Still Stuck with 14-Day Payment Hold After 10 Months of Selling

[IlluminatiFlamingo]

Hello everyone, I’m reopening the topic since the previous one was closed and I no longer have access to it:

I wanted to share my situation in case someone has experienced something similar or can offer advice.

My Etsy shop has been active for 11 months, and I always ship with tracking. Despite this, I still have a 14-day hold on funds before they become available for deposit. According to an Etsy agent I spoke to in chat, this hold is usually only for new sellers during their first 90 days, although this detail doesn’t seem to be explicitly stated in the official policies. My first sale was 10 months ago.

The main issue is that Etsy deducts fees and expenses for new sales from my oldest funds. Because of this, the 14-day funds hold balance gets used up quickly, and I never actually see a positive available balance. This makes it very hard to manage cash flow and grow the shop.

Has anyone successfully had this 14-day hold removed after the first 90 days? Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

*Just to add, I have an open ticket that has been escalated to a team, and they will be responding to me by email.

**I have all the shop policies filled out in my profile.

*** I am star seller for 2nd time.

[NanaLetha]

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Technical-Issues/14-day-hold-on-funds-even-though-more-than-180-days-h...

[IlluminatiFlamingo]

@NanaLetha 

I’ve read that thread, but I have the right to open my own since nothing was clearly resolved there. Thanks.

[NanaLetha]

@IlluminatiFlamingo  Only Etsy can help you. We are only other sellers here in the forums.

[LastCentury]

@IlluminatiFlamingo for future: you can always add an additional comment to your original thread so it gets bumped up for people to see.

Your shop policies are still missing Seller's Details which includes your complete business address

fyi: you should create live links for your insta & tiktok in your About

as for payments, you will likely have to wait for etsy's response. Don't open more tickets. That will just put you at the end of the line.

I trust you have read this:
https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000336547-Working-with-Production-Partners-on-Etsy?segmen...

have you asked for a shop critique?

[IlluminatiFlamingo]

Hi! Thanks for your response.

I will definitely add links to my social media.

On the other hand, I don’t understand what you mean when you say that the seller details in my shop policies are still incomplete, including the full business address. I’m not sure what you mean by "full business address" — I have everything filled out, including the seller details. Could you please clarify exactly where something is missing?

Just to clarify, I am an individual seller — I am not a registered business or self-employed yet.

Do you think this could be affecting the 14-day payment hold?

[CryzalisMasksUK]

Contact details need to be available in your shop, including address.

You are selling within Europe, this is a legal requirement.

"full business address" would be your address.

These details should also be included in your privacy policy and the withdrawal policy

[IlluminatiFlamingo]

@CryzalisMasksUK 

Sorry to bother you again, but I don’t know where exactly I’m supposed to enter that address. I’ve checked all the fields and they’re already filled out. Maybe that section only applies to registered professional sellers or businesses. I’m just an individual artisan seller. Do you happen to have a screenshot of your menu where you can show me which field it is? Thank you so much!

[CryzalisMasksUK]

No problem @IlluminatiFlamingo 

Try going into your main shop page on Etsy.com, click edit shop > then scroll to the bottom and click edit policies > Seller details should be the last section

[IlluminatiFlamingo]

I've been trying to find that section for two hours. It simply doesn't appear for me. In Policy Settings I only see: Returns and exchanges, Cancellations, Privacy, and Fixed policies.

I've been researching and I found that Etsy doesn't include that section for me because I'm not a commercial seller , I'm just a private seller for now.

I'm not registered as self-employed yet, as I can't have fixed or stable income at the moment...

[IlluminatiFlamingo]

@CryzalisMasksUK 

This what appears on my policy settings:

https://ibb.co/0p8fcGBP

I have been informed by support that the store address section is not visible to all sellers; it depends on the store's location and the type of seller. However, they confirmed that this does not affect the 14-day fund hold.

[CryzalisMasksUK]

You must have had to add your DNI number when you opened your shop, if you have not done so yet, you risk being put on forced vacation mode.

You are creating pieces to sell for profit, which automatically makes you a trader within the EU. 

Once your policies are correct, it should automatically give you the option to add seller details

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-gb/articles/115014372467-How-to-Set-Up-Your-Shop-Policies?segment=sellin...

[artbyjocelyn]

On a side note, you have From as Fom in your tag line that shows up under your shop name.

[IlluminatiFlamingo]

Yes, I have my ID verified. As I told you, the support agent told me that this is not the reason for the payment hold.

[CryzalisMasksUK]

Support agents are outsourced, they do not always have the correct knowledge. So it is down to you to make sure everything is correct as required by law and the Etsy rules.

[CryzalisMasksUK]

We can only give you advice but being on a hold after 10 months is not normal. Etsy has been clamping down on legalities in recent months, especially as the EU will come after them if they do not.

Do you have your lucid number listed in your tax information?

Have you completed the GPSR requirements?

Have you added your French EPR registration number?

These are just a few of the main legal requirements from anyone selling within the EU

[IlluminatiFlamingo]

I understand what you're trying to tell me, but all those fields are meant for sellers registered as businesses or self-employed individuals declaring to the tax authorities, and with a registration number. I am an individual and handmade seller, so I don't have a registration number. The only thing I have is my personal ID, which is already registered with Etsy.

[CryzalisMasksUK]

All sellers on Etsy have to follow the rule of law of their own country and EU law in addition to online selling laws.

There is no such thing as being an individual who does not declare to the tax authorities, whether you are a company, self employed or individual.

When you are making something to sell online for a profit (even if you have not made a profit yet) makes you a trader.

In Spain it is in fact illegal to sell online if you do not register for self employment under certain conditions:

• It is for profit: The activity must be carried out with the aim of making financial gains. For example, if you sell craftwork and the sale price is higher than the cost of the materials used to make the items, your activity would be considered profitable.

Law 20/2007, Statute of Self-Employment (Ley 20/2007 del Estatuto del trabajo autónomo)

https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2007-13409

But more importantly, as a seller within the EU, you have to follow and complete all mentioned before to legally sell online and within the EU.

This is for all, companies, self- employed & individuals, it is not a choice, it is law.

Packaging licences are also a requirement, you will have to check which countries require them within the EU, register and pay their annual fees.

You will have to use your NIF number as an individual

[IlluminatiFlamingo]

Sure, I understand, but as long as I can’t access my money and I’m not earning a single euro —only paying out of my own pocket for this kind of withholdings— I can’t become self-employed in my country. Becoming self-employed in Spain is very frustrating; you pay very high fees even if you don’t earn absolutely anything. If Etsy released my funds and lifted the hold, I would be able to access my money at any time and could do everything 100% legally. But right now, I can’t. That’s the way it is.

[IlluminatiFlamingo]

I wanted to become self-employed in my country and dedicate myself full-time to Etsy —it’s my dream. I’ve made 14 sales in a year; they’ve been occasional sales, so I haven’t earned much from this and haven’t had any fixed or significant income. My goal was exactly that: to be able to devote myself to my art and be legal, self-employed. But if Etsy doesn’t release my money, it’s impossible. Is it really so hard to understand? Anyway, I know support is already trying to resolve it. Thank you for your responses.

[IlluminatiFlamingo]

Anyone else having a similar case? It's been over 300 days since my first sale, and I'm still stuck with the 14-day restriction. Some Etsy support agents admit it's not normal and "upload my case to the team," but I never receive an email with the solution...

I'm desperate...