannot use unedited Shutterstock images on items according to Etsy rules as they are not handmade by you. Furthermore, you will need to purchase the extended license for each image you use on Shutterstock per their rules. Last time I checked the extended license is about $90 per image.   

[QUEENBEDDING]

It seems like Printify POD has a deal with Shutterstock to use their images and they charge $1-$2 per order...  so maybe this is how this shop is doing it without the $90 license fees.

[BagmakerSupply]

@QUEENBEDDING: Just keep in mind as you pick products, designs, artwork, etc. that there is a often a (major) difference between 'legal' and 'Etsy-legal'.