Suspension riskIP-3 · Intellectual Property Policy

Counterfeit or unauthorized replica goods are prohibited

What this rule means

Etsy does not allow copies of branded goods. A counterfeit is an item that imitates a real product, most often by using a brand's name, logo, or protected design without the brand owner's consent. A listing that sells a copy can be removed, and your shop can face further action.

What Etsy says

All forms of illegal activity are strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to the sale of: Unauthorized or counterfeit goods

Read Etsy's full Intellectual Property Policy

Why Etsy has this rule

Counterfeits take sales from the brands that earned them, and they leave buyers with items that may be poor quality or unsafe. Brands file reports against copies, and Etsy removes listings that clearly sell them. Etsy sets its own rules for the marketplace, so a copy can be removed even when the seller did not mean to deceive anyone.

The rule is about the item itself, not only the words around it. Calling a handbag a 'dupe' or a 'replica' tells the buyer what it is. Leaving those words out does not change what the bag is. If the item imitates a brand's product and carries its marks or protected design, it is a copy. Your intent matters less than what you list.

Common mistakes

Listing a bag, watch, or shoe described as a 'replica', 'dupe', 'knockoff', or '1:1 copy' of a luxury brand.
Selling items that carry a brand's logo or monogram pattern that you made or bought from a supplier, with no written license.
Offering a pattern, template, or file that lets buyers make a branded copy, such as a stitching template for a famous logo.
Reworking genuine branded materials, such as cutting up a luxury handbag, and then implying the brand made or approves the new item.
Buying wholesale lots from an overseas supplier and listing them with a famous brand's name in the title.
Using quality terms such as 'AAA' or 'mirror quality' to hint that your item matches a branded original.
Removing a flagged listing and posting the same item under a new title, which Etsy can treat as a repeat.
Thinking a small change to a famous design, such as one altered letter or a different color, turns a copy into an original.

Examples

AllowedYou sew a leather tote from your own pattern, in your own style, with no brand marks.
AllowedYou resell a genuine, secondhand designer bag that you can prove is real, and you describe it as secondhand.
AllowedYou make a jewelry design inspired by a general style, such as art deco, with no brand's name, logo, or signature design in it.
AllowedYou hold a written license from a brand to make a product that carries its name, and you keep the license on file.
Not allowedYou list a handbag with a famous monogram print and call it a 'replica'.
Not allowedYou sell a sneaker with a luxury label's logo that you ordered from a supplier.
Not allowedYou sell a digital pattern file that lets buyers make a copy of a branded logo item.
Not allowedYou turn a purchased designer handbag into small purses and say the brand made them.

How to stay compliant

Remove any listing that presents an item as a replica, dupe, or copy of a branded product.
Remove any listing that reproduces a brand's logo, wordmark, or signature design element without a written license from the brand.
For up-cycled or reworked items using authentic branded materials (e.g., repurposed luxury handbag leather), remove any language that implies brand endorsement or an official relationship with the brand.
If you receive an intellectual property infringement report, do not relist the same item with a modified title — Etsy's enforcement escalates on repeat behavior.
Seek legal counsel if you are uncertain whether your item qualifies as a counterfeit versus a legitimately transformed or inspired piece.

Effort: high · 1-3 hours

If your suspension email cites this rule

Read the email and write down each listing it names. Counterfeit reports tend to be firm, so look at the item as well as its title. Ask whether it carries a brand's name, logo, or protected design, and whether it imitates a real product. If it does, remove it and check for the same item elsewhere in your shop. Do not hide the item behind a new title.

Be careful with your wording when you reply. If you sell genuine branded items, gather proof such as receipts and photos showing where you bought them. If you rework genuine materials, explain that you removed any wording that suggests the brand is involved. If the item is a copy, say so plainly and describe what you removed. Etsy makes the final decision, and a short, honest reply is more credible than an argument. If you are unsure whether an item counts as a counterfeit, an intellectual property lawyer can advise you. This is general information, not legal advice.

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Common questions

What counts as a counterfeit on Etsy?

A counterfeit imitates a real branded product, most often by using the brand's name, logo, or protected design without the owner's consent.

Can I sell a dupe if I do not use the brand's name?

Not if the item copies a brand's logo or protected design. Removing the name from the title does not change what the item is. Make an original design instead.

Can I resell genuine secondhand designer items?

Genuine items you own can generally be resold, but you must be able to show they are real. Describe them honestly as secondhand and do not suggest a link to the brand. Keep receipts and photos.

Can I turn a branded item into something new?

You can rework genuine materials, but do not suggest that the brand made or approves your new item. Remove any wording that implies an official link, and do not add the brand's logo to the new product unless you have permission.

Will Etsy end my shop for one counterfeit listing?

Etsy does not publish a set number of reports that leads to action, and it makes the final decision. Remove the listing, check your other listings, and do not relist the item, because repeat reports can lead to a loss of selling privileges.