Etsy is great for finding unique gems and for finding something special that you won’t find anywhere else.
However, you may find that when you go back to buy something you saw before the store is no longer there. This is incredibly frustrating, especially if you had someone special in mind.
So, why do Etsy shops disappear? There are 3 reasons why an Etsy store would disappear:
- The store is in “Holiday Mode” – the store owner has taken a short break
- The store owner has closed it – the owner feels they can no longer continue and deletes the store themselves
- Etsy has closed the store – the store owner has broken the policies laid out by Etsy and has had their account removed
Once a store has been deleted it can no longer be re-opened. If you attempt to go to the store’s storefront you will get an error.
If a store is in “Holiday Mode” you can still go to the storefront, but the listings won’t appear in search and you won’t be able to purchase them.
Why Would A Seller Shut Down Their Etsy Shop?
The reasons are usually personal to the store owner. However a common reason is a change of circumstance, such as starting a family, or change of jobs which makes continuing the store impossible.
I put my store into “Holiday Mode” for 3 months after my daughter was born, as I knew I wanted to start the store back up again at some point – however others may not have that luxury.
Can Etsy Remove Your Shop?
Yes, Etsy does reserve the right to take down your store. This will usually only happen after multiple policy rules have been broken.
Etsy will provide store owners multiple chances to correct any issues raised by users, so it is very rare for this to happen.
If Etsy has reason to believe you, Your Content, or your use of the Services violate our Terms, including this Seller Policy, we may deactivate Your Content or suspend or terminate your account
https://www.etsy.com/legal/sellers/
If you do find that your store has been removed you will be informed by Etsy via email and you will not be able to recover your store.
This action is permeant, so it’s best to just follow the rules!
Why would Etsy Shut Down a Shop?
Etsy would only shut down a store if the store owner broke the rules set out by Etsy. Common reasons for store closure are:
- repeated Copyright Infringement reports
- multiple cases opened by customers (e.g. for poor quality items, or failed shipments)
- reselling items prohibited by Etsy
As you can see it takes repeated issues before Etsy takes the ultimate decision to close the store.
What Happens When a Shop Disappears From Etsy?
When a store is closed, either by Etsy or by the store owner, all items will be removed from search, the storefront will show no details but all open orders will stay open. Customers can still raise cases against the store if the items don’t arrive and a refund can be issued by Etsy.
If the store has been on the cusp of being shutdown by Etsy then they will likely be placed under “special measures”. This limits the amount of money that can be deposited from the seller’s Etsy account.
This limit (usually a 90 day hold period) allows Etsy to offer refunds on behalf of the store owner if he store gets closed down.
Why Did My Etsy Listings Disappear?
If you find one (or more) items from your Etsy store have disappeared, it is likely that either they have expired – listings only last for 3 months before needing to be renewed – or your listings broke Etsy’s rules on what can be listed.
You will likely find your missing listings under the “Inactive” filter in the products admin.
You will also find the reason why it has been deactivated under the listing in the product list.
Conclusion
Etsy stores can be closed at any time – either by the store owner, or by Etsy. It’s important to remember that the vast majority of store closures are done by the store owner, usually for understandable personal reasons.
However, if a store has been removed by Etsy it is usually for repeated policy breaches.
