"An Error Has Occurred, Please Try Again": The Etsy Glitch That Almost Ruined My Q4

I will never forget the sinking feeling I had on Cyber Monday 2023. I had just finished packaging twenty-five custom ceramic ornaments. The tape gun was still warm. I sat down at my laptop, coffee in hand, ready to print the shipping labels and get these babies to the post office before the 5 PM cutoff. I clicked "Get Shipping Labels." The screen flashed white, and then, in innocent little red text, it appeared: "An error has occurred please try again."

I clicked it again. Same message. I refreshed the page. Same message. I switched to my phone app. It crashed. For three hours, my business was paralyzed by a vague, unhelpful sentence. I wasn't banned, I wasn't hacked—I was just stuck in digital purgatory. That afternoon taught me that Etsy is a machine, and machines break. But more importantly, it taught me that I needed to know how to fix the machine myself because Etsy Support wasn't going to answer my ticket in time for the mail truck.

If you are staring at that red banner right now, I know your blood pressure is spiking. Whether you are trying to log in, list an item, or checkout, this guide is your emergency toolkit.

Diagnosing "Etsy An Error Has Occurred" (The Why)

When you see etsy an error has occurred, it feels personal. It feels like the site hates you. But technically, it is usually a "handshake" failure. Your computer is sending data to Etsy, and Etsy’s server is rejecting it. This isn't a "404 Page Not Found" (which means the page is gone). This is a generic "Something went wrong" catch-all.

The Usual Suspects:

Corrupt Cookies: Your browser is holding onto an old "session ID" that Etsy no longer recognizes.
Ad Blockers: Etsy uses tracking scripts for analytics. If your ad blocker is too aggressive, it blocks the script that allows the "Login" or "Purchase" button to function.
VPNs: Etsy hates VPNs. If you are masking your IP address, Etsy’s fraud detection often blocks the connection to prevent bot attacks.
Apple ID Glitches: If you use "Sign in with Apple," there is a notorious loop that causes this specific error.

Opinion Statement: I honestly believe Etsy’s error messaging is lazy. Instead of telling us "Your VPN is blocking this," they give us a generic error. It forces sellers to become IT technicians just to run their shops.

The Login Loop: "An Error Has Occurred Please Try Again Etsy Login"

The most terrifying version of this is when you can't even get in. You type your password, hit enter, and boom: an error has occurred please try again etsy login. You try again. Same thing. You start sweating. "Am I banned?"

How to verify if it's a glitch or a ban:

Check your email. If you were suspended, Etsy usually sends an email (check spam).
Try the Buyer App. Can you log into the buying side? If yes, your account is likely fine, and the "Sell on Etsy" app is just glitching.

The "Magic Link" Fix: If you are stuck in a loop, try this:

Go to the login page.
Do not enter your password.
Click "Forgot Password."
Reset it via email. Sometimes, the act of resetting the password flushes the "stuck" session data on Etsy's backend.

Here’s where it gets interesting... If you use a password manager (like LastPass or 1Password), sometimes it autofills an old password too quickly, triggering a security block. Manually typing your password can sometimes bypass the an error has occured etsy login loop.

Browser Extensions and the "Can't Log Into Etsy" Nightmare

I once spent two days unable to edit my listings. Every time I hit "Publish," I got the error. I finally realized I had installed a "Coupon Finder" extension (Honey) the day before. It was trying to inject code into the page to look for discounts, and it broke Etsy's listing tool.

The "Incognito" Test: If you are shouting "can't log into etsy an error has occured," do this immediately:

Open Chrome/Safari/Firefox.
Open a "New Incognito Window" (or Private Window).
Go to Etsy.
Log in.

The Result:

If it works: The problem is 100% one of your browser extensions or your cache.
If it fails: The problem is likely your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Etsy’s servers are actually down.

Honest Failure: In 2024, I installed a "Dark Mode" extension because the white screen hurt my eyes at night. It broke the "Print Label" button. I didn't realize it for 24 hours. I blamed Etsy. I tweeted at them. It was my fault.Lesson: If Etsy breaks, turn off your extensions first.

VPNs and IP Bans: Why Etsy Blocks You

Etsy is paranoid about bots. Bots usually hide behind VPNs (Virtual Private Networks). If you are working from a coffee shop and using a VPN for safety, Etsy might flag your IP address as "suspicious." This triggers the etsy an error has occurred please try again banner.

My Coffee Shop Rule: If I am at Starbucks, I turn off my VPN only for the moment I log in to Etsy. Once I am authenticated, I turn it back on. Or, I use my phone’s Hotspot. Cellular data (5G) is rarely IP-blocked compared to public WiFi or VPNs.

Business Continuity: When You Can't Fix It

Sometimes, Etsy is actually down. Like, the servers are melting. You check "DownDetector" and see 5,000 reports. You can't fix that. But you can't stop making money either.

This is why I stopped being "Etsy Exclusive." I use the Closo 100% Free crosslister to ensure my inventory lives on eBay and Poshmark too.

The Scenario: Etsy goes down on a Friday night.
The Pivot: I post on my Instagram: "Etsy is having a nap! You can grab these items on my eBay store link below."
The Tech: Because I used Closo to sync my listings, my eBay store is already populated with the exact same items,photos, and descriptions.
The Result: I made $400 on eBay that night while other Etsy sellers were crying in forums.

I use Closo to automate my inventory backup – saves me about 3 hours weekly of manual copy-pasting to safety.

Preventing Inventory Stagnation (Closo Demand Signals)

When the site is glitchy, you can't list. It feels like wasted time. But I use that downtime for research. If I can't sell today, I can plan for tomorrow.

I use Closo Demand Signals to analyze what I should be making next.How Closo helps me predict demand across categories 6 weeks ahead is by looking at search trends outside of Etsy.

The Signal: While Etsy was down, Closo showed me that "Coquette Bows" were spiking on Pinterest.
The Prep: I couldn't list them yet, but I spent the downtime photographing my ribbon inventory and drafting the titles in a Google Doc.
The Launch: As soon as the an error has occurred please try again etsy message vanished, I uploaded 10 listings instantly.
The Win: Because I was ready, I caught the wave while others were just logging back in.

"An Error Has Occurred" During Checkout (Buyer Side)

If you are a buyer, this error usually means your bank declined the transaction, but Etsy’s interface is too polite to say "Insufficient Funds." Or, your address is formatted wrong.

Common Buyer Triggers:

The "Apt" Line: Sometimes putting the apartment number in Line 1 instead of Line 2 breaks the address validator.
Emoji in Gift Message: If you put a ❤️ in the gift note, Etsy’s old code sometimes chokes on it.
Guest Checkout: If you are buying as a guest, try creating an account. It stabilizes the session.

Anecdote: I had a customer message me saying she tried to buy my painting 5 times and kept getting the error. I asked her to send me a screenshot of her cart. She had a 1,000-character "Note to Seller" that exceeded the limit. Etsy didn't tell her it was too long; it just gave the generic error. I told her to shorten the note, and it went through instantly.

Seller Suspension Masquerading as an Error

This is the scary one. Sometimes, an error has occurred please try again etsy login is code for "You have been banned." Etsy’s system sometimes blocks the login before it shows the "Account Suspended" banner.

The "red flags" that it's a suspension, not a glitch:

You check your email and see nothing (yet).
Your shop URL (etsy.com/shop/yourname) leads to a "Uh oh, this page is not found" screen.
If your shop is gone publicly and you can't log in, you are suspended.
What to do: Do not keep trying to log in. Check your spam folder for the legal notice. Contact Etsy Integrity immediately.

Parenthetical Aside: (I have a friend who thought her internet was broken for three days. She rebooted her router ten times. Turned out she had sold a "Disney" inspired item and got a DMCA takedown that locked her account. Check your public shop page first!)

Mobile App vs. Desktop Glitches

The "Sell on Etsy" app (the blue one) is notorious for this error. It often happens when uploading photos. You select 5 photos, hit upload, and boom: an error has occurred.

The Mobile Fix:

Photos are too big: If you took 4K photos on your new iPhone, they might be too heavy for the app to process over cellular data. Crop them slightly to reduce the file size.
Update the App: Etsy updates the app constantly. An old version will stop talking to the server.
Delete and Reinstall: This clears the app's cache (which you can't do easily in settings on an iPhone).

My Workflow: If the app gives me the error, I don't fight it. I open Safari on my phone, go to Etsy.com, request "Desktop Site," and do the work there. The mobile browser version is much more stable than the app.

Technical Deep Dive: Clearing Cache/Cookies Properly

If Incognito worked, you need to clean your main browser. But you don't want to delete everything (like your saved Netflix password).

How to clear ONLY Etsy cookies (Chrome):

Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Third-party cookies.
Click "See all site data and permissions."
Search for "Etsy."
Click the trash can icon next to etsy.com.
Restart Chrome. (Crucial step).

This removes the corrupt "handshake" without logging you out of Gmail and everything else.

Advanced Fixes (DNS and ISP)

If you have tried everything and still get etsy an error has occurred, it might be your DNS. DNS is the phonebook of the internet. Sometimes your ISP’s phonebook is outdated.

Switching to Google DNS (The Nuclear Option):

Go to your computer's Network Settings.
Change DNS Server from "Automatic" to "Manual."
Enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
This forces your computer to use Google’s map of the internet, which is often faster and more updated than your local cable company’s.

I did this in 2022 when my Comcast connection kept timing out on Etsy. It fixed it instantly.

FAQ Alternative

Common question I see... Is Etsy down right now?

Before you tear your hair out, check DownDetector.com or search "Etsy down" on Twitter/X. If you see a spike in reports, the problem is not you. It's them. Go make a cup of tea and wait. You cannot fix a server outage.

People always ask me... Why does this happen when I list an item?

This is usually because you took too long. If you leave the "Add a Listing" page open for 2 hours while you write the description, your "session" times out for security reasons. When you finally hit publish, Etsy thinks you are a stranger.Tip: Draft your descriptions in a Word doc first, then copy-paste them in quickly.

Common question I see... Can I call Etsy support?

Not really. There is no public phone number. If you Google "Etsy Support Number," you will find scams. The only way to contact them is through the "Help Center" chat or email forms. If you can't log in to access the Help Center, look for the "I can't sign in" link on the login page.

Conclusion

The message "an error has occurred please try again" is a rite of passage for every Etsy seller. It is annoying, but it is rarely fatal. 90% of the time, it is a cookie issue or a VPN conflict. Clear your browser, check your extensions, and don't panic.

My honest assessment is that relying on a single platform (Etsy) is the biggest "error" of all. Tech glitches happen. If your entire livelihood depends on one website staying online 100% of the time, you are vulnerable.

If you want to build a glitch-proof business, you need to diversify. Use the Closo Seller Hub to ensure your products are live on multiple marketplaces, so when one goes down, the others keep selling.

For more on managing your shop during chaos, read our Etsy Login Troubleshooting Guide

And if you want to know what products are worth listing once you finally get logged back in, check out Trending Products Forecast 2026