How to Register on Etsy and List a Painting for Sale

Open Etsy’s seller page. On the first screen, click “Get started”. This starts the shop-opening flow.

2. Step

Sign in or create an account

If you already have an Etsy account, enter your email address and sign in. New users can follow the “Create account”. Etsy also offers sign-in with Google, Facebook, or Apple.

You do not need a separate seller account.A regular Etsy account becomes a seller account after you complete the shop-opening flow.
3. Step

Start the shop-opening flow

After signing in, click “Get started”. Etsy will show an introduction screen explaining the main stages: shop setup, seller information, payouts, and opening the shop.

Pay attention to the shop set-up fee.In the provided screenshot, Etsy shows a one-time fee of 19 USD. This is not a universal fixed amount: Etsy says the set-up fee depends on location and is shown during registration.
4. Step

Answer Etsy’s introductory questions

Etsy asks why you came to the marketplace and where you already sell. These questions help tailor the guidance shown in your account. If you are an artist selling your work online for the first time, choose the option stating that you make your own items and want to try selling them.

On the next screen, you can select your current sales channels—craft fairs and markets, social media, other marketplaces, or your own website. If none apply, do not select options just to continue.

After the introductory questions, click “Create shop”.

5. Step

Set the shop language, country, and currency

On the “Shop preferences” page, Etsy asks you to specify three basic settings:

Shop languageThe language you will use for the original titles and descriptions of your items.
Shop countryThe country where the seller and shop are based.
Shop currencyThe currency in which you set your prices.
For UkraineThe screenshot shows Ukraine and USD selected, which is a straightforward option for international sales.

Choose the language carefully before saving.Etsy warns that the primary shop language cannot simply be changed after saving, although translations can be added to listings.
6. Step

Choose a shop name

Enter the name in the “Enter your shop name”. In the current interface, the name must be 4 to 20 characters, with no spaces, special characters, or letters with diacritics.

For an art shop, a short name that is easy for international buyers to read usually works best. For example:

VitaArtStudio • VitaliyArt • VMCanvasArt • MolodetskyiArt

Before deciding, check that the name is not already used by another shop and does not conflict with someone else’s trademark.

7. Step

Choose how you will receive payments

Next, Etsy opens the “How you’ll get paid”. For a seller in Ukraine, the screenshot shows the bank country set to Ukraine, while the payment account and transfers to the personal account are shown in USD.

Choose your bank country carefully.Etsy warns on this screen that the bank country cannot normally be changed after you save it. Enter your real country and a valid method for receiving payouts.
8. Step

Connect Payoneer

For the Ukrainian setup shown here, Etsy asks you to create or connect a Payoneer. Click “Connect your Payoneer account”.

Payoneer will open next. If you already have an account, use the “Connect your account”. If you do not have one, start the registration process with your business email address.

Enter the actual country where your business is registered. If the business is not formally registered, Payoneer asks you to select your country of residence.

Next, Payoneer asks whether the business is registered with a government or tax authority. Answer truthfully: a registered sole proprietor/company should select the registered-business option; an individual without a registered business should choose the unregistered-business option.

9. Step

Complete payment setup, identity verification, and security

After Payoneer, Etsy may ask you to add a payment card for Etsy bills and complete identity verification. According to Etsy’s current help documentation, new sellers are verified through Persona, which requires a government-issued ID and a selfie.

• Use an identity document belonging to the shop owner.
• The name and details must match the payment profile.
• Do not cover or edit important parts of the document in the photo.

Before the shop can be opened, Etsy also requires two-factor authentication. You can use an authenticator app, SMS, or a phone call, depending on availability in your country. Save the backup codes.

Why are there no screenshots showing a passport or payment card?Those screens contain personal and financial information. For a guide, it is safer to show the sequence of steps without publishing real credentials or payment details.
10. Step

Create your first painting listing

After opening the shop, go to your seller dashboard:

Shop Manager→Listings→Add a listing

Etsy’s current help documentation describes the desktop listing process exactly this way: open Shop Manager, go to Listings, click Add a listing, complete the form, and finally select Publish.

Etsy — New listingsection layout diagram
Photos & video
Category
Item details
Item options
Pricing & shipping
How it’s made
Settings

Add photos of the painting
full view, details, signature, sides, and an interior mockup/photo
Category: Painting
Type: Physical item
Painting title
Price

Save / Publish

This is a diagram of the form structure, not a substitute for a real screenshot. Etsy updated the listing form in 2026, so the position of individual elements may change.

11. Step

How to complete the painting listing

Photos and video

For an original painting, do not rely on a single photo. The buyer should be able to see the work as closely as possible to how it would appear in a gallery.

1. Main photo — the entire painting, photographed straight on.
2. Close-up of brushwork and texture.
3. Canvas sides and stretcher-bar thickness.
4. Back of the painting.
5. Artist’s signature.
6. The painting shown in an interior to demonstrate scale.
7. Packaging and a certificate of authenticity, if included.

Category and item type

For a physical original painting, choose the most suitable category in the art section and select Physical item. If you personally created the work, state that the item was made by the seller. Do not claim production methods or authorship that do not apply.

Title

The title should clearly tell buyers what they will receive while using natural search phrases.

Original Oil Painting on Canvas, Seascape Wall Art, Handmade One of a Kind Artwork

Description

Use the first lines for the key specifications, then briefly describe the idea behind the work.

Original one-of-a-kind painting created by the artist.<br><br>Technique: oil on canvas<br>Size: 60 × 80 cm<br>Year: 2026<br>Condition: new<br>Signed by the artist: yes<br>Frame: not included<br>Certificate of authenticity: included<br><br>The painting will be carefully packed for international shipping.
12. Step

Set the price and shipping, then publish the painting

For a one-of-a-kind original, set Quantity: 1. When setting the price, account not only for the artwork itself but also packaging, fees, and any expenses you plan to absorb.

According to Etsy’s current help documentation, the standard listing fee is 0,20 USD, and the transaction fee is 6.5% of the total order amount. Etsy Payments processing fees also apply, and the rate depends on the country of the payment account. Other fees may apply as well, such as advertising or currency-conversion fees.

Shipping

• specify the country of origin;
• processing time;
• countries you are willing to ship to;
• shipping cost;
• weight and dimensions of the already packed painting;
• customs information if Etsy or the carrier requests it.

Packaging is especially important for paintings.Before setting a shipping rate, calculate the box, protective corners, bubble wrap/foam, and the carrier’s actual dimensional weight. A large painting can be expensive to ship even if the artwork itself is relatively light.

When all required fields are complete, click Publish. If you want to return later, save the listing as a draft. After publishing, the listing will appear in your shop and become available to buyers after Etsy processes it.

Full process at a glance

Registration→Create shop→Preferences→Title→Etsy Payments→Payoneer→Verification→Shop Manager→Listings→Add a listing→Publish

What an artist should prepare in advance

• email address and phone number;
• an identity document;
• Payoneer account details or readiness to create an account;
• a payment card for Etsy bills;
• a shop name;
• high-quality photos of the first painting;
• title, description, dimensions, technique, year created, and price;
• shipping and packaging information.