Suspended Ukrainian shop for moving to USA - Unjust Account Suspension after Etsy support help

[#1]

Hello Etsy Community, 
My name is Dima, and I was a proud member of the Etsy community. My journey with Etsy began as a beacon of hope after my family and I fled our homeland of Ukraine to escape the ravages of war. Arriving in Chicago, we sought solace and stability, and my Etsy shop was platform to rebuild our lives.

With the assistance of Etsy support , we diligently navigated the process of transitioning our shop to USA for paying taxes and continue business legally to reflect our new circumstances . However, our hopes and dreams were shattered when I received the devastating news of my Etsy account suspension.

The suspension of my account came as a profound shock, leaving me and my family in a state of despair and uncertainty. As a family who fled war-torn Ukraine, our Etsy shop was not just a source of income but a lifeline—a means to rebuild our lives and secure our future in a new home.

Despite our efforts to comply with Etsy's policies and regulations, our account was suspended without warning or justification. This unjust action has not only stripped us of our livelihood but has also left us questioning the integrity of the platform we once trusted.

I implore the Etsy community to stand with me in solidarity and demand transparency and accountability from Etsy's Trust & Safety team. Small business owners like myself deserve to be treated with fairness and respect, not subjected to arbitrary account suspensions that threaten our financial stability and well-being.

I call upon Etsy's leadership to reevaluate their policies and ensure that the human impact of their decisions is considered at all times. The Etsy community is built on the creativity, passion, and hard work of individuals from all walks of life, and it is imperative that we uphold these values in every decision we make.

I urge you to join me in amplifying this message and advocating for change within the Etsy platform. Together, we can ensure that no one else has to endure the anguish and uncertainty caused by unjust account suspensions.

Thank you for your support and solidarity.

Warm regards,

Dima 
CityNeon

[ArtDollsbyJD]

@Frapperie   They are not US citizens so cannot have a social security number yet.  There are different aspects to this.  You are a US citizen and therefore had a social security number.  Your situatuion is different than the OP's in terms of movement.

Etsy payments for the Ukraine is run through Payoneer not a US bank though Payoneer may have a US bank on board,  However that does create a problem when switching payment systems.  Etsy payments for India, Ukraine and a few other countries is not the same as Etsy Payments for the US, UK, France, etc.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@ArtDollsbyJD 

you can get an ssn very quickly

I landed in Newark on a Saturday evening, and Monday morning I was in a new york government office getting my SSN, and flew to Dulles airport that evening, and  started work with Bell Atlantic the following day.

.... never forget it, the whole country was in dress-up frenzy - thought I'd landed on a different planet

.....

We don't know when they arrived in the USA, and I am sure there is some fast track visa help for Ukrainians.

[CityNeon]

@CraftyCornishMaids 
If I knew it would turn out this way I wouldn't have done anything, I wish I had found this article you linked, it's very strange that the support had the option to change the country to USA if it's really impossible. My account which is originally linked to Etsy payments is connected through Plaid and my account is issued by Community Federal Savings Bank (it is registered through Wise, when it was still that), the most interesting coincidence is that the transition of Ukrainian stores from PayPal to Etsy Payments started on my first day in the USA. My store is a part of me and my whole adult life started with it. I created it when I was 19 years old and I was working at work and repairing computer equipment, and at night I made orders and in the morning I went to work again. Later I opened my own production in Ukraine and had an assistant, then the war started and it had to be closed, a lot of our signs disappeared in bombed out airports, I was blocked from withdrawing money by the Paypal service provider and I went into debt to pay people back, but a lot of people waited until things got better and got their signs, a lot of the disappeared signs were just redone at my own expense. Then when the bombs started falling near where I lived, we decided to leave and only recently the store was just starting to get back to its pre-war sales state and I found myself blocked. Thank you for taking your time to help out here.

[CityNeon]

@ArtDollsbyJD  @Frapperie  @CraftyCornishMaids 
Before Etsy Payments, my account looked differently, namely its settings, after the transition, everything became exactly as in American stores, we checked with my friend here. As for SSN, I have it. Probably I should have at the beginning of the transition to Etsy payments, to make a bank here and immediately link it, but then I did not have an SSN, and the transition had a time frame in which I could not invest in waiting for the opening of an bank account and SSN.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@CityNeon 

I am sorry you are going through this,

not sure if/how/whether Etsy will be able to help, if you get further up the tech support

but I really hope so.

[Frapperie]

Dima I would just keep contacting Etsy support and get information from them.  Everyone here is guessing.  Don't panic, wait until Etsy tells you what to do to fix the issue.  It could simply be an error as well.  Try to contact support via Twitter & Instagram. Good luck!

[CityNeon]

@Frapperie 
I'm waiting for their response but I'm afraid it will never come and that no one will ever figure it out, I've tried writing to instagram but it's not easy to wait for a response.
Thank you.

[ArtDollsbyJD]

@CityNeon   I sumpathize with your plight.  My undertanding is that Etsy payments is Payoneer based for the Ukraine.  That makes a difference.  I wonder if support initial contact was aware and gave you incorrect information.

It has always been when moving to a new country with a new bank that a seller has to close the shop and open another.  Within the EU sellers are allowed to move around to different countries with little problem.

Are you saying the bank you had was a US bank account from the beginning and not a US bank through Payoneer? I cannot say how that works.  It might be possible.  But then again banking regulations may interfere.

Continue talking with Etsy. 

I am not sure if this is applicable but also when you can to the US was it on a visa?  A visa to work in this country?  I'm not sure if that would have any impact too..

[CityNeon]

Thank you for your words of encouragement
I will wait for their response, if I had known about the problems this could lead to I would have been better off not doing anything and I feel guilty that I didn't create a request here but wrote to support.
I wrote that all Payoneer accounts are considered American and issued by a US bank. My account is issued by Community Federal Savings Bank (it is registered through Wise)

[CityNeon]

@FidosFlowers  @thatregina   @FabioMcMustache 
I apologize in advance and maybe it's not appropriate to tag you, but I have no other option otherwise I don't know what to do next. I think only someone who works at Etsy can help me, I am very much looking forward to your help.
I am facing a ban issue that I would really like to get to the bottom of and I have posted everything I think can be related to banning in this thread. Many users have given a lot of advice and I don't know what would help.

[howtobooksandmore]

Looking at the banner in your shop, this is probably Etsy thinking you don't design or make the items in your shop.  It looks like a lot of other neon signs on etsy and all over the internet.  It might have nothing to do with the financial information.  And I am not surprised someone at Etsy told you that you could transfer accounts.  It seems that no one at Etsy knows what anybody else is doing but they will take a guess at it.

[CityNeon]

@howtobooksandmore 
I've talked above about my history of making signs and passing the account has nothing to do with me as I would never pass it on to anyone and I know it's not allowed. They once deleted a listing with my signage saying that I was not the one making the signage and it violated their policy, but after a photo of my workplace and a photo of me making the signs they returned my listing and said that the listing was deleted by a bot by mistake, after that there were no problems. Besides, this banner is over two years old.

[howtobooksandmore]

@CityNeonIt doesn't matter how old the banner is and just because one department of Etsy told you something doesn't mean it is so.  The bots run independently and Etsy doesn't mark your shop as having legal items so the bots or other employees won't take items down or close the shop.  Sellers have had the same items taken down multiple times and have had to fight Etsy to reinstate them.  Search the web and see if any of your pictures show up on other sites.  Etsy has begun comparing sellers photos to other sites on the web and taking down any items they find elsewhere regardless of who stole what from whom.

[WaltzDarlingVintage]

As a Ukrainian, I have learned from my past experiences that trying to appeal an unjust decision made by marketplaces, government institutions, and other entities in the USA may not yield positive results or draw special attention. In my opinion, they simply do not care, how heartbreaking it won't be for us.

I hope you do not give up and keep contacting Etsy associates. Crossing my fingers for you and wish you to reopen your store as soon as possible!

[CityNeon]

@WaltzDarlingVintage 
I am very sorry that you have faced injustice, if my story helps someone I will be glad at least for that, as how much injustice is around today. 
I don't know where to write to contact them because I think I've tried everything.

[YinVivoWeddings]

Speaking from experience, keep in touch with Etsy customer support and request for someone in legal or financial dept to look into your details. You can escalate if the first "layer" of care isn't suitable. Take care, and all the best!

[CityNeon]

@YinVivoWeddings 
Thanks for the tip!
By the way, how did you manage to get in touch with someone in their legal or financial department?

[WaltzDarlingVintage]

@CityNeon Try this link: https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?segment=selling#issue_buy_shopping_checking_out-contact_...

There is also a topic on Reddit about how people managed to contact Etsy support via phone: https://www.reddit.com/r/Etsy/comments/z82n7x/why_is_it_completely_impossible_to_contact_etsy/

[CityNeon]

@WaltzDarlingVintage 
Thanks for the information and the links! Just to clarify, do you know if it's permissible to open new requests while there are ongoing appeals and other service requests related to this situation without responses?

[YinVivoWeddings]

Well... it is a long story after 15+ years and so, if you are really enthusiastic then make it a point to talk to Etsy.

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@CityNeon and WaltzDarlingVintage I am sure everyone sympathizes with your situation but it is imperative to acknowledge that the Etsy Rule banning changing the Country of the Shop's Bank after a relocation is not of their own making.

International Banking Regulations dictate this. The only exception is movement between Countries in the European Union.

The issue you are facing has nothing to do with the having a Payment Processor based in US which collects and remits in USD.

The issue arises because, when a Seller first sets up a Shop, the Banking Validation process matches the Country the original Bank Account is based in with the other ID documentation. It has nothing to do with how money is processed.

It is certainly unfortunate that Etsy Support advised to the contrary, but they seem to have misunderstood your request.

There is no discrimination or injustice behind this. The rules apply equally to all (as @Steelhipdesigns and @AudreyTherese advised earlier in the discussion. This requirement is based on International Banking Regulations designed to prevent fraud, money laundering and identity theft. It also minimises the risk of banned Sellers / Shops "acquiring" legitimate Shops and then changing the Banking information.

You can change Shop Location County and you can change the "Ships From" if necessary. You can also change Bank Accounts if the Banks are in the same Country but you cannot change the Bank Account from  Country A to one in Country B.

Of course, the situation with Ukrainian Shops is a little more complex due to the financial restrictions / limitations resultant of the war in your Country, but it is also important to acknowledge that Etsy took several steps to support Ukranian Sellers from the outset. Firstly, Etsy waived Monthly Fees for some time. Then they addressed the Pay Pal embargo issue. Finally, more recently, Etsy added Ukraine to the list of Shops able to use Etsy Payments with Payoneer.

[CityNeon]

@CarpetCollectionAU 
Thank you for your detailed explanation. While I understand the importance of adhering to international banking regulations, my concern stems from the fact that I hadn't made any changes to my shop settings, yet the support team modified them without clear understanding. It's reassuring to know that Etsy has taken steps to support Ukrainian sellers amidst the challenging circumstances. 
I have a misunderstanding of how a store can be blocked without any questions or proceedings.
Blocking a store for any seller just can be devastating, I have never used sedatives before this situation

[CarpetCollectionAU]

@CityNeon I do not think anyone would disagree with you. It is certainly unfortunate that Etsy Support made some changes which, at this time, appear to be inappropriate.

There is a big difference between what the "system" will allow (physically) to  be changed in your Shop and what the "system" will approve after that change.

Anyone can change Shop Location on the Main Page / Store Front

But that information is not what the "system" looks at when validating ID and Financial information.

Also, you can change Banking Details because the "system" is set up to allow this.

But, again, whilst the "system" may allow this to be physically done, the "system" then has to validate the changes.

[CityNeon]

Everything works very strange, there are a lot of rules and knowing them you can still get into a confusing situation and usually the answer will be ask support, but everyone will answer differently )

[CityNeon]

Maybe someone knows if it is possible to contact exactly the support that was in a certain Service request, they made these changes maybe they can help in this situation. That Support Request has already been closed