Selling on Etsy is becoming increasingly popular for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Around 7.5 million sellers sold goods through Etsy in 2022, with the platform attracting approximately 500 million monthly visitors worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Etsy has become the marketplace of choice for people who create handmade craft items or sell vintage products such as jewellery, clothing, or art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what are the benefits of selling on Etsy and how do you get started?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read our in-depth guide to find out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two fifths (40 per cent) of businesses started as a side hustle, according to Simply Business research<\/a> from 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And whether you\u2019re running a side hustle or creating crafts is your main job, it\u2019s likely you\u2019ll have thought about selling on Etsy if you aren\u2019t already doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below we outline the key things you need before you get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you start selling on Etsy, you\u2019ll need to decide what you\u2019re going to sell. Some of the best selling items on Etsy are handmade or personalised items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our research shows that craft stalls and photography were in the top 10 fastest-growing small business trades<\/a>, with respective growth of 15 per cent and 17 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if you already have an idea of what you want to sell, it’s worth doing some research to see if other people are already selling it on Etsy. You could also do a competitor analysis<\/a> or market research<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more:<\/strong> How to start an online shop \u2013 the ultimate guide to selling online<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve decided on your product, you\u2019ll need to come up with a brand. Here are some of the things you\u2019ll need at first:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Building a brand can help your listings stand out on Etsy and support your social media strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read our guides on developing a brand identity<\/a> and how to use tone of voice<\/a> for some top tips, while our Business Name Generator<\/a> can give you some light-hearted inspiration if you don\u2019t have a name yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Setting the right price for your products can be difficult. On one hand, you want to make sure the price is appealing to customers. However, you also need to make sure the sale price factors in your costs and is worth your while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can be useful to see how other Etsy sellers price similar products, while creating a budget<\/a> is a useful way of making sure you\u2019re on course to make a profit<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is an important part of your business strategy. You\u2019ll need to make sure your packaging protects your products, but isn\u2019t so expensive that it eats into your profits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When setting your postage price, remember that buyers like round numbers and are unlikely to pay more than it costs to send the item. It can help to play around with different price points, or even offer free delivery to encourage more sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to note that Royal Mail expanded its delivery services in 2023 to include DPD and Evri. Read our guide to the best business couriers<\/a> for an overview of the options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hopefully, you\u2019ll get lots of eyeballs on your products from the Etsy search results. However, you\u2019ll also need to promote your product in other ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Posting images and videos of your products on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok could help you to build your brand and drive traffic to your Etsy shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The platforms you decide to promote your products on will depend on your target audience. For example, TikTok could be the best platform if you\u2019re trying to reach younger customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be careful to mix up your posts so that they\u2019re not all about your product. For example, could you share images and videos showing how it\u2019s made? Think about what\u2019s interesting to your audience and share it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read three top tips from a successful small business owner on how to build a content strategy<\/a> that uses pillars to tell your story and develop an online community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve got the budget, social media advertising<\/a> can be a good way to get your posts in front of a wider audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, if you\u2019re doing something a bit different, why not get in touch with the local press to see if they\u2019d be interested in writing a story on your business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The costs of listing on Etsy are fairly simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example if you sell a homemade candle<\/a> for \u00a312, you\u2019ll pay a \u00a30.78 transaction fee, plus a payment processing fee of \u00a30.68. This leaves you with a total of \u00a310.54.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also need to factor in the listing fee (\u00a30.16), postage costs (which the buyer will pay separately), and the cost of creating your item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Listing fees are charged on a monthly basis. Once you start selling items, they\u2019ll be taken out of your fees so you won\u2019t need to pay them upfront.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you sell an item, the funds are sent to your Etsy payment account. Through your Etsy seller account you can then decide how often they\u2019re deposited into your bank account, for example on a weekly or monthly basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Etsy last increased its fees in 2022, which led to more than 14,000 sellers boycotting the platform. Read about Etsy fees<\/a> in more detail on their website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Decide on your product<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Create a brand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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3. Come up with a pricing strategy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Work out your delivery and packaging costs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Create a marketing strategy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How much does it cost to sell on Etsy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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