What to Do if You're Being Harassed

Etsy doesn’t tolerate harassment, discrimination, or hate speech of any kind. 

If you experience harassment on Etsy, we’re here to help. We want you to feel safe and welcome while buying and selling on Etsy.

We recommend you do the following:

1. Send one message to the other member and let them know that you don’t want to hear from them anymore. 
2. If they respond, do not answer them. 
3. If their behavior continues, contact support and Etsy will investigate.

What to do with unwanted messages

It’s understandable if you want harassment messages removed from your Message inbox. To remove these messages, report them as spam.

To report a message as spam:

1. Sign in to Etsy.com.
2. Go to Messages.
3. Select the checkbox next to the unwanted message.
4. Select Mark as Spam.

You may still continue to receive emails about new replies to that message. If you continue to receive harassing messages, please block the member and contact support so Etsy can investigate.

Learn about Etsy’s communication policy.

How to block a member

Blocking allows Etsy members to prevent unwanted communication from another member. After blocking, the member no longer is able to message or follow you on Etsy.   

To block an Etsy member: 

1. On Etsy.com, navigate to the profile of the member you wish to block.
2. Select Block this person at the bottom of the page.

Etsy doesn’t tolerate harassment of any kind. If you’re experiencing harassment on Etsy, let the other member know that you don’t want to hear from them anymore. We recommend that you don’t respond to them if they reply.

First, take a look at these other answers to see if they can help you. 

We take reports of harassment seriously. Inaccurate reports of harassment or discrimination prevent us from responding to urgent requests more quickly. If you have an issue that isn’t specifically harassment, please contact us through another option.

Problem with a buyer or seller

I’m a buyer

If you have a problem with an order, and the seller isn’t helping, you should open a case.

A case is a formal way to file a complaint against a shop. You can open a case after the date when your order should arrive.

Learn how to open a case.

I’m a seller

If you’re unsure of how to resolve an order concern with a buyer, learn about how to help resolve the issue.

Report an inappropriate review, listing, or shop

If you see an item being sold on Etsy or a review that violates our policies, please report it by choosing Report this item to Etsy at the bottom of the listing.

You can also flag an entire shop by choosing Report this shop to Etsy on the left of the shop's homepage on Etsy.com.

You can report a review by clicking Report this review under the review you want to report in your shop on Etsy.com.

Intellectual property infringement

Etsy's Intellectual Property Policy addresses allegations of intellectual property infringement regarding Etsy seller content, including copyright, trademark, and patent infringement.

Sometimes, these matters may be amicably resolved directly between the parties before filing a notice of infringement. You may choose to respectfully contact the individual member about your concerns through Etsy. Learn how to contact a shop on Etsy.

I want to file a notice of IP infringement

If you’d like to file a report of intellectual property infringement, read our Intellectual Property Policy and use the Etsy Reporting Portal. Learn more. 

A notice of IP infringement was filed against my shop

If you received a notice of intellectual property infringement, this means that an intellectual property owner (or an agent authorized by them) notified Etsy that they believe certain seller content on Etsy infringes their intellectual property. We complied with our Intellectual Property Policy by deactivating the identified listings. Learn more about why you received a notice of intellectual property infringement.

If Etsy removes a listing from your shop based upon a DMCA notice of copyright infringement, and you believe that the removal is the result of a misidentification or an error, you may consider whether submitting a DMCA counter notice is appropriate for you. 

Learn more about filing a counter notice.

The information contained on this page constitutes information and not legal advice. The reader assumes all responsibility for any and all use of this information. Please consult an attorney for specific questions.