Etsy lets you charge for gift wrapping, print gift messages for buyers, and strip prices from gift packing slips. All three live on one settings page, and most shops leave at least one of them switched off going into the busiest gifting weeks of the year.
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Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Why “Buyers Will Ask If They Want It” Costs You Orders
- The Three Gift Settings Etsy Gives You
- Step-by-Step: Turning On Gift Options
- Pricing Gift Wrap So It Pays for Itself
- Handling Gift Orders After Checkout
- Making Listings Ready for Gift Buyers
- Mistakes That Turn Gift Orders Into Problems
- Tools and Resources
- Worked Example: A Candle Shop Prices Its First Gift Wrap
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Key Takeaways
- The Bottom Line
Introduction
From late October onward, a large share of Etsy orders are presents. The buyer is often not the person who opens the box, and that changes what they need from your shop.
This guide shows you how to set up the three gift options Etsy offers, how to price gift wrap so the fees don’t eat it, and how to handle gift orders once they arrive. Every setting and menu path comes from Etsy’s own Help Center, so you can follow along in Shop Manager as you read.
Here’s exactly how it works.
Why “Buyers Will Ask If They Want It” Costs You Orders
Many sellers skip gift settings and plan to handle requests by message. That sounds flexible, but it puts the work on the buyer at the exact moment they’re deciding whether to check out.
Gift shoppers are often short on time. If a buyer has to send a message, wait for a reply, and then hope you remember, many will pick a listing where the gift box is already a checkbox.
Setting up gift options once turns a custom request into a standard checkout step. It also makes the extra charge part of the order total, so you get paid for wrapping without sending a separate invoice.
Here’s the deal: you don’t have to wrap anything you don’t want to. You choose what to offer, what to charge, and how to describe it.
The Three Gift Settings Etsy Gives You
Etsy’s How to Offer Gift Services article describes three separate features. Two are settings you control. One is always on.
| Feature | Who controls it | What the buyer gets | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gift wrapping | You (on or off, plus price) | Wrapped order for a fee you set | Wrap the order before shipping |
| Gift messages | You (on or off) | A printed message in the package | Print the packing slip and include it |
| Mark as gift | Always available to buyers | Prices removed from the invoice | Nothing, unless wrap or a message was also chosen |
Gift wrapping
Gift wrapping is a paid add-on. Etsy says you set the price, the fee applies to each order rather than each item, and the price can’t be set to zero. You can also upload a photo of your wrap and add a description of the paper, the method, and any instructions for buyers.
Gift messages
When gift messages are enabled, buyers can type a message at checkout. Etsy says the printed gift message includes the buyer’s message, your shop name, and the item purchased. Your job is to print the packing slip and put it in the box.
Mark as gift
Buyers can mark any order as a gift during checkout, and Etsy says sellers can’t turn this off. When an order is marked as a gift, Etsy removes the price from the invoice. If the buyer didn’t also pick wrapping or a message, there’s nothing extra for you to do.
The core idea: “Mark as gift” protects the buyer’s privacy for free, while gift wrapping and gift messages are the two settings that change what you pack and what you earn.
Step-by-Step: Turning On Gift Options
All gift settings sit on the Options page of Shop Manager. Etsy’s instructions start on Etsy.com, so use a desktop or mobile browser rather than hunting through the Seller app.
Step 1: Open the Options page
What: Go to Shop Manager, select Settings, then select Options.
Why: Gift wrapping and gift messages are shop-wide settings, so they live here rather than on individual listings.
How: From your Etsy.com account, open Shop Manager. In the left menu, choose Settings, then Options. Scroll down until you see the gift settings.
Example: A jewelry seller who has never touched this page will find both gift settings sitting below the other shop options.
Step 2: Enable gift wrapping and set a price
What: Under “Offer gift wrapping,” choose “Enable and set price.”
Why: Turning it on adds a gift wrap choice at checkout, and the price you set becomes part of the order total.
How: Enter your price. Remember Etsy’s two rules: the fee is charged once per order, and it can’t be $0. If you want to wrap for free, you’d need to build that cost into your item prices instead of using the setting.
Example: A shop that sells small ceramic dishes sets wrap at $5.00 per order, which covers tissue, ribbon, a box, and a few minutes of packing time.
Step 3: Add a photo and description of your wrap
What: Upload a photo of a wrapped package and write a short description.
Why: Buyers pay more readily when they can see what they’re getting. Etsy lists both the photo and the description as options when you set up gift wrapping.
How: Photograph an actual wrapped order in good light, on a plain background. In the description, say what the wrap is made of, whether every item in an order goes in one package or separately, and anything the buyer should know.
Example: “Wrapped in kraft paper with a cotton ribbon and a sprig of dried eucalyptus. Multi-item orders are wrapped together in one box.”
Step 4: Enable gift messages
What: Under “Offer gift messages,” choose “Enabled.”
Why: A gift message lets the buyer send a note without writing it in the “note to seller” box, where it might get missed or copied wrongly.
How: Select Enabled and save. No price is set for gift messages in this setting.
Example: A buyer orders a print for her sister and types “Happy birthday, Jo. For the new flat.” You print the packing slip, and the message is on it.
Step 5: Run a test order view
What: Check how gift options look to a buyer.
Why: It’s easy to set a price and forget to save, or to upload a photo that crops badly.
How: Open one of your listings in a browser where you’re signed out, add it to your cart, and go to the cart page to see the gift choices. Don’t complete the purchase.
Example: A seller spots that the wrap photo shows a different product than the listing and swaps it for a neutral wrapped box.
Pricing Gift Wrap So It Pays for Itself
Gift wrap is income, and Etsy treats it that way. Etsy’s Fees & Payments Policy says the 6.5% transaction fee is charged on the listing price plus the amount you charge for shipping and gift wrapping.
That means a $5.00 wrap charge carries a 6.5% transaction fee of about $0.33. Payment processing fees also apply to the order total, and in the US Etsy Payments processing is 3% plus $0.25 per order.
Now:
Your wrap price needs to cover four things.
- Materials. Paper, tissue, ribbon, tape, tags, and any box that’s bigger or nicer than your usual packaging.
- Time. Wrapping a parcel neatly takes longer than packing it. Count the minutes and put a value on them.
- Fees. The 6.5% transaction fee on the wrap charge, plus your share of processing.
- Shipping changes. A gift box can push a parcel into a heavier or larger postage tier.
Price the wrap from your actual cost per package, then add the fee percentage on top. Don’t pick a round number because it feels friendly.
Use a quick formula:
| Line | Example amount |
|---|---|
| Materials per order | $1.40 |
| Labor (5 minutes at $18/hour) | $1.50 |
| Extra box size buffer | $0.60 |
| Subtotal | $3.50 |
| Price that leaves $3.50 after about 10% in fees | $3.89 |
| Rounded price shown to buyers | $4.00 |
The 10% fee figure in that table is a rough allowance for the 6.5% transaction fee plus percentage-based processing, not an exact Etsy number. Run your own shop’s figures through our Etsy fee calculator guide before you settle on a price.
One more point on shipping. If your gift box is heavier or bigger than your normal mailer, check your weights in your Etsy shipping profiles so the extra postage doesn’t come out of your margin.
Fee rates in this section reflect Etsy’s published Fees & Payments Policy for US sellers. Rates differ by country and can change; check your own Payment account. This is general information, not financial or tax advice.
Handling Gift Orders After Checkout
Once gift options are on, gift orders arrive with extra details. Here’s what to look for and what to do.
Orders marked as a gift
Etsy removes prices from the invoice for orders marked as a gift. Etsy’s Help Center also says that when you print a packing slip for a gift order, the breakdown of what the buyer paid is left off automatically.
That matters because many gift orders ship straight to the recipient. Print Etsy’s packing slip rather than a homemade invoice, so you don’t send the price by accident.
Orders with gift wrapping
When a buyer pays for gift wrap, the order shows it. Check every order for the wrap request before you pack, especially during busy weeks when you’re batch-packing dozens of parcels.
A simple habit helps: sort open orders so gift-wrap orders are packed first, then mark them so they don’t get mixed into the plain-pack pile.
Orders with gift messages
Print the packing slip and include it. Etsy says the gift message on the slip includes the buyer’s message, your shop name, and the item. Read the message once before you seal the box, in case the buyer typed it into the wrong field.
Question is: what if a buyer sends a gift message while you have gift messages turned off? Etsy says you’ll still see the message on the order, but no action is needed. Many sellers include it anyway as a goodwill gesture, which is your call.
Gift teasers
Buyers can send the recipient a gift teaser. According to Etsy, a teaser includes basic order and shipping details, plus the buyer’s message and an item image if the buyer chose to include them. The gift message a buyer writes also appears in the teaser.
You don’t set up teasers. They matter because the recipient may know the gift is coming, so a late shipment can be noticed by two people instead of one.
Messages from gift recipients
Recipients can contact you without going through the buyer. Etsy labels these messages “gift recipient” and “help request,” with the gift order details shown next to the message.
You can answer the recipient directly or bring in the buyer. If you involve the buyer, Etsy says you should tell the recipient. Only the buyer can start a return request, but you can arrange an exchange with the recipient. Our guide to using Etsy Messages covers response times and quick replies that help during the holidays.
Making Listings Ready for Gift Buyers
Gift settings handle the checkout. Your listings still have to convince a gift shopper to click.
Etsy launched Gift Mode in January 2024, a gifting feature that TechCrunch reported generates more than 200 gift guides based on who the shopper is buying for. Etsy hasn’t published a setting that lets sellers opt in, so the practical move is to make each listing obviously giftable.
Write for the recipient, not just the product
Gift buyers search by person and occasion as much as by product. Add recipient and occasion phrases that fit the item, such as “gift for gardener,” “teacher gift,” or “new home gift,” to your titles and tags. Our guides on writing Etsy titles that rank and choosing Etsy tags explain how to fit those phrases in without stuffing.
Show the gift moment in your photos
Include at least one photo of the item wrapped or in its gift box, if you offer wrap. A buyer who sees the finished present doesn’t have to imagine it. See our product photography guide for lighting and composition tips.
Answer gift questions in the description
Put gift details near the top of the description: whether the item arrives ready to give, whether prices are hidden on gift orders, and your processing time. Our guide to writing Etsy product descriptions shows how to front-load the facts buyers check first.
Make personalization clear
Personalized items are popular gifts, and personalization mistakes are expensive. Use clear personalization instructions, character limits, and examples. If you sell several sizes or colors, set them up as proper variations; see our guide to Etsy variations and custom options.
Keep delivery promises realistic
A gift that arrives after the event is a failed order, even if it’s perfect. Keep processing times realistic, and if your shop is getting busy, update them rather than hoping to catch up. Our seasonal selling calendar shows when holiday demand peaks.
Mistakes That Turn Gift Orders Into Problems
Most gift-order problems come from small slips during busy weeks. These are the ones to watch.
1. Setting a wrap price that ignores fees
A $3 wrap that costs you $2.80 in materials and time leaves nothing after the transaction fee. Price wrap from cost plus fees, not from what competitors charge.
2. Showing a photo of wrap you don’t actually use
If your photo shows silk ribbon and the buyer gets tape and tissue, expect a disappointed review. Photograph the wrap you use today.
3. Missing a gift message on a busy day
The message only reaches the recipient if the packing slip goes in the box. Make printing the slip part of every pack-out, not a step you remember for some orders.
4. Including a price on a gift order
A handwritten note with “Thanks for your $48 order” ruins the surprise. Use Etsy’s packing slip, which omits the payment breakdown for gift orders, and check any thank-you insert you add.
5. Ignoring gift recipient messages
A “help request” from a recipient is still a customer service message on your shop. Slow replies can affect your standing in the Etsy Star Seller program, which tracks message response times.
6. Overpromising on timing
If you’re running a holiday sale and a gift-wrap offer at the same time, your workload jumps. Plan capacity before you launch promotions; our guide to running Etsy sales and coupons covers the margin side.
Tools and Resources
You don’t need special software to offer gift options. These resources cover the setup and the packing.
| Resource | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Etsy Help: How to Offer Gift Services | Official steps for gift wrap, gift messages, and gift orders | Free |
| Etsy Fees & Payments Policy | Confirms which charges the transaction fee applies to | Free |
| Etsy Shop Manager packing slips | Prints gift messages and omits payment details on gift orders | Free |
| A kitchen or postal scale | Weighs wrapped parcels so postage stays accurate | Paid, one-time |
| A spreadsheet | Tracks wrap materials cost per order | Free |
If you use shipping software to manage holiday volume, compare options in our shipping software roundup and check that it shows Etsy’s gift flags before you rely on it.
Worked Example: A Candle Shop Prices Its First Gift Wrap
This is an illustrative example with round numbers, not data from a specific shop.
Before: A small candle shop sells 8 oz soy candles at $24. It has never offered gift wrap. Each holiday season, a few buyers write “can you wrap this?” in the note to seller, and the owner wraps them for free.
What they did: The owner priced the materials: a kraft gift box, tissue, twine, and a printed tag, at about $1.60 per order. Wrapping took around four minutes, which they valued at $1.20. The gift box added a little weight, so they allowed $0.50 for extra postage. That’s $3.30 in cost.
To cover the 6.5% transaction fee and percentage-based processing, they divided by about 0.9 and got roughly $3.67. They set the wrap price at $4.00 per order, uploaded a photo of a real wrapped box, and turned on gift messages.
After: Every wrap request now comes through checkout with the fee already paid. On a $4.00 wrap charge, the transaction fee is about $0.26, which leaves room above the $3.30 cost. The owner also added “ready to gift” and “gift for her” phrases where they fit, and a wrapped-box photo as the fourth image on the candle listings.
The free wrapping that used to cost the shop money is now a small profit line, and buyers no longer have to ask.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn on gift wrapping on Etsy?
On Etsy.com, go to Shop Manager, then Settings, then Options. Scroll to “Offer gift wrapping,” select “Enable and set price,” and enter your price. You can also add a photo and a description of your wrap.
Can I offer free gift wrapping on Etsy?
Not through the gift wrap setting. Etsy says the gift wrap price can’t be set to zero. If you want to wrap at no visible charge, build the cost into your item prices and say in the description that items arrive ready to give.
Is Etsy gift wrap charged per item or per order?
Per order. Etsy’s Help Center says the gift wrap fee applies to each order, not to individual items in the order. Price it to cover the wrapping of a typical multi-item order in your shop.
Does Etsy charge fees on gift wrapping?
Yes. Etsy’s Fees & Payments Policy says the 6.5% transaction fee applies to the listing price plus the amount charged for shipping and gift wrapping. Payment processing fees also apply to the order total.
How do gift messages work on Etsy?
When you enable gift messages, buyers can add a message at checkout. You print the packing slip and include it in the package. Etsy says the printed message includes the buyer’s message, your shop name, and the item purchased.
Can I turn off “mark as gift” on Etsy?
No. Etsy says buyers can always mark an order as a gift and sellers can’t turn this off. When an order is marked as a gift, the price is removed from the invoice, and no extra action is needed unless the buyer also chose wrap or a message.
What is an Etsy gift teaser?
A gift teaser is something a buyer can send the recipient before the gift arrives. Etsy says it includes basic order and shipping details, plus the buyer’s message and an item image if the buyer included them. Sellers don’t need to set it up.
Can a gift recipient contact my Etsy shop?
Yes. Etsy says recipients can message you without contacting the buyer, and those messages are labeled “gift recipient” and “help request.” You can answer the recipient directly or involve the buyer, but you should tell the recipient if you do.
Can a gift recipient return an item on Etsy?
Only the buyer can start a return request, according to Etsy. You can still coordinate an exchange with the recipient directly. Make sure your return policy says what you accept for gift orders.
How do I get my listings into Etsy Gift Mode?
Etsy hasn’t published a setting that lets sellers opt into Gift Mode. The practical approach is to make listings clearly giftable: recipient and occasion keywords, wrapped photos, clear personalization, and accurate processing times.
What if a buyer leaves a gift message when I have messages turned off?
Etsy says you’ll still see the buyer’s message on the order, but no action is needed. Many sellers include it in the package anyway, since the buyer clearly wanted it to reach the recipient.
Should I offer gift wrap if I sell digital downloads?
Gift wrap is a physical packing service, so it doesn’t fit instant downloads. Focus instead on listing copy that explains how a buyer can give a digital file as a present, such as printing it or forwarding the download.
Key Takeaways
- Gift wrapping and gift messages are both on Shop Manager > Settings > Options.
- Gift wrap is charged once per order and can’t be set to $0.
- Etsy’s 6.5% transaction fee applies to the gift wrap charge, so price wrap from cost plus fees.
- Buyers can always mark an order as a gift, which removes prices from the invoice.
- Print Etsy’s packing slip on every gift order so messages arrive and prices stay hidden.
- Treat gift recipient help requests as customer service messages and answer them quickly.
- Make listings giftable with recipient keywords, a wrapped photo, and realistic processing times.
The Bottom Line
Start today by opening Shop Manager > Settings > Options and turning on gift messages, since that setting costs nothing. Then cost out one wrapped package, add the fees, and enable gift wrap at a price that leaves you a margin.
Next, update your best-selling listings with a wrapped photo and recipient-focused phrases before holiday traffic peaks. If you want to see whether the changes are working, track conversion on those listings using our guide to reading Etsy shop stats. Get started with the setting, then let the numbers tell you what to refine.
Settings and menu paths in this guide reflect Etsy’s Help Center and Fees & Payments Policy as read in 2026. Etsy’s features and fees change; confirm current options in Shop Manager. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Related Articles
- How to Improve Your Etsy Conversion Rate (2026): more ways to turn holiday visits into orders.
- How to Set an Etsy Return Policy That Meets the Rules: decide what you accept on gift orders before December.
- Etsy Free Shipping Guarantee: Pricing and Ranking Guide: how free shipping interacts with your wrap and postage costs.
About This Research
Chloe Cruz writes Marketplace Hackers’ guides on Etsy fees, SEO, and store growth. She has spent four years writing about eCommerce.
This guide is based on Etsy’s Help Center article on offering gift services and Etsy’s Fees & Payments Policy, read in 2026, plus TechCrunch’s January 2024 report on Gift Mode. The candle shop is an illustrative example with round-number costs, not data from a specific shop.
Content reviewed and updated: 2026-10-28
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