The Etsy online marketplace is an eCommerce giant with over 91 million active buyers. Learn everything you need to know about making money on Etsy and strive among other creative entrepreneurs with click-worthy listings and offers too good to pass.
This article will serve as a thorough guide to being a successful Etsy business owner. From finding a niche to setting up your own Etsy store, designing products, and marketing – we’ll cover it all. Keep reading, take notes, and start making money on Etsy.
Table of Contents
Pick a Profitable Product Category and Niche
There are many Etsy shop ideas to explore, with thousands of white-label products at your fingertips. But, to successfully market and grow your store in the right direction, for starters, you need to pick a profitable niche for the right audience.
A niche is a particular market segment for specific products or services. For example, green tea enthusiasts could be a particular niche to target with your designs and merchandise if you pick the beverage industry.
Dig Deep Into Your Interests
To run a successful Etsy business, finding something you’re either good at or passionate about is crucial. If you have to operate in a niche that means nothing to you, staying motivated and thriving among other Etsy stores will be hard.
Do some soul-searching and find what excites you and what special skills you have. What interests you? What are you good at? Develop your niche from personal experiences, goals, and interests.
This is especially convenient for selling your own art. If you have the skills and dedication, you already have your niche at hand. And running an Etsy store is a great way how to make money as an artist.
Pinpoint Customer Needs
Once you’ve got your niche, it’s time to check if it will sell among potential customers. To do so, you need to research current trends, keywords, issues, and existing solutions in the market.
Use tools like Google Trends, mind maps, Quora, and more, to understand the current offers and issues at hand. That way, you’ll see what your idea can offer and whether it will thrive on this online platform.
Research the Market and Competition
Do market research on your competitor shop pages. See what currently sells well, what competitors offer, and what Etsy customers like and dislike.
Gather information on the market and other successful shops to determine how your product listings are better or different from other Etsy sellers. Why should buyers choose you over them? How to make money on Etsy with improved offers to rank high and make more money?
Explore What to Sell On Etsy
What can you sell on Etsy to make money? Close to everything.
Etsy started as the go-to marketplace for vintage and handmade items, but you can now sell almost anything, especially any print-on-demand product on the platform. As long as it fits Etsy’s policies and guidelines.
So, let’s look at what can be sold on the Etsy marketplace.
- Handmade Creations
Handmade goods are everything you’ve made or designed yourself, including all print-on-demand products you’ve customized with your design. - Vintage Items
Your products must be at least 20 years old to qualify as vintage. Vintage-style items don’t qualify if they weren’t actually made that long ago. - Craft Supplies
This category includes everything a person might need to create something or prepare for a special occasion – tools, ingredients, party supplies, and materials of all kinds.
Top-Selling Products on Etsy
To help you pick products for your online store, we’ve compiled a list of best-selling products on Etsy. This list is based on three main factors:
- Current trends among top Etsy sellers.
- Our own research on different shop pages.
- Data from our successful Etsy shop owners.
We’ve done the research – so you don’t have to. Now, you can focus on exploring product and color options, plan your designs and marketing strategies, and grow your own Etsy website.
Without further ado, here are the top-selling product categories on Etsy.
- Apparel. The highest-selling category on all online marketplaces. From evergreen designs to seasonal goods, clothing can be adjusted to any event, season, or occasion. (T-shirts, hoodies, leggings, pajamas, tank tops, swimwear, underwear, and more).
- Accessories. Etsy is the go-to place for fun and unique items to pair and complement your attire. (Hats, keyrings, bags of all kinds, phone cases, gaiters, handmade jewelry).
- Desk Items. People are buying useful and fun little accessories to improve their workspace or personal desks. (Journals, mouse pads, calendars, wireless chargers, card holders, laptop sleeves, desk mats, and more).
- Drinkware. Drinkware includes different products for multiple uses – from home and office needs to staying hydrated while out and about. (Mugs, water bottles, shot glasses, travel mugs, coasters, and tumblers).
- Home Items. People like to spruce up their homes with creative designs and make their personal space as cozy and chic as possible. (Pillows, candles, blankets, tapestry, rugs, bed covers, puzzles, and more).
- Kitchen Items. And what would a home be without aesthetically and practically pleasing kitchen attire and utensils? (Hand towels, oven mitts, lunch boxes, aprons, serving trays, and cutting boards are a hit).
- Digital Prints. Sell Etsy printables, digital downloads, or actual art with products like stickers, greeting cards, posters, magnets, canvas prints, bookmarks, and more.
- Pet Merchandise. Any self-respecting pet owner will gladly spend money on their beloved creature – hairy, feathery, or scaly. (Pet beds, collars, tags, hoodies, feeding mats, leashes, tank tops, bowls, and more).
Here is a full description of the best-selling categories. Take a look and make an informed decision for your own Etsy shop when it comes to listings and product scope.
Quick Tip
Don’t forget to visit the Etsy Seller Handbook for tips and success stories, use tools like eRank to find relevant keywords and trends, and explore successful Etsy stores to find the current buzz around products and designs to sell.
Make It Happen Today!
Prepare Your Store and Products
If you’ve decided on your business niche and strategies, it’s time to set up an Etsy shop, design your products, and set the prices to create click-worthy listings that will attract customers to your shop.
Step 1: Pick Products and Designs
Choose your products to sell on Etsy from the above-mentioned list of best-sellers. Partner with Printify and gain access to our product vault of over 900 white-label products ready for your creative designs.
Customize clothing and accessories, home decor, games, and kitchen supplies, or even sell printables on Etsy. Our Catalog offers it all.
Step 2: Calculate the Numbers
To perfectly execute your personal finance plan and start earning money on Etsy, it’s essential to calculate all your expenses and fees to set the right profit margin and earn with each sold item. Keep in mind Etsy’s fees and fulfillment costs to calculate your expenses.
- Production costs
- Listing fee
- Transaction fee
- Payment processing fee
- Shipping costs
Step 3: Set up a Store Page
How to sell on Etsy? It all starts with a store.
Create an Etsy account and set up your shop. Add a shop name, description, and all the necessary information regarding your business. Create a well-thought-out store page that customers can easily navigate.
Add a search bar, product categories, and an About Us page to boost your credibility. Once that’s done, link your store page with your Printify account for easy integrations and product listings.
Work on Marketing
Once your store is set up, it’s time to indulge in Etsy marketing to ensure your shop name and listings rank high on search results. To properly market your Etsy store, it’s crucial to pinpoint your target customer, pick the best marketing channels, and try your hand at Etsy ads.
1. Define Your Target Audience
Keep your buyer personas in mind when crafting your products and listings. Who will be interested in your offers and why? How much will they be willing to spend?
Define your target audience by age, location, income, interests, hobbies, and other important factors that will help you distinguish their shopping experience and habits.
2. Select Effective Marketing Channels
While Etsy provides merchants with its own traffic, marketing your listings and brand is the only way to increase traffic and store visibility successfully. Advertise your store and products to make sure each item sells well.
What marketing channels to try:
- Email Marketing. Create a killer email marketing campaign to attract existing and potential customers. Create an email list and send out promotions, deals, upcoming sales, new products, and click-worthy content.
- Etsy SEO. Optimize your listings with high-ranking keywords, meta tags, titles, and backlinks to rank high on search engines. Help people find your store and products when they search for them directly or for something similar.
- Social Media. Advertise your products and features on social media channels like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and more. Use the current trends to create attention-grabbing reels, posts, and videos. Don’t forget to attach hashtags so people can find you.
- Online Advertising. Banners, pop-ups, and more. Use display advertising to your advantage and send people to your store page with one simple click. Come up with click-worthy titles and texts to advertise your store as something too good to skip.
- Content Marketing. Create blog posts, videos, articles, and more with relevant information and product details. From the latest updates and news to product reviews, deals, features, and more.
- Influencer Marketing. Use reviews, affiliates, sponsored posts, giveaways, and other strategies to send traffic to your store from other pages and profiles. Let others spread the word about your brand and chime in on the profits.
3. Engage With Etsy Ads
Pay for in-platform advertising and boost your store visibility on Etsy using promoted listings. Etsy charges a bidding price for every single click. You set the budget and price, and Etsy promotes your listings. It’s that simple.
Analyze, Adjust, Monitor
Analyze your Etsy store performance, collect data and insights, and adjust the listings to make the most profit.
Collect Data
Use tools like Etsy Stats to collect essential data and information about your store visits, clicks, orders, and other useful facts. Statistics and data give you an overview of your store’s performance – what ranks good and what doesn’t. This information can help you improve the shop and its rankings or maintain what already performs well.
Optimize Your Store
Always be on top of your SEO game regarding your listings and storefront. Learn how to take pictures for Etsy to create quality images, product descriptions, and store layout are just some of the criteria necessary for your buyers. Partner with Printify and use our product photos and descriptions to improve your listings and store performance.
Monitor All Processes
One-time optimization or data collection won’t be enough to improve your store ranking and performance permanently. How to make money on Etsy and run a successful store? Keep an eye on all processes and monitor them at all times. Stay alert to the latest trends, customer needs, and feedback to always know what to improve and how to surpass your competition.
Make It Happen Today!
How Much Money Can You Make on Etsy?
Your efforts and dedication define how much money you can make on Etsy. It’s possible to earn nearly a million in your first year. At the same time, some businesses don’t even make their first sale within those 12 months. With the right mindset, niche, and commitment to your Etsy store, you can turn your passive income into a full-time job in the future.
Start Your Etsy Store With Printify
Is selling on Etsy worth it? Absolutely. But you need a good strategy, the right approach, and trustworthy partners.
One of the best ways to make money on Etsy is by partnering up with Printify. Our automated processes, large product scope, and beginner-friendly platform are only some of the benefits that will help you tackle the eCommerce world.
Full Transparency
Printify is a fully transparent and user-friendly print on demand (POD) platform – a partner you can trust. No hidden costs or fees, no secret transactions, no surprises. Be thoroughly informed on all costs, processes, and operations on your Printify Account. Monitor your store, products, and orders in one place.
Global Printing Network
Partner up with Print Providers in the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, and China and fulfill your orders worldwide, ensuring fast shipping and top-notch services. From product printing to packaging and delivering to your customer’s doorstep. All are handled by the printing partners while you focus on growing your business.
Free Mockup Generator
Our free and beginner-friendly Mockup Generator is the perfect tool for creating unique product designs to sell on Etsy. Pick a product, upload your design, and customize it to your liking. Add design layers, texts, and images directly to the product. Choose from different fonts and colors, look at previews and make adjustments to create some custom masterpieces for your Etsy store.
Outstanding Customer Support
Join Printify and gain access to top-notch customer support that will help you every step of the way via chat or email. Our merchant support team is here to provide help, guidance, advice, and support 24/7. In the meantime, feel free to browse our Blog, Help Center, and YouTube channel for valuable articles, tips, suggestions, and updates on all things eCommerce.
Summary: Top Tips For Making Money On Etsy
You’ll need to start by picking a niche to excel in. Narrow down your customer base – the more specific – the better your chances of succeeding.
Next, create an Etsy (and Printify) account and start designing products. Make sure your listings are well-optimized for search engine optimization (SEO) and constantly updated to stay on top of current trends.
Don’t forget about pricing. Explore different pricing strategies and research the market and your competitors to set the right value for your products.
Lastly, market your items and analyze the performance of your Etsy shop to further scale and adjust your efforts.
Here is a checklist you can follow for making money on Etsy:
- Build a compelling brand story implementing your personal values into your brand identity.
- Pick a specific niche for your Etsy business. Narrow down the target audience as much as possible.
- Research competitors and the market itself to gather information on gaps in offers, product prices, and other trends within your niche segment.
- Consider all costs and Etsy fees when pricing your products (shipping price, listing fees, production costs, payment processing fees, transaction fees, taxes, and more).
- Prepare marketing materials for various channels. Those include blogs, social media platforms, your own website, and more.
- Master your listings with SEO, appropriate keywords, tags, and professional mockups. Order product samples and take your own photos to showcase the product in real life and make creative listings that will rank high in the Etsy search algorithm.
Sign up to Printify and become a successful Etsy seller in just a few clicks. Pick a product, customize your designs, and sit back and relax while we take care of the rest. Prosper on Etsy with Printify.
