How do I report an Etsy shop copying other sellers’ digital downloads and listing photos?

Hi! If you’re not the rights owner (or officially authorized to act for them), you generally shouldn’t file a copyright/DMCA takedown on Etsy—Etsy’s copyright reporting process is designed for the creator/rights holder (or their agent) to submit the claim. What you can do is report the listing/shop through Etsy’s normal “Report this item/shop” flow for suspected policy issues, and privately notify the sellers who were likely copied so they can file the proper IP report.

Here’s the cleanest way to handle it:

1) Report the listing(s) the normal way (non-IP takedown).
Go to each questionable Etsy listing and use “Report this item to Etsy,” choosing the closest fitting reason (for example, “suspected intellectual property infringement” or the relevant policy option Etsy shows you). This doesn’t replace a rights-holder report, but it can still put the listings on Etsy’s radar.

2) Notify the affected sellers (quietly, with specifics).
Yes—message the original creators directly is usually the most effective move, because they’re the ones who can submit an official copyright infringement notice. Keep it short and factual:

• The shop name and the specific listing(s) you believe are copying
• Screenshots (listing photos, thumbnails, description snippets)
• Dates you observed it (helpful if things change fast)
• Any side-by-side comparison you can share without sending anyone’s files around

Avoid sending or downloading the suspect digital file just to “confirm.” Often the listing images/description are enough for the original creator to recognize their work, and you don’t want to accidentally distribute infringing content.

3) Don’t call them out publicly.
I’d avoid public posts, comment call-outs, or “warning” posts in Etsy community spaces. Public accusations can backfire (defamation/harassment complaints, drama, retaliation), and Etsy also discourages discussing items you’ve flagged in their community spaces. Quiet reporting + notifying the rights holders is the safest route.

4) If YOUR work is being copied, file an IP report for your own listings.
If any of the files or Etsy listing photos are yours, then you are the rights holder—use Etsy’s IP reporting portal/process for those specific infringements. That’s the route that can actually trigger removal based on copyright.

If you want, paste (1) what’s being copied (your files vs “other sellers’ files”), and (2) whether the “copied-looking” part is the digital file, the listing photo, or both—and I’ll tell you exactly which report path makes the most sense for your situation.