Etsy
Count print-on-demand costs once
Handmade and print-on-demand orders do not share one cost stack. Handmade cost is materials, labor hours times the hourly cost, packaging, and the postage you pay. Print-on-demand cost is the provider’s base charge, the provider’s shipping, and any extra packaging or design amount you allocate. Adding handmade materials on top of a provider base counts the product twice unless you really bought both.
This sample is a $40 item, no buyer shipping, no tax, one listing charge, and no Offsite Ads. Fees are the $2.60 transaction fee, $1.45 processing fee, and $0.20 listing fee.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Revenue | $40.00 |
| Fees | $4.25 |
| Provider base | $18.00 |
| Provider shipping | $4.00 |
| Packaging or design allocation | $1.00 |
| Profit | $12.75 |
| Profit if the $4 shipping is subtracted again | $8.75 |
The $4 that goes missing
Provider shipping is already in the $23 of costs. Profit is $40 − $4.25 − $23 = $12.75. Subtracting another $4 of “outgoing shipping” for the same parcel leaves $8.75. Use the second postage field only when you pay a second, real charge.
A handmade version of the same $40 price would replace the provider lines with materials and labor. Those are different dollars. Mixing both stacks needs a reason you can point to, such as a finishing cost the provider does not include.
Fees still depend on the order
Buyer shipping, gift wrap, tax, extra listing charges, and Offsite Ads change the fee lines. This sample set them to zero or to one listing charge so the cost mistake is easy to see. The Etsy calculator is where those fee lines are turned back on. An Etsy Ads amount you actually spent can be entered as its own cost. It is not the same thing as the Offsite Ads percentage.
Sources and tools
Related guides
Common questions
Can I compare handmade and print-on-demand costs?
Yes, as separate cost structures. Include the provider’s shipping or your own postage, not both, unless you pay both.
Does a profitable fee estimate include my time?
Only if you entered the labor. A print-on-demand provider’s base charge does not stand in for design time you also want the price to cover.