Etsy Updates Categories and Attributes

Etsy regularly updates its categories and attributes based on user feedback and its own research, and on Tuesday, it announced the latest changes in a post on the Etsy Seller Handbook.

Etsy reminded readers in its post that sellers assign their listings to the most specific category that fits their item, and shoppers use categories to filter searches on Etsy and when using Etsy’s navigation menu. The category and subcategories sellers select also determine which attributes they can add to their listing.

All of this is important for sellers because as it wrote, “Attributes work in tandem with your tags and can affect your item’s placement in Etsy search.”

Some of the changes it announced this month (“April 2020 Updates”) are due to the demand for certain items from people concerned about COVID-19. For example, it created a new category for handmade face masks called “Face Masks & Coverings,” as well as a new category for patterns called “Mask Patterns” under “Patterns & How-To in Craft Supplies.”

Etsy also added a new “Hand Sanitizers” category under “Bath & Beauty” and advised sellers, “Make sure you’re following Etsy’s Prohibited Items policy when listing these items and avoid making any medical or health claims.”

Be sure to read the post on the Etsy Seller Handbook for all of its recent changes.

Ina Steiner

Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.