Wondering how to start selling greeting cards on Etsy to turn your passion into a profitable business?
We’ve got the solution. This guide has key steps, insights, and tips for starting and turning your small business into a thriving Etsy store.
So, let’s jump right in and learn how to sell greeting cards on Etsy with Print on Demand (POD).
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Is it profitable to sell greeting cards on Etsy?
Absolutely!
The greeting card market is thriving, with consumers spending billions annually on these heartfelt expressions. Seven billion greeting cards are purchased each year in the United States alone.
Etsy provides an ideal opportunity to tap into this booming market. With over 90 million active buyers worldwide and a reputation for supporting small businesses, it’s the perfect marketplace for selling print-on-demand greeting cards.
How to print and sell greeting cards on Etsy with POD
Let’s go through the process of starting a greeting card business on Etsy – one of the biggest eCommerce marketplaces.
Choose a niche
Your niche is a corner of the market where you stand out. It’s a specific area or theme you focus on, making your products unique and appealing to a particular group of people. Consider themes like birthday cards, eco-friendly designs, celebrations, save-the-date cards, or quirky illustrations for apologies and “just because” cards.
Narrowing down your niche lets you cater to a specific audience and establish yourself as an expert in your chosen field. Remember, it’s better to excel in one area than to spread yourself too thin across many.
Here are a few things to remember when picking a niche.
- Product types are not niches. Matte, glossy, or folded greeting cards are not niche examples. First date cards, Mother’s Day cards, or workplace apology cards – those are some fun niches to try.
- Target audiences are also not niches. 25-year-old women are not a niche. Instead, find something those women have in common – something they all love and are interested in, like traveling, eating cheese, or being awesome aunties.
Pick a Print on Demand company
Print on Demand lets you bring your designs to life without the hassle of inventory management. Design beautiful cards and only pay for production once customers order.
When selecting a POD company, consider factors such as good paper quality, printing options, pricing, customer service, and other unique features that can be helpful for Etsy sellers.
Printify is a top choice for your greeting card business. We offer competitive pricing and reliable printing services for various paper types and card styles.
With Printify, you can be sure that your greeting cards will be made accurately and delivered swiftly to your customers in perfect condition.
Select blank greeting cards
The next step is to select the perfect blank greeting card for your creative designs.
With your target audience and niche in mind, choose a card size, paper quality, envelope options, and finish that will let your designs shine. From standard matte to premium glossy, Printify offers many print-on-demand cards that your customers will love.
Apply your design
There are many ways to create stunning greeting card designs, from outsourcing from Shutterstock to freelance designers from Fiverr to DIY tools like Canva or Adobe Photoshop.
Printify’s Product Creator lets you easily upload and customize your designs to fit your chosen card size and layout.
- Explore the free Graphics Library to enhance your designs with eye-catching elements and intricate details.
- Use the AI Image Generator to create special features and one-of-a-kind imagery.
- Write heartfelt messages in many fonts and colors with our multi-language and emoji-friendly text editor.
Quick tip
Order samples to test print quality and fulfillment before you start selling cards online. Read more about how to order samples.
Create and connect your Etsy store
Creating a store is a straightforward process that involves setting up an Etsy account, choosing a shop name, and adjusting your store settings.
Quick tip
For a full step-by-step tutorial, read our comprehensive guide on how to sell on Etsy.
Once your store is ready, link it to your Printify account. Go to My stores, Add a new store, and choose Etsy.
This integration streamlines the ordering process and ensures customers receive high-quality products quickly, improving their shopping experience and increasing sales.
Add listing details and pricing
As you prepare to publish your greeting cards on Etsy, optimize your product listings for maximum visibility and appeal.
Here are some ways to improve your Etsy listings’ visibility:
- Product Title. Write concise yet descriptive titles using relevant keywords to maximize search visibility, like “Handmade Birthday Greeting Card – Floral Watercolor Design.”
- Product Description. Provide detailed descriptions highlighting unique features, occasions, and materials, engaging potential buyers with a compelling story behind each card.
- Profit Margin. Successful shops set smart profit margins. Calculate costs, including materials, printing, and Etsy fees, to ensure your pricing strategy makes you a profit while remaining competitive.
- Shipping Costs. Provide different shipping options and rates. A good tip is to offer free shipping by including these costs in your prices.
- Mockup Photos. Use high-quality photos that show design details, card size, and finish options, helping customers understand the product’s appearance and quality.
Paying attention to these details and fine-tuning your listings will attract more customers and increase your sales on Etsy.
Read more:
How to price a product for ultimate success
Read our article on product pricing to ensure your shop makes more than it spends.
Publish and sell your cards
It’s time to publish your beautiful greeting cards on Etsy!
If you choose to sell online with Printify, the publishing process is synced with your Etsy shop, making order management and editing details super easy.
Quick tip
Read about our Bulk Editing Tool and Selective Publishing to learn how our convenient automation and tools can streamline listing management.
With your cards published, use several marketing strategies to reach a broader audience and encourage repeat business.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Use relevant keywords in your Etsy listings and store descriptions to improve visibility in search results and attract organic traffic. Tools like Google Trends, Semrush, or Ahrefs can help identify your niche’s preferences and the most-searched terms.
- Email marketing. Send subscribers regular updates with new card designs, special promotions for seasonal events, and exclusive discounts.
- Social media campaigns. Use social media’s popularity to spread the word about your greeting cards. Post photos and videos, promote special occasions, and interact with potential customers.
- Special deals and promotions. Offer one-of-a-kind deals to create a sense of urgency. Sell cards in bundles, apply discounts or offer buy-one-get-one deals.
- Themed and seasonal campaigns. Launch targeted campaigns around specific themes or seasons, like Valentine’s Day, baby showers, or Christmas, to take advantage of seasonal demand.
- Customer engagement. Foster ongoing relationships with your audience through interactive content, personalized communication, and responsiveness to feedback. This will encourage a loyal customer base that feels valued and connected to your brand.
Print on Demand vs handmade greeting cards
If you want to earn passive income selling a few cards you made at home, it is doable, but Print on Demand opens up way more opportunities, giving you complete control over your products and design.
Let’s look at the pros and cons of Print on Demand and handmade greeting cards to help you decide which option is best for your Etsy business.
Print on Demand greeting cards
POD makes card-printing easy. Just upload your designs and choose a card style, and the printing service will produce and ship the cards when orders come in. This business model offers scalability, low upfront costs, and the ability to offer many designs without manual production or inventory management.
Here’s how it works.
- Create a free Printify account.
- Browse print-on-demand greeting cards in our Catalog. We offer many styles, shapes, and materials with vibrant colors. Choose cards and click Start Designing.
- Open our Product Creator to add unique designs to your greeting cards. Use the AI Image Generator, background removal tool, pattern creator, and multi-language text editor to create beautiful, vibrant cards.
- Click Save and list your products on Etsy directly from the Printify account, thanks to our seamless integration.
Once someone buys a greeting card from your Etsy shop, the order goes directly to our Print Providers, who quickly print, package, and ship the product to your customer in a timely manner.
Print on Demand lets you customize as many designs and products as you want without additional costs. It’s an excellent business model for trying out a unique style and experimenting with various niches without spending money.
Handmade cards
Handmade cards involve crafting each card individually, often using techniques like hand-stamping, embossing, or watercolor painting. While handmade cards offer a personal touch and unique charm, they require more time and effort to produce, limiting scalability and potentially increasing production costs.
On top of that, you have to handle inventory, packaging, and shipping. This means you have complete control over quality and branding, but it takes a lot of time and resources.
| POD greeting cards | Handmade greeting cards | |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | Consistent quality with professional printing techniques | Unique craftsmanship with personalized touches |
| Cost | Lower production costs due to automated printing processes | Higher production costs due to manual labor and materials |
| Setup | Quick and easy setup with online printing services | Requires setup of workspace, materials, and tools for crafting |
| Shipping | Shipping is handled by printing service, reducing time and effort | Shipping requires individual packaging and handling for each card |
| Scalability | Highly scalable with the ability to offer many designs | Limited scalability due to manual production processes |
| Customization | Extensive customization and personalization options | personalization options Extensive customization and personalization options |
Both card types have their own benefits and suit different business needs.
Whether you prioritize scalability and efficiency or value craftsmanship and personalization, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your goals, resources, and creative vision for your Etsy business.
Greeting card tips for Etsy sellers
Etsy is a bustling marketplace, and standing out can be challenging. These tips will help elevate your greeting card business and attract more customers.
Do market research
Understand your target audience, analyze competitor offerings, and identify trends to tailor your designs and marketing strategies accordingly. Use tools like Etsy’s search analytics and trend reports to stay ahead of the curve.
Offer personalized cards
Offer personalization options to appeal to customers seeking unique and heartfelt greetings. Add a customization option to your Etsy listings to let customers customize text, colors, and photos to create memorable, one-of-a-kind cards.
Write detailed product descriptions
Provide important info about your cards, including size, materials, and occasion suitability. Highlight unique features to convince potential buyers and encourage them to buy.
Work on your branding
Create a cohesive brand identity to improve customer experience and loyalty. Develop a memorable shop name, logo, and banner, and maintain a consistent aesthetic across your listings and social media platforms to build trust and recognition with your audience.
Stay seasonally relevant
Stay relevant year-round by updating your Etsy card offerings and store aesthetic to align with seasonal trends and upcoming holidays. Create seasonal offers, contests, and promotions to encourage customer interaction and increase sales.
Display reviews and social proof
Share customer testimonials and photos of your cards on social media to showcase their quality and appeal. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your Etsy shop, building trust and credibility for potential buyers.
How to sell greeting cards on Etsy: Key takeaways
Selling greeting cards on Etsy can be a rewarding business with the right strategies in place.
Use print-on-demand services like Printify to streamline production, minimize upfront costs, and offer many designs to appeal to customer preferences in a crowded market.
Conduct thorough market research, optimize your listings, and develop a strong brand identity to stand out in the competitive Etsy marketplace.
Whether you choose Print on Demand or go the handmade route for your Etsy shop, success ultimately depends on understanding your target audience, selling high-quality products, and growing positive customer relationships.
