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WarningSP-7 · Seller Policy

You are responsible for all activity on your account, including by people you share it with

What this rule means

Your Etsy account is yours to control. The Terms of Use say you are solely responsible for any activity on your account. If you share an account, the person whose financial information is on it is responsible for all activity. The Terms also ask you to keep your password secure and to give accurate information about yourself.

What Etsy says

You're solely responsible for any activity on your account. If you're sharing an account with other people, then the person whose financial information is on the account will ultimately be responsible for all activity. Protect your password.
Read Etsy's full Seller Policy

Why Etsy has this rule

Etsy ties every shop to the person or business that holds the account. Payments, messages, and notices all go through it. If several people share one login, it is hard to tell who changed a listing, sent a message, or asked for a payout.

Security matters too. A shared password can leak, and a stranger with access can change your payment details or message your buyers as you. The Terms of Use ask you to keep your password secure so that buyers and the marketplace can trust what comes from your account.

Common mistakes

  • Giving your password to a virtual assistant so they can edit listings, instead of using the shop access Etsy provides for helpers.
  • Reusing the same password on Etsy and on other sites, so a leak elsewhere opens your shop.
  • Letting a business partner or family member log in as you from their own device.
  • Connecting a third-party app you do not recognize and never reviewing what it can do.
  • Ignoring a login alert or a password-reset email you did not ask for.
  • Staying silent after you suspect someone got in, instead of telling Etsy.
  • Skipping two-factor sign-in, which adds a second check beyond your password.

Examples

  • AllowedYou turn on two-factor sign-in and use a password you use nowhere else.
  • AllowedYou give a helper the shop access that Etsy offers, so they use their own sign-in.
  • AllowedYou see a login you do not recognize, change your password, and report it to Etsy.
  • AllowedYou review the apps connected to your account and remove any you no longer use.
  • Not allowedYou email your password to a contractor who will manage your listings.
  • Not allowedYou let a friend sign in as you to answer buyer messages while you travel.
  • Not allowedYou notice odd changes to your listings and say nothing to Etsy.

How to stay compliant

  1. Change your Etsy account password immediately and enable two-factor authentication in Account Settings > Security.
  2. Review your account's login history in Account Settings > Security and report any unrecognized sessions to Etsy Support.
  3. If you use a virtual assistant or agency to manage your shop, use Etsy's authorized Shop Manager access controls rather than sharing your personal login credentials.
  4. Remove any third-party app or service that has access to your Etsy account that you did not intentionally authorize via Etsy's official OAuth process.

Effort: low · 15-30 minutes

If your suspension email cites this rule

Read the email for what Etsy saw. It may mention a login from an unfamiliar place, a change made by someone else, or a person using your account. Write down who has ever had your password or access, including helpers, past partners, and apps.

Then secure your account before you write anything. Change your password, turn on two-factor sign-in, and review recent activity. In your appeal, explain honestly how access happened, whether by a shared login or a break-in, and what you changed to stop it. Keep notes on what you found. Do not blame someone you cannot back up, and do not promise a result. Etsy makes the final decision.

Suspended over this rule?

Generate a complete, ready-to-submit Etsy appeal for this exact violation.

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Common questions

Can I give my Etsy password to a virtual assistant?

It is risky. The Terms of Use make you solely responsible for any activity on your account, including anything a helper does. Use the shop access options Etsy provides so a helper signs in as themselves, not as you.

What should I do if I think someone got into my account?

Change your password right away, turn on two-factor sign-in, and review your recent activity. The Terms of Use make you responsible for activity on your account, so act fast and tell Etsy Support.

Do I need to tell Etsy if my account was hacked?

Tell Etsy Support right away. The Terms of Use make you solely responsible for activity on your account, and prompt action helps you show good faith. The Terms set no reporting deadline.

Is it a problem if two family members run one shop?

The Terms of Use allow shared accounts, but the person whose financial information is on the account is responsible for all activity. Sharing a single login also makes it hard to show who did what. Use separate access for each person where Etsy offers it.

Does a strong password stop this problem?

It helps, but it is only one step. Use a password you do not reuse, turn on two-factor sign-in, and remove apps you no longer need.

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