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Friday, April 13, 2012

Closure With Etsy

A very disturbing week - moving on



It's taken me a week to sort out what is more upsetting
  1. Getting the boot by Etsy
  2. Being treated like a # by corporations
On Friday I woke up to a closed SisterMadeEtsy shop. After many emails that went back and forth with legal@etsy.com I was firmly told YOU ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO SELL ON ETSY.

I don't have it in me to tell you every detail but here are the facts in a list.
  • I considered myself and Etsy success story with my stay at home, raise our daughter business 
  • I had a non working email connected to Etsy (an oversight on my part because my paypal was working)
  • Etsy's rules state a non working email is cause to terminate your account
  • On three occasions I had posts removed by Etsy Legal for going against the rules
  • I re-read the dos and don't s with a fine tooth comb and made every change I could think of, having no idea what it really was
  • I contacted Etsy 6 times asking for help using the email I thought was associated with my Etsy account and never heard back from them
  • Without being able to see legal@etsy.com emails I couldn't figure out what I did wrong but was willing to fix it
  • My site was closed by legal@etsy.com last Friday
  • Upon further investigation I discovered my email and corrected it
  • I contacted Etsy immediately and begged for another chance and apologized 
  •  Apparently I used the words fiesta _ _ _ _ to describe my solid color napkins (innocent mistake) I just found this out three days ago
  • They then told me my use of the words above upset the corporation that owns the words
  • I sent an apology to that corporation
  • In turn the corporation sent me a very cold letter stating the laws
  • Etsy Legal also stayed firm saying I was not welcome to sell with them
a contemplative moment
Yesterday I finally broke down and cried. Mostly because of the cold treatment by Etsy Legal and the corporation I offended was truly disheartening. In my world with friends, family and with my customers I am loved, valued and appreciated. With them I felt like another number with another story they've heard before.
I'm purposely trying to stay away from the woes me details ugh!

Though Etsy had every right to close my shop by "the rules"
Was it necessary, was it the right thing to do?

 Moving ON

The good new is I am using this opportunity to grow my business to the next level. It was time but I was leaning on Etsy to make things work.
Etsy was my teacher. In fact I would still recommend anyone start with them. They taught me how to take great pictures, treat my customers, run a business. They taught me how to turn my little business into a real success.  
Having been kicked out of the nest in an aggressive and punitive way has forced me take Stack'd to the next level and think positive.


This week I got a great spot in our local newspaper The Union 



Me, my napkins and my goals
A great big warm fuzzy and slightly gewy heartfelt thank you to my customers and friends who have made this break up less disheartening.
Love,  Ruth

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