hand made policy violation notification

[MukoTeeprintstore]

I received 2 warnings that I violated the hand made policy. My right to be a star seller was also taken away from me. Even though I read the hand made policies many times, I could not see that there was a policy violation. The support team was not helpful at all, they kept sending me a link to the hand made policy text. When I asked which hand made policy I violated, they said they would not tell me. This is ridiculous, I think bots are used for such violation notifications.

[PlatypusDream]

Are you using images that YOU, yourself designed?

Or are you buying images from other places and putting them on POD items?

If so, the items don't qualify to be sold as "Handmade" on Etsy.

I also see that the mock ups you're using are identical to thousands of other sellers, not original images of real items. This could also cause Etsy to think you are reselling.

Looking at your reviews, it looks like you've had an item pulled for IP infringement. That can be another policy violation that would cause Etsy to strip you of your badges.

[PlatypusDream]

@MintandLemonTee @MukoTeeprintstore 

Are you the same person?

If so, you MUST declare that you have other shops in your public profile.

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115015651948-Your-Bio-and-Profile-Picture?segment=selling

"If you have more than one Etsy account, you must list all of them in the Public Profile section of each account."

You also can't sell the same thing (POD t shirts) in both shops.

[MukoTeeprintstore]

Hello! thanks for reply
I make my own designs, I use mocups when listing products

[PlatypusDream]

@MukoTeeprintstore 

@MintandLemonTee 

So you ARE the same person??

[nineteen27]

oh never-mind.

etsy can deal with it.

[TheVintagePineapple]

@nineteen27 Looks like somebody dealt with it.

[VintageRescueSquad]

Etsy will never flat-out tell you exactly what violation it is. They expect sellers to know the rules. 

Did you design every one of your designs yourself? I ask because the bots use image recognition and if they see your item on another site (or even on etsy in another shop), it deems you a re-seller (i.e., not handmade).

[MukoTeeprintstore]

I make my dessingn but I use mocups for listing

[BootifulLabels]

Two shops with the same exact shirts. 

If both shops are yours, then you are in breach of Etsy's rules.  You can't sell the same things in two shops. 

If they are not both yours, then of course Etsy would think you were not handmaking the items, because someone else is using the exact same artwork.  

You cannot simply use someone else's design on a POD tee shirt, that is not handmade by Etsy rules.  You also cannot just select designs from the POD's catalogue and claim them as handmade.

[TheVintagePineapple]

You have one sweatshirt that has a Dr. Seuss reference on it.  Were the 2 violations perhaps due to using a known character or phrase? 

[MukoTeeprintstore]

Hi!No it's not about that, it's about the handmade policy

[TheVintagePineapple]

@MukoTeeprintstore 

Could the problem be because of the newly discovered information that PlatypusDream just posted above?  Strange that there are now empty replies nested under two posts that are from another POD shop selling the same designs.  If that is also your shop, did you respond from your other account by mistake?

[stuartroadvintage]

Did you list a production partner? I think some sellers have been in trouble for this if they use POD and don't list them as a partner.

[MukoTeeprintstore]

Hi! I have a production partner and I declare this

[cutebutton]

@MukoTeeprintstore 

your husband isn't your production partner UNLESS he runs the POD business that you get your tshirts printed at.

A production partner is an outside source you use to have your items made for you.

If your husband helps you at home with financial stuff and shipping he would be a co-owner or employee of the business, not the production partner.  If you make the stuff out of your own home you would not have to list a production partner because you would not have one. 

[kidsbooks2andmore]

My right to be a star seller

No one has the right to be a star seller.  It has to be earned and listing items designed by someone else and made by an outside company or listing IP infringing items won't earn you the badge.  Etsy's handmade text includes not infringing.

[Natalya1905]

Etsy clearly states that images on your products must be your own ones. Otherwise they are NOT handmade.

Quick search showed me your "Christmas Golden Retriever", "Funny Chicken" and several other designs on different websites, including Amazon.

[cutebutton]

@Natalya1905 

not entirely true.  If you are making the merchandise yourself then you can use images that you have purchased from someone else.  For example some of my buttons I make use images that I have purchased and have permission to use to sell but I am making them myself not having someone else do it for me.   Also I am using my own photography of the actual product.

If you are sending off to POD then you can not because you are not doing ANY of the work on the actual product.

In the OP's case I would say they fall under the second category though. 

[Natalya1905]

@cutebutton 

"If you are making the merchandise yourself" 

This shop uses a printing production partner.

[cutebutton]

@Natalya1905 

right, I was just clarifying in general of what is and isn't allowed as far as using images you didn't design yourself. 

[MukoTeeprintstore]

Of course, I use POD on some shirt models to expand the product range, but not all.

[Natalya1905]

@cutebutton 

OP declares they "read the hand made policies many times". Besides, it looks like they have two shops on Etsy but don't list them both in their profile.