You’re a craft hobbyist. And you’re pretty darn good at crafting. Or maybe you have a great eye for vintage finds.
The thought of starting an Etsy shop has crossed your mind. Plenty of hopeful sellers who join Etsy have no idea where to start or what to sell.
But that won’t be you. I’ve prepared this comprehensive guide on best-selling items on Etsy to assist you with your Etsy adventure.
Take a deep breath and dive right in!
Overview Of The Best Selling Items On Etsy
If you’ve never heard of Etsy, it’s a booming online marketplace boasting quirky vintage goods, original hand-made items, and amazing craft supplies sold by regular people.
Through Etsy, creative entrepreneurs can create virtual stores and sell their creations and designs exclusively online. Whatever objects you love to craft, there’s a horde of consumers clamoring to get their hands on hand-made items made by real people.
There are some tried-and-true niches that work exceptionally well on the platform and other niches that are simply too crowded to be worth your time.
It’s vital to know what the best things to sell on Etsy are. This will help avoid the disappointment that comes with seeing the wares you thought would be a hit collecting dust in your basement.
So how do you know the best things to sell on Etsy?
One way of determining if your product has a shot is to look at what the top Etsy sellers are selling.
The Top Etsy Sellers
What started in 2005 as a way for art and craft buffs to make a little extra money has quickly grown to become a buzzing peer-to-peer e-commerce powerhouse.
Etsy has opened doors for successful entrepreneurs to launch their own hand-made businesses.
1. PlannerKate1
The number 1 shop on Etsy is in the Hand-made and Craft Supplies & Tools categories. Owned by Kate Antesberger, the shop sells colorful supplies. Kate sells various sticker types for daily planners, so check her shop for inspiration if you fancy stickers.
2. Beadboat1
This shop specializes in jewelry supplies like gemstone beads, raw stones, rosary chains, pendants, charms, gold-filled items, and meter pewter findings.
3. ModParty
ModParty sells bridesmaids’ gifts as well as favors for weddings, supplies for birthday parties, bachelorette parties, and baby showers.
4. Yakutum
Hailing from Istanbul, Turkey, Yakutum sells jewelry supplies and specializes in brass and gold-plated items. The shop also sells 925 sterling silver, shaped rings, connectors, earring findings, tubes, etc.
5. CaitlynMinimalist
CaitlynMinimalist sells customized and personalized minimalist jewelry (necklaces, rings, bracelets). Here, people buy handwriting and meaningful quote jewelry from loved ones.
6. Nicoledebruin
This shop from Stockport, UK sells charms and charm collections for guys, girls, and babies. You’ll find plant, animal, and nature-inspired necklaces and bracelets, and custom engraved tags.
She mostly sells bulk items for other jewelry makers.
7. PeggySueAlso
As one of the more unique shops on this list, PeggySueAlso sells an assortment of designs on leather, suede, and cork leather.
8. Clbeads
This store operates from Yiwu, China, and has been selling jewelry supplies (seed beads, Swarovski, etc.), semi-precious stone, metal brads and spacers, shell and snail, etc. since 2008. clbeads has over 3,300 items listed.
9. Yadanabeads
Launched in 2007, this store sells unique, soulful, and vintage-styled jewelry supplies, including beads, jump rings, gemstones and chains. There are also a ton of $2 or less items.
10. Yummytreasures
This Etsy store has been around since 2008 and is known for selling eclectic jewelry supplies. You’ll find beads, components, seed beads, and cabochons.
Top Selling Items on Etsy By Category
If you’re considering a category to sell in, it would be wise to select one of the following categories as these are where the buyers are.
Here are the top-selling items on Etsy:
1. Crafts & Supplies
Crochet patterns, knitting patterns, poker sets, cup turners, stickers.
2. Hand-Made Items
Wooden toys, hand-carved invitations, kids’ clothing.
3. Home & Living
Furniture, candles, wall décor.
4. Planner Items
Printables, stickers, planners.
5. Wedding Items
Veils and hats, personalized cards, velvet purses, hand-crafted wedding gifts.
6. Paper and Party Supplies
Paper straws, custom cards, elegant posters.
7. Clothing
Tops and tees, swimwear, trousers, hobos.
8. Jewelry
Necklace, anklets, earrings and rings, hair vines, unique jewelry.
9. Accessories
Headbands, tutus, scarfs, buttons and pins, caps and cups.
10. Party Décor
Party invitations, cake toppers, banners.
11. Art & Collectibles
Figurines, memorabilia, art prints.
12. Pet Supplies
Nametags, cotton collars.
13. Vintage
Cutlery, rugs, jeans, fossils.
Is it worth it to Sell on Etsy?
Absolutely!
Setting up your shop is a breeze, and you only have to pay $0.20 per listing, which is cheap. There’s also a supportive community.
With over 3 million active sellers and 60 million active buyers, Etsy is the world’s sixth-largest online marketplace. Etsy’s top sellers make tens of thousands of dollars per year from their shops.
Listing your item on Etsy thrusts it into the limelight. In other words, you’re guaranteeing eyes on your listed product across the globe. Your items could be discovered by millions of Etsy users who would never hear of your business otherwise.
The key here is to offer something so unique that no one else has it, price your products properly and maintain a decent profit margin.
What is the Easiest Product to Sell on Etsy?
As you’ve probably noticed if you’ve searched for “best selling items on Etsy,” there’s no one true answer to this question.
First-time sellers like you still need to know the type of products that will offer you the best chances of success.
A beginner mistake most independent crafters make is assuming that just because they can hand-make something pretty cool, they’ll be able to sell it easily on Etsy.
While there’s no secret code or proprietary data to give you a guaranteed winning product idea, an easy product to sell should have low entry barriers, a good sales opportunity, and profitability.
You will achieve more success if you do the proper research into the market and competitors already on the platform.
A quick look at the top sellers proves that jewelry and supplies for making jewelry are the best-selling items by far.
So if you’re just beginning your e-commerce adventure, jewelry can be an easy item to get you started.
If you can bulk order cheap jewelry pieces like tiny bracelets and personalize them with messages, names, and monograms, go for it!
Browse subcategories to search for ideas and niches you think you could fill.
How to Sell on Etsy
You’ve found your product. Now it’s time to set up your Etsy shop and start selling.
If you don’t have previous experience with Etsy, starting a shop may seem like a complicated prospect. Here is a step by step guide on how to sell on Etsy:
1. Set up your Account
Before you create a shop, you’ll need to first set up your account.
Setting up an Etsy account is straightforward. I recommend using a PC or laptop. After setting up your shop, you can manage it via the Etsy app.
You first need to register your account. You can register in 2 ways:
- by providing an email address, username, and desired password,
- or directly sign up using your Facebook, Apple, or Google account.
If you’ve previously purchased from Etsy, you can use the same account. Head to the upper right side of any page and click “Sell on Etsy.”
2. Fill out Your Profile
Once you set up your account, you now need to incorporate personality by filling out some info in your profile. As a seller, you want to stand out among the millions of other Etsy sellers.
Add a personal photo and fill in your bio. People love passion – share yours!
Do your best to tell a fascinating story about yourself, how your business started and what inspires you to find/create these unique products.
Include your shop logo and banner to make a clear statement to your customers and fellow retailers about what your shop is about.
After filling out your profile, you’ll be asked to specify some basic preferences like currency and language.
3. Set Your Shop Preferences
Click on ‘Open Your Etsy Shop‘ and then follow the prompts. Read all the policies to make certain that offering wares on Etsy is ideal for you and your business.
The next step is designating basic settings for your store.
Here, you’ll set up your shop policies, determine sales tax and accept Etsy fees.
4. Pick a Name for Your Shop
Next, you’ll be asked to choose a name for your shop. This is the part where your creativity can come into play.
Perform a search of current user names to ensure you pick something distinctive. Go for a name that reflects your personal brand.
Don’t panic if you don’t have a name just yet. You have the option to change this name when you actually open your shop.
5. Create your Product Listing
After Etsy approves your shop name, now it’s time to start adding items you want to sell. Your product listings are the lifeblood of your shop. Include as much detail as possible.
Creating lackluster listings can make your sales stagnate, while compelling listings will skyrocket your sales.
So what does a great listing look like? Well, it all goes down to creating an emotional connection with your buyers through images, product titles and product descriptions. How you execute the three components makes the difference.
Use clear photos, titles with words and phrases that buyers might search for, and awesome product descriptions with features and benefits.
Some Etsy sellers write a one-line description and leave out the good stuff. Don’t be like them. Your descriptions should be thorough enough to highlight the item and all it has to offer.
The trick is to figure out what needs to be said about the product and keep it short and sweet. Avoid copying or using generic descriptions.
Posting fuzzy or grainy photos is a big no-no. Bad photos tell a lot about the quality of your craftsmanship. If you use multiple photos, pick a thumbnail photo. This will be the photo that customers will see first when searching for your product.
Use different angles and depths to show the detail of your items.
6. Select a Payment Method
Some shoppers abandon their carts at checkout if there aren’t enough payment options.
While online shopping is nothing new, some shoppers still hesitate to share their credit card details online, regardless of how secure your website is.
You can easily avoid this lost opportunity by maximizing available payment options for your store.
The payment gateways Etsy offers are PayPal, MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Apple Pay.
7. Plan for Shipping
Don’t wait until you’ve completed your first sale to start thinking about how you’re going to fulfill the buyer’s order. Business ownership is all about looking ahead.
Online buyers have come to expect fast shipping, so it’s up to you to figure out your shipping logistics to avoid keeping your customers waiting.
Etsy lets you print shipping labels, determine shipping charges, and track packages right from your shop. There are lots of options based on weight and size and domestic vs. international.
Instead of manually selecting the cost of shipping, you can let their algorithm calculate it for you. If you’re confused about the best shipping for your shop, go to the Etsy forums and ask fellow Etsy sellers.
How you package your product is also important. To create a beautiful unboxing experience, use a material that will protect the product in transit and consider including a short personal note. This shows that you’re professional and appreciate your customers’ business.
8. Publish Your Listing!
Before setting it live, you can preview your listing to see how it’ll look to customers’ eyes.
Tips to Scale your Etsy Business
Many folks open up a shop on Etsy and wonder why their items aren’t selling.
Once you’ve mastered the basics of how to sell on Etsy, this is when you should consider scaling your business.
There are a handful of ways to get one step ahead of the game, even if you’re just getting started.
Pick A Niche
As mentioned earlier, Etsy has over 3 million active sellers with millions of products listed. With this much competition, it’s easy to get drowned out. You’ll need to find something to stand out.
When picking a niche for your Etsy shop, take your time and don’t go with a too broad category. It’s vital that you choose a category that interests you and suits your passions.
This will ensure that you’ll never grow tired of creating/finding products that fall into that category.
If you have a general idea of the type of product you plan to sell, research your competitors. Browse shops that match your talents and interests.
Analyze the kind of language they use, things that make their products unique, and how they present their content.
I’m not suggesting you copy their style because if you do, chances are you’ll fail.
Also, there’s a fine line between what’s copied and what’s inspired. Subject to a copyright complaint, Etsy removes material.
Devise your own style, but learn from the best.
Etsy SEO
Think about the last time you performed an online search. Chances are, you typed a keyword to find product options, right?
The text on a site — also called web copy — is crawled by search engines like Google, which then uses that info to guide users toward or away from the site.
This will also be the case with users who are searching for your products on Etsy. Many of your potential clients will come from internet searches. It’s vital to make your copy as search-engine-friendly as possible.
Etsy is a big marketplace, and if you do not use SEO, it can be challenging to stand out from the crowd.
Without boring you with an unnecessary definition that looks like a college lecture notes, Etsy SEO means setting up your shop and listings in a way that makes it easy for potential buyers to find on the internet.
SEO is the most effective way to bring organic traffic to your shop. The Etsy search function is your main marketing channel.
To improve your Etsy SEO, you do not have to hire an SEO expert. Use tags in your listings, utilize popular keywords in your listing title and product descriptions, and put your products in the right categories to make them easier to find.
It might seem hard at first, but I promise that you can learn it fast!
Pricing
Each item you add must come with a price.
Pricing can make or break your Etsy shop.
When starting out, it can be tempting to price products cheap in the hopes that you’ll sell more. Don’t short sell yourself.
Knowing how much it costs to acquire or produce your products will help you set an effective pricing strategy. This includes the value of your time and material cost.
You also need to bake business running costs and some profit into your prices. Etsy sets a fee of $0.20 per listing when the listing is created, regardless of whether the item sells.
They also take a 5 percent transaction fee. Find ways to cut production costs so that your profit margin is higher.
If you’re already selling your wares elsewhere, pricing your items should be pretty easy. If you’re still unsure what to price your product, do some competitor research on Etsy and Google to see the average price point.
You may want to offer introductory sale pricing or special pricing to get your Etsy shop more traffic first.
Customer Service
If you really want to be successful on Etsy, don’t forget to solve your customers’ doubts.
Etsy has become progressively more competitive over the years. Shoppers are more likely to buy from stores where they receive great service.
Happy clients are key to your success. As such, do everything in your power to keep them happy. Make them feel valued so that they can buy from you repeatedly.
How can you do this? Listen to your customers and incorporate their suggestions into your products and shop.
Etsy allows you to create a personal relationship with your customers. Provide them with the option to contact you by phone, email or chat.
If a customer asks a question, ensure you answer the question as promptly and completely as possible. Try to think if he or she has other questions, and answer them too.
For instance, if a customer wants to know if you ship outside the United States. Do not just answer with a YES or NO and leave it at that. Give extra info like the average cost, processing time, and estimated shipping time.
If any problem arises, even if you feel that the issue wasn’t your fault, respond favorably.
A good experience with your Etsy shop can go a long way. When a customer feels like they’re well taken care of, this will increase your chances of closing that sale.
Marketing
It’s now time to spread the word about your business.
Virtually all small businesses, including crafting, have a hard time in the beginning. Successfully opening your shop doesn’t necessarily equate to immediate sales and success.
To increase sales, you need to work on building a presence and a customer base.
Etsy uses a 5-star rating system that buyers can use once their product is marked as “delivered.” Online shoppers rely on positive reviews to make purchasing decisions. But you’re new to Etsy, and your shop has no reviews yet.
Reach out to close friends and family to make your first sales. Ask them to leave a positive, honest review. Request them to refer you to their friends if they’re happy with their purchase.
Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth advertising. Over 90 percent of consumers trust recommendations from people they know over ads.
You will also want to take full advantage of the easy and inexpensive exposure that social media marketing offers you. Most of your customers are on social media waiting for you to reach them.
When it comes to the maker or crafting community, social media is a pretty big deal. Maintaining (at a minimum) Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter presence will help you build low-pressure relationships with future buyers, and keep customers updated on offers and new products.
You can also organize contests and giveaways on these platforms.
Email can also be an amazingly effective strategy to complement your content marketing efforts. You can let your subscribers know how things are going with your business and inform them about upcoming craft fairs you plan to attend. Just don’t overshare.
Remember, reviews expire after 100 calendar days. Etsy does this to provide updated feedback for new customers. This also means you cannot rest on your laurels.
A practical marketing strategy is to turn your Etsy buyers into repeat customers. Encourage customers to review their experience.
Summary Of The Best Selling Items On Etsy
If you’ve followed all of the steps in this Etsy guide, then you are well on your way to a successful Etsy business.
By learning what it takes to get your Etsy shop off the ground, you’ll dedicate yourself to improving its performance.
Here is some advice. Don’t spend too much time planning what to do in case you fail. Instead, spend more time figuring out your next steps when it works. This way, you can harness every opportunity that comes your way.
Remember, accomplishments aren’t random occurrences. Becoming successful on Etsy can take a long time. Like years. Just be patient, keep showing up and put your work out there. The right buyers will come.