Are you an artist looking for a new way to sell your work? Have you considered selling prints on Etsy? This can be a great way to reach a new audience and generate some additional income.
In this article, we’ll discuss the process of selling prints on Etsy, from setting up your shop to shipping your products. We will also provide some tips for success.
So what are you waiting for? Read on to learn everything you need to know about selling prints on Etsy!
Do prints sell well on Etsy?
Yes, prints are one of the largest categories of products on Etsy with over 12 million results. Because prints can be easily reproduced, they are often less expensive than original artwork, so collectors can purchase multiple pieces without breaking the bank.
Etsy is known for its one-of-a-kind, handmade goods, and prints are one of the best things to sell on Etsy to make money. At the same time, it’s also true there are so many different types of prints for sale that it can be overwhelming for buyers to sift through everything and find what they’re looking for.
That’s where you come in! If you take the time to create high-quality, keyword-rich listings, your prints will be more likely to show up in search results and get noticed by potential customers.
The quality of your print image also plays a major role in whether or not people will purchase your work. You’ll want to make sure the resolution is clear, the colors are accurate, and the overall image is visually appealing.
Related: How to Make Money on Etsy: Everything You Need to Know
Digital vs physical prints
If you’re selling digital prints on Etsy, the buyer will receive a downloadable file that they can print at home or take to a local printer. Physical prints are shipped directly to the customer. Both types of prints have their own set of pros and cons, so it’s important to decide which option is best for you and your shop.
Which should you choose? It really depends on your preference and what type of artwork you’re selling. If you sell prints on Etsy that are physical, you have to do more work when it comes to storing, shipping, and handling.
Selling digital downloads or prints on Etsy digitally has less labor involved, but you may make less money per print since the customer isn’t paying for shipping and handling or the physical item.
Trying out both methods is a great way to see which Etsy shop idea works better for you and your store. Some people even run shops that carry both digital and physical prints and do well with both products.
What prints sell the most on Etsy?
If you’re interested in selling prints on Etsy, you might be wondering what types of prints are the most popular. Here is a list of some of the most searched for and purchased items in this category:
- Photography prints: Etsy is a great place to sell your photography prints. People are always searching for new and interesting photos, so if you have a unique style, you’re sure to find buyers on Etsy.
- Abstract art prints: This modern and trendy art form is very popular right now, especially among millennial buyers.
- Motivational prints: These prints are perfect for people who are looking for some inspiration or motivation in their lives. They usually consist of quotes and positive sayings.
- Funny prints: Who doesn’t love a good laugh? Funny prints are always popular, and you can find a wide variety of them on Etsy. They make great gifts, too.
- Nursery prints: Families enjoy putting together nurseries that are both stylish and functional, so they often search for wall art on Etsy. They like to find an Etsy seller that is selling sets of several images that fit a theme. For example, an animal theme or a color scheme.
- Fine art prints: Fine artists often sell prints of their work on Etsy. This is a great way to get your art in front of a new audience and reach people who might not otherwise see or be able to afford the originals.
- Nature Prints: Many people enjoy decorating their homes with prints that feature nature scenes. These can range from serene landscapes to cute animal portraits.
- Minimalist prints: Sometimes less is more and that’s definitely the case with minimalist prints. These clean and simple designs are perfect for people who want to add a touch of art to their
- Customized prints: Since many people shop on Etsy to find unique and one-of-a-kind items, customized prints are always in demand. You can offer to personalize a print with someone’s name, initials, or a special date.
- Digital prints: As I mentioned before, digital prints are becoming more and more popular. Customers like the convenience of being able to download a file and print it at home or take it to a local printer because it saves quite a bit of money on their end.
How do I create and sell prints on Etsy?
To create and sell prints on Etsy, you need to come up with a concept for a body of work, create the prints, and then list them in your shop. You’ll need to pay attention to a few things, like pricing, shipping, and product photography to be successful.
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Choose a theme for your Etsy shop
As with any other creative venture, the first and most important step is to decide on a theme for your shop. This will help you focus your prints and make them more appealing to buyers.
Some good examples of themes are a specific color scheme, inspirational quotes, funny sayings, or even a certain holiday or event.
You can also theme your store based on the medium you use. For example, if you’re a collage artist, you could sell prints that are made from your unique collages.
2. Start brainstorming the specific prints you want to sell
Once you have a theme in mind, it’s time to start brainstorming the specific prints you want to sell. This is where you’ll get to be creative and have some fun with it.
For example, if you’re creating a nature-themed Etsy shop, you may decide to create a series of prints that feature different animals in specific settings, such as “the birds of South America”.
When you create a cohesive body of work when selling wall art on Etsy, you’re more likely to have repeat customers who will purchase multiple prints from you.
3. Do your research
Take a look at other successful Etsy shops in the prints category and see what they’re doing. Take note of the colors, designs, and overall aesthetic of the shop to get an idea of what sells well.
This will inspire you and help you come up with ideas for your own shop. Don’t copy other shops, but do use them as a starting point to get an idea of what’s popular in the world of Etsy prints.
Another important part of research is finding out what materials and methods other artists use to create their prints. This will help you choose the right materials and methods for your prints.
4. Start designing your prints
Now it’s time to start designing your prints! This is the fun part where you get to be creative and let your imagination run wild. You can make your print art by hand, take photos, or utilize digital programs such as Photoshop or even Canva (it’s free!).
You may even do both and post-edit or add details to your digital prints in Photoshop. If you’re not sure how to get started, there are tons of tutorials online that can help you.
Set a goal for the first set of Etsy art prints you plan on designing. This could be committing to making 5, 10, or 20 prints. It’s important to have more than one item in your shop so that buyers have a variety to choose from and take you seriously.
You may also be interested in: Selling Printables on Etsy: The Ultimate Guide
5. Plan your Etsy shop
Now that you have a good idea of what you want to sell, it’s time to start setting up your Etsy shop. This is where you’ll input all the important details such as your brand name, logo, and description of your shop.
Programs such as Canva have plenty of free graphics and fonts that make it easy to design logos. You’ll also need to create a store header, which is the image that is at the top of your Etsy marketplace.
Try to design something that looks aesthetically similar to your items so people can get an idea of what they’ll find in your shop.
6. Sign up for an Etsy seller account
The next step is to sign up for an Etsy seller account. You’ll need to provide some basic information such as your name, address, and email.
You’ll also need to create a username and password. Once you have an account, you can link your bank account. Etsy will also make you add a payment method for fees such as listing and transaction fees.
7. Add your listings to Etsy
Now that your shop is all set up, it’s time to start adding your listings! You’ll need to provide a title, description, price, shipping information, and photos for each listing. Keep in mind that it costs $0.20 to list each item on Etsy and that they will expire after 90 days.
Make sure the photos are high-quality and show off your prints in the best light possible. You can also include a video if you want to get really creative.
When writing your descriptions, be sure to include important keywords that buyers would search for when looking for prints. This will help your listing show up in search results.
8. Promote your Etsy shop
The final step is to start promoting your Etsy shop so that people can find it! There are a few ways to do this.
First, you can share your shop link on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also add a link to your shop in your email signature.
Another great way to promote your Etsy shop is by starting an email list. You can let people know about new listings, sales, and discounts by sending out periodic newsletters.
9. Keep adding new items
It’s important to keep adding new items to your Etsy shop on a regular basis. This will help you attract new buyers and keep your existing customers coming back for more.
Try to plan a schedule for creating and adding new listings. This could be adding one new listing per week or two new listings per month.
Not only do buyers appreciate new items, but the Etsy algorithm also favors shops that are constantly adding fresh content. So you’ll see a natural boost in traffic just by adding new items on a regular basis.
Is it easy to sell prints on Etsy?
For many people, it’s much easier to sell graphic prints on Etsy than it is to sell them in person. This is because there are fewer overhead costs and you can get started with very little upfront investment. The exact method you use to sell your prints on Etsy will largely affect how convenient and profitable it is.
There are three main ways to sell prints on Etsy:
1. Print them yourself
The most hands-on way to sell prints on Etsy is to actually print them yourself and carry inventory. This method is great for those who want to control the quality of their products and get print production at the cheapest costs. This means more profit and lower prices for buyers.
The main downside of this method is that it requires more time and effort to print, package, and ship each order. This can become quite tedious if you sell a lot of prints.
You also have the biggest upfront cost when you print the prints yourself. You’ll need to purchase a printer, paper, inks, and other materials.
However, you can start small and scale up as your business grows.
Related: 51 Incredibly Easy Things to Make and Sell Online for Money
2. Use the print-on-demand method
If you don’t want to carry inventory or deal with the hassle of printing and shipping yourself, you can use a print-on-demand service. This means that you upload your design to a third-party website and they handle all the production and shipping. There’s no need to print your art beforehand.
There are several great print-on-demand services available, such as Printful and Society Six. All you need to do is create your design and upload it to their site, which connects effortlessly with Etsy for easy purchasing. Then, you can start selling your prints with no hassle.
The biggest downside of using a print-on-demand service is that you’ll have to pay more money for each print that’s made. This means that your profit margins will be lower than if you printed the prints yourself. You also have less quality control, so it’s important to go with a print-on-demand company that’s known for its consistency in quality.
3. Sell digital prints
If you want to sell prints but don’t want to deal with any of the printing or shipping, you can simply sell digital prints. This means that buyers will receive a digital file of your print that they can then print themselves.
The great thing about selling digital prints is that it’s super easy and convenient. You simply create your design, upload it to Etsy, and start selling. There are no production or shipping costs, so you keep all of the profits.
The downside of selling digital prints is that you can’t charge as much as you would for a physical print. This also makes it easier for people to steal your designs for commercial use since they’ll already have the digital file.
You can sell digital prints by themselves or offer them as a bundled package with several images together. It’s also easy to sell custom prints on Etsy through a digital store.
How much can you make on Etsy selling prints?
How much you can make selling Etsy art prints varies depending on how you sell your prints, what type of prints you’re selling, and several other factors. In general, you can expect to earn anywhere between a 10%-90% profit margin on each print.
So if you sell 10 prints a week for $50 each, that’s $500 weekly in total revenue. If you get a 50% profit on each item, that means that you’re taking home $250 per week.
Of course, earnings are volatile and can change from week to week. For example, people buy fewer things on Etsy during the summer when it’s nice outside. They then start buying again when it’s fall and the holidays are around the corner.
Another factor that will affect your earnings is your pricing. When starting with pricing, it makes the most sense to look at what other artists in your genre are selling their prints for. You don’t want to be too high or too low, as that can affect how many sales you make.
Once you have an idea of what to charge, it’s important to experiment with your prices. You might find that you make more sales when you charge less, or that you make more money when you charge more. It all depends on your specific audience and what they’re willing to pay.
Can you make a living selling art on Etsy?
Yes, it’s possible to make a living selling art on Etsy. Many artists make a full-time income from their shops. Of course, it takes time, effort, and consistency to reach this point. The best way to make a living selling art on Etsy is by treating it like a business and not just a hobby.
This means having a solid business plan, marketing your shop, and creating high-quality products. It also means staying organized, keeping track of your finances, and continuously growing your business.
If you’re dedicated to making a living from your art, then it’s possible to do so on Etsy. It might not happen overnight, but with hard work and dedication, it’s achievable.
It can be hard to learn everything on your own, and luckily, there are many courses and books available that can teach you the ropes of selling on Etsy. These can help you save time and grow your business more quickly.
Is it worth selling prints on Etsy?
It’s worth it to sell prints on Etsy if you plan on being consistent and patient. It’s not a good idea for those who need to earn quick money since it can take time to grow a following and make sales. You may need to wait as long as a year to see consistent earnings.
It’s more worthwhile to sell prints on Etsy if you’re passionate about creating art and find it to be fun. It’s also best for those who aren’t shy and are comfortable with self-promotion. If you don’t like the idea of marketing or promoting your work, then it might not be the best platform for you.
Decide how long you’re willing to wait to make sales, how much effort you want to put into promoting your work, and if you’re okay with handling customer service inquiries. If you’re comfortable with all of that, then selling prints on Etsy can be a great way to make some extra money or even replace your current income.
Can I sell Canva designs on Etsy?
Yes, using Canva’s graphic design program is one of the easiest and most effective ways to create cute, printable artwork to sell on Etsy. It allows you to create designs quickly and easily, without the need for any design experience.
Plus, Canva offers a free plan (you can sign up for it here) that gives you access to all of the basic features you need to create designs for Etsy. If you want to use more advanced features, then there is a paid subscription plan available.
Most Etsy shop owners find that the premium version of Canva more than pays for itself, thanks to the time it saves them in design creation. However, you can start for free and see if you like it.
Canva is also a great program for improving images for better print quality. For example, if you plan on selling photo prints on Etsy, you can use Canva to edit and enhance your photos before listing them for sale.
Should I sell art prints on Etsy?
Yes, if you have great ideas and an artistic flair, it’s a great idea to start selling prints on Etsy. It’s low risk, completely remote, and can be done on your own time schedule, making it a great option for almost any lifestyle.
It’s definitely true that this can be a very lucrative part time online job. However, to be successful, make sure you take the time to plan all of the elements of your Etsy store in advance. This will give you a better chance at success and allow you to hit the ground running when you’re ready to launch.
Creating a professional-looking Etsy shop is vital to success. This means having high-quality product photos, a well-written description, and good customer service policies.
It’s also important to be active on social media and to have a marketing plan in place. You can’t just set up an Etsy shop and hope for the best, you need to actually attract visitors to your store.
Finally, don’t give up! You won’t see results overnight, but if you’re consistent and dedicated, you can make a living selling prints on Etsy. Learn from your mistakes rather than letting them slow you down.
