The TRUTH about Etsy Print on Demand | 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting
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- Опубліковано 14 тра 2024
- Etsy Print on Demand may be the most common way for new Sellers to get started using Print on Demand fulfillment. In this video, I discuss how much money the average Etsy seller made in 2022 according to information in Etsy's annual report. Also, having learned a lot by opening my own Etsy store, I share 5 Things I wish I knew before getting started using Etsy POD. These tips will be very helpful in understanding how to get set up to sell with Etsy dropshipping. For example, I explain Etsy fees and Etsy offsite ads.
Disclaimer:
While I am a finance expert, I am NOT a financial or tax advisor and am NOT offering financial advice on what YOU should do with YOUR money. How you invest your money should be based on BOTH sound financial planning and knowledge of the details of YOUR specific financial situation. This video is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only.
Your host in this video has an undergraduate degree in Economics, an MBA in finance from Cornell University, earned the CFA charter (Chartered Financial Analyst), worked as an equity research analyst at top Wall Street firms, and has been the CFO of several software companies.
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#etsy #etsybusiness #estyseller #pod #printondemand #makemoneyonline #passiveincome #williamlee
I'd agree there are way too many UA-camrs telling us how to "get rich quick". If it were that easy we'd all be millionaires. I started my Etsy shop 2 years ago and have built up a decent passive income as a side hustle, but I have invested the hours to get where I am. You just gotta work at it and have realistic expectations.
How much are you making now?
@@marcalbertmusic currently about 4k yearly profit.
@@The_man_himself_67 thanks for the feedback
@@The_man_himself_67 open up a few shops testing products, move the successful products to your main shop.
How many products do you sell on your shop and what kind are they, like are they print on demand or are they more unique items such as hand made things that take time to make?
As an accountant by day and freelance artist by night, I'm super impressed how candid you were in this video about the hidden seller fees, sales tax obligations, VAT requirements, and resale certs. So many UA-cam content creators will gloss over this stuff, and small business owners get burned during tax time. Very impressed you pointed these things out!!!
Thanks, much appreciated!
Yeah, I calculated that one handmade whole oak wood Christmas ornament would realistically cost between 13-15€ to be in a profit. People don't count in the price the price of machines, electricity, research and development... and other taxes that come along.
You tube video makers probably find that they are more likely to get more views from video’s promising to make someone wealthy rather than potentially loosing money or in many cases just not making any!
So what you're saying is that a business has to calculate for competition, expenses, taxes, that building a business takes time and effort and that most businesses fail. And this is different from any other business on the planet how?
@@ducktube451 it is different in the sense that there are people believing that if they open an etsy store they are going to make millions in a month where most people already know opening a brick and mortar store wont make you rich in a month... You seem to be not understanding what is being discussed here.
Great to see this video. I ran a popular Etsy store for years and closed down earlier this year.
Between the high fees, and the policies (some have since changed regarding automatic refunds) it was not worth it for the small profit and large time investment on my end. I had a customer click on the "contact seller" button to thank me for the fast shipping, and somehow Etsy took that as a problem, refunded the buyer in full and told me that it was out of their hands. That was the final straw. I closed the store immediately and haven't looked back since.
I found it a lot better to focus on producing stock and attend craft markets in person where outside of the site fee, there was no hidden costs. The added bonus is I can see people enjoying my products in person
Chris, I assume you moved to some other means of selling your products. Would you mind sharing what path you chose instead of Etsy?
That sort of happened to me! A custom was trying to leave me a good review, and messaged me to ask how to do it and Etsy took it as a negative! They put a hold on 75% of my earnings for 90 days!
@@kenpeck5930she said she goes to craft fairs
I’ve had an Etsy store for years now and the biggest gripe for me is all of the messaging. I did $75k last year on Etsy but put in tons and tons of hours to do that. Like way more hours than my job and I earn a lot more at my job.
Um, they did. @@kenpeck5930
Finally!! A business oriented approach to what being an etsy seller is actually like. I have an MBA and 20 years of experience in business and still had a tough time deciphering all the fees, time, and opportunity costs. You totally nailed it. Appreciate your video!
Thanks, much appreciated! Glad it helped.
What I appreciate about this video 6 minutes in, you are so honest about the fact that just Etsy doesn’t tell you how many stores don’t make money at all
One thing I have learned. If you're getting your ideas from UA-camrs you're already way too late.
You deserve more followers and views for your unbiased review and not just hyping people up while leaving important details or pain points out.
Great video, would love to see more videos like this. Lots of claims online about profitable side hustles everywhere, some are clearly better than others. It's great to see someone looking at the data and presenting it properly.
Absolutely… So many annoying videos with a thumbnail/title talking about the “potential“ of earning 5 and 6 figures every month lol. I am getting more and more into chatGPT and midjourney and while it’s exciting to be able to generate ideas, artwork, and even entire books, we have to remember that if it’s easy for us, it’s easy for everyone else too. You’re up against thousands of competitors all doing the same thing. What I’ve learned so far is that the tried-and-true methods of sales and marketing are still true today, no matter what the technology is doing. Find your niche, market to them heavily and focus on a smaller audience that you can actually create things for instead of trying to be everything to everyone.
This was the video that I needed to see. Like you said, so many, I would comfortably say 95% of content creators, lure us in with the HOPE of making money, rather than the actual facts of it. You've got a very easy sub and like. Please keep this up! Thanks!
I think that the evolution in business practice in Etsy itself has made a difference as well. Since going public the type of product they allow has changed. At its inception it was a makers market and catered to hand made sellers or artisans. Once they went public it was flooded with cheaply made and mass produced pieces. It has gotten to where you can’t always trust the photo of items either. New stores have trouble breaking into the market because consumers are becoming less trusting newer products.
Etsy is practically dead. The amount of dropshopping and print on demand crap makes me suspicious about every item on the platform. They should do a complete reset with only highly verified sellers that submit a proof video of their craft.
@@JonasWilms Print on demand isn't a bad thing hahahah. Its just basic clothing. Not everything has to be craft
@@blablablaa14 It is, if it's sold side by side with hand screen printed clothing. Etsy mixes handcrafted goods with mass produced chinese tat and it's impossible for the user to see what (s)he gets.
@@JonasWilms The biggest Print on Demand providers don't ship from China for 90% of their items hahahaha. You have no idea what you're talking about
@@blablablaa14Drop shipping low quality digital prints of stolen art on $2 Gildan shirts doesn't make you an artisan.
I was referring to all the other tat that's sold on etsy, Print on demand products are at least easy to spot but still annoying.
Thank you for a calm and level-headed video in this space. I tend to bounce off videos as soon as excited promises of glorious results are made. But I stayed to the end on this one (and subscribed), because you were balanced and measured. Much appreciation.
Thanks very much for the feedback! It really helps me know if my approach is working or not.
Thanks so much for this unbiased "non influencer" break down of the platform. I've seen a lot of those types of videos over the years and even tried out a few strategies before finding out that a lot of them don't really practice any of the things they say and primarily make money not from what they preach but from selling courses. So it's good to see a more objective perspective on POD businesses.
That's my goal - just openly share information without hype. I'm glad it helped! Thank you.
This is the same as when I was a kid, ads in backs of magazines on how to get rich. We'd joke that if anyone buys the book or course or whatever, it would tell you how to advertise books on how to get rich. Well, it's not exactly wrong!
That remind me of the Amway business, where the money is made by the sellers of motivational material (the réal business behind the business)
Finally. Someone who is honest. Thank you. Saved me a lot of time and hassle. I appreciate your honesty.
Thanks, William! This video helped me decide whether or not to open up a shop on Etsy. For those who are successful on Etsy, great work. For me, I'm too lazy and too frugal to pay all those fees to consider doing all that for ten dollars an hour. I'm sure there are people who actually owe Etsy money for opening a shop and just walk away. Your honest review is much appreciated!
You're so wholesome and I loved the video, thanks so much for all the great advice!
Great video. You quickly learn how difficult or complex it is to do any of these 'side hussles' by just doing one.
Wow! Thanks for bringing balance + reality to the Etsy conversation. Super helpful!
Glad it was helpful!
I’m not interested in an Etsy shop but like to research this topic because I’m looking to sell crafts and builds in the future. I’ve watched DOZENS of videos on Etsy, but this is the most straightforward and concise review. Looking forward to more content!
Thank you!
Just want to say thank you for being real and truthful. Really appreciate that.
this is by far the most comprehensive dive into this topic. I deeply appreciate you and this video.
A really good, clear explainer video William. I've been selling as a hobby on Etsy for a couple of years now. I've found in order to be successful you really do have to treat it like a proper business and adhere to those fundamentals. However as a low(ish) cost, low barrier to entry business it is a great model. In the early days you will find the investment in time is high and you have to assume that any profits, like most businesses, need to be reinvested to grow. Ultimately I would recommend anyone who wants to learn how to run a business should give it a go and, if you are really committed you may find a successful route through all the challenges and create something that pays a good second or even primary income.
❤❤
Thank you for your down-to-earth, rational, multidimensional, truly educational video about this topic! Really needed a reality-check 😌
You are awesome. What an eye opener! I run a shop on Etsy and now I know why I have been scratching my head althese days. Thanks buddy!
Had to subscribe to your channel! You are definitely a CFO. 😀 But on a more serious note: I love how you speak the plain truth - no fluff, no B.S. with a lot of food for thought. Thank you!
I appreciate the straightforward information regarding this topic. It absolutely puts everything into perspective and sets expectations from the jump. But going off that, this is all true for ANY business endeavour (which obviously you already know this). So it comes down to the individual understanding & comprehending what they are about to get into. Like with any traditional business, e-commerce or side hustle, the expectation has to be that it will take time, dedication and work... with nothing guaranteed. Afterall, no logical individual starts a business, small or big, based on an idea that it will be quick and easy with guarantees on profit. They start it based on the idea of potential. Where those sales could potentially go. Sure, youtubers/infuencers post videos making it seem like an easy profit endeavour that takes little to no effort. But to be fair, they are just selling the potential of the business. Planting the seed. And I think one of the biggest issues is that people want to blame those UA-camrs for selling them a pipedream, instead of holding themselves accountable for not using common sense and believing it would be easy to begin with. Yes, lots of money CAN be made on Etsy, but it is up to the individual to set their own realistic expectations, while making a plan to work toward that potential. I am sure even the most successful shops on Etsy are ran by people that were told it wouldn't be worth it in the beginning, but they had the drive to make it work. So on one hand I 100% agree with you and understand your viewpoints on this because you are setting a blunt expectation that everyone needs to hear before starting any business. But on the other hand, I would just add that like with anything in life, success is a direct byproduct of the work you are willing to put in. No different than someone trying to create a successful UA-cam channel. It takes time, effort and drive, while at the same time understanding & setting expectations of the success. Most UA-cam channels don't make it. Same concept. So there are no quick "get rich" schemes. Only potential based off what YOU are willing to put into it.
Great response. Exactly what I was thinking. The idea of potential.
Well said. Exactly
I just subscribed. Thank you for all of that great information! Very helpful, even though you just burst my balloon, lol, I really needed to know that. Thank you, I’m looking forward to seeing more of your videos 💜🙂
Thank you for subscribing, and welcome to the channel!
Very valuable information! I appreciate the expert perspective and "real talk". I'm exploring this opportunity as well, and wanted to know all the pros and cons. Excellent delivery as well. Cheers and you have earned a new subsriber. 👍
Thank you, for taking the time to create this video. It's very helpful. Also, I have subscribed to your channel.
This is awesome! Thank you so much for your insights! One thing I think people also underestimate is the amount of design time required and how much theft of ideas/designs goes on. I can easily imagine a whole group of people do nothing but search listings for easily repeatable designs, copy them and start mass producing and selling them on ETSY also. That means the evolution of ideas and designs is never ending. Anyways, great stuff. Thanks again.
It's more like a thundering herd.
Good to know I'm at least doing better than I thought I was 🤣 I was starting to feel really down compared to all the gurus saying how easy it is. But I've made 300 sales in 6 months and earning about $12/hr after all costs. Not bad but also nothing to shout from the rooftops about either 😂
Not too bad!
That is actually good...i have had one sale in 5 months
What's your store?
That not bad at all
god damn son that is actually really good for a side hustle
This video has been the most practical, sound, realistic, eye-opening, insightful, well rounded video I have heard on UA-cam history about this digital selling craze. Wow and it definitely makes sense now. Thank you!!
Thanks, Carolyn!
Thank you! Your videos are really helpful. Keep doing such insightful demonstrations!
Thank you so much for this video! I've had several small Etsy shops over the years, and by far, when I made a physical product (sewing) for other buyers/collectors in the hobby, I had far more sales and activity than POD. I miss that Etsy used to be more about the arts and crafts and they were quite strict implementing that rule. Now, though, it's so easy to see replicas of the same artwork and not much looks truly unique anymore. For very similar items, Ebay can be far less expensive to buy from than Etsy. P.s. Sellers also must rack up quite a bit with not only the Etsy fees, but the platforms like Canva and subscriptions!
Thanks, Rita! Interesting insight about cheaper prices on eBay.
Great video! Alot of great points were made and I always appreciate when it's framed in terms of income generated as a function of time invested. hard to account for the unknown passive sales that come down the line, I guess we just have to maintain faith that they will come 😅. Enjoyed the content!
I hope you do a reaction video to this one
@@shiftingbabe3947 I emailed him! :)
Glad I found your video. Appreciate the honest and business-minded approach in this video. I am always reminded by one lesson I learned in one of the entrepreneurship classes I attended. The speaker said that aside from the usual metrics also look at the the time you invest /spend in the business if it’s worth it.
I’m glad you’re pointing out sales vs profits. So many people overlook it
I found this very helpful. You also gain a subscribe from me. This video alone has given one of the best options on whether to use Etsy or not as a small business owner which sells printables and print on demand items. Also, it concludes for me too about when I use Etsy as a platform. IN that the points mentioned here I have experienced first hand. So, maybe I should say the points give clarification. For me at least. I am one of the people in the list explained about who gets the sales. I am from the one where I haven't made any sales. And been on it for awhile too. Had to use other money sources to pay for more of an incurred bill than actual sales. Maybe I'll give the platform another try but not too soon in the future. Again, thanks for this helpful video Mr. Lee.
One of the best straight to the facts need to know before starting an Etsy shop or any online “seller” business. Great value and one I will def send to anyone that wants to start an Etsy business. I have a shop and I put a lot into it, and to me the reward for my niche is worth it- helps others. It’s mostly digital, so similarly to pod I save on time, but also save a bit on fees. The one think I would say is you do not have to have a hundred items. I would say 5-15 is a good place and depending on the product and niche can even stay that way. At the same time, you are right you don’t know what people will buy and the more listings you have the more views you should get. If you do your research very well, you can be successful with the handful of listings.
I absolutely LOVE what you said about other Etsy videos and the difference between sales and profit- just excellent!
Excellent comment and feedback! Thank you, Valerie!
@@TheBestWill thank you! I feel bad so many are led, by “Etsy gurus’s” (I use that term very loosely) into thinking it’s easy and you’ll earn thousands right away and generally speaking it’s just not true. The more I think about it, the more I think this has been the best video of “what to know before starting an Etsy shop” I’ve ever seen. 🏆
I agree about the number of items listed - I try to add new items a couple of times a week and I'm up to around 50 since I started in Jan. I've made about 20 sales, nothing amazing, but I only put in very part time hours so I'm only going to get part time sales - that is the reality of any business.
The most sincere Etsy video I have ever seen. Thank you!
This was very help! Thank you. And definitely more details on the unknowns out there.
William, I have to say this is the most honest commercially realistic summary of running a business as an Etsy POD seller I have seen. Etsy’s market place metrics of millions is the major attraction to potential sellers and your breakdown of this is classic.
Being in business most of my working life and now retired the POD business concept really grabbed my attention. The issues you addressed underpins many of my own Etsy concerns which include two additional issues to those you have raised. First, should also consider the costs incurred for support facilities outside of Etsy. Second, and one of my major concerns, is the “control” Etsy exerts over Etsy Sellers. It is apparent that Etsy will suspend or close shops without valid cause or prior notice, then fail to respond to Seller requests, which is not a healthy business environment. This provokes my following comments (1) Time really is Money (2) You can’t build an empire on rented land, and (3) My view is that you use Etsy to learn and gain a market foothold as they are using you! Then branch out.
@tommyrocket2604 you make very good points. I think this is why so many people are moving to their own stores on Shopify. There are a lot of videos here of "etsy vs shopify". I'm currently taking a paid course, where the instructor alludes to the fact that Esty will get you started and your feet wet, but ideally you'd want to get your own store.
The more I read about their business practices, the more I understand why.
Yesss, I still think Etsy is the “cheapest” route thus far to start a POD but I think transitioning to Shopify or I’ve even heard winx (I think it’s called) is a good website too
I love when he starts laughing. It's so true! Been a seller of physical and digital goods on Etsy for 8 years. This is the most thorough and honest assessment anyone's posted about selling on Etsy. It's not easy in the least, but luckily I'm not an "average" seller, and the work from home aspect, plus potential to grow outweigh the existing downsides. Excellent video!
Thank you, Lilly! I'm happy to know you enjoyed it! And I'm very glad to hear you're finding success on Etsy.
Can you teach me?
Reminds me of Richard from People of Earth
Paid for by Etsy.
@lil2slow Hi! I just started my Etsy POD store. I have been watching videos like his about the pros and cons. I’ve had my shop up for about a week with no prior experience. I followed a gal on UA-cam who did walk people through how to set up everything. I only have about 20 some odd items at the moment. No sales yet. Any info or help you can offer me? If that’s okay :). My shop is called MandysMakingWaves. Appreciate any advice for a new shop owner! Thank you! And thank you for the video :)
Best breakdown I've seen of this subject. Thank you!
This is the 1st true Etsy video I’ve seen. You really woke me up!
I really appreciate you breaking it all down. I now have a clear idea of the elements that matter. Many thanks Mr Lee. Bottomline is that you are better off just doing delivery! So, realistically, I think it would be 10x better if you create your own web site and market it through various channels. It may appear to cost more but at least you know what works and what don't, giving you the opportunity to get closer to your goal. I just opened an account on Etsy and uploaded a few listings. As an experienced marketer, I am not using my brain but simply go along with all that hype to see if I had missed out anything. But your evaluation brought me to reality.
Thanks for your comment. I'm inclined to agree that starting your own website for purposes of marketing and selling your products may be a better option than selling through Etsy. Just know that you'll have to drive 100% of your own traffic, whereas at least Etsy supplies some traffic to your Etsy shop.
@@TheBestWill There will definitely be a learning curve for driving traffic to one's own website.
This was an awesome video. I like your open honest opinion and also using factual data to make conclusions. You sir, have gained a new subscriber!
Thank you, I appreciate that!
The same here
So glad that I stumbled onto this video before getting into Esty! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for your honesty, that's rare to find in most videos regarding Etsy sales
You speak the truth! Very informative about the amount most Etsy sellers make annually. Therefore, those people selling the approximate $3K courses are getting most of their customers who will break even, not scream too much (after being told they aren't putting in enough effort) while only one or two students make more than the cost of the course thereby giving rave reviews and testimonials as the vicious cycle continues giving them a constant stream outside of their shop that may likely have caused them burnout. I always wondered why some of the top sellers offer courses. This was a light bulb moment for me. Thanks!
Thanks, Ann. Glad it was helpful!
ive been on etsy since the beginning (*2006), POD and also handmade. Ersy has been my FT income since 2012, with 3 shops. thanks for bringing up the point of the costs of the listings that never made any sales, bc literally no other POD youtubers talk about this. If you have thousands or even hundreds of listings that can add up, even if you only let a listing renew once or twice before your retire it if no sales. (I have my listings set to manually renew so i can keep an eye on this). another thing regarding the sellers permit, in CA (unsure if this is the case in NY), the tax board will cancel permits that havent had any sales/ 0 sales for more than a year or 2, so you really do need a couple sales to keep then active in many cases. Im in CA and have had my permit for many years and only in the last couple years has this "cleaning house" started. So beware this might happen. I was told by the tax office that you technically dont need a resale number to not pay taxes on items that will be resold, that you can still fill out their forms / sellers permit and the company should oblige but I've never seen that, and had some standalone POD companies insist I have even a tax ID number to work with them to weed out people who arent serious. I have a website and manke a few sales there so I can at least report some sales to the state every year. anyway some 411 for you.......
Thank you, good additional info on how states might handle the reseller and sales tax. For the readers, our point is that this will vary by state and by the suppliers that you work with, so you'll need to do your local research and talk to your suppliers.
Hi William! You are an amazing coach. So thorough in your research and findings and so clear in simplified explanation of it to the audience.... simply superb.
A big thanks to you.
Glad I found this I’ll put all my focus on my Shopify store, I can tell your channel will bring value just subscribed
It seems to all come down to intention. When you have a genuine passion or something to specifically say with what you’re selling, the easier it is to find an audience. I think a lot of people that just throw things together for the sole purpose of making quick bucks won’t have the sustainable mindset or quality/meaningful products to ultimately make it work.
I agreed. I’m a buyer and I have shops I’ve been buying from on Etsy for years. I started my own shop and stalled out but I’m going to try again!
Very helpful, I was thinking of setting up a shop, but not interested in paying taxes twice or have to file for a certificate. It's more than I am ready for. Maybe next year. Thanks much!
Thank you for the honest insights. I was thinking of starting a POD store on Etsy and this video was in my watch later list. Fortunately i watched it soon enough to save some precious time and money.
You're welcome. Glad you found it helpful!
This was sobering! After watching 20+ videos in the last 48 hours, this was the first video to break down the not so glamorous truths of starting an Etsy shop. I’m going to try anyway bc I want to but thank you!
Good info, Will, thanks. It's refreshing to see a "grown up" video about side hustles instead of the usual variety of "I bought a Lamborghini with just 5 minutes of work"!
Subbed.
Thank you! I agree, too much hype out there.
I know some people making decent money with those e-commerce platforms. But I also know they get a lot more creating content and selling you basic courses. I was excited about uploading my art, but now I don’t know 🤷🏻♂️
@@o.mogrovejo3669must not be too passionate about your art then
Superb video! So helpful! I was thinking of jumping into the Etsy game but now I’m reconsidering if it is worth it! Thanks for all your effort and research to make this video!!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you, best video I seen to help me make a decision. You were honest, and explain everything clearly. 👍👏
Great video, and if I may say, I love the way you talk! Very clear!
From the bottom of my Lit Major Liberal Arts heart: thank you! Trying to suddenly gain at least some business insight for a side hustle - later in my professional life, shall we say - I can't tell you how much I appreciate such a personable, understandable, and practical breakdown of the most salient points. Your help here is not merely in pointing out the truth - it's in pointing out what to ask about in the first place.
Thank you so much! You made a really smart point there... learning what to even ask about or look for when evaluating a side hustle (or whatever we want to call it) is incredibly valuable. Thanks again!
I wasn't expecting this message... I was expecting you to tell us we could make $10,575 per month with 3 easy to follow steps! 👍
Hey Will. Thanks for the insight. I figured all you said but your confirmation is uber valuable.
Glad it was helpful!
I did enjoy your video very much. Thank you for such great content and perspective.
Super helpful video! Thank you for putting in the time. I've been on Etsy for about 3 months now and have paid more in listing fees than I've made in sales and wasted some of my money on advertising which was of little help. Overall the experience has been awesome, though, learning all the creative programs that are out there and the value of advertising on my own.
Love your point about LEARNING. This is a key takeaway - we should go into these things with one of the main intents being to learn. After learning what does and doesn't work and trying to understand why, we're then better able to identify the opportunities that are more likely to work, AND we'll better know how to tackle them. This improves our odds of success.
What are you using to advertise? I just opened a store, put up 10 items and I’m experimenting with google adds, I get views but no sales, 2 weeks so far.
@@o.mogrovejo3669 I guess I have to update my last comment. My 1st month was really good with early sales, and then I never had another sale and have stopped using Etsy for anything. Minus my sales, I ended up $100 in the hole. My site has a ton of visits but no sales. My recommendation is if you sell something that has competition make your product a lot better than the competitors.
@@o.mogrovejo3669 I was using Etsy ads. Haven't tried other means of driving traffic. Google ads might work. It will be interesting to find out how much you have to pay for ads to make one sale. I don't know if Etsy ads are better or worse than Google ads in that regard.
Very interesting. I’ve been in POD on various platforms for 2 years now. Is a big learning curve but has the potential for large returns for minimal input but and it’s a bit but, finding the products that create big returns takes time and for some I guess, never happens. But once you find it, it’s quite outstanding
That's my understanding, too. If you can find a few products that sell well with good profit margins, then it could be a great return on time invested IF those products continue to sell well long enough to pay back all the time.
"Trending" items are on a curve. They trend upward, peak, then decline in popularity. So finding the products that create big returns will be an ongoing task. Like riding a wave at the beach, eventually they will "crash" and you will be back at square one. Become good at predicting the next trend and you will be able to ride the crest of a success wave indefinitely.
High value information without all the flashing lights. Thank you
William your videos definitely bring wisdom in contrast to the numerous channels that just pump a trend. Thanks for sharing your insight, experience and knowledge.
You got me at sales, not profit. Yep. Your video definitely one of the must watch for all new Etsy sellers out there. I myself opened a store couple of weeks after watching lots of video and yours still catch me off guard with that point.
Thank you for such informative and cute cat video too 😁😁😁💪💪💪.
You're welcome, and thanks for appreciating the cat video! That one kind of made me laugh!
Thanks for the info. One thing I make sure is that I understand why I’m selling on Etsy. I enjoy creating and crafting. Selling on etsy is like my way of showing off my art. It’s a perk of my hobby. I try not to get stressed over sales and fees.
Love it, Patrick! Same for me. I'm a photographer (as a hobby), and it's fun to try to sell in different venues.
Good, i was not expecting your comment, you are probably one of the few, good for you. However, still, we need to make an income unless you are already rich 😀
This exactly. I’m starting my shop
To sell my photos and art that I create in my free time. I love taking photos all the time so why not try and make a little money doing it.
I really appreciate this candid review about selling on Etsy!
Well that was sobering. Was thinking of getting into it. But i'm glad to hear the maths broken down. Thanks for sharing
Thank you William for your video, one more thing you forgot to add to the costs are the programs and platforms you might use for design and keyword research. For print on demand to create your designs, to get nice mockups and to research keywords you are also spending around 30-50$/month.
Your video has struck me since I am one of those who started full of expectations and really made 0$ after lot of hours of work, thank you once again.
Great point, thanks for bringing it up!
I definitely agree with the conclusion! I have spent well over 500 hours to produce 44 sales in total! My numbers equal -$1500! And I do not want to calculate the cost of lost opportunities because of the hundreds of hours I’ve spent… wasted!! So 494 listings later, I draw the same conclusions as you. (This was a print on demand shop, and I am not new to design work.) It is a sad, sad admittance of reality for me. I love the business model! it just seems successful for a select few out of tens of thousands. 😭😭😭
I'm sorry to hear that, but thank you for sharing. Your experience is really valuable for people considering jumping in.
Yeah… I really was ok with the risks up front. But, oh how I’d never recommend it to anyone after my own serious efforts. Serious research, semi-professional designs, great seo, videos on 90% of listings, printify membership, Etsy ad program for 3 months, etc. Now just letting my listings “time out” and off the platform. Even the 20 cent listing fee became a sore spot when you have hundreds of listings with scant sales. (Started shop in Oct, by the way.) Thank you for your video. I hope it will help others who are deciding where to invest their time.
Do you use psychological triggers on your listings? I'm a new seller & I have 76 sales now (24 sales this month - giving me $100 profit in 6 days). I started listing some items on january 18 this year & I only have 90 listings in total. Making an effort doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be successful, sometimes you just need the right strategies.
what do you mean by using psychological triggers on listings?
@@loriesaint that's just one strategy ecom store owners use. 1) Offer a free shipping 2) Use loss leader strategy (charm pricing) - it's like a clickbait 3) run daily sale (20-50% off) (plus it shows a countdown timer which creates urgency). It's hard to explain everything here but these are effective strategies.
The funny cat video being put into the video was Genius !! I had to Subscribe!! Great marketing William.. Too funny
God Bless
Extremely well explained and thorough analysis. Thank you!
I really enjoyed your in depth analysis. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us. I was tiring of all the Etsy videos recycling the same old points. I plan to use Etsy but also other platforms for my designs; using only Etsy just seems like a bad idea.
Thank you!
Is there any other platform that does not charge for listing the articles?
@@dannprairie9202 CreativeFabrica does not have a listing price but a comission from sale price instead. It's 75% if you bring traffic and 50% if they do. You can only sell digital stuff on that though.
Payhip is not a platform with a marketplace like Etsy but you can set it up to take payments from your social media/website. Their free plan takes a 5% transaction fee(not including the PayPal and stripe fees).
This was most helpful. I posted a lot of listings almost a decade ago and one item sold consistently for that time. When I had to pay fees, it seemed like Etsy would open a facet and the drip of leads turned into a paid customer or two. This has gone on for years. Fast forward to today and I’ve started adding more listings and taking advise from the many UA-cam players who seem to be making it work. And the result after countless hours researching and creating more listings, three more sales as of last September. Sigh.. Guess I better not quit my day job. Your information was on point and it certainly seems like a waste of time when all is said and done. I’m still hopeful to use this strategy or that one, but the nut is a lot harder to crack than it first appears. Great video btw, funny scenes and really thoughtful. Thanks!
I really enjoyed watching this video because it doesn't gloss over the fact that it isn't that easy to make money with POD. There is money to be made but it does take money, time and effort. Thanks William.
Thank you, I was so overwhelmed as to whether to use Etsy or not and you have given a great advise and facts.
So glad I found this! I started an Etsy store on a whim and while listing my designs for POD products, I found the actual listing process to be very time-consuming. By the time I researched and created SEO titles and tags, made mockups and filled out and uploaded everything with the POD printer and on Etsy - not to mention trying to research and abide by all of their rules and shipping regultions, plus creating designs for the products, I realized this was going to be a full-time gig for way less than minimum wage when you consider my time. Especially when you have to list humdreds of products to be competitive. Thank you for putting all of this into perspective and especially for revealing that all of these people talking about how well they are doing are listing sales, not profits - I hadn't even thought about that!
Hopefully some of the tips were helpful, but sounds like you're pretty far into it at this point. Hope you get sales and it pays off!!
In 2019 i used to make 3k a month selling on etsy with drop shipping my original designs on t shirts. until covid and everything just changed, now my shop makes about 500 a month printing myself and poshmark makes about 1k a month. its a struggle but at least i know its possible and i can do it. im about to delve into Ai art to create a lot of images and use drop shipping for wall papers, backdrops and canvas'. i'll let yaa know how it goes haha. also keep in mind everyone, etsy does throttle sales, and do not protect their sellers very much, i have had so many of my designs stolen and sold by other accounts and they rarely help me getting them removed.
Só how's it going your Ai images?
@@lovelycelita its very slow moving without proper funds to advertise lol so i've been using it sparingly. i'm getting good at writing prompts and being more descriptive tho, i think thats the important part lol "Ai Prompt Writer" might be a good job to have soon lmao
@@paydn202 Im wishing you the best!!!!!
This is so helpful. Thank you for this awesome video!
Very helpful. More likely to survive and thrive, now that some potentially false expectations have been removed. May even salvage some shops. Your honestywill hopefully prepare us for a more successful future. Thank you !
You're welcome! I hope folks understand that I'm in no way saying they can't succeed on Etsy, I'm just trying to make sure people understand it's not as easy as so many seem to suggest.
Yes and you done a great job thank you. I edited my comment when I realised how cynical it sounded. It more accurately reflects what I was thinking. Thanks again
Great video highlighting the myth and hype around Etsy. It's not easy at all. One more point worth mentioning is that if you are somewhat successful and eventually want to sell your etsy store - Etsy makes nearly impossible with their transfer rules (unlike other platforms) so consider that too.
Good point!
Thank you for sharing. I appreciate your perspective. I opened a shop about 5 months ago. I’ve been implementing most of the things I’ve been learning and I’m working really hard every day and I really do enjoy it. Unfortunately, I’ve only made 11 sales and most of them were people I know. Im committed to giving it 100% for at least a year! I really want it to be a successful shop. 😊 Also, I have listed almost 500 items, mostly t shirts.
What is your shop?
@@milopack1191 Kissthecalm ☺️
@@karenduey9675 Hi, Karen! I love how your shop is so organized! You definitely have potential to become a six figure Etsy seller. If I were you, I would add some custom listings to increase your sales. Good luck!
@@milopack1191 thanks so much for taking a look and your encouragement. I just added the Request Custom Order tab but I’ve been thinking about adding some custom listings(just have to figure out what to do next). I really do appreciate your input. It means a lot. And thanks for “favoriting“ some shirts. ☺️ Do you have a shop? If so I’d like to see it.
I haven't been very successful yet, but the I'm following the UA-camr Alek Sheffy's strategy and he has really good tips. =) My shop is packdesigned .
Wow there's so much more than I thought to consider for making my shops happen. Thanks for sharing!
A very well presented and insightful video William. People are really trying to find good genuine opportunities online but there's a awful lot of crap out there. In many cases you end up investing a lot of time and money and only after that 'discover' the pit falls. It's way better to have your eyes wide open 'before' you invest.
I just started listing products on Etsy last week and I'm already considering closing shop. After listing them, I ran searches on it, using exactly the same wording used in the description of my products and they didn't come up. I searched through over 50 pages of results! They seem more like a scam than anything!
I did the same. My store never came up in searches
They want you to pay for ads
Same. I just opened last week and did the same thing and mine didn't come up either.
Thats the best and most honest review Ive sèen..i saw a particular UA-camr who claimed to make over 3k in a week on a 6 month old store which is a)disingenuous because even if she did was the sales amount not profit and b) I caught her giving very false copyright indormation to her audience once before. She got very defensive when I called her out on it. But she has a course to sell newbies of course. This man is telling the truth. Ive been doing etsy for years with no success. Giving it one last shot right now with my best designs ever.
That wouldn‘t have been a certain „Ted“? Because in that case I saw the same video.
Some UA-cam tutors are purposely lying to people to get rid of competition cuz their stores still get taken down
Great Video! I just got started on Amazon Merch and I was considering Etsy. I did make a few sells on some my first T-Shirt's but like you mentioned, I 've heard this is not always the case. Thank you for your insight.
Wow, an actual honest and very informative take. Thanks for making this video ❤.
Oh my gosh!!! Such a blonde moment!!! I didn’t even think of when I file for my business that I am to file NO SALES TAX for those I’ve sold on Etsy!! 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️ And my shop is NOT new at ALL. That is the only reason I’m thanking God that Etsy has not been so successful for me so far then. Thank you so much for all of this detailed info, ESPECIALLY that reminder.
Glad to have helped!!
Finally, an honest POD influencer. POD isn't passive income. It's like a full-time job from which it's a minor miracle if a seller/designer makes anything. These POD's now make most of their money from their seller's 'fees', and when they purchase their own products.
Thanks for the video. Great content and a deep insight of what is going on in that market.
I was a “little” hiped after seen some other UA-camrs but your video showed me the full picture.
Thanks again
Me too. I was thinking of opening a store and now I'm just left feeling disappointed 😢
Hey brother you've done an excellent job creating this vid, is concise, easy to follow and very informative, with just the right amount of info, plus when you hit us with the cute cat commercial, i didn't switch channels.. cute cat by the way!! anyway, GOOD JOB ..looking forward of seeing more
I think CPA Marketing and building buyer email lists are way more
Profitable long term. If you do the Etsy way business model, make sure to be building a list off your customers so you can remarket to them and make way more money
Agree. Excellent advice!
This is reality of doing business on etsy, i had a store on etsy for 3 years making my own product and selling and decided to leave as it was costly to do business, first year was ok but nothing dramatic but the year after and third year Etsy fees started to compound and eating my profits , raising prices to point that less sells occured and had to close.
This is one of the most beneficial videos I've watched on youtube. Thank you!
Just started on etsy and made my first sale and your advice is absolutely on point. Great video.