From the Auxiliary Guild: Tap tap tap Is this thing on?

Seriously, if you need someone to be The Angry One, I'm here for you.

I got kicked off of Etsy for being a "reseller" when EVERY SCRAP of everything I sold was handmade. I kid you not. I had FOUR shops on Etsy - one selling tutus (the tutu mafia is REAL man) and hairbows, one selling Eco/upcycled stuff, one selling felt food and one selling handmade supplies (with the occasional bobby pin listing thrown in, I will admit, but those are allowed on Etsy). With a BA in Communications and more than 10 years in Journalism, you guys just let me know if you need another contributor.

This all started a couple weeks ago, when they closed my handmade supply shop. I was sent an email one day, and three days later, since they had not heard from me (surprise, some people go on VACATION, lol), they deactivated the shop. THE ENTIRE SHOP. The email they sent me after that took offense at my crocheted headbands (like this - which surprisingly enough, is still up) and my felt hairbow appliques (like these - only with stitching instead of hot glue like those). Their reasoning was that I was reselling the appliques and that my headbands didn't qualify as supplies since they were "ready to wear." I had mis-tagged them as commercial supplies instead of handmade supplies.

I emailed them back and explained that I make the crocheted headbands by buying the stretchy stuff by the yard at Hobby Lobby (they only carry white, black and hot pink at my local store, but I buy it bulk and they order the other colors for me), cutting it in 12.5 inch strips, and sewing the ends together on my machine to make the headbands. I also explained that I cut and sew the appliques myself using Sizzix dies, felt and blood, sweat and tears. I got an email back from one of the Etsy Minions that the shop would remain closed until I provided pictures. OK, so I took pictures of my Sizzix machine and dies, and got pictures of about two yards of the white stretchy headband material (it was all I had left, since I make them all at one time, instead of when I get orders). Those photos were emailed to the Etsy Minion.

Now, while I was sending pictures of the stuff, I listed the headbands in my tutu and bow shop, thinking that the rule violation (because you know they don't tell you what the violation is, just what item is in violation) was because I had mis-tagged the headbands as commercial instead of handmade. Mea Culpa. So, when I listed them in my girly shop, I listed them correctly, tagged them as HANDMADE, explained in the listing how I make them AND included a picture of the stretchy material (the same one I sent them) in my listing. The listing was totally legit and everything was tagged correctly on it.

Well, a couple of days later, I got an email from them saying they would reactivate the supply shop if I took the headbands down from it. I asked why, because they were handmade and never heard from them. The shop reopened for about three hours, in which time they apparently went to my girly shop and saw that I had listed the headbands there. So, ALL FOUR OF MY SHOPS WERE DEACTIVATED. The email I got from them said that they had noticed I had relisted the headbands in my other shop and a rule violation in one affected me across the board in all my shops and they were closed indefinitely. I emailed them back, explained I didn't realize the relisting was a rule violation, apologized and asked if there was anything I could do to make it better. I heard nothing. I emailed again a couple days later and still heard nothing. To this day, almost 3 weeks later, I STILL have heard nothing.

Now, to further this story, after they deactivated my shops, I opened up a buying account on Etsy, for the SOLE purpose of contacting my friends that also sell on Etsy, and for buying items. Last year, in SEVEN MONTHS, I would guess I spent close to $2500 on Etsy, buying supplies, gifts, etc. I kid you not. Don't tell my husband. Well, the other day, I got an email from Etsy saying that they noticed I opened a few more accounts (I'm guessing they probably closed my sisters' buying accounts too, since they came over here for me to open them, we'll find out next time THEY go on to buy) and they closed them. And that any attempt to open future accounts would result in THOSE being closed too, without further notice.

So, I emailed them again and asked them if I was not welcome to buy on Etsy either. No response. Of course.

I tell you all this because Etsy has gone to the DOGS. I don't know where to get out that they are doing this, because obviously, if I don't have an account, I can't post it in the forums, and my blog isn't read enough to make a difference. BUT YOURS IS. I would guess that last year, my sister's spent a bit of $$ on Etsy as well in those other accounts, but I don't know if they are closed because I don't remember my sisters' passwords. Only a very few select people knew I had opened MY account to buy stuff. The only way I can think that they "found" me is through my ISP.

That in itself is disturbing. That they are so concerned about a SINGLE PERSON that they troll for their ISP activity instead of worrying about the real resellers, the shitty site development and slumping sales.

Just as a side note, when I asked why my headbands were so offensive, when so many other's were selling the same thing, only not handmade, they told me to flag them. Without an account, I can't flag. So, I've been inundating support@etsy and abuse@etsy with links. :-D I'm a bitch and I freely admit it.

Of course, I've not heard back on those either.

Since Rokali asked us to send on trainwreck letters we got, and we think this qualifies, we sent this on to His Cupcakeness. We'll let you know if they do anything with the numerous failures in this letter.