What Happens When You Update a SKU in Etsy?
When you update or create a SKU in Etsy, ProfitTree automatically responds to that change during the next data sync. Because ProfitTree relies on SKUs to identify and group products, changes to SKUs can affect how your sales and costs appear in reports.
Watch the Video Explanation
This short video walks through real examples of how SKU changes impact ProfitTree:
How ProfitTree Uses SKUs
ProfitTree uses SKUs to:
Identify unique products
Group sales across multiple listings
Apply consistent COGS
Consolidate reporting in Product Reports
When a SKU changes, ProfitTree treats that SKU as a different product identifier.
What Happens When You Add a New SKU
If you add a SKU to a listing that previously had no SKU:
ProfitTree will begin tracking that product using the new SKU
Past sales without a SKU remain ungrouped
Future sales will be grouped under the new SKU
This helps improve reporting going forward but does not rewrite historical grouping.
What Happens When You Change an Existing SKU
If you change a SKU value in Etsy:
ProfitTree treats the updated SKU as a new product
Sales after the change appear under the new SKU
Sales before the change remain under the old SKU
This can result in what looks like two separate products in reports, even though the item is physically the same.
How This Affects COGS
Because COGS are tied to SKUs:
A new or changed SKU will initially have no COGS
You must assign COGS to the new SKU
If the same SKU exists across multiple listings, COGS must match
Failing to update COGS after a SKU change may result in missing cost warnings or incorrect profit calculations.
When Products Are Grouped Together
ProfitTree will group products when:
The SKU value is identical
The SKU exists across multiple listings
COGS are consistent for that SKU
If SKUs differ, ProfitTree will not group the products.
Best Practices When Updating SKUs
Avoid changing SKUs unless necessary
Use consistent SKUs across identical products
Update COGS immediately after changing a SKU
Understand that SKU changes affect reporting going forward
Summary
Updating or creating a SKU in Etsy directly affects how ProfitTree groups products, applies COGS, and displays reporting. SKU changes are reflected after the next sync and are expected behavior.
If you’re unsure how a SKU change will affect your reports, watching the video above is the fastest way to understand what to expect.