DMCA counter-notice: seller asserts good-faith belief that takedown was mistake or misidentification

What Etsy says

Etsy will remove material cited for alleged intellectual property infringement when provided with a report that complies with our policies. If you believe your content was removed in error, you may submit a counter notice. Be aware: if you misrepresent that material is not infringing, you may be liable for damages (including costs and attorneys' fees).

How to stay compliant

1. Read the original takedown notice Etsy sent you carefully — confirm the IP type claimed (copyright, trademark, etc.) and the complainant's identity.
2. Only file a counter-notice if you have a genuine legal basis: you created the material yourself, you hold a license, the material is in the public domain, or you have a strong fair-use argument reviewed by an attorney.
3. Use the Appeal Builder's DMCA counter-notice generator to produce a §512(g)-compliant document.
4. Submit via the unique URL Etsy provided in the takedown email, or email the document to legal@etsy.com if you cannot locate that URL.
5. After submission, Etsy forwards your counter-notice to the complainant. They have 10–14 business days to file a court action. If they do not file, Etsy must restore your listing.

Effort: high · 1-3 hours to prepare; 10-14 business days for complainant response window

Related intellectual property policy rules

• Listings must not use another party's trademark without authorizationListing deactivation
• Listings must not reproduce copyrighted works without authorizationListing deactivation
• Counterfeit or unauthorized replica goods are prohibitedSuspension risk
• Fan art and derivative works based on copyrighted characters require authorizationListing deactivation
• Using a real person's name or likeness to sell products requires their permissionListing deactivation
• Repeat IP infringement notices lead to account terminationSuspension risk