Etsy Seller Conduct Policy Explained
Summary
Etsy's Seller Conduct Policy governs how sellers interact with buyers and with Etsy itself. Violations include fake reviews, operating multiple accounts, harassment, and misrepresenting your business. These violations frequently result in permanent suspension.
What Is the Seller Conduct Policy?
Etsy's Seller Conduct Policy sits alongside the individual listing policies and governs seller behaviour at the account level. These violations are often more serious than listing violations — they go to the integrity of the seller rather than a single product — and are more likely to result in permanent suspension.
Review Manipulation
This is one of the most actively enforced areas of Etsy's seller conduct policy. Review manipulation includes:
- Offering incentives (discounts, free items, cash) in exchange for reviews
- Pressuring buyers to change or remove negative reviews
- Creating fake orders to generate positive reviews
- Using friends, family, or networks to leave reviews for items they didn't purchase
Etsy has sophisticated detection systems for review manipulation. The consequences are severe: removal of manipulated reviews, permanent suspension, and in some cases, legal action.
Multiple Account Violations
Each seller is permitted one Etsy account. Operating multiple accounts — whether to circumvent a suspension, split a business artificially, or obtain multiple sets of free listings — is prohibited.
If you have a genuine business reason for multiple shops (e.g., different product lines operated as separate legal entities), you must contact Etsy for pre-approval.
Non-Payment of Fees
Failing to pay Etsy's selling fees, transaction fees, or payment processing fees when due is a policy violation. Etsy will suspend selling privileges for unpaid fees.
Buyer Harassment
Threatening, harassing, or abusing buyers — including retaliatory negative feedback, demanding feedback changes through intimidation, or contacting buyers through non-Etsy channels for dispute resolution purposes — violates the seller conduct policy.
Misrepresenting Your Business
Claiming to be a small independent seller when operating as a large commercial enterprise, or misrepresenting your production capabilities, location, or business structure, violates Etsy's authenticity requirements.
Circumventing Etsy's Payment Systems
Directing buyers to pay outside of Etsy Payments, offering discounts for off-platform payment, or processing transactions through non-Etsy channels violates both seller conduct policy and Etsy's payment terms.
Do
- Respond to all buyer messages within 24 hours
- Resolve disputes through Etsy's official channels and messaging system
- Contact Etsy before opening a second shop for any reason
- Keep your shop sections, billing, and contact information accurate and up to date
- Handle negative reviews professionally — respond publicly, don't pressure buyers
Don't
- Offer any incentive in exchange for a review, positive or otherwise
- Contact buyers outside Etsy to pressure them about disputes or feedback
- Operate a second account to work around a suspension or policy restriction
- Accept payment outside Etsy Payments for Etsy transactions
- Use automated tools or bots to artificially boost favourites, views, or sales
Common Mistakes
- Sending 'review reminder' messages that include implicit incentives
- Asking buyers to update a neutral review to 5-star 'if everything is okay'
- Listing a shop under a family member's account after your own is suspended
- Sharing login credentials with an employee and having them access from a different location, triggering multi-account flags
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