Etsy
Reviews and Complaints

Selling on Etsy can be a real challenge, and as someone who has been selling on the platform for many years, I have experienced a number of issues that have made me question whether it is really worth it. While some sellers may have had a positive experience, I have found that there are a number of problems with Etsy that can make it bad for your business, finances, and even your mental health.

One of the biggest issues I have encountered is the fact that Etsy seems to be very quick to shut down new shops. This can be incredibly disheartening, especially if you are new to the platform and don't know the process. It can be alarming to see your shop suspended, and it can make you not even want to bother with Etsy. I have learned that this is often due to the bots that Etsy uses, which can be triggered by things like listing too many items at once. However, Etsy does not make it clear how many listings you can list from a new shop, and they often suspend shops without warning. It would be much better if they simply put the shop on vacation with a message that they are verifying your account, rather than suspending it completely.

Another issue I have encountered is the fact that Etsy's customer support can be very slow and unhelpful. Half the time, I don't even know if I am speaking to a real person or a bot. I have received responses from "support" that have one name at the top of the message and a completely different name at the end of the message, with a generic response. If you want a human response, you often have to respond to the bot multiple times, which can be a lengthy process as it's not a chat bot, but an email bot.

Another issue I have with Etsy is their political alignments. As a moderate liberal myself, I find it strange that a company like Etsy would pick and choose which networks to advertise on. If they are going to advertise on a new network, they should advertise on them all, especially the ones that get high ratings, in order to attract a bigger audience. I personally don't care what their political views are, a customer is a customer, and most sellers are more interested in sales than who they vote for.

Etsy has also banned store owners from minority countries from opening an Etsy shop. This is disappointing, as it goes against the idea of equality. A few years ago, Etsy stopped accepting sellers from pretty much all the minority countries in the world, only allowing first world countries (with the exception of India) to sell on Etsy. This seems pretty biased to me, especially when compared to other platforms like Amazon, which accepts sellers from pretty much any country as long as they meet their requirements.

One of the biggest issues with Etsy is that they offer no protection for sellers. Sometimes Etsy sellers get abusive messages from buyers, and there is absolutely no way to block them or to block them from buying from you. Marking the message as spam doesn't actually report the message, and if you report a buyer for being abusive, that will more than likely cause Etsy trust and safety to review your shop and look for a way to suspend it.

Another issue I have with Etsy is the number of knock-offs from AliExpress that are being sold on the platform. I have seen so many shops selling generic products on Etsy that are definitely not handmade, and the images are often taken from Amazon and AliExpress. I report these shops, but nothing seems to happen. This makes it difficult for genuine handmade sellers to compete, and it goes against what Etsy was originally meant to be about.

Finally, I feel that Etsy purposely complicates fees. When I make a sale, there are at least four separate fees connected to that sale, which can be confusing and frustrating. It would be much simpler if they just charged a set fee like Amazon, which is a percentage of the sale.

Overall, while Etsy started as a handmade community, it has become more corporate and less focused on its original values. It can be difficult to get a human response from customer support, and the site is full of mass-produced knock-offs. Etsy also treats sellers poorly, and there is no protection for them. While it may be tempting to put your future in Etsy, I would advise against it. Instead, look to having your own website and getting organic customers that way. There are horror stories of sellers having shops for 10+ years on Etsy and waking up to find them suspended with no reason why. Don't let this happen to you.

Etsy is the best! I can't say enough good things about it. I've been both a buyer and a seller on the site for 15 years now, and I've seen it grow and improve so much over that time.

I have three storefronts on Etsy right now, and I love how easy it is to use. The site design is attractive but not overwhelming, and it's so easy to browse and "favorite" items without feeling pressured to buy. I've never seen another retail site that does this as well as Etsy.

As a seller, I've had great success with my handmade, up-cycled furniture art. On other sites, I felt like I had to hide what I was selling, but on Etsy, I'm encouraged to be creative and unique. I've also set up storefronts for my mother's vintage collections and my own vintage toys and ephemera, and they've all been successful.

What I love most about Etsy is the support. I had a terrible experience with eBay years ago, and I've never looked back. Etsy's support team is well-trained and fair, and they've always been there for me when I've had a problem. I had one issue as a buyer that was quickly resolved, and one claim as a seller that was also resolved quickly and fairly.

Etsy's payment system is also great. They offer a variety of payment methods, including their own credit card system, which has made a huge difference in my sales. And the costs are so much lower than other sites like eBay or Amazon.

Overall, I feel safe and supported on Etsy. It's a great site for both buyers and sellers, and I highly recommend it.

Etsy used to be a great marketplace for handmade and custom items, but now it's just a mess. As a buyer, it's hard to find unique items because the site is flooded with mass-produced junk from China. And to make matters worse, there are inappropriate items involving children that should be in a private, adult-only category. It's disgusting and disturbing that Etsy allows this kind of merchandise on their site.

As a seller, I used to love Etsy and sold my own handmade goods there. But now, it's a nightmare. Etsy has little to no protection for sellers from bad buyers and scammers. They also randomly shut down legitimate shops, keeping the funds and destroying years of hard work and money. It's sad to see that Etsy claims to support women-owned and black-owned businesses, but they target these exact same demographics for deletion. They're hypocrites who only care about promoting their company and painting a pretty picture.

The new seller review standard is ridiculous, and the fees are outrageous. Etsy charges multiple expensive fees for items that just sit there, and they take your money and run. They even force sellers to participate in their ad program, which costs them money and perpetuates a Communist's dream. It's impossible to profit, and sellers are punished for reaching successful levels.

Etsy is a dumpster fire, and it's only getting worse. My advice is to abandon Etsy and start a small brick and mortar business or use another platform. It can't be worse than what Etsy has become.

ERENCE IN TEXTURE CAN MAKE THEM LOOK SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. I'M SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED YOU.

At this point, I was confused. Why wasn't this mentioned before? Why wasn't I given the option to adjust my order accordingly? And why did the braids and headband match but not the falls? I asked for a return and refund, but the seller refused, citing hygiene concerns and usage. I explained that I had only taken the falls out of the package to take pictures and that they had not been used in any way. The seller still refused.

I then turned to Etsy Trust and Safety, but as mentioned earlier, they have been unresponsive. I have since filed a dispute with PayPal, but the seller has already stated their intent not to comply with any resolution process.

In conclusion, while I have had many positive experiences on Etsy, this experience with Magic Tribal Hair has left a sour taste in my mouth. I urge all buyers to thoroughly research sellers before making a purchase and to be wary of those who refuse returns or have questionable policies. And while Etsy may claim to be a platform for talented sellers, they must also take responsibility for the actions of those sellers and provide a more effective dispute resolution system.

I collect vintage items, So I saw this item Vintage 1927 Louis Marx Buck Rogers Rocket on Etsy and ordered it.

I had ordered other items before from Etsy with no problems, so I was not aware that if a customer had issues, problems or questions that "there is no way to contact or call Etsy".

So they leave the customer left to troubleshoot or that care of any issues themselves.

Also the seller that I bought the item from will not respond either. None of his information is viable. It shows the shop as closed now.

Etsy did not provide enough seller information for me to know that the item shipped from Mexico or Spain, or Italy... I'm not sure because the shipping company uses all Spanish language.

My order shipped on 07/10/23, moved 1 or 2 times and stopped on 07/12/23.

Still shows "In Transit"

I tried to track the order by calling the shipping company, no answer or response back.

I paid $166.73 for this item...

Etsy should be held responsible for items listed on there website.

Hi, I tried to purchase a Gold Necklace which was advertised for a low price using my DEBIT card and using the 4-payment pay option of $32.86. Then they contacted me to let me know that the offered price was way too low and gave me 12 hours to respond. Unfortunately, I did not see their e-mail until much later and now they had taken it upon themselves to not just increase the 4 installment payments to $58.30 but also changed my payment option from DEBIT card to CREDIT card WITHOUT my knowledge/consent. Now they informed me that my original purchase was cancelled, as I asked them to cancel it, but only the Original purchase, no word about the other higher transaction using my Credit Card, now I have contacted them about that, asked if that was cancelled too, I have not received an answer back yet.

I’d like to join the class action suit against Etsy. They permanently suspended my shop stating that I didn’t follow their policy in which is 100% false claims on their part. They also didn’t pay me for my sales. I’ve tried contacting them though email and no response. I’d like to be added to the class action lawsuit against them. I can be reached at [protected]@gmail.com

Seller has been reported by me 3 times about stealing my ebay auction and using all the information and pics to create a fraudulent account. This person is getting paid for items they do not own. People are trusting Etsy with the sellers and then do NOTHING when people are losing their money on fraudulent accounts. Etsy will not respond to "report seller" This is my closed ebay auction.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/195896129549

This is the fraudulent sellers auction on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/listing/1547409953/original-antique-art-glass-blenko-hand?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=blenko+sun&ref=sc_gallery-1-1&frs=1&referrer_page_guid=f672aaf719f.ffee474d47a156a65c40.00&plkey=8d1bccadc5cda2471f27d13796127a7ae3fb1c69%3A1547409953

Etsy says they are going to escheat my funds which is not applicable to UK residents as it is in the US. I’ve had nothing but over 80 5 star reviews and almost 100% satisfaction from each customer.

Etsy has cut me off, blocked me and now holding my money which I need and is putting a strain on my life, I keep getting the same response saying account does not qualify for reinstatement and my funds will not be released, I can only hope Etsy hadn’t stolen my funds

Etsy's fees don't make sense. I sold an item for $25. I got an email a couple days after saying I'll be receiving $15.62. I understand that there are fees but this one didn't make sense to me, so I messaged them and asked how much did I owe in fees. They broke it down in an email which still only added up to about $7. They won't explain what any other charges or for and now I'm not sure what to do.

Aug 2022

Aug 16 2023

Etsy removed all my led handmade listings due to the new battery policy that had nothing to do with my items that does not use coin battery but they removed them anyways and blocked all appeals.

I posted another led item I had made that are gloves that have lights installed on them and I received a removal listing today stating that I did not hand make it and I cannot appeal or show proof of how I make these Items. . I Hope to see Etsy sued and removed from all internet platform. They removed the smaller store owners items but they allow larger stores to sell batteries, Coin batteries and break all the Etsy Rule and they do nothing about it.

I Placed and paid for this order on 9th August for my daughter’s 13th birthday on 23rd August 2023. Yet It is showing that it has not been dispatched as of 16th August 2023 yet delivery was promised at the latest on 17th August 2023. I have tried to raise a complaint to Etsy but it’s impossible to contact them (literally) no complaints phone number, No email - nothing!

I purchased a name plate necklace from Joolsies for my granddaughter who was turning 13. To make a long story short, the necklace tarnished a couple of weeks after I gave her necklace. She was too shy to tell me or hurt my feelings so obviously I know that I had 60 days to return the item but we live in different countries and I did not get the necklace back on time to return it. However I really don't care about the money or the necklace what I care about is how I was treated by a person working for Joolsies. All I can say is if you accept vendors like them who hire rude people to your business well I would say you are just as to blame. The person I was dealing with was rude and very condescending and might I add I wonder if we would have been face to face if he or she would have treated me the way he or she did. I will never shop Etsy or Joolsies ever again and will discourage anyone who will.

My complaint is simple. I need to change my old payment account because I no longer have access to it, however the buttons to do so on Etsy don't work. I have been writing to "support" for more than 6 weeks but they only give automatic responses, what really worries me is that wgat they told me is a carboncopy of what they told another seller in November 2022 and to date we have no solution.

Solving the problem is as simple as correcting a bug in a button. I have literally located the bug on a single code line. The issue is so unbelievable simple that it seems to me that they did it on purpose. Even more so after learning that they are supposedly already implementing machine learning and AI on the platform. Really? Really they can implement AI but can't solve a bug in a button?

Not being able to withdraw my funds for more than a month, I found myself in need of closing my shop, since I cannot continue financing shipments and materials; but above all, because I am not going to allow more and more money to continue falling into Etsy accounts in a dishonest and even probably illegal way.

I have a custom-made jewelry shop on Etsy. A competitor of mine from Austria ordered 2 necklaces from my shop 2 weeks apart, I did not know they were a competitor until I saw the pictures they posted on both reviews. The first thing they did was write 2 reviews a couple of weeks apart. They posted 2 5-star reviews. They went back in days later and posted pictures on those previous reviews. They had unhinged the pearls, moved them around so that they looked like a child had made them, then to top it off, they wrapped a rubber band around the fastener to make it look like the fastener came loose. Then they cut the bottom of the picture off and said that "It was a little too short". I've sent multiple messages to Etsy trying to get them to delete the pictures that the purchaser had redesigned to make them look awful! The shipping name they used was the daughter of King Louis, before the 1800's. P.S I found out who did it but there wasn't a damn thing I could do! We all know he is going to be making this a routine practice with other competitors.

This item is coming from Hong Kong which I didn't know or I would not have ordered. It has still not arrived and I tried to contact seller to tell them to stop the order since I purchased it elsewhere. We should be made aware if the item ordered is coming from China ! I feel your vendor should not be allowed to sell on your website.

I will not be using Etsy any longer.

My customer reached out to me a few days ago she ordered a set of mugs out of 4 one had a chip during shipping. I asked her information to create a case for my insurance so I asked her to wait until I can resolve It, today I was supposed to give her a refund for 1 mug only... I told her I will do once I get home. in the meantime she opened a case and within minutes she was issued a full refund without me being able to do anything or even comment on the case.. you are really being unfair to every single seller and I totally understand all the bad stuff I hear about Etsy. Im sick and tired of this what you guys doing to sellers. We are small businesses and can't just throw out hundreds of dollars because your team cant read.. she stated in her message she only wants a refund for one mug why she was refunded for all 4 plus shipping?

I attached screenshots of her message and the small chip you gave 130 dollars of refund to her... totally unfair. when you going to start appreciate the sellers here who you charring hundreds of dollars every single month? I want you to dispute this charge on my account as it was so unfair to me. im sick and tired to fight for my money.. this is not the first time this happened but the last time I was able to resolve the issue through chat, now you even making it more complicated

i had 3 shops on etsy and all 3 of them were suspended because they say i sell phrobidden items and thats not true i am not able of selling certen items in a single listing above 1000 dollar but i asked etsy how to create multiple listings zo my items would not be deactivated no reply from etsy

now this is my problem with etsy

when i list an item they deactivate the item but when i list the same iten again the dont deactivate the item so what is wrong if an item is porhibben you can never list that item so why when you list the same item twice it is legal thats impossible

I purchased 4 bracelets from a seller I know and have done business before. Etsy is blocking me on purpose to prevent me from buying the bracelets. I got an email that said my payment is "processing" and it is because my purchase is being "reviewed by Etsy". This needs to stop and they are meddling in my personal business. I am wealthy and have money, and they are not allowing me to complete the transaction! This has happened before with them on another account I had. As a result, I got suspended on Etsy, and when they "reinstated" my account, I couldn't buy them again. It's plain wrong. Nothing is wrong with my credit card. Etsy just doesn't like buyers buying too many things and it doesn't make sense! They are playing games with me and will not let me purchase my order. It's a terrible policy. The customer service are unknowledgeable and don't care and they just sit and do nothing. They ignore your requests. If Etsy is going to play this game with buyers, then they need to close their website. Why have it when they don't allow buyers to purchase anything! They totally SUCK. Ebay is even better than they are!

I just started my Etsy account, then after receiving a suspicious email from a potential client asking for my personal details - Etsy - suspended me. I didn't do anything wrong. I was just - uploading and arranging my work - custom printed apparel - it was.

Then I filed an appeal, after ofcourse paying what they asked me to pay. It wasn't that much - but I foolishly payed it - though the account was already suspended and didn't stop being suspended.

Then I get an email some weeks later saying - they cannot "unsuspend me" for reasons - that cannot be disclosed to me. Mysterious and - legal? Is that even legal? I don't know.

I wonder - what I have done wrong. Where did those hours of work go - and what for did I even pay them in the first place. I hear of much worse stories though. I'm happy it happened to me when I just started the account and not months later - that would be much more vulnereable I am sure. And I hear - that happens.

The other thing that happened in another account is - a scammer said they need me to click a link so they can buy a product of mine which - I foolishly did. After which I had to suspend my own account and both of my credit cards as this - potential buyer - got into my personal details the same day that I opened that particular shop. That was very - hard. I had such high hopes for that store too - which ended up getting slam dunked in a day.

There is no seller protection period. There is no respect. There are no people that know how to deliver good normal and legal customer service. There is nobody that can help if anything goes wrong. It's like - hanging by a hair - on Etsy. Is this even happening in the modern day? I am so very happy and lucky that my business didn't evolve for this to be too heavy and that I eventually came off this ride early even though it was just in a few days.

Though what I hear from others - is much worse. I hope other sellers also tell the world the truth about these guys. It is important that people speak up and let the monster be shown.

Thanks for reading

P

Etsy put in a reserve on my account in the funds which has caused me to not be able to have money to be able to make the items that my customers have ordered. They have a laundry list of reasons as to why you can go into reverse serve status, both positive and negative. They refused to disclose what reason my account was put into that status. They also refused to acknowledge that there is an actual basis for the reserve on my account.