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Etsy doesn't want you selling spells

Etsy's online shop is mostly known for its handmade crafts, but it has also developed a reputation among the supernatural crowd as an easy place to find spells, potions and other mysterious goods. Well, those merchants will have to find another place to hawk their wares. Etsy has quietly updated its guidelines to ban all "metaphysical" services that promise a tangible outcome, like revenge or weight loss. The company isn't wasting much time cleaning house, either, as it's kicking out many of these vendors with little to no warning.

It won't shock you to hear that these vendors are upset, and some of them are going so far as to accuse Etsy of religious discrimination. Ironically, though, it wasn't hard to see this crackdown coming. Etsy is now a public company, which means eliminating practices that could get the site in trouble and worry investors. It doesn't want to face lawsuits from angry buyers who discover that their incantations and crystals don't work, after all. No matter what, it's clear that these sellers don't have many hosting options left. They were kicked out of eBay in 2012, and it's doubtful that other big services are about to roll out the welcome mat.

[Image credit: AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber]