As a buyer, you’ve probably asked yourself, “How long does Etsy take to ship?”
Before I answer this question, it’s best to remember that Etsy is not responsible for delivery. Etsy doesn’t operate like Amazon in terms of shipping orders.
On Etsy, individual sellers are the ones who ship orders, and each has a different preferred shipping carrier, shipping method, and shipping policy.
In this article, I will answer the following questions:
- How long does Etsy take to ship?
- Etsy estimated delivery date? What’s that?
- What is the processing time on Etsy?
- What are Etsy shipping times?
- How long does Etsy take to ship domestic orders?
- How long does Etsy take to ship international orders?
- And more
Let’s begin.
Table of Contents
Etsy Estimated Delivery Date? What Is That?
The estimated delivery date is the timeframe by which Etsy expects an order to arrive at its destination.
Etsy factors in seller processing time and carrier transit time and adds one day to determine the estimated delivery date for your order.
Here’s how Etsy calculates the estimated delivery dates for orders:
Carrier transit time + Seller processing time + 1 day = Estimated Delivery Date displayed.
What Is Processing Time on Etsy？
Etsy processing time is the time it takes sellers to prepare orders for dispatch. It can also refer to the time from when you made your order up to the time it took Etsy to ship it.
For custom orders or made-to-order items, processing time includes the time the seller needs to produce the item.
Sellers can customize the processing times of the items in their shop. Each item can have a different processing time depending on the item’s description (i.e., if the item has custom details).
Many Etsy Sellers consider the following when determining processing time:
- Sellers usually send Etsy orders out immediately if the items are in stock. One to three days of processing time is often enough for these orders.
- For handmade or custom orders, Etsy sellers only start making the item after buyers complete their payments. Thus, handmade or custom Etsy items require additional processing time.
What Is Etsy Shipping Time?
Shipping time is the estimated time it takes for the carrier to ship your order. It is different from processing time. Shipping time depends on the shipping method’s transit time.
Remember that international shipping time is different from domestic shipping time.
Orders that need to go through international shipping can experience delays in transit time due to different customs processing times per country. Sellers can’t control the speed of international shipping and the efficiency of the delivery process. As such, international delivery takes longer than domestic delivery.
I recommend you take Etsy shipping estimates with a grain of salt. They’re just projections, and actual shipping times can vary depending on the shipping method, Etsy carrier transit time, and unforeseen shipping delays (local postal delays).
Shipping can take longer than you anticipate, especially if it’s an international order or a mail delivery that needs to pass through transit hubs.
Shop owners have no control over shipping speed or delivery speed. Once sellers dispatch an order, it’s in the hands of the company that provides the shipping services.
You should also consider how postal services operate. In the US, the country’s postal service manually scans goods during processing. Inaccurate scanning can happen occasionally, and a package might have a status of “Pre-shipment” even though the correct status is “Out for delivery.”
Subscribe to tracking notifications on the shipping company’s website to receive up-to-date tracking information.
If you want tracking information updates for an order going through the US Postal Service (USPS), log on to USPS tracking and enter your tracking number. You can find your tracking number on the email confirmation you receive from the Etsy seller.
How Long Does Etsy Take to Ship Domestically and Internationally?
Does Etsy ship fast?
How long does Etsy take to deliver to the US?
How long does Etsy take to ship international shipments?
Why is Etsy shipping taking so long?
These are common questions that all Etsy buyers have asked themselves at one point, and I have the answers.
Technically, Etsy doesn’t ship fast because Etsy doesn’t handle shipping—the seller does. Therefore, shipping speed will depend on the seller’s average processing time, preferred shipping methods, and carrier transit time.
Next, I’ll answer the second and third questions.
The estimated delivery date for domestic orders is three to seven business days, depending on the buyer’s designated mail class.
You can speed up delivery times by paying for expedited shipping. Just check if the seller offers it as an option.
Meanwhile, the estimated delivery date for international orders is 10 to 30 working days. International shipping times can be shorter or longer depending on the destination and the carrier transit time.
You can’t expect international shipments to arrive in three days or less. You can shorten delivery time, but you’ll have to pay for costly international priority shipping.
Can You See Your Shipped Orders on Etsy？
Yes, you can. Etsy lets you track the delivery of your purchase. If the seller provides a reference number, customers can use it to check the progress of their order with the shipping company.
You can see the shipping status to the right of your order. Your order will also display the estimated delivery date, giving you a general idea of Etsy shipping times.
How to Access Orders on Etsy
As a Registered User:
Here’s how to check the shipping status of your order on the website or Etsy app.
- Log in to the website or app.
- Select the Etsy account icon and tap or click My Account.
- Tap or click the Purchases and Reviews icon.
- Select the order you want to check on.
- Review the information on the right side of the order.
As a Non-Member:
The seller should send you a confirmation email once they’ve dispatched your order for shipping.
The email should contain a tracking number. You can use this tracking number to check on the status of your order. Just log on to the carrier’s website and enter the tracking number.
For instance, you need to check USPS tracking if your package is going through USPS.
Don’t hesitate to contact the seller if you have additional questions about things like delivery delays.
What Do the Shipping Statuses Mean?
Check the shipping status on the Purchases page to see how far along your Etsy order is in the shipment process. Your order may have one of the following statuses:
- Shipped: This status indicates the seller has completed processing time and has dispatched your order for delivery.
- Pre-transit: This status indicates the shipping service hasn’t scanned your package’s tracking number.
- In Transit: This status indicates the package is already en route to you.
- Delivered: This status indicates that you have received the order. You can now provide feedback to the seller.
Why Don’t I See an Expected Delivery Date for My Etsy Order?
Not all orders have an estimated delivery date because it doesn’t automatically appear on every order. It’s the seller who chooses the option for each order.
Why Can’t I Track My Etsy Order?
Tracking international shipments can be challenging.
The shipping company that gathers the products and ships them from their facility on behalf of Etsy also modifies the tracking numbers during the shipping process. Check the third-party shipping facility if you can’t find the information through your country’s postal system.
It’s difficult to estimate shipping times without a tracking number. Contact the seller and ask about the shipment of your order if you’re worried it won’t arrive.
Why Does Etsy Take So Long To Ship?
“Why does Etsy take so long to ship?” is something that many buyers have wondered.
Most Etsy sellers will handle the order in 72 hours, but they may need additional time to process specific orders.
What Shipping Company Does Etsy Use?
Etsy lets sellers ship orders using these carriers.
- FedEx
- UPS
- Canada Post
Where Does Etsy Ship From?
Etsy is an online marketplace with independent sellers from different countries. As such, items originate from the seller’s location.
How Much Does It Cost to Ship on Etsy?
How much the seller charges for delivery depends on the following:
- Product dimensions (height, length, width, etc.)
- Product weight
- The distance between the seller and the buyer
Here’s how to learn more about shipping:
- Go to the product page.
- Select “Shipping and Policies”
- Click or tap Shipping to and select your country from the drop-down menu.
You’ll need to enter your ZIP code to determine shipping prices and average shipping time if you’re a US buyer. Free shipping on Etsy items is dependent on the seller.
Do Etsy Sellers Pay for Return Shipping?
It depends on each Etsy seller’s return policy.
Sellers can order the return shipping label or decide that the buyer will handle the entire return process and pay for return shipping costs.
What Happens If the Etsy Seller Doesn’t Ship?
Verify with the seller if they’ve dispatched your order.
You can make a formal complaint against the seller by opening a case if they don’t respond to you.
Go to the Purchases page and select “Order Help” on the specific order to open a case.
How to Return Anything Purchased on Etsy?
Here’s how to return an Etsy purchase
- Log in to your Etsy account and select “Purchases”
- Find the order you want to return.
- Choose “Help with order” after selecting the order you would like to return
- To swap or return an item, tap “Message Seller” and let them know.
- The seller will get back to you after they have had a chance to consider your request.
You can open a case with Etsy if your order isn’t how the seller described it, but the seller won’t allow you to return it.
Conclusion
Etsy offers unique handcrafted goods that you can’t easily find on other online marketplaces.
However, you must remember that Etsy’s shipping process is unlike other marketplaces. On Etsy, each seller is responsible for shipping items. Therefore, shipping times can vary wildly from seller to seller.
Hopefully, my guide has shed some light on what you can expect from Etsy sellers regarding processing time and shipping time.
Visit my blog for more tips on buying from Etsy.
