Re: Can anyone tell me how Etsy scans listing for copyright?
Etsy has a "safe harbor" policy, which means the listings a shop owner creates are assumed NOT to be infringement of any brand's IP. The only "scans" Etsy does with AI code are to find items specifically mentioned as banned from the site.
My blog features many dozens of counterfeit fashion brand items sellers, and explains the techniques these sellers used to avoid issues with Etsy. Because Etsy will absolutely first deactivate items -- and then shut your shop and ban you -- if the legal rep of any brand owner complains about your listings more than once. Almost all of the shops mentioned in my posts are eventually closed. Some within hours, but some are still open after 5 years.
So, it is possible to keep an Etsy shop open and active while selling "knock offs" for literally years. Remember that reselling is allowed on Etsy, so if the brand owner(s) never find out you are selling infringing merchandise -- and can't report what they've never seen -- you are pretty much safe to list as you please.
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