Setting up shipping for your Etsy listings can seem overwhelming, but with a little guidance, you’ll be handling it like a pro. We are here to help you navigate through the various options available on Etsy and make shipping management efficient and straightforward. From creating shipping profiles to working out rates for multiple purchases or additional services, we have got you covered.
Deciding What to Charge for Shipping
Whether you’re operating from the US or Canada, automating your USPS or Canada Post shipping rates using calculated shipping can simplify matters significantly. This feature computes costs based on order weight and dimensions, buyer’s location, and chosen shipping service at checkout.
Remember that as sellers, the power lies in your hands to set your own shipping rates. Ideally, these should cover ‘One item’ and ‘Additional item’ rates for each country.
While this may seem challenging due to the varying weights and distances involved, we suggest charging a higher estimate upfront while promising in your listing descriptions that any extra postage will be refunded. The method of refund can then match how they paid initially; learn more about this process here.
It’s also acceptable to mention variable shipping prices in your listing descriptions asking buyers to reach out before purchasing for an accurate quote. You can then adjust the listing’s rate accordingly and reserve it for them (here is how).
For further assistance with setting up shipping rates:
- Check out ’4 Steps to Shipping Success’
- Learn ’How to Ship Anything'
How to Configure Shipping Information for Listings
When creating a new listing:
- Under the Shipping section, choose an existing shipping profile in Shipping options or opt for Enter custom shipping options for unique listing-specific settings.
- In Shipping prices, I’ll enter fixed prices manually.
- Fill out the fields under Country of origin, Origin postal code, and Processing time.
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In the next step, specify your shipping locations; domestic shipping is automatically required on Etsy. Use the ‘Everywhere Else’ feature to set a standard price for international orders.
- If you find variations in costs based on specific countries (such as your own), feel free to set individual rates accordingly. All unspecified countries will default to ‘Everywhere Else.’
- For regions like the European Union or Europe non-EU, country-specific costs can override regional cost settings if required.
For global shipping ventures, select either ‘Everywhere else’ along with your home country or use the ‘Add another location’ option and list down desired countries. To exclude any region, click on the trashcan icon next to it. Remember that many buyers filter items based on their own delivery areas so make sure your listings show up by setting rates for all target markets.
After defining locations, mention the chosen Shipping service and decide between fixed-cost or free services under ‘What you’ll charge’.
If opting for fixed pricing, ensure both ‘One item’ and ‘Additional item’ costs are defined clearly. To add calculated shipping rates to your listings effectively, follow these guidelines here.
Crafting Effective Shipping Profiles on Etsy
One of the core aspects of managing an Etsy shop is setting up shipping profiles. These profiles enable you to quickly update several listings with similar shipping settings, making your job as a seller much more streamlined.
Creating a Shipping Profile
Shipping profiles are a handy tool for sellers, especially those from the US or Canada who can benefit from having their shipping costs calculated automatically using calculated shipping. For an in-depth understanding of shipping profiles and other tools, refer to Etsy’s Beginner’s Guide to Shipping.
To set up a new profile:
- Go to Etsy.com and click on Shop Manager.
- Navigate to Settings.
- Click on Shipping settings.
- Select Shipping profiles.
- Choose Add a shipping profile.
- Fill out all required fields related to shipping details, including separate domestic and international handling fees if necessary.
- If manually inputting fixed costs, consider adding in shipping upgrades (learn more about this here).
- For calculated shipping setups, item weight and size are mandatory.
- Finally, hit Save.
Once you’ve created your profile and saved it successfully, it can be applied across any future listings you add.
Linking Your Listings to Shipping Profiles
To associate your listings with the created shipping profiles:
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- Visit Etsy.com and select Shop Manager.
- Click on Listings.
- Choose the listing that requires a shipping profile by clicking on its checkbox.
- Select Editing options.
- From the dropdown menu, pick Change shipping profiles.
- In the following window, use the Select Profile… dropdown menu to choose your desired shipping profile.
- Click on Apply to confirm changes.
Please note that each listing can be linked to only one shipping profile at a time.
Providing Free Shipping with Shipping Profiles
As an Etsy seller, you have the option of offering free shipping for both new and existing profiles by editing them from your settings. For those using calculated shipping, head over to the ‘Free shipping’ section of a profile and specify whether you’d like to offer this service domestically or internationally by checking the appropriate boxes. For fixed-rate profiles, simply select ‘Free Shipping’ from the ‘What you’ll charge’ drop-down menu. To learn more about offering free shipping, click here.
Understanding Discounted Shipping for Multiple Items on Etsy
Making use of discounted shipping for multiple-item purchases in your Etsy shop can be an effective way to incentivize buyers and increase sales. However, it’s important to understand how these combined shipping costs work.
Unraveling Combined Shipping Costs
Combined shipping costs provide a shipping discount when customers order multiple items from your shop. If an order includes listings with both calculated and manually set costs, the process begins by calculating costs for listings using calculated shipping.
The ‘Additional item’ cost is then added for the remaining listings, culminating in the total shipping cost of the order. Take note that setting discounted rates isn’t possible for listings with calculated shipping. When listing an item in your shop, you’re required to input both ‘One item’ and ‘Additional item’ prices:
- One item price: This refers to the cost of shipping a single unit of the product.
- Additional item price: This denotes the additional cost incurred when another unit of the same product is purchased.
The additional item price comes into play when a buyer purchases different listings or multiple quantities from your shop simultaneously.
When creating a listing:
- Enter a secondary price in the Additional Item field. If you want to offer discounts on multi-item orders, this number should be lower than your ‘One Item’ price (examples below).
- If offering combined discount rates isn’t preferred, enter identical values for primary and secondary prices.
- To ship extra items at no further charge, set $0.00 as your secondary price.
Understanding Combined Shipping: Examples
Let’s consider two items - A & B:
Item A
Primary Shipping Cost (One Item): $2.00
Secondary Shipping Cost (Additional Item): $0.50
Item B
Primary Shipping Cost: $1.00
Secondary Shipping Cost: $0.75
If Items A & B are bought together, the total shipping cost equals the higher primary shipping cost (Item A: $2.00) plus the secondary shipping cost for the remaining item(s) (Item B: $0.75).
If three units of Item A are purchased, then the total combined shipping cost equals the primary shipping cost for one unit ($2.00) plus $.50 each for additional items. This makes a total combined shipping cost of $3.00.
Enabling Shipping Upgrades for Your Etsy Shop
Providing your buyers with additional shipping options can greatly enhance their shopping experience. By enabling shipping upgrades, you offer them the flexibility to choose a shipping method that suits their needs best, right from their shopping cart during checkout. Here’s how to activate and manage these upgrades in your shop.
Activating Shipping Upgrades in Your Shop Manager
- Log in to Etsy.com
- Click on Shop Manager
- Navigate to Settings
- Select Shipping settings
- Go to the Rates & upgrades tab
- Choose Enabled under Shipping upgrades
Once enabled, you can add specific shipping upgrades to your listings or profiles.
Adding Shipping Upgrades to a Listing
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- Log in to Etsy.com
- Select Shop Manager
- Navigate to Listings
- Choose either Add a listing or an existing listing.
- Scroll down and select an existing shipping profile under the Shipping section or click on Enter custom shipping options under the Shipping prices, choose I’ll enter fixed prices manually.
- After inputting the appropriate information, scroll down and click on Add a shipping upgrade under the ‘Shipping upgrades’ section.
- Provide the necessary details for this upgrade.
- Confirm changes by selecting ’Save as a shipping profile'.
Adding Shipping Upgrades to a Shipping Profile
- Log in to Etsy.com
- Click on Shop Manager
- Navigate to Settings
- Select Shipping settings
- Go to the ‘Shipping profiles’ tab
- Choose ‘Create profile
- Under the ‘Shipping costs’ section at the top, select ‘I’ll enter fixed costs manually’ from the dropdown menu.
- Scroll down and click on ’Add a shipping upgrade’ under the ‘Shipping upgrades’ section.
- Provide the necessary details for this upgrade.
- Confirm changes by selecting ’Save as a shipping profile'.
Pricing Your Shipping Upgrades
When setting up shipping upgrades, you can choose to offer either Domestic or International upgrades, or both if preferred. The price set for an upgrade is entirely up to you and can be as low as $0; it gets added to your base shipping cost, providing buyers with a total amount along with your upgrade options in their cart.
In orders containing multiple items, if an upgrade is available on one item, it will be accessible for the buyer to choose across all items in their order - even those whose profiles don’t offer that specific upgrade.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, navigating the world of shipping on Etsy might seem daunting initially, but with a solid understanding of how to set up shipping information, create profiles, offer discounts for multiple purchases and add shipping upgrades, it becomes an integral part of your business strategy. Making use of these tools and options not only provides a more comprehensive shopping experience for your customers but also helps you maintain profitability in your Etsy shop. Remember that the key is consistent learning and adjustment based on market trends and buyer behavior. Happy selling!