Etsy’s Share & Save program refunds 4% of the order total from your transaction fees when a buyer orders within 30 days of clicking a link you shared. On a $100 order, that is $4 back.
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Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Why “Just Post Your Shop Link” Leaves Money Behind
- How Share & Save Actually Pays Out
- Step-by-Step: Setting Up Share & Save Before the Holiday Rush
- Common Mistakes That Cost You the Refund
- Tools and Resources
- Worked Example: A Print Shop’s December
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Key Takeaways
- The Bottom Line
Introduction
Most Etsy sellers post links to their shop on Instagram, Pinterest, a newsletter or a market-stall QR code, and most of them pay the full 6.5% transaction fee on every order those links bring in. Etsy’s Share & Save program, launched in September 2023, gives back part of that fee when the sale came from your own promotion.
This guide covers how to enroll, which links count and which don’t, how the refund is calculated, and where it shows up in your Payment account. It is based on Etsy’s own help center documentation and fee policy, current as of October 2026.
Here’s exactly how it works.
Why “Just Post Your Shop Link” Leaves Money Behind
Posting a link is only half of the setup; the link has to be one Etsy can track back to you, and you have to be enrolled.
Plenty of sellers already drive outside traffic. They share listings in Facebook groups, pin product photos, and put their shop address on business cards. Without enrollment, every one of those sales is charged the same 6.5% transaction fee as a sale Etsy’s own search brought in.
The second gap is format. Etsy’s help center says qualifying shop links use the yourshopname.etsy.com format. A shop that sends buyers to a custom domain without forwarding it correctly can miss the credit entirely.
The third gap is where the link sits. Links sent through Etsy Messages or placed in listing descriptions do not count, according to Etsy’s help article. Many sellers assume a link anywhere earns the refund. It doesn’t.
Here’s the deal: the program rewards traffic you bring from outside Etsy, not traffic you shuffle around inside it.
How Share & Save Actually Pays Out
Share & Save refunds 4% of a qualifying order total from your transaction fees, and Etsy credits it to your Payment account once the buyer completes the order.
Etsy’s Share & Save help article lays out the mechanics:
- The refund is 4% of the order total, calculated the same way Etsy calculates transaction fees.
- Shipping and gift wrap are included in that order total. Sales tax is not.
- The buyer has to place the order within 30 days of clicking your shared link.
- If a buyer clicked more than one link, the order is credited to the last link they clicked before purchasing.
- Orders don’t qualify if the buyer’s last click before purchasing came from an Offsite Ad.
Etsy’s Fees & Payments Policy sets the standard transaction fee at 6.5% of the order total, including shipping and gift wrap. A 4% refund therefore cuts the transaction fee on a qualifying order from 6.5% to an effective 2.5%.
The refund applies only to the transaction fee. Your listing fee ($0.20 per listing) and your payment processing fee stay the same. In the United States, Etsy Payments processing is 3% plus $0.25 per order, so a qualifying order still carries that charge in full.
Fee rates and program terms are set by Etsy and can change. Check Etsy’s current Fees & Payments Policy and Share & Save terms before you rely on any figure in this article. This is not financial or tax advice.
Where the refund shows up
Etsy’s help article says the refund appears in your Payment account under Fees as “Share & Save refund,” and as a line item under Recent activities in your balance. Orders that came through a tracked link show a Share & Save badge in your orders list.
Who can join
Etsy describes the program as optional. Etsy’s help article notes that sellers enrolled in Etsy’s affiliate creator program can’t also join Share & Save. If you have never heard of that program, it almost certainly doesn’t apply to you.
Update: After this article went up, Etsy started a holiday version of the program. From October 20, 2026 through January 4, 2027, enrolled sellers earn 6.5% back on eligible orders, which covers the full transaction fee. Both the click and the order have to fall inside that window. Sellers already enrolled get the higher rate automatically, according to Alura’s summary of the promotion and Value Added Resource. Read the Share & Save Holiday Promotion Terms for the exact conditions.
Step-by-Step: Setting Up Share & Save Before the Holiday Rush
Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Enroll from Shop Manager
What: Join the program so your tracked links start earning.
Why: Etsy’s help article says clicks that happen while Share & Save is deactivated don’t earn credit, so every week you wait is a week of unrefunded outside sales.
How: Go to Shop Manager > Marketing > Share & Save and select Join now. Etsy says your shop link keeps counting after you sign up unless you opt out.
Example: A candle seller who already posts three Instagram stories a week enrolls in mid-October. From that point, orders from story links that meet the 30-day window are eligible for the refund.
Step 2: Copy the right link for each placement
What: Use the link format Etsy can track.
Why: Etsy lists shop links in the yourshopname.etsy.com format, specific listing links and promo code links as qualifying links. On the Etsy Seller app, review links and shop section links also count.
How: Copy your trackable shop link from Shop Manager > Stats, where Etsy shows “Traffic from your Share & Save links.” For a single product, use the share option on the listing. For a sale, share the promo code link you created in Sales and Discounts.
Example: A jewelry seller uses the shop link in her Instagram bio, listing links in Pinterest pins, and a promo code link in her email newsletter. All three formats are on Etsy’s list of qualifying links.
Step 3: Fix custom domain forwarding
What: Make sure a custom web address forwards to your .etsy.com shop link.
Why: Etsy’s help center says shops with custom URLs need domain forwarding set to the yourshopname.etsy.com format for orders to be credited.
How: On Etsy’s Custom web address page, select Manage your web address on Hover, open Forwards, choose Create a Forward (or Edit), enter your yourshopname.etsy.com link under Forwarding To, and save. Etsy notes changes may take several minutes.
Example: A seller printed “mypotteryshop.com” on 500 business cards last spring. If that domain forwards to an old shop URL format, every card-driven order could be missing the credit.
Step 4: Put links where outside buyers actually click
What: Place tracked links on channels you control outside Etsy.
Why: The program only rewards traffic you bring. Etsy Messages and listing descriptions are excluded, so the effort belongs on social profiles, email, your own website and printed materials.
How: Audit every place your shop link appears today. Typical spots:
- Instagram, TikTok and Facebook bio links
- Pinterest pins and boards
- Your email newsletter
- A personal blog or portfolio site
- QR codes on packing inserts, market banners and business cards
- YouTube video descriptions
Swap each one for a tracked shop or listing link. If you send a newsletter, our guide on building an Etsy email list without breaking the rules covers what Etsy allows when collecting addresses.
Example: A sticker seller puts a QR code linking to her shop on the packing insert in every order. Repeat buyers who scan it and order within 30 days now qualify.
Step 5: Time your posts against the 30-day window
What: Plan holiday posts so clicks land inside 30 days of the likely order date.
Why: A buyer who clicks your link on November 1 and orders on December 5 falls outside the window. A second, fresher link resets attribution, because Etsy credits the last link clicked.
How: Map your Q4 posting schedule against your Q4 promotion calendar. Post at least once in each of these stretches: late October, the week before Black Friday, Cyber Monday week and the first two weeks of December. Use a different listing link in each post to see which products pull.
Example: A seller who emailed her list on October 28 sends a second email on November 24 with a promo code link for Black Friday weekend. Buyers who click the newer email are attributed to that link.
Step 6: Track results in Stats every week
What: Check whether your links are producing orders.
Why: Etsy’s Stats page reports clicks, orders, revenue and money saved for your Share & Save links. Those numbers tell you which channel deserves your limited Q4 time.
How: Open Shop Manager > Stats and find “Traffic from your Share & Save links.” Record weekly clicks, orders and saved fees in a simple spreadsheet. Our guide on using Etsy shop stats to plan inventory explains how to read the rest of that page.
Example: After three weeks, a seller sees that Pinterest drove 140 clicks and 2 orders while her newsletter drove 60 clicks and 7 orders. She shifts her December effort toward email.
Common Mistakes That Cost You the Refund
Most missed refunds come from link placement and timing, not from the program itself.
Mistake 1: Putting the link in listing descriptions
Etsy’s help article excludes links placed in listing descriptions. Sellers who paste their shop link at the bottom of every listing get nothing from it under Share & Save. Keep those descriptions focused on the product instead.
Mistake 2: Sending links through Etsy Messages
Links in Etsy Messages are also excluded. Sending a returning customer your new collection through Messages is still good service, but it won’t earn the refund.
Mistake 3: Expecting the refund on Offsite Ads orders
If the buyer’s last click before purchasing came from an Offsite Ad, the order doesn’t qualify. Etsy’s Offsite Ads fee is 15% of the order total for shops under $10,000 in yearly sales and 12% for shops above that threshold (where the program is mandatory). A buyer who clicks your Instagram link, then later clicks an Offsite Ad and orders, is charged the Offsite Ads fee with no Share & Save refund. Our coverage of the Offsite Ads opt-out window explains when smaller shops can switch Offsite Ads off.
Mistake 4: Deactivating and forgetting to rejoin
Etsy says clicks during a deactivated period don’t earn credit. If you opt out for any reason, put a reminder in your calendar to rejoin.
Mistake 5: Treating the refund as a reason to discount deeper
A 4% refund on qualifying orders doesn’t cover a 25% sitewide sale. Run your discount math first, then count the refund as a bonus on the orders your own links bring. Our guide to setting up Etsy sales and coupons without losing margin walks through break-even math per order.
Tools and Resources
You don’t need paid software to run Share & Save. These are the free and paid tools that make it easier.
| Tool | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Etsy Shop Manager > Marketing > Share & Save | Enrollment, opt-out, program FAQ | Free |
| Etsy Shop Manager > Stats | Copy your trackable link, see clicks, orders, revenue and fees saved | Free |
| Etsy Seller app | Share review links and shop section links (app only) | Free |
| A free QR code generator | Turns your tracked shop link into a QR code for inserts and banners | Free |
| Tailwind | Schedules Pinterest pins with your listing links; see our Tailwind review | Paid, free trial |
| A spreadsheet | Weekly log of clicks, orders and saved fees per channel | Free |
If you schedule social posts with a third-party tool, check that the tool posts the exact Etsy link you pasted and doesn’t wrap it in a redirect that changes the final URL format.
Worked Example: A Print Shop’s December
This example uses round numbers to show the math. It is not data from a specific shop.
Take a print seller with an average order of a $40 print plus $6 shipping, a $46 order total.
| Line item | Without Share & Save | With Share & Save (4%) |
|---|---|---|
| Order total (item + shipping) | $46.00 | $46.00 |
| Transaction fee (6.5%) | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| Share & Save refund | $0.00 | -$1.84 |
| Net transaction fee | $2.99 | $1.15 |
| Payment processing (US, 3% + $0.25, before tax) | $1.63 | $1.63 |
Before the push, the seller got about 10 orders a month from her own Instagram and email links, none of them refunded because she wasn’t enrolled.
What she did:
- Enrolled in mid-October and copied her trackable shop link from Stats.
- Replaced the link in her Instagram bio and newsletter footer.
- Added a QR code to her packing insert.
- Emailed her list on Black Friday and again on December 8 with listing links.
Suppose those channels produce 40 qualifying orders between mid-October and the end of December. At 4%, that is about $1.84 back per order, or roughly $74 in refunded fees.
Under Etsy’s holiday promotion, which runs from October 20, 2026 through January 4, 2027, orders where both the click and the purchase fall in that window earn 6.5% back instead. If all 40 orders qualify at that rate, that is about $2.99 each, or roughly $120, which cancels the transaction fee on those orders.
The money isn’t huge, but it comes from traffic the seller was already sending. The bigger payoff is the Stats report, which shows which of her channels actually sells.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Etsy Share & Save?
Share & Save is an Etsy program that refunds 4% of a qualifying order total from your transaction fees. An order qualifies when a buyer places it within 30 days of clicking a link you shared outside Etsy.
How much does Etsy Share & Save cost to join?
Joining is free. There is no sign-up fee, and the refund is credited to your Payment account, so it can only lower what you pay Etsy.
How do I join Etsy Share & Save?
Go to Shop Manager, open Marketing, choose Share & Save and select Join now. Etsy says your shop link keeps counting after you sign up unless you opt out.
Which links count for Share & Save?
Etsy lists shop links in the yourshopname.etsy.com format, specific listing links and promo code links. On the Etsy Seller app, review links and shop section links count too.
Which links don’t count for Share & Save?
Links sent through Etsy Messages and links placed in listing descriptions don’t count. Orders don’t qualify if the buyer’s last click before purchasing came from an Offsite Ad.
Does the Share & Save refund include shipping?
Yes. Etsy calculates the refund the same way it calculates transaction fees, so shipping and gift wrap are included in the order total. Sales tax is not part of the calculation.
How long does a buyer have to order after clicking my link?
The buyer has 30 days from clicking your link. If they click several of your links, Etsy credits the order to the last link they clicked before buying.
Where do I see my Share & Save refunds?
The refund appears in your Payment account under Fees as “Share & Save refund,” and in Recent activities. Shop Manager > Stats shows clicks, orders, revenue and money saved from your links.
Does Share & Save work with a custom domain?
It can, but Etsy says the custom domain has to forward to your yourshopname.etsy.com link. Without that forwarding, orders may not be credited.
Does Share & Save lower my payment processing fee?
No. The refund comes out of the transaction fee only. Listing fees and payment processing fees are unchanged.
Is there a higher Share & Save rate for the 2026 holidays?
Yes. Under Etsy’s holiday promotion, enrolled sellers earn 6.5% back on eligible orders from October 20, 2026 through January 4, 2027. After that, the standard 4% rate applies.
Do I need technical skills to use Share & Save?
No. Enrollment is one button in Shop Manager, and the links are copied from Stats or the share option on a listing. The only technical step is domain forwarding if you use a custom web address.
Key Takeaways
- Enroll now; clicks during any period you aren’t enrolled don’t earn credit.
- Share & Save refunds 4% of the qualifying order total, including shipping, from your transaction fee.
- Only links you share outside Etsy count; Messages and listing descriptions are excluded.
- Offsite Ads take priority if they were the buyer’s last click before purchasing.
- Forward any custom domain to your yourshopname.etsy.com address.
- Post fresh links at least every 30 days through Q4 to keep orders in the window.
- Track clicks, orders and saved fees weekly in Stats to see which channel sells.
The Bottom Line
Share & Save won’t change your shop’s year on its own, but it pays you back for promotion you are probably already doing. Enroll this week, swap the links in your bios, newsletter and inserts, and check that any custom domain forwards correctly.
Then plan your posting around the 30-day window so Black Friday and December clicks still count. Start with your Q4 promotion calendar and put a link-sharing date next to every sale.
Related Articles
- How to Set Up Etsy Sales and Coupons Without Losing Margin: the per-order margin math to run before stacking any discount.
- How to Build an Etsy Email List Without Breaking the Rules: the channel that often converts best for Share & Save links.
- Etsy Adjusts the Offsite Ads Opt-Out Window for Smaller Shops: how Offsite Ads interact with traffic you send yourself.
About This Research
Chloe Cruz writes Crafts Daily Wire and has spent four years writing about eCommerce.
This article is based on Etsy’s help center article on the Share & Save program, Etsy’s Fees & Payments Policy and Etsy’s Share & Save Holiday Promotion Terms, current as of October 2026. The refund figures come from a worked example with stated order values, not from a specific shop’s data. Crafts Daily Wire is not affiliated with Etsy, Inc.
Content reviewed and updated: 2026-10-18
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