Selling on Etsy can be a profitable business that you can start from the comfort of your own home. On this platform, you can sell crafts that resonate with your passion and even earn money without making anything at all.
This article is a one-stop guide on how to sell successfully on Etsy. Learn how to start this business from scratch and what high-demand products sell, like pancakes, on this platform.
Key Takeaways
- To sell on Etsy as a complete beginner, all you need to do is come up with profitable ideas, determine pricing, create an Etsy store, start advertising, and start racking up sales.
- Some of the easiest things you can make and sell on Etsy include printables, personalized items, and stickers.
- If you want to earn through Etsy without making anything yourself, consider drop shipping, reselling items, and becoming an Etsy affiliate.
How to Sell on Etsy for Beginners
The idea of selling on Etsy as a beginner may seem intimidating. But, if you approach this journey step by step, you can successfully establish a store that sells well on Etsy.
To make this business venture a bit easier, here’s a general step-by-step process you can use as a guide to start selling on Etsy.
1. Come Up With a Profitable Idea
The very first step toward successful selling on Etsy is deciding which products you’d like to sell.
Of course, the product ideas you move forward with from this step should be profitable. Therefore, take the time to research and brainstorm potential ideas that align with your skills, interests, and market demand.
Hint-hint: The products listed later in this article are all profitable.
2. Determine Your Pricing
Once you know what products to sell, the next step is to establish a pricing strategy for each specific item.
Now, this step can be a bit tricky. If you try to make too much profit, you may potentially drive away customers due to having too-expensive products. On the flip side, if you price your products too low, you might struggle to sustain your business due to insufficient profit margins.
Etsy suggests a simple formula for determining a general “safe price” for most products. This involves multiplying all the expenses you paid for each unit, including your hourly wage, by a factor of two to determine the wholesale price and by a factor of four to estimate the retail price.
However, for best results, you should still check how much competitors are selling the items you also intend to sell and adjust your pricing accordingly. After all, your products will be more marketable if they fall within the price range customers expect.
3. Set Up Your Online Store
Now comes the exciting part of setting up your Etsy store. Come up with a business name that relates to the niche of your products. Then, ensure that your online store features professionally-looking images and banners to appear as a reliable brand.
The more information you can put out about your business and products, the higher the chance customers will trust and buy from your store, even if you’re new to Etsy.
4. Advertise Your Store
No matter how polished you make your Etsy online store appear, it won’t be as successful as it can be if you don’t take the time to advertise your business. So, invest time and effort in sharing your business with your personal network and the wider public, both online and in person.
If you want to see results as early as possible, you may even opt for paid advertising strategies offered by Etsy and other platforms.
5. Start Selling
Do you want to know how to make 10K a month on Etsy?
Well, this last step is the answer. Once you start selling, you’ll inevitably earn money for as long as you effectively manage your online business and meet your customers’ expectations.
Easy Things to Make and Sell on Etsy
It’s not always necessary to invest hours of meticulous work to make highly profitable items on Etsy. Consider exploring the money-making crafts listed below to enjoy high-profit margins with minimal effort.
Printables
Create and sell digital files that customers can download and print for their personal use. You can design pretty much anything and everything that can be printed. So, let your creativity flow and design printables that you can sell unlimited times.
Jewelry
On Etsy, thousands of customers are constantly on the hunt for unique accessories. Consider crafting jewelry products that stand out and elicit high demand from the market.
Crafts
If you’re skilled at a certain craft or hobby, why not consider selling your creations on Etsy? Not only will you earn money from doing what you love, but you’ll also connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion.
Candles
Candles have delightful scents and create a comforting atmosphere, making them attractive go-to gifts and personal purchases among Canadians. As long as you package and design candles uniquely, they can quickly sell on Etsy.
Personalized Items
Sell personalized variations of everyday items such as shoes, clothing, and jewelry. People who are drawn to unique and sentimental items often prefer personalized items over generic ones.
Print-on-Demand Clothing
Create unique clothing designs, partner with print-on-demand suppliers, and wait for customers to purchase your products. You’ll require little to no upfront investment to sell this product, as POD clothes only come to life when there’s an order waiting to be fulfilled.
Holiday Decor
During the holiday season, lots of people are willing to splurge. Hop on this earning opportunity by creating high-quality, unique holiday decorations that you can sell with high-profit margins.
Pet Supplies
Pet supplies are another set of easy things for beginners to make and sell on Etsy. There’s always demand for pet-related products worldwide. So you won’t need to worry about finding customers from scratch.
Photography
Digital photographs are among the top-selling items you can sell on Etsy. Just take photos of the sceneries you love and sell them through your Etsy store at the price you prefer.
Stickers
Do you want to know how to make money on Etsy with Canva? Then, stickers are going to be your best friend. Create unique sticker patterns online, list them on Etsy, and get paid once your digital design sells.
Bath and Body Products
You may also sell bath and body products through Etsy. Just be sure to explain how exactly your products differ from popular ones to convince customers to buy your goods. And, ensure that they adhere to the safety and convenience of customers.
How to Make Money on Etsy Without Making Anything
Create Digital Products
Digital products are intangible goods that are distributed electronically. Once you’ve successfully designed one, you can sell it an unlimited number of times online without the need to physically produce or ship a product.
Create Print-on-Demand Items
Print-on-demand items, like printables, are produced by suppliers only when customers place orders in your Etsy store. These products will help you, as a seller, avoid overhead costs, overstocking, and the hassle of managing inventory.
Just focus on designing your products and finding reputable suppliers, and in no time, you’ll be ready to set up your Etsy shop.
Resell Items
Buy items for cheap prices and resell them at a much higher price to make a profit. Otherwise known as flipping, this strategy requires you to have excellent research skills to keep up with the pricing trends of various products.
Once you get the hang of reselling goods for a profit, you can easily spot underpriced online and offline treasures, which you can then flip to increase the value.
Dropshipping
Connect your Etsy store directly to your product suppliers and sell a wide variety of items without needing to manage your inventory.
The supplier takes care of the order fulfillment and shipping of every order they receive, allowing you to earn profit without actively handling every order.
Work With Someone to Promote Their Store
Want to know how to make money on Etsy without making anything?
Well, believe it or not, it’s pretty easy. Build a strong online presence, collaborate with Etsy stores, and promote their brand for a fee. This earning strategy is ideal for those who aren’t too crafty but want to increase their earnings through Etsy.
Become an Etsy Affiliate
Join Etsy’s affiliate program and earn commissions whenever customers purchase products through the links you share.
As long as you’re at least 18 years old and meet the minimum online presence requirement, you can become an affiliate of the selling platform.
How Much Money Can You Make on Etsy?
Just like any other business, how much money you can make on Etsy widely vary.
While many sellers can consistently earn thousands of dollars each month through this platform, most beginners often struggle to sell just one or two items at first, which provides them with little to no income during the early stages of their online selling venture.
Etsy Fees
These are the most common seller fees you’ll encounter when selling on Etsy.
Listing Fees
For each product you list on Etsy, you’ll be charged a $0.20 listing fee. If you‘re listing multiple quantities of the same product, this fee is only applied once initially. However, an additional $0.20 will be charged with each sale of that item.
Transaction Fees
Every sale you make through Etsy will be charged a transaction fee equivalent to 6.5% of the total order amount. This amount includes the product’s listing price, shipping fee, gift wrapping fee, and applicable taxes.
Advertising and Promotional Fees
If you want to increase the exposure of your products and services, you may also utilize Etsy’s advertisement services, which come at a cost. For on-site ads, you just need to set your daily maximum budget, and Etsy will come up with efficient promotions within your budget.
Pros and Cons of Selling on Etsy
Pros
- Etsy stores are easy to set up.
- There are millions of active buyers on Etsy.
- You’ll have access to seller tools that’ll make it easy to arrange, promote, and optimize your products.
Cons
- You must pay various Etsy fees.
- You’ll have a lot of competitors selling similar or the same items.
- You can’t customize your online store’s appearance to fit your business’ branding.
FAQs
Yes, beginners can definitely make money on Etsy as long as they put in the necessary research, time, and effort required to establish a business. Just remember that selling on Etsy doesn’t mean you’ll get rich overnight. So, for the first few weeks or even months, you’ll most likely not have too many sales.
Handmade crafts and jewelry are among the top-selling items on Etsy. Not all eCommerce platforms allow handmade goods like Etsy does, making it a go-to website for customers who want to purchase high-quality artisanal creations.
Businesses get paid on Etsy whenever customers purchase their products. You can choose how often you’d like your earnings to be deposited directly into your bank account.
Kate Kim, the founder of the Etsy Shop CaitlynMinimalist, is one of the highest-paid sellers on Etsy. Since 2013, her store has made over 2.3 million sales. While she hasn’t publicly revealed how much she makes, it’s safe to say that Kate’s business earns tens of thousands monthly.
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