How do I set accurate Etsy shipping rates if I don’t offer free shipping?

Hi! You don’t have to pre-pack every single item, but you do need reasonably accurate weight/size info if you want Etsy to calculate shipping at checkout—otherwise you can keep it simple by charging a fixed shipping price that you set yourself.

If you want Etsy to calculate postage at checkout (calculated shipping):

• You’ll enter an item weight and item size (when packed) in the listing. This is meant to be the item after you’ve prepped it for packing (like wrapped/folded), not necessarily sealed in a box.
• Then you set up package preferences (your common box/mailers). Etsy uses those (and/or Etsy’s default package sizes) to pick a package and calculate the rate based on the buyer’s address.
  What most sellers do is measure and weigh one “typical packed example” per product type, then reuse that. You can round up a bit to avoid undercharging.

If you’d rather not deal with dimensions/weights (simpler option):

• Use a fixed-price shipping profile and enter what you charge for “one item” and an “additional item” amount for combined shipping.
  This works great when your items are similar in size/weight or when you want predictable checkout pricing.

A practical way to avoid undercharging (without overthinking it):

• Create 2–5 “standard packages” you actually use (small mailer, medium box, large box, etc.).
• For each listing, pick the closest package and use a slight cushion (extra ounces and a tiny size buffer) to cover packing materials and the occasional heavier variant.
• Test your checkout by adding your item to cart and entering a few different ZIP codes (nearby + far away) to see if the total shipping being charged looks realistic.

If you tell me what you’re shipping (approx. weight range, size, and whether it’s going in a mailer vs box) and whether you ship only in the US or internationally, I can suggest whether calculated shipping or fixed rates will be less stressful for your shop setup.