Configuring shipping settings correctly when selling Print on Demand products with Podbul on Etsy affects many areas, from the estimated delivery date shown to the customer to the order being considered shipped on time.
In the Print on Demand system, products are prepared after an order is received. Therefore, sellers listing Podbul products on their Etsy store need to accurately define not only the shipping time but also the processing time required to prepare the product.
Etsy shipping settings primarily use the following information:
- The country and postal code where the product was shipped
- Order preparation time
- Cargo service to be used
- Countries to ship to
- Flat or calculated shipping fee
- Additional product shipping fee
- Free shipping option
In this guide, we will cover important settings step-by-step, such as creating a Print on Demand shipping profile with Podbul on Etsy, determining processing time, selecting a shipping origin, setting estimated delivery dates, and shipping charges.
What is an Etsy Shipping Profile?
Etsy shipping profiles allow you to save a product's shipping settings and use those settings across one or more listings.
A cargo profile can include the following information:
- Country of dispatch
- Shipping zip code
- Processing time
- Cargo service
- Shipping costs
- Countries to ship to
- Shipping costs for the first item and additional items
- Free shipping option
Cargo profiles allow you to avoid re-entering the same information for products with similar shipping conditions on every listing.
To create a new fixed-price shipping profile according to Etsy's official guidance Shipping Settings enter the section and Shipping Profiles field Create Profile you must use the option.
You can use our hands-on video guide to correctly configure Etsy shipping settings.
Etsy Shipping Settings Video Guide
How to Create an Etsy Print on Demand Shipping Profile
To create a fixed-rate shipping profile on Etsy's web version, you can follow these steps:
- Log in to your Etsy account.
- Shop Manager Open the section.
- Settings Go to the option.
- Shipping Settings Open the section.
- Shipping Profiles field Create Profile Click the option.
- Shipping Prices Specify the option where you will manually enter the shipping cost in the section.
- Enter the country and postal code where the product was shipped.
- Select the processing time required for order preparation.
- Choose the shipping service you will use.
- Enter countries where shipping will be done and the fees to be charged to the customer.
- Save profiles.
In the Etsy Seller app, More → Shop Settings → Shipping A new shipping profile can be created by following the path. Etsy explains that with fixed-price profiles, the seller can choose between the free shipping or flat rate options.
Etsy may make changes to menu names or screen design over time. Therefore, expressions on your dashboard may vary slightly.
“What Location Should Be Entered in the ”Ship From" Field?
When creating a shipping profile, Etsy asks for the country the item ships from and the zip code it ships from.
This field should be used to enter the exit location where the product is actually shipped to the customer. Etsy, in the shipping profile Country of origin and Origin ZIP code wants the information to be filled in according to the product's shipping location.
In the Print on Demand system, the product can ship from the manufacturing or fulfillment facility, not the seller's place of residence. Therefore:
- Where the product was manufactured,
- Which facility was it shipped from?,
- Which postal code should be used
You need to get verification from your Print on Demand supplier.
You should only use your own residential address if the product is actually shipped from that address.
What is the processing time?
Processing time is the preparation time between receiving an order and delivering the product to the shipping company.
Etsy defines this as the time needed for the seller to prepare the order and hand it over to the shipping carrier.
The processing time for Print on Demand products can include the following stages:
- Order entry into the system
- Check the print file
- Product printing
- Quality control
- Packaging
- To be delivered to the shipping company
Processing time is not the time the product spends with the shipping company.
The seller should check their supplier's current production time and only use a processing time on Etsy that they can meet.
In the pod Processing time after an order is placed is typically 1-3 business days. This timeframe may be extended during peak seasons or holiday periods.
Difference Between Processing Time and Shipping Time
On Etsy, processing time and shipping time are different. Processing time is the time it takes for a product to be prepared and handed over to the shipping company. Shipping time is the time it takes for the product to reach the customer after it has been handed over to the shipping company.
According to Etsy's official statement, the estimated delivery date is generally created by combining these two timeframes:
Processing time + shipping company transit time = estimated delivery date
For example, if processing time is 3–5 days and shipping time is 2–4 days, the estimated delivery time shown to the customer could be 5–9 days. This example is directly from Etsy's official help page.
These times may vary depending on settings selected as calendar days or business days and data used by Etsy for the relevant shipping service.
How is the Estimated Delivery Date Calculated?
The estimated delivery date is the date range when the order is expected to reach the customer.
Etsy primarily leverages the following to create this history:
- Seller-defined processing time
- Selected shipping service transit time
- Shipping origin
- Customer's delivery address
- Current shipping data for the cargo company
Etsy may use past tracking data in some cases to improve the accuracy of estimated delivery dates. Etsy states that this past data does not change the seller's processing time or “ship-by” date.
Etsy can also update shipping times based on tracking data from shipping services. Therefore, it is not always necessary for the seller to manually change the shipping time for weather, holidays, or general carrier delays.
The listing or shipping profile must have complete information for the estimated delivery date to be displayed.
The basic information Etsy requires is:
- Domestic cargo service
- Cross-border shipping service if international shipping is being done
- Exit ZIP code
- Processing time
- In case of a cargo upgrade, service or delivery time
How to Set a Flat Shipping Fee
In a flat-rate shipping profile, the seller determines the shipping amount the customer will pay.
In this method, one of the following options can be used:
- Free shipping
- Flat shipping rate
When a Fixed Price is selected, Etsy allows you to enter separate shipping costs for an item and an additional item. The additional item fee can be used if a customer purchases multiple items in the same order.
Before setting a flat shipping fee for Print on Demand products, you should obtain the following information from your supplier:
- Shipping cost for the first item
- Shipping cost for an additional item in the same order
- Shipping differences by product type
- Prices by shipping region
- Expedited shipping options
- International shipping fees
Product package dimensions and shipping prices for items like t-shirts, sweatshirts, posters, and ornaments may not be the same. Therefore, if your supplier applies different prices, creating separate shipping profiles for product groups can provide a more controlled structure.
What is Calculated Shipping?
For calculated shipping, Etsy calculates the shipping cost a customer will pay based on product and package information.
According to Etsy's official statement, when creating a shipping profile, the seller should:
- Departure postal code,
- Countries to ship to,
- Cargo services,
- The product's weight,
- The product's dimensions when ready for packaging are
it needs to enter.
To create the calculated cargo profile:
- Shop Manager enter the section.
- Settings Open the option.
- Shipping Settings Go to the section.
- Edit an existing profile or create a new profile.
- In the shipping fees section Calculate them for me select the option.
- Enter the shipping zip code.
- Specify the countries for shipment.
- Select the cargo services you will offer.
- Decide whether or not to offer free shipping.
- Save the profile by giving it a name.
The calculated shipping option, according to Etsy's current Help pages, can be used for eligible shipments where an Etsy-purchased USPS or Canada Post shipping label is bought.
Additionally, Etsy states that shops in the US and Canada can use calculated or flat-rate shipping for estimated delivery dates, while shops in other countries can use flat-rate shipping.
Therefore, if your Print on Demand supplier's shipping prices don't automatically match Etsy's calculated shipping system, you may need to use a flat rate profile.
How to Offer Free Shipping
It is possible to offer free shipping on Etsy, but this does not mean that the shipping cost is eliminated.
Etsy's official help page outlines three options for offering free shipping:
- Free shipping guarantee
- Smart pricing tool
- Shipping Profiles
Free shipping to the customer's country or all countries can be defined in the shipping profile.
When free shipping is offered, the amount paid to the shipping company is still the seller's cost. Etsy clearly states that the seller can include this cost in the product price to cover shipping.
For example:
- Product price: $35
- Separate shipping fee: $5
The replacement product price can be set at $40, and free shipping can be shown. This example is used in Etsy's official free shipping explanation.
However, when determining the selling price, production cost, shipping cost, Etsy fees, and targeted profit must be calculated together.
Does Etsy charge a commission on shipping?
According to Etsy's official fees page, the transaction fee is calculated on 6.5 percent of the total order amount.
If shipping or gift wrap fees are also charged to the customer, these amounts are included in the total order amount on which the transaction fee is calculated. The Etsy Payments transaction fee is a separate fee and may vary by country.
Therefore, it is not enough to consider only production and shipping costs when determining product price and shipping fees.
How to Apply a Shipping Profile to Products
You can add the shipping profile you created to a new listing or apply it to existing products in bulk.
To bulk add a calculated shipping profile to existing listings on Etsy:
- Shop Manager from the chapter Listings Open the page.
- Select the products you want to apply profiles to.
- Editing Options Open the menu.
- Change Shipping Profiles select the option.
- Identify the relevant cargo profile.
- Apply Click the option.
When creating a new product, an existing profile can be selected from the shipping section of the listing, or a new shipping option can be created.
What to do when the order is shipped?
When an order is shipped, it needs to be marked as complete on Etsy, and tracking information should be added if possible.
To complete an order manually:
- Shop Manager from the chapter Orders go to the page.
- Find the incomplete order.
- Complete Order Select the icon.
- Determine the submission date.
- Choose a shipping company.
- Please add the tracking number.
- Complete the order.
Etsy allows shipping dates to be pushed forward by a maximum of three days. Shipping notifications to customers are sent on the designated shipping date, and these dates are calculated based on Eastern Time.
You should not mark the order as shipped before the package has been handed over to the logistics company.
“Can the ”Ship-By" Date Be Changed?
Etsy allows for the updating of “ship-by” dates on some orders.
For this:
- Log in to your Etsy account.
- Shop Manager Go to the section.
- Orders Open the page.
- Find the relevant order.
- Select the three-dot icon.
- Update Ship By Date Click the option.
- Set new date.
- Add a customer note explaining the change.
- Save the update and notify the customer.
Etsy automatically sends the customer the new estimated delivery date when the history is updated.
This feature should not be used to unrealistically shorten processing times. The processing time in the shipping profile should be set to accommodate your normal operations.
Can third-party shipping or order applications be used?
Etsy states that sellers can utilize third-party shipping services for processes such as order fulfillment, shipping label creation, and tracking management.
Connected apps can be controlled from this section:
Shop Manager → Apps → Connected Apps
However, the third-party applications that Etsy supports for automatic shipping data import vary by country and shipping location.
According to Etsy's official help page dated July 2026, Shippo and ShipStation are listed by Etsy as services for sellers shipping from the US for automatic shipping data transfer. Etsy also states that different applications can be added to a shop, but not all features such as accessing addresses, sending tracking numbers, or marking orders as shipped may be available.
You should verify directly with your service provider which Etsy data their Print on Demand integration automatically transfers.
Most Common Etsy POD Shipping Setting Mistakes
The main mistakes Print on Demand sellers should avoid are:
- Using their own residential address, even though the product is shipped from the manufacturing facility
- Determine processing time without supplier confirmation
- Confusing production time with shipping time
- Using the same profile for all products with different shipping costs
- Not checking the additional product fee from the customer
- Leave countries that cannot be shipped to active
- Excluding shipping costs from product pricing
- Mark the order as shipped before it is sent to the carrier.
- Entering the tracking number incorrectly or incompletely
- Not taking into account that Etsy's transaction fee can also be applied to the shipping cost
How Podbul Users Should Set Cargo Settings
Before creating an Etsy shipping profile for products manufactured through Podbul, please check the following values found in the Podbul panel or current product information:
- Production time
- The country and postal code where the product was shipped
- First product shipping fee
- Additional product shipping fee
- Shipping services used
- Estimated delivery time
- Countries that can be shipped to
A single general timeframe or shipping cost should not be used for all Podbul products, as this information can vary depending on the product, shipping region, and selected service.
The values entered in your Etsy profile must match the current production and shipping information in Podbul.
Etsy POD Shipping Settings: Key Considerations
When creating Etsy Print on Demand shipping settings, the most important point is that the information shown to the customer is consistent with the actual production and shipping process.
For an accurate shipping profile:
- Use the actual shipping country and postal code.
- Confirm the processing time with your supplier.
- Choose the right shipping service.
- Check the countries for shipping.
- Determine the fixed or calculated shipping option based on availability.
- If you offer free shipping, accurately reflect the cost in the product price.
- When the order is shipped, transfer the tracking information to Etsy.
Production and shipping times for Print on Demand products can vary by product type. Therefore, when creating your Etsy shipping profile, use the up-to-date data from your supplier instead of estimated or general values.
Etsy's shipping settings, processing times, and delivery policies may change over time. For the most current and store-specific information, please refer to Etsy's official Orders & Shipping We recommend checking the help page:
What should be the shipping address for Etsy Print on Demand products?
The country and postal code in the shipping profile should indicate the location from which the product is actually shipped to the customer. If the product is shipped from a Print on Demand facility, this information must be verified with the supplier.
No. Processing time and delivery time are not the same on Etsy.
No. Processing time is the time it takes for your order to be prepared and handed over to the shipping company. Delivery time is the sum of the processing time and the shipping time with the courier company.
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