Why Was My Etsy Listing Removed? (And How to Fix It)

Your listing got yanked. No warning, no explanation, just gone. Now you’re sitting here at 2am frantically Googling “why was my Etsy listing removed” while your stomach churns.

I get it. I’ve been there. And I’ve watched dozens of sellers go through the same panic.

Here’s the thing: Etsy removed over 1.5 million listings in 2024 alone for intellectual property violations. That’s not a typo. 1.5 million. And most of those sellers had no idea they were doing anything wrong.

Let me walk you through exactly why this happens and what you can do about it.

The #1 Reason Etsy Removes Listings

It’s not what you think.

Most sellers assume they got flagged for counterfeit goods or obvious knockoffs. But the reality? About 80% of listing removals come from trademark violations in your words. Not your product. Your words.

The title. The tags. The description.

You could be selling a completely original, handmade item. But if you used the wrong word somewhere in your listing, Etsy’s automated bots or a brand’s legal team will find it.

And once they do, your listing disappears.

How Etsy’s Takedown System Actually Works

There are two ways your listing gets removed:

Automated detection. Etsy runs bots that scan listings for trademarked terms. Disney. Marvel. NFL. These get flagged automatically. Sometimes within minutes of posting.

DMCA takedown requests. Brand owners (or their lawyers) actively search Etsy for violations. When they find one, they file a Digital Millennium Copyright Act request. Etsy has to comply. They don’t investigate. They just remove.

This second method is why sellers get blindsided. You might have a listing up for months. Then one day, gone. What happened? A brand’s legal team finally got around to your shop.

The Words That Trigger Removals

I’ve tracked hundreds of takedowns. The pattern is clear.

Instant removal triggers:

Disney, Mickey, Frozen, Elsa (Disney’s legal team is relentless)
Marvel, Avengers, Spider-Man
Star Wars, Baby Yoda, Mandalorian
Harry Potter, Hogwarts, Gryffindor
NFL, Super Bowl, any team name
Pokemon, Pikachu
Nintendo, Mario, Zelda

High-risk words that get flagged:

Taylor Swift, BTS, Beyoncé (these artists actively sue sellers)
Bluey, Paw Patrol, Cocomelon
Any sports league: NBA, MLB, NHL

Hidden trademarks most sellers don’t know about:

“Onesie” (trademarked by Gerber)
“Velcro” (use “hook and loop fastener”)
“Superhero” (jointly trademarked by DC and Marvel)
“Super Bowl” (use “the big game”)

That last one catches so many sellers every January.

“But I Said Inspired By!”

This is the myth that kills shops.

Sellers think adding “inspired by” or “fan art” protects them. It doesn’t. At all.

Here’s why: Trademark law doesn’t care about your intentions. If you use a trademarked term, you’re using a trademarked term. The word “inspired” doesn’t create a legal shield.

In fact, it often makes things worse. Writing “Disney inspired princess dress” tells Disney’s lawyers exactly where to look. You’ve literally tagged your own listing for them.

The same goes for:

“Not affiliated with…”
“Fan made”
“Unofficial”
“Tribute to…”

None of these protect you. They just confirm you knew you were referencing their brand.

What Happens After Removal

First removal: Your listing disappears. You get a generic email about policy violations. No specifics.

Second removal: Same thing. Maybe a warning about your account.

Third removal: This is where it gets serious. Etsy starts talking about shop suspension.

Multiple violations: Your entire shop gets shut down. All listings gone. Funds held. This happens more often than Etsy admits.

I’ve seen shops with thousands of sales get terminated overnight. Years of work, vanished. All because of words in their listings.

Can You Appeal?

Yes. But let’s be realistic about your odds.

If your listing was removed for a clear trademark violation (you used “Disney” in the title), your appeal will fail. Etsy won’t override a brand’s legal claim.

If you believe the removal was a mistake, here’s what to do:

Go to Shop Manager > click the notification about your removed listing
Look for the “Appeal” or “Request Review” option
Write a clear, calm explanation of why you believe this was an error
Include evidence if you have it

Keep your appeal short. No emotional pleas. Just facts.

But honestly? If you used a trademarked term, even accidentally, the appeal rarely works. It’s better to recreate the listing with safe language and move on.

How to Check Your Listings Before This Happens

Here’s what I do now before posting anything:

Step 1: Read your title out loud. Does it mention any brand, character, movie, show, or celebrity? Cut it.

Step 2: Check your tags. Every single one. That “disney” tag you added for searchability? That’s what got you flagged.

Step 3: Scan your description. This is where sellers get sloppy. You mention “perfect for your Disney cruise” in paragraph three and forget about it.

Step 4: Think about hidden trademarks. Are you using “onesie”? “Velcro”? “Crockpot”? These are all trademarked.

Step 5: Use a scanner tool. Manually checking works, but you’ll miss things. Tools that scan for trademark violations catch what your eyes skip over.

Safe Alternatives That Actually Work

You don’t have to give up on your niche. You just need different words.

Instead of “Disney princess dress,” try:

Fairy tale princess costume
Royal ball gown
Magical princess dress

Instead of “Baby Yoda,” try:

Green alien baby
Space creature
Sci-fi character

Instead of “Super Bowl party supplies,” try:

Football party decorations
Big game celebration
Championship game supplies

Instead of “Velcro closure,” try:

Hook and loop fastener
Secure strap closure

Your customers will still find you. They search for product types, not just brand names.

Preventing Future Removals

The sellers who survive long-term on Etsy all do the same things:

They never use brand names. Ever. Not in titles, tags, descriptions, or even private listing notes (yes, Etsy can see those).

They check every listing twice. Before hitting publish, they scan for any term that could be trademarked.

They stay updated. New trademarks get registered constantly. “Bluey” wasn’t an issue three years ago. Now it’s instant removal.

They use tools. A trademark scanner catches what manual checking misses. It’s worth the few seconds per listing.

They have backup plans. If one product line depends on a brand reference, they’re one DMCA away from losing it. Smart sellers diversify.

What To Do Right Now

If you’re reading this because your listing just got removed:

Don’t panic. One removal won’t kill your shop.
Read the removal notice carefully. What term triggered it?
Check your other listings for the same term. Remove it everywhere.
Recreate the listing with safe language.
Consider scanning all your listings to catch other problems before Etsy does.

If you’re reading this to prevent future problems:

Audit your current listings. Today. Not tomorrow.
Remove any brand names, character names, or celebrity references.
Replace trademarked terms with generic alternatives.
Set up a system to check new listings before publishing.

Etsy isn’t trying to destroy your business. But they will remove your listings the moment a brand complains. Your job is to make sure there’s nothing to complain about.

The sellers who thrive on Etsy aren’t the ones who push boundaries. They’re the ones who know exactly where the lines are and stay well inside them.

Your shop is worth protecting. Start checking your listings now.