The Problems With Selling Used & Worn Items on Etsy/eBay

Seller Sellers’ Perspective The Problems With Selling Used & Worn Items on Etsy/eBay

The Changing World, and Where Sex Work Fits Into It All…

I found myself on All Things Worn after being unceremoniously permanently banned from Etsy, where I ran a little shop selling mostly used socks for about 5 months. I had reviewed all their policies, rules, and regulations, consulted with other current Etsy sellers, and did some additional research in regards to Sex Worker seller experience on Etsy by looking at posts from sites like Reddit and Facebook. Everything I did reflected that I should have the green light to operate my shop, and I found myself shocked when I woke up one morning to find that shop had been closed and I was permanently banned from ever selling on Etsy again, regardless of content. Yikes! In this blog, I hope to share a little about my experience with that, and some of the takeaways I got from it.

Outside of ATW

It’s no secret that while ATW is a great place to sell and buy worn goodies and other experiences, it's also apparent that there are plenty of other places where such transactions occur. I’ve already mentioned Etsy, but other places like eBay, Craigslist, Reddit, Facebook, and any other social media sites all come to mind. Aside from where one may find the opportunity for such transactions, there is also the issue of the exchange of money for the goodies or services. ATW already did a great job in Introducing KinkCoins, highlighting some of the common issues that sellers may face using some of the big-name payment methods, such as PayPal, CashApp, Amazon, or Venmo. Each of these platforms have their own rules and policies, and it is always up to the user to make themselves familiar with them and ensure that they are followed.

Their Platform, Their Rules

This is not an effort from me to bash Etsy or any other platform that sex workers may find themselves on. Ultimately, it comes down to following the rules of the platform that you’re using, whether that’s for sex work or anything else. I see many people around me in my life believing that they are entitled to some kind of special treatment or exemption from the rules for various reasons: “I’ve been a loyal customer/consumer” or “Someone else is doing it, why can’t I?”

When I got banned from Etsy, I made an appeal; when that was denied, I apologized for my actions having caused them trouble, and moved on. Sure, it sucked, but in the end, I was using a service that Etsy provided, making me subject to their rules. With that being said, one thing I did learn is when in doubt, reach out! I wish I would have reached out to Etsy directly to ask if my shop’s content was OK or not. It would’ve saved me and Etsy a lot of trouble!

Consequences

So, you’ve read all the rules and regulations, and you’re moving forward with using the platform even if your purposes may not totally follow all said rules, now what? My biggest thing is to be aware of not only short term consequences but also long term ones, for not only yourself but others as well. Back to my Etsy example, while I am unclear on the exact method Etsy will ensure that I no longer sell on their site, I have seen people mention that common technologies used to prevent fraud, bots, and rulebreakers from re-utilizing online marketplaces following a ban include associating them with their IP address, tax ID, social security number (for U.S. users), and bank information so if they try to open another account, they’re automatically flagged.

Basically, stuff you can’t change. It seems like you’d just be able pop open a new email address and start over, but some platforms take it a step further and will ensure that you would pretty much need a new identity before being able to try again. The most prominent thing for me out of the above list is the IP address. If anybody else in your household uses the platform you got banned from, they can be affected too. The best case scenario is they go through a lengthy appeal and explanation process, worse case scenario they are also banned! So, please be careful and think things through!

Even if you follow all the rules, be aware that some future opportunities may not present themselves once you engage in sex work. A childhood friend of mine just got rejected from a dream job because they conducted a background check and found she filed taxes with OnlyFans in recent years. She used an alias and had separate work contacts, which I always advocate for to keep yourself safe “in the field.” But, in her case, she could not use an alias when filing taxes, so it led to her future employer finding out.

That is not to say that sex work itself cannot present yourself with great opportunities, it’s important to be aware of what it may affect as well, both personally and professionally. The harsh truth is that as of right now, sex work is still frowned upon and seen as not real work by many people, institutions, and entities. Being aware of that can help you make an informed decision about how to go about sex work and whether or not it’s right for you.

Change is Never Easy

Rules, rules, rules! Stigma, stigma, stigma! Well, when’s it our turn? When will the rules change in our favor? ATW fosters a community of adults over 18 engaging in legal and consensual sex work. We, and many other sex workers outside of the ATW community, are not out here breaking the law or forcing anybody into anything they are not comfortable and happy with, so why does it seem like the “big wigs” are still against us?

I have experienced such a double-edged sword with sex and sex appeal. On one hand, sex sells, baby! So many ads utilize sexual imagery to grab and keep attention; anywhere from cars to french fries! But, on the other hand, sex is taboo, too. Show a little, but show too much and it’s immoral and possibly even illegal!

Change is coming, slow as it is. It sounds cliche, but be the change you want to see! If you’re able, getting involved on personal, community, and even state or national levels can help us inch along and see the day where sex work is normalized and legalized. It can be something as quick as having a conversation with a friend and sharing opinions, or something more complex like getting involved with your legislature and advocating for laws that can benefit sex workers. Like the heading says, change is never easy. Even positive change will take time and effort, and challenge you to develop the ability to be flexible!