Should I offer free shipping on Etsy jewelry or use the $35+ free shipping guarantee?

Hi! For handmade jewelry in the $18–$45 range, a hybrid usually performs best: turn on Etsy’s $35+ free shipping guarantee for US buyers (so your $35–$45 pieces and multi-item carts ship free), and use calculated shipping or a low flat-rate for the under-$35 items. That setup tends to protect conversion on your higher-priced items while still nudging $18–$30 shoppers to add a second item to hit the threshold—without forcing you to “hide” shipping inside every single listing price.

What sellers typically notice when switching between the two:

• Free shipping on every item (built into price):

  • Often helps conversion on single-item, under-$35 purchases because buyers hate “surprise” shipping at checkout.
  • Can slightly hurt competitiveness on search/category pages because your item price is higher (especially when buyers compare similar pieces).
  • Creates an expectation that everything in your shop ships free, so later raising shipping or adding it back can feel like a “new fee” to returning customers.

• $35+ free shipping guarantee (US) + shipping under $35:

  • Usually improves average order value (AOV) because buyers add a second item (earrings + matching necklace, stacking rings, etc.) to hit $35.
  • Can reduce margin pressure because you’re not pre-baking shipping into every $18 listing (where shipping is a big % of the price).
  • You may see a small conversion dip on under-$35 single-item orders if the shipping shown feels high.

A couple of practical tips to keep the “under $35” listings from taking a conversion hit:

• If you don’t want to do free shipping on those, aim for shipping that feels reasonable (either calculated shipping or a simple low flat rate). Big shipping numbers on small jewelry items are where carts die.
• Consider offering a clear add-on path: “Add a second item to unlock free shipping over $35” (you can reinforce this in your listing descriptions, shop announcement, and even photo text).

If you want to test cleanly, do it in two equal windows (like 30 days each) and compare: conversion rate, AOV, and “orders with 2+ items.” Try not to change photos/titles/Etsy Ads budgets at the same time, or it gets muddy fast.

If you tell me your usual shipping cost (US) and your typical order mix (single-item vs bundles), I can suggest a simple pricing/shipping structure that keeps your margins stable while still feeling “free shipping friendly” in your Etsy listings.