What should I do if an Etsy shop is copying digital products and listing photos?

Hi! If the designs, listing photos, or your written description text are actually being copied, the best path on Etsy is to file an intellectual property (IP) infringement report (not a public callout). In practice, you’ll want to report the specific listings that use your work, because Etsy’s IP process generally works at the listing level and you’ll need each listing’s URL to submit a proper notice.

Here’s the clean, “do it the right way” process (and it stays confidential):

1. Document everything first (quickly)

• Screenshot their listing pages (photos, description text, thumbnails, price, date if shown).
• Save your original source files and proof you created them (working files, export history, drafts, dated uploads, etc.).
• Make a list of every infringing listing URL (Etsy tends to require listing links, not just the shop name).

1. Use Etsy’s IP reporting flow for copying

• Copied photos: usually a copyright issue (your product photography/mockups you created).
• Copied design files/artwork (your actual digital download): usually copyright.
• Copied wording (your description text): can also fall under copyright in many cases, but keep your report tightly focused on what’s truly your original text/images/files.
• If they’re using your brand name/logo to confuse buyers, that may be trademark (different report type).

1. Expect the possibility of a counter-notice
   If you file a copyright-style takedown, the other seller may have the option to counter it. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t report—just make sure you’re only reporting what you genuinely own and can back up.

2. Don’t “call them out” publicly
   It can backfire (drama, harassment, and it can tip them off to hide/alter listings). Reporting through Etsy is the more professional, quieter route, and it creates an internal record.

To protect your work going forward (without getting weird about it), a few practical moves help a lot for digital downloads:

• Use branded, consistent mockups and consider a subtle watermark/overlay on preview images (not so heavy it hurts conversion).
• Only show low-res previews or cropped detail shots where possible; avoid posting full-size, print-ready images in listing photos.
• Add a simple copyright notice + license terms in your listing description and in a “READ ME” PDF included in the download (it won’t stop thieves, but it helps if you need to enforce).
• Keep your originals organized (dates, layered files, drafts) so you can prove authorship fast.
• If your products are a big part of your income, consider formal copyright registration in your country (not required to report on Etsy, but it can strengthen enforcement if things escalate).

If you tell me what exactly was copied (your PNG/PDF design, your mockup photos, your description text, or all of it), I can suggest the best way to word the report and what evidence to attach so it’s less likely to get rejected.