What r/Etsy keeps coming back to
Complaints raised here by more than one person. One-off posts are not included.
35 recurring problems · 144 threads read · read since September 2026 · Reddit
Raised more than once here
Most people first.
- 17How to figure out how much to charge for freelance work“I don’t know how I can compete with those prices without taking a loss.”
- 17How to tell if Etsy or handmade items are mass-produced dropshipped junk“I bought some earrings a couple weeks ago they finally came and I notice they have a different shop name from the one ordered. I look on line which leads me to find out that this is a temu brand!!”
- 16How to handle clients who demand refunds and bully you“I have been in an all morning argument about this and I am just about at my wit's end with it.”
- 16How to deal with all the low effort AI content online“I finally sat down to complete it, and there were some pretty major inaccuracies in the design.”
- 14Why does Etsy automatically refund buyers without seller approval?“She wanted me to make the graphic for her use, which means my time is not being paid for, because she refuses to LEARN how to use the files”
- 14How to get Etsy traffic and sales for a niche store“I currently have 35 sales and 11 five-star reviews, but most of my sales come from Reddit because I barely appear in Etsy Search.”
- 12How to stop copycats from stealing my designs and photos“Every design, even the poor selling ones. Every photo I posted to my shop or social media. When I started adding videos to my listings they stole those too.”
- 12Why is every online artisan marketplace full of fake and AI items?“I have been a seller on Etsy for almost a decade and I re sell vintage items like Pyrex and other home decor of the 50s-70s. And the way that I curate my items was and is always a top priority with detailed and informative and REAL photos and great quality. Id never sell something I wouldn't want.”
- 11How to handle international returns when a seller claims item was fine“I bought a ring from a seller on Etsy and received it yesterday. There is some tarnishing on the gold finish (925 silver)”
- 10Why do purchased reviews disappear and drop my ranking?“Today, I noticed that a buyer left me a two-star review. In the review, they explained that they received everything they wanted, including the specific requests they asked me to do. Because of that, I was confused about the two-star rating, so I reached out and politely asked if there was anything wrong with their order.”
- 10Why does what I ordered online look nothing like the pictures?“They are missing the gold coloring around the edge, don’t match the color scheme in the listing, and have fewer flowers than the listing.”
- 10Why does social media traffic never convert to sales?“I’ve got a lot of views I’ve been sharing my page everywhere. But I haven’t made one sale yet!”
- 9Why am I paying extra customs fees on international packages?“Even both of the two items in this bundle deal would have normal shipping cost (20EUR) if I would add them to the cart separately. But the sale deal has the crazy upcharge.”
- 9How to bypass customer service chat bots to talk to a human“I've asked Etsy support for the info on this order. If they place it, then it needs to have things like delivery addresses as part of it, but I can't see it. But Etsy support just keep coming back with incredibly formulaic emails essentially repeating "your account was suspended in error and has been unsuspended, here's general tips on account security".”
- 8How to figure out what product to sell online“Can we do that on Etsy? Can i post some of my jacket and have people like them or put them in their lists but make it impossible for them to just buy it (because i can't sell them obviously)?”
- 7How to tell if an international online marketplace seller is a scam“Can someone tell who has ordered anything or has knowledge about this .Is it safe to order or are there chances of getting order misplaced”
- 6How to collect remaining preorder balances without chasing customers“I've had people ask me that and then ghost me; I've also had some come through, but my trust level on this is weak.”
- 6How to launch a physical product with zero audience“I'm currently getting little/no traction and haven't made a sale yet”
- 5Where do I declare gold bullion at LAX customs?“Based in Europe and I've (temporarily) paused my EU shipping options. I've been selling for over 10 years, but these new regulations just completely took out the last bit of fun it was for me.”
- 5Why do sellers cancel orders and ask you to buy off-platform?“Ordered a birthday present for my husband yesterday. Got an email today from the seller asking me to call - which i found suspicious but figured there was nor harm in hearing them out.”
What this forum worries about more than the rest
How much more often a topic shows up here than across every forum we read.
returns68.8×etsy68.8×seller support68.8×marketplace policies68.8×