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Etsy Bans Sales of Spells and Hexes, and Witches are Not Happy About it

Updated Jun 19th, 2015 8:56PM EDT
Etsy Bans Selling Spells Witches Protest

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Hipster Wiccans who are hoping to pick up hexes to cast on annoying coworkers from Etsy are now out of luck. The Daily Dot brings us word that online crafts shop Etsy has barred people from selling spells, hexes and other supernatural items that offer no tangible benefits. Many witches are not happy about this development, however, and are claiming that Etsy is doing them grave economic harm by banning the sale of their particular crafts.

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“Swathes of us have now had our sales and shop views tank, and there is great distress in the metaphysical community,” wrote one spell monger to The Daily Dot.

Essentially, Etsy used to let you get away with selling spells as long as you both offered something tangible, even if it was just a candle or a trinket. You also had to offer a disclaimer informing buyers that there is no guarantee a spell will actually work. Now Etsy’s rules say that “any metaphysical service that promises or suggests it will effect a physical change (e.g., weight loss) or other outcome (e.g., love, revenge) is not allowed, even if it delivers a tangible item.”

At any rate, we get the feeling that an entrepreneurial witch somewhere will make their own metaphysical version of Etsy where people can sell each other spells, hexes and magic beans to their hearts’ content.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.