Mastering Etsy Sales: Learning From Women's Clothing Dropshippers 2023

Kateryna Tytarenko, SEO Specialist in Multi-Programming Solutions  •  6 min read

The Etsy marketplace doesn’t require advertisements, as it has become a workspace for millions of e-commerce retailers. Users know for sure where they should go if they need handmade wall art or an online women's clothing store with custom prints.

In this article, we’ll describe if it’s really possible to make money on the platform, even if you're a beginner. We’ll examine top product categories, learn how to make your listings visible to clients and become familiar with successful Etsy dropshipping companies.

How to boost sales on Etsy

Many e-commerce entrepreneurs already know that just having high-quality stuff that is in demand doesn’t guarantee average Etsy sales in the first year. You should adhere to a few guidelines to ensure your online store has vast potential. Read some tips on which products to sell and how to top up your listings in the Etsy search results. We hope they will give your store an easy and successful start.

Focus on stocking your shop

To take an honorable place among Etsy's top sellers, you must win the attention and trust of customers. Among thousands of white-label products, you should pick the right one that will cater to the client's needs, boost your sales, and grow the online store. 

When choosing a suitable niche, consider both market trends and your own preferences. It may be challenging to succeed if you aren’t interested in the stuff you merchandise. Think of areas you’re good at or have some real-life experience. Suppose you found trustworthy women's clothing dropshipping suppliers but also have your own ideas for designing the garment. Combine these commercial and creative impulses by selling POD apparel under your personal brand. 

As soon as you get your niche, validate ideas on the market. It’s time to define whether your custom products will find potential customers. Use tools like Google Trends or Quora to discover what is trendy in your location. Analyze the existing market solutions, read customers’ reviews, and generate valuable insights on creating popular goods. Your rivals’ shop pages can tell you a lot about prices and available offers. You can identify what attributes are vital for buyers (price, size, color, etc.) and how these preferences may influence online purchases.

Don’t miss a chance to examine samples from your Etsy dropshipping supplier. You may test products yourself, make real-life photos for shop listings and video reviews. Customers will more likely press the “Buy” button after watching such a detailed item description.

Top-selling product categories

Etsy started mainly as a marketplace for handmade, craft supplies (ingredients, tools, and materials) or vintage products (at least 20 years old). But now you can even organize wholesale women's clothing dropshipping or sell pet accessories if you design items yourself. So, the platform provides a perfect opportunity for print on demand entrepreneurs with creative ideas for customizing their stuff.

Get familiar with Etsy's top-selling products in 2023 and launch a thriving online store on one of the most popular e-commerce marketplaces. We’ve made our research based on current market trends and shop owners' success stories.

Apparel

Children’s, men’s, and women's clothing brands on Etsy win the race because this category is the most extensive on all online platforms. Here, you can realize your most brave ideas by making personalized prints on different garments and types of wear. T-shirts, hoodies, hats, tank tops, sports leggings, swimwear - you may choose an option for everyday usage or sell seasonal goods. 

Home items

Offer clients creative products to make their houses more cozy and attractive. Diversify your assortment with candles, blankets, pillows, rugs, or bed covers. These items packed in chic paper can become an excellent gift for any occasion and a powerful boost to start Etsy sales.

Drinkware

This product category includes mugs, water bottles, coasters, glass tumblers, etc. People buy such items to stay hydrated at home, in workplaces, during walks, sports training, and on travels. 

Pets goods

In the USA alone, around 66% of inhabitants own a pet. And they will gladly spend money in Etsy print on demand stores to buy personalized items for their fluffy friends. Offer bowls, beds, leashes, feeding mats, or collars that can emphasize animals’ personalities, keep them safe and healthy.

Accessories

Merchandise custom jewelry, bags, phone cases, keyrings, or gaiters that complement trendy women's clothing. Adding accessories to your assortment and organizing cross-selling will help you to increase profit and keep clients buying.

Digital prints

There’s a proven way of boosting Etsy sales and getting bulk orders. Many companies require business cards, posters, and branded stickers for their marketing campaigns. So, if you are a POD entrepreneur owning digital printers, consider this business idea for generating profit.

Kitchen items

Products like towels, lunch boxes, oven mitts, and wooden spoons are among the best sellers in the marketplace. Every self-respecting householder wants to create an aesthetical and cozy atmosphere in the most visited part of the apartment. That’s why starting an Etsy store with kitchen items may be a good idea for a small business.

Now you know the most trendy categories people choose while making purchases online. Still, in the highly crowded market, your store should be noticeable. Let’s learn how to beat competitors and get your listings to the top of customer searches.

What Are Etsy Tags?

Together with detailed information full of keywords in your Etsy listings, you may also use special virtual tags, which help engines understand what your product is and rank it higher in the search results. They cover additional data that is not specified in listing attributes. Tag fields may contain extra keywords or relevant phrases that allow buyers to find an item that suits their needs quickly.

Thus, you can add up to 13 tags with such information:

• Occasion. Note that your goods can become a perfect present for holidays or a seasonal event. For example, Christmas women's clothing wholesale, wedding gifts, winter decorations, etc.
• Target audience. Describe whose pain points you may solve. This data will be beneficial for customers who don’t know what gifts to buy for teachers, bosses, girlfriends, or coaches.
• Materials. In custom clothing dropshipping, tags are a perfect way to clarify what garment and technique you apply in the production process (cotton t-shirts, non-toxic printings, vinyl heat transfer, and so on).
• Sizes and styles. Standard Etsy listings may not allow writing such information as artistic style or product philosophy. Using free tags, clothing dropshipping companies may clearly introduce these characteristics to marketplace users. Just mention “90s disco prints”, vintage dresses, or diamond-shaped illustrations.

Choose Shop Manager → Listings → Details on your personal seller’s account and create a suitable tag for any of your items. When you enter the main key in Etsy’s search bar, you’ll see several suggestions to compile your description. You may choose one of them for your case. As an option, use ChatGPT or Key Search to generate the most relevant tag.

Examples of successful Etsy boutique stores (dropshipping perspective)

Since the clothing category covers a large number of products, we’ve decided to pay more attention to women's clothing online shopping. Below, you’ll find examples of thriving Etsy stores that sell custom goods globally and are committed to their own values. The most distinctive features of the following boutiques are simple but high-quality goods, a recognizable brand identity, and a well-designed website.

Holla Lingerie

This Ukrainian women's clothes designer produces convenient lingerie, swimwear, and aesthetic dresses from eco-friendly materials. Holla ships orders worldwide via UPS. Standard delivery takes around 2-6 weeks, while express shipment requires approximately 3-12 days, depending on the region.

With the rising popularity of sustainable and minimalistic apparel, Holla Lingeries can become an ideal Etsy dropshipping supplier for your e-commerce online store.

Freya’s Embroideries

This brand became popular in London, selling women's clothing on Etsy. First hand-embroidered t-shirts and sweaters by Freya’s Embroideries were sold in 2017. The company entered the apparel market with a mission to encourage people to love their unique personalities and express themselves. 

With simple and chic messages printed on every item, the clothing brand won thousands of clients' hearts and inspired them for personal development. 

The Serenity Wear

One of the best clothing dropshipping suppliers from Ukraine, The Serenity Wear regularly receives 5-star reviews from its clients for high-quality items and excellent customer service. The company specializes in selling silk dresses, skirts, shirts, and accessories. The brand's primary goal is to make luxury affordable for any budget. All the clothes are carefully handcrafted and ensure an excellent appearance and fit.

Top Tips For Making Money on Etsy

The good thing is that it’s definitely possible to make Etsy dropshipping profitable. Still, in real practice, simply creating an online store and waiting for the best result is not enough. Whether you plan to sell on the marketplace for an additional hustle or want to receive the main revenue from sales, several tips can help you make more money. Let’s describe them in more detail:

• Pick up a suitable niche, like women's clothing dropshipping, where you may realize your interests and passion. Narrow it down to a specific customer and offer a one-of-a-kind product to solve their pain points.
• Optimize your ads using relative keywords and tags, making them easily recognizable for search engines.
• Develop a brand identity that reflects your company’s philosophy and values. Showcase it in your website design, logos, business cards, and even orders packaging.
• Analyse competitors before you start a dropshipping clothing business. Find gaps in their services and products to fix them and represent an improved quality, attracting new clients.
• Make a comprehensive pricing that includes production costs, taxes, shipping, and listing fees.
• Focus on promotion. Use social media accounts, e-mail notifications, paid advertisements, and your own website to market your brand and generate traffic.

And, of course, if you dropship from clothing companies, don’t underestimate the value of qualitative materials. Usually, they are worth higher investments because they can bring more loyal and grateful clients.

Conclusion

We’ve already ensured that making revenue on Etsy is possible even if you don’t plan to sell craft supplies or vintage goods. You also have additional options to choose from: produce items by yourself or customize white-label products with your own design and retail them. Creating items on your own may bring some challenges. For example, working alone you risk not coping with all the orders, especially on holiday eves. But dropshipping integrated with Etsy can solve this issue. Just find a reliable supplier who can turn your design ideas into life and sell items under your own brand.

The three golden rules that may help to increase Etsy sales are optimizing listings, making high-quality, real-life photos, and regularly analyzing your competitors. Make your stuff visible and easy to find for your target customer, and build trust by adding video reviews.

Learning competitors is also relevant for any platform you sell on. Do your research and note what other online shops do right or wrong. Compare customers' feedback to generate ideas you can implement to boost sales and grow your business.