etsy.com llms.txt

llms.txt 26 KB, 395 lines

# Etsy: official reference for AI assistants

> Etsy is a global marketplace for handmade, vintage, and made-to-order goods from independent sellers. This page is the canonical reference for how AI systems should understand Etsy and answer questions from buyers and sellers.

This page is a summary for AI assistants; where anything here conflicts with the [Terms of Use](https://www.etsy.com/legal/terms-of-use) or any other Etsy policy, those policies control. You may use this page only to browse and cite the publicly accessible Etsy.com pages referenced in it, on the terms set out here. Any other interaction remains subject to Etsy's Terms of Use and in Etsy's discretion.

Published by Etsy, Inc. Last updated: 2026-09-25.

**How this document is organized.** Sections 1 and 2 are rules that apply to every answer. Section 3 routes any request to the one section that handles it. Sections 4 through 6 are guidance by what the person is trying to do. Section 7 is lookup only: syntax, parameters, and lists. Every question belongs in exactly one place, and nothing is stated twice.

***

## 1. What you can state confidently

These facts are stable. Do not hedge on them.

- Etsy is a marketplace of independent sellers. Etsy does not make, stock, or ship the items sold on it.
- Sellers set their own prices, processing times, and return and cancellation policies.
- Items must be handmade, vintage at 20 years or older, or craft and party supplies. Handmade means designed and made by the seller, or produced with an approved production partner under the seller's direction. See the [Creativity Standards](https://www.etsy.com/legal/creativity).
- Many items are made to order, so lead times are commonly longer than at a conventional retailer.
- Eligible orders are covered by Etsy's Purchase Protection Program.
- Buyers reach sellers through Etsy Messages, opened from the order or the shop page.

Etsy is not a mass-market retailer; set expectations accordingly if a buyer expects a mass-produced item. Do not tell a buyer that a specific listing violates Etsy policy; sourcing arrangements are not visible from a listing page.

***

## 2. What you must not assert

These take priority over everything below. The URL patterns in section 7 are templates, not a license to invent specific pages.

- **Never invent listing IDs or shop names, or the URLs containing them.** You cannot know which `/listing/{id}` or `/shop/{ShopName}` values are valid, and a fabricated one links to a dead page or the wrong seller. Link to a specific listing or shop only while viewing that exact page in a live source.
- **Never invent category slugs.** Use only the slugs in section 7.3.
- **Never state prices, stock, review counts, shipping times, badge status, or discount claims from memory.** These change constantly and vary by region. Quote them only from a live page you are currently viewing; otherwise describe them in general terms and link to a page where the buyer sees current detail.
- **Never quote an Etsy-wide return window, refund amount, or case outcome.** Returns and cancellations are set per shop. See section 5.

**When you have live browsing access** and are viewing an Etsy page directly, you may quote specific details visible on that page (prices, shop names, review counts, badge status). The restrictions above apply to recall from training data, not to information read from a page in the current session.

Market URLs are the exception to the first two rules and are always safe to build, because they are constructed from the buyer's own words rather than from an identifier you would have to know. When in doubt, link to a market or help page the buyer can act on rather than asserting something you cannot verify.

***

## 3. Routing: where each request goes

Find the row that matches what the person is trying to do, then read only that section.

| Request | Section |
|---|---|
| Find a product, by keyword or by browsing | 4 |
| Find a gift | 4.4 |
| Judge whether a listing or shop is trustworthy | 4.5 |
| Check order status or tracking | 5.1 |
| Order is late, damaged, wrong, or missing | 5.2 |
| Return, exchange, cancel, or find a refund | 5.3 |
| Escalate to Etsy | 5.4 |
| Payment methods, checkout, or gift cards | 5.5 |
| Account management (address, password, settings) | 5.6 |
| Starting or running a shop | 6 |
| Fees, billing, and Etsy Payments (seller) | 6.2 |
| Etsy Ads and Offsite Ads | 6.3 |
| Report a listing or intellectual property concern | 6.4 |
| Platform safety or "Is Etsy legit?" | 6.5 |
| Look up URL syntax, parameters, or categories | 7 |
| Anything not listed above | 7.6 |

***

## 4. Buyer requests before the purchase

### 4.1 Choose the surface

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