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Frequently Asked Questions (Selling)
Here
you'll find answers to questions about selling on Etsy. Just click a
question in the list
below and you'll be taken to the answer.
There are more helpful resources linked on
the menu to the left.
Becoming an Etsy Seller
How
do I
become a seller on Etsy?
Who
can be a seller?
Can
kids have Etsy shops?
What
is a shop?
Can
I customize my shop?
I'm
in Canada, or the UK or anywhere else in the world besides the US –
can I sell on Etsy?
I
already have a buyer account. How do I become a seller?
Can
I
change my username?
Does
my username have to match my store name?
Can
I
close my account to start a new one with a different username?
Can
I have more than one shop?
Can
more than one person operate a shop?
Can
the members of an Etsy Team have a shop together?
Can
I use a debit card or PayPal to become an Etsy seller?
Fees
& Billing
How
do Etsy fees work?
How
am I billed for fees associated with selling?
How
do I pay my bill?
Is
there a fee to get started (open a shop)?
If
I edit an item, is there any fee for that?
I
got a notice that my credit card is expired, but it's not. What do I do?
Why
is my credit card getting declined?
Is Etsy
charging me $1.01 to test my card?
What
if I
have a question about my specific bill?
Selling
Policies
What
items can I sell on Etsy?
What
items can't I sell on Etsy?
Etsy's
Front Page
How
are
hand-picked items chosen for the Etsy home page?
How
long do hand-picked items remain on the home page?
Can
I edit an item while it's featured on the home page?
What
happens if an item on the home page sells?
My
Treasury list was promoted to the front page! If I edit my Treasury
list, will the front page change too?
How
do I become a featured seller on the home page?
How
long is a seller featured?
Where
can I find previous featured sellers?
What
are those four little icons next to "Your place to buy & sell
all things handmade"?
Featured
Items in Your Shop
How
do
I feature items in my shop?
How
many items can I feature?
What
happens when a featured item sells?
Are
my store featured items related to the home page hand-picked items?
Banners
How
do I upload a banner?
Why
does my banner look wrong/fuzzy/pixelated/stretched?
How
do I create my own banner?
Shop
Sections
What
are
Sections?
How
do Sections work?
Are
my shop Sections related to the Etsy site Categories?
How
do I
create Sections?
How
do I add items to my Sections?
Can
the
same item listing appear in more than one custom Section?
How
many Sections can I create?
Can
I
rename my Sections?
Can
I change the order of my Sections (rank my Sections)?
Can
I
change the order of items within each Section?
Shop
Appearance
What
is the Shop Title?
How
long
can my Shop Title be?
What
is
the Shop Announcement?
What
is
the Message to Buyers?
My username
is plural, can I remove the
's from my username on my shop pages?
Shop
Policies
What are Shop
Policies?
Where do I
add/edit my Shop Policies page?
Are Shop
Policies required for every seller?
What should I
include in my Shop Policies?
Do a seller's
Shop Policies override Etsy's site-wide policies?
Your
Item Listings
My listing disappeared. Where is it?
When
does my listing expire?
Can
I
change the order of my listings in my store?
What
if I have multiple sizes/variations of the same item?
How
do I
see the public view of my shop?
How
do I
edit my listing text and photos?
How
do I
make a listing inactive (on hold or "Vacation Mode")?
Is there a fee to
activate an inactive listing?
How
do I delete a listing?
If
I
delete a listing is my listing fee refunded?
I
sold
an item in person at a craft show – can I mark it "sold" on Etsy?
Create
a New Listing (Add Item) – Step 1: Item Info
Is
there a walk through for all the steps of listing an item?
How
long
can my title be?
How
long can my Item Description be?
How
do I use the Materials section?
How
do I
enter compound or multiple words as Materials? (e.g.: "polymer clay")
How
many Materials can I enter?
How
do
buyers find my items with my Materials words?
Create
a New Listing (Add Item) – Step 2: Sort Your Item
What
are tags?
Are there any
general guidelines for tagging and categorizing items?
How
do Categories work?
Can
my
listing appear in more than one top-level Category?
How
do I
know what Category to use?
What
are Related Tags?
Do
I have to use the Related Tags?
How
many tags can I enter?
How
should I choose words for my tags?
How
do buyers find my items using tags?
Tags
seem pretty important. Where can I learn more about them?
Create
a New Listing (Add Item) – Step 3: Selling Info
Is
Etsy in USD only?
How
do
I do currency conversions?
Can
I use my native currency in listings?
Create
a New Listing (Add Item) – Step 4: Images
How
do I
add/upload photos to my listing?
Can
I add a photo that exists on the web?
Can
I edit or remove photos from my listing?
Can
I change the order of photos in my listing?
How
many photos can I add?
Do
I have to fill all photo slots for my listing?
Create
a New Listing (Add Item) – Step 5: Review & Post
What
happens if I don't click Finish when creating a new listing?
Can
I
edit my item after I click Finish?
Where
does my listing appear?
Payment
Methods
How
do I choose my Accepted Forms of Payment?
Can
I select different Forms of Payment for each listing?
Shipping
Options
What
are
Shipping Profiles?
Can
I save a new Shipping Profile while listing an item?
If
I edit a Shipping Profile, does it automatically change my shipping
prices in my listings?
Do
I have to use a Shipping Profile?
What
is
combined shipping?
Expired
Listings
When
does my listing expire?
How
do I
view the listing expiration dates?
Can
I make
an expired listing active again?
Relisting
a Sold Item
What
does
relisting mean?
How
do I relist an item?
Am
I charged a fee for relisting?
When
should I relist an item?
If
I
relist an item will I keep my views and hearts?
If
I
relist an item will it appear at the top of my store?
If
I relist an item will it appear at the top of the category page?
Renewing
an Item
What
does
renewing mean?
Am
I charged a fee for renewing?
When
should I renew an item?
If
I
renew an item will I keep my views and hearts?
If
I
renew an item will it appear at the top of my store?
If
I
renew an item will it appear at the top of the category page?
How
do
I renew an item before it expires?
Image
Help
I'm
having trouble uploading pictures, can you help?
Why
do
my thumbnail images keep getting cut off or misaligned?
What
size (dimensions) are the thumbnails and gallery images?
Why
do the images on my shop page keep getting cut off?
Why
do my photos look wrong (blurry, distorted, etc.)?
Are
watermarks acceptable on my photos?
What
file
format can I use for my photo?
What
size (dimensions) do my photos appear in the listing?
What
dimensions should my uploaded photo be?
What
is
the largest file size ("k size", mb) allowed for my photo?
What
resolution should my photo be?
Should
I
use CMYK or RGB for my listing photos? (What do these mean?)
Got
any
advice for helping me improve my product photography?
Transactions:
Items Sold
What
happens after I sell an item?
How
do
find a record of Items Sold?
Can I
download a spreadsheet of my sold transactions for my records?
How
do I contact the buyer?
Transactions:
Buyer Payment
When
do I get paid by the buyer?
How
do I get paid by the buyer?
How
do I determine my accepted methods of payment?
How
do I invoice a buyer?
Promoting
Your Etsy Shop
Can
I buy advertising space on Etsy?
Is
there a widget I can add to my blog or personal website to promote my
Etsy shop?
What
is an Etsy Mini? How do I make one?
How
does the Etsy Mini choose which items to display? Can I change the
order?
Is
there an Etsy logo or badge I can add to my blog or website, other than
the Etsy Mini?
Are
there postcards or fliers I can print out to promote Etsy and my shop?
What's
an Etsy Team? How do I join one?
Help!
I need ideas for improving and promoting my shop; got any suggestions?
PayPal
What
is PayPal™?
How
does
PayPal work on Etsy?
How do I open a PayPal account?
How do I add PayPaI as a payment option in my Etsy shop? Will this add the PayPal logo in my listings?
Can
I sign up for Etsy with a PayPal account, and use that to pay my fees?
Why
is the shipping wrong on the PayPal invoice?
I
made a sale, but the money doesn't show up in my PayPal account. What
happened?
Do
I
need a PayPal account to sell on Etsy?
My
customer doesn't have a PayPal account. Can they just use a credit card
to buy?
Transactions:
Disputes & Problems
I
received negative feedback. What do I do?
How
do I cancel a void or incomplete transaction?
How
do I
get a refund of my Etsy fees for a void or incomplete transaction?
Are
both the listing fee and the transaction fee refunded when a report is
complete?
How
do I receive the refund from a report?
How do I know
my transaction was canceled and my fees were refunded?
Can I block a specific
buyer from making purchases from my shop?
More
Help
I
didn't find my
answer here. Where else can I get help?
Becoming an
Etsy Seller
How do I become a seller on Etsy?
First you'll need to register. Be careful when choosing your username,
as it will also be
your shop name, located at http://username.etsy.com.
Once you've registered for a basic (buyer) account, you'll need to
upgrade to a seller account. To do this, click the Sell tab in the top
gray navigation bar and follow the on-screen directions.
Note: You
will need a valid credit card (or a debit card with a credit card logo)
to become a seller.
More information about registration can be found here:
Who can
be a seller?
Anyone who is at least 18 years of age can be a seller on Etsy. Check
out the Terms of Use and the DOs
& DON'Ts of Etsy for more specific membership
requirements.
Can
kids have Etsy shops?
If you are under 18,
you may use Etsy only with the permission and supervision of a
responsible adult (parent or legal guardian). This is for legal
reasons, not because we think kids or teens are any less creative or
capable. Consider letting Junior have a special section in Mom or Dad's
shop
instead of having a store all to himself.
What is
a shop?
Every seller on Etsy gets their own shop free of charge. The web
address (also called a URL) for your shop will be in this format:
http://username.etsy.com.
This is the link you can share to easily
direct people to your items for sale. Every item you list will
automatically show up in your shop, in addition to being placed in the
public category you listed it in.
Can I
customize my shop?
You certainly can. Once you're logged in, click the Your Etsy link in
the upper right, and go to the Shop Setup section. You can upload a
banner that will show up at the top of your shop, give your shop a
descriptive title, and enter announcements that will show up just
beneath the banner. All of these are optional. We do not allow
user-generated HTML in shops.
For more info about customizing your shop, see here:
I'm in Canada, or the UK or anywhere else in the world besides the US
– can I sell on Etsy?
Yes,
as long as you've got a valid credit card, you can sign up. We have
members all over the world! We're working on making Etsy an even better
international marketplace.
I
already have a buyer account. How do I become a seller?
To be a seller we require that you put a valid credit card (or debit card
with a credit card logo on it) on file. Click the
Sell tab in the gray site header to get started.
Can I
change my username?
No. Usernames cannot be changed, as this undermines the feedback system
and
breaks our database.
Does my
username have to match my store name?
Yes, your username is your shop name. Your username cannot be changed,
so please think carefully before registering. Here are some things to
think about when picking a name:
Can I
close my account to start a new one with a different username?
If you really want to, yes you can. Note that you'll lose all data
(including feedback, hearts, and items sold) when doing this. Contact
Support
to close an account.
Can I
have more than one shop?
A person may have more than one account. There are certain
policies you must adhere
to, including full disclosure of ALL your usernames in the profiles of
each account.
Additionally, your actions under one username will apply to all your
accounts. So if you break the rules, the consequences effect you across
the board. Please see the DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy
(under Membership) for our policies regarding multiple accounts.
Can
more than one person operate a shop?
A shop involving more than one person is called a collective shop.
Please see the DOs
&
DON'Ts of Etsy
(under Membership) for our policies for collective shops. The
individual who registers the Etsy account will be held responsible for
all activity, content and fees associated with the account. Etsy will
not mediate disputes between people using the same account.
Can the
members of a Team have a shop together?
Yes, a Team
can have a collective shop. However, just like other shops shared by
multiple members, there are some special considerations that apply.
Please see the DOs &
DON'Ts of Etsy (under Membership) for more information about
our policies for collective shops.
Check out this guide about Team shops for more detailed info:
Can I use a debit card or PayPal to become an Etsy seller?
You can use a debit card if it has a credit card logo on it (i.e., the
card was issued by or is backed by a credit card company). Otherwise,
you will need a credit card to become an Etsy seller. Currently, we do
not accept PayPal as way to pay your Etsy bill.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Fees & Billing
How do
Etsy fees work?
When you list an item
there is a $0.20 (USD) fee per quantity of one. This covers an item
listing period of four months. For example, if I list a scarf (and
there's only 1 in stock) it'll cost 20 cents for 4 months.
If you gave
the listing a quantity of 3, it would cost 60 cents. When an item
sells, there's a 3.5% fee on the final sale price (not including
shipping). All fees are in US dollars. All listings are created equal,
with 5 images included in the price.
More information about Etsy's fees can be found here:
How am I billed for fees associated with selling?
When you sign up as a seller, we require that you keep a valid credit
card on file. At the end of each month we will email you an invoice
detailing all the charges. You can also pay your fees any time after a
bill is issued by going to: Your Etsy > Your Etsy bill.
How do
I pay my bill?
Go
to Your Etsy > Your Etsy bill and click the green button that
says
Make a Payment Now, then follow the on-screen instructions. You can pay
your bill all at once or in partial
payments. It will be charged to the credit card you have on file.
For more detailed information about Etsy billing, please check out this
page:
Is there a fee to get started (open a shop)?
Registering for your shop is free. There's no setup fee and no monthly fee.
If I
edit an item, is there any fee for that?
The only editing fees are for increasing the item quantity, so you may edit an
item (description, photos) as many times as you like.
I got a
notice that my credit card is expired, but it's not. What do I
do?
The notice is a reminder that you card will expire soon, and you will
need to update the information in your Account Settings. To do this, go
to: Your Etsy > Account Info.
Why is
my credit card getting declined?
Ensure the following:
- You are using a credit card or debit
with credit card logo on it.
- You are entering the correct CCV
number. This number is the last group of numbers on the back of your
card. Depending on your card, it could be anywhere from 2-4 digits.
Most cards in the USA have 3-digit CCV numbers.
- Your credit card number is not more
than 16 digits long.
- If you are locked out of the system,
wait 24 hours before entering the information again. This will allow
the system to reset. If your card still doesn't work, please contact
your card provider and contact Etsy Billing with the last
4 digits of your
credit card number.
Is Etsy
charging me $1.01 to test my card?
No,
you are not actually charged this money. You may see a $1.01
authorization test on your statement, but this will be removed once the
card has been validated.
What if
I have a question about my specific bill?
Please contact Billing
by email with questions about your personal bill.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Selling Policies
What
items can I sell on Etsy?
You can sell anything that you've made by hand or, a bit more loosely
put,
hand-assembled or hand-altered (as long as it complies with our Terms of Use). If your human
hands put some love into the object, odds are, you can sell it on Etsy.
Yes, you can use power tools or a computer or a sewing machine – handmade
doesn't necessarily mean "low-tech."
Reselling of handmade items is not allowed; all handmade items must be
made by
the seller. We also allow
some non-handmade items in the Supplies and Vintage categories; they
must be tagged appropriately. Check out the DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy (under Selling) for more detailed
rules.
What
items can't I sell on Etsy?
Etsy is a marketplace for handmade items, vintage goods and crafting
supplies. All handmade items must be made by the seller; we do not
allow reselling of handmade goods. Mass-produced items (though they may
technically be made by hand in some cases) are not in the spirit of
Etsy. Commercially-produced items are limited to the Supplies and
Vintage categories and must be tagged appropriately. Illegal items are
not allowed. Check out the DOs & DON'Ts of Etsy (under Selling) for detailed rules and a
list of other prohibited items. Items not in compliance with our
policies may be unlisted by Etsy Admin.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Etsy's Front Page
How are
hand-picked items chosen for the Etsy home page?
Featured items on our home page are selected by Etsy staff daily,
usually by choosing a theme and using one of our search tools to find
fitting items. We also look at Treasury
lists created by Etsy users and
will often feature the items from one of these. Any item actively
listed on Etsy is eligible to be chosen, and we try our best to mix
things up.
How
long do hand-picked items remain on the home page?
We try to change the front page items several times a day to provide
more exposure for more sellers.
Can I
edit an item while it's featured on the home page?
Yes, just make sure you don't edit the quantity down to 0.
What
happens if an item on the home page sells out?
If an item on the homepage sells out, it is removed and replaced by
a different item, likely from a different seller.
My
Treasury list was promoted to the front page! If I edit my Treasury
list,
will the front page change too?
No. Once a list is loaded on to the front page, it is separated from
your Treasury list. Any changes you
make in the Treasury will not
impact the front page. Only Etsy Admin can edit the front page list.
How do
I become a featured seller on the home page?
The featured seller is always hand-picked by one of the Etsy Admin. We
look for ingenuity, well-made items, interesting descriptions and
top-notch item photos.
How
long is a seller featured?
We select three different sellers to feature every week. Each featured
seller has about two days in the spotlight.
Where
can I find previous featured sellers?
On our Buy
page, scroll down and you'll see a link.
What
are those four little icons next to "Your place to buy & sell
all things handmade"?
Those
are called knockouts, and they are items listed on Etsy that meet
special image requirements. The first photo of the listing must have a
pure white background and not be cropped on any side (floating in white
space). They refresh randomly and automatically. The knockout icons are
selected periodically by a computer program that scans Etsy listings.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Featured Items in Your Shop
How do
I feature items in my shop?
Login to Etsy, then go to Your Etsy > Items > Currently
for Sale and click the stars next to each item you want to feature.
More than three items can be selected to be Featured, but only three
will
appear. When a Featured item sells it will be replaced with the next
item on the list. If no other items are selected for Features, then the
space will be blank and only two items will show as Featured on the
storefront. To rank the order of your featured items (a new one hops in
when one sells), go to Items > Featured in Shop.
How
many items can I feature?
You can feature as many as you like, though only three will show up at
a
time.
What
happens when a featured item sells?
It's either replaced by an alternate featured item or the space is left
blank.
Are my
store featured items related to the home page hand-picked items?
There is no relation between them.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Banners
How do
I upload a banner?
First, make sure you have your properly sized image saved on your local
computer. Then, in the Shop Setup section, click the Browse button to
locate this file and click the Save Changes button at the bottom of
the page. Your new banner will show up in your shop right away. Banners
must be .jpg, .png or .gif file format.
Why
does my banner look wrong/fuzzy/pixelated/stretched?
Your source file was not the proper dimensions. Make sure to pay
attention to exact pixel size specified on the banner upload page
(760px wide by 100px high).
How do
I create my own banner?
You'll
need to use an image editing program to make your graphic the right
size (760px by 100px) for an Etsy banner. You can also combine words
and images on your banner.
Here are some great how-to resources for creating a banner:
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Shop Sections
What
are Sections?
Shop Sections are a handy way to organize items in your shop. You can
create up to 10 of them, and name them whatever you like (alphanumeric
characters only).
How do
Sections work?
There's one default section, named All Items. Every item you have for
sale is always inside this section, even after you can create
additional sections and put items in them. This section cannot be
renamed or deleted. If you ever decide to remove a section you've made,
it won't delete any of the items inside it; they'll still be in All
Items.
Are my
shop Sections related to the Etsy site Categories?
Nope. You get to name and organize your own.
How do
I create Sections?
Under Shop Setup click the link named Sections, follow the on
screen
instructions.
How do
I add items to my Sections?
On the Sections page, click the link at the bottom that says, "Sort all
your items at once (batch sorting)."
Can the
same item listing appear in more than one custom Section?
Nope.
How
many Sections can I create?
You can have up to 10 sections.
Can I
rename my Sections?
Yes you can. This will not affect anything but the name of the section.
Can I
change the order of my Sections (rank my Sections)?
Yes. Once you've created more than one section, you'll see up/down
arrows no the main Sections page for ranking them.
Can I
change the order of items within each Section?
No, right now this is not possible.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Shop Appearance
What is
the Shop Title?
It's a bit of descriptive text you can add to further customize your
shop.
How
long can my Shop Title be?
The maximum length is 155 alpha-numeric characters.
What is
the Shop Announcement?
It's a blurb of text that shows up atop your shop, which you can use to
alert buyers to important information (e.g. if you go on vacation or
have a shop sale).
What is
the Message to Buyers?
This is a message that will be automatically sent to all buyers on the
Etsy transaction invoice. You
can use it if there's a note or catchphrase you'd like all your buyers
to read.
My username
is plural, can I remove the 's from my username on my shop
pages?
No. This cannot be customized for individual shops.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Shop Policies
What are Shop
Policies?
Your
Shop Policies page provides information buyers need to know in order to
make an informed purchase from your shop. On Etsy, each transaction
happens directly between the buyer and the seller. Etsy has some site-wide
policies
(like what can or cannot be listed on the site), but it is up to each
seller to determine certain sales terms for their own shop.
Where do I
add/edit my Shop Policies page?
You
can edit your Shop Policies page by going to Your Etsy > Shop
Policies (under Shop Setup). If you leave a section blank, it will not
appear on your public Shop Policies page.
Are Shop
Policies required for every seller?
Shop
policies are not required, however we do strongly recommend that each
seller define some basic shop policies for payment, shipping
and
returns/exchanges. These policies will help you and your customers
resolve possible disputes that may arise. For example, knowing in
advance whether an item can be returned might save you and your
customer a lot of time and can help make the transaction go more smoothly.
What should I
include in my Shop Policies?
We
recommend having basic policies for payment, shipping and
returns/exchanges. You may also want to consider including additional
policies or information about custom orders and Alchemy or
wholesale/consignment availability. Please keep in mind that your
policies must not contradict any of Etsy's site-wide policies, so be
sure to familiarize yourself with the DOs
& DON'Ts of Etsy and the Terms
of Use before writing your shop policies.
Please read this Storque article for more info about writing your shop
policies:
Do a seller's
Shop Policies override Etsy's site-wide policies?
No. A seller's Shop Policies may not contradict Etsy's site-wide
policies. Be
sure to familiarize yourself with the DOs
& DON'Ts of Etsy and the Terms
of Use before writing your shop policies.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Your Item Listings
My
listing disappeared. Where is it?
- If an item that has a quantity of 1 (in
stock) sells, the listing is
removed and you'll see it under your Your Etsy > Sold (orders).
- If you start editing an item listing and
don't click the Finish
button on Step 5 before you navigate elsewhere on the site, the item
will be left inactive. You can reactivate it by going into Your Etsy
> Items > Inactive Listings.
- An item listing can expire (this
happens four months from the
listing date).
- If the transaction has been canceled, the
listing will be deleted from your sold items and the buyer's Purchases
page.
- Etsy Admin may have removed the listing. Check
your email inbox for a message from Etsy and contact
Etsy for help.
When
does my listing expire?
Four months after the date it was listed or renewed.
Can I
change the order of my listings in my store?
No. The items in your shop are sorted by date listed (from new to
old) as the default setting. Shoppers can choose to sort the items in
your shop by Date Listed or Price.
What if
I have multiple sizes/variations of the same item?
For now, you'll need to create separate listing for each item.
How do
I see the public view of my shop?
You can type http://username.etsy.com
directly in a web browser's
address bar. Or, if you're already at Etsy, go to Your Etsy and click
the link at the bottom of the left-side nav bar. There's also an icon
in the upper right in the Etsy header; it's a shop window with a yellow
awning.
How do
I edit my listing text and photos?
Go to Your Etsy > Currently for Sale, and click
the edit link in the row of the item you wish to edit. This will take
you back into the 5 step listing process. Click the pencil icons as a
shortcut to edit the different parts of your listing. Make sure you
click Finish on Step 5 when you're done editing.
How do
I make a listing inactive (on hold or "Vacation Mode")?
There's a trick to doing this. After you've fully listed your item for
sale, go back into edit mode. This time, make sure you don't go to Step
5 and click finish. Navigate away from the page. Your item is now in
limbo. You can find it and relist it by going to Your Etsy >
Inactive Listings, going back into edit mode and clicking finish. Items
in limbo will not show up anywhere on the public site, but their time
in limbo is still being counted as part of the four month period.
Is there a
fee to activate an inactive listing?
Nope!
How do
I delete a listing?
Click the Delete link on your Items for Sale page in the row of the
item you wish to delete.
If I
delete a listing is my listing fee refunded?
Listing fees are non-refundable, with the exception of canceled
transactions.
I sold
an item in person at a craft show – can I mark it "sold" on Etsy?
No.
The sold items section of your shop if just for items sold through
Etsy. If you sell an item off-line, just delete the listing from your
shop.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Create a New Listing (Add Item) – Step
1: Item Info
Is
there a walk through for all the steps of listing an item?
There certainly is! Check out this Help
Guide:
How
long can my title be?
The maximum length is 155 alpha-numeric characters.
How
long can my Item Description be?
Very long! Use as much space as you need to accurately and completely
describe your item.
How do
I use the materials section?
Enter materials the same way you do tags: single (or compound) words,
separated by commas. For example: yarn, cotton balls, down, glue.
How do
I enter compound or multiple words as materials? (e.g.: "polymer clay")
Just put a space between them, but make sure you have commas separating
each word set.
How
many materials can I enter?
You can enter up to 14 materials.
How do
buyers find my items with my materials words?
Users can search items by materials if they change the search bar
drop-down menu to "materials."
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Create a New Listing (Add Item) – Step
2: Sort Your Item
What
are tags?
Tags are single- or multi-word keywords that you attach to an item
listing on Step 2 of the listing process. Tags help buyers find your
items on Etsy. Your first tag is the top-level category, chosen from
the drop-down menu. The blue “related tags” that appear are
subcategories and sub-subcategories. For example, the drawing
subcategory inside Art shows items in the Art with the tag drawing.
You can also use your own custom tags. Custom tags can help buyers who
are using the search feature instead of browsing by category. Use only
one word (pattern) or phrase (sterling silver) per tag box. You can
have up to 14 tags per item. Look in your item description for good
keywords. You may choose any tags that accurately describe your item.
Don’t use tags that are related, but don’t actually describe this item.
Are there any
general guidelines for tagging and categorizing items?
Yes, here's a short list of the basic considerations when tagging your
items:
- Handmade
items (made by you): Do not put handmade items in the
Vintage category (top-tag) or tag them as "commercial" — these things
will remove them from the handmade search method.
- Handmade
supplies (made by you): Tag as "handmade" so they show up
in the Handmade subcategory of the Supplies category. Do not tag these
as "commercial."
- Commercial
supplies: Must be placed only in the Supplies category
(top-tag) and tagged as "commercial."
- Vintage
items (20+ years old): Must be placed only in the Vintage
category (top-tag).
- Vintage
supplies (20+ years old AND a craft supply): Can be placed
in either the Supplies or Vintage categories, but must be tagged as
"commercial."
How do
Categories work?
Categories are all based on tags. The first tag on your item is its
top-level category. You choose this from a drop-down menu, and it's
automatically added to your item as the first tag. The blue “related
tags” that appear when you're listing an item are subcategories and
sub-subcategories.
Can my
listing appear in more than one top-level Category?
Nope.
How do
I know what Category to use?
If after looking through the drop-down menu you're still unsure, we
recommend that you post in our forums
and ask for the guidance of
fellow sellers or contact Support for help.
What
are Related Tags?
Whenever you enter a specific tag, we look it up and present you with
the most popular tags that have been used in conjunction with the one
you entered. These are also the subcategories and sub-subcategories.
Do I
have to use the Related Tags?
Nope, feel free to enter everything free-form (except the first
tag).
How
many tags can I enter?
You can have up to 14. This includes the first tag you choose from the
drop-down menu.
How
should I choose words for my tags?
Think about how you'd classify your item in a store or what keywords
you'd enter into a search engine to find it.
How do
buyers find my items using tags?
The search bar in the main Etsy header atop every page looks first in
the tags on an item. Tags also place your item into subcategories and
sub-subcategories.
Tags
seem pretty important. Where can I learn more about them?
Appropriate use of tags is very important! Here are more resources for
learning about tags:
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Create a New Listing (Add Item) – Step
3: Selling Info
Is Etsy
in USD only?
Yes, for the time being all prices on Etsy are listed in United States
Dollars (USD).
How do
I do currency conversions?
PayPal
will
automatically convert your currency,
but all other sales, such as money order and check, need to be calculated
by you. We have plans to offer built-in currency conversion, but as of
right now it doesn't exist.
Can I
use my native currency in listings?
Right now all items listed on Etsy should be priced in USD. We're
working toward supporting other currencies in the future.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Create a New Listing (Add Item) – Step
4: Images
How do
I add/upload photos to my listing?
Click the browse button and locate the image on your computer. Then
click the upload button and you'll see a thumbnail of the image show
up just below.
Can I
add a photo that exists on the web?
No, the image must reside locally on your computer.
Can I
edit or remove photos from my listing?
Yes, at any time. And there's no charge for this.
Can I
change the order of photos in my listing?
By removing an image you can reshuffle the order. This can be
tricky and we recommend that you have your images in their desired
order before uploading. The first image you upload will be the primary
thumbnail and main photo.
How
many photos can I add?
You can have up to 5 photos per item listing.
Do I
have to fill all photo slots for my listing?
Nope, you can leave as many blank as you like.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Create a New Listing (Add Item) – Step
5: Review & Post
What
happens if I don't click Finish when creating a new listing?
If you don't click the finish button when you're first listing an item,
and then navigate away from the listing steps, everything will be lost.
Can I
edit my item after I click Finish?
Yes, you can edit a listing at any time before it sells or expires.
There is no cost to edit an item unless you increase
the quantity available. It costs an additional 20 cents per item added
to the quantity in stock.
Where
does my listing appear?
Every listing appears in your shop located at http://username.etsy.com,
in the top-level category you selected and in any relevant search
results or subcategories.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Payment Methods
How do
I choose my Accepted Forms of Payment?
Login to Etsy and go to Your Etsy > Shop Setup > Payment
Methods. From there, just follow the on screen instructions.
Can I
select different Forms of Payment for each listing?
No, all listings must have the same payment profile. Careful! If you
edit your payment profile at any time, it will affect every single one
of your listings.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Shipping Options
What
are Shipping Profiles?
They're a way to save a specific set of shipping instructions, which
you can then quickly apply to any item during the listing (or editing)
process. To add or edit a shipping profile, go to Your Etsy >
Shipping options. For help, see Step 3 of the Setting
Up Your Shop Help Guide.
Can I
save a new Shipping Profile while listing an item?
Yes. On Step 3 of listing, click create. You can then edit your
shipping profiles
there.
If I
edit a Shipping Profile, does it automatically change my shipping
prices in my listings?
No. After you edit a Shipping Profile, go to Your Etsy > Apply
Shipping Profiles to update the profile in your listings.
Do I
have to use a Shipping Profile?
Nope.
What is
combined shipping?
It's a special shipping rate you can specify in the event that the
item is purchased with other of your items (at the same time). You must
enter a combined shipping rate on all listings. If you don't want a
discounted rate, just enter the same amount as the primary shipping
rate.
Here's a quick example of how combined shipping works:
- Primary shipping on Item A = $2.00
- Secondary shipping on Item B = $1.00
- If both Items A & B are purchased
together, the total combined shipping cost to the buyer is $3.00
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Expired Listings
When
does my listing expire?
Four months after the listing date or renewal date.
How do
I view the listing expiration dates?
Go to Your Etsy > Expiration Dates.
Can I
make an expired listing active again?
Yes.
This is called renewing. Go to Your Etsy > Expired listings.
Check
the box next to the item you want to renew, then scroll down and click
the renew button. This will give your listing four more active months
and costs 20 cents per quantity.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Relisting a Sold Item
What
does relisting mean?
Relisting an item creates a new listing that has all of the info of an
item you have previously sold.
How do
I relist an item?
To relist an item, go to Your Etsy > Sold (orders) and click
the listing you would like to relist. Click the "relist" link at the
top of the transaction page.
Am I
charged a fee for relisting?
Yes, the same 20 cents per quantity of one fee applies.
When
should I relist an item?
When you sell out of an item and have more of it in stock that you wish
to sell.
If I
relist an item will I keep my views and hearts?
No, these will be lost.
If I
relist an item will it appear at the top of my store?
Yes.
If I
relist an item will it appear at the top of the category page?
Yes.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Renewing an Item
What
does renewing mean?
Renewing a listing means you're restarting its life on Etsy. It will be
given a new listing date and a new expiration date four months from the
date of the renewal. It will also be sent to the top of your shop and
appear in Etsy shopping features just as if it was a new listing.
Am I
charged a fee for renewing?
Yes, the same 20 cents per quantity of one fee applies.
When
should I renew an item?
You can renew an item listing at any time, even prior to expiration.
You can also renew items that expired but didn't sell.
If I
renew an item will I keep my views and hearts?
Yes.
If I
renew an item will it appear at the top of my store?
Yes.
If I
renew an item will it appear at the top of the category page?
Yes.
How do
I renew an item before it expires?
To renew an item before its expiration date, go to Your Etsy >
Expiration Dates. Here you will see a list of all our active items and
the dates they are set to expire. Click the box to the right of the
listing, then scroll down and press the Renew button. It costs 20 cents
per quantity to renew a listing.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Image Help
I'm
having trouble uploading pictures, can you help?
Ensure that the file is 250k in file size or below – most users will
timeout before uploading larger files than that. Ensure the file is a
properly encoded .jpg, .gif or .png. Is there a firewall that could be
blocking your uploads? This might be the case if you work for a large
and/or slightly paranoid company and you're trying to upload from work.
Try to alter your firewall settings or take the firewall down briefly
to test the transfer.
Why do
my thumbnail images keep getting cut off or misaligned?
Thumbnails on Etsy are a perfect square and gallery images are
rectangular. Your
original image will be cropped for at least one of those views. We
crop from the center point of the image. Your entire original photo
will show on the
item listing page.
What
size (dimensions) are the thumbnails and gallery images?
Thumbnails are either 75 or 50 pixels square. Gallery images are
155 x 125 pixels.
Why do
the images on my shop page keep getting cut off?
Featured (also called Gallery size) images on Etsy are horizontal
rectangles. So, unless your original image is that same shape, there
will be a bit of cropping. We crop from the center-point of the image.
Your entire original photo will show on the item listing page.
Why do my photos look wrong
(blurry, distorted, etc)?
Make sure your original image is at least 430 pixels wide. If it's not,
we'll stretch it to fit the page and this will cause unpleasant effects.
Are
watermarks acceptable on my photos?
You're welcome to use them. We recommend keeping them subtle so the
focus is on your product, not your watermark.
What
file format can I use for my photo?
The following file extensions are valid: .jpg, .gif and .png. All
images are resampled as .jpg files with a quality of 90. Uploading animated .gif files won't work.
What
size (dimensions) do my photos appear in the listing?
The detail image in all item listings is 430 pixels wide. We retain the
aspect ratio of your original, so the height is variable.
What
dimensions should my uploaded photo be?
The minimum size for your photo should be 430 pixels wide (with
variable height). We recommend using an image that is around 800 - 1000
pixels wide. Using an original image of
this size lets your customers use the Zoom button to see the larger
image.
What is
the largest file size ("k size", mb) allowed for my photo?
It can be up to 2mb, though that is rather huge. Most images should
be around 250k.
What
resolution should my photo be?
Every image on the web is displayed at 72dpi (dots per inch). Anything
greater than that will create very large file sizes without adding
anything to the quality.
Should
I use CMYK or RGB for my listing photos? (What do these mean?)
You should use RGB, which stands for Red/Green/Blue. CMYK is only for
print (and stands for Cyan/Magenta/Yellow/Black). CMYK images will not
work on the web. You can change the color mode of your images to RGB
using an image editing program. (Most photos from a digital camera will
already be in RGB mode.)
Got any
advice for helping me improve my product photography?
Yes we do! Good quality photos are a very important aspect of selling
successfully on Etsy.
Take a peek at these helpful resources:
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Transactions: Items Sold
What
happens after I sell an item?
When you sell an item, you are sent a sales notification email
containing all the
pertinent info for the sale (item, buyer, payment method, etc.). The
item's quantity is automatically reduced by the number that were sold,
and will show up in Your Etsy > Sold (orders). If you accept
PayPal, we'll
include a link to PayPal for the buyer to follow for quick payment. Add
transactions@etsy.com to your email address book to make sure your
sales notifications won't get caught in your spam filter.
How do
find a record of Items sold?
All your sold items are located in Your Etsy > Sold (orders) and
click the Details link to view the full invoice.
Can I
download a spreadsheet of my sold transactions for my records?
Yes! Go to Your Etsy > Sold (orders). There is a link at the
bottom of the page to download a .csv file. This is a spreadsheet that
you can open in a program like Microsoft Excel or Open Office Calc.
Check out this Storque article for more information:
How do
I contact the buyer?
You can view the invoice page to find their username, and then use
Conversations to send them a message. You can also find their email
address in the sales notification that Etsy emails to you for every
item sold.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Transactions:
Buyer Payment
When do
I get paid by the buyer?
Most buyers will pay right away, especially if paying via PayPal. If
the buyer is sending payment by mail (such as a check or money order),
they should contact you to make arrangements and notify you when
payment will be sent. If you haven't heard from the buyer, you should
politely contact them with a reminder.
How do
I get paid by the buyer?
In whichever of your accepted payment methods they specified when
making the purchase.
How do
I determine my accepted methods of payment?
Go to Your Etsy > Payment Methods and set them there.
How do
I invoice a buyer?
The best way is to send them a copy of the Etsy invoice. If they are
paying via PayPal, you can also send them an invoice that way.
More info on how to send a PayPal invoice in the Storque:
Click
here to return
to the
list of questions.
Promoting Your Etsy Shop
Can I
buy advertising space on Etsy?
Yes! Etsy's on-site advertising program
is called the Showcase. Check out
these links for more details about the Showcase:
Is
there a widget I can add to my blog or personal website to promote my
Etsy shop?
Yes! Etsy Mini is a tool you can add to
other websites that will display items from your Etsy shop or your
Favorite items.
What is
an Etsy Mini? How do I make one?
Etsy
Mini is tool you can use to display items from your Etsy shop
or
Favorite items on your blog, social network profile or personal
website. To build your own Etsy Mini, go to Your Etsy > Etsy
Mini
(at the bottom of the left sidebar). Here you can select different
settings for how your Etsy Mini will appear and preview it. Once you
like how it looks, just copy the code and paste it into the HTML for
your blog or other website. The code is offered in two formats:
javascript and Flash. (You may need to check the help section of your
blogging service or consult your web designer if you're not familiar
with how to alter the code of your website.)
How
does the Etsy Mini choose which items to display? Can I change the
order?
The
Etsy Mini will show the most recently listed items from your shop. If
you chose to show your Favorite items, the Etsy Mini will display those
items which were hearted most recently. You cannot pick the order of
items when creating an Etsy Mini.
Is
there an Etsy logo or badge I can add to my blog or website, other than
the Etsy Mini?
Yes! We have a page of resources and downloads available
in the Community
section of the site for members to use in promoting Etsy.
Are
there postcards or fliers I can print out to promote Etsy and my shop?
Yes! You'll find a whole bunch of printable downloads
in the Community
section.
I'll be
vending locally at a craft show soon; can I get Etsy promos to hand out
there?
Sure! Please fill out the Promo
Request Form located in the Teams
section of the site. We fill these requests on a first-come,
first-served basis. We do our best to honor all requests, but
we have a limited amount of promos every month to distribute
so we
sometimes cannot send promos to everyone who requests them. If you're a
member of a Team, please only have one team member request promo
items per event.
What's
an Etsy Team? How do I join one?
Etsy
Teams
are smaller groups of organized Etsy members who network, share
skills and promote their shops and Etsy together. A Team forms around
a shared location, crafting medium or another interest. Etsy's 150+
teams make us not just a marketplace of individuals, but an
interconnected and diverse handcrafters' community. Teams are Etsy’s
biggest and most creative grassroots engine for support, networking and
marketing – for each team member’s shop, for the Teams themselves and
for Etsy as a whole.
For more information about Etsy Teams, including how to find, join or
start a team, see here:
Help!
I need ideas for improving and promoting my shop; got any suggestions?
There are many resources on Etsy for ideas and help with promoting your
shop:
Click here to return to the
list of questions.
PayPal
What is
PayPal™?
PayPal
is an online payment processing company widely used on the Internet to
facilitate sales transactions. It allows buyers to securely use a
credit card or their bank account to submit payment for Etsy purchases.
Etsy is not affiliated with or subsidized by PayPal; they are an
independent service.
Visit PayPal for more information about their services:
How
does PayPal work on Etsy?
- Buyer
clicks on the "buy" button and selects PayPal as the Payment
Method. As soon this happens, Etsy will email both seller and
buyer a notification of the Etsy sale.
- Etsy links the buyer to an automatically generated PayPal invoice at PayPal.com.
- Buyer can either sign into their PayPal account, or they can use a credit card without having to register for an account.
- PayPal will send buyer and seller email receipt for payment submitted or received.
- Seller will see money deposited into PayPal account. The payment may need to be "confirmed" on the seller's end.
How do I open a PayPal account?
You will need to go to www.paypal.com and register. PayPal requires anyone selling goods on the Web to have a Premier
or Business account.
How do I add PayPaI as a payment option in my Etsy shop? Will this add the PayPal logo in my listings?
Once
you have your account, login to Etsy and go to Your Etsy > Payment
Methods. You need to check the box for the PayPal option and enter the
email address registered to your PayPal account. The PayPal
option and logo with be automatically added to your listings. Etsy will
do the rest!
Can I sign up for Etsy with a PayPal account, and use that to pay my
fees?
Right now this is not possible. We require a valid credit card to pay
Etsy bills.
Why is
the shipping wrong on the PayPal invoice?
When the shipping charge on your PayPal invoice is incorrect, you'll
need to adjust your PayPal account settings. If you need to revise
the invoice for the customer, go to your PayPal account and click on
"request money" to send a corrected invoice.
To check your PayPal settings:
- Log into PayPal at www.paypal.com
- Go to My Account > Profile
> Shipping calculations (in
the Selling Preferences column)
- Select the Shipping Method and click Edit
- Select Yes for "Override shipping methods
per transaction" and press
Save Changes.
Please note that if you have not set up any Shipping Calculations in
PayPal, the default is to override shipping methods per transaction
(you should not need to change anything). Also note that the above
instructions are for www.paypal.com; other
country-specific versions of
PayPal may differ slightly.
I made
a sale, but the money doesn't show up in my PayPal account. What
happened?
Make
sure you have the email address registered for your PayPal account
entered in the space next to the PayPal check box on the Payment
Methods section of the Your Etsy page. If this information is
incorrect, make the necessary adjustments and contact PayPal support to
find the payment. If the email address is correct, it is possible that
the buyer has not yet paid.
Do I
need a PayPal account to sell on Etsy?
It's not required, but the majority of sellers offer it and many buyers
prefer it.
My
customer doesn't have a PayPal account. Can they just use a credit card
to buy?
Buyers
can submit payment by credit card through PayPal without having a
PayPal account. Check out this helpful walk through of that process:
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Transactions: Disputes &
Problems
I
received negative feedback. What do I do?
The first step is to contact the person who left it and talk it over
with them. If you arrive at a mutual understanding you can use the Kiss
and Make Up feature to rescind the negative(s). If you believe the
feedback violates Etsy policy, please contact
Support.
How do
I cancel a void or incomplete transaction?
Please file a Transaction Report linked to in
the sidebar of the main
Help page. This form is also found
under Your Etsy > Cancel a
Sale. Please see the DOs & DON'Ts (under
Transactions) for details about when you may report a
transaction to Etsy.
How do
I get a refund of my Etsy fees for a void or incomplete transaction?
If a buyer has failed to pay or backed out of a transaction, we will
refund the listing and sales fees and remove all record of the
transaction. You'll just need to fill out the Transaction Report linked to in
the sidebar of the main
Help page. Be sure to leave
feedback now,
as once we remove the transaction, the option for leaving feedback is
also removed. Also, relist your item first so that you don't loose
your listing description, images, etc.
Are
both the listing fee and the transaction fee refunded when a report
is complete?
Yes, they are both refunded.
How do
I receive the refund from a report?
It will appear on your Etsy bill as a credit. All fees will be refunded
separately.
How do I know
my transaction was canceled and my fees were refunded?
You will receive an emailed Etsy receipt for your refunds when your
transaction is canceled. You will also see a credit on your Etsy bill,
which you can view at Your Etsy > Your Etsy Bill.
Can I block a
specific buyer from making purchases from my shop?
No, we don't currently have a block buyer feature. You may refuse
service in some situations, though. Please see this Storque article for
more details:
Click here to return to the list of questions.
More Help
I
didn't find my answer here. Where else can I get help?
Check out these other resources:
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
|
