Do I own the copyright in my product photos?

In most countries, the person who takes a photograph owns its copyright automatically, without registering it. If you hired a photographer, check your agreement.

Is it worth reporting copies on big marketplaces?

Yes. Marketplaces have intellectual property reporting processes and remove listings that use photos without permission. Removing copies also reduces the risk of your own listing being flagged.

Should I contact the seller directly?

You can, but it rarely works with factory or dropship sellers and can tip them off before you've saved evidence. Document first, then use the platform's reporting process.

Copycats

Someone stole my Etsy product photos — a step-by-step response

Found your product photos on AliExpress, Temu, Amazon or another Etsy shop? Document the copy, report it to the right place, and protect your own listing.

Updated 2026-10-26 · Markdown

Finding your own photo on a $4 factory listing is infuriating. Here's how to respond in a way that actually gets it removed — and protects your shop.

1. Document before you do anything else

For every copy, save:

the full URL of the listing,
a screenshot of the page showing your photo, the title, price and seller name,
the date you found it,
an Internet Archive snapshot — open web.archive.org, paste the URL into “Save Page Now”, and keep the resulting link.

Listings can vanish and reappear under new IDs. A saved record lets you prove a copy existed even after it's gone.

2. Confirm it's really your photo

Look for the same background, props, lighting and angle. Copies are often cropped, mirrored or recoloured. If the product is similar but the photo is different, that's a design question rather than a photo copy — harder to act on, but still worth documenting.

3. Report it to the platform

Each marketplace has its own form or portal. You'll need your original listing URL, the infringing URL, and a statement that you own the photo. We keep up-to-date instructions for each one:

Our free takedown notice generator fills in the required statements for you.

4. Protect your own listing

Copies of your photos on mass-market sites are exactly what can trigger an Etsy Creativity Standards flag on your listing. Keep your original files and a few process photos together now, so you can respond quickly if that happens. See how to prove you made it first.

5. Check back

Re-check each reported URL after a week or two. If it's still live, send a short follow-up referencing your first notice. If it's removed and later reappears from the same seller, report it again and mention it's a repeat.

General information, not legal advice.

Questions

Do I own the copyright in my product photos?: In most countries, the person who takes a photograph owns its copyright automatically, without registering it. If you hired a photographer, check your agreement.
Is it worth reporting copies on big marketplaces?: Yes. Marketplaces have intellectual property reporting processes and remove listings that use photos without permission. Removing copies also reduces the risk of your own listing being flagged.
Should I contact the seller directly?: You can, but it rarely works with factory or dropship sellers and can tip them off before you've saved evidence. Document first, then use the platform's reporting process.

MakerSentry

Keeps dated proof of every listing, finds copies weekly, tracks takedowns and builds your appeal if Etsy removes a listing.

Scan 3 listings free