Should You Sell to Canadian Customers on Etsy (Canadian Print on Demand Sellers)?

Hey, it's Kathy from FitKitty Tries! Today, I’m addressing a common question: Should you sell to both Canadian and US customers for your print-on-demand store? As a Canadian, this question frequently arises, especially after tax season. Let's delve into the considerations, including tax obligations and how to manage your settings on Etsy to cater to specific regions.

Selling to Canadian vs. US Customers: Key Considerations

Tax Obligations

In Canada, if you have a registered business with a GST/HST number, you must charge GST/HST on sales. Etsy expects these taxes to be included in your item prices, which can be tricky since tax rates vary from 5% to 15%. After tax season, many sellers realize they need to account for these taxes correctly. I’ve created a spreadsheet to simplify this process—just download your Etsy report and copy-paste it into the spreadsheet to sort your taxes effortlessly.

Shipping Costs and Providers

Shipping to Canada can be expensive, particularly if your print provider is in the US. While Printify offers automatic rerouting to the nearest fulfillment center, some sellers worry about quality control. My solution? Use your US print provider for consistency and adjust your shipping prices to reflect the higher cost for Canadian deliveries. Canadians are accustomed to longer shipping times and higher costs, so this approach can work well without losing sales.

How to Adjust Your Etsy Shipping Settings

1. Navigate to Shipping Settings: Go to your Etsy account settings and select "Delivery Settings."

2. Edit Shipping Profiles: Click on the pencil icon next to each shipping profile to edit. If you want to sell only to the US, delete all other regions from the profile.

3. Save Changes: After editing, save your profile to ensure your changes take effect.

Managing Multiple Shipping Profiles

If you have multiple shipping profiles, ensure you update all of them or consolidate them to avoid inconsistencies. Each time you add a new print provider or product, Etsy might create new shipping profiles automatically, so it’s important to keep these organized.

Conclusion

Selling to both Canadian and US customers can be worthwhile despite the extra tax and shipping considerations. With the right tools and settings, you can manage these challenges efficiently. If you’re a Canadian Etsy seller, subscribe to my channel for more tips and updates. Visit my blog at fitkittytes.com for answers to common questions and grab my referral link below to get 40 free listings when you start your Etsy store.