Today Etsynews has learned of two successful Etsy shops that were deleted under seemingly strange circumstances. This is complete account deletion- the shop is a brick wall. It’s not the same as being muted in the forums. Etsy has warned users with bills over 3 months overdue that their shops will be deleted, but neither of these cases seems to be related to overdue bills. Both sellers have received emails from Etsy which state the reasons for their stores being closed, and they are not bill-related.
All of the information we have about these two cases comes from the sellers. Bear in mind that there are two sides to every story, but Etsy will never discuss the cases in public so we will never hear both sides. Certain facts can be verified using google’s cached pages and posts in public forums.
The first deletion we learned of was Thaidreams.
This is a cached page of her shop on January 12, 2008.
As of January 12, she had 100% positive feedback and had made 466 sales.
She wrote about Etsy closing her shop in her blog here, and she posted the email that Etsy sent her in her blog here.
The reason allegedly given was “a history of conflicts”.
The second deleted shop is still trying to get reinstated, so I cannot publish the shop name.
(update, January 22: Closedshop has posted her full story on page 14 of the comments on this article, and has revealed her shops to be heyprettycupcake and thepromoshop)
They did create a second account “closedshop” to post in the forums about their situation, and Etsy has since deleted that account as well. They (originally) did not publicly reveal their main shop name and UEN will not reveal it either, but I have verified by cached google pages that the shop had 100% positive feedback on January 16, two days ago.
This is their forum post.
They have multiple posts in the thread giving their version of events.
Other sellers in that thread (aorta, automaton, magicjelly) described having similar treatment from Etsy. (shops closed without warning for one lost package)
aorta says:
youstink, a buyer never got something so they filed a report to etsy. i never found out till my shop was closed- brick wall. i talked to admin who explained they send out 3 emails before they close a shop, but i never got those emails so i was shut down.
the admin i talked to did quickly reinstate my shop though.
magicjelly says:
Haven’t read the whole thread yet, but just wanted to add that this exact same thing happened to me last year - a former feature seller with 100% positive feedback, just like Aorta.I phoned NY & my shop was immediately reinstated. I was assured it was human error & that steps would be taken that this kind of thing wouldn’t happen again.
Both closedshop’s buyer and magicjelly’s buyer were told by Etsy to file cybercrime reports with the FBI.
The thread was locked with this admonishment:
RobWhite says:
We can’t discuss specific situations between Etsy admin and members of the Etsy community.For clarification, sellers who have bills that are 2 months overview will not be able to list, relist or renew items in their shops. Sellers who have bills that are 3 months overdue may be suspended. You can find that information in the Storque here: http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/etsyNews/article/billing-alert-a-reminder-about-the-new-policy-for-the-new-ye/858/ , which is also referenced in the most recent post about overdue bills here: http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/etsyNews/article/cant-post-new-listings-overdue-etsy-bill/1038/
We also ask that you do not make alternate accounts on Etsy for the sole purpose of posting in the Forums and/or chat rooms. The best and most expedient way to handle this situation is to contact Abuse at abuse (!at) etsy dot com.
Robwhite later in another thread explained he posted the overdue bill information to answer some general questions from the thread, but NOT to imply that the OP had been deleted for having overdue bills. (which would be a violation of their privacy if that was the case and he had discussed it in public)
previous UEN coverage of shop/account deletions
http://etsynews.com/73/unwarrantedaccidental-shop-suspensions-sellers-be-warned/
http://etsynews.com/75/another-case-of-erroneous-shop-suspension/
http://etsynews.com/80/how-does-admin-handle-shop-suspensions/
http://etsynews.com/312/etsy-says-no-double-billing-has-occurred/?cp=5
(see comments, not main article)
other users who have had shops deleted without warning, although most have been eventually reinstated:
moxierings
walkonthemoon
ScrapScrap
magicjelly
aorta/automaton
retroattic
thepromoshop
heyprettycupcake
Lesliejewelry
update, January 22:
Closedshop has posted her full story here:
Please note again, that this is the seller’s version of events, and UEN does not guarantee the accuracy of comments.
http://etsynews.com/?p=584&cp=14#comments
She has revealed her shop names: heyprettycupcake and thepromoshop. (both accounts are deleted/closed)
Etsy will not be reinstating either shop.
Update January 31:
another case of sudden shop closure: Lesliejewelry
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5444820
That shop has been reopened
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:42 pm
I am ready to tell my whole story. This may get people angry or upset, but this is the honest truth. I am taking FULL responsibility for what has happened and even the thought of reinstating me is crossing Etsy’s mind.
My name is Vanessa. I am a buyer AND a seller at Etsy.com. I used to own 2 shops on Etsy, thepromoshop.etsy.com and heyprettycupcake.etsy.com. I have sold over 600 items between the 2 and had nothing but awesome feedback until a few months ago when things got rough. In December of 2007, we found out that my husband was being transferred to another state with very little notice. I posted a shop announcement and an email reply for thepromoshop saying that I will be gone for a good part of December and January. I also put a note up on heyprettycupcake.etsy.com AND heyprettycupcake.com stating that shipping will be delayed a bit because of our move even though I was having my foster sister take care of the HPC shop until I was able to.
Shortly after my move and new years, my husband got really sick. He was rushed to the hospital on several occasions. I was trying to unpack my life in my new home and get everything set up to start on orders again, but my husband was my first priority. In the meantime, my foster sister posted a message on thepromoshop saying that I will be a little longer than expected due to my husband’s illness. Things were settling down and I was about to jump into opening back up thepromoshop and take care of my duties. That’s when my foster sister got an email from Etsy saying that heyprettycupcake had been shut down due to a non delivery of a $3.50 item. They didn’t bother to say that it was being shut down due to non delivery from The Promo Shop. She emailed them back, asking why HPC was being shut down because of this item, which I had already talked to them about and they had told me that they would drop the case because the girl wasn’t responding.
Of course this was on a holiday weekend and we wouldn’t get any replies. I tried to login to thepromoshop so that I can message my customers and tell them what has been going on so that I can refund or work on their orders. The Promo Shop had been shut down as well. I sent them an email, explaining what has been going on and waited for a reply.
Monday finally comes around and they email me back. They told me that they will open my shop for 4 hours so that I can get the information that I need to take care of my customers. I sent a convo to all my customers (The Promo Shop customers) and ask Etsy if there was anyway to have hey pretty cupcake reinstated, as my foster sister was taking care of that shop and it really has nothing to do with the promo shop. 99.9% of my customers were sympathetic and understand what was going on. They are thankful that I have come back to make everything right.
They told me they will not open HPC back up and I asked them how I would go about doing this. They told me they are very sorry but they are refusing service to me any longer. This is my life, my job, the way that I feed my family, put clothes on my back and take care of MY finances. They are telling me that they are REFUSING my services?
Up until my move I had 100% positive feedback in BOTH stores, paid my bills on time, got orders out in time and now I am a problem for them? I do understand that my lack of communication was wrong and that I should have contacted my customers (other than the shop announcement). I am giving REFUNDS to my customers and they are refusing service to me!? I have NEVER EVER been refunded from someone that had ripped me off before let alone got a convo/email explaining what happened and etsy has never closed down their shop because of it.
I am disgusted at Etsy’s behavior. I am here to make things right, which any normal human being will do and my shop is being closed because of this.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 pm
what the hell. No one should be telling anyone to file an FBI report unless the seller has lied and refused to send items. There needs to set up some specific steps people go through to complain so that people can’t get deleted with no warning.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:32 pm
back on the issue of closedshop’s case,
there was this thread started today
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5429569
replied to by Stella on page 2, but she only gives the Etsy “general” policy which is almost meaningless since they can deviate from that policy at will. (whim?)
The handling of closedshop’s specific case is not consistent with the “general” policy, and Etsy will not discuss specific cases.
also this general question of the OP (buttonempire) is not precisely identical to closedshop’s case. The OP’s theoretical question is regarding a lost package that the seller refuses to replace or refund, according to their shop policy. Closedshop did resend the lost item and was fully willing to give a refund too, but was never given the chance. (the item was only worth $3 so it would be silly for a shop with 100% positive feedback to refuse such a small refund and risk blemishing their perfect feedback, just as it would be absurd to think a shop with such an established and successful business to deliberately “steal” $3.00)
Her shop was closed before she had the chance to refund.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:58 pm
JB Says:
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I also would not be caught dead in flowered pants.
Just thought I’d throw that in there. Making an item no one wants just to “prove” it’s handmade seems silly. But I have seen your stencilled pants and I think I’ve seen you make custom color-blocking orders for people, like purple and black? I think I saw you on the forums once asking people what color combinations people would like. If you were buying the pants from a factory instead of making them, I don’t see how you’d be able to offer the unique one-off color combos and custom hemming, etc.
I’m disappointed to see so much focus on debating the reseller issue and not the real issue which is Etsy’s irrational and unfair treatment of it’s members. Maybe it’s to do with the elections coming up in the US this year, so much stupid rhetoric about immigration. Red herrings abound.
IT’S THE WAR, DUMMY.
(and the recession)
————-
JB, yes the person who said why didn’t we make things in other fabrics was a sewer who’s stuff didn’t sell. What does that tell you? We found a format that works and she didn’t. So she would rather we changed our fabrics just to PROVE we’re not resellers and just so our stuff wouldn’t sell either :)
And yes agree with you on the ‘its the war, dummy’ - I’m voting for Hillary and very happy about it. Cant’ wait to get that idiot out of the white house, he’s destroyed America’s reputation overseas and the US economy.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Hahaha soap that is awesome!
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
JB, perfect timing. this would interject some humor in those political conversations:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9086530
(sorry, couldn’t resist) ;)
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:39 pm
p.s. the “dummy” is not directed to anyone here, just to the average US voter who is being fed a load of bullcrap. Sorry to tangent!
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I also would not be caught dead in flowered pants.
Just thought I’d throw that in there. Making an item no one wants just to “prove” it’s handmade seems silly. But I have seen your stencilled pants and I think I’ve seen you make custom color-blocking orders for people, like purple and black? I think I saw you on the forums once asking people what color combinations people would like. If you were buying the pants from a factory instead of making them, I don’t see how you’d be able to offer the unique one-off color combos and custom hemming, etc.
I’m disappointed to see so much focus on debating the reseller issue and not the real issue which is Etsy’s irrational and unfair treatment of it’s members. Maybe it’s to do with the elections coming up in the US this year, so much stupid rhetoric about immigration. Red herrings abound.
IT’S THE WAR, DUMMY.
(and the recession)
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:34 pm
“Remember- alot of mass produced stuff overseas IS handmade.”
Beequeen, you undoubtedly don’t even realise this, but that statement alone shows that you’re looking at things from a very biased perspective. I’m a white person living in a western democracy who speaks English as my mother tongue, yet even to me *you* are almost certainly ‘overseas’.
There simply is no concrete evidence to back up the accusations being made and it’s wrong to potentially damage someone’s business publicly based on what really is nothing more than speculation brought about by personality clashes, uninformed opinions, rampant gossip, wild assumptions and some strange conspiracy theories.
Of course it’s even more wrong for the victim of this sort of thing to be punished purely for being the victim of it, which is the main issue here.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Thaidreams, I interpreted Beequeen’s comment to mean that it is the commonalities between items like pants, bags, scarves, etc from sellers in Asia that leads some people to believe they all come from the same factory sources (however wrong that is). I don’t think she was talking about your shop specifically in the latter half of the paragraph.
I absolutely think there is geographical bias alive and well on Etsy. I cringe when I see phrases like “cheap Chinese crap”. It’s offensive and ignorant. There’s plenty of cheap American-made crap out there too.
I do think it’s worth pointing out though that quite a few of Thai’s main antagonizers in the forums are not American, they are European or British.