The Etsy online marketplace is an eCommerce giant with over 7.5 million active sellers. Discover everything you need to know about making money on Etsy and strive among them with click-worthy listings and offers too good to pass up.
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 your Etsy side hustle.
How to make money on Etsy – ideas and strategies to try in 2025
Is selling on Etsy worth it? Absolutely. But you need a good strategy and the right approach.
Let’s take a look at the steps and processes you need to go through to start a successful Etsy side hustle. Go from a small business to a success story and rank among the top Etsy shop owners in no time.
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, 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, pet owners could be a particular niche to target with your designs and merchandise.
Dig deep into your interests
To run a successful Etsy side hustle, finding something you’re either good at or passionate about is crucial for maintaining long-term interest. If you operate in a niche that means nothing to you, staying motivated and thriving among other Etsy stores will be difficult.
Do some soul-searching and find what excites you and what special skills you have. 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. Running an Etsy store is a great way 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. Research current trends, keywords, issues, and existing solutions in the market.
Use tools like Google Trends, mind maps, and Quora to understand the current offers and needs at hand. That way, you’ll see how your idea can contribute and whether it will thrive on this platform.
Research the market and competition
Research your competitors’ stores and find out what sells well and what their Etsy customers like and dislike.
Gather information on the market and other successful shops to determine how your product listings are better or differ from other Etsy sellers.
Why should buyers choose you over them? Finding a gap in the market is a great way to understand how to make money on Etsy with improved offers to rank high and make more money.
Best-selling product categories on Etsy
If you’re wondering, what can I sell on Etsy to make money? The answer is – just about anything, as long as it complies with the Etsy policy.
Browse the seller handbook for valuable tips and advice, and sell products on Etsy, from clothing, home decor, and accessories to craft supplies.
Explore our list of the best things to sell on Etsy to make money:
- Jewelry. Custom jewelry boxes and supplies rank high on Etsy search with creative designs, personalized items, and wallet-friendly prices. Design necklaces, earrings, bracelets, or handmade jewelry and encourage sales for those who love to accessorize.
- Crafts and supplies. DIY supplies for handmade goods and crafts are one of the top-selling categories. With people wanting to personalize gifts and gift wrapping, craft supplies, from beads and gems to stickers, are in high demand.
- Wedding and party supplies. Balloons, decorations, greeting cards, invitations, and yard signs. Party and wedding decorations are among the top-selling items on Etsy, allowing shoppers to customize their celebrations for a reasonable price.
- Clothing. Selling apparel is one of the best ways to make money on Etsy. It’s evergreen, always in demand, and ranking high on the Etsy marketplace with various designs and diversity, from t-shirts and custom hoodies to socks and accessories.
- Journals and custom notebooks. Many Etsy sellers choose custom notebooks and journals as their Etsy products to appeal to creative customers. They’re perfect as gifts or for personal use for drawing, sketching, and journaling.
- Home decor. These products sell well on Etsy, from handmade items to custom home accessories like pillows, wall art, and candles. Rank high among other creative entrepreneurs and help your customers spruce up their homes with personalized designs and unique products.
- Art and collectibles. Can you make money on Etsy by selling your art? Absolutely. Etsy is not just for vintage products. From digital downloads to canvas paintings, posters, and collectibles – grow your Etsy store by learning how to sell art online.
- Baby items. Become the go-to Etsy seller with baby-themed items. Thrive on search results with baby clothing, blankets, changing pads, and furniture.
- Kitchen supplies. Kitchen decor and custom supplies are among the top-selling products on Etsy. From custom cutting boards and aprons to utensils, spice bottles, glassware, and wall decor. An Etsy store selling custom kitchenware will undoubtedly be a hit.
- Pet supplies. Custom products for our furry or scaly little friends are in high demand, as people want to spoil their pets and provide them with everything they need. From beds and bowls to fashion accessories. Pet products sell on Etsy – and very well.
- Shoes. Selling custom shoes is a great way to make money on Etsy. Footwear is an evergreen category providing different styles for every taste, season, and person. From custom slippers and flip-flops to sneakers and boots. Sell footwear and gain customer loyalty with custom designs and quality services.
- Toys and entertainment. With so many options under this title, your Etsy store can thrive in no time. Make money from selling fun items, from games and puzzles to sports equipment.
- Electronics and accessories. An Etsy store is a great side hustle for selling electronics and accessories, like phone chargers, car accessories, watch bands, mouse pads, and tablets.
- Vintage items. Where would our Etsy-seller top products be without the vintage category? Sell vintage accessories, clothing, jewelry, furniture, carpets, postcards, art, or anything else that’s at least 20 years old.
Explore our full article on the best-selling categories to help make an informed decision for your own Etsy shop when it comes to listings and product scope.
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 to attract customers.
Step 1: Pick products and designs
Choose best-selling items that align with your niche. Design your own tote bag collection, personalize candles, or try custom mug printing. Focus on customizing or uniquely designing products to make them stand out in the marketplace.
Partner with Printify and access our Product Catalog with over 1,000 white-label products (from custom-printed pint glasses to apparel and accessories), as well as our beginner-friendly Product Creator tool.
Step 2: Calculate the numbers
To perfectly execute your plan and start making money on Etsy, you must calculate all your expenses and fees to set the right profit margin and earn with each sold item.
Remember to include Etsy’s fees and fulfillment costs:
- 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.
Try your hand at 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.
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, and hobbies to help distinguish their shopping experience and habits.
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.
Consider these marketing channels:
- Email marketing. Create a compelling email marketing campaign to attract existing and potential customers. Prepare an email list and send out promotions, deals, upcoming sales, new products, and click-worthy content.
- Etsy Search Engine Optimization. Enhance 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, and Instagram. Use current trends to create attention-grabbing reels, posts, and videos. Don’t forget to attach hashtags so people can find you.
- Online advertising. Use display advertising, like banners and pop-ups, to send people to your store page with one simple click. Come up with captivating titles and texts to advertise your store as something too good to skip.
- Content marketing. Create blog posts, videos, and articles with relevant information and product details, from the latest updates and news to product reviews, deals, and features.
- Influencer marketing. Connect with influencers who align with your target audience and have them spread the word about your brand. Use reviews, affiliates, sponsored posts, and giveaways to send traffic to your store from other pages and profiles.
Engage with Etsy Ads
Pay for in-platform advertising and boost your store’s 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.
Start your Etsy print on demand business today!
Make it happen today!
Analyze, adjust, hustle
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 provide an overview of your store’s performance – what ranks well and what doesn’t. This information can help you improve the shop and its rankings or maintain what’s already thriving.
Optimize your store
Always be on top of SEO for your listings and storefront. Learn how to take pictures for Etsy to create high-quality and appealing images. Optimizing product descriptions and your store layout is important for discoverability and a smooth customer experience. 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 ongoing store ranking and performance. If you’re eager to make your Etsy side hustle profitable 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 know what to improve and how to surpass your competition.
Start your Etsy store with Printify
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 intuitive print-on-demand platform – a partner you can trust. No hidden costs or fees, no secret transactions, no surprises. Plus, you can easily monitor your store, products, and orders in one place.
Global printing network
We’ve partnered with Print Providers in the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, and China to fulfill your orders worldwide, ensuring fast shipping and top-notch services.
Product printing, packaging, and delivery are all handled by our Print Providers so you can focus on growing your business.
Free Product Creator
Our free and beginner-friendly Product Creator (previously known as 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 custom masterpieces for your Etsy store.
Outstanding customer support
Join Printify and gain access to top-notch customer service that will help you every step of the way via chat or email. Our Merchant Support Team is here to provide guidance 24/7.
In the meantime, browse our Blog, Help Center, and YouTube channel for valuable articles, tips, suggestions, and updates on all things eCommerce.
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FAQ
Determining the right pricing involves calculating your costs, researching competitor prices, and understanding your target market’s willingness to pay. A good strategy balances covering costs and profit margins with competitive pricing.
Enhancing your Etsy shop’s branding involves creating a cohesive visual identity, including a memorable shop name, logo, and consistent product photography. Sharing your story and mission can also connect with customers on a personal level.
Yes, you can use Etsy’s analytics tools to refine your strategies. These tools provide insights into your shop’s traffic sources, customer behavior, and popular products. Analyzing this data helps optimize product listings, improve marketing efforts, and adjust pricing strategies accordingly.
Can you make money on Etsy?
Yes! Boost your personal finance game with a successful Etsy side hustle. Use this article as a guide on how to make money on Etsy and take action one step at a time.
- Pick a niche.
- Set up a store.
- Start marketing your products.
- Monitor progress and strive for success.
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.
