I have been selling on Etsy since 2007 with over 5,000 seller reviews and have sold over 46,000 items. On Friday, I logged in and noticed a banner saying my shop had been suspended and to check my email how to reactivate the account. I quickly checked my emails and there was no email from Etsy. I checked my spam/junk folder and no email again. My heart sunk and I was completely devastated. I have no idea why my account would be suspended.
Upon further digging with my VA (virtual assistant) we learned that her Etsy account was also suspended. And then we found out after more digging that 4 other accounts that my VA works for are all suspended on the same day! None of these accounts are related and none of them received an email why they were suspended. I think it's awfully suspect that all of these accounts were all suspended with one common denominator of a Virtual Assistant that has permission to access all of the different accounts. She even uses a VPN on each different account just to be safe, but somehow something went wrong. The other marketplaces I sell on like Amazon have a way for me to add my VA as a "permitted user" under the account so nothing would get flagged as being suspicious or related. Why would Etsy not have the same feature?
I emailed through the Etsy page under the Contact Us page on Friday morning. I have heard NOTHING all weekend. I was trying to be patient and think maybe it's because it's the weekend, but here we are Tuesday and nothing all day either. None of the other sellers have received any emails either. Phone calls to Etsy are pointless because the customer support person reads a script and tells us to "respond to the email we got". Well no one got an email, and then the CS hangs up! Completely unprofessional for a huge company and even worse than other marketplaces who actually do EMAIL and do tell you what you did wrong, and do allow you to submit an appeal to lift the suspension.
Yesterday, I emailed Etsy at [email protected] and explained everything and I am awaiting a response from them still. I am completely flabbergasted that a shop can be suspended with no notice or explanation. It has made me realize how unstable this marketplace is for selling. My business would be completely over if I had only be selling on Etsy. I'm warning all sellers to please diversify as soon as you can. You do not own your shop, and Etsy can and will shut you down even if by mistake and then NO communication.
Please, please help! I need help in resolving the suspension and communication how to get it reopened. At the very least, I would like to know WHY it was suspended and what was done wrong.
Source: https://community.etsy.com/t5/Managing-Your-Shop/Suspended-after-selling-for-13-years-and-no-email-no-response/td-p/129251910