Etsy International Shipping: Road to a Global Etsy Shop

Etsy has become one the most outstanding online global marketplaces for both sellers and buyers with unique styles and tastes, providing both sides with many advantages. So read the article to understand how to ship internationally on Etsy and how you can turn your enterprise into a global business partner.

It is always a reality that Etsy international shipping is a universe of opportunities that is open to anyone globally. When you are making an effort to grow your shopping area both nationally and specifically internationally, it will be significant to take the distribution of shoppers across borders into account. Needless to say, the pros and cons of shipping globally on Etsy should be considered carefully.

Finally, follow the 7-step Etsy international shipping guide to get full support about navigating through the fundamentals and details of how the global shipping system on Etsy works efficiently. This will definitely make you see the big picture on a global scale.

Selling Internationally on Etsy

Sellers are generally overwhelmed by how to ship internationally on Etsy or any other marketplace due to the fact that it costs a great deal and requires really hard work. They oftentimes hover between taking the risk and just leaving it behind them. It just turns into a take-it-or-leave-it issue. 

When it comes to Etsy international shipping in particular, given the huge number of sellers globally and its unique style of hand-made items and vintage products, it is certainly worth giving it a try and reaching out to new customers. Because as you attain new consumers, your Etsy visits and the view of your listed items will increase, which will directly affect your sales.

Grow Your Shopper Base by Etsy International Shipping

Etsy has remarkably enhanced the number of customers over the last ten years. The online marketplace giant has the potential to reach out to millions of new people with different interests. So these figures give Etsy an edge over other international key players, making shipping to different parts of the world possible for its sellers.

According to one of the latest report on active Etsy buyers, Etsy has gained tremendous momentum in the field across borders. Here are some Shopper Stats:

• Etsy had 89.4 million active buyers as of September 30, 2021.
• 7 million new buyers in only two months of 2021 and these recent shoppers have a 25% higher repeat purchase rate,
• Etsy customers fulfilled an average of 3.1 purchases in 2021.

As a direct result of this, if managed properly,  Etsy international shipping stands out as a great example for those wanting to go global in sending their products overseas. But, what about international Etsy shoppers?

Distribution of international Etsy Shoppers 

How international Etsy customers are distributed by country is another important part of the issue based on organic and paid search. While the USA is the country having by far the most customers in both categories, Canada stands out as the second for the paid search and the UK for the organic one.  

Taking these figures into consideration, sellers may consider Etsy shipping to Canada as a great alternative. Take a closer look at the statistics below regarding other countries.  

Additionally, in one of Etsy's latest earnings report, millions of new shoppers have been added to the list. As a consequence, international sales on Etsy have increased 145% compared to the same time last year. The report also demonstrates the UK as the fastest and strongest growing market outside the USA. This might be a perfect starting point to make Etsy shipping to Europe possible.  

When we examine the organic and paid visits to Etsy.com, we find out that it is remarkably prevalent in the following countries, respectively:

Pros and Cons of Shipping Internationally on Etsy

It is a big call whether to ship your items globally on Etsy especially if the costs outweigh the profit. However, Etsy’s increasing global sales make it easier for you as indicated in an article. First of all, expanding the horizon and perspective, and doing business across borders provide you with customers from all walks of life. 

Plus, your unique items are valued internationally by customers with different interests and tastes. Last but not least, the system on Etsy has automatic translation tools enabling the process to be fast and accurate. 

When it comes to the disadvantages of Etsy international shipping, filling out some forms with regard to customs may be viewed as the first one. Furthermore, having to specify the exact size and dimension of the products is of great importance. Finally, shipment fees outside of the USA or Canada can be much more than you would expect.  

How to Ship Internationally on Etsy: 7-Step Guide

Getting to know step-by-step guidelines about Etsy international shipping enables you to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your enterprise in terms of going global on this platform. So if you are one of these potential international sellers on Etsy, refer to these easy-to-follow steps one by one.

1. Weigh Your Items and Measure Dimensions

If the shipment is free of charge by the seller, then it will be vital to specify the size and dimension of the item to add this fee to the price of the product. Otherwise, extra shipping fees may have to be paid, the profit margin could decrease, or the seller even loses money in this regard.

2. Use Etsy International Shipping Calculator

To avoid that kind of financial loss, the Etsy international shipping calculator might be used. Only US-based sellers, though, can use this tool to balance cost and profit parameters. Here are some examples of how to use this tool. 

Let’s imagine that Rasit is a US-based seller of tailor-made baby dolls on Etsy. So far,  he has sold thousands of them and has made a remarkable profit in his business, yet all of his sales have been limited only within the USA. 

He has decided to increase his conversion rate on Etsy and boost his sales more by going international. He determines to use Etsy international shipping to Europe as a significant starting point. He used the international Etsy shipping calculator to project the cost of his global shipment from Texas to the UK, specifying the weight and dimensions of the item he wishes to sell on Etsy.     

Rasit sees this as a great opportunity to form partnerships with internationally recognized shipping companies to ship his items to the UK. Once he has seen the costs in both standard and express shipping, he decides that he will take the chances of being an international key player on Etsy. In order to be able to do that, he needs some assistance with regard to navigating through the shipment procedures carefully.

3. Setting Up Shipping Destination Settings

Sellers on Etsy are to specify shipping rates and destinations on each of their listings so that they will not face some potential problems. This is how to do it step-by-step:

• Go to Shop Manager, then Listing.   Select the thumbnail picture next to the listing you wish to change or choose Edit from the gear menu.

• In the Shipping section, use the dropdown menu next to dispatch origin to select the country in which your product will be sent from.

• Click Add location. After selecting the countries you want your items to be sent to, fill in the shipping costs for each destination below Shipping costs.

4. Translate Your Listing

There are mainly two types of translations on Etsy: manual and automatic. 

Manual Translation

Let’s start with the manual translation. Here is how it works:

1. After logging in to etsy.com, go to Shop Manager, then Listings. 
2. Choose the target listing you want to translate into. 
3. Find the Translations section below and add your translations. 

Sellers on Etsy are strongly advised to translate shop title, shop announcement, message to buyers, shop sections, about your shop, shop policies manually.

Automatic Translation

Secondly, automatic translation will appear in preferred listings. You can always turn it off if you are sometimes confronted by some unwanted results. It would be a good idea to look at the details regarding translation on Etsy international shipping.

5. Remember to Inform Your Clients of Tax and Customs Fee

Buyers on Etsy may be required to pay fees regarding customs or additional taxes depending on the country. So it is the sellers' job to inform its target shoppers of the possible fees in advance as stated in the article about Taxes and Customs. In this regard, Etsy shipping to Europe, for instance, entails some fees and added taxes such as VAT (value-added tax) for the buyers’ part.

6. Select an International Shipping Company for Etsy Orders

Etsy international shipping necessitates partnering with international shipping companies which provide sellers on the platform with tracking your shipment globally. International shipping companies such as DHL and FedEx stand out as vivid examples in terms of trust, being on time, and global support. 

If you are a seller in the USA and Canada, then you can form some partnerships with trusted shipping companies like USPS, Global Postal Shipping, or Canada Post. According to recently published strategies for developing Etsy International Shipping, Etsy partnered with Chit Chats, Canada’s one of the most important shipping companies to help sellers on the platform grow business both nationally and internationally.

7. Ship Your Item

Once you have fulfilled all the requirements to sell your items internationally, the last step for you to take is to make sure the packaging of the items has been handled with great care. Since Etsy international shipping is a hard and long procedure, necessary measures should be taken to ensure product safety. Now you are all set to go global!

Discover Products Shipped Internationally on Etsy

It would be congenial to glimpse all the details of that product in a single table, including the shipping information, while viewing items similar to the products you sell in your store on Etsy. This is possible with EHunt Chrome Extension. Here is the guide to using seller extension.

1. Go to EHunt Chrome Extension.
2. According to your web browser, Add to Chrome or Add to Edge.

• Go to Etsy.com and search for the product you want to analyze. ( In this example the keyword is “toy”)

• Click for the item that you want to explore.

You can analyze all shipping information for any item on Etsy. Besides, you will obtain some data like

• Price
• 7-Day Sales
• Total Sales
• Release Time
• Tags
• Reviews
• Favorites
• Labels
• Product Type

FAQs for Etsy International Shipping

1. Can Etsy ship to Europe?

Yes, using an Etsy international shipping calculator may be of great help to those selling in the US and Canada. For further support, you might refer to the previous sections in the article.

2. How long does Etsy take to ship internationally? 

It certainly depends on the countries of both sellers and buyers. Please read the Etsy shipping process provided for your country’s shipment procedures. 

3. Are sellers required to charge VAT (value-added tax) on the items they ship internationally on Etsy?

Depending on whether you are a VAT-registered seller or not, if yes, you may have to charge VAT on the physical products you are selling on Etsy.  

Conclusion

Etsy has gained huge popularity among shoppers who have a unique taste in custom-made items, vintage products, and crafted materials. As a consequence, people have started to talk about Etsy international shipping most of the time.  Getting to know about how to ship internationally on Etsy may enable would-be sellers to explore how the shipping procedure across borders functions in simple terms. 

In this article, you will definitely find your answers to the questions about shopping globally on this platform. Sellers on Etsy should certainly be aware of the ups and downs of shipping internationally. It is not always a bed of roses to do business globally on Etsy. Sellers may have to take the challenge to face some drawbacks related to issues such as customs fees, added taxes, packaging.

For those interested in selling items across countries on Etsy, following six steps to help them grow their business globally will certainly be of great help. They will understand the ins and outs of Etsy international shipping.