Detailed extensively on the official Etsy blog earlier this week, the extremely popular craft marketplace is putting a stop to the sale of illegal or potentially hazardous items. The most notable tweak forces Etsy users to address the language of item descriptions when talking about medical claims. For example, some sellers list bracelets that they claim have the ability to help start weight loss, increase fertility or beat an addiction. Etsy sellers can still sell these items on the marketplace, but they cannot promote any medical benefits of the item. In addition to the change in policy, Etsy also listed a variety of drug paraphernalia items that were banned from the marketplace. Some of those items include hash skillets, bubblers, oil domes, water pipes, ash catchers and pipes with carburetors.
Beyond drug related items, Etsy officials also banned the sale of human parts which include bodily fluids, bones, skulls, full skeletons, tissue or any type of organ. However, hair and teeth are still allowed to be sold and can be included within listed items.
While Etsy had already banned the sale of all tobacco products, management expanded this category to include tobacco-alternatives, herbal smoking blends and basically anything that can be smoked in a pipe or rolled up as a cigarette. However, the sale of incense is still allowed on the site assuming that it’s not being shipped with a flammable object like a matchbook.
In regards to hazardous materials, Etsy banned the sale of fireworks, sparklers, loose matches, mercury thermometers, caps used for toy guns and lighter fluid. Etsy members can still sell homemade lighters on the site as long as the item is shipped without any lighter fluid. Etsy also specified types of transportation items that are prohibited on the site. These include cars, boats, motorcycles and travel trailers, specifically because Etsy isn’t designed to handle those types of sales when it comes to title transfers. However, Etsy members can still sell unicycles, bicycles, tricycles, pogo sticks, skateboards and roller skates.
