Tarot Decks being pirated on Etsy - let's get them taken down

[BlueStar]

This piracy stuff is a nightmare! I think it's good to bring it to the attention of the Tarot community on a forum like this. There are probably many tarot consumers who have no idea of what's going on (I didn't realise the situation was that bad). The more we talk about it and spread the word the better I think. People can't help by not buying them if they don't know about it. I wish this was discussed on YouTube too (not sure how that will happen though) - there are so many tarot readers there with large followings. If they made a stink about it the word would get out and maybe it would help some way to reduce purchases of pirated decks.

I'm gonna try contacting some people I follow and see if they can do some videos to help spread the word.

[reall]

This piracy stuff is a nightmare! I think it's good to bring it to the attention of the Tarot community on a forum like this. There are probably many tarot consumers who have no idea of what's going on (I didn't realise the situation was that bad). The more we talk about it and spread the word the better I think. People can't help by not buying them if they don't know about it. I wish this was discussed on YouTube too (not sure how that will happen though) - there are so many tarot readers there with large followings. If they made a stink about it the word would get out and maybe it would help some way to reduce purchases of pirated decks.

I'm gonna try contacting some people I follow and see if they can do some videos to help spread the word.

Great idea! YouTubers should spread the word Etsy & other places people trust their shopping are often pirated & best skip in favor of official artist & publisher shop pages?;)

[Joan Marie]

Great idea! YouTubers should spread the word Etsy & other places people trust their shopping are often pirated & best skip in favor of official artist & publisher shop pages?;)

I would love to see deck creators on Etsy start using some kind of "seal of approval" saying something to the effect of "These are the authentic deck - sold by the creator." And a "Stop Deck Pirating" label on their sites.

A seal of authenticity. Something like that.

[reall]

Great idea! YouTubers should spread the word Etsy & other places people trust their shopping are often pirated & best skip in favor of official artist & publisher shop pages?;)

I would love to see deck creators on Etsy start using some kind of "seal of approval" saying something to the effect of "These are the authentic deck - sold by the creator." And a "Stop Deck Pirating" label on their sites.

A seal of authenticity. Something like that.

yes, it would be nice if we can get something like that & tarot community should be one to give that!
also sad to notice there are new etsy shops selling pirated decks including Modern Witch Tarot, Light Seer, Deviant Moon & plenty of others! main thing you can tell it's fake is size much smaller that legit deck & imo even smaller than any normal size deck as imo anything less than 6x9cm sounds like someone is printing these & cutting by hand on some home printer?x,x facepalm

[CharlotteK]

This is another horrible Etsy shop selling wretched fakes at inflated prices.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Nolowortch

I could cry for the creators having their work stolem. I do feel for the naive buyers that know no better and are paying through the nose for garbage (why don't they do their homework godammit). How sad too for the tarot community as a whole. It's an absolute scandal. I've reported both this shop and the nasty runes place.

[ianbryanttarot]

I’ll do all I can to alert folks to this and also complain.

[Nemia]

I reported this shop, too. Please, dear fellow tarotists, let's all appeal to Etsy, they have to do something against this epidemic of counterfeit cartomancy decks. It will damage Etsy's good name (it did so already among people who understand the subject), and it's simply WRONG. How impertinent is the shop owner, giving new names to well-known tarot decks? And don't tell me buyers don't know it. How can anyone interested in tarot NOT recognize the Thoth? oh sorry, the Interdimensional Tarot?

ETA I never got an answer from Etsy after reporting the absolutely disgusting rune shop.

[CharlotteK]

I can't for the life of me understand why someone would pay >£30 for an inferior, fake, renamed Thoth deck when they can get a genuine one for <£15...

I agree that this will take a concerted protest from creators and customers to get Etsy to take this seriously and actually DO something.

[Joan Marie]

I can't for the life of me understand why someone would pay >£30 for an inferior, fake, renamed Thoth deck when they can get a genuine one for <£15...

I agree that this will take a concerted protest from creators and customers to get Etsy to take this seriously and actually DO something.

This is such an important point because a lot of people think that the counterfeiters are all selling these poor quality fakes for cheap, but they aren't. Often to appear legit they charge as much or more than the artists or publishes charge.

Everyone suffers for this crime, buyers, artists, publishers, everyone.

On Wednesday this week (August 19) I'll be making an announcement about an effort effectively curb this fakery.

There is a mailing list, you can join it here: https://tinyletter.com/ICOTA_News

[Nemia]

Great, thank you, I subscribed!