Is Etsy Safe and Legit? A Buyer’s Guide to Avoiding Scams

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Learn to evaluate Etsy sellers and pay for purchases safely

Co-authored by Travis Boylls Reviewed by Luigi Oppido

Last Updated: March 12, 2024 Fact Checked

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Is Etsy Legit?

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Are There Scammers on Etsy?

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Is It Safe to Pay with Credit Cards?

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How to Avoid Getting Scammed

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What to Do If You Get Scammed

Do you want to shop on Etsy? Are you worried about whether or not it's safe? Etsy is one of the largest online marketplaces to buy homemade, vintage, and unique items. There are no physical Etsy shops. Instead, Etsy is a platform that allows sellers to set up their own online store. Since Etsy relies on individual sellers, many users wonder if it's safe to shop on Etsy. This wikiHow article answers all your questions about whether or not Etsy is safe.

Things You Should Know

Etsy is generally safe and legit. Etsy's review system and purchase protection plan make it a safe place to shop.
Etsy has its own secure payment system. Sellers do not have access to your credit card information.
If you get scammed by a seller, you can open a case with Etsy to get your money back.

Section 1 of 5:

Is Etsy Legit?

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Etsy is a billion-dollar business with millions of users. Etsy guarantees safe purchases and has a buyer protection plan in place to protect buyers from fraudulent purchases.^{[1]
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Research source} However, there is always going to be an element of risk when buying from individual sellers online. You should always use your best judgment and only purchase from reputable sellers.

Section 2 of 5:

Are There Scammers on Etsy?

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Etsy is made up of individual sellers, rather than employees. While most Etsy sellers are trustworthy, there is always a risk of getting scammed. It's possible that the product you receive may not match the photo in the item listing, or it may not be as good a quality product as the seller said. It is also possible that the product may not arrive or may arrive damaged. In such cases, you can open a case with Etsy to get your money back.

Section 3 of 5:

Is It Safe to Pay with Credit Cards?

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Sellers do not have access to your credit card information. When you make purchases through the official Etsy website or mobile app transactions go through Etsy payments. Sellers do not gain access to your credit card information. All sales are processed by Etsy before the seller gets paid. All credit card information is encrypted and kept safe.
- Etsy payments also give buyers the option to pay using PayPal, Google Pay, Apple, Pay, or Etsy gift cards. All of these options are secure payments.^{[2]
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Section 4 of 5:

How to Avoid Getting Scammed

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Check a seller's reviews. Like eBay and Amazon, Etsy allows users to leave a review of the users they purchase from. Be sure to check the reviews of a seller before purchasing products from them. Make sure they have at least a 4-star rating or higher. Check the reviews to make sure people aren't having any issues receiving refunds or returns. Make sure people are actually getting the product they purchased.
- Scammers will often make fake accounts in order to leave positive reviews. When checking a seller's reviews, check their 5-star reviews for signs they may be fake. Look for repetitive words and phrases used throughout the 5-star reviews.
Different sellers have different refund policies. Make sure you understand the seller's refund policy before purchasing from them.
If a seller has longer-than-average delivery times or excessive delivery fees, it could be a sign that you are dealing with a scammer or an unreliable seller.
Many scammers will claim to sell handmade items but sell items that are mass-produced. You can perform a reverse image search on any of the images the seller uses to make sure they do not appear in any other places online. If you find the image belongs to another store or another seller, that's a good sign that you are dealing with a scammer.
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Ask questions. You can use Etsy's messaging system to contact sellers and ask questions about products or about their policies. Don't be afraid to ask the seller any questions you have. Do not purchase from them unless you get satisfactory responses.
- If a seller takes a long time to respond, it could be a sign that they are unreliable if not a scammer. Be wary of sellers that take more than 24 hours to get back to you.
When using the Etsy messaging system, be sure that you do not give the seller any credit card information. They do not need you to give them your credit or debit card information directly to complete a purchase.
Make sure you are completing your purchases using Etsy payments. Payments made outside the Etsy platform cannot be investigated by Etsy. Do not complete a purchase in-person or using a different app, such as Venmo or CashApp.^{[3]
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Section 5 of 5:

What to Do If You Get Scammed

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Check if you qualify for a refund. Under Etsy's buyer protection program, you can get a full refund if the following conditions are met:
- Your order did not arrive.
- Your order arrived damaged.
- Your order is significantly different from the description or pictures (i,e. wrong color, poorer quality).
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Contact the seller. The first step to getting a refund is to contact the seller. Most issues with an order can be resolved by contacting the seller. Sellers can issue any refund they want in accordance with their own policy. Use the following steps to contact the seller:^{[4]
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- Go to https://www.etsy.com/ or open the mobile app and log in.
- Click Your Account or tap You on the mobile app.
- Select Purchases and reviews.
- Click or tap Help with order next to the order you have an issue with.
- Write a message to the seller. You can include pictures if needed.
- Click or tap Send to seller.
Esty asks that you allow the seller 48 hours to resolve the issue on their own. If you do not hear back from them or they refuse to resolve the issue in a way that is satisfactory, you can proceed to the next step.
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Open a case. If you do not hear back from the seller or they do not resolve the issue, you can open a case with Etsy. You have 60 days to do so. Etsy will investigate the issue, and if they determine you qualify, you will be issued a full refund. Use the following steps to open a case:
- Go to https://www.etsy.com/ or open the mobile app and log in.
- Click Your Account or tap You on the mobile app.
- Select Purchases and reviews.
- Click or tap Help with order next to the order you have an issue with.
- Click or tap Still need help?
- Select Yes, I want to open a case.
- Select a reason for opening a case and click Next.
- Provide details to support your case.
- Click or tap Submit.