How do I charge extra for an optional personalization variation on Etsy?

Hi! What you’re seeing is normal on Etsy: a variation “price” is the total price for that option, not an extra add-on. So the correct setup is to make your “Add text” option have a higher total price than “No text,” and Etsy will charge more only when the buyer selects that option (but Etsy may display the lowest price or a price range in some places).

Here’s the cleanest way to do it in one Etsy listing:

1. Turn on a variation (Shop Manager → Listings → edit listing → Variations → Add variation or Create your own)

   • Name it something like Personalization / Custom text
   • Options: No text and Add text

2. Enable “Prices vary for each variation” (the pricing toggle for variations)

   • Set No text = your base price
   • Set Add text = base price + your extra fee
     (Example: $20 and $24)

3. Collect the actual text details

   • Also toggle Personalization ON (the personalization box) and write instructions like “If you chose ‘Add text,’ enter your text here.”
   • Mark it optional if you also sell the “No text” option.

A couple of important notes so expectations match what Etsy does:

• Etsy will usually show the lowest price (or “from” / a price range) on the listing card and sometimes on the listing page until the buyer selects an option. That part isn’t fully controllable.
• If your listing already uses both variation slots (Etsy only allows two variation types), you can’t add a third for “Add text.” In that case, the usual workaround is a separate “Personalization Add-on” listing that buyers add to cart alongside the main item, or you build the personalization cost into your existing variation structure.

If you tell me whether you’re already using variations for size/color (and whether this is a physical or digital item), I can suggest the simplest setup for your exact listing layout.