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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?
Can I pay my bill with my PayPal account?
Can I pay my bill with my PayPal account directly, without signing into Etsy?
Is there a minimum amount I must owe Etsy before I can pay my bill?
Etsy says my payment is "Pending." Why? How long will it remain pending?
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 handpicked items chosen for the Etsy front page?
How long do handpicked items remain on the front page?
Can I edit an item while it's featured on the front page?
What happens if an item on the front 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 front page?
How long is a seller featured?
Where can I find previous featured sellers?
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?
Shop Feed
What are shop feeds?
What can I do with my shop feed?
What is Google Base?
How do I use my shop feed to submit items to Google Base?
Your
Item Listings
How long does it take for my listing to appear in search results and on Category pages?
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?
What is Regional Shipping?
What is the difference between using Regional Shipping and Country Specific Shipping?
What does the option to "Ship to Everywhere Else" mean?
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?
Vacation Mode
How do I put my shop on hold while I am sick or on vacation?
How do I return from Vacation Mode?
What will my listings look like when my shop is in Vacation Mode?
What happens if I sign up to be notified when a seller returns?
Will Etsy tell the seller I have signed up for notifications?
Can I see who has signed up to be notified when I return? Can I customize the message they get?
What if I don't want people to know when I return from vacation mode?
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?
Etsy Web Analytics
Where do I find my tracking ID?
Google Analytics tells me to paste javascript code on my webpages. How do I do this?
Is there a fee for using Google Analytics through Etsy?
Why am I not seeing any data in my tracking reports?
Why are Google Analytics views different than the pageviews on Etsy view listing pages?
Does Etsy Web Analytics track Google AdWords?
How accurate are reports from Google Analytics?
Can I use Etsy Web Analytics to track conversions through the shopping cart?
I have a Gmail account. Can I use this for Google Analytics?
I already have a Google Analytics account for my other website.How do I add my Etsy shop?
Will Google Analytics count visits coming from me, the seller?
I want to see the information for my shop from the very beginning when I opened it. Can I get access to that information?
I would like to get Google Analytics for my website too. Can Etsy help me with that?
If I am having problems using Google Analytics, where do I go for help?
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 signed 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?
Your Etsy username cannot be changed except in the event of documented legal action (such as trademark infringement) at Etsy's discretion. For this reason, please pause and consider your username carefully before registering. Here are some things to think about when selecting a username:
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. We accept PayPal as a way to pay your bill but still require a valid credit card to become an Etsy seller.
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. You have the option to pay your bill via PayPal or with the credit card you have on file with Etsy.
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 have the option to pay your bill via PayPal or with the credit card you have on file with Etsy.
For more detailed information about Etsy billing, please check out this
page:
Can I pay my bill with my PayPal account?
Yes. Go to Your Etsy > Your Etsy bill, select the PayPal option and click the green button that says Make a Payment Now. You will be sent to PayPal and prompted to log in to your PayPal account. Log in, review your payment and click Pay Now. You will then be redirected back to Etsy for the conclusion of the transaction. If you pay via PayPal eCheck, your payment will be held as "Pending" until the payment clears, and your bill balance will not change until your payment is cleared.
Can I pay my bill with my PayPal account directly, without signing into Etsy?
No. You must pay your bill by signing in to Etsy and going to Your Etsy > Your Etsy bill.
Is there a minimum amount I must owe Etsy before I can pay my bill?
There is no minimum amount you must owe Etsy before you can pay your bill. If you are billed $0.20, you can pay $0.20. You have the option to pay your bill via PayPal or with the credit card you have on file with Etsy.
Etsy says my payment is "Pending." Why? How long will it remain pending?
A status of Pending results when a payment is made with PayPal eCheck. eCheck payments are usually made when your PayPal account does not have a balance, and does not have a secondary backup funding source associated with it. eCheck payments made from a PayPal account associated with a U.S. bank account will be held as pending for 3-4 business days. eCheck payments made from a PayPal account associated with a bank account outside the U.S. will usually be held as pending for 7-8 business days. When the electronic funds transfer clears your bank, the payment will be completed, and your Etsy bill balance will be updated accordingly.
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.
- You are not using any special characters in your credit card information, such as accent marks or non-English letters.
- 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 handpicked items chosen for the Etsy front 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 handpicked items remain on the front 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 front page?
Yes, just make sure you don't edit the quantity down to 0.
What happens if an item on the front 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 front page?
The featured seller is always handpicked 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.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Featured Items in Your Shop
How do
I feature items in my shop?
Sign in 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 front page handpicked 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?
There are two ways you can add an item to a Section: individually when listing/editing or by batch sorting.
When listing a new item (or editing a current item), you will be able to add/change the Section on Step 3 of the listing/editing process. There is a drop-down menu for your Sections right below where you set your price for the listing.
Batch sorting allows you to change the Section for multiple items at the same time. From Your Etsy, select the Sections link in the sidebar. 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 on 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 55 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.
Shop Feed
What are shop feeds?
Shop feeds are RSS feeds that are updated with the latest items from your shop. Learn more about RSS and how to use it. Every Etsy shop has a feed, which can be found on both shop pages and item listing pages. Look for the link on the lower right that says, "Subscribe to shop feed." Shop feeds contain thumbnail images of shop items and come pre-formatted for use on Google Base.
What can I do with my shop feed?
Customers and fans of your shop can use a special software program called a "feedreader" or "aggregator" to subscribe to your feed and be alerted when you list new items. There are also third-party services available that can use your shop feed to create an email newsletter that is sent out whenever you list new items. You can also use your shop feed to schedule regular uploads of your item information to Google Base.
What is Google Base?
Google Base is a place to submit content to make it searchable on Google. Scheduling uploads of your items to Google Base is a great way to help Google, specifically Google Product Search, find your items. You can use your Etsy shop feed to schedule uploads of your shop items to Google Base. Google Product Search is accessible via the 'Shopping' link on the upper left of any Google search page. Learn more about Google Base.
How do I use my shop feed to submit items to Google Base?
You can schedule regular uploads of items from your shop feed to Google Base by following these instructions:
- Log into Google Base with your Google account.
- Click "Data Feed" under "Get Started."
- Under the Settings tab, set the Website URL to the full URL of your Etsy shop (e.g., http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5029420). Complete the Display Name, Description, Timezone and Expiration Time fields and click "Save Changes."
- Under the My Items tab, click the link for the Data Feeds page.
- On the Data Feeds page, click "New Data Feed" and complete the "Register Your Data Feed" section. In Section 2, select "Products" from the dropdown menu for the type of item in your feed. Make sure you have "googlebase" selected for the type of data feed. In Section 3, under "Specify the data feed filename," enter an XML filename and extension like "shop.xml". Save.
- Back on the Data Feeds page, click "edit" after your new XML filename to edit the feed settings. Under "Encoding," select "UTF-8" and save.
- Again back on the Data Feeds page, click "create Schedule" in the Uploads column. Enter the URL of your shop feed (e.g., http://www.etsy.com/rss_shop.php?user_id=5029420), select when you'd like your items to be fetched by Google and click "Schedule." Your shop items will now be fetched regularly by Google and should start to appear in Google Product search results for the keywords in your item titles within a few hours of being processed.
Click here to return
to the
list of questions.
Your Item Listings
How long does it take for my listing to appear in search results and on Category pages?
Listings will generally be searchable on Etsy within 24 hours, most often in under an hour.
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?
Yes. On Step 4 of listing/editing your item, you can upload and rearrange your images. Just click the blue left/right arrows below an image to move it over one position. The image on the far left is the first photo in the listing and is used to create the thumbnail and gallery images for your listing. To remove a photo from your listing, click the red x below that image.
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?
Sign in 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?
Shipping Profiles are a way to save a specific set of shipping information, 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 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 > Batch Shipping to update the profiles in your listings.
Do I have to use a Shipping Profile?
Nope.
What is Combined Shipping?
Combined Shipping allows you to specify a special shipping cost in the event that multiple items are
purchased by a shopper from your shop at the same time. Combined Shipping has two elements that you must
enter on all listings: primary and secondary shipping costs. The primary shipping cost is the value
of shipping the item alone. The secondary shipping cost is the added value when items are
purchased and shipped together ("if shipped with another item"). If you don't want to offer a
discounted combined shipping rate, just enter the same amount for the primary and secondary
shipping costs. If you want additional items to ship at no extra charge, enter $0.00 as the secondary shipping cost.
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
What is Regional Shipping?
Regional Shipping allows you to set one shipping cost for multiple countries in a predefined group at once.
For example, these are some of the shipping regions available: all countries in the European Union;
European countries outside the European Union; all countries in the continent of South America.
You set a primary and secondary shipping costs for each Shipping Region, just as you would for
individual countries on a listing or a Shipping Profile.
What is the difference between using Regional Shipping and Country Specific Shipping?
Regional Shipping allows you to set one shipping cost for multiple countries in a predefined
group at once. You can also set a shipping cost for each country individually using the
Country Specific Shipping settings. If you set a shipping cost for a specific country, that
cost will override the cost set for the same country within a Shipping Region. For example: if
you live in Germany, you might set a different shipping cost for Germany than for the rest of the European Union.
What does the option to "Ship to Everywhere Else" mean?
Instead of setting a shipping cost for every country on the planet, you can set a default
shipping cost for countries you do not otherwise specify individually or within shipping
regions. Sellers use this option if they are willing to ship items to anyone in the world.
For example: a seller may set a shipping cost individually for their country of residence,
a different shipping cost for a shipping region and a third shipping cost for all other countries (Everywhere Else).
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 > Renew Items.
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 >
Renew Items. 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.
Vacation Mode
How do I put my shop on hold while I am sick or on vacation?
To put your shop in Vacation Mode, go to Your Etsy > Vacation Mode. Enter a brief message to replace
your normal shop announcement while you are away. You can also write an auto-reply message for your
Conversations that will be sent to anyone who sends you a Convo during that time. Your items will
be removed from view in your public shop, but will still appear in Favorites.
When you're ready to go on vacation, set Vacation Mode to "On Vacation" and click the red "Save Changes" button.
How do I return from Vacation Mode?
Go to Your Etsy > Vacation Mode and set Vacation Mode to "Off", then click the red "Save Changes" button.
What will my listings look like when my shop is in Vacation Mode?
When your shop is in Vacation Mode, your items will not appear in your shop.
But if someone has bookmarked or Hearted a listing or reaches it from a link on
an outside source like a blog, they will still be able to view the listing page.
We'll show a notice at the top that you are away. The green "Add to Cart" button
will be grayed-out until you return from Vacation Mode.
While in Vacation Mode your items will not appear in search, Gift Guides or the other shopping tools (such as the Geolocator). You also cannot
edit or create new listings while in Vacation Mode.
What happens if I sign up to be notified when a seller returns?
When a seller is away, a form will appear on their shop homepage letting you sign up for email notification when they return. When the seller's shop opens back up, we'll send a short message to the email address on your account. The message will come from Etsy, and will only be sent once.
Will Etsy tell the seller I have signed up for notifications?
No, to respect shoppers' privacy, sellers are unable to see this information. If you'd like to get in touch with the seller, you can still send them a Convo while they are in Vacation Mode.
What if I don't want people to know when I return from vacation mode?
If you'd rather not let buyers sign up for email notifications upon your return, you can use the batch deactivate tool to put all of your
listings in "edit mode." Go to Your Etsy > Currently for Sale and click the checkboxes next to each item. Click the "deactivate" button at
the bottom of the page and your listings will be removed from your shop. When you return you can reactivate your listings on the Inactive listings.
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 some printable items on the Resources page 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?
- After the buyer clicks on the "buy" button, the buyer selects PayPal as the payment method. As soon this happens, Etsy will email both seller and buyer a notification of the Etsy sale.
- The buyer is then redirected to PayPal to start the checkout process. The buyer can either sign in to their PayPal account, or they can use a credit card without having to register for an account.
- At the end of the checkout process, the buyer is redirected back to a confirmation page on Etsy. At the same time, PayPal will send buyer and seller email receipt for payment submitted or received.
- The 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 http://www.paypal.com and register. Sellers are encouraged to sign up for a Premier or Business account, not a Personal account. There are two reasons for this. First, personal accounts are subject to receiving limits every month. Second, personal accounts cannot accept payments from buyers that are funded by a credit card. There are only slight differences between Premiere and Business PayPal accounts.
| | Personal Account | Premier Account | Business Account |
| Registration Steps | Collection of personal information | Collection of personal information | Collection of personal and business information |
| Payment Recieving Limits | Yes. Amount varies but is typically $500 per month | No set limit | No set limit |
| Payments Types Accepted | Account balance and bank transfers | Account balance, bank transfers and credit cards | Account balance, bank transfers and credit cards |
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, sign in 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?
We accept PayPal as a way to pay your bill but still require a valid credit card to become an Etsy seller.
Why is the shipping wrong on the PayPal invoice?
Etsy allows sellers to set up shipping profiles on Etsy.com, but PayPal allows
sellers to set up a separate profile. If the shipping is wrong, its likely you
have both shipping profiles set. You will need to adjust your PayPal account
settings. If the item has already sold, you can go to your PayPal account
and click on "request money" to send a corrected invoice to the buyer.
To check your PayPal settings:
- Sign in to PayPal at http://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?
Sign in to Etsy, then visit Your Etsy > Payment Methods. Make sure you have the
email address registered for your PayPal account entered in the space next to
the PayPal check box. 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/neutral feedback. 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 lose
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.
Etsy Web Analytics
Where do I find my tracking ID?
After setup, each time you log into Google Analytics you will be shown a list of websites currently enabled for Google Analytics. Your tracking ID will show next to your website URL of your Etsy shop. For additional help, see Google Analytics article: Where can I find my tracking code?
Google Analytics tells me to paste javascript code on my webpages. How do I do this?
You do not have to paste javascript code for your Etsy shop. Instead, find your tracking ID, which is in the format like this: UA-XXXXXXX-X. Type this code in the form field on the Etsy Web Analytics page.
Is there a fee for using Google Analytics through Etsy?
At this time there is no fee for using Google Analytics through Etsy to track your Etsy shop.
Why am I not seeing any data in my tracking reports?
The most common reason you are not seeing data is it can take at least 24 hours for Google Analytics to start generating reports. Otherwise, you should then check to insure the tracking ID you provided to Etsy is correct. To verify your ID, check the saved ID on Etsy against the ID stored on Google Analytics
Why are Google Analytics views different than the pageviews on Etsy view listing pages?
Etsy displays the cumulative number of views for your item from the moment the item was listed on the site. Google will display pageviews either monthly, weekly or daily and updates every 24 hours.
Does Etsy Web Analytics track Google AdWords?
Yes, if you use Google AdWords, they will appear in your Google Analytics reports.
How accurate are reports from Google Analytics?
Like many other web analytics tools, Google Analytics does a good job of outlining trends and helping you to understand how your customers view your shop. However, reports are not 100% accurate due to a number of factors, such as users closing browsers and timeouts waiting from Google Analytics. Also, depending on how Google categorizes sites on the web, you will find referral data that cannot be tracked back to the referring website.
Can I use Etsy Web Analytics to track conversions through the shopping cart?
No, at this time we do not support e-commerce conversion tracking, however we are actively reviewing how to enable conversion tracking for sellers through Google Analytics.
I have a Gmail account. Can I use this for Google Analytics?
Yes, if you choose you can log in to Google Analytics using your Gmail username and password.
I already have a Google Analytics account for my other website. How do I add my Etsy shop?
To add your Etsy shop to you existing Google Analytics account, you simply login, then create a new website profile. Each website profile will have its own tracking ID. By creating a new tracking ID, you can keep your reports separated. Lastly, take your newly created tracking ID and provide that to Etsy under your shop setup.
Will Google Analytics count visits coming from me, the seller?
Yes, Google Analytics will count visits from everyone, including yourself. If you know the IP address you are coming from, you can tell Google Analytics to not count visits from your IP address. For more information, read this help article on the Google Analytics Help Center.
I want to see the information for my shop from the very beginning when I opened it. Can I get access to that information?
No. Google Analytics counts pageviews once you enable the feature on Etsy, and you cannot view reports before the feature is turned on for your shop.
I would like to get Google Analytics for my website too. Can Etsy help me with that?
Etsy is unable to provide assistance on getting Google Analytics setup on other websites, but you can use Google Analytics on both your Etsy shop and your other websites. Visit the Google Analytics Help Center to learn how to install Google Analytics on other websites.
If I am having problems using Google Analytics, where do I go for help?
Etsy does not provide official support for Google Analytics. Google provides help through Google Analytics Help Center.
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.
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