Selling Printables on Etsy: The Ultimate Guide

Do you like to design? Are you crafty? Have you ever thought about selling printables on Etsy? It’s a great way to make some extra money, and it’s really easy to do!

In this blog post, I will discuss the basics of selling printables on Etsy. I’ll cover topics such as what types of printables are popular, how to price your products, and how to market your shop.

So if you’re ready to start selling your own printables, keep reading!

What does selling printables on Etsy entail?

In order to sell printables on Etsy, you must first choose a concept, design the concept, digitize the design, and then list the product in your Etsy shop. This process may be fully done on a computer unless your original image is a hand-drawn one that must first be scanned.

You will also need to determine what file type to save your design as. The most popular and compatible types are PDF and JPG. Once you have determined the file type, you can begin creating your product!

For starters, it’s important to note that Etsy printables are digital files that can be downloaded and printed by the customer, rather than physical products that are shipped. This means that once a customer purchases a printable from you, they will have instant access to it and can print it out as many times as they’d like.

This is great news for you as the seller, because it means that you don’t have to worry about inventory, shipping costs, or any of the other hassles that come with selling physical products.

Another thing to keep in mind is that customers will be able to print your printables at home, so they should be designed with this in mind. This means that your designs should be high quality and easy to print on a standard home printer.

What are printables?

Printables, also known as digital downloads, are simply files that can be downloaded and printed by the customer. They come in a variety of formats and help consumers to save money by doing things themselves, rather than purchasing a physical product.

Printables can be anything from planners and organization sheets to wall art and party decorations. If you can dream it up, chances are there’s a printable for it! Selling digital downloads on Etsy is perfect, as there is a huge range of potential customers who could be interested in your products.

Printables can come as individual files or as a bundle. For example, if you’re selling organizational printables, you could sell a PDF file that includes all of the different pages as a bundle. Or, you could sell each page individually as a separate PDF file.

It’s up to you how you want to package and sell your printables, but remember that each Etsy listing charges a 20-cent fee, so it may be more cost-effective to sell your printables as a bundle.

Why sell printables on Etsy?

The main benefit of selling printables on Etsy is that it’s a very passive form of income. This means that you can make money while you sleep! Once you’ve designed and listed your product, there’s not much else you need to do to make sales.

This is why they’re easily one of the best things to sell on Etsy. After all, they don’t cost as much money to produce as crafts, clothing, or vintage wares do. In fact, you could even make your printables completely free using programs such as Microsoft Word or Canva.

Plus, you don’t have to worry about the cost of shipping, as your customers will be downloading and printing the files themselves. Shipping can be expensive, take a lot of time to implement, and it can be a headache if your products get lost in the mail. So you can save a lot of time and money by avoiding this step.

Finally, printables are a great idea because the profit margin is so high. Excluding the amount of time it took you to create the digital items, your profit margin can be as high as 94%! You’ll always need to pay a 5% Etsy commission and a 20-cent listing fee, but otherwise, the majority of the sale is pure profit.

This is a great return on investment and it means that you can quickly make your money back, plus more. So, if you’re looking for a way to earn some extra cash from a part time online job, selling printables on Etsy is a great option.

How to start selling printables on Etsy?

You can start selling printables on Etsy by making an account and opening up a shop. Once you’ve done that, you’ll need to create listings for your products. This is where you’ll need to upload your printables and write a description.

Here is a detailed breakdown that will guide you from start to finish when you’re ready to start selling printables on Etsy.

1. Decide what type of printables you want to make

The most important thing to do is decide what you want to make as a printable item. Think about what you’re good at. Are you an excellent illustrator or an organizational whiz?

If so, use these skills and advantages to create products people will love. When you choose an item that you’re interested in or even passionate about, people tend to see that in your product. It’ll make you more likely to succeed.

Start by making a list of every item you can think of that sounds fun to make. Don’t worry if your ideas feel easy, hard, fun, or even stupid. The purpose is just to brainstorm and get the creative juices flowing.

2. Do some research

Now you’ll want to expand your list by doing some research on Etsy and Google. Etsy is a great place to look for inspiration as you can see what other people are selling in your niche. Simply type in “printables” and see what comes up.

Some other search terms include “digital downloads,” “SVG files”, and “clipart.” You can also look up “printable (name of item).” So if you want to make a printable planner, type in “printable planner.” This should give you some ideas of what’s already out there and popular.

Google is another great place to conduct research. You can use the same search terms as you did on Etsy. You can also check out Pinterest and Instagram as they’re both great visual platforms that’ll give you ideas for products.

Related: 11 Legit Ways to Make Money on Pinterest

3. Narrow down your options

Now that you’ve got a list of potential items, it’s time to narrow down your options. Try to find items that are personally interesting and achievable to you while being popular and in demand.

You’ll also want to make sure that your digital items are cohesive. So if you want to make an Etsy store that sells printable planners, make sure that all of your products are related to planning. This will make it easier for you to market your items and build a brand.

Try to narrow down your list to around five items. This may seem like a small number, but it’s actually a good starting point. You can always add more products later on and you can also make variations of your existing products.

4. Look for keywords for your Etsy shop

The next step is to start looking for keywords that you can use in your Etsy shop. These keywords will help people find your store when they’re searching for certain terms on Etsy.

You’ll want to include these keywords in your shop name, product titles, and tags.

Searching for keywords can also give you more ideas for products. For example, if you search for “printable planner,” you might find that people are also searching for “printable calendar” and “printable to-do list.”

You can use a keyword research tool like Marmalead or Etsy Rank to find popular keywords in your niche. Google’s keyword planner is a great free option to use as well.

5. Sketch out your designs

Now that you’ve focused on organizing your thoughts and ideas, it’s time to start sketching out your designs. This is the fun part!

Start by sketching a few rough ideas for each product on your list. This will help you get a sense of what you want your final product to look like.

You can use a sketchbook, whiteboard, or even just regular printer paper. If you’re comfortable drawing on an iPad or laptop, go ahead and use that technology. Get creative and have fun with it!

Related: 25 Best Ways to Make Money Drawing

6. Decide on design elements

Now that you have a general sense of what you want your products to look like, it’s time to hone in on the details. This includes the colors you want to use, any graphics or textures that are involved, and fonts.

This part can take some research and experimentation. You may want to look at other people’s products for inspiration or try out a few different design elements to see what works best.

As mentioned above, being cohesive is key. So make sure that all of your products have a similar color scheme, style, and overall feel. This will make it easier for customers to identify your brand and keep them coming back for more.

7. Design your items in a program

The next step is to start designing your items in a program like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Canva. If you’re not familiar with these programs, don’t worry! There are plenty of tutorials online that can help you get started.

My pick: When it comes to designing printables, Canva is by far the easiest application I’ve tried. It has a ton of ready-made templates and every color, font and more than you can think of. And the best part is that it costs nothing! Sign up for Canva for free here.

Start by creating a template for each product on your list. This will make it easier to design each item and ensure that they’re all the same size.

As you design each product, keep your target customer in mind. What would they want to see in this product? These questions can help guide your design process.

8. Choose your pricing

The most important part of getting paid for your printables is, of course, pricing your products. There are a few things to consider when deciding how much to charge.

The first is the cost of materials. How much did it cost you to design and print the item? Did you need to buy software to design it with, and how long did it take to make the item?

You’ll also want to consider the pricing of similar items on Etsy. You can find this out by searching for keywords related to your product. Look at the prices of the top results and use that as a starting point.

9. Start an Etsy account

If you haven’t already, it’s now time to start an Etsy store and choose a name for your account. As with pricing and designing, it’s helpful to research competing brands and see how they’re naming their shops to give you an idea of what works well.

Your Etsy shop name can be anything you want, but it’s helpful if it’s related to the products you’re selling. For example, if you’re selling printable planners, you might want to name your shop “Printable Planners by [Your Name].”

This will help people know what they can expect to find in your shop.

Setting up your Etsy shop is free and fairly easy, especially compared to other marketplaces such as Shopify or Amazon. You’ll just need to provide some basic information about yourself and your store such as a profile photo, description, payment methods, and shipping details. You can find more detailed instructions on Etsy’s website.

10. Add the items to your Etsy shop

Now that your store is live, it’s time to start adding your digital items. Click on the “Add new listing” button and select “Digital item” from the drop-down menu.

From there, you’ll need to provide a title and description for your product, as well as upload the file itself. Be sure to use keyword-rich titles and descriptions so that people can easily find your products when they’re searching on Etsy.

You’ll also need to choose a category and subcategory for your listing, set a price, select whether you want the buyer to be able to download the file immediately or receive it via email and decide how many you want to sell. The more information you fill out, the better chance your listing will have of being found by potential customers.

11. Promote your Etsy shop

The final step is to start promoting your new Etsy shop so that people can actually find and buy your products.

You can do this by sharing your listings on social media, using paid ads on Etsy, or word of mouth.

This is crucial in the first few weeks after you open your shop, but it’s also important to continue promoting your business on an ongoing basis.

12. Get help as needed

If you need help with designing your products, there are plenty of talented designers that can help you create beautiful printables. Fiverr and 99designs are great places to start your search.

There are also plenty of programs that can help guide you through the process in a more step-by-step manner, such as Gold City Ventures’ E-Printables Side Hustle Course, like I mentioned earlier.

This helps to take the guesswork out of the process and gives you a roadmap to follow so that you can hit the ground running with your new business.

13. Keep designing

Once you have your Etsy shop set up and you start promoting your products, it’s important to keep designing new items to add to your store. This will help ensure that people have a reason to keep coming back, and it will also help you attract new customers.

You can make variations on existing designs, or come up with entirely new products. The sky is the limit! This will help you to test different designs and see what sells well so that you can have a profitable store in the long run.

How to create printables to sell on Etsy?

The easiest way to create high-quality printables to sell on Etsy is by using Canva. This intuitive program can help you design anything from planners and calendars to wall art and greeting cards. Plus, with over a million templates and tools available, it’s easy to get started regardless of your design experience. 

Simply sign up here for a free Canva account and start creating! You can upgrade to Canva Pro at any time if you need access to more features.

Many tutorials can teach you different effects and methods that will look professional, even if you don’t have graphic design skills. Check out Canva’s tutorials or some of the many unofficial guides on YouTube to get started.

Is it worth selling printables on Etsy?

It’s worth it to sell printables on Etsy if you’re self-disciplined, organized, and patient. It requires a well-conceptualized plan and plenty of time to design items and your shop in order to impress buyers, so if you’re not fully committed, it may not be worth it for you.

Most people that are successful with selling printables to make money on Etsy aren’t particularly special, unique, or talented. They simply hang in there longer than most and are willing to put in the work required to be successful.

You could be one of those people! If you’re willing to give it your all and put in the time, selling printables on Etsy can have plenty of dividends for you over time.

Related: 22 Slow Paced Jobs For Super Low Stress Work

How much money can you make selling printables on Etsy?

The amount of money you can earn with printables varies depending on how much time and effort you’re willing to put in, as well as a bit of luck. Some people make a full-time income from selling printables on Etsy, while others only make a few extra dollars each month.

If you want to give yourself the best chance of making money, it’s important to create high-quality products, promote your listings regularly, and offer a wide range of items for sale. By following these tips, you can maximize your earnings potential on Etsy.

Find out more: 7 People Who Make $10,000 a Month Just From Their Side Hustle

How much should you charge for printables on Etsy?

When deciding on how much to charge for your printables, your best bet is to look at what other people are charging for comparable products. Charging the average price is a good idea, or slightly less as a way to get your foot in the door.

Make sure not to charge too much or too little. When you deeply undercharge your item, you make people question the value of the item and also set a low earning price in the market. When you charge too much, you may find it harder to sell items as buyers are more likely to comparison shop.

You can always change the price of your items if you find that you’re not selling as many as you’d like, or if you’re selling more than expected and want to increase your profits. Etsy makes it easy to change the prices of your listings, so don’t be afraid to experiment a bit.

What printables make the most money on Etsy?

There are all sorts of different types of printables that are popular on Etsy, but some of the most common include:

• Wall art: Prints, posters, and other wall art are always popular and are much cheaper to print at home, making them a hit on Etsy.
• Planners and organizers: People love to be organized, so anything that helps them with this goal is sure to sell well. This includes printable planner pages, inserts, and organizational tools.
• Greeting cards: Greeting cards are always in demand, especially around holidays. People love finding unique ones online instead of the same generic cards available in stores.
• Printable labels and tags: People love to use printable labels and tags to add a personal touch to their gifts.
• Educational worksheets: Parents and teachers are always on the lookout for new educational materials for their kids.
• Custom items: If you’re feeling really creative, you can also design custom printables for people. This could include anything from wedding invitations to baby shower games.

What printables sell the most on Etsy?

The top seller on Etsy creates digital planner supplies, making the planning and organization niche the most popular for selling printable items. Some items that fall under this category include:

• To-do lists
• Printable planner pages
• Budgeting worksheets
• Organizational charts
• Goal setting worksheets
• Packing lists
• Label templates
• Calendars

The second most popular category is wall art, which includes anything that can be hung on a wall or otherwise displayed. This could include:

• Posters
• Prints
• Wall decals
• Photography

The third most popular category is greeting cards, which includes:

• Birthday cards
• Thank you cards
• Anniversary cards
• Get well soon cards
• Thinking of you cards

Related: 51 Incredibly Easy Things to Make and Sell Online for Money

How do I find a niche for a printable?

The best way to find a niche for a printable is by combining a personal interest with a market need. For example, if you’re a dog lover and you also know that people are always looking for new ways to keep their dogs entertained, you could create a line of printable dog toys or activity sheets.

Researching what people are looking for on Etsy and other sites is a great way to come up with ideas for new printables. You can also look at what’s popular in the news or on social media to get inspiration.