Are you a skilled worker, studio artist, designer, or artisan supplier interested in discovering how to trade on Etsy? If that’s the case, then this handbook is for you. We guide you through the process of establishing your account, arranging product listings, configuring payment methods, and creating your shop’s landing page. We also clarify how Etsy charges work so you can price your products accurately and competitively.

Observe the following steps to learn how to trade on Etsy:

Step 1: Establish an Etsy Account

Begin by setting up an Etsy account by clicking the Get Started button on Etsy’s website.

Input your email address and then click Continue. Enter your name and password, then click Register. Open your Etsy Shop to navigate to the Shop Manager.

Alternatively, you can create an account via single sign-on (SSO) using your Google, Facebook, or Apple account. If you already possess an existing Etsy consumer account, you can log in and click Open Your Etsy Shop to generate your store.

Note: The first step of opening your shop needs to be completed using a desktop web browser. Once your shop is open, you can manage it on the Sell on Etsy app.

Check Seller Eligibility

Prior to creating an account, ensure that you are situated in a country where Etsy Payments is accessible (including all of North America and most of Europe) and review Etsy’s vendor policy.

Etsy has transparent regulations on items that can be vended in its marketplace. It maintains an extensive catalog of prohibited items for selling, and you can exclusively sell handcrafted products, vintage items, and craft supplies.

• Handcrafted products are designed and/or formed by the seller, such as knitted scarves, enamel pins, pottery, and more. Etsy regularly publishes marketplace insights for sellers, so keeping yourself informed about the latest product trends is ideal.
• Vintage items must be at least 20 years old and can encompass various things like clothing, electronics, household items, and more.
• Craft supplies refer to tools, ingredients, or materials employed to construct an item or celebrate an occasion and can be handcrafted, commercial, or vintage. On Etsy, party supplies are classified as craft supplies.

If you do not meet the requirements for seller eligibility, consider exploring these alternatives to Etsy for your online store.

Learn additional information about the most popular products on Etsy to assess if your merchandise aligns well.

Methods on how to vend on Etsy as an underage individual: Policies of the store on Etsy assert that all account holders must be at least 18 years old. Minors who wish to sell on Etsy must establish their accounts using the details of their parents or legal guardians.

Select a Subscription on Etsy

Etsy offers two subscriptions for sellers, namely Etsy Standard and Etsy Plus. The Standard plan is free, while the Plus plan carries a monthly fee of $10. The primary disparities between the two subscriptions are premium advantages, such as discounts on specific features and advanced customization options for the shop.

Etsy does not prioritize paid subscriptions in terms of the appearance of listings in search queries. It prioritizes items that are most pertinent to buyers. If you desire to bolster your store sales or widen your audience reach, you can consider upgrading to Etsy Plus. The added advantages included (listing credits and Etsy Ads) can assist you in attaining your intended objectives.

Etsy grants subscribers the flexibility to downgrade or upgrade their accounts at any time.

After establishing your account, append a profile picture and bio so that the Etsy community can acquire knowledge about your identity.

Step 2: Arrange Shop Preferences

Upon completing the registration process, you will be directed to your dashboard. Within this interface, you will have the ability to customize your shop preferences. This entails designating fundamental settings for your store. Once you have filled in the required details, click on Save and Continue.

On the screen for Shop Preferences, assign a language for your shop, indicate the designated country and currency, and select the most accurate classification for your identity as a seller.

• Designated language for the shop: This field pertains to the default language you will employ to describe the items you are selling. It is crucial to remember that once you save this preference, it cannot be altered, so it is advised to exercise caution. After opening your Etsy shop, you will have the ability to translate your page into other languages.
• Designated country for the shop: This refers to the geographical location where your shop is based. If you are unable to locate your country within the dropdown menu, it is possible that it is not currently available. For more information regarding this matter, you can peruse the explanation of this recent development on Etsy.
• Designated currency for the shop: This is the currency you will employ to establish prices for your items. It is important to note that shoppers residing in other countries will automatically observe prices in their local currency. If your bank currency diverges from your shop currency, conversion fees amounting to 2.5% of the sale value will be applied.
• Type of seller: This is a query posed by Etsy for its internal purposes; it does not impact your capacity to initiate your Etsy shop.

Step 3: Provide a Name for Your Etsy Shop

It’s time to provide your Etsy store with an identity! If you have not yet considered this, ensure that your store’s identity is easy for customers to recall and reflects your brand.

Once you input your selected store name, click on “check availability” to determine if it is already being used. If it is not, then you are free to use it.

Your Etsy store name can be anything you desire, as long as it adheres to Etsy’s guidelines. Your store name should:

• Have a length ranging from four to 20 characters
• Contain no spaces or special characters
• Exclude profanities or any names already utilized by another Etsy seller
• Avoid trademark infringements

Once you enter a name that is not available, Etsy will suggest alternative names that you can use.

Prior to launching your Etsy store, take the necessary time to select the appropriate business name, because after establishing your store, you can only modify your store name once.

Furthermore, if you have plans to expand your Etsy store to an ecommerce store and sell on Facebook or Instagram, conduct additional research to ensure that you will be able to acquire a domain name or DBA (doing business as) that aligns with your store’s name.

Step 4: Generate Product Listings

If you wish to learn how to market items on Etsy, the key lies in crafting exceptional product listings.

On Etsy, you have the opportunity to sell physical and digital goods, which have distinct steps. We will outline the process of listing physical items below.

To create a listing for an item in your Etsy store:

To upload pictures, click Add a Photograph to include files from your computer. You can include multiple pictures at once. You can modify the sequence of your images—click on a picture and drag it to the left or right.

Etsy suggests utilizing a minimum of five pictures per item (maximum of ten images) so that customers can view your product from various perspectives. Image sizes should be at least 2000px for the shortest side of the image and have a resolution of 72PPI. Discover more about Etsy’s guidelines and best practices for item images.

When you upload a picture to a listing, Etsy provides advice on the image placeholders regarding which types of pictures to include.

Furthermore, you can include variation pictures (such as colors or sizing) and a listing video to your post.

Buyers have an affinity for video listings, according to Etsy’s July 2020 analysis of over 5 million buyers that compared the purchasing behavior of those who were shown listing videos to those who were not.

Interested in learning how to capture excellent product photos and videos on your own? Read our do-it-yourself guide to high-quality photography and how to create sales-boosting videos to enhance your selling strategy.

Your thumbnail is your product’s headshot—it is the first image of your product that your customers see in your shop, via search, and elsewhere on Etsy.

The initial photo on a listing becomes the thumbnail when you upload images. If you desire another photo in the listing to be the thumbnail, simply drag the photo you want to the first photo slot. Learn how to modify your thumbnail image.

 

The listing details influence how your product listing will be categorized and how it can be found in an Etsy search.

Visitors can access your product information more rapidly based on the specifics you include.

• Title: Provide your item with a heading that elucidates the product in as much detail as possible, taking into account the 140-character limitation.
• About this listing: This field encompasses three inquiries in a dropdown. Select the appropriate response under who created it, what is it, and when did you create it?.
• Category: Regard this field as a comprehensive keyword for your product that customers will utilize to search.

An instance of what you witness when you input category keywords in your listing.

• Renewal options: As a default setting, listings automatically renew after four months, and the relevant listing fee will be charged to you automatically. We will delve further into this when we elucidate Etsy fees below. If you prefer to manually renew or delete expired listings, you can choose “manual” here.
• Description: Furnish a comprehensive portrayal or a bulleted summary of the product. In the description field, you can preview your listing to optimize ecommerce SEO for a Google search result. Acquire knowledge on how to compose product descriptions that generate sales.
• Tags: Make the most of all 13 available tags per item. Shoppers discover your item by searching for keywords in the search bar—those keywords should be your tags.

Stay updated on Etsy updates as it consistently introduces, eliminates, and updates listing categories based on feedback and research. Its January 2023 update involved including new product categories, such as Potli Bags and Parandas, and adopting new designations for Unisex Kids’ and Babies’ Clothing as Gender-Neutral Kids’ and Babies’ Clothing.

 

Enter the price, sales tax (if applicable), quantity, SKU (if you possess one), and variations for your product.

You can include different options (such as dimensions, substances, and hues) and connect relevant images to these options.

Related:

 

Embody all the essential shipping particulars: transportation amenities you will utilize, charges, nation of origin, handling period, and your item’s mass and magnitude.

You can also permit Etsy to calculate your shipping prices (which it advises).

If you wish for Etsy to determine your shipping expenses, then you must input your ZIP code and handling period.

If you opt to proceed with Etsy, then complete the weight and size of your item when packed. You will have the ability to preview the shipping cost that the purchaser will observe.

To simplify matters, you can establish shipping profiles after initiating your Etsy store so you can swiftly update items with the precise shipping costs. Etsy provides shipping charges for its shipping carriers: USPS, FedEx, and Canada Post.

In the News:

Commencing January 2023, Priority Mail products purchased through Etsy can now meet the requirements for cubic pricing (based on a package’s magnitude and distance traveled rather than its weight), which can be advantageous for sellers who ship small but heavy items.

Your listing will be retained once you click Save as Draft or Publish.

Save as Draft

To save as a draft, input at least one photo, a category, a price, quantity, shipping rates, and a title. You can always enter temporary facts and then replace them before you publish. You can discover your draft listing on your Listings page under Drafts.

Drafts never expire, and there is no limit on your number of drafts. You also aren’t charged the listing fee until the listing is published in your shop.

Publish

If you are prepared to sell, click Publish to post your listing. The 20-cent listing fee will be added to your Payment account.

It may take up to 24 hours for listings to appear in Etsy search results and categories. If you wish to establish similar listings, then create one listing and replicate it to save time.

Step 5: Establish Etsy Payments

After setting up your product listings, the next step is to configure your Etsy Payment preferences. Etsy mandates that eligible vendors (based on their location) utilize Etsy Payments and specify the supported currencies for Etsy Payments.

You must indicate your seller type for tax purposes.

Depending on the location of your bank, you will need to input your bank information as demonstrated above.

To ensure security, Etsy requires you to enable two-factor authentication.

You will be requested to provide the code:

• Whenever you sign in using a different browser or on a new device
• Every 30 days

You can obtain this verification code through:

• An authenticator app on your Android or iOS device (Recommended)
• An SMS
• A phone call

When initiating an Etsy shop, this step will vary based on your country.

In certain countries, Etsy will ask for a credit card for identity validation and authorization purposes. Additionally, you will need to have a card on file to cover any selling fees that may be charged (more information provided below).

If you are located in the US, you have the option to enroll in auto-billing, where Etsy will automatically bill your registered credit card for the incurred selling fees.

Step 7: Personalize Your Shop

It’s not finished yet! Now you can customize the appearance of your store’s front end. Your Etsy shop has its own landing page—similar to a one-page website—where customers can peruse your products, learn more about you (or your company), review your store policies and updates, and find any information they require before making a purchase.

Click on the Shop Manager icon in your menu navigation bar to edit your shop’s design.

Here are a few sections you can fill out to help establish the credibility of your Etsy shop:

Store Banner & Shop Announcement

The shop banner stretches across the top of your homepage and will catch the attention of shoppers when they visit. Make sure your design reflects your brand. Share a welcome message as a shop announcement with shoppers.

You can add a banner or a header image to the top of your shop, describe your shop in a single sentence, include a highlighted section to showcase product listings, and provide contact details.

About Section & Shop Members (if applicable)

Your About section is the primary way an Etsy buyer gets to know the person behind the creative works – you. A well-developed About section should provide customers with insight into who you are, not just what you create.

This section also allows you to add the Members, Story, and Manufacturers sections. You can also access the About Your Shop tab from the Your Shop menu.

This section offers customers a glimpse into your brand values and principles.

• Story: You have 5,000 characters to share with customers the story behind your business. Include details about why you started your Etsy store and what you appreciate about the creations you make or sell on the site.
• Manufacturers: If you enlist external manufacturers to create your products, you can list them here, along with explanations of how each provider supports your business.
• Members: Add this section link to your user profile on Etsy and any Etsy profiles connected to or working in your shop.

You can also include photographs or videos of your studio space or creative process, and link your store’s social media profiles. This is an excellent way to introduce yourself to your customers.

Shop Policies

In this section, you address any questions your customers may have regarding the production of your items, order processing, shipping, and payment procedures.

Etsy makes it simple for you to create shop policies by offering templates or using its prompts as a starting point for crafting your own.

Add a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section and information about the seller at the bottom of your shop page.

Step 7: Launch Your Shop

Once you click on the “Launch Your Shop” button, your store will be open for business and you can begin accepting orders.

You can access your Etsy shop using the following URLs: https://www.etsy.com/shop/yourshopname and https://yourshopname.etsy.com.

Congratulations, you are now prepared to sell! Take a look at our suggestions for selling on Etsy to boost your sales.

Here are some actions you should consider to enhance your Etsy experience:

Costs for Selling on Etsy

Similar to other online marketplaces, Etsy imposes fees for listing and selling products. As mentioned previously, you will need to set up your payment preferences and billing information as these will directly impact the fees you will be charged.

Etsy Payments will automatically deduct these fees from your sales earnings. If you still owe additional fees at the end of the month, it will be your responsibility to make the payment. If you are based in the US, Etsy will automatically charge the credit card you have on file.

Etsy imposes three main types of seller fees: a listing fee, a transaction fee, and a payment processing fee.

For a detailed breakdown of Etsy’s fees, refer to our guide on Etsy Seller Fees.

How To Check Your Etsy Fees & Taxes

You can review your Etsy fees and taxes in your Payment account:

1. Login to Etsy.com and go to Shop Manager.
2. Access the Finances section and then go to the Payment account.
3. You can find the fees and taxes owed under Recent activities and Fees & Taxes.

On the Sell on Etsy app, you can pay your statement and manage your Payment account through the Finances section.

Conclusion

If you are an artisan, chances are there is already an audience of buyers on the platform, so it is important to include selling on Etsy in your growth plan. Like any other business, launching and succeeding on the platform requires time and continuous effort. However, Etsy makes listing and selling products relatively easy, especially when compared to maintaining your own website. This allows you to focus more on your creative works.

After opening an Etsy shop, the real work begins. A solid marketing strategy, high-quality unboxing experience, and consistently excellent customer service can help your shop receive five-star reviews. These elements also demonstrate your credibility to potential customers, resulting in increased sales.

However, it is important to keep in mind that the Etsy community was built for creatives and artisans. Therefore, the quality of your products remains the most important factor in attracting new and repeat customers.