I have to confess to being at my wits end with these dodgy shops now, the Pandora charms I reported probably 2 weeks ago now and they are still there. It feels like there is no longer much point taking the time to reverse image search the items and provide link to admin showing where where else the items sell. ie Ebay and AliExpress, its time we could better spend making our handmade goods. I left the E place for this very reason as it was becoming like Ebay and I value my craft and other handmade crafters skills.
Folksyâs ethos is âThe Home of British Craftâ but I feel its drifting away from this ethos and I have been looking around at other platforms, We all know admin only have a small team and thats why we like it here but if sellers are taking time out to report these shops surely it shouldnât take 2 weeks for a report to be looked at.
I do agree with the idea of a Report shop button if that can be done. Sorry for the long moan but I have been dying to get that off my chest lol 
x
Hi everyone. It is frustrating and we really do appreciate your help in policing it. At the moment we have a new member of the support team, and while they are being trained up, reported items are taking slightly longer to deal with than usual. We do investigate every item reported and in most cases we remove the shop or the item, but there are instances where the seller is not violating our T&Cs (for example, supplies like charms are allowed if they are listed as supplies).
We are also looking at other ways this can be done automatically as it is very time consuming for us as a small team to go through each item manually.
We have a long to-do list at the moment, and in the lead-up to Christmas we are focusing on improving the item page, and making it easier for customers to find what they are looking for and check-out. However I am speaking to the team to see if there are any things we can do to make sure any sellers or products that break our terms and conditions are spotted and removed as quickly as possible, as itâs not good for our reputation as a platform for handmade.
I have reported 3 shops today including one selling a Vacuum cleaner, so it will be interesting to see if anything happens to themâŚit so spoils Folksy 
I can understand it taking a while if there is some doubt whether any violations of T & Câs have taken place, but with some shops itâs blatently obvious, like the one selling the Vacuum etc.
Yes totally agree. Shops like that are straightforward to deal with and blatantly should be there. Iâm hoping thereâs something clever we can come up with to stop them even opening in the first place.
Yes I reported the Pandora too. I wonder if the Folksy Team work their way through the list by looking at how many people have reported? It would be useful if, when we report an item, we could see a count of how many others have reported it. As you say, @OhhhWhatAYarn itâs time we could better spend making rather than acting as the police force, and it seems a waste of time if weâre all doing the same thing. If we could see that it has been reported by someone already, and if we could be confident that action would be taken with just one report, then it would save everyone doubling up and doing the same thing.
Itâs really easy to open a shop on Folksy - perhaps itâs too easy?
Many organisations, both websites and physical craft fairs, now have an application process where you have to declare what you will be selling and provide a number of photos. There would be a slight delay while Folksy staff took a look, but surely this must be easier and quicker all around than tracking down the rogue sellers after they are already set up? Even just having to apply would be a deterrent to most of them!
Dental tools and trains now. This is getting beyond a joke now.
It all seems very odd to me. If I was trying to sell old vacuum cleaners or dental tools, Folksy would not seem like a good choice. I donât understand why they donât just sell on eBay where people might actually want an old vacuum cleaner or dental tools!
I often browse around Folksy and I have not come across any rogue shops, probably because I use the categories or search so hopefully that is the same as most customers.
Cheaper and the monopoly?
Always find them from the Newest Shops on the front page
It is very odd indeed, some are just scammers but others seem completely pointless and it is highly unlikely they will sell anything. I really do wonder if some of it is more like an attack on Folksy and that devaluing the site and causing upset is actually the point.
Goodness, thatâs a horrid thought. It never occurred to me there could be such a malicious intent. Hopefully the shops in question get shut down quickly.
Perhaps there could be some sort of automatic process that if a shop is reported by three people (perhaps people with some sort if standing like there are on this forum) it goes into an automatic review and is hidden?
Iâve resorted to informing firms directly and had a much better response. They take copyright theft seriously.
Iâm confused as to what is wrong with the train prints (prints of hand done digital art), a surprising number of jewellers (and other crafts) use dental tools for things like carving wax or clay (they should be listed in commercial supplies for that though and not be aimed at the home dental care market) but vacuum cleaners? Nope they shouldnât be on here. I like the idea of a report whole shop button and if it receives more than a certain number of reports then the shop is either hidden until approved by admin or flagged as high priority for being looked at by admin.
Starbucks Halloween cup on there now!
The exact same set of dental tools is available on Amazon (sold by the same company) for nearly half the price. I do wonder if people just donât read the info on what you can and canât sell or just list anyway in the hope that they will get away with it.
Unfortunately itâs probably only going to get worst between now and Christmas. 
I think they donât care Alison and if they can get away with it they will. They are the sort who would probably never buy handmade or appreciate the work that goes into it.
I am trying to think if any of my friends might want a âdo it yourselfâ dental KitâŚ
Maybe Natalie @NOfkantsCurios she wouldnât have to work so hard for her boss if she set up on her ownâŚlolâŚ
The one with the Starbucks mug now has string light curtains and fairy lights. The pens may be okay under supplies.
Reported yesterday still there.
The pens are half the price on Amazon 
xxx
Says it all Sharon! will see if these shops go today or still there being added to. Love folksy but this is neglectful when we have reported them and needs to be a priority. A bit like stacking your shelves with delicious apples, perfectly formed then find some mouldy ones have got in!