It has been our external policy that usernames can’t be changed, because doing so breaks our database and makes it a bit too easy for people to run from bad behavior.
It has been our internal policy to allow usernames to be changed in the event of legal proceedings for trademark infringement. Documentation must be provided, and we have to go into the database by hand and saw several tables in half to make it work. (It’s not pretty.)
We have not published this internal policy because we are worried about it being abused.
Recently, a popular seller on Etsy was served due notice for Copyright infringement by a large corporation. In concert with our above policies, we changed her username. This is by no means the first time we have done this, but it was the most visible.
Do you think we should update the DOs & DON’Ts with our internal policy? How do we guard against people people taking advantage of it?
Rokali says:
OK I updated the DOs and DON’Ts:
http://www.etsy.com/dosdonts.php
(See the note added to the first list item under Member Accounts.)Thanks for your feedback!
July 22nd, 2007 at 4:54 pm
I like your new name too, Luca :)
Actually, this explains a lot. I had noticed another seller had suddenly changed their name a couple of months back. Just googled their original name, turns out there was another online store with that name… good to know that it is possible to change under extreme circumstances.
July 22nd, 2007 at 10:29 am
I was wondering why you’d changed your name. Being bath & body products your name always reminded me of another similar company, so this change is not surprising. Glad you were able to work it all out!
July 21st, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Heh heh. Lushbox, Inc. originally started with snarky tee shirt designs and totebags and later evolved into bath and beauty products. Lushbox was fitting for tounge-in-cheek shirts, but it did sound kinda dirty when peddling stuff to make you smell clean, ;)
Thanks for the encouragement! I’m pretty fond of Lollibomb Beauty, myself. I think this was all for the best, and while it is an unfortunate situation, it has taken my business into a better direction. =D