Press Release

Media Contact: media@buysafeamerica.org
 

In Case You Missed It!
Etsy is Awash With Illicit Products It Claims to Ban, from Ivory to Dangerous Weapons and Mass-produced Goods

Insider
Rob Price
April 30, 2021
 
Insider identified roughly 800 listings on Etsy for banned products, which comprised nearly every one of the site's categories of prohibited items. Etsy shoppers have been able to purchase weapons, counterfeit products, pornography, poisonous plants, animal remains, and pseudoscientific alternative remedies. The online marketplace takes a 3 to 5 percent cut of every sale, which means the company directly profits from the sale of dangerous merchandise. 
 
While Etsy removed the listings mentioned in the Insider investigation, there were still almost identical listings to the ones originally mentioned that could still be found on the platform. There was no explanation for how so many prohibited items were offered to consumers. 
 
Etsy opposes the INFORM Consumers Act, which would curb the sale of dangerous merchandise by requiring e-commerce platforms to verify third-party sellers. Etsy has spread misinformation about the legislation, which has the support of a diverse group of retailers, consumer groups, wholesaler-distributors, manufacturers, and law enforcement officials. 
 
Read the full story here.

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The Buy Safe America Coalition represents a diverse group of responsible retailers, consumer groups, manufacturers, intellectual property advocates and law enforcement officials who support efforts at all levels of government to protect consumers and communities from the sale of counterfeit and stolen goods.