#etsy guide

Starting an Etsy shop is exciting — until you realize how many things you have to figure out first. Shop names, product photos, listings, shipping, SEO, pricing, fees… it can quickly feel overwhelming before you even publish your first product. The good news? You don’t need to figure everything out on your own. This step-by-step Etsy startup checklist will walk you through exactly what to do…

Busy Bee, that’s me!

Finally! A chance to sit and sift through my thoughts! Outsiders looking into my life probably think that working from home is SO easy peasy and that I can just do what I want when I want, this is not the reality! lol I’m not going to lie, it’s cool to not have to call in when I’m sick, because I live where I work, AND it’s even cooler to do your work in your pj’s, but I promise you – it’s not…

As someone who has been on both sides of the Etsy coin as a seller and a buyer, I wanted to create this little guide with tips for buyers to get the most out of their shopping on Etsy. It's full of tips that those of us who sell want you to be aware of and consider when you're shopping with us.

Note: This guide will skew US-centric as I am a seller based in the US but most of the tips are good to keep in mind no matter what country you or the seller you're purchasing from are in.

1. Shipping Schedules

During this time of year, many shops will put out a shipping schedule – usually in their shop note at the top of the shop's front page - to let buyers know about various cut-off dates. Buy before these dates to have the best chances of your item arriving in time for the holidays. If a seller does not have shipping schedule, see if your postal service offers a list of dates for shipping packages. For example, this is the schedule listed with the United States Postal Service -

December 3rd – Priority Mail International and Priority Mail Military APO/FPO/DPO

December 11th – Express Mail International

December 17th – Express Mail Military APO/FPO/DPO and Global Express Guaranteed

December 20th – First Class Domestic

December 21st – Priority Mail Domestic

December 22nd – Express Mail Domestic

Don't know what type of shipping a seller uses? First, look on their Policies page under Shipping to see what type they use. If you don't see the answer there, then ask the seller directly. There is a contact button in the sidebar of every shop where you can ask a seller questions and most are happy to answer them for you.

2. Make Sure Your Addresses are Correct

I really can't stress this one enough – before you start shopping shopping on Etsy, double-check your address to make sure it is correct. Sellers rely on this information to send out your package and it's up to you to keep it up to date. Same thing goes for any gifts you are sending directly to the recipient – make sure those addresses are also correct.

And if you are wanting the seller to send gifts directly for you, let the seller know up front. While most sellers can figure out if you're purchasing an item for someone else, it is always best to inform the seller of what you want. Make use of the Note to Seller box at check out to let us know if you have any special requirements, especially for gifts.

3. Check for Sales and Coupons

It's fairly common for most sellers to have some form of social media advertising where they'll share sales and coupons with their customers. Check out their Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr etc. to see if they currently have any deals available.

4. Figure Out Your Payment Method

Understand that different sellers accept different forms of payment on Etsy, but the most common form is Paypal so having an up to date Paypal account is a good starting point for shopping on Etsy. Some US sellers now also accept debit cards, credit cards and Etsy gift cards via Direct Checkout. And some sellers might even accept check or money order. At the bottom of every product page, you can find what types of payments the seller accepts. Additionally, underneath the shop banner on the front page you might see a green icon indicating that the seller accepts gift cards.

While Paypal and cards are far and away the most common and the most preferred method, if you do decide to pay via check or money order, alert the seller right away to assure them that payment is coming. Sellers will not ship your item until they receive payment so expect delays if you plan to use check or money order.

5. Be Aware that Processing Time Does Not Equal Shipping Time

Processing time is a newer feature on Etsy listings – it's used by sellers to let buyers know how much time will pass between when an order is placed and when it will ship. It has NOTHING to do with how long it will take for the item to arrive after shipping. You'll see this in the listings and in your cart as “Item is ready to ship in X-X business days.”

Don't worry – sellers see this information too on their Sold Orders page and will do their best to get the item out by the deadline. If they think they can't meet the deadline, they are supposed to inform you via Etsy Conversation about the delay.

6. Be Patient When it Comes to Shipping

Once it is out of a seller's hands, we have no control over what happens with your package. We can only hope that the shipping service we're using will do things properly. But things are looking up – Etsy now lets us print shipping labels right on site and those labels all include some form of tracking information. Trust me – I watch that tracking page just as much as you do. I want you to get your item and be happy with it.

If you're buying an item from a seller in another country, this advice is doubly important. I've had international packages take up to a month to reach a customer so please be patient.

If you're really concerned about time and are willing to pay, ask a seller if they will expedite the shipping for you. This is still something that often has to be done via customer request while Etsy prepares to roll out shipping price variations for everyone once they're done with beta tetsting.

7. Remember to Leave Feedback

After your item arrives, be sure to leave honest feedback for the seller, especially if the seller has did anything special for you. (For example – gift wrapping a present you had sent to a friend.) Our feedback not only lets other buyers know about the quality of our work and our customer service but also let's us know that you're satisfied with the items we make. I know personally that few things make me happier than seeing the kind words of a delighted customer on my feedback page.