Quick answer
Shipping is the metric that turns price, costs, fees, ads and refunds into real profit. Shipping charged and cost both belong in the P&L; free shipping must be baked into price.
Why it matters
Revenue-only thinking can make a losing store look like growth.
Shipping is subject to transaction fee.
Step by step
- Confirm price/shipping/materials/labor/packaging.
- Subtract listing/transaction/payment/offsite ads.
- Calculate net profit/margin before free shipping/discounts.
- Spot-check real orders; don't treat Etsy revenue as profit.
- Keep fee/refund/ad records for tax filing.
Common mistakes
- Treating Etsy revenue as profit.
- Omitting offsite ads/payment fixed fee/packaging.
- Free shipping not baked into price.
- Increasing ads while losing money.
Checklist
- Price/shipping/materials/labor/packaging confirmed.
- Listing/transaction/payment/ad fees deducted.
- Net profit/margin positive.
- Real-order spot check.
- Fee/refund/tax records kept.
Key facts
- Shipping is subject to transaction fee.
- Return postage is separate.
FAQ
What is Shipping?
Shipping is the metric that turns price, costs, fees, ads and refunds into real profit. Shipping charged and cost both belong in the P&L; free shipping must be baked into price.
How long does it take?
Usually 1-3 minutes; for intermittent issues, run 30 seconds and retest elsewhere.
Is data uploaded?
Runs locally and does not upload video/audio; extensions may still read the page.
Source: Etsy shipping