The Top 10 Things To Sell On Etsy And Make Money Easily (2024)

Who says NFTs have killed physical art? If you’re an art collector, you’d know how to buy and sell artworks online. You’d know Etsy can be a great way to make passive or even primary income while working from home. But figuring out things guaranteed to sell on Etsy can be tricky if you’re a rookie.

From digital products to collectibles, Etsy can be a great platform to start your online business. It can also help you reach out to overseas customers if you have a boutique already.

Remember those old Pokémon cards and Hot Wheel cars you collected as a kid? Guess what! Etsy has a market for that too! Your old cassettes, Vinyl discs, or even an antique décor piece- on Etsy, you can sell them.

If you’re new to all this, don’t worry, you’re in the right place. This post gives you the best 10 things you can sell on Etsy.

10 Most Profitable Things You Can Sell on Etsy

What are popular things to sell on Etsy? If you’re starting your Etsy business, the first step to succeeding is ensuring that what you want to sell actually has an audience. You might have an impressive set of vintage coats to sell, but if there’s no demand, then you’ll struggle to make sales.

So if you have no idea where to start, these 10 products are ideal as they are not only easy to make (or get), but they are also profitable.

1. Handmade Jewelry

Since ancient times, Jewelry has been a symbol of social status and wealth. Today, Jewelry has become increasingly personalized. Unlike ready-made products, handmade Jewelry tends to be non-fungible. It is unique and hence has a high market value.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who can design and build Jewelry on your own, you can go ahead and make a shop on Etsy.

If you’re not, you can buy and resell it. Creating a shop to sell your products is only the first step. Getting people to talk about and accept it is the tricky part. Advertise your products on Pinterest and Instagram and drive them to your Etsy shop.

2. Stickers and Personalized Cards

If you’re a graphic designer who has experience working on Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, why not use it to design stickers and cards? Capitalize on the increase in global interest towards personalized items and get into the niche market for these items.

Stickers are straightforward to sell because you can tie up with a print-on-demand service that helps print your designs and ship them to your customer. You can deal with everything from bumper stickers to wall stickers.

If you get creative with it, you can also design phone covers too. The trick to market entry is evaluating what’s hot and running. Once you know the design trends, you’ll know what can get attention.

3. Collectibles

Everything from Pokemon cards to Hot Wheel cars can be bought and sold to a select group. These people look for rarity and value. If you’re a proud owner of a shadowless Charizard or a Gold Pikachu, you can find a market for it on Etsy.

Alternatively, you can sell old vinyl discs, posters, and rare books. You can also find a market for your ancient coin and stamp collections. However, be careful not to under-prize these scarce and valuable products.

4. Photography

No, not everything needs to be converted into an NFT. Some can be printed and sold to photography enthusiasts around the world. Your best clicks can be easily printed and posted to your customer halfway globally.

5. Paintings

Are you finding it difficult to sell your avant-garde and postmodern artworks? Etsy has a market for you. The best thing about the platform is it allows you to expand beyond your national borders. Pack your canvas and ship it to any place in the world.

6. Custom Made T-Shirts

One of the best things about Etsy is that it allows you to team up with drop-shipping companies to design custom t-shirts for your customers.

With no need to maintain inventory, raw materials, or even a production establishment, selling custom-made T-shirts can be profitable. If you’re proficient in working with Adobe Illustrator or even basic platforms like Canva, you’d be able to make great designs.

The key here is to make designs to suit your customers. To understand what works, you’d have to do your fair share of research. You’ll also need to promote your creations on social media and other platforms. Marketing does most of the work for you. The quality of your designs does the rest.

7. Custom Mugs

Not everyone wants “the world’s best dad” written on their mugs. Many today want highly customized mugs with pictures, names, and personalized quotes. You can cash in on this trend by filling the demand. Making custom mugs is not as difficult as you think.

You don’t need inventory, and you don’t need a distribution network. What you need is some eye for design and digital skills to execute it. You can team up with a print-on-demand service and get your mugs delivered to your customer.

8. Digital Art

If it’s expensive to ship your products and your customers want to print them on their home printer, you can sell your work as digital art.

You can sell everything from party printables to resume templates. Selling digital art is low maintenance and also helps you keep yourself creative. It is an attractive side hustle as it does not require significant capital. All you need is an IPad or a computer to execute those designs your customer needs.

Apart from 2D printables, you can also design printable designs for 3D objects like gift boxes, mugs, and many more. You can also sell your photographs as digital art pieces. The best thing about digital products is that it saves you from trips to the courier office and the customer service effort.

9. Party Decors

Are you that person in your circle who gets excited whenever there’s a party, only to keep the decorations ready? Why not turn your passion into a business on Etsy? From curtain lights to table covers, you can sell them all. Custom-made wall hangings, balloons, party invitations, and everything in between.

To stand out from the crowd, you can send customized suggestions for using the items you send. While this might need you to have an inventory, Etsy has a massive market for these items.

10. Toys

Many parents love safe wooden toys over mass-produced ones for their children. You can create thoughtful educational toys and help out. While this requires prerequisite knowledge on designing toys followed by rigorous marketing on social media, you’re sure to find well-paying customers on Etsy.

You can also expand by selling customized puzzles and toys for every kid. Once you’ve built trust with your customer base, it’s easy to grow.

Alternatively, if you're looking for other ways to boost your income, you can simply check out our list of 10 ways to make money online while playing games.

10 Tips on How to Sell Your Products on Etsy

1. Market your products on social media platforms. Pinterest is the easiest way to do it. Post pictures of your products on the forum and attach a direct link to your Etsy shop. You can also use Instagram and Facebook for similar organic growth.
2. Build blogs to drive traffic. These blogs should be SEO-friendly and informative. The trick is to balance marketing with educational content.
3. Understand what you can sell and what you cannot. Remember, your skills and interests should match the market requirements of the time.
4. Take professional-looking photographs of your products. Your customer cannot touch or feel your products. So, it is your photos that act as a window.High-quality photographs are essential for making a good first impression and encouraging customers to buy your product. Photos on your Etsy shop need to be aesthetically pleasing.
5. Write detailed product descriptions. Just like the photos, the description of your products also matters, and make sure, the include the keyword you want people to find you with. If you’re selling red leather suede shoes, make sure to include all these keywords in the description.
6. Set competitive prices. You want to make sure your prices are in line with the competition, so do some research to find out what similar products are selling for on Etsy.
7. Build relationships with your customers. Respond to all customer inquiries quickly and be as friendly and helpful as possible.
8. Customer service is a must! Make sure to pack and ship orders promptly and go above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction.
9. Create a loyalty program. Offer discounts and incentives to customers who shop with you regularly.
10. Organization is key. Stay organized. Keep track of your inventory, orders, and finances to ensure your online shop runs smoothly.

Creating an appealing Etsy shop front and effectively promoting it is essential for attracting customers and increasing sales.

Here are 11 tips on how to achieve this:

1. Optimize Your Shop Name and Profile

• Choose a shop name that reflects your brand and is easy to remember.
• Write a compelling and concise shop announcement.
• Upload a professional and inviting profile picture or logo.

2. Create High-Quality Product Listings

• Take clear, well-lit photos of your products from multiple angles.
• Write detailed and engaging product descriptions.
• Use relevant keywords in your titles and tags to improve search visibility.
• Set competitive prices for your items.

3. Brand Your Shop

• Use a consistent color scheme and style for your shop’s banner, profile image, and listings.
• Consider adding a shop banner that showcases your brand.

4. Organize Your Shop Sections

• Group your products into relevant sections for easy navigation.
• Create clear and intuitive section names.

5. Offer a Variety of Products

• Diversify your product offerings within your niche to attract a broader audience.
• Maintain a consistent quality and style across all your items.

6. Provide Excellent Customer Service

• Respond promptly to customer inquiries.
• Offer customization and personalized options when applicable.
• Ship orders quickly and with care.
• Resolve any customer issues or complaints professionally.

7. Use Professional Packaging

• Invest in attractive and eco-friendly packaging for a memorable unboxing experience.
• Include thank-you notes, small gifts, or discount codes to encourage repeat business.

8. Promote Your Shop

• Leverage social media platforms, such as Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, to showcase your products.
• Engage with your audience on social media, and use relevant hashtags to increase visibility.
• Consider running paid advertising campaigns on platforms like Etsy Ads, Google Ads, or Facebook Ads.
• Collaborate with influencers in your niche for product features and reviews.
• Attend local craft fairs, markets, or trade shows to promote your shop offline.

9. Encourage Customer Reviews

• Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews.
• Offer incentives, such as discounts on future purchases, for leaving reviews.

10. Continuously Improve

• Monitor your shop’s performance using Etsy’s analytics tools.
• Adjust your product offerings, prices, and marketing strategies based on customer feedback and sales data.

11. Stay Informed

• Keep up with Etsy’s policies and guidelines to ensure compliance.
• Join Etsy seller forums and communities to learn from others and share your experiences.

Managing Order Fulfillment and Shipping -The Right Way

Efficiently managing order fulfillment and shipping is a critical aspect of running a successful e-commerce business. These practices will help ensure that your order fulfillment and shipping processes run smoothly:

Understanding Etsy Fees and Pricing Strategy

Navigating the financial landscape of Etsy requires a grasp of its fees and an adept pricing strategy. From listing fees to transaction charges and from currency conversion to tax implication, the costs can quickly add up.

Understanding Etsy’s fee structure allows you to set competitive yet profitable prices for your products. Let’s go over the main key points.

Types of Fees to Sellers

Etsy charges various types of fees to sellers, such as:

1. Listing Fees:Sellers are charged a $0.20 USD listing fee for each item they list on Etsy.com or Etsy’s mobile apps. This fee is not refundable, and it applies to creating or renewing a listing. Listing fees are incurred regardless of whether the listed item sells. Multiple quantities of the same item incur an initial listing fee of $0.20, which is automatically renewed at $0.20 after each sale.
2. Transaction Fees: When a sale is made through Etsy.com, a transaction fee of 6.5% of the listing price, plus the amount charged for shipping and gift wrapping, is applied. This fee is deducted from the seller’s current balance at the time of the sale. For sellers using Etsy Payments and listing items in a different currency, currency conversion may apply.
3. Advertising and Promotional Fees:Etsy offers advertising services, including Etsy Ads and Offsite Ads. Fees for these services are charged based on various criteria and are deducted from the seller’s current balance. Offsite Ads fees depend on a seller’s recent sales volume and are either 15% or 12% of “Attributed Orders.”
4. Subscription Fees:Sellers can opt for an Etsy Plus subscription at a cost of $10 USD per month. This fee is deducted monthly and may be subject to local taxes. Etsy Plus subscribers receive certain benefits, including listing credits, Etsy Ads credits, and domain registration discounts.
5. In-Person Selling Fees: Sellers using the Square reader to process payments for in-person sales may incur fees, depending on whether their Etsy listings are synced with Square or not.
6. Payment Processing Fees:Etsy Payments users are charged payment processing fees for transactions made through Etsy Payments. These fees vary by location and may include deposit fees for disbursem*nts below certain thresholds.
7. Shipping Fees:Etsy offers sellers the ability to purchase shipping labels, the cost of which depends on various factors such as the shipping carrier, package weight, and dimensions. Sellers who use USPS shipping return labels will be charged after delivery of the returned package.
8. Regulatory Operating Fees:Sellers in certain countries may be charged a Regulatory Operating fee on each transaction. This fee is a fixed percentage of the listing price and shipping cost.
9. Pattern Fees:Sellers can use the Pattern tool to create a personalized website. After a 30-day free trial, a monthly subscription fee of $15.00 USD applies. Local taxes may be charged on this fee where applicable.

All fees are reflected in the seller’s payment account and are deducted from their current balance. Fees are subject to periodic changes, and sellers are encouraged to review the most up-to-date information on Etsy’s website.

How Does Currency Conversion Work?

Most fees are converted from USD to your payment account currency at the market rate at the time they are reflected in your payment account. However, if you are an Etsy Payments user located in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, or Romania, fees will be deducted from your payment account in Euros.

If you list your items in a currency different from your payment account currency, these fees will be converted to your payment account currency at the market rate and reflected in your payment account.

Etsy recommends listing your items in the same currency as your payment account to avoid foreign exchange charges on your sales.

Buyers will still see items in their chosen currency. If you, as an Etsy Payments user, choose to list in a different currency, a 2.5% currency conversion fee will be applied to the sale amount to transfer funds to your payment account.

Currency conversion is automatically managed by Etsy’s payment processing service and is further explained in the Etsy Payments Policy.

Additional Considerations in Etsy’s Fees and Pricing

• Fee Avoidance:Sellers are not allowed to take actions that avoid paying fees. This includes encouraging buyers to purchase items outside of Etsy or altering item prices after a sale to avoid transaction fees. Misrepresenting item location and using another user’s account without permission is also prohibited.
• Paying your Etsy Fees: Etsy automatically deducts all fees owed from the seller’s payment account. If there are insufficient funds, sellers must pay any outstanding fees within 15 days of the monthly statement. Outstanding balances can be paid manually by credit card, debit card, or PayPal. US sellers may enroll in AutoBilling, Etsy’s automatic outstanding fee payment option.
• Etsy Payments:Etsy Payments allows sellers to accept various forms of payment in their local currencies. Sellers can register for Etsy Payments and are subject to the Etsy Payments Policy.
• Taxes:Sellers are responsible for collecting and paying taxes associated with their sales on Etsy. Etsy may calculate, collect, and remit sales tax in certain situations, such as for US orders. VAT, GST, HST, and local sales taxes are collectively referred to as “VAT.” Sellers in Canada and other countries may need to include applicable taxes in their listing prices. Etsy may also withhold taxes in some jurisdictions.
• Other Governmental Fees, Charges, and Levies:In some cases, Etsy may be required to collect additional fees or charges from buyers on behalf of relevant governmental authorities. This includes environmental fees and other levies.
• Marketplace Reporting of Seller Information:Etsy may be legally obligated to report seller information and transaction details to relevant governmental authorities. In the US, Etsy issues 1099-K forms to certain sellers to comply with IRS and state requirements.
• Etsy Gift Cards, Etsy Credits & Etsy Coupons:Sellers registered for Etsy Payments can accept payment by Etsy Gift Cards, Etsy Credits, and Etsy Coupons. These transactions are subject to the Etsy Gift Cards, Credits & Coupons Policy, and the Etsy Payments payment processing fee is applied.

Start Your Etsy Shop!

Etsy is a great platform to build your business. But remember that your business would depend on the health of the website. While we’re not saying they’d shut down tomorrow, it’s always better to be vigilant. Nevertheless, as we enter an era of platform economy, Etsy provides a beautiful way to make money from home.

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