Etsy Helps Sellers in Ukraine by Wiping Out Balances

Etsy CEO Josh Silverman announced today that the company will waive all outstanding balances owed by sellers in Ukraine totaling about $4 million.

In a blog post, he said:

“The events unfolding in Ukraine weigh heavily on us all. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted in the region, especially Etsy sellers and buyers as well as family and friends of our global team.”

“Being part of a community means that when one part is suffering, the rest of us must step up and offer our support. To do our part, we’ve reached out to sellers in the region to ensure they know how to access help with their accounts or place their shops on hold during this difficult time.”

“We also know that many sellers are facing tremendous financial hardship as a result of the turmoil. To alleviate some of the burden, we are canceling the current balances owed to Etsy by all sellers in Ukraine, which includes listing fees, transaction fees, advertising fees, and more. This represents a contribution of approximately $4 million towards our community.”

“We’ve long been committed to creating economic opportunities as well as offering assistance in times of distress or injustice. Our efforts to support Etsy sellers in Ukraine are a reflection of that commitment.”

“To the Etsy team, thank you for coming together to support these sellers during such an uncertain time. And to anyone in our community impacted by this conflict, your safety and wellbeing remain in our thoughts.”

Seller Protections for In-Transit Items to Ukraine & Russia?

We asked Etsy if the company plans to extend seller protections to its global sellers with shipments in transit to Ukraine and Russia but have not received word back. We will update this post if we receive information from Etsy regarding those shipments.

Currently, mail and courier services are impacted by either the conditions in Ukraine or sanctions imposed on Russia. Please see this post for more details on how the war is impacting mail and shipping.

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