While updating my prices on many items - Etsy desactivates some of them!!

[LatitudeLaineShop]

Dear friends,

I spend the afternoon recalculating my prices and then when setting out to correct them on Etsy, I'm experiencing that Etsy desactivets some of them - 4 listings until now!! I have no idea why - it seems like a glitch from Etsy.... Which means that these items are no longer available for customers for maybe 10 days?!

So, now I don't dare to continue my work....

Has anyone an idea how this could be solved?

[PlatypusDream · Accepted solution]

The first listing on your page has the word "AMBER" as the very first word.

Etsy employs bots to deactivate items with certain words - "ivory" and "amber" (and possibly "coral") - to avoid unscrupulous sellers from listing banned items.  It appears that you have been caught up.

Try contacting Etsy through the help center.  Check for an email from Etsy explaining the deactivation and contact them that way.

If your item is not prohibited or using prohibited materials, you have a chance of having the item reactivated.

[RustyCrustyRepurpose]

Looking at some of your listings my guess is the word "Baby" in the title along with clothing.  The bots could think it is baby clothing.  They have been deactivating a lot of baby clothing recently.

[nineteen27]

or maybe they think it is a real baby.

with etsy... who knows?

[OneEyeCatStudio]

@RustyCrustyRepurpose  seriously?? Etsy has stopped allowing the sale of baby clothes?

[VibeEnvy]

Recent issue has seemed mostly to do with drawstrings on baby, child, etc clothing so pajamas, hoodies and other items have been getting removed for safety concerns.

[nineteen27 · Accepted solution]

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?segment=selling&fbclid=IwAR3XJULkao3ZPR8XcOEf2A7143n87Xt...

try contacting them through that link.

[LatitudeLaineShop]

Thanks a lot - I received a phone call from Etsy right away.

Unfortunately the woman was not authorised to make any changements so as to re-activate those listings, but I'm supposed to get contacted by email...

[nineteen27]

i am happy it helped.

bookmark the link in case you need to call again : )

[Amaradorn]

Etsy is now using bots to automatically deactivate listings which they think could be problematic. This occurs when the listings are published or edited. The bots scan for certain keywords (even in images) but unfortunately they don't seem to understand or take into account the context so sometimes items are being deactivated in error.

Check your email to see if they give you an idea of why the listing was deactivated.

Check all deactivated listings to see if there is a common denominator (word).

Make a cup of tea (or coffee)! Sometimes these take a while to figure out.

[ThePurplePuppy]

You do not say what has been deactivated so in any case we other sellers can only guess the reason. 

My only guess is  that if the items were the ones made from "baby alpaca" yarn the bots may have seen this either as  a "baby" (forbidden in some way made for a baby) item  and removed it or as an "animal" item (made from an animal) and removed it. Nowadays one must be very very careful in the words used for description.  

[JMOldeVintage]

@LatitudeLaineShop  - One of your featured items is an "Amber Yellow Lace Scarf".  Etsy has banned Amber Beads (jewelry - necklaces, etc.) under a certain size.

However, Etsy's bots that deactivate listings cannot take words in context. The bot see "Amber" & deactivates immediately.
The same would probably happen if you use "Ivory" as an adjective to describe the color.
Etsy has recently been deactivating certain plants/seeds, etc. so if any of your listings had a flower name, that's what the bot sees.

While I would like to tell you it would be safe to edit your listings that include the word "amber" & eliminate the word, I'm not sure. Others say that listings carry a "history" that Etsy's bots still see even after editing. The listing could still be deactivated.

If Etsy sent you an email stating the item deactivated, reply to that when explaining your situation. If all you get are generic replies, keep replying to that original email, that your issue is not resolved. New help request just put you to the back of the line. 

[LeParisMetro · Accepted solution]

The Etsy bots will often catch listings as they are renewed or updated and automatically deactivate them.  I did a search for some of the prohibited words they look for and you have three listings with the word amber in them.  

Due to a lawsuit were a child died due to amber beads, the bots are programmed to look for that word.  Yes, we know your items are not beads but the bots don’t know that. I have heard that a human will eventually look at them and they may be reinstated, but it is best not to use any of the prohibited words so you don’t have to worry about that.  Ivory is another one but I did not see that in any of your listings.

BTW - your items look amazingly beautiful!

[ThePurplePuppy]

The OP also used "baby alpaca" yarn and the bots could have seen that as either a baby item or an item made from animals or animal parts.

[LeParisMetro]

Yes, those could be other prohibited words. It is difficult to keep up with all of them. But we know for sure amber is one of them.

[LatitudeLaineShop]

Thanks a lot!

What a terrible story, by the way...the child must have mistaken the amber for sweets! Wow, I'm really touched!

[leinweberstudio]

@LatitudeLaineShop 

What a terrible story, by the way...the child must have mistaken the amber for sweets! 

The baby actually died from being strangled wearing the necklace, not choking.

[LatitudeLaineShop]

Thanks a lot! I will try to see which words might cause the problems....

I have received an email message from Etsy about one of the listings, as a automatic message one cannot respond to...

I have had these listings (knittes accessories) in my shop for about two years (and selling them regularly).... but they must have changed something.

[LeParisMetro]

Yes, the Etsy bots have gotten much more active with removals lately!

[dianedowgill · Accepted solution]

I had a scarf de-activated as soon as I renewed it, because I listed amber as one of the colours in it. It was back in my shop today after just 48 hours. The annoying thing is, it also happened when I first listed it, but after it was re-activated I assumed it had passed the test! Needless to say I don't use that naughty word any more.

[LatitudeLaineShop]

The culprit seems to be the word "Amber"...
I've been using the word amber to describe the colours several of my knitted accessories in yellow and orange tones!

[NanaLetha]

@LatitudeLaineShop  Find an alternative to "amber" like dark yellow, etc.

[LatitudeLaineShop]

You guys have been amazing! Thanks so much!

I will make a little tour to discover your different shops

[zeynNY]

The best practice I've experienced was to chat and open a ticket and follow up every other day. Mine took more than 2 weeks. 

Good luck

[VibeEnvy]

Amber, ivory, Cuba are common words that cause listings to get removed. Drawstrings have been a recent issue regarding children and baby clothing. Also toys necklaces etc that contain small pieces (choke hazard) as well as items with batteries and magnets have been causing issues. Listings and words related to weapons have been getting removed or restricted from certain regions. Designer names even for vintage items have been triggering removals checking for counterfeits. That should cover most the recent things bots are going after to be aware of.