This RESERVE hold

[WickedVineStitching]

So after 5 years, no complaints, 97% 5 star rating, not behind on orders and all the sudden I get a RESERVE hold. My minimum hold it says it 75% of your orders. If that is so then tell me how I haven't met my minimum yet? My minimum is always higher than what I have in the account. Now how is that so? If I have a Dollar and you say you are going to hold 75% of it, then that it 75 cents. So I still have 25 cents left and you are holding 75 cents. So that would be minimum is met.  But my minimum is NEVER met. This is another case of a company holding your money in the bank to draw interest and make money. 2 years ago I use to do over 250,000 with etsy. Then Etsy changed some rules and hurt sellers so I moved 70% of my business to Poshmart. (they are pretty straight forward and easy to understand fees). I spend about 10,000 a year for advertising and several thousands a month on fees. I use their USPS system. All this has done is cause me to spend all my effort on Poshmart. I have cancelled ALL advertising by etsy and in the process of moving most all my items to poshmart and off etsy. Etsy is killing itself. You would think a seller who has been here over 4 or 5 years and has had NO problems would be treated better. 

And the thing says, they hold your money 45 days or until a valid tracking number. Well 40 shipped and yet they are still holding all my money. 

[VintageRescueSquad]

I'm sorry to hear that, as you've clearly been successful. Did they say why your shop was put on reserve? Behind on orders? Trademark infringement? Anything?

Perhaps the reserve is never met because you're spending the money for advertising is being deducted from your account.

Also, the way etsy is set up, the money they hold is held in escrow (or something like it), not in an interest-bearing account.

[WickedVineStitching]

SO I had a design up. Been up for 3 years. Well evidently someone made a trademark on it in december of 2021. So I got hit with infringement. If I had packages not showing up, late getting them out, complaints then I would understand. But just because in December someone trademarks a design I have had up for 3 years isn't a good reason to freeze my funds. I mean email me and say hey someone has trademarked that now and I would take it down. I own several trademarks and I just tell people when they copy it that I have the trademark for it. Etsy loses in the end. My 1,000 a month for advertising, I have cancelled. And I'm just going to concentrate on Poshmart and so forth. NO business can run getting 25% of their money. I mean generally half goes back into the business. Plus this once it has a valid tracking number and is in transit it total BS. Mione are in transit and still in reserve because there is NO way to EVER meet your reserve. It will always be higher than the money you have. And I was about to bring all my items back to Etsy and focus on it because I thought it had stabilized enough now. Glad I seen this before I did

[CraftyCornishMaids]

Fees come off straight away, they are not held

so your fees-to-date, have to be less than your 25% released 

[PotteryUrns]

Do you by any chance have multiple orders that you are working on.  I have seen other sellers say they got put on reserve if they had several orders in house that they were working on even if the orders weren't late being shipped. Reason I ask is if you participated in the recent sale and got several orders that could have triggered it.

[WickedVineStitching]

I always have about 100 orders I am working on. I am always early to ship unless there is some unforeseen problem. I have zero complaints, I have 5 star review with over 35000 sales. I have decided to just start moving ALL my items off etsy and onto poshmart, amazon and so forth. Etsy was once my total focus and has made me a lot of money but I'm tired of making someone money and then get treated like this.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@WickedVineStitching 

I always have about 100 orders I am working on

That's is probably the reason.

If you are working on 100 orders, then you have the money, but the goods are not shipped, so Etsy is in the hole for that money, if you do a runner

also, if you are doing that volume, they are also on the hook, if you do a runner, then they get chargebacks, so it's a bigger amount than just the ones not shipped

It's a shame, as the idea of your shop is great, but etsy is covering their back, since they got hit so badly with the masks.

[HazelsSewingSupplies]

Seller has been here since 2017 (5 years or so) has 35,000+ sales, no complaints on delivery or service.

I can't imagine Etsy suspecting him of being a RUNNER.  It sounds like he might run now due to the reserve on his money.  

With records like his, can't say that anyone should blame him.

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@HazelsSewingSupplies 

it's a logic bot that goes through, it doesn't have a brain, or try to make sense of anything, etsy was bitten before, it is making sure it isn't bitten again, even if it takes others with it.

I think opening their own website would be great for them, it's a unusual product, with rave reviews, and repeat buyers, it should do well

[CuriosAnCollectibles]

With that amount of sales you're obviously doing something right. 75% is a lot to hold on to, why they do it out of the blue with no warning to sellers doesn't seem like good practice to me. 

[BikerBlingCa]

It seems to me that Etsy thinks larger full time shops will not pull out after they have put so much time, effort and money into them.  I think they are counting on that for the most part.

[SugarTaffySoap]

@WickedVineStitching .  I'm confused because you don't have any Star Seller badges for shipping, messages or reviews.  If you "ship early" and have "5 star reviews" you should have 2 badges. What am I missing???

[CraftyCornishMaids]

@SugarTaffySoap 

You are missing the fact they were hit with a trademark infringement

[digitaldoodlebug]

If the trademark is a common/popular phrase that was trademarked for the sole purpose of removing competition you could speak to a lawyer about it. Otherwise you'll probably have to wait for the reserve to time out. But I believe fees are taken out of your 25% which is why you're not getting anything. 

[Poppycbrilliant]

I agree, reserves are cripling.  My funds were released when merhcandise tracked out of the shipping facility. Scanned in, no release, scanned out funds released. Ususally the next day. 

[SugarTaffySoap]

@CraftyCornishMaids  That was years ago before the star seller went into effect. 

[CraftyCornishMaids]

Well evidently someone made a trademark on it in december of 2021. So I got hit with infringement. 

I understood they were just hit by a trademark infringement, that was only trademarked 6 months ago