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etsy questions..
 

I know etsy only allow handmade or vintage items but it can sometimes be confusing what they actually allow.

For example if I were to sell hats. Would it be allowed for me to buy a knit hat from a manufacture and customise it myself e.g. print on it or attach something or embroider on to the hat? Would that be within etsy guidelines to be classed as 'handmade' or to be allowed on etsy would I have actually had to make the hat myself? I find it quite confusing. Because obviously most jewellery designers for example just buy a necklace and then a charm and put it on the necklace and its then considered 'handmade'.

I see so many people get away with selling obviously manufactured china stock on etsy. This morning I was suspended. I have not received any email at all and didn't receive any warning from etsy prior to this so I'm really confused on whats happened. 60% of the items I sell on etsy are handmade or vintage, the other 40% are items that could probably be handmade and aren't too risky. Has anyone been suspended without email?

Heres the message I got on my account: "Your account is currently suspended.
Please check your email for a message explaining why, and how to restore your account. If you have further questions, contact Etsy support.".

It does say how to restore your account so I'm hoping its possible to get it back.

Re: etsy questions..
 

I got does type of messages on the past, And let me tell you.
If they contact you they will ask you to proof that you really make does items.

Or you will get a simple message where it says that you can never sell on etsy again.

If you had products that where risky so thats the mistake you can't give them in any chance to think does items where not handmade.

You better read there terms and services first before opening a new account again.

At this moment i have 30 shops running with no problem and where open 2 months ago.

Re: etsy questions..
 

Do you handmade every single thing that you sell? I think if they ask me to send proof I can probably make it look like I can handmake the items I sell. I am quite crafty but I just don't have time to make every single thing and I was receiving 100+ orders a week on that one account.

Re: etsy questions..
 

I'll add to this because I sold on et.sy for nearly a year until a COMPETITOR got mad and reported my shop. Simply, I was making 10x the sales in the same category....I'm just an awesome design artist in Photoshop! She got mad and I got the "ban". There are TONS AND TONS of shops that buy already made items and add to them. MANY, MANY, MANY shop by from Aliexpress, dress, headbands, flowers and hot glue them together and sell as "handmade". Just don't steal anyone's pics, take your own. Always put YOUR store logo over all of your items. Can sell phakes....they ban these right away now. Hope that was helpful.

Re: etsy questions..
 

Thank you for the help. So did you get suspended when someone reported your shop? That seems really unfair. Most of my items were hand made but some weren't but 100s of other stores also sold these items. I'm just confused as I've never received any email ever from etsy warning me about anything and I've still not received one now even though I got suspended last night.

Is it easy enough to make a new account if I can't get this one running again? I'm just a bit worried as I've read a lot of things saying its really hard to go stealth on etsy.

Re: etsy questions..
 

Yes it is VERY hard to do. I have read over 120+ hours! Just keep reading!!

Re: etsy questions..
 

Are you referring to the stealth guide? Is that good for etsy too?

Its really strange though, a woman who was selling similar items to me contacted me and told me to change my picture as we both had a similar picture for the same item, she also told me her old account was suspended because of that. I did a bit of searching and noticed this same woman has 3 different etsy account selling pretty much similar items with the exact same style of photos on every account and they were all opened a few months apart after her suspended account. I have no idea how she's been able to do it, I wish I could have asked.

My account says I'm suspended but it says 'check your email to see why and how to restore your account'. So surely that means I can get it back again? But I havent received any email at all.

Re: etsy questions..
 

You are correct, there are many woman like this on et.sy. Posh**** is one of them. She has about 5 stores all selling the same thing from Aliexpress or DHWingate with nearly the same picture for the "vintage or antique flower girl dress". Nothing about the dress is handmade....only the headband she adds or the sash she makes to go around it. But if you look all the stores are open before 12/15 when they made the change.

Your competitor probably did what my did, filed a DMCA and PRETENDED to be the company making the complaint! Only my competitor left and now she's selling her stuff for 1/2 the price she was on et.sy! LMAO!!!!!!!

Re: etsy questions..
 

NOT HARD AT ALL TO MAKE A NEW ETSY ACCOUNT. BUT BASIC EDITING IS REQUIRED. I'm not too sure, it might be illegal to do so. But a new account is POSSIBLE.

Re: etsy questions..
 

Have you had success creating and running an etsy account? Be good to hear that someone has had success I'm not seeing to much positive stories on here for etsy.

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I don't know how they get away with it. If only someone would create a place to sell that actually treats sellers like business partners who would communicate with you if there was a problem instead of just chucking you off without any good reason.

Are you using an etsy stealth account?

Re: etsy questions..
 

I have my own wooden shop
i don't make them but have people working to make them
is simple to get approve by etsy. Just take pictures like you are making the goods thats all

Almost all my stealth accounts are verified by etsy.

Re: etsy questions..
 

Have you ever had an etsy account suspended and then unsuspended? They suspended me but I am still waiting on any email from them explaining why. I have never had any prior warning either so I'm not sure whats happened. Some of my items are hand made, some not. But the items that aren't hand made I can easily send them pictures making it look like I hand make them. I have a work shop with sewing machine etc and its clothing garments I mainly sell so I could probably just take pictures making it look like I'm making them, I cant see it being that difficult. But I'm just hoping they respond to my email.

Do you know if its common to get suspended without any emails stating why?

Re: etsy questions..
 

I never get the emails they claim to send when suspended.

In my case, I send an email on etsy, give them a phone number, have them email me for photos, send photos, go about my day. It's not hard.

I have a few lasting US accounts and several outside the country. Loopholes are everywhere still, just more time consuming ones.

Re: etsy questions..
 

So after you've sent them the 'proof' photos do your accounts go back to normal? Is everything you sell handmade?

Re: etsy questions..
 

Heres what happened when I opened us store....

1. Verified all details
2. Passed security
3. Send in Drv Lic for proof
4. Opened store with less than 25 items
5. Store or items not indexed for 2 days, sent et.sy email, received et.sy email, sorry not indexed, we'll fix
6. 2 hours after indexing, someone lady send me an email, which I look at her shop before answering...she has no "shop likes" or even a "profile" and has been on et.sy since 2012 ....strange I think to myself.
7. 2 hours later....She orders before I get a chance to email back
8. Item shows in "All" tab but not in "Open" tab
8. Got an et.sy email only after I sent them a question as to why it was "pending" and I could not complete the order...
9. They sent an email back "You have 1 order pending and do not send it until we send you an email you can send your item"....that was at 1 pm 3/4.

According to a VIP member here, I did everything correctly with new account setup, so I'm not sure why they are "pending" my 1st order.

I'll repost as soon as I have an answer.

Re: etsy questions..
 

Yes and yes, by printing/whatever it is all custom-made.

Re: etsy questions..
 

Ok so yesterday I received an email back from etsy basically just saying "oh sorry our mistake, I have lifted the suspension and your listings are now live again". I have no idea what happened? They never sent an email in the first place so maybe it was a mistake but its still strange.

Re: etsy questions..
 

How are you able to get back on with your driver's license? Isn't that on record as name/address being banned? this is where i'm having problems moving forward on etsie.

Re: etsy questions..
 

Well, I did it after hours and hours of reading this site. I'm up and running a new site on et.sy! Ye'haw!

1st tip.....just because of what you read 6 months ago, DOESN'T MEAN IT WORKS today! Best thing I did, bought $1 notebook and wrote down each step I needed to accomplish to getting back on and researched each step to "try" to ensure I had the latest information posted on this site, another site and the web and the et.sy forums...AND made a couple of great friends on this site with valuable input! Thanks to those who have worked with me!!

2nd tip.....DO NOT USE A PO BOX STREET ADD W/ BOX# FOR APT OR STE....it no longer works, AVS verifies it as a PO.....however, you can change after they verify you and release your orders. I would not delete the original address until your shop is running for a few months.

Goodbye skiptracing....hello AGAIN et.sy!

Re: etsy questions..
 

Gammble,

Congrats on getting back on you must be excited, and all them reading hours have paid off, just a quick question to how you got back on with the new verification methods with all new accounts having direct checkout?

If you used your own Driving license, did you add your real details?

I'm at the stage of new sign up, plus new vpn, new email, added product with new images and locations, new descriptions, list my first item and then noticed things had changed.

I'd appreciate any help you can give me. :spy:

Re: etsy questions..
 

So you can't use a po box on et sy now?

Re: etsy questions..
 

The worse thing now, is that they have people reading sites like these and their 'hipster brooklin dufus' with their stupid little hats are in charge and close accounts based on your competitor's complaints, they close any threads that can be 'informative as well'. And is always after someone says...oh maybe you should to discuss that here...
This how they continue to change their policies to make it harder to have a stealth account. Waiting for the other shoe to drop, is too much of a pain in the butt

Re: etsy questions..
 

No, the AVS verifies right away a PO Box address BUT only at SIGNUP. You can change the address to a PO Box for the returns after your acct goes live.

Re: etsy questions..
 

How were you able to use any address other than your own with the verification system? I'm tying to open a second shop on etsy and desperately need help.

Re: etsy questions..
 

What do you mean - register the card to stealth address?

Re: etsy questions..
 

Right, I'm wondering how they were able to use a stealth address and make it through the verification process while having to provide the last four digits of their social security number as well as bank account info

Re: etsy questions..
 

You can, and I have no idea if this works, add it to your credit reports online. The address is associated with your SSN now. Now, it's all legit...just legit you not normally where you are you. This probably only works a few times though, unless you a have a super common name.

Re: etsy questions..
 

Hmmm, I was sitting back and thinking about how a person can just up and move and their address could change without it being on their credit. I thought the last four digit of the ssn thing was to verify that you are who you say you are. Thing is I burned my ssn but I never used my wife's. I'm wondering if I can use my wife's name and ssn with a stealth address (we file jointly on taxes anyway). If so, then the question for me is how do I get around the bank account part?

I have two accounts up and running, but one of them has been hit a few times with the infringement stuff, so I stopped selling about a year ago before they could possibly hit me with another one. I wanted to open up a brand new shop selling something completely different that won't even have the potential for someone to come in and say I used their stuff. If I can't get the new account open, I guess I will have to use my old account and hope for the best since I won't be infringing on anyone's property. It would just feel good to not have to worry about being shut down.

Re: etsy questions..
 

So have you successfully make a stealth account with your wife's SSN? I am thinking about the same thing...

Re: etsy questions..
 

Nice to meet you, are your 30+ stores still around? thanks

Re: etsy questions..
 

Belated welcome to the forum - all the best as you master stealth :thumb:

Re: etsy questions..
 

Old thread.... from 2016

Re: etsy questions..
 

Not in my experience, but this was with an aged account I turned into a seller account.

I was selling copyrighted manufactured high-value goods, and got my account un-suspended TWICE, once because my CC denied a $400 refund, paid the balance and emailed support, they unsuspended me.

Once again I was suspended for a chargeback on a purchase, and had my account manually reviewed and unsuspended while I had my shop going full steam, 10 listings live, $8000 in revenue from products that were technically not allowed under "handmade". This was from December 2021, until last month.

Guess the game is a bit different now? Didnt think I was so special.

Lets see... Im going to get back on there and try to peddle some wares, Ill report back.

Re: etsy questions..
 

Best of luck :thumb:

Re: etsy questions..
 

Can you give us an update man?