In September 2023, Etsy rolled out "Share & Save" - a program that rewards Etsy sellers with a 4% refund on transaction fees when they drive traffic to their own shop listings through a unique link.
Overall it’s a step in the right direction from Etsy to recognise sellers’ efforts in driving their own traffic.
But with all things Etsy, there are a few caveats that may not be so obvious at first.
I’ve read through all the small text about this program, and here’s everything you need to know:
In its simplest form, Share & Save is a reward system. If you manage to bring customers to your shop using your unique link and make sales, you get a reduction of 4% on your transaction fees. So, instead of paying the full 6.5%, the transaction fee will be 2.5%.
Keep in mind that this isn’t like your regular affiliate programs - you don’t receive additional payments.
Also, the reduced fees from Share & Save only apply to your own Etsy shop. Directing traffic to another seller's shop won't get you any benefits on fee reduction.
Even though sellers benefit through this program, Etsy also benefits greatly from this because:
All sellers are eligible to Share & Save program except for those who are already with Etsy’s affiliate program like Awin.
Joining Etsy’s Share & Save program is easy and only takes minutes. There’s no application or approval process involved. You are also able to opt in and out anytime. So you can try it out with little to no risk. Here’s how:
Your shop link will be formatted as: (yourshopname).etsy.com
If you want to share your unique link to a particular listing:
In the Share & Save page, scroll down and you will find the opt out button in the FAQ section:
Orders that are placed after clicking your Share & Save link are eligible for the transaction fee refund.
If that order has received the refund, it will have a green “Share & Save” badge next to the order:
And also, you’ll get the refund instantly which is labeled “Share & Save refund” in your Payment account page:
This program makes the most sense if you sell exclusively on Etsy, and not on your own website. You can promote your unique shop link and listing link through social media, email marketing and direct messaging outside Etsy.
However, if you also sell your products on your own website, Share & Save may not be beneficial for you as Etsy fee could still be higher than the processing fee on your own website.
Here are a few of my suggestions to maximise your Share & Save performance:
When creating order inserts like care instructions and business cards, use the Share & Save format as your shop link.
Use your unique links when promoting your new listings or running sales.
To get the refund, make sure the sale is finished within 30 days after the customer clicks your link. Orders that are placed after 30 days are not eligible for the refund.
If a shopper clicks on any Etsy offsite ad after your Share & Save link, you won’t get the 4% refund even if they buy from you. So encourage your customers to finish the purchase directly without browsing.
If you refund an order, the 4% refund will be cancelled and be taken away.
Now that you understand everything about this new Etsy program, I’ve handpicked a few articles that can help you boost your shop’s performance:
