Moving your shop off Etsy, calmly

Day 1: save everything

• On Etsy: Shop Manager, Settings, Options, Download Data. It saves your live listings as one file (titles, descriptions, prices, tags, photo links).
• Copy your original photo files into one folder. The listing file only links to photos.
• Write down your 20 best sellers and the words buyers search for.
• Save your shop policies, postage prices and the About story somewhere you own.
• Reviews stay behind, so screenshot a few kind ones (first names only).

Day 2: five questions

• What will it cost in a slow month AND a busy one? Add the monthly fee, the per-sale fee and the card fee.
• Does checkout happen on my own web address, or theirs?
• Who works out sales tax or GST for buyers in other countries?
• Do I need digital downloads, commissions or made-to-order options?
• How many evenings a month do I really have to look after it?

Days 3 and 4: move the best bits

• Load your 20 best sellers first, not the whole shop.
• Put what it is at the start of each title: "Strawberry milk enamel pin", not "Cute gift for her".
• Set up postage, returns and a short About page in your own words.

Day 5: test it

• Buy one cheap item yourself, on your phone.
• Check the order email, the postage charged and when the money lands.
• Ask one friend to buy something and tell you where they got stuck.

Day 6: tell your people

• Update the link in every bio: Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, TikTok, Ko-fi.
• Pin a post with the new link and one photo of a favourite piece.
• Email your mailing list, if you have one. If not, start one now.
• Print a QR sign with the new address for your next market.

Day 7: switch over gently

• Run both shops for a few weeks if you can. Open orders still need finishing on the old one.
• Then use vacation mode rather than closing, so old links still show your shop name.
• Etsy has rules about sending buyers elsewhere, so read its current policy before adding a link to your Etsy page.