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How to sell on Pinterest

Short answer

Pinterest doesn't run checkout: it sends shoppers to your site or shop to buy. Claim your website, turn product pages into product Pins with rich Pin markup or a catalog, and link every Pin to the page where the sale happens. Etsy listings can be pinned too, but your own site keeps the buyer.

Two ways to sell, and which is yours

Pin your marketplace listings

Pinning Etsy listings takes no setup, since Pinterest reads product details from Etsy without extra markup, and the sale happens on Etsy. It's the quickest start, but every click builds Etsy's customer list instead of yours.

Best for

Etsy sellers adding a free source of traffic.

Send Pins to your own site

Claim your domain, add product markup or upload a catalog, and Pins carry live price and stock to pages you own. Replo builds the store and its product pages on your brand. It doesn't sync a Pinterest catalog, so you upload one or add the markup yourself.

Best for

Brands with visual products and a store of their own.

Where to sell on Pinterest and what each platform charges

Fees for selling on Pinterest
PinterestFree to add productsNo commission; buyers check out on your sitePinterest charges only if you choose to run ads.
Your own site (Replo checkout)Your Replo plan2.9% + $0.30 card processingReplo checkout runs on Stripe, and Replo's docs list no extra per-sale fee.
Your own store on Shopify$39 a month, or $29 billed yearly2.9% + $0.30 with Shopify PaymentsUsing another payment provider on Basic adds a 2% third-party transaction fee.
Etsy$0.20 a listing6.5% + 3% + $0.25 processingOffsite Ads take 15% of sales they bring in, or 12% once you pass $10,000 a year.

Pinterest takes no commission on what you sell, so your cost depends on where the Pin sends the shopper. Etsy and Shopify charge on each sale, while your own site keeps the buyer's details.

What you keep on a $30 art print

Each platform's fees on one $30 sale, before shipping, taxes, monthly plans and any ads you choose to buy.

  1. Your own site (Replo checkout)$28.83 kept, $1.17 in fees
  2. Your own store on Shopify$28.83 kept, $1.17 in fees
  3. Etsy$26.70 kept, $3.30 in fees

Launch checklist

  • Switch to a Pinterest business account, which lets you tag products and create product Pins.
  • Claim your website by adding Pinterest's HTML tag to your site or its TXT record to your DNS.
  • Add Open Graph or Schema.org product markup so Pins show live price and availability.
  • Before uploading a catalog, install the Pinterest tag and publish clear shipping and refund policies.
  • Apply to the Verified Merchant Program once your business account is three months old and your site nine.
  • Make vertical Pins that show the product in use, and link each one to that product's own page.

Build your store for Pinterest

Replo builds a store on your brand with a page for every product, ready for the shoppers your Pins send.

The prompt Replo starts from

Build an online store for my [product type] brand, [brand name], that I'll promote on Pinterest. Include a homepage with styled lifestyle photos, a product page for each item with price, details and photos, a shipping policy page, a refund policy page, a contact page with our email, and an email signup for new collections.
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Frequently asked questions

How do you make money on Pinterest?
Link Pins to products you sell, on your own site or a shop like Etsy, and let Pinterest send shoppers there. Product Pins show price and availability, and Pinterest ads can promote them once your business passes Pinterest's merchant review.
What is not allowed on Pinterest?
Pinterest's Community Guidelines ban adult content, hateful activities, misinformation, harmful or deceptive products and spam. For sellers the spam rules matter most: no repetitive or deceptive content made to earn money, and no links to unsafe or deceptive websites.
Is Pinterest still worth it for selling?
Yes, for visual products. Pinterest says shopping is the top reason people come to the platform, and it takes no commission on what you sell. The trade-off is that Pins send buyers elsewhere, so your product page has to close the sale.
What does the Verified Merchant Program do?
It gives vetted brands a blue checkmark on their profile and Pins, plus features like merchant details. Your business account must be at least three months old and your website at least nine months old, claimed and within Pinterest's merchant guidelines.

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