EtsyReviews 1,567

I used to think Etsy.com was a great website until I discovered they were allowing and perhaps even fostering, the sale of copyrighted designs. I still think there are some great products to be found there by reputable sellers. My disappointment with Etsy lies squarely with the platform and how it claims to take violations of intellectual property seriously, but at the same time encourages sellers to open and maintain shops that sell nothing but knitting and crocheting patterns designed by others as their own creations. My understanding of copyright law as it pertains to knitting and crocheting patterns is this. Individual knitting and crocheting stitches cannot be copyrighted. These are the individual stitches that are used to develop the yarn into fabric. For example, k1, p1, stockinette stitch, shell stitch, garter stitch, etc. are the building blocks that together form a particular pattern. However, compilations, sizing instructions, shaping instructions and other design elements unique to that pattern CAN be copyrighted and belong to the designer unless the designer has transferred his/her copyrights to that pattern to a third individual. In other words, the designer combines (compiles) one or more stitches into a unique item that is the product of his/her labor. It takes a lot of time and effort to develop a design and figure out the gauge (how many stitches will be needed to make each size), do the testing to discover any errors, etc. After all of that work, the designer is entitled to copyright his/her design and prohibit others from re-selling or otherwise distributing that pattern. In most cases, the purchaser of the pattern may make the item from the pattern and sell the finished item, but may not sell the pattern itself. There are numerous sellers on Etsy.com (and I'm sure other sites as well) who are re-selling these patterns as their own designs, thereby illegally profiting from a sale they are not entitled to make in the first place. The copyright is valid until the death of the copyright owner or I believe 70 years, whichever comes first. It doesn't matter if the magazine or other format that first published the pattern is no longer in business. The copyright is still valid. Etsy states that they take matters of stolen copyrighted material very seriously, but do they? First, in order to report the item to Etsy, you must be the copyright owner or his/her agent. That rules most of us out. So even if I can prove that patterns A, B and C that are being sold on Etsy are still under copyright and are still being sold in one or more platforms, Etsy doesn't care. It must be the designer or his/her agent that does the reporting. In one instance, I was able to contact the designer and the designer had the item removed. However, 2 or 3 other Etsy stores were still selling that same pattern. I have personally found many copyright violations of patterns on Etsy.com without even looking for them, simply because I recognize the photo of the design, which is also copyrighted. Is a designer forced to do nothing but surf the web all day and all night just to find copyright violations? According to Etsy policies, it would seem that is the case. Other sites do not allow copyrighted designs to be sold on their platform. Kudos to them! If they can do it, why can't Etsy? Do you want to be part of the solution or part of the problem?

Dear Etsy, My email to you was sent back undeliverable, so I decided to post it on Sitejabber as a review instead. I have chosen to close my account, which mainly comes down to 3 reasons: 1.)The atrocious amount of shop owners who think it is perfectly fine to sell Alligator Alcatraz merchandise. It is hateful and inhumane for shop owners to make money off of others being kidnapped & sent to this concentration camp where they are being badly mistreated. Obviously, A. I. does a horrible job of vetting this merchandise & it is sickening that Etsy has allowed shop owners to market it. 2.) The amount of copyright infringement going on is ludicrous. Artists having their personal designs stolen and reproduced, often extremely poorly is simply unjust & wrong. I, for one am tired of seeing this & Etsy needs to take more of a hands on approach, as A. I. sucks at holding these shop owners accountable for their crimes. 3.) The disgusting number of shop owners selling items they did not make themselves but somehow are getting away with selling online. I bought something from a seller and noticed that not only was it not handmade but it was cheap and came from a company in China. The owner tried to say that he only made the wooden bases for these cheap lights that one had to glue together but he lied about that too & made an excuse, saying he had run out & had to order it from his supplier in China. I supplied proof to Etsy when I reported the shop owner along with pictures, the packaging from China, etc. & Etsy did nothing about it. The shop owner is still selling this crap, claiming he makes it & Etsy is letting him. And unfortunately, he is one of many. I think you should be aware that I am not only closing my account but have also joined countless others to #BoycottEtsy. I will never buy anything from Etsy again. Which makes me sad because I purchased from many shops over the years but I cannot sit back and tolerate these offensive shop owners who refuse to abide by the rules and who will do anything to make a dollar. Peace Out, Cat

Avoid at all costs! Etsy has ZERO protections in place for their sellers, and exposes you to buyer fraud which could result in losing thousands of $$$. A buyer committed fraud against me there by purchasing an item, then filing a false "not as described" claim through Etsy support. Etsy naturally sided with the scammer and issued him a full refund without even notifying me there was a problem or any kind of dispute claim in progress. My account was immediately debited, with no option given for providing my side of the story, other than their cheesy "support" system with its canned responses. This guy had a history of defrauding other sellers across multiple platforms, and Etsy couldn't enable him fast enough! I've pulled all my listings and taken them to other ecommerce platforms now. I advise everyone to consider every other site before looking at Etsy. They are the absolute worst tyrants you'll ever come across, and they treat their sellers like chattel.

Seller requested more time to complete two custom handmade items. SEVEN MONTHS later, I am still without my refund or items after a refund was requested back in December 2024. Shop is now closed and Etsy is stating that my refund request wasn't valid, even though I was following their prompts. Unfortunately I will no longer be purchasing on Etsy due to the companies inability to protect their customers against scammers. I know the seller had to be aware of the time frames when asking for an extension AFTER my refund request, and Etsy should have honored my refund request when first initiated on DECEMBER 3rd, 2024, rather than automatically side with the seller and wait. It also makes me more angry now that I've been told by an Etsy representative that the seller had been removed off Etsy for not following policy, so they were fully aware of her service not being up to code. Paying customers should be notified in the event of this occurring. You don't just keep our money!

Review: I had been running a successful digital wallpaper shop on Etsy until one day I received a sudden account suspension without any detailed explanation. Despite asking for clarification and providing a respectful, thorough appeal, Etsy cited "risk indicators" with no transparency. This violates the ethical obligation of a marketplace to offer fair treatment and concrete reasoning when terminating a business. Their refusal to explain the violation or allow meaningful redress contradicts fair-trade principles and undermines sellers' livelihoods. Such practices are not only unethical—they may also breach the EU Platform-to-Business Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/1150), which mandates transparency in account terminations. Etsy should be held accountable.

Etsy does not have a way to contact them directly. They suggest in all cases I have experienced to contact the seller. I had a purchase denied and after I asked the seller why (at Etsy's direction) I was told they not only did not know, the purchase request never reached them. When I contacted my bank (at Etsy's direction) I was told the transaction never reached the bank. When I used the Etsy complaint email, I got an AI generated response from Etsy telling me that my account was permanently suspended, could not be reviewed, and that Etsy would not discuss it any further with me. Of course saying they would not "…discuss it any further with me…" is an AI hallucination because it has never been discussed with me. I then submitted an "Appeal" through their appeal page, stating the I did not have any idea whatsoever why my account was considered a violation of Etsy Policies and Procedures. What I received was in identical repetition of cancellation of my account, again a total AI hallucination. I suggest you do not buy through Etsy. They have convinced themselves that they are a "community" of sellers and buyers. This is supposed to make you feel warm and friendly towards Etsy. It is unadulterated sh*t. Don't eat it.

Etsy used to be a platform that truly supported small businesses, but sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Over the years, their focus has shifted from helping sellers thrive to prioritizing profit and maintaining a buyer-friendly reputation—often at the expense of the hardworking sellers who make the platform what it is.

As a seller, I've experienced firsthand how Etsy disregards its own sellers' policies. Even when I provided extensive evidence to support my case, they ignored it entirely and sided with a buyer who clearly violated my shop's terms. This left me feeling disrespected, unsupported, and questioning whether Etsy cares about the small businesses that pay their fees and keep their marketplace running.

Etsy's refusal to enforce sellers' policies or even take the time to thoroughly review evidence sets a troubling precedent. It sends a message that buyers can abuse the system, insult sellers, and tarnish their reputations without consequences. It's disheartening to see a platform that once championed small businesses turn into a profit-driven corporation, disconnected from the needs of its sellers.

If you're a seller considering Etsy, I urge you to think twice. Build your own website or look for other platforms that respect and support small businesses. Etsy is no longer the safe, seller-friendly marketplace it claims to be.

I made a purchase that was not delivered. They gave me an ETSY credit which was fine because I had to make another purchase with another seller to replace the one I did not receive. However, then I did not receive the 2nd item, so I requested a FULL refund which included the credit from the 1st purchase. I was told I would receive this via chat. Instead, they simply gave me another partial credit. I was done making purchases as it was already past Christmas. They refused to give me the 'credit' back as a refund to my credit card. I now have to jump through hoops to file a dispute with my credit card. I have made multiple purchases on ETSY. This is the 1st time I've had such problems. I may have to close my account to obtain my refund. If so, not a problem. Sellers who claim to be in the USA still obtain their items from overseas but don't tell you that upfront. I waited over 3 weeks on some orders and longer than 6 weeks on another. NOT worth the hassle. I located 3 phone numbers online for ETSY and 2 email addresses. NONE of them are in operation. The 'chat' agent has now blocked me from 'chat' after I requested a supervisor. I will be disputing charges with my bank, filing a BBB complaint, and contacting consumer protection at the Attorney General's office.

I ordered a Christmas gift on December 8th. Here it is December 21st and just shipped. It sit waiting for USPS 2 days. Now is not going to arrive until after Christmas. They said all orders ship Priority mail and that was a lie. NEVER EVER AGAIN WILL I OREDER FROM THEM.

The owner of my company just adopted a puppy. I thought it would be nice to send a blanket with the new dog's name on it. On November 30th I ordered it. Today is December 18th & it still has not arrived.

Etsy has suspended my account for the second time this year for no reason whatsoever, but tells me I am unqualified to submit a I go there, shop, and go to pay and find they have blocked me. There is NO WAY to get in touch with anyone at Etsy... no email or phone number for anything resembling customer service, just an algorhythm that runs you around in circles to the same 3 unhelpful pages. I feel sorry for the sellers on Etsy; they have wonderful offerings, and in my experience, all I have ordered from are great people with prompt service and helpful customer service, but if the Etsy site itself is blocking you from purchasing, they are cheating both the customer and the seller. Etsy sucks.

My "crime" was simply trying to buy things, but apparently that was too much for Etsy, they cancelled multiple orders, flagged my credit card as fraud and suspended my account. And so began my interaction with the worst customer service I've ever seen. It's all fake AI, prescripted, copy paste responses under the guise of being "real people". Their chat is utterly useless as they ONLY thing they'll ever do is "elevate you to a higher level of help" which is just you getting an email. In my case, I was told the "issue has been resolved"...it wasn't. I was eventually able to make ONE more purchase only to be suspended AGAIN and have to start the process all over again...They did this to me FOUR TIMES in ONE month.

4 suspensions, 25 cancelled orders, and 60 emails later. They PERMANENTLY suspended me and LIED to me saying "we already explained why you are ineligible for reinstatement". The the 25 DAYS worth of emails, NOT ONCE did they ever explain anything at all. In fact, the last email I received prior to my bank, was one saying "we resolved your issue, please try and make your purchases again.

In short, Customer service is non existent, they'll LIE to you and they'd rather ban you and sweep you under the rug than actually help you.

IN 2022/3, I MADE SEVERAL PURCHASES FROM ETSY SELLERS. Every one of them cheated me, and every one THREATENED me when I complained. The worst were el Granero Typewriters, in Spain; The Typewriter Co., in Ankara, Turkey. They were both pretending to be based in the United States, and they also sell on eBay.

Over priced, cheaply made Christmas Stuff made in China. Like all his merchandise made in China, over priced and cheaply made. Made of plastic. You can do better. So gross. I thought Etsy was to be hand made not mass produced crap. I seen better stuff at target and Walmart each individual stuff. Not cheap stuff lining his pocket. He don't care about you just myself. Even his step ford don't care about Christmas stuff in the White House.She has staff decorating the WH. Staff cooking, cleaning, driving him. Like he ever don't a si hole thing for himself. Staff always waits on himself. No way. Boycott this company.

I'm extremely disappointed with Etsy's handling of my account. I had my first sale pending, and shortly after, my shop, Velour Haven, was suddenly locked. When I tried to log in, I saw a message saying, "You may not be able to access your account," but I received no explanation or communication from Etsy about what happened.

I've contacted their support multiple times via email and social media, but all I've received are automated responses that don't address my specific situation. I have no policy violations or issues with my listings, so I'm left completely in the dark as to why my account was locked.

I paid fees to open my shop, invested time in my listings, and was excited to make my first sale. It's incredibly frustrating that Etsy took my money, blocked my account right as I was starting to succeed, and has yet to provide any real support or answers. I hope Etsy improves its customer service for the sake of its sellers, as this experience has been deeply disappointing and unprofessional.

I purchased a download from a seller, and they want me to contact the seller. Etsy won't let me in, because of this app. I have already wasted an hour or so of my life that I will never get back. I want my download. And sellers - I have dealt with several good merchants, but I will think twice before using ETSY again.

I tried setting one up, and it was instantly and permanently shut down by Etsy without so much as a hint of explanation. There weren't even any listings on the store—literally, all I did was create a profile picture. I appealed the closure, and guess what? Denied. No reason, no transparency, nothing. Now I can't sell or buy anything on my account, and if I try to set up a new one, that'll be blocked too. And to top it all off? Their denial of the appeal is permanent—no second chances, no reconsideration. Ridiculous.

It has been a super disappointing experience.
Etsy support is useless. If you are a seller, you will understand this. Even when talking with "people" from Etsy Support, it is like getting an answer from an IA, 90s bot, or maybe a monkey.
They only send you automated and pre-setted answers. You can't solve any mid-complex issue with them, which is super sad.

I am shocked by this experience! I am 70 years old and started selling bedding with my designs printed on demand and got banned after the first order? Absolutely undbearable and disrespectful! My appeal was not even considered I just got immediately a reply robot that I am risky anf they closed the case. SHAME on Etsy! Banning old people for no reason and not explaining what for! Stay away from this platform!

My personal handmade art was banned on Etsy! I am an artist. I just made a shop and added 3 paintings and a pottery I made and got suspended for what? My first shop my real work! I attach image. My real real handmade work is not good for Etsy? What policy violation? What is going on here?. Have they lost their mind?