So, you already have your own answer to “Is selling on Etsy worth it?” and decide to learn how to sell on Etsy. That’s a fantastic decision!
Etsy is an excellent online marketplace where artists, jewelry makers, interior designers, craftspeople, or collectors like you can sell homemade, vintage, digital, or one-of-a-kind products to global audiences. As of September 30, 2023, Etsy boasted 6.7 million active sellers and an impressive 91.6 million active buyers.
Whether you like starting a business on Etsy as a side hustle or a go-all-in business, I will walk you through the steps on how to start selling on Etsy.
- Step 1: Create an account
- Step 2: Select shop preference and name your shop
- Step 3: Add your products to sell on Etsy
- Step 4: Decide how you will get paid
- Step 5: Set up billing
- Step 6: Secure your Etsy shop
- Step 7: Customize your storefront
- Step 8: Go live on Etsy!
Without further ado, let’s get started on how to become an Etsy seller!
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How to Sell on Etsy: A Step-by-Step Guide
As a beginner, you wonder how to sell products on Etsy. The answer is that you can start selling on Etsy right when you create your Etsy shop.
Let’s make your Etsy business ideas come true and start right on the Etsy ground.
Step 1: Create an Etsy account
First, to become a seller on Etsy and start selling on Etsy, you need to create an Etsy account. You will run your shop through this account.
Head to Etsy.com/sell and click Get Started. Enter your email address and follow the guide. If you already have an Etsy account, click on your profile at the top right corner and then choose Sell on Etsy. The prompts will then lead you to the next step “How do you start selling on Etsy?”.
Are you just starting selling on Etsy, make sure to check out What to know before starting an Etsy shop!
Step 2: Select shop preference and name your shop
You’ve done the first step of registering an Etsy seller account – Great! Let’s move to the next step of how to start an Etsy shop: Set up our shop language, country, and currency.
- Shop language: This is the language you choose to describe your items and should be the language of your target audience as well. You can’t change the language default, but you can add translations in other languages later, after you open your shop.
- Shop country: Choose the country where you sell your products.
- Shop currency: Select the currency you want your product listings to show and your customers to pay.
Next on this Etsy selling guide: add your Etsy shop name. When choosing a name for your Etsy shop, pick one that can reflect your style.
Etsy shop names should adhere to the following criteria:
- 4-20 characters in length
- No spaces or special characters
- No profanity
- Not currently in use by an existing Etsy seller
- Must not infringe on another’s trademark
You can change your Etsy shop name later from the Info&Apperance tab. But it’s always better to keep your brand name consistent. So, choose wisely!
Step 3: Create the first product listings
The next step on how to sell on Etsy, let’s find out how to list an item on Etsy and stock your shop with your product listings.
1. Add photos, videos
As for photos, you can add up to 10 photos for each listing. Uploading the video is optional.
2. Name, categorize, and describe your product
As you are looking for how to start an Etsy business, it’s time to show off your items to the world. In this step, give your product a name, a classification, and a description.
Give your listing a title, which should be the name of your item. Then, enter your category (women’s shoes or bespoke jewelry), and the box will offer matching categories.
After that, describe your product to the reader in detail. Here is where to show off your personality in detail and provide any relevant product features that customers could find helpful. – If you’re selling plants, for example, are they rooted or clipped off the stems?
3. Price your product and stock your inventory
Next, in this step of how to start selling on Etsy, simply add your product price and the number of items that you have available. You can add variations, including colors and sizes, for one product listing.
4. Set up shipping
Becoming an Etsy seller might mean that you have to get used to the shipping stuff when your customers make an order.
In this step, set up shipping for your listing. The shipping information includes shipping prices, origin ZIP code (where do you ship packages from?), processing time, which countries you will ship to, shipping services, and lastly, item weight and size (when packed).
Make sure to preview your listing before publishing. I’m sure that you won’t want your first customers to see mistakes on your listing. And done, you have completed your first product listing. Congrats!
Then add more of your product listings. As you take the first steps on How to start a business on Etsy, it’s recommended to upload at least 10 listings.
Check out the detailed guideline on how to ship on Etsy.
And done, you have completed listing your first product on Etsy. Congrats! However, make sure to preview your listing before publishing. I’m sure that you won’t want your first customers to see mistakes on your listing.
It’s recommended to upload at least 3 listings at this step of “How to start a business on Etsy.” Once you have finished all 5 steps left on how to sell on Etsy, you can add all your listings.
If you currently own a website and aim to expand your sales by opening a shop on Etsy, consider using a multichannel listing tool such as LitCommerce. This tool can assist you in effortlessly and rapidly listing all your products on Etsy.
List Your Products on Etsy with LitCommerce
LitCommerce supports you in listing your products in bulk from your current web-based store to Etsy, saving you time and effort from daunting manual listings.
Step 4: Decide how you will get paid
One of the reasons you are looking for “How do I start selling on Etsy?” is to make some money, right? So, this will be a fun part: Choose how you want to get paid.
First, select what type of seller you are. You can choose between an individual seller and an incorporated business. Then, enter your personal information and address. Finally, connect the bank account you want your Etsy revenue paid into.
Step 5: Set up billing
It’s free to set up an account and buy, but selling on Etsy costs money. You will be asked to enter a payment method to pay your Etsy bill. This is how you pay to publish your listings and open an Etsy shop.
Step 6: Secure your Etsy shop
One of the important steps when creating an Etsy shop is to secure your shop. To keep your shop extra safe, you will need to set up 2-factor authentication.
Add the phone number to which you want to send codes. Otherwise, you can use the authenticator app. Then, you will receive the verification code through that app, an SMS, or a phone call.
Once received, enter the verification code. After that, click on Open your shop. Here, your shop is pretty ready to be launched. However, dress to impress; there are some steps left that you need to take to complete your shop setup and prepare to start selling on Etsy.
Step 7: Dress up your storefront
The next page on how to sell on Etsy: dress up your storefront. This is likely when you decorate and customize the look of your shop. There are some significant spaces on your Etsy shop that you need to fill in, I will list up right below:
- Banner ad shop logo: Upload a high-quality logo photo and make an Etsy banner representing your brand. This will help you leave strong impressions on your shoppers and make them remember your brand better.
- Shop announcement: This feature lets you share messages with shoppers. As you just start with Etsy, you can set up the welcome announcement, for example.
- About section: Figure out which story you want to tell. Let your first-time visitors to your Etsy shop know more about you and why they should buy your products.
- Shop members: Add your teammates or people you collaborate with.
- Shop policies: Learning how to become a seller on Etsy, you also need to set up the rules for your shoppers. List all your rules for shipping, returns, exchanges, payments, custom items, and other important information customers need before buying.
- More listings: After that, add all your products to your Etsy shop to complete it before you show your store to the world
Step 8: Go live!
Did you complete all the steps above and get your Etsy shop ready? If yes, congrats. It’s time to launch your Etsy shop and wait for the first sale.
How Much Does it Cost to Start Selling on Etsy?
When you search for how to start selling on Etsy, you probably wonder, “How much does it cost to start an Etsy shop?” It costs you zero dollars to create an Etsy shop.
However, there are some main fees you should keep in mind as an Etsy seller.
Etsy selling fees | Costs | Notes |
Listing fees | $0.20/ listing | Renew every 4 months. |
Transaction fees | 6.5%/ total order amount | |
Processing fees | 3.5% + $0.25 | Apply for transactions using Etsy Payments |
Currency conversion fees | 2.5% | Apply for listings using a currency other than USD |
Advertising fees | 15% | Apply for shops that earn less than $10 000/ year |
#1. Listing fees
First, listing fees are the most common fees that you need to know when you look for how to sell on Etsy. Regardless of whether the goods sell, Etsy charges $0.20 for each listing you add to your Etsy shop.
Unless you turn off automatic renewals, listings expire after four months and will auto-renew at $0.20 per item.
#2. Transaction fees
“How much does it cost to open a shop on Etsy?” Besides listing fees, you are also charged a transaction fee on Etsy when selling items on Etsy. Unlike listing fees, these transaction fees are only taken when something is sold.
Here’s what you need to know about Etsy transaction fees:
- Etsy takes 6.5% of the total order amount in the currency you set for your listing.
- This fee covers the entire cost of the item, including shipping and gift wrap if you charge for those. You’ll see these charges listed separately in your Payment account.
- The transaction fee is automatically added to your Payment account.
#3. Payment processing fees
In addition to Etsy’s transaction fees, payment processing fees are charged on each transaction that uses Etsy Payments. If you use Etsy Payments, your customers will have various paying options including credit cards, debit cards, Etsy gift cards, Etsy Credit, PayPal, some bank transfer services, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
These processing fees consist of a fixed rate and a percentage of the total sale price, with the specific rate and percentage varying by country. In the US, your payment processing fee would be 3% + $0.25 on each transaction.
#4. Additional advertising fees
While figuring out how to sell things on Etsy, you can also learn to optimize your product listing to reach potential customers in the Etsy search engine. Otherwise, you can go for Etsy advertising to boost your sales.
You can participate in Offsite Ads, showcasing your products on Etsy’s marketing channels like Facebook and Google, and display ads, even without accounts on those platforms.
If your shop earned less than $10,000 in a year, a 15% fee applies to the order total for Offsite Ads. Surpassing $10,000 reduces the fee to 12%, and Offsite Ad fees won’t exceed $100 per item.
#5. Currency conversion fees
Etsy lets you sell in different countries. However, all fees related to selling on Etsy will be billed in USD.
Therefore, if you have set your product listings in a different currency, you’ll face a 2.5% Etsy Currency Conversion Fee, deducted automatically from your Etsy Payments account. If you want to skip this fee, consider using external payment gateways like PayPal for your transactions.
Besides the main Etsy selling fees above, some other fees are up to you. They might contain Etsy shipping costs and Etsy Plus ($10/ month).
6 Top Tips for Selling on Etsy Successfully
So, I have walked you through 8 simple steps on how to sell on Etsy and main Etsy selling fees. Once you have started, it’s time to discover how to get your first sales faster and get more sales on Etsy in general.
I will walk you through 6 main Etsy tips that you need to know when looking for how to be a seller on Etsy.
1. Take high-quality product photos
Great product photos are crucial for online sales in the visually-oriented eCommerce world. When customers visit your store, they look at the product image first. The first tip I want to share in this “How to sell something on Etsy” guide is using high-quality photos to grab your customers’ attention.
When sharing the secret of nearly 3 million sales, the #1 Etsy seller – Caitlyn Minimalist, also recognized that photography is a key factor to their success.
Starting with a DSLR camera and assistance from Caitlyn’s talented photographer mother, they focused on creating visually stunning product images. As Caitlyn Minimalist grew, they added professional photographers and editors to maintain a consistently appealing product representation.
2. SEO-optimize your Etsy shop
How to make money on Etsy? You need to get sales.
The second tip I want to share is to SEO-optimize your shop to get and boost sales. SEO matters because, just like Google, search engines are the ways people find what they want to buy.
Here are a few tips that you can follow to optimize and get your Etsy shop in front of more potential customers:
- Craft detailed and specific product titles: By doing this, you can ensure that your listing title hits all the keywords someone might type to find your product.
- Describe your item as fully as you can: This will help your SEO, as well as help your customers get a clear view of what you are selling them.
- Arrange listings into groups or sections: Organizing your shop page like that is to make shopping easier for customers.
- Complete your “About Me” page: This is the space where you can tell your story and highlight what makes your shop unique.
3. Provide excellent customer service
The next tip in this How to sell on Etsy step-by-step guide is to provide excellent customer service. Putting effort into providing excellent customer service is key to building a good reputation on Etsy.
To succeed on Etsy, Caitlyn Minimalist also highlights their exceptional customer service. They always ensure that each customer feels valued and heard. By going above and beyond to meet their customer’s needs and expectations, they have been able to build trust and loyalty with a significant number of repeat customers and positive reviews.
So what should you do as an Etsy seller: Respond promptly to inquiries, address customer concerns professionally, and ensure a smooth buying experience for every shopper.
4. Share your items on social media
Etsy is a great spot to get your business started. However, learn how to sell stuff on Etsy, and don’t forget the power of social media. As billions of people are active daily on TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook, these social platforms are fertile ground to showcase your items to your potential customers and grow your business.
Let’s take an example of AcornandCrowStudio – an Etsy start seller who has gotten 483,477 sales of stickers, stationery, and accessories by Jan 2024. Besides their own Etsy shop, they also create tons of videos on TikTok with various content, such as responding-to-comments or challenging videos. This has helped them get nearly 700,000 followers on TikTok – what a precious owned media to showcase their products, right?
Here are some content ideas you can create and share from Etsy:
- New items
- Sales and coupons
- Reviews (even with influencers)
- Shop updates
- Recent milestones
Moreover, consistency is the secret to success in social media. To gain and retain followers – and even turn them into customers – you have to be present and engaged consistently. So, start sharing and keep it up!
5. Don’t forget Etsy advertising
When it comes to exploring how to start on Etsy, consider Advertising on Etsy options to boost your shop’s visibility.
Etsy advertising can lead to more views, clicks, and, ultimately, sales. Running ads allows you to target specific groups of shoppers and promote your products to people most likely to be interested in them. As a result, investing in Etsy ads might help you get a higher conversion rate and generate more sales. There are two ways, on-site and off-site ads, to promote your Etsy shop.
6. Proactively ask for reviews and feedback
The last piece of the Etsy selling tips puzzle is to ask customers for reviews actively. Reviews and feedback on Etsy are social proofs that show how people already purchased your products like them. This can be seen as a must-do practice to make your new customers trust buying from you.
To encourage customers to share their thoughts and feedback, especially product photos, on Etsy’s product page, you can:
- Reach out via email after a purchase.
- Offer discount codes for their next buy as an incentive.
Check out GardenEazy for a great example. With 160 reviews featuring product photos, this organic seeds & organic fertilizers brand understands the value of strong reviews in building trust and social proof.
So, we have been walking through the 6 most significant tips on selling on Etsy. However, creating a shop on Etsy is not just about making sales, it’s about building a brand and a loyal customer base. Consistency, dedication, and continuous learning are key to long-term success on the platform.
How to Sell on Etsy for Beginners – FAQs
There are no monthly subscription fees to sell on Etsy. However, Etsy charges both a listing fee and a transaction fee for each item you sell on the marketplace. You must pay $0.20 for each listing and a 6.5% transaction fee for each sale. Yes, we think it’s worth it to start selling on Etsy. Etsy is the most popular global online marketplace selling handmade and creative items. The founder of Etsy smartly chose this niche for this marketplace, and now, they become “a big boss” in this field. It is worth selling on Etsy because of its ease of use, huge audience, and less risk: Less risk: Etsy always implements coherent and deliberate policies to protect both buyers and sellers. Especially when doing business in the marketplace, you completely reduce the risks compared to building a website. No, Etsy policies don’t require sellers to have a business license to sell on their marketplace. So basically, you can start selling on Etsy without a business. However, If you’re to sell stuff on Etsy, you must follow any laws that apply to you as a small business selling online. For example, you can’t sell prohibited items like items promoting illegal activity and highly regulated items. Yes, we think Etsy is a good side hustle. This is because the Etsy selling fees are much lower compared to other online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon. Moreover, as a one-of-a-kind-product marketplace, Etsy made it easy to start, especially for beginners. You can sell drop-shopping, print-on-demand, or digital products. A lot of people have learned how to start a small business on Etsy and start selling on Etsy as a side hustle. Currently, 84% of sellers on Etsy are solo entrepreneurs. Etsy is a marketplace for those who do not have much experience or capital to sell on the e-commerce platform. Therefore, starting selling on Etsy will be a great opportunity for their growth. In addition, the cost of operating Etsy is not too expensive, which is completely within the reach of most sellers, even beginners. Craft & Supplies is the most purchased category on Etsy because this is the orientation and goal for the development of Etsy owners. Craft & Supplies includes items like stickers, jewelry, hooks, and beads,… Yes, definitely. With different personal information, you can open multiple stores on Etsy. You can even run multiple stores at the same time on many different marketplaces or shopping carts like Amazon, WooCommerce, and Shopify,… If you are wondering how to manage multiple stores effectively, the best advice is to use the multichannel selling tool to list and manage inventory on a dashboard. This will save you time and minimize duplication when managing multiple online stores. Getting the first sale on Etsy can take a little time at first. Here are some tips to help get your first sale on Etsy faster:
Start Selling on Etsy Today!
So, we showed you all of the steps and basic Etsy tips on how to sell on Etsy. The rest of your journey is up to you!
If you’re looking for an affordable and user-friendly way to manage your store on Etsy as well as other best-selling channels, give LitCommerce a try.
We offer the easiest solution for store owners to list and sell their products on the world’s largest online marketplaces, such as Amazon, Etsy, and eBay. To get more information, reach out to the support team now!
Happy Selling!
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