Education Centre
Getting Started
Your step-by-step guide to setting up your Ratch shop and making your first sale — from registration to payout.
Your journey
5 steps to your first sale
Register as a vendor
Apply to open your shop on Ratch. Once your application is reviewed and approved you'll receive a confirmation email and your vendor dashboard will be unlocked.
- Click Become a Seller from the site header or your account area.
- Fill in your shop name, contact details and a short bio about your business.
- Submit your application — the Ratch team usually reviews within 1 working day.
Set up your store profile
Head to Dashboard → Settings → Store. A complete profile builds buyer trust and helps your shop appear in search results.
- Store banner & logo — upload a banner image (recommended 1200 × 300 px) and a square logo or profile photo.
- Store name & bio — tell shoppers who you are and what you sell. Keep it friendly and authentic.
- Contact details — add a phone number and choose whether to display your email publicly.
- Store address — used for tax, shipping calculations and your store map pin.
- Opening hours — optionally set your store open/close times so buyers know when to expect replies.
- Terms & Conditions — add your shop T&Cs so buyers can review your policies at checkout.
Set up your payment method
Go to Dashboard → Settings → Payment. You must connect a payment method before your earnings can be paid out.
- Enter your bank account details for direct bank transfer payouts.
- Alternatively connect PayPal by entering your PayPal email address.
- Once set, withdrawals are processed on a rolling schedule — you'll be notified by email when a payout is on its way.
Add your first product
Go to Dashboard → Products → Add New Product. Great listings are the foundation of a successful shop.
- Title — be descriptive and include keywords buyers might search for (e.g. "Handmade Oak Serving Board – Personalised").
- Photos — use clear, well-lit images. The first photo is your thumbnail in search results, so make it count.
- Description — cover size, materials, care instructions and anything unique about the item.
- Price & Stock — set your selling price and how many units you have available.
- Category & Tags — choose the most relevant category and add tags to help buyers find you in search.
- Shipping — enter the weight and dimensions so shipping costs calculate correctly at checkout.
Already selling on Etsy?
Skip the manual work — import your Etsy listings
If you have an existing Etsy shop you can pull your listings straight into Ratch instead of creating each product from scratch. Images, descriptions, prices, variants and SKUs are all carried across so your products are ready to review and publish in minutes.
How to use it:
- Go to Dashboard → Products → Import from Etsy.
- Connect your Etsy account when prompted and authorise access.
- Choose which listings to import — a single item, a selection, or your entire shop.
- Review the import preview, then click Import.
- Your Etsy listings appear as standard Ratch products — fully editable and completely independent from your Etsy shop.
Once imported, the products belong entirely to your Ratch store. Any future changes on Etsy won't affect them, so you're free to adjust prices, descriptions and photos to suit your Ratch shop.
Manage your first order
When a sale comes in you'll get an email notification. Head to Dashboard → Orders to manage it.
- Review the order details — item, quantity, buyer address and any personalisation notes.
- Pack and ship the item, then mark the order as Shipped and add a tracking number if you have one.
- Your earnings appear in Dashboard → Withdraw once the order is complete. Request a payout when your balance reaches the minimum threshold.
Know your way around
Dashboard Quick Reference
Dashboard
Your overview. See total sales, recent orders, top products and a sales chart at a glance.
Products
Add, edit and manage your listings. Import from Etsy, set stock levels and update prices.
Orders
View and process every order. Update order status, add tracking and message buyers.
Withdraw
Track your balance and request a payout to your bank or PayPal once you hit the minimum threshold.
Reports
Dig into your sales data — revenue over time, best-selling products and order volumes.
Coupons
Create discount codes for your shop — fixed or percentage off, with optional expiry dates.
Reviews
See all reviews left by buyers. Respond publicly to show great customer service.
Settings
Control your store profile, payment method, shipping zones and store policies.
Pro tips for new vendors
Set yourself up for success
Photo quality matters. Natural light, a clean background and multiple angles can dramatically increase click-through rates.
Reply quickly. Buyers who receive a fast response are far more likely to complete a purchase. Aim to reply within a few hours.
Use descriptive titles & tags. Think about what a buyer would type into search. Include materials, style, size and use case.
Dispatch promptly. Consistently fast dispatch leads to better reviews, more repeat buyers and a stronger shop rating.
Run a launch offer. Create a coupon code (Dashboard → Coupons) for your first few customers to encourage those vital early reviews.
Promote your shop. Once you have a few listings live, head to the Education Centre to learn about advertising and boosting visibility.
Keep learning
What to explore next
Need a hand?
Still have questions?
Our Vendor Success team is available Monday – Friday, 9am–5pm (GMT) and is happy to help you get your shop off the ground.
