Etsy listings don't last forever. Learn more about how long Etsy listings last and how to get sales before they expire.
Do listings expire on Etsy?
Listings expire after four months. The listing fee for each item is $0.20. This is the only fee you'll need to pay prior to getting a sale on Etsy. Alhtough there are optional fees your Etsy shop can opt in to like Etsy ads and Etsy plus.
Private listing
A private listing on Etsy also expires after 4 months. You are charged for private listings differently, however. You will still pay the $0.20 listing fee, but won't be charged until after your customer purchases the listing.
Auto-renew
If you want to ensure your listings are consistently shown in the Etsy search algorithm, you can turn auto-renew on for your listings. This renews listings automatically after 4 months. You are charged the listing fee for each renewal.
Multi-Quantity Listing Fees
If a buyer purchases multiple products from one listing, you will be charged a multi-quantity fee in addition to your listing fee. You can click here to read more about Etsy fees including Etsy payment processing fees, transaction fees, the currency conversion fee, Etsy ads, and the offsite ads fee.
How to get free listings
You can get free listings on Etsy by opening your shop with a referral link from another seller. You can also get listing credits by signing up for Etsy Plus. Etsy Plus also comes with Etsy ads credits and additional shop customization options. Click here to read more about Etsy Plus and how to know if you're ready for this subscription.
How to get sales before your listings expire
The best way to make each listing fee worth it is to get traffic and make consistent sales from as many listings as possible.
To do that, you'll want to focus on:
Full product lines
Search engine optimization
Simple off-Etsy marketing
Product Lines
A product line on Etsy is a group of similar products in your shop. Full product lines are important because you are more likely to rank in Etsy searches when you saturate certain keywords in your shop. Click here to learn more about how product lines work.
SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is how you choose keywords and format them in your listings. Click here to learn more about how the Etsy search algorithm works.
Marketing
While you have hundreds of choices when it comes to marketing your Etsy shop, I recommend creating a simple marketing plan focused on one social media channel. This allows you to be consistent and effective in your marketing.
FAQ:
How long should you keep a listing up if it doesn't sell?
Because it's so cheap to create a listing on Etsy, your strategy can include renewing a listing many times before retiring it.
Here's how to decide whether to renew a listing or let it expire:
Start by looking at why it's not selling. Is the listing not getting traffic or is it not converting?
If the listing isn't converting, you'll want to fix the issues that are causing the low conversion rate. Learn more about conversion rates here.
If the listing isn't getting traffic, improve your keyword research and SEO formatting prior to renewing.
I personally renew a listing 2-3 times before letting it expire.
What other Etsy fees am I charged?
There are a handful of Etsy fees that you're charged besides the listing fee. You'll be charged a transaction fee and a payment processing fee with each sale. Click here to learn more about those fees.
You'll also be charged a currency conversion fee when applicable.
Optional fees include Etsy Plus and Etsy ads.
Is there a cheaper platform than Etsy?
With transaction fees, listing fees, and payment processing fees, it might be tempting to find a cheaper platform. Unfortunately with Etsy fees come access to their 95 million annual buyers.
Platforms that advertise cheaper fees rarely have enough buyers to make it worth your time to join.
