Switching from Redbubble: How to double your profit with Etsy and Printify

As a former dropshipper, you know the frustration of chasing fleeting trends and thin margins. Transitioning to Etsy and Printify allows you to move from a fixed royalty (often 15–20%) to a business where you control the retail price and keep 40–60% of the profit. Unlock higher margins, build long-term brand equity, and automate your operations with your existing designs.

The Redbubble royalty trap

You’ve poured creative energy into your Redbubble designs, but the payout feels inconsistent. The core problem lies in the Redbubble royalty structure: you earn a fixed percentage on a price they largely control. This model caps your earning potential, making true scaling feel like an uphill battle. You’re trading potential profit for convenience, and that convenience comes at a significant cost to your financial freedom.

The math behind doubling profits

On Redbubble, your profit is a royalty—a small, fixed percentage calculated on a retail price you don’t fully control. Redbubble determines the base cost of the item, adds their markup, and then gives you a slice of that. You’re paid for your design, but you don’t own the product’s profit margin.

With Printify and Etsy, the math changes dramatically. You pay Printify the base cost of the product (which is often competitive due to our network of Print Providers). You then set your own retail price on Etsy. The difference between the Printify base cost and your Etsy retail price (minus Etsy fees) is your profit. This gives you direct control over your margins, allowing you to easily achieve 40–60% profit on each sale. For business owners looking to scale, this isn’t just a win; it’s a game-changer.

The cost of fixed royalties

Beyond just lower per-item profit, relying solely on fixed royalties creates a massive opportunity cost. Without control over your pricing, you can’t run strategic sales, create bundles, or offer loyalty discounts that would boost your average order value and lifetime value. You’re leaving money on the table that could be invested back into your business or marketing. Your inability to influence pricing strategies directly limits your growth and overall profitability.

Building long-term value

The value of customer lists

On Redbubble, you operate in a black box. You don’t own the customer data, meaning you can’t build an email list, analyze buyer behavior, or directly market to your audience. This lack of data ownership stifles long-term growth and makes your business vulnerable to marketplace changes.

On Etsy, however, you gain access to customer information (with proper consent). This data is gold. You can build an email list, send targeted promotions, understand purchasing patterns, and cultivate a loyal customer base. This customer list isn’t just a tool; it’s a proprietary business asset that dramatically increases the value of your brand and allows you to understand market trends to stay ahead.

Future-proofing your eCommerce business

When you sell on Redbubble, you’re building Redbubble’s brand, not your own. You lack the tools and visibility to cultivate a unique brand identity, foster customer loyalty, or truly differentiate yourself. This makes it challenging to build repeat business and increases customer acquisition costs over time.

Etsy provides the platform for you to build a distinct brand identity, curate your shop’s aesthetic, and communicate directly with your customers. This direct relationship fosters loyalty and repeat purchases, significantly increasing the lifetime value of each customer. By 2026, your Etsy shop, powered by Printify, will be a true eCommerce business—a valuable, owned asset that generates predictable income and freedom.

Migrate and automate designs

Connect Printify to Etsy

Connecting Printify to your Etsy shop is quick and straightforward, designed to get you up and running without delay.

1. Create your Printify account: Sign up for free and explore the Printify Catalog.
2. Open or connect your Etsy shop: Log in to your Etsy account. If you don’t have one, setting up a new shop is a simple process.
3. Link Printify to Etsy: From your Printify dashboard, navigate to My new store and select Connect. Choose Etsy from the available platforms and follow the on-screen prompts to authorize the connection.
4. Set up your shop policies: Ensure your Etsy shop has clear shipping, return, and privacy policies. Printify handles fulfillment, but these policies are crucial for customer trust and Etsy’s guidelines.

Read also:Etsy fees: How much does Etsy take per sale

Automate your fulfillment

Now for the best part: turning your Redbubble effort into Printify profit. You don’t need to start from scratch.

1. Re-upload your designs to Printify: Take your high-resolution design files from your computer and upload them directly to Printify’s Product Creator.
2. Create new products: Use the Product Creator to apply your designs to any of the thousands of products in the Printify Catalog. Choose your preferred Print Providers based on quality, selection, and speed.
3. Publish to Etsy: Once you’ve designed your products within Printify, publish them directly to your connected Etsy shop. Printify will automatically create the listing, complete with mockups and product details.
4. Automate orders: When a customer buys on Etsy, the order automatically sends to Printify for production and shipping. You just collect the profit. You’ve effectively doubled your profit per sale using the same creative designs you already made for Redbubble.

Why act now?

The moment to act is now. For former dropshippers like you, who understand the nuances of eCommerce and the pitfalls of “rental” business models, this transition is the natural evolution of your journey. You possess the knowledge to recognize the true value of control, higher margins, and genuine asset ownership. This isn’t just about selling t-shirts; it’s about building a robust, scalable business that delivers financial freedom and autonomy. Take control of your income, your data, and your destiny.

It’s time to take control of your margins and your future. Connect Printify to your Etsy store today and start migrating your most profitable Redbubble designs to a business model that prioritizes your profit, your data, and your long-term asset acquisition strategy.