A digital download listing has one extra job a physical one doesn't: it has to set expectations precisely, because the buyer can't hold the thing before they buy. Get that wrong and you get “not as described” cases; get it right and you barely get questions. Below is a copy-paste description template built from the blocks that prevent those refunds, the exact lines to include, and how to fill the specifics from your actual file instead of guessing.
Under Etsy's Purchase Protection and Cases Policy (in force since 9 July 2026), “not as described” disputes are eligible for digital items too — so a buyer who expected an editable file and got a flat PDF, or expected 300 DPI and got a blurry 96-DPI export, can open a case. Almost all of it traces back to one thing: the listing didn't say exactly what they'd receive. The fix isn't fine print — it's a description that states the file count, formats, sizes and DPI up front, plus the three lines every digital listing should carry: that it's a download with no physical item, that downloads aren't available in the Etsy app, and your refund stance. Say it clearly and the cases mostly disappear.
Copy this and fill the brackets. ▸ YOU WILL RECEIVE: [number] files — [formats, e.g. PDF, PNG, SVG], [sizes], [DPI]. ▸ THIS IS A DIGITAL DOWNLOAD — no physical item will be shipped. ▸ HOW TO ACCESS: after purchase, find your files under Purchases in a web browser — downloads are not available in the Etsy app, please use a browser. ▸ PRINTING TIPS: [print at home, or a print shop / recommended paper / sizing note]. ▸ PERFECT FOR: [occasion or use — this is your soft gifting line]. ▸ REFUNDS: due to the digital nature of this item, all sales are final — but message me if anything's wrong and I'll make it right. ▸ LICENSE: [personal use only / commercial license available] — set this to match what you actually allow. Those seven blocks, in that order, cover everything a case would otherwise be about.
The brackets that cause refunds are the specific ones: file count, sizes and DPI. Don't estimate them. Open the actual file and read them off it — a print is only genuinely high-resolution at 300 DPI or above, and a 96-DPI app export is not, so don't call it printable if it isn't. State the exact dimensions (US Letter, A4, and any others), the exact formats, and the exact number of files. Etsy allows up to 5 files per listing at 20MB each, so if you're bundling sizes, say how many are inside. Precise specifics are the single biggest thing that separates a case-free digital shop from a stressful one.
Digital titles follow the same 2026 guidance as physical ones — item first, under 15 words, within 140 characters — with one addition: include exactly one format qualifier so buyers know it's a download. Use one of Printable, Digital Download, SVG or Canva Template, not all four. 'Editable Weekly Planner PDF, Printable Daily To-Do Organizer' works; 'Printable Digital Download PDF SVG Planner Template Instant' does not. Keep the aspirational words out — 'perfect', 'beautiful', 'gift for' and sale language belong nowhere near a digital title.
Fill all 13, each a multi-word phrase of 20 characters or fewer, none repeating your title — the same rule as any listing, with one twist: drop the physical-product tags. 'Fast shipping', 'gift box', 'gift wrap' make no sense on a download and waste a slot. Use the space for format and use searches instead: 'printable wall art', 'instant download', 'editable template', 'digital planner', plus the occasion and style phrases buyers actually type. Format words earn their place in digital tags in a way they never do for a physical item.
For a printable wall-art set, the description opens: “YOU WILL RECEIVE: 4 files — high-resolution PDF and PNG, in US Letter, A4, 11x14 and 16x20, all at 300 DPI. THIS IS A DIGITAL DOWNLOAD — no physical item will be shipped. HOW TO ACCESS: after purchase, open Purchases in a web browser (not the Etsy app) and download your files. PRINTING TIPS: print at home on matte cardstock, or send to a local or online print shop; colours may vary slightly by printer. PERFECT FOR: gallery walls, nurseries and last-minute gifting. REFUNDS: due to the digital nature of this item, all sales are final — message me if anything's off. LICENSE: personal use only; commercial licenses available on request.” Every bracket filled, no case to open.
Filling those specifics by hand for every product gets tedious, and it's exactly the part that's easy to get wrong. The digital listing generator measures your file directly in the browser — page count, print sizes and DPI — and writes the template above with the real numbers, plus a compliant title and 13 digital tags. Your file never leaves your browser: it reads a small preview and the measurements, not the file itself. It's the fastest way to get precise, case-proof digital listings. For the pieces around it, see what files to include, what DPI printables need, avoiding not-as-described cases, commercial-use licenses and instant download vs made-to-order.