Etsy offered some advice to sellers related to the coronavirus and warned them that its Trust and Safety team was actively monitoring and taking down listings related to COVID-19 that are against Etsy’s policies, “including items that falsely claim to protect against the virus.”
In addition to standard advice about communicating with buyers about potential shipping delays, the company advised sellers to consider pausing their shop temporarily if they were concerned about being able to manage their shops and process new orders.
Etsy Community Manager Andrea Murphy published the following post on its announcement board on March 13th:
Many of you have questions and concerns about the COVID-19 (coronavirus), and what emergency measures are being put in place. Information about the virus is evolving very quickly, and we’ll do our best to keep our community updated with the latest information in our Help Center.
We’re focused on your shop’s success: While we know this is a challenging time and it’s up to you to decide what’s best for your shop, we can assure you that the Etsy marketplace is running as usual. We’re continuing to invest significantly in bringing buyers to Etsy through marketing, and giving you the tools you need to run your shop. Our support teams are also fully-staffed and ready to help you.
We know it may be more challenging to run your shop due to disruptions to your daily routines. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Set realistic expectations. Make sure you have the time and resources to manage your shop before making commitments to buyers.
- Communicate with buyers about potential shipping delays. If you don’t think your orders will be delivered on time for any reason, let your buyers know and keep them updated with information from shipping carriers.
- Consider pausing your shop temporarily. If you’re concerned about being able to manage your shop and process new orders, consider turning on vacation or holiday mode. Your buyers won’t be able to view or purchase your items while your shop is paused. They’ll receive an auto-reply to messages and can sign up to get a message when you return.
- Let’s support one another. We’re a global community and many of us are facing challenges related to COVID-19. The forums are a place where you can connect with other sellers to talk about the challenges you’re facing and how to overcome them.
We’re keeping our marketplace safe: Our Trust and Safety team is actively monitoring and taking down listings related to COVID-19 that are against Etsy’s policies, including items that falsely claim to protect against the virus.
The safety and well-being of our community is our top priority.
SOURCE: Etsy Announcement Board Post
