Sell Print on Demand Products on Etsy

There has always been a market for numerous categories of custom-made and personalized products and services since it’s quite delightful to have something made just for you. Print-on-demand items are one of those categories. There’s no shortage of possible clients - you just have to find a fitting platform and a print-on-demand fulfillment company to reach them and make money. 

So you may ask yourself -  does Etsy have print-on-demand opportunities? Absolutely! Let’s delve into how to successfully start your print-on-demand shop there and what advantages and disadvantages does selling on Etsy have.

Table of Contents

Can You Sell Print on Demand on Etsy

Best Print on Demand Products to Sell on Etsy

Pros & Cons of Selling on Etsy

How to Sell Print on Demand on Etsy

Conclusion

Can You Sell Print on Demand on Etsy

Etsy has always been a place you go to if you want to buy homemade or vintage goods. It’s a gold mine for different craftsmen, artisans, and vintage dealers and collectors. But that’s not the only thing you can find there. By having a reputation of being a place where people sell items that can rarely be found elsewhere, it’s a great place to display your print-on-demand products.

Print-on-demand became a popular business strategy and a certain derivative of dropshipping, which allows people to sell products you haven’t created yourself but provided a design for. You may need to check the compatibility of your print-on-demand vendor, as some of them have their own platforms for distribution.

If the vendor gives you a green light, then by selling print-on-demand on Etsy, you can provide access to unique goods and customizable designs for millions of people. On top of that, the audience on the marketplace is already on the lookout for custom products. Another reason to consider Etsy is that you are somewhat expected to place a slightly higher price tag on your items, as long as they are quality handmade pieces.

It’s important to mention that eight years ago, Etsy slightly broadened its definition of handmade goods and allowed sellers to offer products made by a third party, provided that they will also measure up to Etsy’s standards.  

However, it doesn’t mean slacking off - sellers must prove their involvement in the design and be straightforward about their products. This change in the marketplace’s policy opened many doors for Etsy-approved print-on-demand sellers that have legitimate and authentic items to sell.

Print on Demand Business and Wholesale

Best Print on Demand Products to Sell on Etsy

To work your way up as the best print-on-demand for Etsy, it is generally recommended starting with the most popular products that have a larger audience - clothing, mugs, wall decor in the form of poster printing. Another benefit of starting with these items is that your print-on-demand provider is most likely to fulfill such orders. 

Let’s go through some of the most common categories. One of the most leading ones on Etsy is Home and Living, and this trend on home decor is most likely to not go anywhere as people have always felt the need to decorate their places of residence. 

Among the most sought-after items are personalized mugs, blankets, and pillows - with great quality and a reasonable price. To better display your unique designs, you can opt for wall art, signs, stickers, and prints. The most favored styles of decor are boho, floral, abstract, watercolor, animals, and minimalism.

Don’t forget about clothing as well - t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, scarves, and other personal possessions in the form of watches, jewelry, accessories, masks, products for pets, keyholders, small gifts, etc.

Pros & Cons of Selling on Etsy

First, starting an Etsy store is extremely fast and completely free, plus it doesn’t involve paying any unreasonable monthly fees or spending money on memberships. There is however a 5% transaction fee and a $0.20 fee to publish products.

Pros

Even though the marketplace is relatively easy, a seller’s handbook is available for everyone and contains almost any information you might need while setting up and running your store, including legal questions, taxes, shipping, etc. Other benefits of Etsy print-on-demand shops for artists include:

• Numerous suggestions and tips on how to properly place your product pictures on offered slots;
• The layout and selling process is straightforward, therefore great for beginners;
• An extensive audience that counts more than 80 million active customers;
• A large and supportive community - that includes support from the website, as well as the customers that are eager to leave reviews and support artists;
• Multiple tracked metrics and the statistical information available in the dashboard, allowing you to make more though-out decisions regarding your clients;
• Uncomplicated finances system.

Cons

As with everything, selling on Etsy does have a few cons as well:

• Previously mentioned transaction fees;
• Running a store requires loads of promotion;
• A four months expiration date on items - if you haven’t sold them till then, you need to renew the listing, and it requires a small payment;
• Your store’s customization is also not free;
• Your customers’ information is easily accessible for the marketplace itself;
• A large competition of like-minded artists who also offer items worthy of buyers’ attention.

How to Sell Print on Demand on Etsy

There are a few necessary steps collected from useful Etsy print-on-demand tutorials you should go through to sell on Etsy:

1. First, you need to deal with print-on-demand Etsy integration. Find a partner or a platform that provides a seamless integration process. This will help you in the future while running the store and managing orders. 
2. Now you need an Etsy account if you haven’t got one yet. Following this link, you can sign up and create your profile. Try to fill in as much relevant information as possible. Then you need to set up and name your store. Some third-party integrations also require at least one item present in your store to link accounts.
3. Integrate your account on your print-on-demand vendor’s website with your newly set Etsy store. Find the name of the marketplace in the list of allowed integrations and allow access to sync the orders.
4. After the steps above are done, update your listings by adding more products, then make a profit.

A few more tips - don’t forget accurate and comprehensive product descriptions - they are especially helpful when a client is looking for something particular and has to sort through tons of listings and go hard on filters. 

Plus, don’t abandon your social media because you have an Etsy store now. Posting about your products there can raise people’s awareness of your brand. On top of that, search engine optimization is another method to make your store known. 

When you start a print-on-demand Etsy shop, it’s crucial not to ignore the right moments and sale suggestions as well. For example, if you’re approaching holidays, important thing is - don’t miss out on the opportunities for selling your print-on-demand products, with the most popular choices being greeting cards, mugs, holiday sets, homeware, personalized t-shirts, jewelry, etc.

Top profitable holidays to boost print on demand business

Conclusion

There’s a reason that most of the print-on-demand sellers are thriving on Etsy and that’s because it’s one of the best places for artists and artisans to showcase their talent and earn a living. We’ve provided a short guide on how to sell print-on-demand on Etsy, as well as some pros and cons, and hope it’s enough to ease your doubts about starting your business there.