An Introduction to Buying on Etsy
Welcome to Etsy!
Here you’ll find thoughtfully made creations, unique vintage treasures, or tools and supplies from millions of sellers around the world.
Searching for items and shops
Buy local
Before you purchase
Contact the seller
Shipping
Ready to check out?
Leave a review
Problem with your order?
Save items and shops to your favorites
Buying from an Etsy-powered website
Purchasing with guest checkout
More ways to explore
Searching for items and shops
With over 35 million items for sale, you’re bound to find something you love.
If you’re just browsing, try using the categories at the top of the site.
If you have a more specific idea of what you want, use the Search for items and shops field at the top of the site. This Help article explains how to get the most out of Etsy Search.
If you know a particular shop’s name, you can enter it in the Search field. (Shop names don’t have spaces or punctuation.) Or type in the shop’s web address with either of these formats:
- https://shopname.etsy.com
- https://www.etsy.com/shop/shopname
Buy local
Locate sellers in your area by performing a search for items you're interested in. On the left, click Choose a custom location under Shop location.
Before you purchase
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Create an account. It’s quick and free. Go to the Etsy homepage and click Register at the top right of the site.
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Look over the shop’s policies by clicking the Policies link in on any shop's homepage. Check to see if they accept returns and exchanges, offer shipping upgrades, or give refunds.
- Read over our tips for safe buying.
Contact the seller
Have a question about an item or order? Reach out to the seller directly. They can help you with questions like:
- Do you have this in another size or colour?
- Can you ship this faster?
- When can I expect my order?
Shipping
On a listing, click shop policies in the listing overview. Here you’ll see the shipping rates. Each seller decides how they ship.
Some sellers offer a faster shipping upgrade you can choose in your cart.
Contact the seller if you have any questions.
Ready to check out?
Select Buy it now on the listing to purchase just that item right away.
Otherwise, click Add to cart and either Keep shopping to go back to the shop or Proceed to checkout.
If you decide to save an item for later, click Save for later. This will move the item to the saved for later section of your cart.
Payment methods
It’s up to each seller what payment methods they accept, so this can vary.
You may be able to pay with:
- Credit/Debit card
- Etsy Gift Card or Etsy Credit
- PayPal
- Cheque
- Money order
- Bank transfer
- Apple Pay
- Android Pay
- Other (This means the seller has some other way of accepting payments. If you select this, you won’t submit payment while checking out. Check their shop policies and work with the seller to pay.)
Etsy Gift Cards and Etsy Credits
If you’ve received an Etsy Gift Card or Etsy Credit, first redeem it so you can use it. Not all shops accept gift cards and credits, but you can run a search and check Accepts Etsy Gift Cards and Etsy Credits on the left to find ones that do.
By purchasing, redeeming, or accepting an Etsy Gift Card, you agree to our policies and Terms of Use.
Coupon code
If you’ve got a coupon code from your seller, click Apply shop coupon code for your item in your cart. You can only use a coupon code in the shop that offers it. Learn more.
Leave a review
Reviews are really important to sellers for building their reputation. It also lets other buyers know about your purchasing experience. Learn how to leave a review.
Please know that we recommend contacting the seller first if you're unhappy with anything.
Problem with your order?
Haven’t received your order or something wasn’t as it was described? First, contact the seller. They may be able to assist you. If not, learn how to open a case on Etsy.
Save items and shops to your favourites
Hold on to an item. While browsing and searching, hover over an image and click the heart icon at the top right. Or on a listing page, click the heart that says Favourite on the right.
Save a shop. Visit a shop and click Favourite near the top right.
To see your favourites, click the heart at the top of the site. Here you can curate your lists. Learn more.
Buying from an Etsy-powered website
Etsy sellers have the option to launch their own websites that feature all of the products from their Etsy shop. Etsy-powered websites will say “Powered by Etsy” in the footer.
Throughout the checkout process, you'll see a Sign in link at the bottom of the page, where you can click to sign in to your Etsy account before you purchase. If you don't have an account, you can continue the checkout process as a guest.
If you're an Etsy member, your order can be viewed within the Etsy account you used to make the purchase. You can also contact the seller from the Orders page of your account.
If you have a problem with an order you placed on an Etsy-powered website using guest checkout, please take a look at this Help article.
Etsy Gift Cards and Etsy Credits can be used on Etsy-powered websites, but you must be signed in to an Etsy account.
Purchasing with guest checkout
You can check out as a guest on both Etsy.com and websites that are “Powered by Etsy.”
As a guest, however, you can't:
- Buy Etsy Gift Cards
- Redeem an Etsy Gift Card or Etsy Credit
- Purchase from a registry
- Pay with iDeal, Sofort, cheque, money order, or “other”
- Request a custom listing
For more information about using guest checkout on Etsy, please take a look at this Help article
More ways to explore
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