When to say NO to custom order requests on Etsy.
Managing Custom Orders on Etsy.
When we open an Etsy Shop, we focus on making those first sales as soon as possible; to achieve this goal, we tend to accept special custom order requests, which is very typical when we start selling on Etsy because the main idea is to actually get some orders in. Still, here you will learn which cases is better to say no to custom order requests on Etsy.
As your shop grows and you get recurring orders, you will see that the labor increases. You will also notice the need to improve your time management to work on finances, marketing, customer service, just to name a few tasks.
So once you have an established business schedule, it's important to realize when to say no to special custom order requests and which ones accept that will allow you to continue with a smooth order fulfillment process.
Let me explain; on Etsy, you can include 2 different variations per listing, sometimes these variations can be a way of customization for the product; you can use them as add-ons or any other option that you will offer for a specific item besides the personalization field which allows the customer to type in a name most of the times or any other personalization feature you are offering for that product. You have set on your listing the possible variations and give the customer the option to personalize the product with a name, for example. This type of personalization is totally okay and is NOT the one I'm referring to because you have already pre-set it.
The customization that I'm referring to, which is the one that you need to begin to be aware of, is the one that is outside of those already pre-set variations and personalization options.
Custom order request example:
You have a white personalized name rainbow mug listing.
Your streamlined order processing includes having stock of the white rainbow mug, and once your customer places the order, you just need to add the name, which allows you to fulfill the order in just one day.
So, when you receive a DM from a buyer asking for a black mug instead of the white one, saying YES to this special request will stop or delay your order processing. Why? First, you don't have a pre-stock of black mugs. Second, the colors on the rainbow need to change for it to be seen on a black background, so you probably need to re-design the rainbow with different colors to look good on a black background.
Figuring all these things out, sourcing for a new black mug similar to the white one you already have, and testing if the new colors will work or not will simply take time, TIME that you could have used to fulfill 3, 4, or 5 more orders of the white rainbow mug.
Also, because you are spending a lot of time fulfilling the black mug order, you suddenly realize you could not ship other orders on time (the next day) because you are still working on redesigning that black mug.
When to reject custom order requests
What I want to point out is that it's okay to say no to some custom order requests. Actually, you should be saying no to those requests more often if you know that your overall order fulfillment process will be affected, as explained in the above example. If the buyer is asking for a modification of the product that you haven't tried before (rainbow colors on top of a black background) and you know it will take time for you to figure out, maybe you should consider not stopping your processes for just that 1 order and instead use that same time to create a whole new product for your shop!
Sometimes the client is not even willing to pay an extra customization fee, so you will pretty much be giving your time for free. Sometimes the custom requests are so extreme that you simply know that with all the modifications that the client is making to the product, it is not even a product that you will list as a new product in your shop.
Response to custom order request message template
This is one of the response templates I use for custom order requests that I won't take.
Hi (Customer name)
We appreciate your interest in (product name); Due to time constraints, we are not taking custom order requests at the moment.
Best regards,
Feel free to use it for your responses as well 😉
Again, when you are just starting out and you have the time, it is more than okay to accept special order requests that come in.
If you are actively receiving custom orders you can enable the button that allows buyers to send you requests. To do this you just need to go to Settings -> Options and select Enabled.
Still, as your business grows, you will see the need to prioritize your time. You will soon realize that you need to start rejecting some custom order requests to avoid affecting regular orders' shipping schedules and fulfillment processes.
Once you get clarity and realize the effect these requests may have on your overall fulfillment process, you know that you can set boundaries with clients.
Ultimately, you are running a business, which means it still needs to run as a well-oil machine, following fulfillment times, stock and production capacities, and working schedules.
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