Finding Etsy's Site Policies

By Allison Strine and Kate Shoup from Starting an Etsy Business For Dummies

As an Etsy member, you must make it a point to adhere to the site rules and regulations. The Etsy Help page spells out everything you need to do to avoid committing a potentially embarrassing gaffe on the site. To view this page, click the Help link that appears along in the upper-right corner of every Etsy page; under Site Policy on the Help page, click the DOs and DON'Ts link.

Here's where to look to find specific information:

Membership: This section of Etsy's DOs and DON'Ts outlines how members must behave on the site, specifies whether members can transfer ownership of an Etsy account to another party, clarifies the ins and outs of maintaining multiple accounts, specifies the scenarios under which collectives may be formed, and more.
Conversations: These DOs and DON'Ts pertain to the use of conversations, or convos. Although members may use convos to build friendly relationships with each other, they're intended primarily for communicating about transactions. Under no circumstances should you use convos to send spam, to harass another member, or to interfere with a transaction.
Transactions: Here Etsy defines what a transaction is, clarifies its role in any transaction, and spells out policies relating to transactions both for buyers and for sellers. This section also indicates what to do when the buyer doesn't pay up, what happens when a seller doesn't deliver, what recourse a buyer has when an item isn't up to snuff, and more.
Feedback: Etsy members rely on feedback to gauge a buyer's or seller's reputation. This section of Etsy's DOs and DON'Ts indicates the rules regarding leaving feedback and cites situations in which feedback may be removed or altered.
Shops and Listings: See this section of Etsy's DOs and DON'Ts for guidance on handling issues relating to your Etsy shop and any listings you post there. This section includes details on what you can and can't sell on Etsy, how you need to tag the items you list, and more.
Flagging: Members can use Etsy's flagging features to alert the site to potential problems. This section of Etsy's DOs and DON'Ts spells out when flagging is appropriate and what happens when someone or something is flagged.
Community: In this section of Etsy's DOs and DON'Ts, members discover what Etsy deems appropriate behavior on the site's various community features, including its forums, chat rooms, Virtual Labs, and teams. This section takes special care to remind members that these areas are public, meaning that people need to use common sense when sharing personal information on them. It also emphasizes the importance of treating everyone on the site with respect and kindness.