A Guide To Fulfilling Your First Etsy Sale

You Got Your First Etsy Order — Now What? (Beginner’s Guide)

If you’ve just received your first Etsy order, congratulations! 🎉
That’s a huge milestone — and the start of something exciting.

But now the question hits:

“What do I actually do next?”

Don’t worry. Whether you're selling posters through PrintShrimp or fulfilling products yourself, this beginner-friendly guide walks you through exactly what happens after your first sale.

Let’s get into it 👇

1️⃣ First: Don’t Panic — Your Order Isn’t Due Immediately

A lot of new sellers think they have to fulfil the order right away.
But Etsy gives you a processing time window, and this is the timeframe you set in your listing or via processing profiles.

For example:

• If your processing time is 1–2 business days, you have up to 2 business days to dispatch.
• If your processing time is 3–5 business days, you have up to 5 business days.

This means:

• ✔ You don’t need to dispatch the same day
• ✔ Weekends don’t count (as long as you set them as non-working days)
• ✔ You have breathing room to fulfil every order calmly

Your processing time is there to protect you.

2️⃣ Check Your Processing Time & Dispatch Deadline

Go to:

Etsy Shop Manager → Orders & Shipping → Open Orders

Click your order and you’ll see:

• The date the customer placed the order
• The dispatch-by date Etsy expects
• The delivery address and personalisation notes (if any)

This dispatch-by date is the only date Etsy cares about.

3️⃣ Prepare Your Artwork File (If You’re a Poster Seller)

Before sending the order to PrintShrimp, quickly check:

• ✔ Correct size
• ✔ Correct aspect ratio
• ✔ No bleed needed (PrintShrimp prints full-bleed automatically)
• ✔ DPI ideally 300
• ✔ Exported in JPEG or PNG
• ✔ sRGB for safest colour handling

If you designed your artwork in Canva, Photoshop, Midjourney, or Sora — just ensure the exported file matches the customer’s chosen size.

4️⃣ Send the Order to PrintShrimp for Fulfilment

If you're using PrintShrimp (which you should 😉), simply:

• Upload the artwork
• Choose the size the customer ordered
• Choose the paper type (Matte, Satin, or Gloss)
• Enter the customer’s shipping address exactly as it appears
• Place the order

PrintShrimp will:

• Print domestically (fastest delivery possible)
• Provide a tracking number
• Update you once dispatched

You then paste this tracking number into Etsy.

5️⃣ Add Tracking to Etsy (You Can Do This Any Time)

Many new sellers think they must add tracking immediately — but that’s not true.

• ✔ You can add tracking at any time
• ✔ Etsy will not punish you for adding it later
• ✔ You can even add tracking after marking the order as complete

To add tracking:

Orders → Click Order → Add a Package → Enter tracking number

Then choose the courier:

• Royal Mail
• USPS
• DHL
• Evri
• Canada Post
• Australia Post

Once added, Etsy will show “Shipped” to the customer.

6️⃣ Mark the Order as “Complete” (Only When You’re Ready)

You should mark the order as complete after you’ve sent it to your print provider.

Marking it complete doesn’t mean it has already been delivered — it just tells Etsy the order has been dispatched or is in the fulfilment process.

It also:

• Helps your on-time dispatch score
• Improves search ranking
• Keeps your order queue clean

7️⃣ Communicate Clearly With the Buyer (Optional but Recommended)

A quick message goes a long way.

You can send something like:

“Hi! Your order is now being printed and will be dispatched shortly. I’ll update your tracking as soon as it’s available 😊”

This builds trust and reduces potential issues.

8️⃣ Sit Back, Relax — Etsy Orders Get Easier From Here

Your first few orders feel big, but once you understand the flow:

• Order comes in
• You fulfil it with PrintShrimp
• Add tracking
• Mark complete

…it becomes second nature.

You’ll get faster, more confident, and much more organised with each order.

💬 Final Tips for New Etsy Sellers

• ✔ Set a realistic processing time (1–2 days if you log in daily, 1–3 for more breathing room)
• ✔ Make sure weekends are set as non-working days
• ✔ Don’t rush — Etsy gives you time
• ✔ Add tracking when available (early or late is fine)
• ✔ Keep communication friendly and simple
• ✔ Use PrintShrimp to avoid printing + shipping stress

Your first order is just the beginning — and with PrintShrimp as your fulfilment partner, you’re off to a strong start.