What does this Etsy removal notice mean?
Paste the notice from Etsy. You get which kind it is, where your reply goes, and how long you have. No account needed.
The more complete the email, the better we can tell which kind it is.
No account needed · 3 notices a day
What you get from one notice
Paste the email and the reader gives you three things:
- Which kind it is: Creativity Standards, copyright (DMCA), trademark or other IP, or not a listing removal at all.
- Where your reply goes: the Policy violations page, a counter notice through the link in Etsy's email, or a letter to the person who reported you.
- How long you have. For a Creativity Standards removal it counts down the 180 days from the removal date in your notice. If the email doesn't show the date, enter it and the countdown starts. For a copyright removal it tells you there's no countdown on your side, and for trademark it shows both routes and the limit on each.
If you want the reply written, sign in and the letter page opens with your notice already filled in.
How it works
- Copy the whole email from Etsy, not just the first line. The more of it you paste, the better the reader can tell which kind it is.
- Press Read the notice.
- Read the kind, the next step and the deadline. To get the reply letter, sign in and continue to the appeal letter, which uses 1 credit.
The four kinds of Etsy removal notice
Creativity Standards removal
Etsy removed the listing because it doesn't think the item was made or designed the way its Creativity Standards require. Go to Shop Manager, then Policy violations, and use View & appeal on that listing. Include proof of how you make it: process photos, material receipts or a short video. You have 180 days from the removal date unless the notice says otherwise. Most reviews take about 3 days, some up to 10 to 12 business days, and a rejected appeal can't be sent again.
Copyright (DMCA) removal
A rights owner told Etsy your listing copies their work. Your reply is a counter notice, sent through the link in Etsy's email. It's a sworn document under US copyright law, not the Policy violations appeal form. There's no deadline on your side. Once you send it, Etsy passes it to the person who reported you, and if they don't file a court action within 10 to 14 business days, Etsy can restore the listing.
Trademark or other IP removal
A rights owner reported your listing for using their trademark or other intellectual property. The main route is to write to the person who reported it and ask them to withdraw; their contact details are in Etsy's email. Give them 5 to 7 business days. If your Policy violations page shows View & appeal for the listing, send the same argument there as well, at the same time. The letter has no deadline. The appeal on the Policy violations page, when it's offered, has 180 days from the removal date.
Not a listing removal
Some notices aren't about a removed listing: a suspended or closed shop, fee avoidance, review manipulation, shipping or payment settings, or an email pretending to be Etsy. Shop suspensions go through Etsy support, not a listing appeal. Prohibited item removals can be appealed on the Policy violations page within 180 days. For the rest, Etsy doesn't publish a deadline. If an email asks you to click a link and sign in, don't: go to etsy.com yourself and check your Policy violations page there.
Before you reply
- Don't relist the same text. Putting the listing back up with the same words can bring a second report, and repeat reports can cost a shop its account.
- Check your other listings. If one listing was reported for a word, every other listing using that word is exposed too. The listing optimizer checks every word in a listing and flags trademarks, with the USPTO record where there is one.
- Keep the email. It names the listing and the reason, and for an IP report it has the reporter's contact details. Your reply needs all of them.
FAQ
Can I appeal an Etsy intellectual property removal?
For a trademark or other IP removal, the main route is asking the person who reported it to withdraw. Your Policy violations page may also offer View & appeal for that listing; if it does, send both. For a copyright (DMCA) removal, the route is a counter notice through the link in Etsy's email.
How long do I have to respond?
Creativity Standards: 180 days from the removal, unless the notice says otherwise. Trademark or other IP: the letter to the reporter has no deadline, and the page appeal, when offered, has 180 days. Copyright (DMCA): no deadline on your side; the 10 to 14 business day wait starts after you send the counter notice.
Is it free, and do I need an account?
Reading a notice here is free and needs no account, up to 3 a day. Writing the reply letter needs a free account and uses 1 credit; the Free plan includes 20 credits a month.