Could this happen to you? I read with interest this blogpost from Handmadeology written by Lisa. Lisa's "Energy Shop" was unceremoniously suspended after she responded to a questionnaire given to her by etsy. They deemed her shop, "wasn't complying with the rules."
This is not the first time I have heard of shops being suspended. Etsy doesn't seem to give much wiggle room nor is there any one-to-one contact to defend your position or question their decision.
This article gives great insights on what to do should this happen to you. Through Lisa's experience, she shares how be prepared. When a shop shuts down, everything is lost including positive feedback comments, photos and descriptions. A few suggestions I found valuable are:
1. Have a backup plan such as a website domain.
2. Record your positive feedback so you can access it to set up your shop elsewhere.
3. Keep your photos handy for setting up shop elsewhere. Picasa or other photo-shop are options.
4. Market your shop on other independent sites. My shop is listed on Handmade Artists, Groovepress, Three Sisters Marketplace, Bonanza, Other possible sites to market your shop include Indiemade and http://retailrapp.com/.
The old Boy Scout motto, "Be prepared!" applies here.
View the entire article here:
http://www.handmadeology.com/etsy-shop-suspended-what-you-need-to-know/#comment-33478
Angela
Angela's Artistic Designs Labels: backup plan, be prepared, etsy, handmade, handmadeology, home based business, market your shop