How do I handle Etsy buyers who ask if it shipped before my processing time ends?

Hi! The easiest professional way to handle this is to calmly point them to the Etsy ship-by date and reassure them that Etsy often shows an order as “not shipped” until you print a label/mark it complete—even if you’re still well within your made-to-order processing time.

Here’s a simple reply you can copy/paste:

Thanks so much for checking in! Your order is made-to-order, so it’s currently in production. Etsy will show “not shipped” until I purchase the shipping label/mark it shipped. Your order is scheduled to ship on or before [ship-by date]. As soon as it ships, you’ll get an automatic Etsy notification with tracking. If anything changes on my end, I’ll message you right away.

To prevent these messages, a few small tweaks usually make a big difference:

1) Add one clear “expectations” line in 3 places
Use the same sentence (buyers skim, so repetition helps) in:

• The first 2 lines of your Etsy listing description
• A listing photo (a simple “Processing Time” graphic works great)
• Your order confirmation message / saved reply

Example wording:

• “Made to order: please allow X business days for creation before shipping. You’ll receive tracking as soon as your order ships.”

2) Use an automated message (without sounding robotic)
If you have Etsy’s auto-reply or an order confirmation message enabled, set it to something like:

• “Thanks for your order! I’m now making your item. Current processing time is X business days. Your ship-by date is [date] and Etsy will email you tracking once it’s on the way.”

(You can also add: “If you need it by a specific date, message me ASAP and I’ll tell you what’s possible.”)

3) Consider adjusting processing time only if you’re constantly getting “where is it?” messages
If you’re shipping right at the end of your processing window, buyers will get antsy. A small buffer helps:

• If you usually finish in 3–5 days, consider setting processing to 5–7 days.
• If you often finish early, you can still ship early—processing time is the maximum you need, not a promise that it will take that long.

4) Use Etsy’s “ship-by date” and estimated delivery in your messaging
When buyers ask “has it shipped?” they often really mean “when will it arrive?” So it helps to answer with both:

• Ship-by date (production timeline)
• Estimated delivery window (shipping timeline)

5) Make your order status less confusing (what you can control)
You can’t change Etsy’s status wording, but you can reduce confusion by saying:

• “It will show ‘not shipped’ until I mark it shipped/print the label.”
  That one line alone cuts a lot of back-and-forth.

If you tell me your typical processing time and whether you buy labels through Etsy (or elsewhere), I can tailor a tighter auto-message and a one-sentence listing line that fits your shop’s tone.