To report counterfeit or infringing listings on Etsy, the rights owner or an authorized agent registers in the Etsy Reporting Portal, adds the trademark, copyright or patent, then creates a report listing the items. Etsy removes content when a report complies with its policies and notifies the seller. Usernames, shop names and videos use a separate form.
On Etsy, rights owners report counterfeit and infringing listings through the Etsy Reporting Portal. You register once, add your trademark, copyright or patent, then create reports that list the infringing items. If a report complies with Etsy's policies, Etsy removes the content and contacts the seller. A separate intellectual property infringement report form, at etsy.com/legal/ip/report, is only for usernames, shop names and videos.
Etsy is a marketplace of independent makers, and its process reflects that: Etsy does not decide who is right, it applies its policy to the report you file. This guide covers what Etsy treats as infringement, the evidence to prepare, the steps in the portal, counter notices and retractions, review times and the reasons reports are rejected.
What Etsy considers an infringement
Etsy's Intellectual Property Policy covers copyright, trademark and patent claims. There is no separate right called "counterfeit": a counterfeit that uses your brand name or logo is reported under your trademark, and you explain in the report that the item is not genuine.
| Type | What it covers | What Etsy needs |
|---|---|---|
| Trademark | Your brand name or logo used on items or in listings as a source indicator, including counterfeits | A valid, active, registered trademark that relates to the reported listings |
| Copyright | Your photos, artwork, designs, patterns or text copied without permission | A description or link to your original work |
| Patent | Items that infringe a registered patent | A patent whose jurisdiction matches the seller's location or delivery areas |
Ornamental use and lookalikes
Etsy looks at whether a listing uses your mark as a source indicator. If a term appears only as decoration, or the listing does not include your registered mark at all, Etsy may ask for more information or be unable to process the claim. Our guide to trademark infringement explains the idea in plain words.
What evidence you need
- Your details. Full name, complete physical address, phone number and email address. Missing contact details are a common reason for rejection.
- Your rights. For a trademark, the registration number and the office that issued it. For copyright, links to or a description of your own original work, not the seller's.
- Your authority, if you are an agent. Etsy asks agents for a letter of authorization from the rights owner and may verify the reporter's identity.
- Each listing URL. Etsy needs listing URLs or listing IDs, not shop names. A listing URL has the form etsy.com/listing/ followed by a number.
- A dated capture of each listing. Useful if the seller edits or removes the listing, or if you need to report again.
- Why the item is counterfeit. What differs from your genuine product, ideally after a test purchase.
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New searchENThe official reporting procedure
Who can use it. Only the owner of the intellectual property or someone authorized to report for the owner. Etsy recommends contacting the seller first to try to resolve the issue, and reporting if you cannot reach an agreement.
Where. The Etsy Reporting Portal, at etsy.com/ipreporting, for listings. Etsy says the portal is in US English only but can be used from anywhere. The portal also lets you search Etsy's listings by keyword to find items to report.
For usernames, shop names and videos. The intellectual property infringement report form at etsy.com/legal/ip/report. That form cannot be used for listings.
For shoppers. Buyers who are not rights owners use Report this item to Etsy on a listing, or Report this shop to Etsy on a shop page. Etsy says these reports are confidential. For a problem with an order, Etsy points buyers to the seller first, then to opening a case.
How to report infringing listings, step by step
- Register for the portal. Sign in with your Etsy account or create one. Etsy suggests that sellers reporting their own property sign in with their shop's account. Choose who owns the rights and add your details.
- Add your intellectual property. Open the Intellectual Properties tab, choose the type, add or select the owner, upload a letter of authorization if you represent the owner, and enter the property's name and details. You can add a URL that shows the property in use.
- Create a report. In the Reports tab, create a report, select the owner and the property, then choose Create & add listings.
- Add the listings. Search Etsy from the portal and add the listings you find, or choose Upload multiple listings to paste listing IDs or URLs.
- Review and submit. Check the report, then choose Submit report.
- Follow the outcome. You receive an email confirmation, then an email with the outcome. The Status column in the Reports tab shows progress, and each report shows any removed listings.
If you uploaded a letter of authorization, you can draft reports while Etsy verifies it, and submit them once it is approved.
What happens after a report
When a report complies with its policies, Etsy removes or disables the reported content and tries to contact the seller with information about the report. Etsy may give the seller a copy of the report, including the name and email address of the person who filed it. Etsy encourages sellers to contact the reporting party directly and not to relist the content until the issue is resolved.
- Counter notices. Etsy accepts counter notices only for US copyright reports, under the DMCA. It sends a copy to you. The item may be restored 10 business days after Etsy processes the counter notice, unless you file a court action or a qualifying claim with the Copyright Claims Board and inform Etsy. Our guide to DMCA takedown notices explains the process.
- Retractions. Etsy accepts a retraction only from the rights owner or authorized representative who filed the report. It must say clearly that it is a formal retraction and identify the member and the listings.
- Repeat infringers. Etsy terminates the selling privileges of members who receive repeated or multiple infringement notices, in appropriate circumstances and at its discretion.
Expected review time
Etsy does not publish a fixed review time. Its policy says it strives to respond quickly to reports that comply with its rules, and its help center says letters of authorization are verified quickly. In practice, a complete report with listing URLs and a valid registration moves fastest.
Common reasons reports are rejected
Etsy's help center lists the main reasons a notice cannot be processed:
- Missing information, such as your full address or phone, examples of your own work, or listing URLs instead of shop names.
- The wrong type of right, for example a trademark claim where the issue is a copied photo.
- No valid registered trademark. A dead mark or a pending application may not be enough.
- A mark on the supplemental register without evidence that it is distinctive.
- Listings that do not relate to your registered mark, or use the term only as decoration.
- A patent from the wrong jurisdiction for the seller's location or delivery areas.
If none of these apply, Etsy invites you to reply to the rejection email with additional documents.
The limits of the manual process
The portal's search is keyword-based. Copies that use your photos under a different title, or no brand name at all, are hard to find that way. Sellers whose listings are removed may open new shops, and the same copies often appear on Amazon, eBay or Temu. The portal keeps your Etsy reports, but not a record that follows a listing or a seller across marketplaces.
How Valigard helps before you report
Valigard searches marketplaces worldwide, including Etsy, with your official product photos, so it finds listings that reuse them even when the title does not mention your brand. For each listing you mark as likely counterfeit, Valigard keeps the listing URL, price, shop details and a saved, timestamped copy of the page, which gives you the listing URLs Etsy asks for. The Etsy reporting guide lists what to have ready and provides report text to copy. See how it works on Etsy, or use our counterfeit evidence checklist.
Valigard does not send reports: you file in the Etsy Reporting Portal, then log the status and case number. It does not determine with legal certainty that a product is counterfeit, and it cannot guarantee removal.
Frequently asked questions
How do I report a seller on Etsy for selling fakes?
If you own the brand, use the Etsy Reporting Portal and report the listings under your trademark. If you are a shopper, use Report this item to Etsy on the listing, or Report this shop to Etsy on the shop page. For a problem with your own order, contact the seller and open a case if needed.
Do I need a registered trademark to report on Etsy?
For trademark claims, yes in practice. Etsy says it may not be able to process a claim based on a trademark that is inactive or only applied for. Copyright claims do not need a registration. Marks on the US supplemental register need extra proof of distinctiveness.
Can an Etsy seller challenge my report?
For US copyright reports, the seller can file a DMCA counter notice. Etsy may restore the item 10 business days after processing it unless you file a court action or a qualifying Copyright Claims Board claim and tell Etsy. For other reports, the seller can contact you and ask for a retraction.
How long does Etsy take to review an IP report?
Etsy does not publish a fixed review time. Its policy says it strives to respond quickly to reports that comply with its rules. You receive an email confirmation when you submit, then an email with the outcome, and you can follow the status in the portal.
Will the seller see my name?
Possibly. Etsy's policy says it may give the affected member a copy of the report, including the name and email address of the person who filed it. Use a professional contact address you are ready to share with sellers.
Sources
- Etsy: Intellectual Property Policy
- Etsy Help: How to Report Intellectual Property Infringement
- Etsy Help: Why Was My Notice of Infringement Rejected?
- Etsy: Etsy Reporting Portal
- Etsy Help: How to Report an Item or Shop
Last reviewed 27 Sep 2026. Marketplace procedures change; check the official pages before you file. This guide is general information, not legal advice.