Today,
we're sharing a list of the non-craft items you can sell on Etsy. Very ideal if you're not crafty at all, but
want to make some money!
First off,
Etsy is popular. So you absolutely can make an income here, crafter or not.
Here is a
bulleted list of the things we're going to discuss that you could sell:
·
Digital
Downloads
·
Vintage
Clothing & Accessories
·
Crafting
Supplies
·
Specialty
Items
·
Food
& Baked Goods
Read on
for more detail on selling the above non-crafty things on Etsy.
1. Sell
Digital Downloads On Etsy
Do you
know what the best thing is about digital downloads? You create them one time,
and then you can sell them over and over.
Digital
downloads are an ideal selling options for visual artists and graphic designers.
But you can learn to make and sell them even
if you're not skilled at those things.
Types of
Digital Downloads People Sell On Etsy
If you
search “digital downloads” on Etsy, you'll see some of the things people are
selling. But here are some of the more common digital downloads people sell on
Etsy:
·
Printable
wall art
·
Digital
clip art – popular with graphic designers and content creators.
·
Patterns
·
Fonts
·
Printable
planners
·
Stock
photography
·
Wedding
or other event invitations
·
Gift
tags
·
Stationary
·
Resume
templates
Don't Know
How To Make Digital Downloads?
Not capable
of making any of the above? Udemy has a helpful, inexpensive e-course teaching
how to create printables for Etsy.
After
you've completed that course, read the Etsy seller handbook for
digital downloads. It explains exactly how to post these items for
sale once you've created them.
2. Sell
Vintage Items On Etsy
This is an
entirely different skillset from the ones listed above.
Obviously,
you can't make vintage items. You just have to get good at knowing where to
find them and how to identify them.
It's also
important to understand if you're getting a good enough price to resell at a
profit.
Types of
Vintage Items To Sell
Many stores on Etsy sell
vintage items, so you must figure out will set your store apart.
It helps
to know your brand – are you selling 1950s dresses? Porcelain figurines from the
WWII era? China sets from different eras?
Below are
some types of vintage things people look for to resell on Etsy:
·
Old
books
·
Clothing
from different eras
·
China
or other glassware from different eras
·
Old
records
·
Vintage
jewelry
·
Old
toys
·
Old
video games for systems no longer in production
·
VHS
tapes
·
Old
magazines
Where To
Find Vintage Items To Resell
Finding
these vintage items won't be as hard as you think. Vintage stuff is everywhere,
and it's a popular category on Etsy. So, there is a market for it.
You could
look for vintage items at …
·
Flea
markets
·
Thrift
stores
·
Yard
sales
·
Garage
sales
·
Estate
sales
·
Antique
stores
·
Ebay
and sites like it
·
People
you know
It can be
tricky to know if you're getting a good price on something you want to resell.
Over time,
as you figure out what types of items you want to specialize in, it will become
second nature. But there's definitely an initial learning curve.
To help
you learn what to charge, I'd recommend doing your research first. What are the
items selling for on Etsy currently? You should price your stuff in that range.
You're
also going to want to invest in an antiques pricing guide. Amazon has a ton of
these. Some of them are even for specific types of items.
If you
know the worth of vintage items, you don't have to worry so much about
accidentally overpaying.
3. Sell
Crafting Supplies On Etsy
Etsy is
not only a haven for all things handmade, it's also a great place to get the
stuff to make your handmade things.
And
non-crafty people like can make money selling craft supplies to crafters.
Types of
Crafting Supplies To Sell on Etsy
The sky is
really the limit here since people make crafts out of everything under the sun.
But to give you an idea of the more popular things people buy, here's a list
with some ideas:
·
Beads
·
Crystals
·
Fabric
·
Fabric
scraps
·
Yarn
·
Thread
·
Felt
·
Shape
cutouts
·
Glitter
·
Walnut
shell halves
You can
really get creative here. Crafters will use almost anything to make stuff.
Where To
Find Crafting Supplies To Sell On Etsy
You may be
thinking, where exactly do I find this stuff to post it for sale?
You could
ask your crafty friends and family if they have an overstock of supplies they
plan to throw out.
Another
ideas is to scour Craigslist or your local periodical for items.
Is a major
department near you having a clearance, going out of business, or half off
sale? Take advantage!
And of
course, a great option is to buy them wholesale and
resell.
Side note
– reselling is allowed on Etsy only in the crafting supplies and vintage
categories.
Some Tips
For Selling Craft Supplies On Etsy
To
successfully sell craft supplies on Etsy, you must know your audience. It's
also important to understand how to create good listings.
Etsy
suggests “captivating writing” skills and “product photography that turns
window-shoppers into customers.”
While all
Etsy tips for selling crafting
supplies are general, they are still good tips to keep in mind.
For
example, “optimize your shipping and inventory processes” is a top suggestion.
This means shipping crafting supplies fast is key to customer satisfaction.
You must
also make sure your inventory is extremely organized. And whatever shipping
methods you use should be cost-efficient.
It can't
be emphasized enough. You need to show – don’t tell – what the consumer is
going to get. Etsy sellers take photos of every angle, color, texture, size,
etc. of their supplies. It's worth taking the time to do it.
Also,
don't ignore your customers’ demands. Etsy sellers take the “customer is always
right approach,” particularly with crafting supplies.
After all,
Etsy is the go-to website for crafting pros. It makes sense that those who buy
crafts on the retailer will only accept the best of the best!
4. Sell
Food & Baked Goods On Etsy
You may
not be crafty, but can you cook or bake? If the answer to that question is
‘yes,’ then Etsy’s food and baked goods section(s) may be the best option for
you!
Types of
Food To Sell On Etsy
Again, the
sky is the limit. You can sell almost anything you can make and ship
efficiently. Consider the following:
·
Jam
·
Pecan
and date bars
·
Food
coloring
·
Mushroom
powder
·
Edible
chalk chunks
·
Spices
and rubs
·
Honey
·
Edible
glitter
·
Cakes
·
Cookies
Definitely
browse Etsy's food category for
more ideas of what to sell.
Know The
Government Regulations On Selling Food
There are
many government regulations for making, selling, and packaging food.
We won't
go into detail on these regulations, but Etsy provides a good
overview. This overview includes applicable links to government-run
sites. You will need to do plenty of research on your own before diving into
this line of business.
You can
also contact USPS and other shipping carriers about properly packing food.
UPS
actually has a good overview here on
how to ship food so it stays fresh in transit.
5. Sell
Specialty Items On Etsy
Hard-to-find
or unique items are big sellers on Etsy. Items like monster masks sell well.
Also, there was a large acrylic teardrop bead that
sold at $2.99 per bead (someone bought 291,188 recently!).
Stuff like
that can lead to a lot of dough in the bank for non-crafty Etsy sellers.
Like
vintage clothing, it’s important to know your market, and find the right niche
for what you’re selling.
Love
horror movies? Then try the monster mask route – and have a blast collecting
all those scary Leatherfaces. Are figurines your thing? What about
collectibles? Make sure to pack them well, so you never have to worry about a
negative customer review.
Whatever
your unique thing is, you can easily turn it into cold, hard cash on Etsy!
Do: Find your niche – believe me,
it’s worth repeating, especially with specialty items. Don't stretch yourself
too thin.
Don’t: Price incorrectly. Example – If
you don’t have beads that actually cost $2.99 per bead, don't sell them for
that. Be honest.
It’s the
same as lying to your customers, which is something no legitimate seller wants
to do. Being upfront and honest leads to repeat customers. This is something we
all want, no matter what business we’re in.
More Help
With Etsy
If you'd
like more Etsy help, check out these posts:
Etsy Seller Overview – This is a general
overview for how to sell on Etsy. It might help you if you're completely new to
the site.
11 More Sites Like Etsy – This is ideal if you
want to sell Etsy-type things, but want to branch out from them. Or maybe you
just don't like their listing fees and need a cheaper alternative.
15 Etsy
Tips From Savvy Sellers – You can't beat learning from the
pros! In this blog post, I've gotten some tips from people who are already
having success on Etsy.
In
Conclusion
Whatever
non-crafty items or trinkets you end up selling on Etsy, keep us posted. We
love hearing new ideas, tips, and tricks for how to be successful working from home (it’s kind of our thing)!
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