Prepare your first physical wall art listing on Etsy

A good first listing starts with a clear product. Before opening the editor, decide exactly what the buyer will receive and gather the information you need to describe it. This guide focuses on physical wall art rather than downloadable files.

Define the offer

Choose the artwork, available sizes and whether the product is framed or unframed. Write down the paper specification, frame finishes and what is included. Keep a physical sample nearby if you have one; it is a useful reference when describing the finish.

Do not mix a framed photograph with an unframed offer unless the distinction is very clear. A buyer should be able to understand the product without working through every image or reading a long description.

Prepare a useful image set

Plan a clear main image, an in-room view, a close-up and a size or options graphic. Check the images on a phone as well as a larger screen. Keep important details away from edges that may be cropped in browsing views.

Etsy's rules for real photographs and mockups depend on the item and how it is made. Review the requirements for your specific listing, particularly if it is personalised. Check Etsy's image policy.

Write the details in a useful order

Start with a plain description of the product and the artwork. Follow with the available sizes, materials, included items and practical ordering information. Use terms a buyer would naturally use, while keeping the description readable.

Make each variation meaningful. If an option changes the supplied product, make sure its label, image and production record all agree. Keep physical dimensions distinct from the outside dimensions of a frame.

Explain how the product is made

If a production partner helps produce your original designs, Etsy requires that assistance to be disclosed on the relevant listings. Confirm the correct partner and location information for your workflow rather than guessing from a general network map. Read Etsy's production-partner guidance.

Separate production from delivery

Production time is the period needed to make the product before it is dispatched. Carrier transit begins after that. Build the listing around the applicable product and destination, and allow for the order or artwork checks your workflow requires.

For PrintPost online account ordering, you review the final total and pay at checkout. The printing team checks the artwork before production. A connected workflow has separate setup requirements. Use the process you actually have in place when describing fulfilment to customers.

Review before publishing

• The listing is clearly for a physical product.
• The images match the selected product and options.
• Measurements and included items are explicit.
• The artwork is ready for each offered size family.
• Production assistance and fulfilment details are accurate.
• Your internal file names and SKUs can identify the correct order.

Save a draft and revisit it as a buyer. The aim is to remove uncertainty, not to include every possible detail in the first paragraph. Etsy's listing guide explains the current editor and publishing process.

A useful first paragraph

For an unframed offer, a clear opening could be: “An original kitchen illustration printed on smooth matte paper. Supplied as a paper print; frame and styling props are not included. Choose your print size from the options.” Replace the subject and materials with the facts of your actual product. For a framed offer, describe the included frame and finish instead.

Follow that paragraph with measurements and practical details. Keep the information consistent with the variation labels. If a buyer chooses “A3 / Black frame”, the image, order record and fulfilment file should all describe that same combination.

Prepare the details before opening the editor

• Your original design and the rights to any incorporated elements.
• The exact physical product and its available variations.
• The relevant production-partner details and dispatch arrangements.
• A small image set that explains the product, size and finish.
• A price calculation that includes fulfilment and current selling fees.
• The customer service and delivery information you can actually support.

Keep physical prints and digital downloads clearly separated. A customer should not discover after purchase that they must print the file themselves, or that the frame shown in the lead image costs extra.

Test the draft as a buyer

Look at the title and first image without reading the description. Can you tell what the product is? Then read the options on a phone. Are any labels cut off or ambiguous? Ask someone else to choose a size and explain what they expect to receive.

When using a production partner, disclose the assistance on the relevant listings and follow Etsy's current design and image rules. An integration does not make a listing eligible automatically. Check the official guidance again before publishing, as platform requirements can change.

Save your own copy of the product facts and image files. That makes it easier to update the listing when a size, finish or fulfilment arrangement changes.

Check PrintPost products · Review fulfilment guidance

Check Etsy’s current guidance

Before publishing, review production-partner guidance, Creativity Standards and listing image requirements. Requirements can differ for personalised products and other product types.

Standard matte unframed prints and standard framed prints can be ordered for UK, EU and US delivery. Additional papers, mounts, coloured frames and canvas are available for UK delivery.