I did make it to the end of the video because you're one of the few explaining all of this in a way that keeps my head from exploding. :) If not for you, Starla Moore, and a couple other channels I follow, I'm not sure I would have understood any of this!
Let’s take a step back from this knee-jerk reaction. There’s no need to panic about draconian actions targeting small Etsy shops. The GSPR mainly applies to businesses manufacturing or selling potentially harmful goods at scale, especially those entering the EU market unregulated. Small sellers on platforms like Etsy likely won’t face intense scrutiny over individual packages. For most of us, the key requirement is ensuring basic compliance, like adding general warning labels (e.g., choking hazards, 'not for children under 3,' or 'no hazardous materials'). The representative requirement for sellers outside the EU is the main hurdle, but it’s manageable. The focus here is on ensuring product safety for consumers, not micromanaging every handmade item.
Very true, but you will still have to pay for somebody inside the EU to be legally responsible for the safety of your goods and to maintain the service and to conserve the related technical documentation for 10 years.
I've put my shop on holiday mode untill Etsy figures out how to separate EU and NI from UK - I sell digital patterns. Also sell physical knit and crochet, and that's on hold till I can guarantee (ish) parcels don't get delayed or lost in the Christmas rush! Easier and safer to go on holiday mode. Thankyou for this video Pam, as always very informative and helpful
Thank you for making the distinction and the potential bias of small hand-made sellers vs. print-on-demand. I was thinking of selling some small physical items on Etsy that I made while developing patterns for photos etc. I've put that idea CLEAR out of my head for the time being. I don't want to complicate the model as it becomes a major time suck as well as a liability.
Hi Pam! As usual, a great presentation! This may be totally off the map. But I sell printables only. I don't ship anything. So, for the most part, this doesn't apply to me. However, I was in the process of starting a printable crochet patterns including some very simple amigurumi patterns for parents/older kids to crochet. Now I'm concerned this might have implications. I would be suggesting things like safety eyes in some of these patterns. Just throwing it out there. If it gets too complicated, I just won't expand into this niche.
I do POD with Printful and they have also sent a mail with a help article. Why Etsy did not sent a mail is a mystery to me, they know I usual ship world wide. I have taken the EU off for now because of the 2 year warranty and because my details also need to be published. My work address is my home address so I need to arrange a PO box
for physical products, you (probably) should include a care / safety info sheet with the item, not just digitally available. most items in the eu now have this info in English. it's not always in the country's language, but english is mandatory.
Meh just going to update my shipping profile to exclude EU. Honestly shipping internationally is astronomical I admire any customer buying anything overseas honestly.
FYI, you can use a QR code but it does not satisfy the required documentation. You still have to have the documentation as described in a local commonly understood language. Any QR code is just for conveinence for buyer. The "local EU authorized representative" encumbers a lot of product responsibility, responsibility for ensuring recalls are managed properly and even some product liability. This means it is going to be cost prohibitive for hand made sellers. A lot of people just have no idea about the time required for documenting safety and other required documents nor have they read the GPSR document but imagining it that it will be easier than it will turn out to be. Sorry but if you are a true hand made seller, as I am, the EU market is DOA for 2025. Indeed as one commenter said, the EU monitoring authorities are not going to go out and look at thousands of shops. They are going to require ETSY and other platforms to insure the compliance of products sold on their platform. This is not speculation, read the GPSR docs for yourself if you doubt it. This means that ETSY and similar platforms will no doubt take a heavy handed approach.
does etsy have new fields we can fill in all this info we need to have online in our shop? I would love to see an example of a product safety sheet that complies with all the rules.
officially in most cuntries vinage = 50+ years, antique is 100+ years old. It's nice that etsy allowes it to be called 'vintage' if its 20+ years old, but in most EU countries that's just second hand.
I sell greetings cards. Warning! Keep away from eye area, may poke it out while reading. May also cause paper cuts 🙄. Also still trying to understand how digitals are dangerous. Are they going to stop opening emails and downloading attachments too?
According to Etsy: If you have set your seller type to “trader” who sells into the EU (which may include registered businesses or professional sellers), you may be required to appoint and disclose an economic operator. I think most of us sell as an individual? I obviously do not have an 'Economic Operator' but I did c/p all the GPSR information that Printify provided, into each listing.. hopefully that's enough not to get suspended as an induvial seller(?)
This is bound to hurt Etsy profits, with all these shops going into Holiday mode (mine included, UK seller) so hopefully they'll get their act together pronto ...... too optimistic???? 😅😂
Etsy "Vintage" is not compliant. The EU exempts antique items, with "antique" meaning 100 years old and older. Then VAT has a field day. I see a lot of shops throwing up their hands in despair and closing down.
Bottom line is that we are going to become proper businesses instead of enthusiastic amateurs. Scary maybe, but from the consumer side, a good thing. I have no doubt that this is the direction of travel and there will be more regulation to come. Plus US tariffs will impact on base costs of POD components imported by US-based providers
@@aaisha... This is my question as well. I sell a couple of digital download crochet patterns on Etsy and to my knowledge I can't control WHERE people can buy a digital file.
@ I would search for gspr policy and copy it and paste in your policy section. Until they give us more information. I had ChatGPT make me a policy to comply for Etsy copied and pasted and inserted my shop name. It’s a good place hold until more information is available
on the Dutch government info website, they say if it enters the EU on or after dec. 13 then it should comply (for digital things if it's sold / downloaded on or after dec. 13). anyone who sells something is considered a 'trader'. anyone in the EU needs to comply to even sell inside their own country.
Updates to Expect We are committed to providing you with updated information as we learn more from the European Commission and as we evolve our operations to help you comply with GPSR, including: Updated compliance guidelines for small and medium businesses and microenterprises. We will update this page with relevant updates from the European Commission as they are available. A solution for sellers who wish to discontinue offering their digital items to Northern Ireland and the European Union. We are actively working on this, and will provide an update on timing by December 31, 2024. In the meantime, if you wish to cancel an existing transaction, the process for cancelling a sale is here. A solution for sellers who wish to discontinue offering their items to Northern Ireland buyers. We are actively working on this, and will provide an update on timing by December 31, 2024. Until then, you may consider the below interim options: Update your shipping locations Learn more about how to cancel certain orders here. More information can be found in the FAQs below.
Hi Pam, thanks for an hour long video! As a digital seller based in the EU, I'm still confused as to what I should do to comply with the regulations 🫠 The only thing I understand is that I don't need the EU representative, as I'm that person for my store. But I have no idea what I should do - there's no shipping, no labels, nothing. It's all very confusing!
I agree, I am afraid I am not sure at the moment, I am trying to find out but even asking the proper legal people it is hard to pin down actual useful answers
That would be same information, same presentation but took all the sooooos and aaaaays , we would be looking to 30 minutes video =) just a constructive feedback, with all my respect =)
I have made those videos as well and I will again, but people also tell me they like when I go through the whole thing as well. I will summarise everything again - with any other new things I find - in a few days
I did make it to the end of the video because you're one of the few explaining all of this in a way that keeps my head from exploding. :) If not for you, Starla Moore, and a couple other channels I follow, I'm not sure I would have understood any of this!
Let’s take a step back from this knee-jerk reaction. There’s no need to panic about draconian actions targeting small Etsy shops. The GSPR mainly applies to businesses manufacturing or selling potentially harmful goods at scale, especially those entering the EU market unregulated. Small sellers on platforms like Etsy likely won’t face intense scrutiny over individual packages.
For most of us, the key requirement is ensuring basic compliance, like adding general warning labels (e.g., choking hazards, 'not for children under 3,' or 'no hazardous materials'). The representative requirement for sellers outside the EU is the main hurdle, but it’s manageable. The focus here is on ensuring product safety for consumers, not micromanaging every handmade item.
Very true, but you will still have to pay for somebody inside the EU to be legally responsible for the safety of your goods and to maintain the service and to conserve the related technical documentation for 10 years.
I've put my shop on holiday mode untill Etsy figures out how to separate EU and NI from UK - I sell digital patterns. Also sell physical knit and crochet, and that's on hold till I can guarantee (ish) parcels don't get delayed or lost in the Christmas rush! Easier and safer to go on holiday mode. Thankyou for this video Pam, as always very informative and helpful
Thank you for making the distinction and the potential bias of small hand-made sellers vs. print-on-demand. I was thinking of selling some small physical items on Etsy that I made while developing patterns for photos etc. I've put that idea CLEAR out of my head for the time being. I don't want to complicate the model as it becomes a major time suck as well as a liability.
Hi Pam!
As usual, a great presentation!
This may be totally off the map. But I sell printables only. I don't ship anything. So, for the most part, this doesn't apply to me. However, I was in the process of starting a printable crochet patterns including some very simple amigurumi patterns for parents/older kids to crochet. Now I'm concerned this might have implications. I would be suggesting things like safety eyes in some of these patterns. Just throwing it out there. If it gets too complicated, I just won't expand into this niche.
I do POD with Printful and they have also sent a mail with a help article. Why Etsy did not sent a mail is a mystery to me, they know I usual ship world wide. I have taken the EU off for now because of the 2 year warranty and because my details also need to be published. My work address is my home address so I need to arrange a PO box
for physical products, you (probably) should include a care / safety info sheet with the item, not just digitally available. most items in the eu now have this info in English. it's not always in the country's language, but english is mandatory.
I made a policy with use of GPT to follow compliance and I added it to my policies. At least it’s a placeholder
good idea
Excellent, but you are still responsible for providing the data on your compliance.
I stopped selling to the EU and cancelled all my EU orders last week. I have no plans to sell to them again after this.
Meh just going to update my shipping profile to exclude EU. Honestly shipping internationally is astronomical I admire any customer buying anything overseas honestly.
FYI, you can use a QR code but it does not satisfy the required documentation. You still have to have the documentation as described in a local commonly understood language. Any QR code is just for conveinence for buyer.
The "local EU authorized representative" encumbers a lot of product responsibility, responsibility for ensuring recalls are managed properly and even some product liability. This means it is going to be cost prohibitive for hand made sellers.
A lot of people just have no idea about the time required for documenting safety and other required documents nor have they read the GPSR document but imagining it that it will be easier than it will turn out to be. Sorry but if you are a true hand made seller, as I am, the EU market is DOA for 2025.
Indeed as one commenter said, the EU monitoring authorities are not going to go out and look at thousands of shops. They are going to require ETSY and other platforms to insure the compliance of products sold on their platform. This is not speculation, read the GPSR docs for yourself if you doubt it. This means that ETSY and similar platforms will no doubt take a heavy handed approach.
==Thank-you.
does etsy have new fields we can fill in all this info we need to have online in our shop? I would love to see an example of a product safety sheet that complies with all the rules.
officially in most cuntries vinage = 50+ years, antique is 100+ years old. It's nice that etsy allowes it to be called 'vintage' if its 20+ years old, but in most EU countries that's just second hand.
I sell greetings cards. Warning! Keep away from eye area, may poke it out while reading. May also cause paper cuts 🙄. Also still trying to understand how digitals are dangerous. Are they going to stop opening emails and downloading attachments too?
:D
According to Etsy: If you have set your seller type to “trader” who sells into the EU (which may include registered businesses or professional sellers), you may be required to appoint and disclose an economic operator.
I think most of us sell as an individual?
I obviously do not have an 'Economic Operator' but I did c/p all the GPSR information that Printify provided, into each listing.. hopefully that's enough not to get suspended as an induvial seller(?)
From everything else I have read even if we are individuals our items are still under these regulations
This is bound to hurt Etsy profits, with all these shops going into Holiday mode (mine included, UK seller) so hopefully they'll get their act together pronto ...... too optimistic???? 😅😂
Wow! Great video Pam. So complicated this stuff...
❤️🧡💛💚💙🩵💜🌲🎅
Why is there not an easy way to edit our shipping profiles to get rid of EU/NI?
I know, it is so annoying
@@PamDuthie I don't really understand the whole digital items aspect either.
Etsy "Vintage" is not compliant. The EU exempts antique items, with "antique" meaning 100 years old and older. Then VAT has a field day.
I see a lot of shops throwing up their hands in despair and closing down.
Yes I totally understand it is stressful. I have my shop in vacation mode while I figure things out
My shop has been closed for a few yrs, I'll ne reopening, might only ship in my oen country
That is a good idea for just now
Bottom line is that we are going to become proper businesses instead of enthusiastic amateurs. Scary maybe, but from the consumer side, a good thing. I have no doubt that this is the direction of travel and there will be more regulation to come. Plus US tariffs will impact on base costs of POD components imported by US-based providers
Does this affect digital sellers?
I'm wondering this too. I sell digital educational and mental health posters
Yes it seems it does
@@aaisha... This is my question as well. I sell a couple of digital download crochet patterns on Etsy and to my knowledge I can't control WHERE people can buy a digital file.
What are digital download sellers supposed to do to comply?
@ I would search for gspr policy and copy it and paste in your policy section. Until they give us more information. I had ChatGPT make me a policy to comply for Etsy copied and pasted and inserted my shop name. It’s a good place hold until more information is available
Can i sell to EU countries that are not in the EU union?
I think so
@@PamDuthieAs well not all EU countries start implementing the new law already
on the Dutch government info website, they say if it enters the EU on or after dec. 13 then it should comply (for digital things if it's sold / downloaded on or after dec. 13). anyone who sells something is considered a 'trader'. anyone in the EU needs to comply to even sell inside their own country.
I believe it would be a better and more catching video if you read those before starting =)
Updates to Expect
We are committed to providing you with updated information as we learn more from the European Commission and as we evolve our operations to help you comply with GPSR, including:
Updated compliance guidelines for small and medium businesses and microenterprises. We will update this page with relevant updates from the European Commission as they are available.
A solution for sellers who wish to discontinue offering their digital items to Northern Ireland and the European Union. We are actively working on this, and will provide an update on timing by December 31, 2024. In the meantime, if you wish to cancel an existing transaction, the process for cancelling a sale is here.
A solution for sellers who wish to discontinue offering their items to Northern Ireland buyers. We are actively working on this, and will provide an update on timing by December 31, 2024. Until then, you may consider the below interim options:
Update your shipping locations
Learn more about how to cancel certain orders here.
More information can be found in the FAQs below.
Hi Pam, thanks for an hour long video! As a digital seller based in the EU, I'm still confused as to what I should do to comply with the regulations 🫠 The only thing I understand is that I don't need the EU representative, as I'm that person for my store. But I have no idea what I should do - there's no shipping, no labels, nothing. It's all very confusing!
And no way to control where digital files are bought from. I’m confused too.
I agree, I am afraid I am not sure at the moment, I am trying to find out but even asking the proper legal people it is hard to pin down actual useful answers
Yes it is confusing! I have been reading and speaking to people non stop and at the moment I dont even know how to comply for myself
That would be same information, same presentation but took all the sooooos and aaaaays , we would be looking to 30 minutes video =) just a constructive feedback, with all my respect =)
I have made those videos as well and I will again, but people also tell me they like when I go through the whole thing as well. I will summarise everything again - with any other new things I find - in a few days
@@PamDuthie I watched the whole thing though =) Peace