How to get copies of your work taken down
A plain-English guide for Etsy sellers, pattern designers, and print-on-demand artists. General information, not legal advice.
1. Know what to report
Reporting something that is not yours can get your own account flagged. CopyCat sorts results so you only act on the clear cases.
- Exact match: your photo or file is used as-is. Report it.
- Likely copy: the design looks copied, maybe mirrored, recolored, or on a different product. Compare side by side first.
- Similar style: same idea or trend, different work. Ideas and styles are not protected by copyright, so do not report these.
2. Copyright or trademark?
- Copyright protects your artwork, photos, and pattern text. It is yours as soon as you create it. Use a copyright (DMCA) notice when someone copies your design or uses your photos.
- Trademark protects your brand name or logo. Use a trademark notice when someone sells under your name or uses your logo. A registered trademark makes these reports much easier. Some makers report that platforms acted faster on trademark reports.
3. Should I register my copyright?
Platforms accept takedown notices without a registration. In the U.S., though, you need a registration (or a refused application) before you can file a copyright lawsuit, and registering before the infringement or within 3 months of publishing makes statutory damages and attorney’s fees possible.
Consider registering your bestsellers and the designs that get copied most. You can file online at copyright.gov; check the site for current fees and group options for multiple works. Add your registration number to the design in CopyCat as proof.
For your shop name or logo, trademark registration is done through the USPTO.
4. If the seller fights back
A seller can send a counter-notice saying the takedown was a mistake. Under the DMCA, the platform may then restore the listing after 10 to 14 business days unless you show you filed a lawsuit. If you get a counter-notice for a clear copy, talk to an intellectual property attorney quickly. Keep your evidence pack: it has everything an attorney will ask for.
5. Where to report on each platform
| Platform | How | |
|---|---|---|
| Etsy | Open the Etsy IP reporting portal and sign in. Choose "Copyright" (or "Trademark" if your name or logo is used). Paste the listing URL and describe your original work. Upload the evidence pack PDF and submit. | Open |
| Amazon | Open Amazon’s Report Infringement form. Select "I am the rights owner" and "Copyright". Enter the ASIN or product URL and a link to your original. Paste the notice text from CopyCat and submit. | Open |
| Temu | Open the Temu IP Portal and sign in or create a rights-owner account. Choose copyright as the type of infringement. Add the product URL, upload your original and the evidence pack. Turn on Relist Watch in CopyCat: Temu listings often come back. | Open |
| SHEIN | Open SHEIN’s Intellectual Property Notice Portal. Choose copyright and the country where the listing is sold. Add product links, your original work, and the evidence pack. | Open |
| AliExpress | Register on the Alibaba IP Protection Platform (IPP). Upload proof of ownership (your CopyCat proof record works for copyright). Submit a complaint with the listing URLs. | Open |
| Open Meta’s copyright report form. Choose "Copyright" and describe your work. Paste the post, ad, or Marketplace URL and submit. | Open | |
| Open Instagram’s copyright report form. Paste the post URL and describe your original. | Open | |
| Walmart | Open Walmart’s IP claim page. Submit the claim form with the item URL and your evidence. | Open |
| eBay | Join eBay’s VeRO program. Report the item numbers with your notice text. | Open |
| Redbubble | Open Redbubble’s IP help article. Use the IP report form with the work URLs. | Open |
| TeePublic | Open TeePublic support. Search "intellectual property" and submit the IP form. | Open |
| Ravelry | Email Ravelry’s copyright contact listed on their About page with your notice text. | Open |
| Hobbii | Use Hobbii’s contact page and send the notice text with the pattern URL. | Open |
| Shopify store | Open Shopify’s DMCA page and use the takedown form. Include the store URL and the product URL. Shopify forwards valid notices to the store owner and can remove the content. | Open |
| Independent store | Check if the store runs on Shopify (look for "myshopify" or "Powered by Shopify" in the footer). If yes, use Shopify’s DMCA form. If not, look up the website host and send the notice to the host’s abuse or DMCA contact. Send the notice to the store’s own contact email as well. | Open |
Platforms change their forms from time to time. If a link has moved, search the platform’s help center for “intellectual property”.
6. Make copying harder
- Put your shop name somewhere in your product photos. Copies that keep it are easy to prove.
- Upload photos at the size shops need, not your full-resolution originals.
- Add your fan report link to the last page of every pattern PDF.
- Keep your sketches and work-in-progress files. They are strong proof that you made it first.