As you may know, we create many done-for-you ready-to-publish and sell printables…and a lot of our customers want to know – “Should I sell printables on Etsy?”
Whether or not you personally should sell printables on Etsy depends on a few factors for you to consider carefully. The good news is, setting up on Etsy is quick and easy, so you can always try it out and see. BUT be warned, it still needs big and consistent effort to do it successfully.
It's definitely not a set it and forget it thing, but you can certainly try it out to see if it's right for you.
Some potential benefits of selling printables on Etsy include:
- Printables are hot sellers on Etsy. Just search for “printables” or a specific kind of printable and you're sure to see plenty of results…and many from top Etsy sellers.
- A built-in audience of potential customers. Etsy has a large and active community of buyers who are looking for unique and creative goods, which can make it a good platform for selling your printables.
- Easy-to-use tools for managing your store. Etsy provides a range of tools and features that can help you to manage your store, including tools for tracking inventory and sales, managing orders, and communicating with customers.
- A range of payment and shipping options. Etsy offers a variety of payment and shipping options, which can make it easier for you to sell your printables to customers around the world.
On the other hand, there are also some potential drawbacks to selling printables on Etsy, such as:
- Competition. Etsy is a crowded marketplace, which means that you may face competition from other sellers who offer similar products.
- Fees. Etsy charges a range of fees, including a listing fee, a transaction fee, and a payment processing fee, which can eat into your profits and can be more substantial than if you just sell your printables with a merchant account or PayPal.
- Limited control over the appearance of your store. Etsy has a specific look and feel, and you may have limited control over the appearance of your store, which can make it difficult to differentiate yourself from other sellers.
Now, if you decided you'd like to sell printables on Etsy, here are the steps you'll need to take:
- Create an Etsy account: Go to Etsy.com and click on “Open a shop” to create an account. You will need to provide some basic information, such as your email address and desired password, to create an account.
- Set up your shop: After creating your account, you will need to set up your shop. This involves choosing a shop name, selecting the categories and sub-categories that best describe your products, and providing a brief description of your shop.
- Create a listing: To sell a product on Etsy, you will need to create a listing for it. This involves providing a detailed description of the product, uploading high-quality photos of it, and setting a price.
- Set your payment and shipping options: In order to complete a sale on Etsy, you will need to set up your payment and shipping options. You can choose to accept payment through PayPal or direct checkout, and you can set your own shipping rates and policies.
- Promote your shop: Once your shop is set up, you will need to promote it in order to attract potential customers. This can involve sharing your listings on social media, participating in Etsy's community forums, and optimizing your shop's search engine visibility.
Personally, we think Etsy is a good place to start selling your printables if you don't want the fuss of creating your own website and there are some sellers making a killing on their with printables, that's for sure. Just remember though, that by having your business on Etsy only, you are helping Etsy build their platform and you are at the mercy of their rules. Ultimately, you should consider creating your own website and build your own business assets…but you can do that over time.
Next Step: Save Time and Money with Done-for-You, Ready to Sell Printables
To get started with selling printables on Etsy, get your shop set up, as shown in the steps above.
If you need some printables to sell, we have lots of done-for-you, ready-to-publish options. You can try some free printables samples here. And if you're ready to dig deep with large content packages, our full done-for-you printables content library is here.
And if you have any questions or need help with selling your printables, we're always available in our private EKitHub Facebook Group. You'll find the link to the group on any of your content download pages. Just select a free sample or large package above to get started.
Your partners in easy product creation,
Alice Seba and Yusef Kulan