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What can I sell on Etsy?
Etsy is a marketplace, much like Amazon, that matches buyers to products that they are looking for. Etsy is unique because it is focused on handmade, vintage, craft, and artisan types of products. With rapidly growing traffic, Etsy is becoming a very powerful platform to sell on. So you might be wondering, what does that have to do with the question “What can I sell on Etsy?”
Etsy is a handmade and vintage marketplace.
This means you can sell products that are made or designed by you.
Etsy is the perfect platform to help you start your business if you have created something you believe people will want to buy.
And the coolest part is, Etsy works by showing search results they feel buyers will be most likely to purchase, which means that new sellers are able to find more success on Etsy than a platform like Amazon.
There are four main types of products you can sell on Etsy:
- Supplies
- One-of-kind physical products
- Repeatable products
- Digital products
Type #1: Supplies
Supplies are the products that crafters use to create their products. This includes beads for jewelry, lego blocks separated by color, paper stationery, and so much more.
These products do great because supply buyers are often already selling on the Etsy platform, and they like to support other Etsy sellers, so you have a built-in customer base.
Type #2: One-of-kind products
One-of-kind products are mainly craft products that are made once and that can not be created again easily. A good example of an OOAK product would be a hand-carved clock or a custom sculpture.
This also includes the vintage types of products, like a vintage wedding dress or LARPing uniform.
(If you are not sure what LARPing is, it is worth the google, we promise!)
Type #3: Repeatable products
Repeatable products are things that you can easily reproduce and possibly carry an inventory of. These are products that you will be able to be made quickly and easily.
Examples of these products are things like stickers, 3d printed products, and most Print-on-Demand Products (t-shirts, aprons, tote bags, etc).
Type #4: Digital products
Digital products are one of the BIG reasons that Etsy is so great for new sellers to get started as a launching pad for your side hustle or new biz.
You just need to create some sort of product that can be downloaded. No, nothing like an app, but more like a budget spreadsheet, planner, or printable games.
Some examples of digital products that sell really well are products that help people organize, things that entertain people, and things that teach something (like homeschool learning activities).
Canva is a great way to make digital products people love.
Canva is free to use and you can make some great products that Etsy customers will love.
You can also try the 30-day free trial of the Pro version (which we use and LOVE!!!!), and using the link below helps support OWLLytics without costing you anything extra.
Click here to check out the FREE Canva designing website– you won’t regret it!
What is the cost of getting started selling on Etsy?
Depending on what type of product you want to start selling, the cost of selling on Etsy varies a little bit. Overall, Etsy is one of the most affordable platforms for new sellers, however, making it a powerful platform for newbies.
Etsy does have listing and selling fees, however, these are pretty affordable compared to other marketplaces. For a complete breakdown of Etsy fees check out this:
Another cost to consider when starting on Etsy is your inventory and/or overhead cost. Some types of products on Etsy will require you to keep an inventory.
Supplies are usually the largest in terms of making an initial investment. You will need to buy and stock your inventory of supplies before you can sell them. This could range anywhere from $100 to $1000 dollars, depending on the type of product(s) you want to offer.
Print-on-Demand is a bit different, however. You are able to create and list as many products as you like, using the images provided by your print supplier (manufacturer), and you would only need to purchase the finished item from the supplier after a customer purchases it from you on Etsy, first. You would need to have enough money set aside for your first few orders, as there is a delay between the customer’s purchase and Etsy’s payment to you.
One-of-a-kind products will require you to either buy the vintage product or buy the supplies to create the OOAK product. If you already own the product and/or supplies, the cost is going to be much less, of course.
Repeatable products often require some inventory to get started, although often not nearly as much. Before you can sell a repeatable product, you will need supplies to create your product. You should make sure you have enough to handle the demand of your first few sales. Many sellers are able to get these supplies once they the item is ordered, but you would need to create the first one for your product listing and photos.
Digital products are the cheapest and easiest way to start selling on Etsy. The only cost of these products is your time, plus the listing and selling fees. (This is assuming you already have some sort of digital device connected to the internet.) All you have to do is create a downloadable file that people will want to see value in and purchase.
What Etsy product should I start with?
This all depends on what you want to do in life- what is your ultimate goal for selling on Etsy?
If you want make products one time and skip dealing with shipping, then a digital product or print-on-demand product is probably your best choice.
If you want to have something to do at home so you are not bored, or already have a crafty hobby, maybe repeatable products are better for you.
If you enjoy shopping and hunting for bargains, then vintage products are usually a great match!
If you’re not very crafty or handy, but want to build a solid side-hustle or small business, supplies can be a good fit.
This really depends what you want in life and what you enjoy doing. Another thing to consider is how much money can you invest. Your financial situation and contribution to inventory costs can affect your decision as well.
But if you want our advice, we suggest starting with Print-on-Demand products or a digital product. These can become very lucrative and require the least amount of work to maintain.
Getting started on Etsy:
Setting up an Etsy account is extremely easy!
It only takes a few moments to set up your Etsy shop and get started. Once your shop is set up, you want to list your first product.
You can get 40 free listings on Etsy by clicking on this link:
(Get 40 free listings with this link)
*This is an affiliate link, which provides us both with 40 free Etsy listings. This costs you nothing and helps support OWLLytics. Thank you!*
There is typically a $0.20 listing fee to get your product set up in their platform and available for buyers to see and purchase.
Once your item sells, you will be charged selling fees as well. And you can also opt into advertising fees.
To learn more about Etsy Fees and how they work, watch this video.
The more products you have in your store, the more quickly you will build sales!
We also offer an beginner’s course for getting your Etsy store set up, choosing successful products, and more- you can get the details for that here.
In general, it’s fairly easy to get started on Etsy! The most difficult part is deciding what to make and/or sell.
If you’re looking for more specific ideas of things to sell, check out our article on 25+ Unique Etsy Niche Ideas That Actually Sell Like Crazy! for great ideas!
We hope you found this article helpful, but if you have any more questions, go ahead and leave a comment below! We’d love to help you brainstorm some ideas or get started. Happy selling!
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