So Disappointed with Etsy Support

[EliAndEmery]

For a company that earns tens of thousands of dollars a year from my shop fees PLUS uses my products and their photos in Etsy ads, in their emails, on the front page of Etsy, and on their instagram I am beyond appalled by their lack of proper service. I'm literally in tears. I've been full time esty seller for the past 8 years and spent the last 10 days getting my account verified due to legal last name change due to marriage. Had everything verified via email with Etsy Trust & Safety but my shop is still on pause. All of my information is correct and matches. There's no errors. Every customer service representative on the phone tells me something different and ends the call saying they've escalated my case and should hear back in 24-48 hours. Just got off the phone with another rep and he said my case was never previously escalated. So every person I have spoken to before this last call outright lied to me? What am I supposed to do? I cannot afford to keep waiting with no end in sight and cannot get a straight answer from anyone. This is a large family owned business with employees that I have to pay. I have customers emailing me daily asking how they can place an order and I'm going on two weeks with my business completely shut down because we cannot direct Etsy shoppers to make purchases outside of Etsy. I'm beyond appalled by this service, especially since Etsy has such high standards for the service sellers provide to shoppers. My business is literally in the hands of a third party call center and whatever AI program provides "etsy support". This is insanity. 

[TheVintagePineapple]

The hold up could be that they are checking to see if your license from Disney is valid and up to date.

[OneEyeCatStudio]

Goodness. The whole shop is inspiring.

[PristinityJewelry]

Oh my!  [sigh]

[Natalya1905]

And a week later, both the OP and Etsy are apparently fine with these products. Oh well.

[CoquetteBath]

Yeah, I'm sure that once Disney confirms that you have a proper license, all will be fine.

Of course, if you don't....well, I have personally seen Disney come with the Sheriff to a small craft show in Justin TX to take everything someone had for sale. They came in and went straight to her booth, so she'd been warned before, clearly.

And she was the same person I spoke to a year or so earlier, and she said 'Disney doesn't care if small crafters use their IP'....

ummm, yeah they do. I saw it. So always good to have that licensing set up properly, right?

[LastCentury]

Could etsy be quietly quitting problematic shops regardless as to how many sales they generate by using this tough verification process?

It seems to recall something I read this recently from @cindylouwho2 's blog... (paraphrasing-ish sorry) etsy actively wanting to reduce seller base in order to ramp up the quality handmade aspect & remove the bad actors.

[cindylouwho2]

@LastCentury I think this is part of it. They make it really hard to appeal removals, and don't provide support when verification goes wrong, so some people do just leave. Etsy already has more sellers than they want, so they don't care. 

[GoldberryAtHome]

I wish Etsy would toughen up on shops that don't follow their policies, but I'm having this exact same issue and I've been very conscientious about following Etsy's policies.  I sell antique books.  Etsy has frozen my funds and I can't get them to even read my emails or look at the documents I've submitted proving my legal identity.

[FallenAngelBrass]

---

@EliAndEmery wrote:

For a company that earns tens of thousands of dollars a year from my shop fees PLUS uses my products and their photos in Etsy ads, in their emails, on the front page of Etsy......

---

Does Etsy feature your Disney or Lord of the Rings items?  That would be concerning. 

[TBQSC]

I have seen MANY Disney (et al brands) featured on Etsy's Homepage ... and sometimes Etsy will even send you those same featured listings in their marketing emails!  And, I am fairly certain the seller of those particular listings is not Disney licensed!

[SugarTaffySoap]

@EliAndEmery  You really are having a bad experience.  

[NanaLetha]

@EliAndEmery  Your shop is not on pause!

[TheVintagePineapple]

It was closed down yesterday, so everything about the shop must be ok with Etsy.  

[DragonflyDreams1]

Yep, I see that the shop is back. @EliAndEmery , it might be a good time to take a look at what you sell and make a plan moving forward to have items that are legal to sell. It seems your shop is doing well, but what happens to you and those that depend on you for income when Etsy suspends your shop? 

I wish you the best!

[OneEyeCatStudio]

You might want to check with an IP attorney.
Or you can always contact the Disney anti-piracy team via the following:

• Email: tips@disneyantipiracy.com
• Voicemail: 818-560-3300

And here's the licensing website if you don't already have it.
https://www.disneystudiolicensing.com/

[EliAndEmery · Accepted solution]

Thanks everyone for the feedback and support. This morning I received verification notice in my email. 

While we’ve never had an issue with our park inspired items (we’ve been selling them for 8 years), I hear you all and agree that we should play it extra safe moving forward. I was under the impression that everything we offer was fine but I am open to the fact it may not be the case. Time to re-evaluate everything.

Aside from that, I wholeheartedly believe that Etsy support needs to make significant changes. The situation I experienced for the past two weeks is absolutely unacceptable and clearly the result of them using third parties and AI to provide support to sellers. 

Wish you all the best.

[DragonflyDreams1 · Accepted solution]

I forgot to mention, and for that I do apologize - I believe  Etsy should have knowledgeable phone support. The support that does exist is for the most part quite useless to sellers and it is an expense we should not have to pay for. Increased seller support came when Etsy increased fees, I have yet to experience support that is worth that increase.

[DudleyandSprout]

@EliAndEmery - The mouse can take your house.  It has been done before.

[vintageNCtreasures]

@EliAndEmery 
Just because you've been selling "inspired" counterfeit items for 8 years doesn't make it ok. You've just been lucky the trademark holders haven't reported you to Etsy or Etsy hasn't shut down your shop for selling prohibited items.

And almost a week later those fake inspired Disney and other items are still listed.

Shops are shut down all the time for selling "inspired" items.

Inspired won't save you if Disney or other trademark holders decide to sue you or report you to Etsy for selling counterfeit items.

You might want to read the info on the help pages:
https://www.etsy.com/legal/prohibited
Especially this part under #5:

Unauthorized replicas or copies of items, and patterns or designs enabling their creation, are prohibited on Etsy. We consider counterfeit or unauthorized goods to be items that imitate an authentic good, particularly by using a brand’s name, logo, or protected design without the brand owner’s consent. Additionally, we may consider up-cycled or re-purposed items, even if using authentic materials, to be counterfeit if they are making use of a brand's name, logo, or protected design without their permission. Examples of prohibited counterfeit or unauthorized goods include replica luxury and non-luxury items like bags and branded apparel.

https://www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/the-ultimate-guide-to-intellectual/22398703823