Etsy Say they Could CLOSE YOUR SHOP for THEIR GPSR Non Compliance Issues!!

[@wobbuffetbuffet]

I stopped selling to the EU a year ago, normally I have no issues but they seem to constantly be adding to their requirements. When you are busy making and selling art you don't want to have to crack open a manual EVERY 6 months for countries you don't live in and will never see (gimp so I don't travel much). I will get messages and emails from people who want to buy and I feel bad but the answer is no. I don't just sell on etsy to the EU because it is too much work. I don't sell to China because I'm not sure if my art will be republished by them on Temu for cheap. I don't sell to ANY country in war because I can't garuntee stuff will arrive. I don't sell to the top 3 fraudulant countries because I don't need chargebacks from people lying about their products. I'll get 1-2 fraud cases a year in the US as it is. (I photograph every order which thus far has taken care of all of that but I dislike the drama of having to deal with it.) Yes my business makes me money but it is my art and I want some time to MAKE art.

[@Astrobiologica]

I stopped selling to the EU and cancelled all my EU orders last week. I have no plans to sell to them again after this.

[@eruvandib.676]

I did make it to the end of the video because you're one of the few explaining all of this in a way that keeps my head from exploding. :) If not for you, Starla Moore, and a couple other channels I follow, I'm not sure I would have understood any of this!

[@rhym8882]

Let’s take a step back from this knee-jerk reaction. There’s no need to panic about draconian actions targeting small Etsy shops. The GSPR mainly applies to businesses manufacturing or selling potentially harmful goods at scale, especially those entering the EU market unregulated. Small sellers on platforms like Etsy likely won’t face intense scrutiny over individual packages. For most of us, the key requirement is ensuring basic compliance, like adding general warning labels (e.g., choking hazards, 'not for children under 3,' or 'no hazardous materials'). The representative requirement for sellers outside the EU is the main hurdle, but it’s manageable. The focus here is on ensuring product safety for consumers, not micromanaging every handmade item.

[@samhartford8677]

Very true, but you will still have to pay for somebody inside the EU to be legally responsible for the safety of your goods and to maintain the service and to conserve the related technical documentation for 10 years.

[@Bexyboo88]

I think you are right that it's very unlikely small businesses will be targeted, however, tiny micro-businesses are very unlikely to be able to jump through the hoops if you didn't want to take the risk - especially the representative, but also even just the cost if say now labels need to be attached or extra fliers need to be printed - those us us making only little profits, it's just not going to be worth it, I feel.

[@jimpollard113]

They can bring a case against you at any time. The fine is a high percentage of your gross annual worldwide sales. Unsurvivable.

[@shawnna_rennae]

@@jimpollard113 but bear in mind that it costs money to bring a case against an importer and the financial return for doing so needs to make sense. it won't make sense to wield a sledge hammer against micro businesses for minor offenses. a lighter approach will more likely be taken in those instances, such as a simple warning letter. fines will used for fairly egregious actions by importers.

[@samantha9313]

Especially small online businesses will be targeted for non compliance of #GPSR

[@AHSknits]

I've put my shop on holiday mode untill Etsy figures out how to separate EU and NI from UK - I sell digital patterns. Also sell physical knit and crochet, and that's on hold till I can guarantee (ish) parcels don't get delayed or lost in the Christmas rush! Easier and safer to go on holiday mode. Thankyou for this video Pam, as always very informative and helpful

[@shopwildvenus]

Awful isnt it! I ship often to NI but im not prepared to lose sales to the rest of the UK because Etsy cant sort their sh*t out.

[@guineapigscotland]

there are already videos on how to do that if you search here on youtube

[@BizzarBox]

If sales weren't down enough... I still instant digital downloads. Lots of my sales are during while I'm sleeping too. To cancel they would have already downloaded the file. Ugh what a mess! Hoping Dec 31 gives us some better answers. Thank you Pam for looking into this for us. I'm a bit stressed/panicked! I haven't created another NEW after Dec 13th. Should all my NEW stuff moving forward have my name/address etc in each new listing? Ugh I feel yucky doing that.

[@PamDuthie]

Yes, I am sorry it isnt better news. I honestly dont know how the address works with digital. Possibly there would be enough on Etsy for them to find. Sorry I dont know

[@pipeworkpieces]

I got my shot back as soon as I removed selling to Europe and the UK. Within 30 minutes my shop was back from vacation mode. So the three emails I received about verifying my information specifically my business number which was always the same for the last 10 years was not true at all.

[@RuthmarieHicks]

Thank you for making the distinction and the potential bias of small hand-made sellers vs. print-on-demand. I was thinking of selling some small physical items on Etsy that I made while developing patterns for photos etc. I've put that idea CLEAR out of my head for the time being. I don't want to complicate the model as it becomes a major time suck as well as a liability.

[@RoniethIlsar]

I do POD with Printful and they have also sent a mail with a help article. Why Etsy did not sent a mail is a mystery to me, they know I usual ship world wide. I have taken the EU off for now because of the 2 year warranty and because my details also need to be published. My work address is my home address so I need to arrange a PO box

[@honeyeatercrafts]

For digital downloads, shouldn't Etsy be the 'Importer' and hence the EU authorised representative? After all, small enough downloads are hosted on the Etsy owned and maintained servers.

[@barbi111]

Good question!

[@Bexyboo88]

I made it to the end, thank you for going through what they have put out so far. I've turned off international sales on the run up to Christmas and if I do get any NI I'll just have to cancel for now. I don't make anywhere near enough sales to warrant going through all this faff so looks like that'll be it for EU (and NI)

[@suelane724]

put a note on my shop not selling to EU/NI, seems to do it properly you need to retain an EU representative & incur other potential costs if there are any issues which would not be cost effective

[@wobbuffetbuffet]

I hiatus my Etsy shop every year when people trying to get me to upgrade their order to priority free or messaging me about it being sent faster for Christmas start. This year that was last week. (BTW I cancel those orders if I haven't already made their products and politely let them know I can't garuntee a delivery so if time is important to consider shopping locally. ) I don't need to cancel my main shop as I have NEVER had fraud or unreasonable requests on there. People just push on etsy because they know etsy will back them and refund for no reason. I don't want the drama. If you are staying open longer on Etsy I salute you! I won't reopen on etsy until the day after Christmas. I know I'm missing orders doing this but it isn't worth some of the stupid drama I've seen on Etsy over the years. I have to admit it is rather nice, with only the work load from my main shop I take an easy and spend time with family and friends more. :)

[@pipeworkpieces]

I sell very limited to the UK and Etsy forced my shop pipeworkpieces and 100's of others into vacation mode since december 14th. No explanation and no support from etsy, So sad.

[@PamDuthie]

Yes I am seeing a lot of shops being put in vacation mode. Even some really big seller. Where are you seeing lots of people saying they are in forced vacation mode and I will investigate it

[@lindedesigns]

does etsy have new fields we can fill in all this info we need to have online in our shop? I would love to see an example of a product safety sheet that complies with all the rules.

[@kandirox]

I sell greetings cards. Warning! Keep away from eye area, may poke it out while reading. May also cause paper cuts 🙄. Also still trying to understand how digitals are dangerous. Are they going to stop opening emails and downloading attachments too?

[@PamDuthie]

:D

[@walterdimmick653]

FYI, you can use a QR code but it does not satisfy the required documentation. You still have to have the documentation as described in a local commonly understood language. Any QR code is just for conveinence for buyer. The "local EU authorized representative" encumbers a lot of product responsibility, responsibility for ensuring recalls are managed properly and even some product liability. This means it is going to be cost prohibitive for hand made sellers. A lot of people just have no idea about the time required for documenting safety and other required documents nor have they read the GPSR document but imagining it that it will be easier than it will turn out to be. Sorry but if you are a true hand made seller, as I am, the EU market is DOA for 2025. Indeed as one commenter said, the EU monitoring authorities are not going to go out and look at thousands of shops. They are going to require ETSY and other platforms to insure the compliance of products sold on their platform. This is not speculation, read the GPSR docs for yourself if you doubt it. This means that ETSY and similar platforms will no doubt take a heavy handed approach.

[@Meganchannel15]

I just think the fact that all digital products are included is crazy. It really should only be digital instructions, or something that someone might use to make a physical product, like something that is meant to be cut up or directly applied to something else. But like, if I sell a preschool writing worksheet? How is that dangerous? Hopefully they address these types of innocuous products.

[@RuthmarieHicks]

Hi Pam! As usual, a great presentation! This may be totally off the map. But I sell printables only. I don't ship anything. So, for the most part, this doesn't apply to me. However, I was in the process of starting a printable crochet patterns including some very simple amigurumi patterns for parents/older kids to crochet. Now I'm concerned this might have implications. I would be suggesting things like safety eyes in some of these patterns. Just throwing it out there. If it gets too complicated, I just won't expand into this niche.

[@clemonscrafts]

I may be wrong, but I believe cancelled orders are not eligible for reviews. I have had to cancel an order specifically so the buyer would be unable to leave a negative review (as I had already told her I didn't have the custom items she was looking for).....Hope that helps!

[@PamDuthie]

I am afraid Etsy tells us the customer has 48 hours to leave a review once you have cancelled their order www.etsy.com/seller-handbook/article/1093438529659

[@clemonscrafts]

@@PamDuthie Oh wow!!!! That is good to know, thank you thank you!

[@jimpollard113]

Getting approval is estimated to cost around $2000 each year. And, you need approval for each different item.

[@lindedesigns]

for physical products, you (probably) should include a care / safety info sheet with the item, not just digitally available. most items in the eu now have this info in English. it's not always in the country's language, but english is mandatory.

[@joeshelvey8710]

What about secondhand items? so we just exclude EU and NI now then I guess.

[@RachelKelly-x8s]

On the point of Etsy closing shops, I think there may be a distinction between non-compliant PRODUCTS (I.e. things which don’t meet the safety requirements and are therefore actually dangerous to the people who bought them) which is clearly the seller’s responsibility and probably reasonable for Etsy to take action, and non-compliant TRADERS (i.e. shops which haven’t paid to have a representative in the EU but still offer things for sale to NI because they have to), which is Etsy’s issue. I would suggest all UK sellers make it clear that each listing “does not constitute an offer for sale in NI due to GPSR” and cancel any orders from NI. Small sellers with no intention to supply to the EU won’t be a priority for GPSR enforcement by EU authorities. *Not legal advice*

[@samhartford8677]

Not legal advice either, but I think your solution of 'not available for NI' is good, because it shows that you knew about the law and were trying to comply with it. Nobody is going to sue you after that.

[@beansterp]

According to Etsy: If you have set your seller type to “trader” who sells into the EU (which may include registered businesses or professional sellers), you may be required to appoint and disclose an economic operator. I think most of us sell as an individual? I obviously do not have an 'Economic Operator' but I did c/p all the GPSR information that Printify provided, into each listing.. hopefully that's enough not to get suspended as an induvial seller(?)

[@PamDuthie]

From everything else I have read even if we are individuals our items are still under these regulations

[@KambalayaCrystals]

Thank you

[@twobob]

you know that you put "GSPR" in the title and the blurb - right?

[@PamDuthie]

Doh! thank you. Changed it. The joys of being dyslexic with so many acronyms

[@twobob]

@@PamDuthie I figured. Enjoy

[@EJPARSONSUK]

This is bound to hurt Etsy profits, with all these shops going into Holiday mode (mine included, UK seller) so hopefully they'll get their act together pronto ...... too optimistic???? 😅😂

[@j.ferrari5443]

I made a policy with use of GPT to follow compliance and I added it to my policies. At least it’s a placeholder

[@PamDuthie]

good idea

[@samhartford8677]

Excellent, but you are still responsible for providing the data on your compliance.

[@TheWeeBindery]

I did too just to see what was required to need the requirement. I did it by curiosity since I am inside the EU but was concerned about my suppliers who are mainly outside the EU. ChatGPT came up with two and half A4 pages of information which I should provide with each handmade blank journals I would sell from outside the EU. That's for a blank journal, handmade.

[@samhartford8677]

@@TheWeeBindery This can actually profit you, if you import the goods from people who are not able to sell into the EU anymore and function as the EU-based distributor taking the legal responsibility for their products.

[@EmoKitsuneDesigns]

Meh just going to update my shipping profile to exclude EU. Honestly shipping internationally is astronomical I admire any customer buying anything overseas honestly.

[@lindedesigns]

officially in most cuntries vinage = 50+ years, antique is 100+ years old. It's nice that etsy allowes it to be called 'vintage' if its 20+ years old, but in most EU countries that's just second hand.

[@queenofswordspodcast]

Why is there not an easy way to edit our shipping profiles to get rid of EU/NI?

[@PamDuthie]

I know, it is so annoying

[@queenofswordspodcast]

@@PamDuthie I don't really understand the whole digital items aspect either.

[@j.ferrari5443]

Does this affect digital sellers?

[@aaisha...]

I'm wondering this too. I sell digital educational and mental health posters

[@PamDuthie]

Yes it seems it does

[@eruvandib.676]

@@aaisha... This is my question as well. I sell a couple of digital download crochet patterns on Etsy and to my knowledge I can't control WHERE people can buy a digital file.

[@nellieplaysgames]

What are digital download sellers supposed to do to comply?

[@j.ferrari5443]

@ I would search for gspr policy and copy it and paste in your policy section. Until they give us more information. I had ChatGPT make me a policy to comply for Etsy copied and pasted and inserted my shop name. It’s a good place hold until more information is available

[@fernanda1818]

I stopped selling to EU, for us there's a shipping option "Europe non EU" theta what I used for listing, it used to include the counties that never joined the EU, tu technically its should include part of the UK, hopefully, by now I won't include UK, hope that option covers me. 😅

[@Netanel06]

Can i sell to EU countries that are not in the EU union?

[@PamDuthie]

I think so

[@piotrpiogrys1075]

​@@PamDuthieAs well not all EU countries start implementing the new law already

[@BorsheimArts]

Wow, you are really strong to suffer going through all that legalese! Brava! And thank you. My first thoughts on these regulations are: suffocates creatives (that does not mean I believe that we should not be responsible sellers and creators or citizens, but retroactively going through mixed media creations would make a person balk or shut down), rules often seem to “keep the honest honest” (would I really disclose that I put my victim’s blood into one of my paintings? Or even my own saliva? for example), and one of the most common complaints I read about in several FB seller groups are that customers do not read! So, a lot of work for potentially no reward, and the customer can still ask for a refund (free product) regardless of who carries more “fault.” We already feel we have a consumerism mentality (at least in US) and fewer young people want to work or create without a guaranteed huge pay check (not the scene for many creatives), so these regulations almost feel like choking those who experiment and creative amazing things. Anyway, my feelings may be exaggerated at first hearing, but I really wonder if we should not put more energy in better educating people to pay attention and think. Sigh.

[@21_f_aus]

My shop has been closed for a few yrs, I'll ne reopening, might only ship in my oen country

[@PamDuthie]

That is a good idea for just now

[@ecouturehandmades5166]

Etsy "Vintage" is not compliant. The EU exempts antique items, with "antique" meaning 100 years old and older. Then VAT has a field day. I see a lot of shops throwing up their hands in despair and closing down.

[@PamDuthie]

Yes I totally understand it is stressful. I have my shop in vacation mode while I figure things out

[@pynk1887]

Updates to Expect We are committed to providing you with updated information as we learn more from the European Commission and as we evolve our operations to help you comply with GPSR, including: Updated compliance guidelines for small and medium businesses and microenterprises. We will update this page with relevant updates from the European Commission as they are available. A solution for sellers who wish to discontinue offering their digital items to Northern Ireland and the European Union. We are actively working on this, and will provide an update on timing by December 31, 2024. In the meantime, if you wish to cancel an existing transaction, the process for cancelling a sale is here. A solution for sellers who wish to discontinue offering their items to Northern Ireland buyers. We are actively working on this, and will provide an update on timing by December 31, 2024. Until then, you may consider the below interim options: Update your shipping locations Learn more about how to cancel certain orders here. More information can be found in the FAQs below.

[@lynnemarco3511]

==Thank-you.

[@SpeedbirdHeavy]

Bottom line is that we are going to become proper businesses instead of enthusiastic amateurs. Scary maybe, but from the consumer side, a good thing. I have no doubt that this is the direction of travel and there will be more regulation to come. Plus US tariffs will impact on base costs of POD components imported by US-based providers

[@KingUsyk]

We already are proper businesses. It's not expecting a lot to have clear guidelines

[@pauloriginaldesigns]

@@KingUsyk you might be, but plenty of peopleout there are not. So they're leaping up and down because of having to read legislation and expecting other people - POD providers, Etsy etc - to do all their standard corporate work for them. Real businesspeople expect to have to take legal and financial advice and solve problems themselves, it's part of being a business owner. There are too many entitled amateurs out there. This should hopefully filter them out and leave the markets for real businesses.

[@UnderWarranty]

It is good as long as you can afford to pay for somebody inside the EU to be legally responsible for the safety of your goods. Most etsy shops are just a 1 man band and none of them are real businesses, not if etsy is the boss

[@lindedesigns]

on the Dutch government info website, they say if it enters the EU on or after dec. 13 then it should comply (for digital things if it's sold / downloaded on or after dec. 13). anyone who sells something is considered a 'trader'. anyone in the EU needs to comply to even sell inside their own country.

[@atahanacik365]

I believe it would be a better and more catching video if you read those before starting =)

[@ChusLaChicaManosa]

All thanks to beautiful Brexit!

[@atahanacik365]

That would be same information, same presentation but took all the sooooos and aaaaays , we would be looking to 30 minutes video =) just a constructive feedback, with all my respect =)

[@PamDuthie]

I have made those videos as well and I will again, but people also tell me they like when I go through the whole thing as well. I will summarise everything again - with any other new things I find - in a few days

[@atahanacik365]

@@PamDuthie I watched the whole thing though =) Peace

[@superbrokul]

Hi Pam, thanks for an hour long video! As a digital seller based in the EU, I'm still confused as to what I should do to comply with the regulations 🫠 The only thing I understand is that I don't need the EU representative, as I'm that person for my store. But I have no idea what I should do - there's no shipping, no labels, nothing. It's all very confusing!

[@nellieplaysgames]

And no way to control where digital files are bought from. I’m confused too.

[@PamDuthie]

I agree, I am afraid I am not sure at the moment, I am trying to find out but even asking the proper legal people it is hard to pin down actual useful answers

[@PamDuthie]

Yes it is confusing! I have been reading and speaking to people non stop and at the moment I dont even know how to comply for myself

[@TheGeekAuthority]

Wow! Great video Pam. So complicated this stuff... ❤️🧡💛💚💙🩵💜🌲🎅