Getting Started on Etsy

Updated June 18, 2021

Etsy is a great e-commerce platform for artists and makers to sell handcrafted products. Getting started on Etsy can seem daunting, but it is very straight-forward and user-friendly. 

Etsy Shop Setup 

The first step to getting started on Etsy is setting up an account and opening a store - that will allow shoppers to buy from you. Choose a shop name that captures who you and your brand are. Remember that once your shop opens you will only be able to change the name once, so choose a name that uniquely represents you, your products and possible future products down the line. When setting up your public profile and bio, describe your interests, work, and hobbies to further market yourself.

Next, add a profile picture and a cover photo by going to your You → Account Settings → Public Profile. You’ll be able to browse or choose a file from your computer to upload and use. Again, be sure to save any changes you’ve made at the bottom of the screen. It’s recommended that pictures should be in .jpg, .png, or .gif format. Using top quality photos for everything in your shop is key to making you and your products stand out.

Etsy Policies

Once your shop is up and running, you can add your own specific policies by clicking on shop manager.  Select the pencil icon located under Sales Channel and scroll down to Shop Policies. Under Shop Policies, there are templates to help guide you through shipping, payment options, returns & exchanges,  privacy policy, and more. 

Shipping

Add processing time and estimated shipping times to give buyers a time frame of how long the order will take to create and ship before it’s delivered. It’s best to give yourself more time than less. 

Payment Options

You can either enroll in Etsy payments where people can use common payment methods that are directly deposited to you, payment by mail, or PayPal. To select your payment method, click: Shop Manager → Finances → Payment Settings → Enroll in Etsy Payments or Enable Manual Payment Methods. 

Returns & Exchanges

It is your choice if you want to accept returns and/or exchanges. Change this setting by simply turning it on/off. 

Privacy Policy

You’ll be given customers’ order information that includes postal address, email, and phone. It is vital that customer’s privacy rights are protected by having your policy follow data protection laws. To learn more about writing your own privacy policy, click here. 

More Information

This is where you can provide more information that you think it would be beneficial to your buyers to know. 

Etsy Shop Sections

You can have 20 custom sections, including the All Items section that is in every shop. You can choose the section name and edit it under the pencil icon. Products can only be listed in one section and any sections that do not have products under it, will not be shown on your page. 

To organize your shop sections, select Manager → Listings → to add a new one → Manage → Add Section → Name it → Save. To add products into sections, select All Items and the checkbox next to the products you want to include in a given section. Then, go to the More Actions button and press Change Section. This will allow you to pick from the dropdown guide and choose what you want the products to be listed under. 

You can also remove a listing by selecting the Delete Section. It will not deactivate listings in this given section, but they will now be seen under All Items. 

Etsy Fees

Each product you list on Etsy costs 20 cents, and your listing lasts 4 months. You can choose to automatically renew listings and your account will be charged automatically to keep your listings live. When you make a sale, each additional item sold is also a 20 cent charge, and you will be in charge of paying payment processing fees and shipping. Etsy Payments allows you to collect payments from shoppers and get your money directly deposited into your account. Signing up is easy, and with each sale you are charged based on the location of your bank. For US-based Etsy sellers, the fees are currently 3% of the transaction plus 30 cents. Etsy gives you the option to by shipping (similar to Shopify and Amazon).

Already crushing it on Etsy? Read about when to start selling on your own website and how to build an eCommerce store quickly and affordably.