How to Cancel an Etsy Order as Buyer or Seller

As one of the largest e-commerce websites, Etsy has nearly every handicraft one can hope to find. However, the huge selection can often lead to erroneous shopping decisions. Whether your brand new to the platform or have been making purchases on it for some time now, you may suddenly find yourself wanting to cancel a recently placed order. If so, you’ve come to the right spot.

This article will explain everything there is to know regarding order cancellations on Etsy. Keep reading to learn how to cancel an order with or without a shopper’s account. And if you’re a seller, we have some useful advice for you as well.

How to Cancel an Order as a Buyer on Etsy With an Account?

Sellers have the right to accept or not to accept a cancellation request on Etsy. This means that if you’ve purchased an item and decided you don’t like it, you need to get in touch with the seller directly and ask for order cancellation.

Before you proceed, it’s important to make sure that your transaction has been conducted according to Etsy’s cancellation policy. If you have not yet paid for or received your order and the seller agrees to cancel upon your request, the process will be finished automatically.

You can also either ask for an order cancellation before or after the shipping. Chances are that the seller will agree to cancel your order if they haven’t shipped the item yet. On the flip side, if the item is already shipped, you can request a refund and send the item back.

Here are the steps to help you start the cancellation process:

Cancel an Order Before Shipping

If less than two days have passed after you placed an order, the item may not have shipped yet. Here’s how to request order cancellation in this case:

1. Log into your account on www.etsy.com.
   
2. Navigate to the “Your Account” section from the top right-hand of the Home page.
   
3. Open the “Purchases and Reviews” section from the dropdown menu.
   
4. Find the order you want to cancel.
5. At the right-hand side of the order, you’ll see the “Not shipped” order status. There will be a link under it reading “Request Cancellation.” Click on it.
6. You’ll see an auto-generated message for the seller. Edit the message to add more information regarding the offer. You can share the reason for cancellation or anything you believe the seller should know about the offer. You can also re-write the message if you like.
7. Click “Submit” and wait for the seller to reply.

Cancel an Order After Shipping

If more than two days have passed after you placed the order, chances are it’s already shipped.

Here are the steps to canceling your Etsy order upon shipping.

1. Visit www.etsy.com.
2. Click on “Sign in” in the top right-hand of the screen.
3. Click on your account icon from the upper right-hand side. It’s the icon with “You” underneath.
4. Navigate to the “Purchases and Reviews” section in the dropdown menu.
5. Find the order you want to cancel and select “Contact the Shop.” You’ll see an empty message draft show up.
6. Let the seller know you want to cancel your order by sending them a message. Type the message and click “Send” to continue.

The seller will receive your cancellation request and decide whether to proceed with the cancellation request.

How to Cancel an Order as a Buyer on Etsy Without an Account

Users who place an order on Etsy without an account can cancel their order so long as it’s done according to the company’s cancellation policy.

For shoppers who don’t have an account, contacting Etsy’s transaction service is the only way to cancel your order.

Follow the steps below to cancel an order without an Etsy account:

1. Open the confirmation email for the Etsy order in question. It’s the email coming from this address: transaction@etsy.com.
2. Reply to that email and say that you want to cancel your order. Mention that the email is for the seller.

How to Cancel an Order as a Seller on Etsy

Before you cancel an order as a seller on Etsy, make sure it meets the cancellation policy requirements. Also, don’t forget to ask for a refund for unused shipping labels for that order and collect all information you have available for your records.

If you can’t complete the transaction, it’s best to send the buyer a message on Etsy Messages first, prior to canceling it. Here’s how to do so:

1. Navigate to the “Orders and Delivery” section in your Shop Manager.
2. Locate the order in question.
3. Click on the message button on the order.
4. Type the message and click “Send.”

there’s no other way to solve the issue, here’s how to cancel an offer:

1. Go to www.etsy.com and log into your account.
2. Navigate to the Shop Manager.
3. Select “Orders and Shipping.”
4. Head to the “Cancel an order” section by clicking on “More actions,” then “Cancel” in the “Order Detail” overlay. Additionally, on desktop only, you can click on the three-dotted icon next to the order and select “Cancel.”
5. Choose a reason for the cancellation. You’ll also see the refund amount for the buyer.
6. (Optional) Send the buyer a message from the text box below the refund total. You can let them know you’ve agreed to the order cancellation or explain why you canceled the order in the first place.
7. Select “Cancel Order.”

Once you cancel the order, the buyer will get the refund, and the cancellation will take effect immediately. The buyer can leave a review within 48 hours after the cancellation.

However, if the buyer has placed the order through a payment method other than Etsy Payments, you need to refund them through that method.

You can see the list of your canceled orders under “Orders and Shipping,” then “Complete.”

Additional FAQs

What can I do if the seller won’t cancel the order?

If the seller has refused to cancel your order or help you with your request, you can open an order case. Here’s how to do so:

1. Go to etsy.com and navigate to the “Your Account” section. If you use the app, log in and tap on “You.”

2. Navigate to “Purchases & Reviews.”

3. Choose “Help with order” next to the order in question. For app users, simply tap on the order and select the “Help with order” button under that order.

4. Click or tap on “Still need help?”

5. Choose “Yes, I want to open a case.”

6. Select the reason and choose “Next.”

7. Provide all the information for the case and select “Submit” to finish.

If you made an order without an account and wish to open a case, you’ll have to register with an account first, link it to the order, and open the case.

After you open a case, the seller must respond to your request within three days. If the seller is inactive or refuses to cancel the order, you can escalate the case and have Etsy mediate. Here’s how to do so:

1. Log into your account on etsy.com.

2. Navigate to the “Purchases and Reviews” section.

3. Click on “View case” next to the order in question.

4. Choose the case you want to escalate.

5. Click “Escalate.”

Etsy will review the case and make a final decision. They will work with both you and the seller to make sure they have all information needed to make the right decision. You can help expedite the process by providing as much detail as possible in your case log request. Any photographs, receipts, or third-party evaluations are welcome.

Finally, remember to always read the shop’s cancellation policy before placing an order. Doing so will help avoid the unnecessary case opening and solving, eventually saving both you and the seller time and frustration.

Do cancellations as a seller hurt your ability to sell on Etsy?

Many sellers are concerned about too many cancellations affecting their ranking in searches. There is still no official statement from Etsy saying that too many cancellations can negatively affect a store’s search ranking. What may hurt your standing, however, is the combination of bad reviews and cancellations.

Some sellers are very strict about their no-cancellation policies and often ship items that the buyer previously wanted to cancel. Situations like that can lead to negative reviews and case openings with negative outcomes, which can hurt a store’s ratings.

Even though there is no official Etsy policy stating that cancellations count against you, the company can always make a decision that impacts a shop’s revenue stream. That’s why it’s wise to diversify your selling spots and not be too reliant on one venue.

Etsy Order Cancellation Made Simple

Canceling an order is never a pleasant experience, regardless of the store. While some e-commerce giants offer automatic order cancellations, Etsy has made the process a bit more complicated. However, so long as you’re equipped with patience and have a valid reason for canceling your order, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Hopefully, this article has helped you learn all there is to know about canceling an order at Etsy. Remember to always text your seller before getting Etsy involved. And if you’re a seller, make sure to reach out to the buyer first.

Why do you usually have to cancel an order on Etsy? Did you encounter any issues during the process? Share your experiences in the comments section below.