Thanks for sharing your experience. I have been considering starting an Esty store. It looks like Etsy is full of envious people who will report you just so they can have all the profits for themselves.
I refused to sell on Etsy due to so many T-Shirt creators would get so many takedown notices, and believe it or not, so many people are now trademarking so so many words, phrases, and simple sayings, I joined Trademark Watch Dawgs on Facebook, seen so so many folks getting takedowns, thought not worth using Etsy.
The issue with your own website (as Zen W explains in one of his other Crafty Stax videos) is that "traffic is everything". He says it's no good having an amazing hamburger stand 🍔 in your own back garden if you're the only one who sets eyes on it 🤣 ruclips.net/video/OTdFeTnlkhc/видео.html 0.59. Love that line, made me LOL .... Etsy's superpower is their traffic generation capabilities, which is why they can be so cocky and arbitrary with good people like our own honest, hard working Z Watercooler/C Stax. As a solopreneur, with your own website (or Shopify store) you have to generate your own traffic. You either pay for it (expensive and hard to master), or spend a lot of time and effort generating it (even harder to master). So, take a balanced view, don't just rush in.
For people who are confused: Copyright an trademark are two different things. They have a trademark on the phrase in that font used with the sun in that style, not on just the phrase. The problem is that etsy pulls it as soon as a formal complaint is issued, which means they dont really look into it, they just see an attorney's letterhead and take it down to avoid legal fees. They are siding with who has more money, they know small sellers cant fight back.
Quite right - they cannot copyright the phrase so the only option is trademark. To have a trademark it will have to be a single unique design. Legitimate businesses use trademarks to be uniquely identified. Sadly copyright as intellectual property is not adequately monitored to determine if entities are using this as a de facto copyright control by registering multiple trademarks.
so let's if we change sun to moon and the phrase to something else , but keep their style like half sun and text style , would they be able to issue a complaint to us?
Yes, they can if you don't register the design sooner than they do. What matters here is who registers the copyright and trademark for that design, regardless of whether they are the creator of that design or not.
Thank you for being so open and to even be taking some time to tell these kind of things thoroughly. It’ll help people to rethink or BE prepared for whats coming for them in reality. I’ve been seeing a lot of “how to sell on etsy” videos, they really be telling only the good stuffs and doesn’t hit us the harsh truth
I can understand your situation. Well, you can complain and you can brag about it. At least you had some copyright infringement and they banned you. I had opened an Etsy store last year. I added around 50 products in a week, you know the excitement right. And I was waiting for the sale to happen as I was adding more products. Hours of working on the store. One day, after 2-3 months of opening the shop, all the button were grey and I was not able to click until I saw your account has been suspended, after few hours I got an email from them saying my account was banned and I should never open a store again. No reason was given, why they banned my store. I was so angry, I had spent 3 months, zero sales, and no reason was given why did they ban my account. I think they have become too egotistical and proud of their portal and have become unethical. I simply hate Etsy Thanks for the video
I was banned after 8 months and now they are holding my funds for 6 months. I was banned for selling feminine wash. almost every month they started deactivating my listings. I was being reported and BOOM they banned me.
I just opened my store 2 days ago, and it already got suspended. I’m still waiting for them to send me a email saying the reason. Probably will start my own website at this point.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I have just started an Etsy shop so will take into account what you have said. Bottom line - If someone else owns the company, they have all the control. Etsy is a great start but the end goal should always be having your own store / website. Thanks again.
I was going to start an etsy shop but thank you for sharing such horrific truths about this platform which I didn't know earlier. Thank you very much for your time you spent on making this video.
I love how you explain things. You have a very soothing voice and direct, coherent manner of communicating! Maybe you have a job in radio if the online sales drive you crazy! LOL. :) Nice video. Thanks.
We could end a lot of this system abuse by malicious sellers very easily. The company has to give you your accuser's real name and contact information. You have a right to know who your accuser is. They should not be allowed to make anonymous complaints because that is just asking for the system to be abused. In fact, this should be for all sites. Because the endless accusations would come to a screeching halt if the accusers were forced to use their real name and give contact info.
Great video, super informative couldn’t have found it at a better time we’re just about to start our candle business and thought about Etsy. P.S you should consider doing a podcast you’ve got the story telling skill.
“You Are My Sunshine” is a well known song title. I wasn’t aware that apparel stores could trademark song titles or lines of lyrics. Thanks for sharing your experience.
You are my sunshine is a copyrighted song, although I’m not sure if the copyright is still valid. Also you are my sunshine was copyrighted by Kelsey Murray in 2016 for use on clothing. You can check at uspto.gov
I’m m thinking maybe it’s the songwriter or the publishing company who holds the copyright to “You Are My Sunshine.” But they probably stopped bothering suing anyone ages ago over using that song title because it was used in popular culture so much. And as you may know, some numbskull copyrighted the “Happy Birthday” song, and last time I heard, no one can sing it in public performances without permission. Crazy.🤪
They didn't trademark it they were just claiming they did. People can apply to trademark anything but they have to show a reason. It seems like they meant copyright not trademark. Their shirt in that form was copyright as soon as they made it but "You Are My Sunshine" on it's own wouldn't have been copyright to them because in fact someone else had the trademark for that already based on the song.
I don’t think they really can. It’s such a shame. In this case I feel like the “owner” of that trademark may have trademarked to try to get “rich” off of others using it. I’d hope a judge would see right through that. :/
@@trueCrimeGuruYes Definitely. It’s such a shame that we have so many big robotic companies that can ban the business of smaller people based on one persons complaint, without substantial evidence. I’ve seen that happen on RUclips to someone, and it’s happened to my boyfriend and I on TikTok, and on his EBay store. :( Somethings need to change.
Fantastic comprehensive video. I've been on etsy for 9 yrs, used to love it and do well with handmade items, but since the forced "free shipping" debarkle which I did not opt in to, the tragic cost increase of postage, the outrageous fees, the aweful customer service and the fact that etsy is now sadly flooded with cheap overseas garbage...I feel I can no longer compete and I know I've been pushed waaaay down in the search. My sales are sitting at zero and have been for some time. Etsy used to be a wonderful marketplace and ive loved my time there but I agree with all your points, somewhere things changed. And yes...other sites target you. I've even had scammers cut and paste my entire store and try to sell on another platform. I've considered the digital items realm but I feel most platforms are very over saturated these days. What do you do when you can't afford your own merchant site? Im stuck. Thanks for a great honest video 👍
Your videos are so so so HONEST! Thank yo uso much for putting your heart and soul into these. It's so hard to find on youtube these days! Really appreciate it.
I appreciate you taking the time to explain what happened to you. And I do think it’s terrible that these large platform selling sites are opaque when it comes to giving you the information you need to correct something if you’ve made a mistake, or someone makes a complaint. I hope you one day get your Etsy store back. You mention opening up your own website/store for $50 a year. How would you recommend doing that? I’m sure others would love your views on that as well. Thanks for the great content.
I’m hearing you when you’re saying ppl can get on your back about stuff, but I just want to say I really appreciate you, giving us your experience and letting us know what worked for you and what didn’t. It is so frustrating and so I am so glad you decided to give us your thoughts and experience.
Etsy is a good site, but like many online platforms they are so arbitrary and non transparent about their online dealings. The better route is to utilize the space for what it's worth, with a keen eye on moving on to your own. Strategy is EVERYTHING!!
Thank you Zen for sharing your experiences. My time is precious so it is important to take part in experiences like this. My strategy gets better and better over time, which also becomes more valuable over time. I was going to start with Etsy but I give up and adjust my plan to something better and more independent. Thanks again!
Absolutely - I still sell on Etsy on occasion (technically my wife is selling, hopefully the POD Police don’t arrest me) but we certainly don’t invest a ton of time energy in it 🍻🍻
This is why I am glad I am a supplier on Etsy. I sell beads and charms for jewelry making, sometimes I include my own jewelry designs, but a majority of my shop is resell. I just don't want to deal with petty people who think they own everything and they are the only ones allowed to sell things.
Many thanks for this video, this channel and your other channel Crafty Stax. I am currently attending the 'University of True Life Experiences' (my nickname for your channels & videos). I have subscribed to a few, but you are the best by far. My aim is to become your most successful student ever. I owe this to you for your time, effort and beautifully balanced output. Thank you deeply. Pete...
Damn.. I have an etsy store with 250 sales (Start oct-2020) and i spend a lot of time on it... i'm really scared now :( I wish Etsy would do some real investigation work into these claims... they don't appreciate the amount of time it takes to run a successful store. Sub'd and liked your vid - very eye-opening. I will be doing more trademark audits on my store as a double stitch moving forward - thank you so much again!
Excellent measured presentation of the pros and cons of setting up shop on Etsy and similar platforms. You've confirmed what I already concluded as a Newbie to the Etsy platform with 5 sales so far. No 1 LESSON here is DON'T put all your eggs in one basket. It is absolutely paramount that you set up your own independent website along side your Etsy store. I'm in the humble beginnings of my journey on Etsy purely for the traffic as a newbie but I've already started creating my website and plan to drive all my Etsy customers to my website once it's up and running. Many thanks for sharing your candid account of your experience on the platform. Best wishes to you from London, UK.
Thank you so so much for this very helpful and honest information. I have been up on Etsy for about 3 weeks and have been already suspended with only 2 sale! It's good to know the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Your video was extremely helpful.
I appreciate the feedback and I am sorry to hear that! It is extremely frustrating especially considering the amount of work that goes into setting up a shop!
The biggest problem with these POD websites is that they don't inform anyone (buyers & sellers) showing a legal serial code to ensure you're the artist who created that piece. I hope something happens soon.
You certainly woke me up!! I was thinking it be really easy but it's not. I threw up a couple listings only so this is great to know before I get to deep. I'll certainly be more cautious now.
Thank you for taking time to make the comprehensive useful video to share your experiences. Having your own store and diversify with other platforms is best. Good luck.
Thank you I REALLY appreciate the time you took to explain Esty. I am or was about to start my shop with Esty but just decided to go in another. Direction. What you have said is exactly what others are saying. Thank you again. Very informative video
You are most welcome Genia! Lots of options out there too. An idea that is pretty popular is to have a "real" store online (like your own website) and then have a small Etsy shop with a few designs and sales and a link to your real shop. Thank you for the feedback!
Thank you for sharing. This is very helpful as I'm new to Etsy and already had 2 listings deactivated, I didn't realize then but I know why. Opening a Shopify is on my to do list today.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets designs taken down and can't explain why. I'm sure it would be impossible to get a design removed if it was a big brand company who copied one of our designs.
IS it your original design? If it is, damn that sucks.. That's so frustrating that you're creating original artwork and then get banned one day.. The time wasted, omg.. I can't. :/
Thank you for this video. I got here by looking up Etsy videos hoping to learn some things because I was considering going the Etsy route. Now I know better and will share this video. Hopefully the word will spread enough to impact their bottom line and they will restructure their model to deal with these things more actively, instead of it all being automated through computers.
"They would never specify what it is that's the problem." "A robotic answer back." In other words their legal team raised you the virtual finger because you're a small fish. You really nailed the problem with this lucid, well articulated video. They have a giant machine and what are you going to do about it? Sell everywhere, but have your own platform: it's called "going wide". The challenge, of course, is marketing.
This was very insightful. Thank you for sharing your experience. I used to sell on Amazon and you're right, the customer service aspect is a soul suck.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. This is why I have my own websites. Also, with your own website, you can build an email list which is the most valuable asset you will ever own!
Was the trademark you showed as a reference for "You Are My Sunshine" for appearal? As far as I understand, trademarks are applied for and to different types of products. Just because someone has a trademark it does not apply to all types of products i.e appearal verses papergoods. There is a way to look up more details of a trademark phrase that includes the exact type of product it is being used on. I can't remember the www site name but when I do I will come back and update this comment.
Thanks man. I started on Etsy and my account was suspended before I could upload my first listing! Three days and two emails later, NOTHING from Etsy support.
Zen thank you so much for your caution, I'm so job burned out and have little time to invest my precious free time in something that is so "dangerous" in a way.....I'll diversify, I really do thank u 😊 for a good dose of reality. BTW hey why aren't u promoting ur book??! I was looking on Amazon for pod books and there u were... I was thrilled. I just got it today...very exciting..thank so very much Zen for all the hard work writing it too...very grateful :>)
I love your videos and your straight and honest way of telling us your ideas and experiences. I am selling on Etsy and I believe is true that you have to be very careful of not having all your eggs in one basket, and that you have to be very careful with your designs not to be stolen or not to make any infringements. Etsy is fantastic as you said, and I plan to open my website when I have more sales, as one of the biggest pros of Etsy is the traffic! For newbies like me, this is the perfect platform to experiment and learn. Thank you again.
You are most welcome and I completely agree - I think you are on the right track with having your website (and then using an Etsy shop to increase traffic and drive it to your shop). I think it's smart that if you send an order through Etsy, your label and thank you note has your "real" website on it and that way you can hopefully get repeat business directly to the customer. 💪
i think all of them because they have all the ways to control you because your under their company, its better to just put up your own store where you have everything under your control.
I tried listing on Etsy before and my ID was requested. I was reluctant to submit my personal details. But for the sake of gaining access to the marketplace, I submitted my ID despite privacy and security risks. But it wasn't approved. No reason given. I can however buy on Etsy. Buying is fast and easy. But I cannot sell on Etsy. Since then I don't have a good impression of them.
Really useful vid. Probably a lot of people set up on Etsy because they're not sure about setting up the sales/payment part if they have their own website, or even how to market, so Etsy seems a good option for all that. But nobody really thinks or explains the possible problems that come with the 'easy' option. Like you say, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Many thanks for taking the time to put this info out.
Dear Zen this is such a verrrry sad story. Heartbreaking😪 I only discovered you a few days ago and am watching your videos as fast as I can. I know you are big on RB but am wondering if you started a Shopify store too. It sounds like a good idea but for people with no following and not enough money to do paid ads (not for long anyways) it doesn't seem feasible. Also, I am wondering if you have sold on EBay. I wish only allllll the very best wonderful Zen.Of all the channels and hosts on YT you are truly at the top.❤
Thanks for sharing your experience on this site. I heard there are way more espy stores/ shopes? What is trending on there!? I just want to think about the different sales sites. I need to sell fast due I am saving for moving & downsize my place. I wondered about this ..how it all is gonna work. Thanks for the pros & cons of Etsy.
It's tough to say what is trending on Etsy because there are literally millions of different products that are being sold. This is an older video (so the quality is not great) but I cover ways to figure out how to find best-selling products in general: ruclips.net/video/38GycayD2EE/видео.html
That is why if I am gonna make a tee shirt design, I only use my drawings, not some words or sentences because I never know if it is from a famous song, speech or anything.
I did sell only my original art works no copyright or trademark infringement and TeePublic permanently shut down my shop without saying the reason and answering my email. When I checked out what others sell there I had to laugh. Bernie Sanders sitting on his chair 2300 results😇 Definitely go with your website🤗
Thanks for sharing. This is the problem with all big sites, instagram, facebook, amazon. They are so busy being big they really can no be bothered with the truth. So many people do things that shouldn't be done and it is still up. Inever get it. Yes there are people out there who report out of spite.
Thank you so much sir. I felt really bad for you. I wish you will be more successful on other platforms. I really don’t want to waste my time with Etsy. Could you pls make a video on your Shopify experience if you have sir?
Great video! I am curiosity what are we supposed to answer to a customer whose other clothes are destroyed in the laundry due to ink spilling from the t-shirt that the customer bought from our Etsy store? What is the best way to handle such situations?
Yes great question and I have had that happen occasionally. In every instance, the print on demand supplier (like Printful) has sent another shirt no charge to the customer. They just ask for a picture from the client. Overall it is a bit of time spent but you are not out of pocket (no refund, just another shirt gets sent no charge).
@@zenwatercooler thanks for your response! I was under the impression that some customer like to take it further like those crazy Karens saying “I will sue you” for destroying my laundry and what not, I am glad you haven’t come across such customers 😄
The part around @12:00 about people not knowing how to do basic computer functions is enough to deter me from ever selling digital products! I worked I.T. for over 10 years and I get how annoying this is!! grandma computer support......been there...done that.....I'm out. 😀😀
Hi, I am not sure why I hadn't stumbled upon your channel before but today I did and I'm glad. I"m sorry this happened to you and it is quite disappointing. You sound like Richard Paul Evans, the author of the "The Walk" I have listened to his books on audio and you have a soothing voice like his. Hey, maybe you can do audio readings!!!! I"m in for the win! Take care!
That was a wonderful intelligent conversation. I truly enjoyed your video. As for my choice, I will be setting up my own website. It's only going to get worse with all of these companies (eBay, Etsy, etc.)
Found this very helpful. Thank you for sharing. I am curious however... Regarding the baseball stitch listing... Did you purchase that set as it is seen and were reselling? Because I believe if thats the case then you would be infringing on someones intellectual property. They would've probably intended (and probably stated somewhere in their own listing) that it wasnt to be resold as is but only be used in designing your own works (using individual parts of that package). If I am wrong, I apologise. Just wondered as looking at your listing my first thought was "how could that be infringement" assuming it was based on some trademark or copyright thing. But...if thaat package was actually purchased as such and then being resold in whole or in part...that may be where the infringement on intellectual property comes in.
No apology necessary - we are all left guessing at what the Etsy gods decide. I know for me, I created that baseball design by finding a high quality public domain image, tracing the bitmap of the stitches and then cleaning it up. It was not just a grab from another image. So it might have looked like someone else's design I guess, but there is no way it was identical (because I created it digitally myself).
Im retyping my comment because it disappeared. Thanks for this video! Same thing happened to me. So I opened a Shopify store. 6 months and no sales yet. Can you make a video detailing how to advertise and where? I’m scared to jump in to advertising for some reason. Another video idea : “how to find your niche”. My store is a general store of sorts. I’m floundering. Tia!
Thank you for the feedback! Yes I typically use Justia (I also just Google "is [name] trademarked) just in case there's any news or anything weird. It's not perfect but it generally catches anything I have been using so far!
Had exactly the same "we received a complaint, and heve removed your art" crap from Redbubble. I used my own photographs that contained a KLM plane. No logo visible even, but some lawfirm from the Netherlands made a complaint with RB. Aparently, using the KLM blue color is enough to get such a complaint. Protested, of course. But to no avail. Got a "permanent removal" notification a few weeks later. 2 months later: same thing with an Air Transat Airplane picture (this time the logo was visible). And I had even asked Air Transat Legal if I could use that specific photograph for comercial purposes (because of that loge; never got an anwer, though). It's just not worth the fight, Im sorry to say.
I dont know if it helps. Ive started dating and signing my work as a result of this video. Im also going to keep the digital info of when I put them on computer as evidence. Possibly evidence of upload date.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I have been considering starting an Esty store. It looks like Etsy is full of envious people who will report you just so they can have all the profits for themselves.
So true!
I refused to sell on Etsy due to so many T-Shirt creators would get so many takedown notices, and believe it or not, so many people are now trademarking so so many words, phrases, and simple sayings, I joined Trademark Watch Dawgs on Facebook, seen so so many folks getting takedowns, thought not worth using Etsy.
Yep not going there either lol
You are correct about that.
Yep, exactly that. Envious bitter people falsely reporting hard working sellers. How can anyone succeed nowadays
I've been watching "why etsy closed my shop" videos this morning for my own channel, and this was the most balanced one I've heard.
omg so true, all the moms shopping on etsy have so many questions and get so belligerent mad when they dont read the description before purchasing
I was debating between an ETSY store and my own website-I think I've made my decision now. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Have both
Its better to have your own site . In this way, thieves won't know which one is your best selling for them to rio off
@@neilgyverabangan6989 yea, but nobody got time for that. Alot of work for packaging 📦, shipping. It's time consuming
@@neilgyverabangan6989 easier to do digital .
The issue with your own website (as Zen W explains in one of his other Crafty Stax videos) is that "traffic is everything". He says it's no good having an amazing hamburger stand 🍔 in your own back garden if you're the only one who sets eyes on it 🤣 ruclips.net/video/OTdFeTnlkhc/видео.html 0.59. Love that line, made me LOL .... Etsy's superpower is their traffic generation capabilities, which is why they can be so cocky and arbitrary with good people like our own honest, hard working Z Watercooler/C Stax. As a solopreneur, with your own website (or Shopify store) you have to generate your own traffic. You either pay for it (expensive and hard to master), or spend a lot of time and effort generating it (even harder to master). So, take a balanced view, don't just rush in.
For people who are confused: Copyright an trademark are two different things. They have a trademark on the phrase in that font used with the sun in that style, not on just the phrase. The problem is that etsy pulls it as soon as a formal complaint is issued, which means they dont really look into it, they just see an attorney's letterhead and take it down to avoid legal fees. They are siding with who has more money, they know small sellers cant fight back.
Quite right - they cannot copyright the phrase so the only option is trademark. To have a trademark it will have to be a single unique design. Legitimate businesses use trademarks to be uniquely identified. Sadly copyright as intellectual property is not adequately monitored to determine if entities are using this as a de facto copyright control by registering multiple trademarks.
so let's if we change sun to moon and the phrase to something else , but keep their style like half sun and text style , would they be able to issue a complaint to us?
Yes, they can if you don't register the design sooner than they do. What matters here is who registers the copyright and trademark for that design, regardless of whether they are the creator of that design or not.
Thank you for being so open and to even be taking some time to tell these kind of things thoroughly. It’ll help people to rethink or BE prepared for whats coming for them in reality. I’ve been seeing a lot of “how to sell on etsy” videos, they really be telling only the good stuffs and doesn’t hit us the harsh truth
I can understand your situation. Well, you can complain and you can brag about it. At least you had some copyright infringement and they banned you.
I had opened an Etsy store last year. I added around 50 products in a week, you know the excitement right. And I was waiting for the sale to happen as I was adding more products. Hours of working on the store. One day, after 2-3 months of opening the shop, all the button were grey and I was not able to click until I saw your account has been suspended, after few hours I got an email from them saying my account was banned and I should never open a store again. No reason was given, why they banned my store.
I was so angry, I had spent 3 months, zero sales, and no reason was given why did they ban my account.
I think they have become too egotistical and proud of their portal and have become unethical. I simply hate Etsy
Thanks for the video
and yet there are people on there literally selling PORN and no matter how many times it's reported they leave it up.
wtf? Time to get the cancel crew on Etsy's ass. This is not the first time I heard of this.
I was banned after 8 months and now they are holding my funds for 6 months. I was banned for selling feminine wash. almost every month they started deactivating my listings. I was being reported and BOOM they banned me.
Did you move to another platform?
I just opened my store 2 days ago, and it already got suspended. I’m still waiting for them to send me a email saying the reason. Probably will start my own website at this point.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I have just started an Etsy shop so will take into account what you have said. Bottom line - If someone else owns the company, they have all the control. Etsy is a great start but the end goal should always be having your own store / website. Thanks again.
Makes sense. What are some of the ways to get your own website noticed? Is it ads and stuff?
@@Buzza235 still new at this so taking it slow. Haven't looked into ads yet.
@@victoriavirgo All the best 🙏
@Victoria Virgo Same here! I just started my own website and its slow going at this point I'm researching for ways to drive traffic to my website.
Good call. Think of Etsy as advertising for your own site.
I felt bad for what happened to you on Etsy. Thank you for sharing your experience and for giving us a heads up.
I was going to start an etsy shop but thank you for sharing such horrific truths about this platform which I didn't know earlier. Thank you very much for your time you spent on making this video.
I love how you explain things. You have a very soothing voice and direct, coherent manner of communicating! Maybe you have a job in radio if the online sales drive you crazy! LOL. :) Nice video. Thanks.
We could end a lot of this system abuse by malicious sellers very easily. The company has to give you your accuser's real name and contact information. You have a right to know who your accuser is. They should not be allowed to make anonymous complaints because that is just asking for the system to be abused.
In fact, this should be for all sites. Because the endless accusations would come to a screeching halt if the accusers were forced to use their real name and give contact info.
💯💯💯
Great video, super informative couldn’t have found it at a better time we’re just about to start our candle business and thought about Etsy. P.S you should consider doing a podcast you’ve got the story telling skill.
Wow! This is such an awesome insight. Never knew those tings could happen when selling digital files on Etsy. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Thank you for the feedback Dennis, much appreciated! 🍻
“You Are My Sunshine” is a well known song title. I wasn’t aware that apparel stores could trademark song titles or lines of lyrics. Thanks for sharing your experience.
You are my sunshine is a copyrighted song, although I’m not sure if the copyright is still valid. Also you are my sunshine was copyrighted by Kelsey Murray in 2016 for use on clothing. You can check at uspto.gov
I’m m thinking maybe it’s the songwriter or the publishing company who holds the copyright to “You Are My Sunshine.” But they probably stopped bothering suing anyone ages ago over using that song title because it was used in popular culture so much. And as you may know, some numbskull copyrighted the “Happy Birthday” song, and last time I heard, no one can sing it in public performances without permission. Crazy.🤪
They didn't trademark it they were just claiming they did. People can apply to trademark anything but they have to show a reason. It seems like they meant copyright not trademark. Their shirt in that form was copyright as soon as they made it but "You Are My Sunshine" on it's own wouldn't have been copyright to them because in fact someone else had the trademark for that already based on the song.
I don’t think they really can. It’s such a shame. In this case I feel like the “owner” of that trademark may have trademarked to try to get “rich” off of others using it. I’d hope a judge would see right through that. :/
@@trueCrimeGuruYes Definitely. It’s such a shame that we have so many big robotic companies that can ban the business of smaller people based on one persons complaint, without substantial evidence. I’ve seen that happen on RUclips to someone, and it’s happened to my boyfriend and I on TikTok, and on his EBay store. :( Somethings need to change.
This is the most refreshing etsy extensive review I've heard all day, thank you!
Fantastic comprehensive video. I've been on etsy for 9 yrs, used to love it and do well with handmade items, but since the forced "free shipping" debarkle which I did not opt in to, the tragic cost increase of postage, the outrageous fees, the aweful customer service and the fact that etsy is now sadly flooded with cheap overseas garbage...I feel I can no longer compete and I know I've been pushed waaaay down in the search. My sales are sitting at zero and have been for some time. Etsy used to be a wonderful marketplace and ive loved my time there but I agree with all your points, somewhere things changed. And yes...other sites target you. I've even had scammers cut and paste my entire store and try to sell on another platform. I've considered the digital items realm but I feel most platforms are very over saturated these days. What do you do when you can't afford your own merchant site? Im stuck. Thanks for a great honest video 👍
Thank you for taking the time to write that feedback, I very much appreciate it!!
@@zainabmohammedlawan6401 scam
Getting some work done and playing your playlist because your voice is soothing and I'm learning while working.
I appreciate that, thanks! Glad it is helpful!!
Your videos are so so so HONEST! Thank yo uso much for putting your heart and soul into these. It's so hard to find on youtube these days! Really appreciate it.
Do you still maje a good profit with the shipping cost
@@faithrn5267 that depends on your definition of "good profit". If I can make 6$ profit on one sale I am happy.
I appreciate you taking the time to explain what happened to you. And I do think it’s terrible that these large platform selling sites are opaque when it comes to giving you the information you need to correct something if you’ve made a mistake, or someone makes a complaint. I hope you one day get your Etsy store back.
You mention opening up your own website/store for $50 a year. How would you recommend doing that? I’m sure others would love your views on that as well. Thanks for the great content.
I feel so sorry for what happened
anyway thanks for sharing your experience with Etsy and i wish for you the best
That was an awesome video. I have just started on this and needed to know the ugly side of it to protect myself.
Hi pretty lady. How you doing today 😘
I’m hearing you when you’re saying ppl can get on your back about stuff, but I just want to say I really appreciate you, giving us your experience and letting us know what worked for you and what didn’t. It is so frustrating and so I am so glad you decided to give us your thoughts and experience.
I have heard other similar stories about Etsy. Thanks for sharing.
Etsy is a good site, but like many online platforms they are so arbitrary and non transparent about their online dealings. The better route is to utilize the space for what it's worth, with a keen eye on moving on to your own. Strategy is EVERYTHING!!
Thank you Zen for sharing your experiences. My time is precious so it is important to take part in experiences like this. My strategy gets better and better over time, which also becomes more valuable over time. I was going to start with Etsy but I give up and adjust my plan to something better and more independent. Thanks again!
Absolutely - I still sell on Etsy on occasion (technically my wife is selling, hopefully the POD Police don’t arrest me) but we certainly don’t invest a ton of time energy in it 🍻🍻
This is why I am glad I am a supplier on Etsy. I sell beads and charms for jewelry making, sometimes I include my own jewelry designs, but a majority of my shop is resell. I just don't want to deal with petty people who think they own everything and they are the only ones allowed to sell things.
The problem with reselling is that it is forbiden on Etsy.
@@kudrah you are allowed to resell craft supplies such as beads and charms
@@Emma.Vaccaro Only vintage. Not any craft supplies
@@kudrah yes, you can sell craft supplies.
Many thanks for this video, this channel and your other channel Crafty Stax. I am currently attending the 'University of True Life Experiences' (my nickname for your channels & videos). I have subscribed to a few, but you are the best by far. My aim is to become your most successful student ever. I owe this to you for your time, effort and beautifully balanced output. Thank you deeply. Pete...
Damn.. I have an etsy store with 250 sales (Start oct-2020) and i spend a lot of time on it... i'm really scared now :( I wish Etsy would do some real investigation work into these claims... they don't appreciate the amount of time it takes to run a successful store.
Sub'd and liked your vid - very eye-opening. I will be doing more trademark audits on my store as a double stitch moving forward - thank you so much again!
Absolutely - I am jealous! I loved selling on Etsy and their SEO is amazing. I wish you success!!
Excellent measured presentation of the pros and cons of setting up shop on Etsy and similar platforms. You've confirmed what I already concluded as a Newbie to the Etsy platform with 5 sales so far. No 1 LESSON here is DON'T put all your eggs in one basket. It is absolutely paramount that you set up your own independent website along side your Etsy store. I'm in the humble beginnings of my journey on Etsy purely for the traffic as a newbie but I've already started creating my website and plan to drive all my Etsy customers to my website once it's up and running. Many thanks for sharing your candid account of your experience on the platform. Best wishes to you from London, UK.
Thank you so so much for this very helpful and honest information. I have been up on Etsy for about 3 weeks and have been already suspended with only 2 sale! It's good to know the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Your video was extremely helpful.
I appreciate the feedback and I am sorry to hear that! It is extremely frustrating especially considering the amount of work that goes into setting up a shop!
Why do u think u were suspended ?
The biggest problem with these POD websites is that they don't inform anyone (buyers & sellers) showing a legal serial code to ensure you're the artist who created that piece. I hope something happens soon.
You certainly woke me up!! I was thinking it be really easy but it's not. I threw up a couple listings only so this is great to know before I get to deep. I'll certainly be more cautious now.
That's the experience I been talking about. You been there done it. You the man bro =)
super important information my friend good job, the new sellers need to know with which monster they have business
Not only are your videos incredibly honest & informational...but you crack me up, "can I come pick up the files?...ohmygod 🤦🏼♀️"
Thank you for taking time to make the comprehensive useful video to share your experiences. Having your own store and diversify with other platforms is best. Good luck.
Thank you I REALLY appreciate the time you took to explain Esty. I am or was about to start my shop with Esty but just decided to go in another. Direction. What you have said is exactly what others are saying. Thank you again. Very informative video
You are most welcome Genia! Lots of options out there too. An idea that is pretty popular is to have a "real" store online (like your own website) and then have a small Etsy shop with a few designs and sales and a link to your real shop. Thank you for the feedback!
Thank you for sharing. This is very helpful as I'm new to Etsy and already had 2 listings deactivated, I didn't realize then but I know why. Opening a Shopify is on my to do list today.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets designs taken down and can't explain why. I'm sure it would be impossible to get a design removed if it was a big brand company who copied one of our designs.
IS it your original design? If it is, damn that sucks.. That's so frustrating that you're creating original artwork and then get banned one day.. The time wasted, omg.. I can't. :/
@@sexymary yeah it's frustrating but that's the risk unfortunately.
Thank you for this video. I got here by looking up Etsy videos hoping to learn some things because I was considering going the Etsy route. Now I know better and will share this video. Hopefully the word will spread enough to impact their bottom line and they will restructure their model to deal with these things more actively, instead of it all being automated through computers.
You are most welcome - it was a good lesson for me to not put all my print on demand eggs in one basket. 👍
thanks i am considering an etsy shop its always good to hear the other side of the story
which alternatives do you suggest?
Love your video! Thank you so much for taking the time to make it!
Thank you for sharing. I have been considering opening a shop on Etsy but now I will do my own website.
Hi pretty lady. How are you doing today 😘😘?
Hey, Thankyou! For your honest and integral guidance re Etsy, I really apprciated it and found you nothing other than professional. Thanks again.
I love your energy and honesty
"They would never specify what it is that's the problem." "A robotic answer back." In other words their legal team raised you the virtual finger because you're a small fish.
You really nailed the problem with this lucid, well articulated video.
They have a giant machine and what are you going to do about it?
Sell everywhere, but have your own platform: it's called "going wide". The challenge, of course, is marketing.
This was very insightful. Thank you for sharing your experience. I used to sell on Amazon and you're right, the customer service aspect is a soul suck.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. This is why I have my own websites. Also, with your own website, you can build an email list which is the most valuable asset you will ever own!
Absolutely - great point!!
Was the trademark you showed as a reference for "You Are My Sunshine" for appearal? As far as I understand, trademarks are applied for and to different types of products. Just because someone has a trademark it does not apply to all types of products i.e appearal verses papergoods. There is a way to look up more details of a trademark phrase that includes the exact type of product it is being used on. I can't remember the www site name but when I do I will come back and update this comment.
“The ink ran and destroyed somebody’s life” 😂🤣
I'm sorry you had to go through all of this. So many monstrous giants in this world we live in now.
Thanks man. I started on Etsy and my account was suspended before I could upload my first listing! Three days and two emails later, NOTHING from Etsy support.
Why? Maybe you didn't fill in the bank account thing. I think they want to verify first if you an account.
Zen thank you so much for your caution, I'm so job burned out and have little time to invest my precious free time in something that is so "dangerous" in a way.....I'll diversify, I really do thank u 😊 for a good dose of reality. BTW hey why aren't u promoting ur book??! I was looking on Amazon for pod books and there u were... I was thrilled. I just got it today...very exciting..thank so very much Zen for all the hard work writing it too...very grateful :>)
Thanks I am the world’s worst salesman. I hope you find it helpful!!
I love your videos and your straight and honest way of telling us your ideas and experiences. I am selling on Etsy and I believe is true that you have to be very careful of not having all your eggs in one basket, and that you have to be very careful with your designs not to be stolen or not to make any infringements.
Etsy is fantastic as you said, and I plan to open my website when I have more sales, as one of the biggest pros of Etsy is the traffic! For newbies like me, this is the perfect platform to experiment and learn. Thank you again.
You are most welcome and I completely agree - I think you are on the right track with having your website (and then using an Etsy shop to increase traffic and drive it to your shop). I think it's smart that if you send an order through Etsy, your label and thank you note has your "real" website on it and that way you can hopefully get repeat business directly to the customer. 💪
It was super helpful video, thank you for sharing your experience.
That's real info. The behind the scenes of online business. Merci beaucoup.
Thanks for the info , so where are you selling now or what platform can you suggest would be the best to sell on?.... Cheers :)
i think all of them because they have all the ways to control you because your under their company, its better to just put up your own store where you have everything under your control.
I tried listing on Etsy before and my ID was requested. I was reluctant to submit my personal details. But for the sake of gaining access to the marketplace, I submitted my ID despite privacy and security risks. But it wasn't approved. No reason given. I can however buy on Etsy. Buying is fast and easy. But I cannot sell on Etsy. Since then I don't have a good impression of them.
Really useful vid. Probably a lot of people set up on Etsy because they're not sure about setting up the sales/payment part if they have their own website, or even how to market, so Etsy seems a good option for all that. But nobody really thinks or explains the possible problems that come with the 'easy' option. Like you say, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Many thanks for taking the time to put this info out.
Sorry to hear about it... Did you start your own website after that? Maybe it was worth it to try :)
We value and love you friend - all the best you’re so very kind and wise 🙌🏾
Dear Zen this is such a verrrry sad story. Heartbreaking😪 I only discovered you a few days ago and am watching your videos as fast as I can. I know you are big on RB but am wondering if you started a Shopify store too. It sounds like a good idea but for people with no following and not enough money to do paid ads (not for long anyways) it doesn't seem feasible. Also, I am wondering if you have sold on EBay. I wish only allllll the very best wonderful Zen.Of all the channels and hosts on YT you are truly at the top.❤
Thank you so much for sharing. This was such an eyeopener. Your advice is well taken and will be heeded.
Thanks for sharing your experience on this site. I heard there are way more espy stores/ shopes? What is trending on there!? I just want to think about the different sales sites. I need to sell fast due I am saving for moving & downsize my place. I wondered about this ..how it all is gonna work. Thanks for the pros & cons of Etsy.
It's tough to say what is trending on Etsy because there are literally millions of different products that are being sold. This is an older video (so the quality is not great) but I cover ways to figure out how to find best-selling products in general: ruclips.net/video/38GycayD2EE/видео.html
Really good. Thank you. Most grateful for your content.
Very informative. I am thinking of opening an Etsy shop. All your information is goo to know. Thank you. Sorry you got banned.
That is why if I am gonna make a tee shirt design, I only use my drawings, not some words or sentences because I never know if it is from a famous song, speech or anything.
Plus you have the upside of customers liking your style (versus just pulling art or text from the internet). Great strategy 👍
I did sell only my original art works no copyright or trademark infringement and TeePublic permanently shut down my shop without saying the reason and answering my email. When I checked out what others sell there I had to laugh. Bernie Sanders sitting on his chair 2300 results😇 Definitely go with your website🤗
Thank you very much for sharing your experience - may god give you succes!
Thank You for this video. Will be a video any soon about Teepublic on why listings not showing up in the marketplace search?
Thanks for sharing. This is the problem with all big sites, instagram, facebook, amazon. They are so busy being big they really can no be bothered with the truth. So many people do things that shouldn't be done and it is still up. Inever get it. Yes there are people out there who report out of spite.
Thanks for sharing your real life experiences.
HELLO ! How can we make our own website? Any tips for hosting and payment method? THX
Or can you make a video about that? xd
Thank you so much sir. I felt really bad for you. I wish you will be more successful on other platforms. I really don’t want to waste my time with Etsy. Could you pls make a video on your Shopify experience if you have sir?
Thanks for sharing. Same thing happened to me. So frustrating. I now have my own site also.
Hi pretty lady. How are you doing today
Great video! I am curiosity what are we supposed to answer to a customer whose other clothes are destroyed in the laundry due to ink spilling from the t-shirt that the customer bought from our Etsy store? What is the best way to handle such situations?
Yes great question and I have had that happen occasionally. In every instance, the print on demand supplier (like Printful) has sent another shirt no charge to the customer. They just ask for a picture from the client. Overall it is a bit of time spent but you are not out of pocket (no refund, just another shirt gets sent no charge).
@@zenwatercooler thanks for your response! I was under the impression that some customer like to take it further like those crazy Karens saying “I will sue you” for destroying my laundry and what not, I am glad you haven’t come across such customers 😄
The part around @12:00 about people not knowing how to do basic computer functions is enough to deter me from ever selling digital products! I worked I.T. for over 10 years and I get how annoying this is!! grandma computer support......been there...done that.....I'm out. 😀😀
Hi, I am not sure why I hadn't stumbled upon your channel before but today I did and I'm glad. I"m sorry this happened to you and it is quite disappointing. You sound like Richard Paul Evans, the author of the "The Walk" I have listened to his books on audio and you have a soothing voice like his. Hey, maybe you can do audio readings!!!! I"m in for the win! Take care!
Thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing your genuine experience on Etsy with us. I really appreciate it..🙌🏼
23:14 You Are My Sunshine is the name of a song.
That was a wonderful intelligent conversation. I truly enjoyed your video. As for my choice, I will be setting up my own website. It's only going to get worse with all of these companies (eBay, Etsy, etc.)
I was planning to join Etsy, but now I have decided to start my business of t.shirts offline in my city
@@immortalaktunes7702 I think you will love it so much more. Much more freedom.
@@jpwhataboutit ya brother .
Thank you for all the information, best wishes on your next venture!
Question: is it possible to sell on easy and other sites the same product?
Yes you would own the copyright to your design, so you can sell it on other sites too. Thank you for the feedback!
I got news for the you are my sunshine, the design they are claiming as theirs is from the 1970's and was on a lot of t shirts!
Great presentation. Very honest, unbiased and insightful. Thanks for sharing.
Found this very helpful. Thank you for sharing.
I am curious however... Regarding the baseball stitch listing... Did you purchase that set as it is seen and were reselling? Because I believe if thats the case then you would be infringing on someones intellectual property. They would've probably intended (and probably stated somewhere in their own listing) that it wasnt to be resold as is but only be used in designing your own works (using individual parts of that package).
If I am wrong, I apologise. Just wondered as looking at your listing my first thought was "how could that be infringement" assuming it was based on some trademark or copyright thing. But...if thaat package was actually purchased as such and then being resold in whole or in part...that may be where the infringement on intellectual property comes in.
No apology necessary - we are all left guessing at what the Etsy gods decide. I know for me, I created that baseball design by finding a high quality public domain image, tracing the bitmap of the stitches and then cleaning it up. It was not just a grab from another image. So it might have looked like someone else's design I guess, but there is no way it was identical (because I created it digitally myself).
@@zenwatercooler aha! Then they had no right legally to shut you down if it was your own design.
@@zenwatercooler ...ps... Are you in Canada? If so I have a Canadian specific question for you. Is there someway I can email you or something to ask?
Thank you so much for sharing these great experiences
That was a very helpful video . Thanks for sharing . What do you think about shopify?
I think Shopify is great (although expensive). It’s more of an investment (but can be a good one).
Im retyping my comment because it disappeared. Thanks for this video! Same thing happened to me. So I opened a Shopify store. 6 months and no sales yet. Can you make a video detailing how to advertise and where? I’m scared to jump in to advertising for some reason. Another video idea : “how to find your niche”. My store is a general store of sorts. I’m floundering. Tia!
Thank you for sharing. Lots of things to consider before opening a shop. Very useful, thank you!
I learned a lot. Thanks for the insight.
Thank you for sharing your experience!
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray.
This is a great video. Appreciate you sharing your experience, I got a lot from it. What was the website you use to check trademarks? Justia?
Thank you for the feedback! Yes I typically use Justia (I also just Google "is [name] trademarked) just in case there's any news or anything weird. It's not perfect but it generally catches anything I have been using so far!
I had a short video with some rain in the background and someone was trying to tell me they had copywritten the sound of Rain like wtf
OMG..................bawwwwwwwwwwwwwwhahhahahha
You can NOT make this up.
I truly believe you Herr Nookenstien
This was awesome! Thank you so much
Had exactly the same "we received a complaint, and heve removed your art" crap from Redbubble. I used my own photographs that contained a KLM plane. No logo visible even, but some lawfirm from the Netherlands made a complaint with RB. Aparently, using the KLM blue color is enough to get such a complaint. Protested, of course. But to no avail. Got a "permanent removal" notification a few weeks later.
2 months later: same thing with an Air Transat Airplane picture (this time the logo was visible). And I had even asked Air Transat Legal if I could use that specific photograph for comercial purposes (because of that loge; never got an anwer, though).
It's just not worth the fight, Im sorry to say.
I dont know if it helps. Ive started dating and signing my work as a result of this video. Im also going to keep the digital info of when I put them on computer as evidence. Possibly evidence of upload date.
I appreciate your explanation of the difference between digital file types :)