Etsy is a great place to buy handmade goods from sellers all over the world. But when it comes time for shipping, you may be surprised at how expensive it can be! Below is a comprehensive guide on Why Is Etsy Shipping So Expensive
Why Is Etsy Shipping So Expensive?
Have you recently tried shipping a product from Etsy only to be hit by high shipping fees? Chances are you were purchasing a one-of-a-kind item that was either vintage or handmade. Most products sold on Etsy are handmade by the sellers. Why is Etsy shipping so expensive? Below are the top reasons why you are spending a lot on shipping from Etsy.
Most Products on Etsy Are Handmade
As previously established, most products you find on Etsy are handmade by sellers. There is immense value in handmade quality products in the current digital age where manufacturing and production processes are automated.
Sellers invest their time and effort in gathering raw materials, designing, and creating the end product. Expect the seller to charge top value for their handmade products.
In addition, handmade products are becoming scarce in the market, thus invoking the law of supply and demand. The more a product is in demand, the higher the cost as well as associated prices.
Generally, the fact that most products sold on Etsy are handmade is sufficient justification for their high shipping costs. Again, as a seller, setting your costs too high is bound to chase away prospective customers.
Etsy Products Are not Available in Mass Production
By now, you have established that handmade products rarely come in mass production. Depending on the product you are purchasing, completion time varies, limiting any chance of mass production.
If you want a unique jewelry piece or anything almost exquisite, chances are Etsy is the only place where you can find it. Over time, you will notice that this product is not mass-produced, perhaps due to rarity.
Generally, mass production lowers item prices and associated costs like shipping. Unfortunately, most Etsy sellers lack the ambition to go big, which is also considered a respectable decision.
Since you are purchasing an item from Etsy in smaller quantities, rest assured you will incur high costs, including shipping fees.
Etsy Seller Fees
For every sale on Etsy, a seller has to pay a fee. Unfortunately, seller fees tend to cut directly into their profit, thus limiting their earning. However, these sellers understand the need to pay the fees, considering Etsy is a rare and unique selling platform that requires maintenance and constant updating. Due to the tough market competition, it is often hard to sell your product in your independent store, which is why sellers willingly pay the Etsy fees.
However, in most cases, the sellers incorporate the fees into the product pricing. They charge more when they place the item on sale. The extra costs come in the form of high shipping fees or increased product prices.
Every Seller on Etsy is Independent
Etsy has individual sellers, each with their small shops on the platform. As such, every seller has the right to determine what to charge for their products. In addition, each seller has to cover their shipping costs every time you order a product.
When doing retail shopping on a major platform such as Amazon, you will put every item in your cart, order them as one and pay a single shipping fee for everything you purchase. Unfortunately, this is not the case on Etsy.
If you need a custom T-shirt and perhaps a piece of jewelry to go under it, chances are you are purchasing these from two different sellers, each wanting to cover their shipping costs. The more items you purchase from individual sellers, the higher the shipping costs for all the items separately.
High-Quality Product Mentality
There is a common notion that the more expensive an item is, the higher its quality. Most sellers on Etsy want to prove that they have top-quality products. They tend to do this by inflating item prices as well as shipping costs. This is often combined with the mentality that Etsy products are scarce.
While sellers on Etsy reserve the right to set their product prices, most sellers take advantage and charge unreasonably high as part of their marketing tactics. Often, sellers fall for this trick and pay high shipping costs for average-quality items unless the products are genuinely top-quality.
The Price of Labor
Besides paying for the item you are purchasing, you also pay for the seller’s labor costs. Labor is almost an impossible thing to account for. However, it often comes into question whenever you purchase anything from Etsy.
Most sellers on Etsy rely on sales to make a living. In some cases, sellers barely make enough to be considered a full-time job. As such, sellers want to maximize on every sale and often charge a lot for the simple labor they provide.
Moreover, as discussed before, you are getting a handmade product, which means the seller has invested their time in providing the labor. Expect the costs of the item and shipping to be high, as sellers attempt to cover the costs of labor aside from the cost of acquiring the raw materials.
Marketing and Advertising Fees
Sellers on Etsy are currently competing for their items to get noticed. As a result, Etsy introduced the option of paid promotion and advertising for sellers. Sellers get the chance to pay for their products to be pushed up the list and increase visibility.
While this is often not a guaranteed method for sellers to make more sales, it helps that their products become more noticed. Unfortunately, sellers will want to recuperate the promotion fees somewhere.
In most cases, sellers increase item pricing to guarantee profit even after paying the marketing and advertising costs. Sellers then increase shipping fees as part of trying to recuperate the advertising and marketing.
Bottom Line:
Is Etsy worth the high shipping costs? Most buyers find Etsy to be a unique marketplace with rare offerings, despite their high product prices. In addition, when you purchase from Etsy, chances are you are getting a handmade, customized, or vintage item. Currently, people are into making emotional purchases, which makes Etsy worth the hype.
The high shipping costs tend to be discouraging. Unfortunately, sellers on Etsy determine how much to charge, leaving little to no intervention from Etsy. Generally, if you are willing to overlook the expensive item costs and shipping fees, Etsy is a good marketplace with a wide selection of exceptional items.
About Dawson Kutch
Dawson Kutch is a born and raised Alaskan who loves the outdoors and everything it has to offer. Kutch has been an avid hunter and fisher his entire life, and takes great pride in providing for himself and his family. While he enjoys spending time in the great outdoors, Kutch also has a passion for fashion and loves to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. In his free time, Kutch enjoys spending time with his wife and one young daughter. He is always looking to learn more and better himself, both as a writer and as a person.
