Automate order follow-ups with n8n

What you'll make

An n8n workflow that triggers every time you get an Etsy order, waits a set amount of time, then sends a thank-you message to the buyer. Once it's running, it works on its own — you don't touch it after each sale.

What you need

• An n8n account (the free cloud tier is enough to start)
• An Etsy shop with at least one listing
• An email or messaging account connected to n8n (Gmail works)

Steps

1. In n8n, create a new workflow. Add an Etsy Trigger node as the first step. Connect your Etsy shop by following n8n's authentication prompt. Set the trigger to fire on "New Transaction".

2. Add a Wait node after the trigger. Set it to wait 24 hours — this gives the buyer time to receive their order confirmation before they hear from you.

3. Add a Set node to build your message variables:

Set the following fields:
- buyer_name: from the Etsy trigger's buyer_display_name
- order_id: from the Etsy trigger's receipt_id
- shop_name: your shop name (type it in)
- subject: "Thank you for your order, {buyer_name}"
- body: "Hi {buyer_name}, thank you for ordering from {shop_name}. Your order {order_id} is being prepared. If you have any questions, just reply to this email."

4. Add a Gmail (or email) node. Set it to send to the buyer's email address from the Etsy trigger, using the subject and body variables from the Set node.

5. Test the workflow: n8n lets you manually trigger it with a sample order. Check that the email sends and the variables fill in correctly.

6. Activate the workflow. From now on, every new Etsy order sends a follow-up automatically.

Check your result

• The workflow shows as "Active" in n8n
• The test email arrived with the buyer name and order ID filled in (not raw variable names)
• The wait timer is set — you're not emailing buyers instantly, which feels automated and impersonal

If the Etsy trigger doesn't fire during testing, make sure your Etsy app has the right permissions (read transactions). n8n's Etsy connection needs to be re-authenticated occasionally — if the workflow stops, that's the first thing to check.