A Buyer Opened an Etsy Case: What Sellers Should Do

Getting a case notification is stressful, but it isn't a black mark you can't recover from. A case is Etsy's way of stepping in when a buyer and seller couldn't sort out an order between them.

Here's how cases work, what to do in the first hour, and how to stop them happening again.

How a buyer gets to a case

Under Etsy's Cases Policy, effective 9 July 2026, a buyer must first contact you through Help with Order. They can open a case if:

• they haven't heard back from you within 48 hours, or
• the problem hasn't been resolved within 48 hours.

The order also has to be within Etsy's time window, based on the estimated delivery date or your processing time and ship-by date. The problem has to be one of these:

• the item never arrived
• it arrived late
• it arrived damaged
• it doesn't match the listing description

A buyer who has filed a chargeback with their card company can't also open a case.

What happens once a case is open

Etsy says it will usually resolve and close the case automatically. That can include refunding the buyer and taking the money back from your Etsy Payments balance.

If Etsy needs more information, it will contact you. You must respond within 2 calendar days. Missing that deadline is one of the easiest ways to lose a case.

Your first hour: a step-by-step plan

1. Open the case: Shop Manager → Help → Cases → Cases reported about your shop, then select the case ID.
2. Read the buyer's complaint carefully. Is it non-delivery, damage, late arrival or "not as described"?
3. Gather your evidence:
4. tracking number and latest tracking status
5. your dispatch date compared with your processing time
6. listing photos and description
7. your messages with the buyer
8. Add a calm comment using Add Your Comment. Acknowledge the problem and say what you'll do.
9. Offer a fix if the buyer is right. A refund or replacement now is usually better than waiting for Etsy to decide.

Case comment template: item didn't arrive

I'm sorry the order hasn't arrived. It was dispatched on [date], within our stated processing time, with tracking [number]. The latest update shows [status]. I've opened a query with the delivery service and offered the buyer a replacement or full refund.

Case comment template: damaged or not as described

I'm sorry the item arrived [damaged / not as expected]. I've asked the buyer for photos and offered a free replacement or a full refund. I'm happy to resolve this whichever way the buyer prefers.

Keep comments factual and polite. Etsy reads them, and so may the buyer.

Which disputes Etsy won't take on

Unless the law requires otherwise, Etsy's case system doesn't cover:

• items that were altered, used, worn, washed or thrown away after delivery
• items returned without a return agreement
• items that were accurately described but didn't meet the buyer's expectations
• disputes over shipping costs or customs charges (except US duties where the seller didn't use Delivery Duty Paid shipping)
• in-person purchases, and payments not made through Etsy Payments

If a case doesn't fit Etsy's criteria, say so politely in your comment and point to your listing description.

Etsy's Purchase Protection for Sellers

For eligible non-delivery, damaged and not-as-described cases, Etsy can refund the buyer up to $250, including shipping and taxes, and you won't be held responsible.

You only qualify if you did the basics right. Etsy's requirements include:

• dispatching within your stated processing time
• using tracking or an Etsy shipping label
• showing an estimated delivery date
• the item matching its listing photos and description
• replying to Help with Order messages within 48 hours

Don't forget: US orders and duties

Etsy now requires Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) shipping for orders sent to the United States. If a US buyer is charged import duties on delivery because the seller didn't use DDP, they can claim those charges back through a case, or a full refund if they refused delivery. This matters most for sellers posting from the UK, EU and elsewhere.

How to avoid cases in the first place

• Reply to every message within 24 hours. Most cases start with silence.
• Set honest processing and delivery times, with extra time in peak season.
• Use tracking on every order.
• Photograph and describe items accurately, including size, colour and material.
• Message buyers when you dispatch, with the tracking link.
• Solve problems early with a replacement or partial refund before the 48 hours are up.

Cases are rarely about one mistake. They're usually about a buyer feeling ignored. Fast, kind replies prevent most of them.

Related: Etsy order gone wrong? What to do · How to respond to a 1-star review

Sources: Etsy Cases Policy (effective 9 July 2026), Etsy Help: How to Resolve a Case from a Buyer, Etsy Help: What is Etsy's Purchase Protection for Sellers?.