Most of the products on Etsy have a vintage, crafty, handmade feel and are for sale by third-party sellers that consist mostly of small businesses or individuals. Etsy has a personal feel and a connection with a seller often plays a big part in the products a consumer chooses to buy. If you want to sell on Etsy, you may have to conduct some research to find out what sells best on the site. Here are five types of products you can sell to make money on Etsy.
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Photography
Photography is a popular category on Etsy and many photographers use the platform. You need to understand how copyright rules work with digital images and clearly state what customers can and can’t do with your photos. If you want to sell your photo prints online, you may want to offer different sizes of the same image so customers can use them for different purposes. It’s helpful to incorporate keywords into your listings so consumers can find your products when they’re searching for the specific type of photos you sell.
Working with a print-on-demand vendor like Printbest means you don’t need to place an upfront minimum order quantity if you want to sell physical prints. By integrating the order system with your Etsy shop, it produces an order only when a customer places an order. You don’t have to manage inventory or place an order before you sell a product.
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Digital downloads and printables
As an Etsy shop owner, you can sell all kinds of digital downloads and printables, from party printables to sewing patterns. Offering them is a way to exercise your creativity and add more listings to your shop. It’s a very low-maintenance way to make money because you don’t have to store or dispatch items and you can sell the same item multiple times.
Listing a digital download is the same as creating a listing for a physical product, except that you upload the file customers will receive when they buy. When they purchase a digital file, it is immediately available to them. List a few designs, see what customers respond to, and make more of the ones that do well. Selling digital products may require a little extra customer service so customers can make the most of their purchases.
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Handmade jewelry
Looking at the sites that seem to make the most money on Etsy, many of them sell handmade jewelry, such as necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and other accessories. High-quality, customized jewelry is always popular.
If you offer handmade jewelry, you will have to manage inventory, handle sales and shipments, and all the other details related to owning a shop and selling physical products. Fortunately, the platform gives you the tools you need to manage your business, accept payments, and analyze and optimize your shop.
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Vintage collectibles
Etsy considers an item vintage if it’s over 20 years old. It is the perfect place for consumers to find vintage items they can’t find anywhere else, including shoes, clothing, toys, accessories, buttons etc. It’s tempting to open a vintage shop that sells a little of everything and it can do well but it will lack the focus and credibility that comes with focusing on a specific niche, such as vintage jewelry or vintage photography.
It’s better to collect an inventory of at least 20 items before you launch rather than launching with a couple of items. When you have more listings, you have a better chance of showing up in search results and getting quality traffic to your store.
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Crafts and supplies
Crafts and supplies are top sellers on Etsy and buyers can browse DIY craft projects, get inspired and shop for supplies they need to make them. The basis of a strong listing is a good description and product photography that will turn visitors into customers.
Descriptions should be clear and concise with tags, attributes, and titles that make the products easy to find when searching for them. A good photo will help customers to see what they will get in terms of color, shape, size, etc. so there’s no disappointment when they receive products. Delivering craft supplies quickly and in a cost-effective way is important to appeal to online shoppers.
