How do I handle Etsy digital download buyers who say they never got the email?

Hi! The cleanest way to cut down the “I never got the email” messages is to stop relying on the email and instead pre-teach buyers (everywhere) that Etsy digital downloads are accessed either from Purchases (if they checked out while signed in) or from the receipt email (if they checked out as a guest) — and to call out the big gotcha: they can’t download digital files inside the Etsy app, so they need a mobile browser or a computer.

A better “prevent + guide” workflow (that usually reduces back-and-forth)

1. Update your Etsy “Message to Buyers” (and the digital-items version, if you have it).
   This is the note Etsy places on the receipt page and in the order confirmation email, so buyers see it at the exact moment confusion happens. Keep it short and action-based.

Here’s copy you can paste (edit to match your shop tone):

• Downloading your files (quick help): Etsy doesn’t allow digital downloads inside the Etsy app. Please use a computer or open Etsy in Safari/Chrome.
  • If you were signed in: Go to Etsy → Your account → Purchases → “Download files” next to this order.
  • If you checked out as a guest: Your download link is in Etsy’s receipt email. Please check Spam/Promotions and search your inbox for “Etsy” (and the shop name).

1. Put the same instructions in 2 places buyers actually notice:

• Listing photo #2 (or #3): a simple graphic that says “DIGITAL DOWNLOAD – No physical item. Download via browser/computer (not the Etsy app). Guest checkout = download link in receipt email.”
• First 2 lines of the listing description: repeat the app/browser + guest receipt email point.

1. Include a tiny “READ ME FIRST” PDF as the first file (when possible).
   Even if they can’t find the email later, once they locate the download area, that PDF answers the “how do I access/open this?” questions and reduces follow-up messages.

When a buyer messages “I didn’t get the email” (fast triage reply)
I’d send one short message that diagnoses the two most common causes immediately:

• “Are you trying to download in the Etsy app? If yes, it won’t work there—please open Etsy in Safari/Chrome or use a computer.”
• “Did you check out as a guest? If yes, the download link is in the Etsy receipt email (spam/promotions too). If you were signed in, it’s in Purchases → Download files.”

One important edge case (guest used the “wrong” email)
If they truly checked out as a guest with an email they can’t access, you typically can’t “fix” that from your side inside Etsy. In that situation, the safest path is to have them contact Etsy support to recover access to the guest order (rather than you sending files to a different email address).

If you want, paste your current saved reply here (remove any personal info) and I’ll rewrite it into a single message that covers signed-in buyers, guest checkout buyers, and the Etsy app limitation without sounding robotic.