Guides

How to start selling on Etsy

Question: How do I start selling on Etsy?

Short answer

To start selling on Etsy, confirm your product fits Etsy's Creativity Standards, open a shop from Etsy's Sell page, add payment and billing details, then publish listings with clear photos, accurate descriptions and shipping settings. Etsy charges fees per listing and per sale, so price with those in mind from day one.

Etsy is a marketplace for items that are made, designed, handpicked or sourced by the seller. If your product is a generic item you bought to resell, it probably doesn't belong on Etsy.

Check that your product fits Etsy

Etsy's Creativity Standards group allowed items into four types. Read them before you buy stock or design a product line, because a listing that doesn't fit can be removed.

Made by a seller: physical items you make by hand or with personal or computerized tools.
Designed by a seller: your original designs, including digital downloads and designs produced by a production partner such as a print-on-demand service. Etsy requires you to disclose production partners.
Handpicked by a seller: vintage items, items from nature and certain curated collections.
Sourced by a seller: craft supplies and tools.

Fees to plan for

When we reviewed Etsy's Fees & Payments Policy on October 28, 2026, it listed a $0.20 USD listing fee per item (each listing lasts four months and can auto-renew), a 6.5% transaction fee on the item price plus shipping and gift wrapping, and payment processing fees that vary by country. Some shops may also pay a one-time set-up fee, shown before shop set-up is completed.

Etsy also runs Offsite Ads. If your shop is attributed a sale from an Offsite Ad, you pay a percentage of that order. The policy describes a lower rate for shops above a sales threshold and an opt-out for smaller shops. These amounts change, so treat the official fees page as the source of truth.

Set up your shop

Pick a shop name you can live with and check it isn't someone else's trademark.
Add your bank details and a billing method so Etsy can pay out sales and charge fees.
Write shop policies for returns, exchanges and processing times you can actually meet.
Set up shipping profiles with realistic processing times and costs.
Complete the About section so buyers know who is behind the shop.

Make your first listings count

A listing has to do two jobs: be found in search, and convince someone to buy. Use a specific title that says what the item is, photos that show the real finished product, and a description that answers size, material, care and delivery questions before buyers ask.

If an item is made with AI tools or a production partner, Etsy's standards require you to disclose that. Do it plainly in the listing.

A simple example

Say you design illustrated tote bags and use a print-on-demand partner to print and ship them. That fits "designed by a seller", but you must name the production partner, show photos or mockups that represent the real product, and set processing times that include the partner's production time. Your price needs to cover the partner's cost, shipping and Etsy's fees.

Is this a good fit for you?

Likely a good fit if

You make, design or curate products with a creative angle.
You want shoppers who are already browsing for items like yours.
You can photograph your real products well.

Think twice if

Your products are generic items bought to resell.
You need full control over branding and checkout.
Your margins can't absorb per-sale fees on item price and shipping.

Common pitfalls

Listing resold commercial products that don't meet the Creativity Standards.
Forgetting that the transaction fee also applies to the shipping you charge.
Promising processing times your workshop or partner can't hit.
Using stock photos that don't show the real item buyers will receive.
Not disclosing AI-generated designs or production partners.

Before you publish your first listing

Read Etsy's Creativity Standards and Seller Policy.
Confirm which of the four item types your product fits.
Check current fees on Etsy's fees page and build them into your price.
Write return, exchange and processing-time policies.
Prepare at least a few clear photos of the real product.
Draft a specific title, description and tags.
Disclose any production partner or AI use.

Official sources

Fee and policy details on this page were checked against these official pages on October 28, 2026. They change, so confirm current terms before you rely on them.

Shopmation is an emerging AI seller-workflow product. The platforms named here are independent companies; mentioning them doesn't mean they are Shopmation integrations or partners. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.