Proven Tips to get a star seller on Etsy.
If you are new to Etsy, hear me out—becoming a Star Seller on Etsy comes with way more perks than stress. And trust me, earning that Etsy Star Seller badge is totally doable with the right strategies!
When I first started, my entire focus was on hitting that Star Seller status as quickly as possible because I knew how important it was for my shop’s credibility. I achieved it in just five months.
In this blog post, I will share the three tried-and-tested tips that helped me become a Star Seller on Etsy—so you can do the same!
What Is a Star Seller on Etsy?
Let’s start by understanding what the Etsy Star Seller program is. Basically, it’s a system where Etsy rewards sellers who meet specific criteria with a purple badge for their shop.
This badge is Etsy’s way of celebrating and recognising sellers who consistently provide excellent customer service. It appears next to a shop’s name whenever customers browse Etsy, making it easier to stand out.
Etsy Star Seller Requirements
There are four main requirements to become a Star Seller on Etsy. On the first of every month, Etsy evaluates your shop’s performance over the past three months to determine your eligibility. Here are the requirements and how easy (or hard) they are to achieve:
- Reply to the first message within 24 hours
- Easily achieved if you check your Etsy account daily.
- Earn a rating average of 4.8 or higher
- This is where new Etsy sellers struggle the most. If you only have two reviews—one 5-star and one 4-star—your rating could drop significantly (4.5). In the early stages, you will need almost all 5-star reviews to meet this requirement. I will share more on how to do this later.
- Dispatch orders on time with tracking or a label from Etsy
- Depending on what you are selling, this can be easy or hard to achieve.
- Digital products (my first Etsy shop) – Super easy, as customers get instant access after purchase.
- Print-on-demand products (my second Etsy shop) – Also manageable unless there are stock issues or delays at the production center. Choosing popular products can reduce these risks.
- If you make your own product, manage your time effectively and ship out the orders on time.
- Make at least 5 sales worth 300 USD
- By far the hardest to achieve, especially for new sellers. Not only do you need five sales within three months, but your total revenue must also hit $300. If you sell 30 items at $5 each, that’s only $150—not enough to qualify.
More information on Etsy Star Seller here.
Does being a Star Seller on Etsy help?
Short answer—YES. Just think about it:
If you were shopping and considering two similar products from different sellers, who would you buy from? The one with the Star Seller badge or the one without? Pretty obvious, right? 😉
Long answer—
Having the Star Seller badge beside your shop name instantly makes you stand out, especially against competitors who don’t have it. It tells potential buyers that Etsy recognizes and trusts your shop, which is crucial in the online space where customers can’t physically see or touch the products.
Secondly, Star Sellers have a higher chance of getting their products featured by Etsy. More exposure = more traffic = more potential sales. And we all know traffic is everything!
Lastly, historically, Etsy shops with the Star Seller badge tend to get more views and higher sales than those without it.
So, is it worth it? Absolutely! Increased credibility and more traffic are key to growing your Etsy shop over time. That’s why I focused on these three things to get my second Etsy shop to Star Seller status in just five months.
Tip 1: Choose Higher-Priced Point Products
One of the main requirements for Star Seller is hitting $300 in revenue within three months.
As a new Etsy seller, you need time to build traction and attract buyers. A realistic expectation might be 1–2 sales per week. That means around 12–24 sales in three months. Now, doing some quick maths: $300 ÷ 12 = $25. So ideally, your products should be priced at $25 or more to meet this goal.
Good news—shipping fees count toward the $300 total! If you are not offering free shipping, the shipping cost will also be included.
I learned this the hard way with my first Etsy shop, where I priced all my digital products under $10. Even if I managed one sale per day for a $5 product (which isn’t easy in the early stages), I still wouldn’t hit the $300 milestone.
So, be strategic! Choose products with higher price points to reach the goal faster.
Tip 2: Sell Physical Products
Another reason I reached Star Seller status faster with my second shop? Selling physical products over digital ones.
With digital products, customers buy once and rarely return. They can’t purchase the same item again, so you constantly need new products to attract repeat buyers. My first Etsy shop had a popular “How to Draw” series, but once customers bought the entire series, there was no reason for them to return unless I released new designs.
Physical products, on the other hand, encourage repeat purchases. Customers actually use these items, so they need to restock. If they love your shop, they are more likely to come back!
Both types of products have their advantages, but if you want to hit Star Seller fast, offering physical products that people will repurchase is the way to go.
Tip 3: Provide Excellent Customer Service
This last tip is crucial for maintaining a 4.8+ rating and getting those 5-star reviews.
For my second Etsy shop, I put extra effort into over-communicating with my customers at every touchpoint:
- Updating them when I process their orders
- Notifying them when their order ships
- Checking in when their order arrives
This doesn’t guarantee a review every time, but it significantly increases the chances of receiving positive feedback.
At the end of the day, happy customers = better reviews. And better reviews = more credibility and sales.
Following these three tips won’t magically make you a Star Seller overnight. You also need to get the basics right—optimised SEO, great product photos, and solid shop branding.
If you need help setting up your Etsy shop the right way, I share all my secrets in the Etsy Setup Toolbox!
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The Etsy Setup Toolbox is your shortcut to a fully set-up and thriving Etsy shop. Get easy-to-follow steps, SEO tips, copy-paste scripts, and Canva templates designed to help you launch and grow fast.
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This post is all about getting a star seller on Etsy fast.
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- 7 Smart Ways to Increase Traffic to Etsy Shop
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- How to optimise your Etsy Listing for Digital Products?
