What do you need to start an Etsy shop?
Interested in starting an Etsy shop? I’ve been on Etsy for over 5 years, and you’ll be surprised how little you need to start an Etsy shop. It’s easy and quick. When you’re ready with all that you need to begin, you’ll have your shop open in minutes! Below I outline everything that is required to start an Etsy shop.
Basic Information
When you register for an Etsy shop, you’ll be asked for some basic information. This includes the default language of your shop, what country is shop is located in, and the currency you’ll use to price your items.
A Shop Name
Next, Etsy will ask you what you’d like to name your shop. It will have you check the availability to make sure no one else already uses that name. If it is already in use, you’ll need to choose another name. Otherwise, it’s all yours!
Create Your First Listing
You MUST have at least one listing to open your shop. Be prepared with at least one photo. Add your listing with good straightforward explanation of the product, directions on how to order if necessary, and a high quality photo to represent your product. Fill out all other necessary information about your product such as shipping information, how it’s made, the category it will be listed in, etc. You can choose to list just one item, or more if you’re ready to!
A Bank Account
You want to get paid, right? Etsy wants to know where it can send your money to! On this step, you’ll need to enter a name on the bank account, the type of account, your bank’s routing number, and your account number.
Personal Information
For protection for yourself and Etsy, you’ll need to enter your information such as your country of residency, your name, birthday, address, and the last 4 of your social.
Credit Card
The credit card is for identity purposes and for billing. Etsy wants a credit card on file to be able to bill you on charges you’ll incur. If you want more information on what Etsy charges, see my other post “how much is it to start an Etsy shop?”. Billing charges will normally deduct directly from your payment account on Etsy. I’ve never had my card charged since Etsy because I’ve always had funds in my payment account to pay for fees and charges. If you’re just starting out, it will charge you on your first listing fees if you don’t get a sell right away for fill your payment account.
Shop Supplies / Computer
In addition to product that we listed in #3, you’ll also need any supplies, tools, equipment, etc to begin your online business. For me, I make vinyl decals so I purchased a vinyl cutter, vinyl, tools, shipping supplies, etc to make and ship my products. Having a computer or laptop is helpful to manage your orders and messages. A lot of it can be done on a mobile device, but I’d highly recommend working on your Etsy shop with a computer because you’ll get more features from Etsy.com on a web browser than you would with a mobile device. Plus, it’s way easier to navigate in my opinion.
There you have it! Everything you need to start and Etsy shop is quite simple and the process is quick! The most time consuming part will be the area where you can list your first item. However, if you have all of your information and images ready, that will go quick too! Congratulations on your new shop!
