Star Etsy Seller, and Etsy Shut Down My Shop

You're trucking along and business is doing great, and then Etsy jerks the rug out from under you by an algorithm snag. Here's the story of how my Etsy shop was shut down after three years of being on Etsy and shipping furniture to more than 35 states.
My old Etsy shop, Mountain Cove Market, is still shut down. My new shop can be found here: www.etsy.com/shop/CaseyAlvare...
Stay connected with my on my blog page on FB: / paintingwithcasey
Instagram: / paintwithcasey
Pinterest: / paintwithcasey

[@tiktok11150]

This would be a golden opportunity for a small law firm to specialize in representing sellers with online stores for a percentage of damages collected.

[@jwiki1]

I think Etsy needs to be sued in a class action lawsuit by sellers who have been burned by them. It’s awful! I will no longer purchase from anyone on Etsy because I don’t want to support Etsy as a whole. There are so many horror stories I have heard from sellers. I am so sorry this happened to you. I will pray for you to be as successful on your own website. 🙏🏼

[@Coffeeislife33]

Same, I’ve heard so many awful stories also. I want to support crafty, talented people but hate Etsy

[@melanie_kay_6014]

@@Coffeeislife33 I'll start checking if the crafters have their own website on the side and then buy from there.

[@newbella7]

I got on my phone to say near exactly the same - a class action lawsuit!

[@mariwillalwaysgivethanks]

They are out of the U.S. jurisdiction and no lawyer will touch that case. It would need to be started in their corporate headquarters (I believe they are located in Switzerland). You just gotta believe that they will take the side of Etsy (don't bite the hand that feeds you). Etsy is a terrible company WORLDWIDE!!

[@paulajones1059]

Your salad looks scrumptious I'm very sorry this happened to you 😢

[@notsurewhatisgoingon]

You're so delightful, I love the multi-tasking format. Hearing these stories gets my blood pressure up. I work in tech designing software and I get it that the software can make mistakes. But the fact that these companies rely so heavily on a flawed, heavy-handed system while not having the resources to take care of their customers just infuriates me. Knowing full well that their customers, often-times, rely on their service for their livlihood. Not to mention the stress of a customer thinking they've been swindled and not realizing the fault falls squarely on Etsy's shoulders.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Notsure, thank you for watching and for the kind comments. I am right there with you on being infuriated. I think the thing that gets to me the most is they spend so much on advertising but so little on customer service. Would love to see a major change in how the company is run (or who it is in run by) because it can provide a wonderful platform for small business owners.

[@c.christman9649]

After reading about your and others’ experiences with Etsy, I really think sellers should plan on moving or creating other ethical reliable platforms. I have considered Etsy to sell my handmade baby items, monograming and other custom embroidery items. But clearly, Etsy isn’t for me! I do hope either they make massive apologies and financial restitutions or just go out of business as sellers with Etsy. Their methods are so unethical! Did China buy them? Just now I have good luck with EBAY but not for custom work. Thank you for posting your experience. I wish you the best in rebuilding your business in other platforms.

[@c.christman9649]

Also, I will never buy on Etsy again and hope the sellers move to a stable, reliable and ethical platform!

[@kaistockman6443]

Every week I see on the Etsy Reddit people saying I bought some thing in the shop is not open anymore. Did I get scammed, should I ask a refund? Now every time I see that I’m thinking is it a legitimate seller that is losing a lot of money because the shop was shut down when it shouldn’t have been.

[@ts1361]

I was thinking of opening an Etsy shop for my handmade items but will now look at other options. Thank you for uploading this video.

[@qtpie8474]

I am sorry to hear this. Etsy needs to shamed of themselves. They are ruining your reputation. They need to be held accountable. Seek counsel. They need to answer quicker than 3 months.

[@ilovecornell]

Yes, I don’t get how Etsy is allowed to operate like this!!! How is this possible???

[@casemaynard1861]

This is unbelievable. Not sure what’s going on with Etsy, but I’m ready to bail asap. My shop didn’t get shut down, but out of nowhere and with no explanation (after 2 years and a five star rating with no bad reviews), they imposed a reserve on any sales I make. They now allow me to reap 25% of my sales and they hold the rest for 45 days, unless I can provide a tracking number…which I can’t with transporting furniture. The money they are releasing to me up front is not even enough to cover the cost of my supplies, purchase a base piece to work with, and book my shippers (which you know have to be booked way in advance). Same thing with trying to get in touch with them..crickets! It’s crazy!

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Case, yep yep, same here! I hate it! I've found a way around it and will be sharing it this week.

[@stj971]

This is no way to do business! They get away with it bc it's online I'm assuming. But you're the one winds up w mud on your face. The buyes must pursue legal options, get laws made so that you're ensured your legal rights according to your contact.

[@ouidabrady4261]

Square space is the better one to use!!! They help you! You had better keep all your emails lists and any other important stuff because once they figure out that it is you they will shut it down too. Keep a separate list of all info at home!!! I am so sorry this happened to you but Etsy seems to be shutting down the shops that are doing well

[@brendarowe984]

I hand make flower girl dress/christening gowns etc. I statred an Etsy shop in 2010 - went very well UNTIL I started seeing all of these litlle girl dress on Etsy for CHEAP. They were ALL shops from China, mass produced products, NOT handmade. Complained to Etsy, they said "let us know which shops and we'll shut them down" Oh, ok I'll do YOUR job. Closed my shop. Etsy has gone to the dark side. This is ALL ABOUT driving the small business owners OUT OF BUSINESS so Amazon etc. can take over.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Brenda, yes, it is definitely not a perfect system at all!

[@trishwasham4616]

I’m sorry this happened to you. You’ve been so encouraging and knowledgeable for me. Your videos gave me the courage to open my Etsy Shop.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Trish, that is the sole reason I have done these videos! I'm so glad they were helpful :)

[@rodhatorres2298]

0p8

[@jewelwheeler1]

I'm so glad I stumbled across your video. Wishing you the best. Your work looks amazing. Etsy is no longer the company it was meant to be. It was a place everyone went to for the reason people were making their products offering them for sale. Loved it. Then in came the mass produced made in a factory products, with way over priced tags. Many of us just wondered away and went back to local markets. So glad you're pushing on regardless.

[@itsdunne1]

Your work is gorgeous! I checked out the shop you still have on Etsy and am so impressed! Love the shades of color and how well you make all the parts work together. Good luck!

[@kristyflynn]

You are very understanding, I’m not sure how I would feel if that happened, probably devastated. I started my shop in 2019 and never made those numbers so you were doing something right on Etsy. I have heard several stories similar to yours and Etsy just shutting down a shop without any notice. Scary to think of. This creative community is just so supportive and uplifting. Sending you positive vibes and prayers your way ❤

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Kristy, thank you so much! You're right about the creative community being a supportive tribe, we are all definitely much better together than we are on our own.

[@monicamichelle2391]

Thank you for telling others your experience. Im sure there are hundreds if not thousands of people that have contemplated telling their experience with Etsy, but don't because they don't know how to go about it. I think its so important that companies that pull this crap are outed! Thanks Again!👍

[@2004marmar]

I just found your KZbin channel. I really really have enjoyed every video you have made. I am going to start watching all of your videos. I just started my own website and just started my Etsy shop. You are so right about the shipping. It is the most intimidating part of going nationwide with your furniture. I still have nerves about trying it, but I have to push myself forward and start somewhere. Looking forward to watching more and I will check out your Etsy store. I can’t wait to see it!

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Marmar, thank you so much for watching, and congratulations on your Etsy shop! It is always a big step and it takes courage to do it - great job!

[@kathythompson5800]

I started watching you today with this video. I have an Etsy shop and have just started it. I think I have about 30 listings in it so far and am adding more every day. I am a reseller of vintage and antique home hard goods. I had an Etsy store previously and thought that their policy of charging just for listing on their site was awful, but I made a few sales not really enough to matter, and my inventory was little girls handmade clothing. Then I found another website that did not charge up front just to list (no it wasn't Ebay) and closed my Etsy store and moved to the other website. The sales were better there, but then after I had been there about 5 years they just shut me down and all I could ever get out of them was that "I had violated their terms of agreement." I finally got a phone number for them and called and got the same run around. Luckily, I had already moved all my sales money out of there to my bank account or they would have kept it as they stated that in their little canned statement. So long story to say this - they all have the potential to throw a monkey wrench in your works! I think you are doing the absolute correct thing in making your own website. Best of luck to you and I will be rooting for you!!

[@tinadolan7193]

So happy to hear that you've found an alternative platform to get your sales back up. You got me started on Etsy so I'm super appreciative of your knowledge and love hearing your stories. Your salad looks fabulous. Enjoy!

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Tina, I always enjoy your sweet personality - thank you so much! And the salad was pretty great! I'm so happy to hear the content has helped you in some way :)

[@LifewithMelanieB]

I always multi task. Being a neurodivergent, i always have to keep my brain and hands busy. I am making seamless patterns right now as i listen to you. I gave up on Etsy after trying many niches, product choices, and years of trying . I lost money after marketing costs. Now trying on my own site.

[@twinnish]

It is so strange to me that they can get away with not responding to their sellers for so long. How can they even have that work? It’s not just your business they’re ruining, but they’re not taking care of their own business. And now I hear that they’re laying off a bunch of people when apparently they didn’t have enough people already to take care of their business. What are they doing over there? It’s not like they’re making anything.

[@RedPillSurvival]

I wonder if it's the same thing that was going on in Twitter. When Elon took over he found employees were running a pay-for-play racket. They were taking kickbacks to approve blue checkmarks for users who paid. I really wonder if Etsy employees are being paid off by sellers to take down their competitors or other such nonsense.

[@alyjiyu]

​@@RedPillSurvival That's an interesting and plausible explanation, considering... rampant corruption seems to have infiltrated the OS of many companies. Sadly, a mark of the times when cheaters circumvent rules/laws while the blameless innocent pay the price.

[@lindabonomi7274]

Your energy and good nature are amazing!!!!!

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Linda, thank you so much!

[@dianesouthworth3161]

Multitasking is great.I appreciate not wasting time. You did well. Thank you for sharing. My mind is finally made up, I'll not waste time building a business to have this happen.

[@DigitalDarling88]

This EXACT thing that happened to my store and I wasn’t paid for my last week of transactions. They said the same to me - my shop was erased overnight for supposed fraudulent activity. I had over 75 items and had invested $11,000 in my store. They need a class action badly- evil company.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

DD, I'm so sorry that happened to you!

[@cynthiabarrow509]

I already told you on the short, I love your hair. I appreciate your sharing so much. You are encouragement Idea,create a furniture art portal where others can sell their art. Probably not where you want to spend your time but maybe an idea. I will say a prayer your client connects with you.

[@user-lr5zi3hg6w]

I can't tell you how glad I was to find your video. The same, very same, thing happened to me. I read that Etsy memo, changed a lot of titles, and within 2 weeks I was shut down because, they said, someone was trying to hack me. I had my shop for 10 years! Talk about being blown away! I never made much money, but I loved that shop. Like you, I got lots of emails back but always from AI, never a human. If you hear anything, please let us all know. And congratulations for being such a great seller. Your furniture is the prettiest I have ever seen. Many thanks. I'm off to open another shop on Etsy.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

I am so sorry this happened to you. I always feel weird leaving a "heart" when someone shares that something bad happened, but it is for you and not your situation. I can't imagine what it would be like to have a 10-year shop shut down out of the blue. And you did nothing wrong!

[@DaniellaDee]

@EnadMasin Personally I find Instagram over-rated when it comes to selling your crafts.

[@teperikaetr]

Thank you, thank you for the advice. I am getting ready to open my online handmade artisan metalsmith jewelry and I am planning to open my own website thanks for your guys experience on Etsy I am not gonna go to Etsy.

[@dlcg5685]

I just went to your website and saw your armoire on your home page and want to say that it's beautiful! Wow! I hope you gain a lot of traction...you deserve it!

[@paintwithcasey5644]

DL, thank you, that is so kind of you❤️

[@sherrilenett]

Btw sorry this happened to you how heartbreaking for you and your family. I admire your skill and thanks for sharing your story!

[@ladyink77]

Thank you for sharing your experiences 🙏🏽 This is how us “regular” folk succeed♥️

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Yes and amen, I totally agree. There's no need to gatekeep, we all benefit when the industry grows and expands and people in it prosper! Thank you for watching.

[@coachingliferealities]

This is really bad and I understand your pain. You make very good points. I do my own websites and I still get scammers talking about how they want to redo my site. Etsy has been super questionable in how they do business and owning a store, I will still get people talking about, "sell on Etsy", but why? Why should I share any profit with any other platform. Yes marketing is a challenge, but if you commit it can be done. 💝

[@PhishedOff]

I want one of those salads! That’s a beautiful salad!! and thank you so much for being so honest because I haven’t opened my shop yet and I would’ve never known all of this

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Phished, I so appreciate your kindness! I'm glad it was helpful!

[@kathleenmay6711]

So happy that I saw you in my feed I used to love watching your videos and I’m so happy to see that you are back! I don’t mind if you do 2 or 3 things at a time it seems like listening to a friend. Is your brick and mortar still open? My husband and I will be heading to Branson soon and I have always wanted to stop by your shop. I’m sorry that this happened to your Etsy store and you are so talented that I’m sure your e-commerce site will be very successful ❤

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi, Kathleen :), thank you! It's so good to be back! I appreciate you tuning in!

[@ParanormalGirl5]

I closed my shop yesterday. I was making resin things. I had someone trying to hack my shop account. Trying to get me to click links so be very careful. They sent some messages and it was very suss. I don't trust Etsy as a seller.

[@mypointofview1111]

I had the same thing happen to me, so-called buyers who wanted to complete the sale on another site. So glad I closed my shop with them

[@ParanormalGirl5]

@@mypointofview1111 Good for you. You have to be so careful these days.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

I'm sorry that happened to you!

[@ParanormalGirl5]

@@paintwithcasey5644 Thank you Casey. I would much prefer just to sell my things in fairs instead.

[@skrefurbishedinteriors]

Also for those who sell on marketplace only this similar thing happened to me. They shut my marketplace for no reason, I wrote countless emails, messages and no body ever got back to me. I could go on Facebook but cld not access marketplace! It was hell!😢 Even though other devices and could open another account but it said I have to wait months to sell. This broke me! I then got my website. Out of the blue after 8 months they restored it again 😮 Safe to say it's best to have several sites to sell, also write all sell contacts separately. Good luck on everything everything enjoy the salad x

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Yes, I agree! We don't want to put all our eggs in one basket!

[@DaniellaDee]

This happened to me on Marketplace too, I am still restricted from promoting any of my posts and can not list anything on Marketplace.

[@Funkensense]

I'm really glad I've seen this today. I had been feeling really discouraged with my business. I have some hurdles to overcome, as I don't live in the country and it's really been a challenge, just the physical logistics of running this type of business from inside of my house. And that's just one issue, but I won't give a sob story. But your videos are the ones that really inspired me from a business standpoint. It made me believe I can do the shipping and I can get off of marketplace and have a profitable business with a national market. And I've raised my price points substantially but keeping up with the physical demand of the business without the correct space etc. has kind of just worn me out a little bit. So I'm happy you uploaded and shared your own troubles and problems. Nothing worth doing is just going to be a cake walk. I love your work and the big beautiful French pieces you find. They are not super common around here where I live. Anyway thanks, because I just thought about you yesterday when I couldn't even bring myself to work on my projects. 💚

[@paintwithcasey5644]

@Funkensense, I love you, girl, and we've never even met in person! I so appreciate people who are real and you're one of them! I'll have a lot more info coming and it is my hope that it will be encouraging and helpful in very practical ways! Hang in there!

[@Funkensense]

@@paintwithcasey5644 Love you too and your beautiful work, I look forward to hearing your info I always listen to all of it! ☺💚

[@dg.hfaqreus777]

Thank you for sharing your story (while making a delicious looking salad). I see (on KZbin) that there are many others who have had this happen to them. I'm so sorry in this new world of commerce, that a company can do this to people's lives! You have great alternative suggestions. I am now canceling my membership on Etsy. I have only purchased there, never sold there. Good luck to you!

[@paintwithcasey5644]

DG, bless your heart and thank you. Small business members appreciate people like you!

[@paulastrickland2259]

Love your work Casey. Checked you out on etsy. I feel your pain about your customer you can't contact. Hopefully she will find you and be understanding.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Paula, thank you! The customer found me and now has his armoires!

[@WoodenWaresHandwork]

I love the background scenery where you placed your furniture. This is my major problem, finding a place where to take photos .

[@paintwithcasey5644]

WoodenWares, try PhotoRoom

[@WoodenWaresHandwork]

Thank you I'll check it out now@@paintwithcasey5644

[@anne-marieriamitchell1140]

I was just about to open an Etsy shop not now thanks for info x

[@SergeantSudsLaundryPowder]

There are some good KZbin videos on setting up the square website app... good luck❤ you got this❤

[@guineverejackson1201]

To prevent getting a reserve on your Etsy account I would advise you to not request your funds daily. I did that after over one year on Etsy and next day their was a 100% reservation that lasted 2 months.

[@darylandcat]

I feel your pain. My shop was recently shut down after 10 years. I knit and crochet, sold stuff I make. I did take a hiatus back in 2017 / beginning of 2018, and recently went back. I did very well for 3 years and built an amazing customer base. After about 30 listings when I went back, I got the notification that my shop was permanently suspended. However, I got no reason, no explanation, nor any way to resolve potential problems. I filed an appeal and it was almost instantly denied. My shop is no more. Went on to Shopify. Etsy has been going downhill since they listed their IPO, and started to allow all of these non-makers to sell stuff. It's like Amazon and eBay now. It's such a shame. #boycottetsy

[@paintwithcasey5644]

I am so sorry that happened!

[@darylandcat]

@@paintwithcasey5644 I started to peruse KZbin for videos with similar situations as mine. It’s how I came across this one. It seems like it’s a big problem.

[@TheJavonplayer]

I hear there is a few alternatives out to Esty. Unfortunately from a store owner standpoint Etsy is know to have poor customer service. I would advise considering other alternatives especially since you’re more established. There are other platforms that have less fees and better customer service.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

The Javonplayer, I totally agree!

[@cpoul]

What other platforms do you recommend?

[@TheJavonplayer]

@@cpoul these are both smaller but Walmart, Amazon handmade, eBay, and also your own online shop

[@CedarHillCountryMarket]

make sure your website is "indexed" and google approved. That was the bear part for me - without traffic it will sit and die - the only way I can get the right traffic is buying it. I've been with etsy since 2013 so I get what you are saying. Thanks for sharing and best wishes to you.

[@kaistockman6443]

I haven’t gotten my Etsy shop shut down but they did put my shop on vacation mode without telling me. They said my tax information was wrong but I had my shop open for a few years and nothing had changed. And they say you only have 2 chances to change the information but I had no idea what to change because it was all correct.

[@skrefurbishedinteriors]

First off so sorry this happened to you. Sounds like a nightmare! Was gearing up to start Etsy but was still vetting a few delivery companies. Let me say in UK its not cheap! 😮 Your work is so beautiful and magical you can easily sell on your website but market your site thru Google business account. Facebook and Pinterest. Also building websites has evolved leaps and bounds and it's dirt cheap. I used Unei and they charged me £100 to build my website. And they call u week or so later to launch and you will be taught how to edit your site. The whole thing took 40minute. So then u link your PayPal or any selling sites you want. Pple can purchase thru your site directly. Game changer! And it cost £1/year to keep it running. People can leave reviews too. Good luck hopefully it resolves soon!

[@rhonddalesley]

U.K delivery companies are terrible in my experience as a shopper with Evri (Hermes) being the worst. I’ve lost so many packages in the last year because they either knock and don’t wait or don’t bother knocking at all and just stash the package behind my wheelie bin. I don’t know whether someone is taking them or the driver or their accomplice is coming back later to take them but I get emails, texts, and my accounts say the item’s been delivered and it’s getting worse over time. I rarely go out and it takes me a while to get to the door due to disability but I can hear a knock on the door and the delivery drivers just won’t wait and I’ve seen them knock and run, I appreciate that they’re on a time crunch but the amount of money being lost must be creeping up because I doubt I’m the only one.

[@DaniellaDee]

This is what happens when a company like Esty has no competition, it really is disgusting how they not only treated you but the customer who purchased from you and was never made whole. I just checked your Instagram and you are very talented, I love your work.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Daniella, thank you so much. I do agree that they need to do far better!

[@juliemclean6743]

I'm glad to see you didn't give up when Etsy shut you down. The company should have an assistance website specifically for sellers (maybe they do?) As it is, I don't think the company is genuine so it might pay to setup your own online store with links found in the description on etsy. Good luck in the future.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Julie, hi! Yes, I am so glad I did not give up either! ❤️ I agree with you that a seller's website for customer service would be an excellent idea!

[@rhodesfamily01]

I tried to get away from Etsy with a Shopify store, but unfortunately I can’t get the traffic like Etsy can. And I don’t have all the energy and charisma to do lots of good KZbin videos to get a large following, and just can’t keep up with the whole social media thing. So I’m stuck with Etsy with my website as a backup and at least have a backup web presence. I share my info with my customers as I make sales so they have it for future reference. It was a shame what happened, but God can use these things in your life to make us think outside of the box in ways we normally wouldn’t have if something like this didn’t happen. So I hope some good can come out of this. We just have to remember God is In control and to cry out to him with wisdom in our time of need. The Lord’s blessings be upon you as you proceed in the future!

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Much wisdom here, Rhodesfamily!

[@lorimichelle3796]

Similar thing happened to me a couple of years ago. Etsy is awful when it comes to shutting accounts down, they should have a class action lawsuit against them like someone else commented on here. They have done so many people wrong. I was making $60k a year and once they do that they say you are banned for life. Beautiful salad by the way :)

[@juamiglio]

For the amount of fees sellers have to pay to ETSY they should be providing customer service

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Yes, I agree!

[@cherimayer6617]

Thank you for sharing

[@judychurchill294]

I used to have an Etsy shop but wasn't that successful, plus I didn't like their 'new' pricing structure, so I closed it. I am now on Folksy, which is UK based. I also do craft fairs. I think it is so difficult to sell on any platform as there are now so many crafters doing the same thing. Also you really need to spend a lot of time promoting yourself. Anyway, good luck with your venture.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Judy, yes, marketing is so important! You are right about the need for marketing/promotion, it's definitely vital to any sales industry.

[@TheAnimalsMagicShop]

That's really strange and I'm sorry that happened to you. $5K is a lot of money for the customer to be out so I'm wondering if they refunded that because surely they complained. It's true there is no longer any working number to contact them although there used to be. Did you try messaging them through their Facebook page? I had a problem with something I got on eBay and that's how I finally reached someone there who resolved the problem. They have no contact number either. Since Josh Silverman took over Etsy, it's no longer fun being a seller on there, and you have to be careful as a buyer too. The problem is, there aren't any other options that are comparable for sales. God luck with your new shop!

[@paintwithcasey5644]

They finally got ahold of me and they now have their armoires! :)

[@mamtapatel8583]

Do you know if there is any other e commerce platform like ETSY to sell worldwide?

[@HanieBCreations]

I think it's a blessing in disguise. I think etsy is now automated which is what they want. Big ticket sellers could run into huge problems if you get the wrong customer. I had an etsy shop. I did really well my second year, but then ran into the problem of people stealing my crochet patterns, and it began to hurt my sales. I shut it down just after the acquisition. It just wasn't the same. One being I got scammed twice. Along side crochet patterns I created I also sold vintage jewelry. Well, one customer stated she didn't get the shipment. It got lost in the mail, so I refunded her money, but couldn't recover the item. Another stated she didn't get her download crochet pattern, and left me a bad review when I had a five star rating, so I emailed it to her, and refunded her money. Luckly etsy fixed my five star rating, but then a few other things began to happen, and so I decided it wasn't going to work for me and shut it down. I was sad, but I have too much integrity to deal with that kind of thing. I uploaded my patterns to payhip but it's not the same. I have taken a break. I think if you have Pinterest and get YT going, you'll be fine without etsy. I loved it when I first started, and when I began making sales. I am artistic. I painted and upgraded a small wood piece similar as you, and it sold right away! I also painted rocks, and painted a cute heart shaped rock with a rustic vintage look.. Kinda like you're doing, and it too sold. I would love to learn your furniture technique and especially how you ship such large wood pieces. This would always be so intimidating to me. Also very impressed with your shop images and how you go about displaying your work. They look fantastic! I'm the type that likes to pick up stuff left out on side of the road for free, fix it up, use it, or sell it. I'm a frugal-frugal.. The cheaper the better!! I have a picked up a few wood pieces, just taking up room in my storage shed.. Thanks for sharing your story. I do believe you'll be better off . My artist friends also shut down their shop. They ran into trouble trying to mange their own ecommerce site as they tried to do it all themselves. What happens is the site gets bigger and then becomes too much to handle without a developer or someone who knows how to fix it. As long as you keep the site small and simple you should do okay.. Try to post images of sales pieces on Pinterest, use your talent and write for sale on the image or listing and have the customer contact you thru your site for the price details etc... You're so raw and honest. I really appreciate that. Good luck. I hope that customer who paid gets a hold of you. I'd hate to see something bad come of it. I have noticed since I closed my shop, that etsy was still running my shop name in google search stating something to the effect of insinuating I had unresolved transactions. I asked google to remove it. Etsy just isn't and will never be the same ever again!

[@annspires8380]

I was on eBay and the fees just kept going up. Now eBay does have great customer service. But, since I've closed my shop they have been trying to charge me fees for having the shop which I closed! I finally had to completely shut that business down and close the bank account. It's crazy that the systems that small business relies on are so flawed. Yes, it takes a huge learning curve to run your own website. Good luck to you and thanks for sharing your story.

[@Qwijebo]

Ebay is shit. When they change payments it ruined a lot of people, me included. I have been trying for almost 2 years trying to get my money back, due to them keep telling me to upload bank statements, identification, statements, etc. And still nothing, and the Bangalore call center is no help either. Ebay ruined themselves. And now Etsy with their draconian policies is ruining sellers. It's the same with other platforms. They don't want us being successful.

[@kimiramsey6499]

Hey almost neighbor. I’m in Lampe just stumbled across your video. Sorry this happened to you, thank you for the info . I opened a brick and mortar on the strip in Branson but it is only a few months old so looking to find other avenues for avenues streams. Any thoughts on Shopify?

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Kimi, yes you are a neighbor! :) Shopify is a very different platform from Etsy. It is essentially a website host. You can create your website on Shopify for e-commerce, which is a good thing. Be sure to check out the percentages they take closely. It varies from type of payment received.

[@blancavr1]

Thank you for being so candid with your situation. I have been gathering clothing for upcycling on Etsy. I have so many questions but can't get my questions acknowledged. I also, do some furniture painting. Please, can you tell me how to find legitimate shippers? Thanks again 😊

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi Blanca! You may consider following along on my FB page. I often share shipper's info there. I have several YT videos on shipping that cover how I began arranging shipping and all the logistics that go along with it. :)

[@blancavr1]

@paintwithcasey5644 thank you, you are always so gracious 👍

[@annafields6584]

Doesn’t always work, but when I have no response from a big company, I post my complaint publicly on their social media sites. Sometimes it gets their attention. Just an idea. This is a very scary story. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Anna, I had a college professor tell our class the same thing about using social media to get a big company's attn. I tried that via Etsy's IG several times, but no response. You are right, it doesn't always work, but it is definitely worth a try.

[@annabatista8944]

I gave you hearts in your shop. I am there too.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Anna, thank you! ❤️❤️

[@WooWapDaBaM]

It looked like you sold your shop to a company. Unfortunately as you know there's lots of scammers on Etsy as well. That's not really doing the work.

[@pamelastansbury1407]

I can't believe Etsy's hasn't been sued...maybe they have. But, they have ruined lives...shameful.

[@lisadiaz9454]

Wow. How horrible. This makes me definatley not want to start a shop on Etsy. I'm so sorry this has happened for you and others.

[@dtrahn1218]

Irony is when you are watching her talk about her problems with Etsy and an advertisement for Etsy interrupts the video. The strangest thing is that most people do not do well on Etsy. The vast majority of sellers only make a few hundred to a few thousand per year. Less than 25% of Etsy sellers are "successful" sellers making over 45K a year. You think they would hire more staff and have concierges or business reps for sellers who have reached this successful seller status in order to keep these businesses happy.

[@TodaysSpecialMinis]

Oh wow - this is unfortunate, but I can understand Etsy's standpoint even if I don't agree with their way of handling it. Of course they would be suspicious of a seller changing a bunch of titles on their products. It looks like someone is baiting and switching. Even if I was a buyer - I would think it was suspicious if I bookmarked or favorited certain items from a seller only to check back and see that the seller went and changed a bunch of listing titles. What seems like "streamlining" to you could seem like a "scam" to the algorithm or to potential customers. That was just an unfortunate decision on your part, but hard lesson learned. What is the absolute WORST part of this is the customers who paid thousands of dollars for items that they'll never receive and have no idea what happened to the shop. HOPEFULLY Etsy gave them some sort or explanation or an automatic refund since they're the ones that not only deleted a sale in progress, but shut down any way for that person to contact the original seller. I can only imagine that lady who is out of the $5000 - like, what if she and her husband got into a huge fight because she lost $5000 of their money and she can't even explain to him what happened or why. I can imagine that stuff like this can cause a ripple effect not only in people's bank accounts, but in their lives. What if that lady purchased that for a client - and has no way of explaining to the client where that $5000 went. It would make that lady seem like she was stealing client money or something. On Etsy's part - that's just a terrible situation to leave people in. I'm glad you were able to transfer your products, and I hope you'll be able to do two things: 1) track all your customer info on your own from now on - even if that means telling them to give you all their personal contact info in the description when they order - just in case something happens. And then putting that info in a separate Xcel spreadsheet or wherever you'll be able to access it, and 2) Since you know that lady's name who put the $5000 desposit - please check in Instagram or Facebook, etc for that name and message people to see if they might be the person who purchased from you. Don't have to give too many details of the sale - if it's the person, trust me - they'll let you know. I just hope that poor lady can get her money or her products. $5000 is no small amount of money and HER financial situation may have changed for the worst now, too. God bless. And please be careful before making changes like that in the future. It's cool to do on You Tube - they encourage you to try switching titles to see what attracts more people, but I can't imagine that being good on an ecommerce site.

[@ppurvis64]

I’ve heard far too many horror stories about Etsy and will not be using their platform for my new business.

[@user-ou8ld3uu5z]

Casey I'm down in North Ark, Marion County. I have been anti Etsy for years and didn't really know exactly 100% why. I had a bad personal experience with them but nothing compared to what everyone is going through now. Anyway did I here you say you are now in a new Ecommerce or are creating one for our area. Let's just say HELP! 😂 we're starting a small business and now it's mobile through craft shows. Best option right now. Need option 2 as a back up plan. However I do love the shows. I know it's creepy but I'd love to chat sometime.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi Marion! More options would definitely be a help to creative entrepreneurs for sure! Thank you for watching, and it is nice to hear from a "neighbor"!

[@barrybark3995]

how many items did u have on Etsy at the time you did the changes? and how long did it take you to do the name changes?also did u ever find that lady who had paid the 5k?

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi Barry, I probably had around 40 items, including custom order options. The customer now has his armoires, he found me. :)

[@j.lietka9406]

Is the... What... 75% $$ being held for 45 days or so by Etsy happening to vendors who have a certain amount of sales per month?

[@user-zi4ko8tt9i]

thank you

[@lolitabonita08]

sue them for damage and stress...moreover consult a commerce lawyer and ask if he can do a letter for you...send that certified and keep a copy...I assure you that etsy will respond fast.

[@rita5496]

The FTC needs to investigate and all these sellers that have had these unethical experiences should be banning together and contacting Congress. Your Congressman can advocate to the agency that can enforce action against Etsy. What they are doing is actually illegal. It is a crime to accept money for orders and not ship them and Etsy is entirely responsible for that. Disgusting ethics.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Rita, I agree that the ethics need a major overhaul!

[@marilynmarilynohearn476]

Have you ever used Posh Mart? I want to start a resale shop. I'm not sure how to get started.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi Marilyn, I have not used PoshMart. I'm still on Etsy and also sell through social media and website.

[@ranchoboomerang]

You know all they needed to do was call you! A.I. needs to be checked. BTW your salad looks yummy

[@dottiemathews6853]

I DON'T LIKE ETSY AND I WILL NEVER SELL ANYTHING ON ETSY!

[@mjrotondi5086]

Etsy is demanding standards but they themselves are not cooperating with the rules of ethical business practices by not giving you the proper time to exit out fairly with customers waiting to receive your product. It affects your identity as a fair and honest businesswoman, not to mention the burden of stress you carry from a transaction left unfinished. Thumbs down on Etsy.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

MJ, I totally agree, and it was also extremely unfair to the customers.

[@KVixen]

I started a shop months ago, (edited, I forgot about the digital products I started with) and opted into the ad share program and gotten... nothing. I've paid to renew listings after posting them, and honestly? It's looking like a better move to migrate to my own website and paying yearly for the domain name. I put in a ton of work, money, and made a lot of sacrifice to see days on end with no views. They might try to claim I'm not doing good on keywords but I maxed those out and looked into the words my ads were being found on... There was only ONE out of hundreds of words/ phrases that I had actually put in, and everything else was either nothing at all to do with my work, or a few that somewhat related. It really sounds/seems like they've gone down hill.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi K, I'm sorry you have had that experience. I have not paid for any ads on Etsy. If I were to give anyone one with an Etsy shop my best piece of advice, it would be to fill the shop with as many solid products as possible, and to write detailed descriptions.

[@dph.6251]

I would like to know something here please for all the people that is really following all the rules and are getting closed down for really now reason at all why don’t a lot of your people file a class action lawsuits against Etsy because it sounds like to me that these people are the ones that is doing wrong and braking their own rules !!! Wow I am so glad I do not do anything at all to the best of my knowledge deal with anything to do with ETSY AT ALL AND IT SURE SOUNDS LIKE I NEVER WANT TO DEAL WITH ANYTHING TO DO WITH EYSY AT ALL PERIOD

[@fire8345]

How did she pay you? You could return the money to the bank or paypal.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi Fire. It does not work that way with Etsy. Etsy does all of the payment processing. If your seller account is open, you can issue a refund notice, which Etsy would then process, but if your account is closed, you cannot do that. However, the customer now has his armoires. :)

[@Sapphireducks]

They shut down my shop for "security reasons". No suspicious activity had been detected but for my protection they locked my account. I never was able to get it opened back up.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Sapphireducks, I'm sorry that happened to you.

[@janeanderson6342]

i'M SO HUNGRY FOR SALAD NOW.

[@mariemaladorno8788]

Unless they get sued, they probably won't care.

[@UppNorth]

etsy seller here. orders are also in the email associated with your etsy shop. it seems too obvious to ask but have you looked there for your buyer's contact info from your old shop?

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi UppNorth, yes, unfortunately, before all that happened, my husband canceled my business gmail thinking I was not using it (because I had a couple). I reinstated it within a couple of days, but all my previous emails were lost. However! As an update, the buyers of the armoires found me after several months and they now have their armoires :).

[@hairounagems]

Really happy to hear that it was resolved.@@paintwithcasey5644

[@AlternativeHomesteading]

I do not have an Etsy shop and I have not shopped on Etsy. However, for some reason it has been popping up in my feed and you are the third person who shot has been Not down who is experiencing this lack of responsiveness. It’s highly unprofessional and there’s another person suggested I think that there needs to be a class action suit against them.

[@skinnybuddha74]

This is outrageous and downright criminal on Etsy's part. If only there was an organization that held businesses accountable for such things. Like some kind of better business b-- Wait a minute... 🤔

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Skinny, I know what you mean!

[@obdachlosen-hilfe]

U can ask the bank to contact the customer to call you back or return the money through the bannk.

[@hootiebubbabuddhabelly]

I never opened a shop and my etsy page still says my account has been suspended because they can't send emails to my email address which is a proton address which is a secure email outfit so, proton isn't letting their emails through. Which says a lot about etsy, in my opinion. I can still purchase from etsy but I don't like to. What I HAVEN'T done and will NEVER do is give them etsy credit card number. They've been sleazy for years. A bit like paypal, if I'm honest, but I haven't gotten completely out of there yet. I still buy items from etsy but more and more stores are moving on. The first place I look for a missing etsy shop is ebay and actually prefer doing business on ebay.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hootie, that is just crazy!! I know I'm a bit late responding, but just saw your comment. So insane you did not open a shop and your account was suspended anyway. They truly need to invest in customer service.

[@hootiebubbabuddhabelly]

@@paintwithcasey5644 It's been suspended for a couple of years. I thought it was because I refused to put my credit card on there, which was suspicious enough with them continuously bugging me about it but now, with the proton thing... if proton (secure email) doesn't allow etsy emails, it's even more suspicious so I'm not using etsy unless I can't get what I'm after somewhere else. And given their major stockholders, they are WAY too shady for my taste.

[@chrisinreallife2022]

I just favorited your shop. Your work is gorgeous! Someday, when I have money, I'll buy something. You have such a skill~ And what Etsy did to you was diabolical. There is NO reason you should have to wait months, or even weeks to hear back from them. They SHOULD ABSOLUTELY have a phone number so sellers can talk to people about issues with their shop. Just like the girl with the mattress word. She should've been able to make a call, or email, and have that resolved in a few hours. They want people to make them money, but they don't care about you. Etsy shops aren't just hobbies for a lot of people, they are needed income and business. Lord I wish some big media site would do some digging and write up a scathing article damning their reputation that would make them have to acknowledge this stuff and change. It's turning into a Ebay at this point. Oh, there is a small, upcoming site that I've heard has GREAT seller support and really vets their sellers to make sure they do handcrafted work. It's called Goimagine. Maybe putting some stuff on there will help you while you sort out this Etsy stuff. Just a suggestion.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hey, Chris! Yes, I know what you mean! Thank you for watching and for sharing your feedback!

[@sherrilenett]

This is exactly what happened to my Etsy. I thought it was legit that someone tampered with my account because I had it shut down for 6-12 months. I have been with Etsy since 2009. This is scary (I was a soap maker). No response from Etsy other than that email that gets automatically sent when you email them!!

[@paintwithcasey5644]

That is a long time to be on Etsy for that to happen! I'm sorry it happened to you, Sherri.

[@Mr__True]

Etsy shutdown my shop after being star seller almost 2 years this is crazy

[@richardscooper1514]

Hi, Casey. How did you open a new Etsy shop with your other one still shutdown? I know sellers who have had their shops suspended and were not allowed to open another one. I was just curious as to how you were able to do that. Also, good luck with your website. My wife sells on Etsy, and their bots have limited her messenger and stripped away her star seller status. She contacted Etsy help 25 days ago, but no one has reviewed her ticket or resolved the issue. This same EXACT thing happened to her shop in January due this ongoing system error, and they fixed it in 3 days. Apparently, it wasn't a permanent fix though. I think their bots, algorithms, security system and Ai have all gone haywire! Who knows if or when she will ever hear back from them this time around. Like you, she wants to get her own website but is intimidated by all the options. She has no idea which ecommerce website service to choose. She sells digital downloads and doesn't know which one would best fit her situation.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Richard, I'm so sorry that happened! When my shop was shut down, I already had an existing second Etsy shop for canvas art which I had neglected and it had set dormant for several months. I moved my furniture to it a couple months after my primary Etsy shop shut down.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Richard, I will also add that after going through many website hosts over the past year, I have settled with Shopify and it am very happy with it. It is user friendly and very upfront.

[@maryjanedavidson2804]

I have been selling on Etsy since 2013, so far so good for me.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

MaryJane, I so love that you are sharing an honest experience. It is always good to hear from different experiences!

[@maryjanedavidson2804]

@@paintwithcasey5644 I hear you, it kind of scares me a bit to hear stories like this though. Also good to have something in the back of my mind to fall back on if Etsy crashes. Thank you.

[@user-fw5hu1xi3j]

Did you go to the credit card companies and tell them what happened. They will refund the buyers money money to your buyer and you keep the piece you were originally selling. Then some months later you could resite it and sell it to someone else

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi, thanks for watching! The sellers do not process the payments and do not have access to the method the buyers on Etsy use to make their payments. Etsy does all the processing. On an up note, the customers did end up receiving their armoires!

[@dorisamstutz5888]

Did you ever get this resolved?

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi Doris, yes, finally! The customers were able to locate me and they have had their armoires for a few months now. :)

[@dorisamstutz5888]

@@paintwithcasey5644 but did Etsy ever release your store? I think that is the worst issue and really needs to be taken care of even though you have a work around with your new store.

[@HelmetVanga]

I missed why her shop was shut down. About the IP address, it is true. The IP number is the computer you are using, that can be traced, also, address and bank account number. Etsy is a vehicle but not the only one.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi Helmet, I'm not entirely sure why the shop was shut down. It happened immediately after I changed (shortened) several listing titles.

[@ilovecornell]

A $100 to ship in armoire???? How’s that possible, omg I can only imagine what’s that like to pack!!??

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi A Darens, I think something may have been miscommunicated or misunderstood. I have not shipped an armoire for $100. :)

[@pompommania]

Very sad what happened to you, and also to the buyer.

[@paintwithcasey5644]

PomPom, thank you for watching. They definitely need a better system!

[@christinebuckingham8369]

I also wondered what happened to that buyer - I’d be more concerned that I had thousands of dollars that belonged to a customer I couldn’t contact!

[@susanarrington9371]

So basically you change titles and they shut you down with no email to fix their mistake?

[@paintwithcasey5644]

Hi Susan, yes, that is correct.

[@infoplus9733]

Done with them

[@BizzarBox]

Dam... now I want a apple.

[@marilynmarilynohearn476]

I think God must have brought your site to me. Thank you for sharing .

[@paintwithcasey5644]

I'm so glad it was helpful!