# Etsy removed my listing after an intellectual property report

> What an Etsy IP takedown means, when a counter notice is the right response, when to ask the reporter to retract, and how to protect your shop from repeat strikes.

Updated 2026-10-27 · https://makersentry.com/removed/etsy-listing-removed-intellectual-property

When someone tells Etsy that your listing infringes their intellectual property, Etsy removes it and emails you the reporter's name and contact details. Etsy's [Intellectual Property Policy](https://www.etsy.com/legal/ip) explains that Etsy doesn't judge who is right — it acts on the report and leaves the dispute between you and the reporter.

## First, work out which kind of report it is

The email names the type of right claimed. It changes what you can do:

| Report type | Your main option |
|---|---|
| **Copyright** (photos, artwork, patterns, text) | File a **counter notice** if you believe the removal was a mistake, or contact the reporter |
| **Trademark** (brand names, logos) | Contact the reporter and ask for a **retraction**; change the listing if you used their mark |
| **Other** (design patents, right of publicity) | Contact the reporter; consider legal advice |

## If the report is wrong

1. **Collect proof that you made it first.** Original photo files with their camera dates, sketches or design files, process photos, your listing's creation date, and any Internet Archive snapshot of your listing. See [how to prove you made it first](/guides/how-to-prove-you-made-it-first).
2. **For copyright, file a counter notice.** It must include specific statements and your contact details, and the reporter will see them. Our [counter notice template](/templates/dmca-counter-notice) lists every required element.
3. **Or ask for a retraction.** A short, factual message to the reporter with your evidence often resolves a mistaken report fastest. Use the [retraction request template](/templates/ip-complaint-retraction-request).

## If the report is right

Remove or change the item, keep a note of what you changed, and don't relist the same thing. Repeated valid reports put the whole shop at risk.

## Copycats who report the original

A pattern sellers describe: a copying shop files an IP report against the maker it copied, hoping to remove the competition. Dated evidence is what separates you from them — which is why keeping proof *before* anything goes wrong matters.

*General information, not legal advice. Etsy decides on reinstatement.*

## Questions

**Can I appeal an IP removal to Etsy directly?**

Etsy doesn't decide who owns a copyright or trademark. For copyright reports you can file a counter notice; for other reports Etsy generally asks you to contact the person who reported you and ask them to retract.

**Will an IP report get my shop suspended?**

Etsy's IP policy says repeated infringement reports can lead to account restrictions or suspension. That's why it matters to resolve or contest each report rather than ignore it.

**What if the person who reported me copied my work?**

It happens. Copycats sometimes file reports against the original maker. A counter notice backed by dated proof (original files, earlier listing dates, archive snapshots) is the usual response.