With 96.48 million active buyers, the platform offers great earning potential for those looking to learn how to make passive income on Etsy.
If you’re interested in passive income ideas that require no inventory, such as print-on-demand (POD) or digital products, this article covers everything you need to get started.
Explore new strategies, tips, and top-selling product categories like t-shirts to earn more money while you sleep.
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How to make passive income on Etsy with POD
POD provides a seamless, inventory-free way of earning passive income on Etsy. It lets sellers focus on designing unique products while a fulfillment partner handles printing, packaging, and shipping.
- Select a POD platform
To streamline production and logistics, choose a reliable POD platform like Printify, which integrates seamlessly with Etsy.
Sign up for a free Printify account to access a wide range of products and design tools.
- Pick products
Browse over 1,000 customizable products from Printify’s global network of Print Providers.
- Create your designs
Once you pick a product, customize it with your art, illustrations, or logos. Click Sart designing, and you’ll be taken to our intuitive design tool.
Upload your high-resolution images to the Product Creator, then adjust the positioning and size of the print.
After creating a design, photo, or illustration, you can customize and sell items repeatedly, turning your creations into a steady source of passive income.
- Preview the final mockup
After finishing your custom design, check the product mockup before sending it to production. This will save you time and ensure that your Etsy listings are up-to-date.
- Sync Printify product listings to your Etsy shop
If you don’t have one, create an Etsy account and prepare your shop policies. Then, integrate your Etsy store with Printify.
From your Printify account, navigate to the Manage My Stores section, click Connect, select Etsy, and follow the prompts to authorize the integration.
The integration automates your product listings – each new product you customize on the Printify platform appears on your Etsy store.
- Start selling
Once you’ve synced Printify with Etsy, you’re ready to sell your customized products.
Printify’s Print Providers handle production, printing, packing, and shipping directly to your customers, so you don’t need to manage orders manually or worry about tracking inventory.
Check out our comprehensive guide for selling on Etsy.
What POD products can you sell on Etsy?
With Printify, there are many customizable things to sell on Etsy for passive income.
From apparel to home decor, Printify’s offerings include some of the best-selling items on Etsy, making it easy to create products that appeal to potential customers and the creative market.
Clothing
Printify’s Catalog features various apparel products to customize with your designs, including brands like Gildan, Bella+Canvas, and Comfort Colors.
- T-shirts
T-shirts are a wardrobe staple and among the best-selling items on Etsy. Printify offers various styles of blank t-shirts for customization, allowing you to cater to diverse customer preferences.
- Crop tops
Perfect for warmer climates or fitness enthusiasts, customizable crop tops offer versatility in design and appeal for women’s leisure fashion.
- Hoodies and sweatshirts
Ideal for cooler weather, these items provide ample space for creative designs and are popular among Etsy shoppers. Choose and customize hoodies made from high-quality organic cotton.
- Leggings
With the rise of athleisure, leggings have become sought-after items. Printify offers comfortable, high-quality leggings that you can personalize, making them a favorite for casual and fitness wear.
Accessories
Enhance your Etsy shop’s offerings with various customizable accessories that let you showcase your brand’s style while providing functional value.
- Hats
From classic baseball caps to trendy beanies, customizable hats provide an ideal canvas for your designs.
- Tote bags
Tote bags are practical items that can become stylish accessories showcasing artistic designs. They also cater to the increasing demand for sustainable, reusable products.
- Phone cases
Personalized phone cases offer an affordable, everyday way for customers to express their identity, making them ideal for repeat purchases and seasonal designs.
- Socks
Add a touch of fun to everyday wear with custom-designed socks. Themed socks are a great idea, offering designs for holidays or special occasions and creating additional sales opportunities year-round.
Home and living products
Home and living items add style and personality to any space. From practical essentials to distinctive decor, these products appeal to buyers looking for gifts or home accents that reflect their individual tastes.
- Mugs
Customizable mugs are timeless favorites, perfect for gifts or personal use. They offer a simple yet effective way for customers to enjoy a touch of personalization in their daily routines.
- Pillows and pillowcases
As versatile and cozy decor items, custom photo pillows can feature anything from photography to artistic patterns.
- Blankets
Offer warmth and style with customizable blankets. They make thoughtful gifts and can easily be themed for holidays, adding comfort and flair to any home.
- Canvases
Start building passive income with custom canvases by offering your art reproductions or digital illustrations. Canvases offer customers unique, printable artwork that enhances home decor at a more affordable price than original pieces.
Health and beauty products
Expand your brand with a health and beauty line. These products combine everyday functionality with thoughtful design, making them ideal gifts and repeat purchases. Printify offers only premium-quality consumer products, ready for your branding.
- Supplements
Customize supplement labels to create a personalized wellness product to appeal to health-conscious customers.
- Skincare
Offer custom-labeled skincare products like lotions, creams, and other essentials for customers seeking high-quality self-care products.
- Aromatherapy candles
Customize and sell candles for customers looking to create a relaxing ambiance. Aromatherapy products attract wellness-focused customers and make soothing, thoughtful gifts.
- Personal care accessories
Everyday essentials like custom makeup bags and mirrors add style and convenience, providing an affordable way for customers to express their personality.
Pros of selling on Etsy with POD
- No inventory management. Products are only produced after a sale, eliminating the need for storage.
- Automated fulfillment. POD handles production, printing, packaging, and shipping directly to your customers.
- Wide product variety. A broad selection of customizable items, from apparel and accessories to home decor, lets you meet diverse customer interests.
- Low cost. A POD shop on Etsy is accessible to many sellers, requiring no upfront inventory investment and minimal financial commitment.
- Focus on creativity and scaling. With logistics simplified, you can concentrate on designing new products, building your brand, and growing your business.
Tips for making passive income on Etsy with POD
Explore the following tips to learn how to sell passive income products on Etsy using POD.
- Reflect your brand. Design products that showcase your style and appeal to your target audience.
- Optimize for SEO. Use relevant keywords in your titles and descriptions to increase visibility in search results.
Use tools like Google Trends and Semrush for in-depth keyword research.
- Leverage automation. Streamline your workflow and reduce manual tasks with automated tools.
- Offer personalization. Add customization options to make your products more unique and appealing to buyers.
- Promote on social media. Post regularly to build your brand presence and drive consistent traffic to your Etsy shop.
How to earn passive income on Etsy with digital products
Selling digital products on Etsy is an easy way to earn passive income, with automatic delivery to customers upon purchase.
- Create your digital product
Start creating goods, such as CV templates, re-usable designs, spread sheets, and art, using Adobe Design Suite. Save your digital items in a high-quality format (PDF, JPEG, PNG) for easy downloading.
Offering multiple style and color variations adds value to your digital products and can increase sales. For printables, aim for 300 DPI to ensure high-quality results for your customers.
- Add a new listing
Go to your Etsy dashboard and select Add a new listing. Upload high-quality images of your digital product, including mockups showing customers how the file can be used, such as a preview of printable planners.
- Upload the digital file
In the Digital files section, upload the file(s) customers will download after purchase. Etsy supports up to five files per listing, so you can offer multiple formats or versions if needed.
- Set the product details and price
Set competitive prices and highlight your digital item’s unique selling points to encourage more purchases and positive reviews.
Write a compelling title and description using relevant keywords. Specify categories, tags, and relevant attributes to help buyers find your product.
- Sell digital products
When satisfied, click Publish. Consistently engaging with potential buyers can help build a loyal customer base and drive repeat sales.
What digital products can you sell on your Etsy shop?
Traditional digital products are designed for immediate use on digital devices, while printables are for physical printing.
Digital downloads
Digital downloads offer versatile, easily accessible files that customers can use immediately. Here are a few ideas to help you understand how to create passive income from Etsy digital products.
- Planners
Digital planners are perfect for organization enthusiasts, offering digital and printable options.
- Templates
Social media, resume, and business card templates are popular for their customizable designs that save time.
- Photos
High-quality, niche stock photos appeal to bloggers, websites, and marketers.
- Digital art
Graphic designs and illustrations for digital use allow customers to decorate their devices or use them in their creative projects, providing a unique aesthetic element.
Create and sell digital art designed explicitly for NFTs (non-fungible tokens), tapping into a growing market for unique, blockchain-based assets.
Printables
Earn passive income on Etsy with printables, offering customers customizable designs they can easily print at home. Opening a printables shop lets you explore various products and cater to niche interests.
- Wall art
Printable art, including quotes, patterns, and illustrations, lets customers easily refresh their decor.
- Calendars
Custom printable calendars are ideal for planning and organization. They’re available in various formats, such as monthly or yearly, to suit different needs.
- Coloring pages
Printable coloring pages appeal to kids and adults as creative, relaxing activities. Themed designs can attract a broad audience seeking fun, artistic projects.
- Worksheets
Educational worksheets for kids are popular among parents and teachers, providing interactive, learning-focused activities perfect for home or classroom use.
Pros of selling digital products on Etsy
- Passive income. Digital products generate income without needing inventory, production, or shipping once listed.
- Instant delivery. Customers gain immediate access to their digital purchases, eliminating shipping costs and wait times.
- Unlimited inventory. Digital files can be sold repeatedly at no extra cost, allowing for scalable growth.
- Low overhead costs. Creating and listing digital products is affordable, requiring only design software and minimal Etsy fees.
- Creative flexibility. Sellers can easily explore and expand their product range with various digital offerings.
Tips for making passive income on Etsy with digital products
Follow these tips to succeed on Etsy by offering passive income products.
- Create a cohesive brand. Design digital files that reflect your style and cater to your target audience.
- Optimize product titles and descriptions. Use relevant keywords to enhance visibility and SEO on Etsy.
Connect your Etsy store with tools like eRank to find trending keywords in your niche.
- Follow Etsy’s policies. Ensure your designs adhere to Etsy’s rules to avoid intellectual property and licensing issues.
- Stay inspired. Explore platforms like Behance for fresh ideas to create in-demand designs.
- Promote your shop. Use social media, email marketing, and Etsy ads to expand your reach and attract more buyers.
FAQ: Etsy passive income ideas
Etsy is a fantastic platform for passive income and side hustles, especially with digital downloads and print-on-demand products. These options require minimal effort, letting you earn more money with little ongoing work after setup.
While some accounts make impressive sales, many Etsy sellers achieve $1,000 monthly by offering trendy, well-designed products like printables or POD items.
Digital products (printables, planners), print-on-demand items (t-shirts, mugs), and unique digital downloads (wall art, templates) are popular passive income choices.
Earnings from printables vary, with many sellers earning a few hundred to several thousand dollars monthly. Success often depends on product demand, effective marketing, and maintaining a high-quality storefront.
Summary
Etsy provides a powerful platform for generating income through print-on-demand and digital products. By optimizing listings, using automation, and offering popular items like printables, you can streamline operations and increase earnings. Ready to turn your designs into profit with less effort?
