Disney Cracks Down on Etsy Shops Selling Bootleg Baby Yoda Merch
Written by SOURCE on January 18, 2020
Though recent trademark filings indicate that tons of Baby Yoda products are on the way, many impatient fans have expressed frustration over the slow roll-out of The Mandalorian merch. So, it’s no surprise that many online vendors have cashed in on the demand by selling bootleg Baby Yoda items on Etsy. Disney, of course, doesn’t approve.
According to The Verge, a number of independent Etsy shops have been hit with takedown notices over their Mandalorian-themed goods, such as Baby Yoda toys, plushies, tees, and mugs. The outlet reports that many of these sellers included Star Wars-related key words in their listings, which generated a considerate amount of activity. The Verge points out that a listing for a Yoda doll had “over 2,000 views and 300 favorites,” while another garnered “100 to 200” views per day.
Per the report:
One seller, Tanya, who runs the stuffed animal storefront YourStuffedMemories, had been selling homemade Baby Yoda plushies for about a month when she received a message from Etsy. It had deactivated her sales listing after getting a complaint from Disney over her usage of the words “Star Wars,” “mandalorian,” and “Yoda” to sell the plushies.
But not every vendor is accepting defeat. Some have continued to list the Baby Yoda items using vague terms, such as “The Baby,” “Galaxy Wars,” and “Yodoll.” Etsy shop HedgeCrafts has also relisted a dice bag that resembles Baby Yoda, but with a much more ambiguous description: “Is he an alien, a goblin? While his origins are unknown what is known is that he absolutely adorable …”
Etsy did not comment on the reported takedown notices, but directed The Verge to its policy regarding intellectual property: “Etsy strives to respond quickly when we receive proper notice of intellectual property infringement by removing or disabling access to the allegedly infringing material.”
Disney has since launched a small range of Baby Yoda merch on its official website, and has recently teamed up with Build-a-Bear on a Baby Yoda stuffed animal; however, fans will have to wait a few months before it becomes available.
