Guide · 8 min read · free tool
Etsy Shipping Policies: The Customer Service You Automate
Sep 26, 2026 · Zelpura Editorial · All guides
Shipping questions are the single most common message an Etsy seller receives. "When will it ship?", "Do you ship to Germany?", "Is it tracked?", "How much is postage?" — every one of those is a message you answer by hand unless your shipping policy answers it first. A good shipping policy is not compliance; it is a customer-service automation.
This generator writes one from your operating reality. Enter your shop name, processing time in business days, where you ship from, your carriers, your tracking policy, your free-shipping threshold if you have one, and whether you ship internationally. It produces a policy covering processing time, origin, tracking, cost, delivery estimates, international terms and lost parcels.
Worked example. Shop "ClayAndCo", 5 business days processing, ships from Manchester UK via Royal Mail and Evri, tracking on all orders, no free-shipping threshold, worldwide shipping. The generator returns a policy that commits to dispatch within five business days, names the carriers, promises tracking on every order, quotes 2-5 day domestic delivery after dispatch, confirms worldwide shipping, states that import duties are the buyer's responsibility, and explains what happens if a parcel goes missing.
Processing time is not delivery time. Say both, and say them separately. "Ships in 1-3 days" is the most common overpromise on Etsy, because it describes dispatch and the buyer hears delivery. If you make to order, state the real number — five business days is fine, and a buyer who knows it will not message you on day three.
Tracking protects you more than the buyer. Untracked shipping is cheap and unfalsifiable: when a buyer says "it never arrived", you have no case. If you offer untracked service, say so explicitly and keep it for low-value items only. The generator has an option for a threshold and warns you about the risk.
Import duties are the clause sellers forget. If you ship internationally, customs may charge the buyer duty and tax on arrival. If your policy does not say the buyer pays it, Etsy's case system will often make you pay it instead. One sentence — "import duties, taxes and customs fees are the buyer's responsibility" — removes a recurring and expensive surprise.
Free shipping is a pricing decision, not a kindness. Fold postage into your price and you raise the fee base, because Etsy charges transaction fee on the shipping charged. A $40 threshold converts well and protects margin; free shipping on everything does not. If you use a threshold, the generator states it clearly so buyers do not ask why a $28 order paid postage.
Paste the finished policy into Etsy Shop Manager → Settings → Policy settings → Shipping, and set your processing profiles to match. A policy that says five days and a profile that says three will generate the very messages you were trying to prevent.
Frequently asked questions
What should an Etsy shipping policy include?
Processing time in business days, where you ship from, your carriers, whether orders are tracked, shipping costs and any free-shipping threshold, delivery estimates, international terms including import duties, and what happens if a parcel is lost.
How do I set processing time on Etsy?
In Shop Manager → Settings → Shipping settings → Processing time, per shipping profile. Your written policy must match the number you set there, or buyers will message you on day two.
Should I offer free shipping on Etsy?
A threshold converts better than blanket free shipping and protects your margin. Remember that Etsy charges transaction fee on shipping charged, so folding postage into the price raises your fee base.
Who pays import duties on international Etsy orders?
The buyer, and your policy must say so. If it is silent, Etsy's case system frequently rules in the buyer's favour and you absorb the customs charge.
Related: Etsy Privacy Policy · Etsy Return Policy · Etsy About Section · Etsy Shop Announcement · All 93 tools