Etsy Canada: How To Sell & Buy On Etsy Canada [ Complete Guide]

Do you want to start selling on Etsy? Do you want to buy items on Etsy? For any reason you are looking for Etsy Canada, I got you covered in this guide. As a Canadian resident, you will learn how you can sell your craft or even buy one from Etsy Canada in minutes even if you are a newbie. 

What is Etsy Canada?

Etsy Canada is a variant of Etsy international, an American ecommerce company where users sell or buy vintage items and handmade crafts. It is mainly for Canadian residents who want to sell or buy vintage or handmade crafts on Etsy. 

How does Etsy work in Canada? 

Etsy works in Canada just like it works in America and other countries. Sellers list products they want to sell in different categories, buyers who search for them find them on Etsy Canada.

They read the description and reviews and if they are convinced that the product is worth it, they pay in Canadian dollars. The seller ships to their location in Canada If it is a physical product while the buyer downloads or subscribes if it is a digital product. 

How to sell on Etsy Canada 

Selling on Etsy Canada is similar to selling on eBay Canada. It is straightforward that you can’t get confused.

Step 1: Set up your Etsy store

The first step to selling on Etsy Canada is to set up your store. Go to the homepage of Etsy Canada and click on Sell On Etsy. You will be taken to another page where you will see Get Started. Click on it and you see the option to Register. Click on Register to create an account. 

Enter your email address, first name, and password. Click on Register. Answer the question that appears on the next page. Etsy asks those questions to understand your level of experience when it comes to selling on Etsy. You can skip the questions or click Next.

 Set your shop preferences:

• Language: English( since it is a popular language in Canada) 
• Shop Country: Canada
• Shop Currency: Canadian Dollar( since you’re selling to a Canadian audience)

Name your shop name

You have between 4 – 20 characters to do this. Don’t waste time thinking of a name. You can draw inspiration from the items you want to sell. You can learn from Etsy shop naming tips. Etsy Canada will tell you if the shop name is taken or not.

Step 2: Create a listing 

After setting up your store on Etsy Canada, the next is to list an item you want to sell. Add many photos and give details about the item. You can always edit it later. You can upload a video of 5 – 15 seconds to create more awareness about the item. Note that this video won’t feature a sound, the product should do the talking. 

When it comes to listing details, write a title about the item. The title should contain keywords users may use to find the product. 

Who made the item? You, a member of your team, or a partner company. 

What is it? A finished product or a supply tool one can use to make things?

When was the item made? Recently, vintage or before 1700?

For the questions stated above, users will find the answers to choose from when you click on the drop-down menu arrow.

Set a category

There is a space for you to search and add a category you think fits your item. Be sure to add your item to the appropriate category otherwise it may be hard to show on search results when prospective buyers browse in a category that is appropriate for it. 

For instance, a bracelet or bangle should be in the Fashion & Beauty category. 

Renewal option

Choose if you want to manually renew your listing when it expires or if you want Etsy to automatically renew it at $0.20 each time. 

Type of item

Check the appropriate box to state if your item is a physical product or a digital item. 

Description 

This is the section where you add every information about the item that will convince the buyer to place an order.

If it is a hand-made item, you can state the materials or ingredients you used. This is optional anyways.

Inventory & Pricing

Set the amount you want to sell the item. This should be in Canadian dollars since you are selling on Etsy Canada. State the quantity of the item available and add the SKU number if available. 

Variations

You can make variations to give prospective buyers choices. These variations can be in color and size. 

Step 3: Shipping/Delivery 

For every physical item you list on Etsy Canada, you must state how you will deliver it to the location of the customer that bought it. Set your postage or shipping prices. Etsy can help you calculate this based on the location of the customer, weight, and dimension of the item.

Also, the state where you are shipping from and the duration for the item to arrive at the location of the owner. If you use a third-party company to run delivery services, state it in the Delivery Service section.

You can decide to offer free delivery to your customers both locally and internationally. Since you are selling on Etsy Canada, it is assumed that you target Canadian buyers. That means you can offer only domestic free shipping. 

When you have completed the listing, preview it and take your time to cross-check starting from the title. You can save it as a draft or publish it immediately. That’s it and your item is live on Etsy. 

Step 4: Set a payment method

You have to set up a payment method through which you can receive your money anytime you make a sale and for buyers to pay for your item. The most popular payment method on Etsy is Etsy payment.

It allows sellers to accept different forms of payment which includes: credit cards, debit cards, Etsy gift cards, Etsy credit, Etsy coupon, PayPal, Google Pay, and PayPal where available. Luckily, it is available in Canada so you can use it as a payment option. 

Anytime you make a sale, Etsy deducts the seller’s fee and the remaining is credited to your Etsy payment account. 

To set up a payment, go to your account, navigate to Shop Manager, and select Finance. Choose  Payment account and follow the guidelines to set up your payment method.

Seller fee on Etsy Canada 

Esty doesn’t charge you before you start selling on their platform, unlike Shopify where you subscribe to any of the pricing plans to set up a store and start selling. However, there are fees you pay anytime you make a sale on Etsy. We look at them below. 

Listing fee ( CA $0.26): This is the amount you pay to list an item on Etsy Canada. The listing fee lasts for 4 months or until you sell the item. You can renew it manually or Etsy renews it automatically. 

Transaction fee( 6.5%): This is the percentage Etsy takes any time you sell an item on their platform. Remember you don’t pay before you start selling on Etsy. So, the transaction fee is for allowing you to sell on their platform. 

Payment processing fee( CA $0.25): Etsy charges you this for processing payment when a buyer pays for an item you listed. Keep in mind that Etsy pays third-party payment gateways which you use to accept payment for your items. 

Advertising fee( 15%): This fee is optional and applies if you want Etsy to promote any of the items you sell across the web through offsite Ads. This means that Etsy can run ads to promote your item on platforms like Google, Bing, or Facebook.

The 15% fee is taken only when you make a sale from an item listed on Etsy Ad. Etsy isn’t the only ecommerce platform that charges seller fees. eBay, which is similar to it, also charges a seller fee. 

How to buy on Etsy Canada

Shopping on Etsy Canada is easy and fun. As a Canadian resident who wants to buy items on Etsy, I will show how to go about it in this section.

Step 1: Go to Etsy Canada and create an account. You can save the time you spent creating an account and verifying it by using your Google, Facebook, or Apple account to sign up. 

Step 2: Return to the homepage of Etsy Canada and you see a  note ” Welcome back + the name you used to create the account”. 

You will see different categories below the search bar. Top selling items are displayed below the category.

Use the search bar on top to search for any item you want to buy. 

Let’s assume you want to buy bracelets for women.

Immediately you type it in the search bar, Etsy auto-suggests related terms other prospective buyers search that relates to yours. 

When you click on Search,  Etsy returns results of items that are brackets suitable for women.

You can use the filter option to filter by price range, delivery period, and special offers. 

Take a look at the photos of the items to pick the one that you like. However, when it comes to buying on Etsy, there are key things that should help you towards making a better choice. 

Seller rating: Go for sellers with a Bestseller tag

Free delivery: Free delivery means you won’t pay for shipping

Ratings and reviews: Sellers with 5-star ratings and high positive reviews probably have  good items

Step 3: Click on the item you want to buy

When you click on the item you want, check if it is still in stock. Look at all the photos for the item – this is to ensure that you view it from all angles. Next is to check how many of it the seller has sold.

A high number of sales mean that many people like it. Read the details of the item, description, return policies, and how to contact the seller.

When you have gone through all these and confirm that the item meets your requirement, you can go ahead to select the size and color of the item you want as the case may be.

Check the estimated delivery time to see if you are okay with it. Since you’re buying from sellers in Canada, the delivery time is always a maximum of 3 weeks.

Let’s assume you want to buy “NEW 925 sterling silver bracelets” from Creation Megane, you select the style and length you want. Note the variations you selected can increase or reduce the price of the item.

Then click Buy Now or Add to basket if you want to buy more items. 

Step 4: Pay for the item

This is the final stage of the buying process. After you click on Buy Now, select the payment method you want. Many sellers on Etsy Canada accept payment via credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.

Click on Proceed to Checkout. Enter your card details or use PayPal or any other payment method you want to pay. Within the estimated time of delivery, your item will arrive at your location. 

FAQs on how to sell and buy on Etsy Canada 

Before I call it a wrap, let’s look at the key questions you ask that relate to buying and selling on Etsy Canada. 

Is Etsy Canada legit?

Yes, Etsy Canada is legit. You can order any item you want, pay and it will be delivered to your location in Canada. Safe and secured payment is guaranteed.

Can you order from Etsy in Canada?

Yes, you can order from Etsy as a Canadian resident. Go to the homepage of Etsy Canada and search for the item you want to order. Read item description, reviews, delivery, and return policies.

Then select the type, color, or size of the item you want, click on Buy Now and pay. You get your item within the estimated period of delivery. 

Is Etsy free in Canada?

Yes, it is free to start selling on Etsy Canada. But you pay to list an item and also pay a seller fee anytime you make a sale. Canadian residents who want to buy on Etsy don’t pay any fee. 

How long does it take Etsy to ship to Canada?

It depends on the seller from who you bought the item. It is usually 3-9 business working days and it can take up to 22 days in rare cases. 

Final thought on how to buy or sell on Etsy Canada

As a  Canadian resident, I trust you have learned how to sell or buy items on Etsy Canada from this guide. As a seller, ensure you list your item properly. As a buyer, read reviews, item descriptions, and delivery information before you place an order. 

Happy shopping or selling on Etsy Canada!