Etsy blocked my shop for “sanction policy violations”, but I’m from Kazakhstan (non-sanctioned country). Need advice.
Hi everyone, I need help or advice because I’m in a really confusing and stressful situation.
A few days ago, Etsy suddenly suspended my shop and the reason they gave was “Violation of the Sanctions Policy.”
But I’m from Kazakhstan, and my shop and all my operations have no connection to any sanctioned regions or entities. I’ve always followed Etsy rules and worked honestly.
The worst part is that Etsy completely locked me out of my account, so I can’t contact my buyers, can’t send messages, and can’t update shipping info. I still had several open orders, and even though I can’t access the shop, I am continuing to produce and ship all the orders I received — but I cannot provide tracking numbers to the customers because I can’t reach them.
I’m worried that my buyers will think I abandoned their orders, and I have no way to prove that I’m fulfilling everything.
I already submitted an appeal, but I haven’t received any clear response from Etsy.
Has anyone else faced a similar issue?
Do you know if Etsy sometimes incorrectly flags Kazakhstan-based sellers as “high-risk” or “sanction-related”?
Any advice on what to do next or how to make sure my buyers aren’t worried?
Thank you in advance.
#etsy #etsysuspended #etsyseller
Posted Dec 10, 2025, 3:05 PM UTC