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Selling on Amazon is a good platform for products you’ve sourced through third parties; however, for print-on-demand (POD), Etsy is the go-to platform for side hustles and startups.
Let’s consider how POD and Etsy could be ideal for your transition from employee to self-employment.
Print-on-demand (POD) is a specialized form of dropshipping or fulfillment model.
The process works as follows: a customer chooses a product, such as a t-shirt, mug, poster, tote bag, or another item that can be customized with a print.
Then the customer chooses the print they want on their product, pays for it, and then it is printed and shipped to them. This entire process is executed without your business needing to maintain inventory, invest in printing tools, or manage shipping logistics. Magic!
With the print-on-demand model, your business outsources the order and fulfillment process to a third-party provider, which handles the printing, packaging, and shipping of the final product directly to the customer’s door.
Etsy is renowned as the marketplace for clothing, jewelry, home decor, and crafts. In 2005, Etsy identified a gap in the online market and created a platform that enabled independent creators, artists, craftspeople, and small businesses to reach customers globally.
Starting a business on Etsy is a straightforward process that allows you to launch your venture quickly. With its user-friendly interface, you can set up your store in just a few hours, even if you’re a beginner.
For your print-on-demand business, there are many POD suppliers, including PeaPrint, that offer seamless integration with Etsy from their dashboard. For PeaPrint, for example, click “Integrations” on the left, then “Connect Your Shop,” select Etsy, and proceed to the next step. If you’re not logged into your Etsy account, you’ll need to log in and grant access before continuing.
With a POD supplier, your orders are automatically fulfilled, allowing you to focus on design, marketing, and customer service while we handle the printing and shipping.
Ready to start your Etsy POD journey? Before you do, remember you’re setting up a business and you’ll need to declare your income and pay tax.
See this article on setting up a business.
Register for an Etsy seller account. If you already have a buyer account, registering for a seller account is just a few clicks away.
Set up your Etsy store by describing your business, selecting your language, country (or region), and currency. For example, if you primarily sell in the United States, choose English as your language, the US as your country, and USD as your currency. Or if you’re selling globally, USD is also preferred by buyers.
Setting store policies based on your business model, including shipping, returns, and processing times, is crucial for success. Get legal advice if you’re unsure which policies are right for your offering.
Once you’ve chosen your niche, it’s time to start adding products from your POD supplier. For example, with PeaPrint – navigate to “My Products” on your dashboard and click “Products | Design” in the drop-down menu. Browse the product catalog, select products that fit your niche, and start designing.
Your POD supplier will also have an easy-to-use product designer that helps you quickly upload graphics, illustrations, text, or a combination of these elements to create products that Etsy customers will love. If you’re short on inspiration, it also offers a variety of ready-made patterns, logos, and textures to choose from.
Once the product design is completed and saved, it will be added to your product list. Hover your mouse over the gray circular icon at the back, and you can find the “Add to store” option. Click it to add it to your store.
The system will have default product information. You can uncheck it and add unique details for your product based on your design.
Etsy utilizes a specialized search mechanism to help users find the products they’re looking for. After listing a product, navigate to the “Listings” section in your Shop Manager to add or edit your listing details. This helps search engines accurately match your products to customers.
You can add product videos to improve your ranking in Etsy search results. Add specific categories for your items to help Etsy shoppers narrow their searches and provide additional product information, such as color, material, and print. These attributes can help users find exactly what they’re looking for when searching for a product.
Plus, add product tags. You can add up to 13 descriptive tags, up to 20 characters long. It’s best to use relevant keywords, preferably multi-word phrases, to optimize your content for search engines. Think about what keywords customers might search for your product.
Once your store and products are ready, it’s time to consider how to make your Etsy store stand out from the competition. The following 8 marketing tips can maximize the exposure and conversion of your products and store.
Using the Etsy keyword tool, you can select popular keywords and products related to your niche, gaining a deeper understanding of the competition.
This excellent Etsy keyword tool provides detailed keyword analysis to help you research your Etsy store. I particularly like their “Similar Keywords” feature, which includes demand and competition data for all keywords.
Alura offers a suite of keyword analysis tools. It includes plugins for finding successful product ideas, a keyword finder for generating keyword ideas, a shop analyzer for improving your listings, and more.
Etsy’s internal search engine prioritizes relevance and engagement, allowing you to optimize your setup for Etsy SEO.
Include your primary keyword in your product title, the first sentence of your description, and in your tags. Don’t underestimate the power of long-tail keywords. Analyze whether your product aligns with user search intent and utilize all 13 Etsy tags effectively.
Your competitors are your best teachers.
Start by identifying the top sellers in your niche and examining their title structure, paying particular attention to keyword placement. Then, explore how their tags differ from yours and identify unexpected keyword combinations.
Check your competitors’ best-selling products and reviews to see what customers like. Observe their promotional policies and branding style to identify areas where you can learn from them.
Pricing directly impacts visibility and conversion rates. Don’t just aim for the lowest price; consider your brand image, production costs, and Etsy fees to ensure a balanced approach.
Consider the average pricing of similar sellers, and then evaluate your product quality and service to determine a reasonable price.
To capture spontaneous sales, run promotions, such as limited-time discounts (10-20% off), free shipping offers, gift cards, and free samples.
For brand new Etsy stores, this is a great way to attract customers, boost sales, and improve your product rankings in the Etsy algorithm.
Also consider Etsy Ads – by setting up an Etsy Ad Campaign, their Ads system also utilizes an algorithm as ad listings compete for ad spots.
The equation for satisfactory customer service is simple, and when you do it well, you can earn “Star Seller” status on Etsy.
Your overriding goal is to satisfy customers, and you know you have them when your brand receives positive reviews that prospective customers view and trust. Positive reviews are free marketing for your business, as they create visibility that leads to repeat purchases and referrals.
These metrics demonstrate to Etsy that your store and services are valuable, and they also serve as the criteria for earning “Star Seller” status.
Which social media networks should you use to promote your Etsy print-on-demand store and drive traffic to your listings?
Don’t just promote, tell shareable stories. Consider creating a blog to share your stories, and then post them on our social media profiles and via email.
In your content, show how your products fit into people’s lives. Also, be sure to link your Etsy store in your social media bio and posts, so that whenever you participate in a discussion, people can easily find your Etsy print-on-demand business, potentially leading to sales.
Starting a print-on-demand business on Etsy is one of the most beginner-friendly ways to launch an online brand. With minimal upfront cost, enormous product flexibility, and access to a loyal customer base, it’s a platform full of opportunity.
By adopting the right strategies and approaches, you can still make good profits from your Etsy POD business.
While using a POD provider and a marketplace platform, you remain in control of your business and its brand. Therefore, prepare well by setting up external processes to support your enterprise, including a blog, accounting and finance, marketing, and customer support.
