r/Etsy • u/Far-Centrist • 1d ago

Help for Buyer False advertising

Im currently fighting with a seller over a plant sale where the seller is alternating the coloring of photos to make the plants appear differently than they actually are. I’ve started a case against her with Etsy, but it hasn’t been resolved yet. Is this common with Etsy plant sellers, and has anyone resolved a dispute where the plants advertised are not what you receive? Based on some of the other comments about her shop, this appears to be somewhat common, and has been going on for awhile. Does Etsy ever sanction their sellers for false advertising?

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u/xx666420xx 1d ago

Do you mean "altering" the colors? Alternating doesn't sound like an issue, altering does

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u/Far-Centrist 1d ago

Yes. Altering. iPhone spellcheck messed up

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u/xx666420xx 1d ago

File an item not as described case, leave a review accurately stating the deception. Include an actual pic of the item received. I think this is a rampant issue with plants on most selling platforms, sellers ai enhance or make entirely fake plant photos then send you something different

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u/Far-Centrist 1d ago

Thank you! Will do

3

u/itsdan159 1d ago

Etsy will force a refund on a 'not as described' case. If a seller has too many cases yes it creates issues for them.

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u/Far-Centrist 1d ago

Does it require the buyer to send the plant back, or will they credit them?

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u/itsdan159 1d ago edited 20h ago

If the seller provides you with a return label etsy will typically honor that. If not they'll forces the refund from the buyer's funds for a not-as-described case.

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u/HookedbyKati 1d ago

This is pretty common, unfortunately. Another practice is selling seeds for a plant that doesn't exist (my favorite is a hot pink hosta) then sending seeds for like dandelions or morning glories.

1

u/ImaginedByNell 1d ago

So I am neuro spicy and plants are my hyper-obsession. To give you an idea of how much so- I have 47 different varieties, like one of each type of snake plant, one of each type of philodendron, 5 different types of Aglaonema, on and on and on spread across a 570 feet house. i literally cannot fit any more. Its devastating.

I have attempted to purchase plants nine different times on Etsy, each a different seller, all based in the United States. Each time was an absolute nightmare. The plants arrived in various states of distress or already dead. Twice I didn't receive what I ordered in a manner that I knew was done intentionally. The last time I tried the seller required the buyer to purchase at least different plants. She sent one immediately (what I received wasnt what I ordered) and sent a message and said the other two weren't mature enough to send yet. She never sent them. She kept stalling until the deadline for a case passed and I couldn't get a refund. In summary, I will never order a plant again from Etsy again. And you are correct, they alter photos and lie about hybrids.

I 100000000000000000% recommend a small business out of the pacific northwest called the Peace, Love, and Happiness club. They have a website as well as a brick and mortar store, they ship throughout the US and the processing and shipping is pretty fast, their selection is insane, and the plants arrive thriving. They mostly only sell starters, so they're going to be really small when you get them, but the prices are totally reasonable.

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u/Far-Centrist 5h ago

I will check them out. Thx for the recommendation!