How to sell printables on Etsy: Secrets, Tools, Ideas To Create Profitable Printables Business on Etsy

Do you have a passion for creativity and a knack for making digital art? If yes, here’s an income idea for you to try: sell printables on Etsy. Don’t worry you have no clue how to start this journey. You can follow our step-by-step guide on how to sell printables on Etsy and start right now!

What are printables?

Printables come in the form of digital files that anyone can easily print out at home, and they’re all the rage these days. There is no limitation to what types of printables can be used. It could be calendars, planners, habit-tracking templates, CVS files, printable art, sewing patterns, etc.

But did you know that selling printables can be a great way to make some extra cash? It’s true! And the best part is, you don’t have to be a graphic design genius to create them. With a little creativity and some basic design skills, anyone can make printables that people will want to buy.

Why sell printables on Etsy?

Compared to regular physical products, selling printables have some unique benefits that convince many people to pursue:

• Low production cost: There’s no need for manufacturing or shipping, so you can keep your prices low while still turning a profit.
• Completely online selling process: Since they’re digital files, you can sell them online from the comfort of your own home. No need to put on pants or leave the house – what’s not to love?
• Limitless opportunities: Are you into fitness? Create a printable workout planner. Do you love cooking? Make some printable recipe cards. Are you a cat person? Design some adorable cat-themed wall art. The possibilities are endless!

And let’s not forget the demand for printables. People love them because they’re affordable, customizable, and reusable. They can be printed at any time, as many times as you want. It’s like having your own personal designer at your fingertips.

Selling printables is a fun and creative way to make some extra cash. Whether you’re looking for a side hustle or a full-time gig, printables are a great option.

But why on Etsy?

Etsy is one of the best places on the internet to sell printables. First, Etsy allows its sellers to sell digital files. With its built-in digital download feature, you can automatically deliver the files to customers after they make a purchase.

Secondly, Etsy is clearly the most market-fit platform for printable files. Buyers on Etsy are in here for unique, hand-made, aesthetic items that can’t be found or sold anywhere else. Printable files will mostly fit these requirements. These files are all DIY, appealingly designed, and one-of-a-kind. Many of the printables can even be used to help people start their own DIY projects. That explains why there is a huge demand for printables on this platform.

Other than the above reasons, Etsy is generally an  ideal platform for online selling

– It has a large customer base of over 89.90 million.

– It is pretty cheap to start ($0.2 for listing, 5% for transaction, and a few other fees). Check all the Etsy costs that you have to pay in our detailed blog.

– It is easy to use for both sellers and customers.

Is selling printables on Etsy profitable?

Yes. You can make a decent profit by selling printables on Etsy. However, before starting, you must be fully aware that Etsy is now a saturated, cutthroat marketplace for selling printables. Here are a few reasons why it is hard for sellers to succeed in selling printables:

• Low-barrier to entry: Selling printables on Etsy is a low-cost and low-risk way to start a business which is why literally anyone can start doing it.
• Increasing competition: More people have discovered this market, thanks to the passive income hype online. The more people enter the market, the harder it gets to stand out and rise above the competition.
• Stealing and copycats: Printable files are easy to copy and plagiarize, which makes it ten times harder for sellers to survive and thrive in this market.
• Lower profit: Printable files are available at a much lower price than physical products. If you want to earn higher profit margins, selling physical products like POD can be a good idea.

The market for printables on Etsy may be saturated, but that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. With unique and high-quality designs, effective marketing and SEO strategies, and excellent customer service, you stand a good chance of standing out and raking in the cash.

>>> Want to learn how to start a successful print on demand Etsy store? Click here to read “Successful Print on Demand Etsy Stores."

How much can you make selling printables on Etsy?

The amount of money you can make is not set in stone and depends on a variety of factors. Like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna get!

Some sellers have reported making a few hundred dollars per month, which is enough for a daily dose of caffeine or a new pair of shoes. Others have built full-time businesses that generate thousands of dollars in sales each month, enough to pay off student loans or travel around the world (post-pandemic, of course).

But let’s be real, selling printables on Etsy is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s more like a marathon than a sprint. You need to put in hard work, dedication, and patience to see results. It takes time to build a customer base, create quality designs, and optimize your shop for maximum visibility. But if you’re willing to put in the effort, selling printables on Etsy can be a profitable and rewarding business venture.

What printables sell best on Etsy?

Here are some of the top-selling types of printables on Etsy:

• Planners, calendars, and organizers: We all need a little help staying organized, and printables make it easy to do just that. From meal planners to financial trackers to project planners, there’s no shortage of printable organizers available on Etsy.
• Household management: Running a household can be tough, but printables can make it a little easier. Chore charts, cleaning checklists, and reward systems are just a few of the printable household management tools available on Etsy.
• Personal tracker and self-care: Trackers are best for helping monitor progress towards a goal, whether you want to build habits, pay off debt, or lose weight.
• Art and decor: Printables aren’t just for organization and productivity – they can also be used for decoration. Wall art, inspirational quotes, watercolor illustrations, and abstract designs are just a few of the top-selling printable art and decor options on Etsy.
• Teaching and educational resources: Printables are also popular among teachers and parents looking for educational resources. Flashcards, worksheets, and coloring pages are just a few of the types of printables available for educational purposes.
• Party supplies and games: Planning a party? Etsy has you covered with a wide range of printable party supplies and games. From invitations and save-the-date cards to banners and photo booth props, there’s no shortage of party printables available on Etsy. Various occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and baby showers, as well as party games like bachelorette party games
• Business resources: Printables used for business purposes, such as business card templates, invoices, and receipts, are also in high demand on Etsy.
• Crafting resources: Finally, printables can be a great resource for crafters. Crochet or knitting patterns, sewing patterns and instructions, and SVG graphics are just a few of the types of printables available for crafting projects.

With so many types of printables available, it’s important to find a niche that you’re passionate about and that has a high demand. Do some research on Etsy to see which types of printables are selling well, and consider adding your own unique twist to stand out from the crowd.

How to create digital printables to sell?

Creating digital printables to sell on Etsy can be a fun and rewarding business venture. Here are some steps to help you get started:

Decide what types of printables you want to sell

Are you a master planner? Do you have a passion for party games? Maybe you’re a pro at sewing or knitting. Whatever it is, choose a niche that gets you excited and gets your creative juices flowing!

Make your printables

There are two ways to make your printables:

1, Use pre-made design elements: Making use of pre-made elements can save you a huge amount of time. Websites like Canva, Creative Market, Freepik, etc provide a myriad of designs and images to use on your printables. Even Etsy can be a great source to find available design elements. With all the existing design presets online, you can make printables and templates in different styles and fashions. But you might have to pay upfront to get access to these available designs.

2, Create printables from scratch: If you are an expert in designs or making original works, starting everything from scratch can be a great option. Depending on the types of printables you want to make, you can pick tools that are suitable and easy to create your digital files.

• Printable arts and designs: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, PowerPoint, Procreate, etc.
• Worksheets and templates: Google Sheets, Google Docs, Excel, Notion, Indesign, Sketch, etc.

Note when making printable files:

• Pay attention to the sizing of your documents: For ease of use, you must create your file in the same size as your final printable.
• Prioritize functions: Printables are not there for decoration only. You must also pay attention to how your customers might want to use your printables. For example, if you are creating a planner or calendar, make sure to create enough space to add notes and writing to the prints.
• Keep alignment: To keep your printable files looking neat and organized after printing, you must pay close attention to how your design elements align.

Prepare your printable files for download

After completing your design files, you must make them download-ready so that each time someone buys your printable, the files are automatically available for download.

On Etsy, when a customer buys your digital printables, the files will be automatically available to them to download in their account, without you sending the file.

Use the right file format

Etsy allows up to 5 files for each digital download. PDF is the highly recommended format to use for printable files. It is very printer-friendly, and easy to use yet hard to replicate or modify. However, depending on the purpose of your files, you can pick the right format that is convenient for customers to use.

Name your file properly

This is a very straightforward step but shouldn’t be ignored to keep it professional yet simple and identifiable for your customers. Avoid using random or strangely formatted names at all costs.

Include instructions for downloading and using

Always include a file for download and usage instructions for your customers to refer to. Clear, detailed, and easy-to-follow instructions can prevent constant messages and queries from confusing customers.

In case your customers don’t read the file, make sure to present your instructions all over the place, from your listing images, listing instructions, and even direct messages to your customers.

Here are a few key pieces of information to include in your instructions:

• File type and size
• The ideal printing size if applicable
• Printing suggestions
• Details on refunds
• Commercial use details

To make it easy for your customers to notice, you can name your instruction file “READ-FIRST”/”MUST-READ”

Test your file before selling

Before you start selling your digital printables, it’s important to test them thoroughly. Make sure that the design is visually appealing and easy to read, and that the file format is compatible with a variety of printers. It’s also a good idea to have a few friends or family members test your printables to get their feedback and catch any potential issues.

How to sell your digital printable on Etsy?

Create your Etsy store

Creating an Etsy store is the first step to starting your Etsy business. The process is simple and straightforward and takes only a few steps to open a working Etsy store.

• Go to the Etsy website: Start by going to www.etsy.com and click on “Sell on Etsy" at the top right corner of the homepage.
• Create an account: If you don’t already have an Etsy account, you’ll need to create one. Click on the “Register" button and fill in your details, or sign up using your Google or Facebook account.
• Set up your shop: Once you have an account, click on the “Open Your Etsy Shop" button. You’ll be asked to provide some basic information about your shop, including your shop name, location, and language.
• Add your listings: Next, you’ll need to add your listings to your shop. Click on “Add a Listing" and enter the details of your product, including the title, description, price, and photos. You can also add tags to help shoppers find your products.
• Set up your payment and shipping options: Etsy offers a range of payment and shipping options, so you’ll need to choose the ones that work best for you. You can choose to accept payments via Etsy Payments or PayPal, and you can set your shipping prices and options.
• Publish your shop: Once you’ve added your listings and set up your payment and shipping options, you’re ready to publish your shop. Click on “Open Your Shop" and your shop will be live on Etsy.

Create your listings

Once you’ve created your digital printables, it’s time to create your listings. Make sure to include clear and detailed descriptions of your product, along with high-quality images that showcase the design. You should also set a fair price for your product based on the time and effort you put into creating it.

• Product images: Upto 10 images with the first one being your listings’ cover
• Video: Add a video to instruct your buyers how to use your printables
• Product title: A name for your listings, always include important keywords
• Product Description: Write captivating descriptions for your products, pack them with information and instructions
• Product Type: Must select “Digital” type for your printables
• Product tags and category: Select relevant categories for your listings and use tags with your keywords
• Quantity: For digital products, you must select “Automatic renewal” for your listings to keep your product never going ‘out of stock’.
• File: Don’t forget to attach your printable files to your listing. Etsy allows you to add up to five files (maximum 20MB each file) for customers to download.

Optimize your listings

Etsy’s search algorithm is based on a number of factors, including the relevance of your listing to the search terms entered by buyers. To improve your chances of being discovered by potential customers, make sure to optimize your listings with relevant keywords in the title and tags. You can also include information about your niche and the intended use of your printables to make your listings more appealing to buyers.

Promote your listings

Once you’ve created your listings, it’s important to promote Etsy Shop to potential customers. You can use social media platforms like Instagram, Tiktok, and Pinterest to showcase your designs and direct traffic to your Etsy store. You can also participate in Etsy teams and groups related to your niche, and collaborate with other sellers to promote each other’s products.

Tips for selling digital printables on Etsy

Make it clear that you’re selling digital files

One of the common issues that printable sellers face is dealing with confused customers who mistake digital products for physical products. Some upset customers might even give bad reviews for your store for this reason.

To prevent that from happening, here’s what you can do:

• Put “PRINTABLE” upfront on your listing cover photos. Make it bold and in the face.
• Include a listing photo that reads your policies and rules.
• Remind again in your listing description and Message to Digital Buyers.

Pay attention to your Etsy SEO

Etsy SEO is the magic potion that makes your listings visible to potential customers. You can use keyword tools like Marmalead, eRank to find keywords with high search volume. By adding these keywords to your listing titles, and descriptions, tags, your listings have a better chance to show up on research result pages when customers search for these phrases.

Create impressive mockups

Good product photography is the key to success in an online market. Even when your products are digitally stored, you still need to showcase how your printables look when printed, framed, or used. Using mockups can be a great way to create impressive visuals without fancy shooting equipment.

Add a good number of listings

The more listings you have, the more chances you have of being found in search results. Aim to have at least 10-20 listings in your shop. That way, customers can browse through all your goodies and find what they’re looking for.

Add passwords to prevent stealing and reselling

Copycats and digital thieves are a serious issue that disheartens so many sellers to the point that they decided to quit.

While it’s hard to stop people from stealing your work all at once, you still need to go some extra steps to prevent this from happening. Adding passwords to your digital files can be a good way to prevent unauthorized access.

Other than that, you can also try:

• Add trademark to your printable files
• Save files in a secured format like PDF
• Include clear terms of use in your listing description that prohibit sharing, reselling, or distributing the files
• Consider registering your work with a copyright office. This can provide you with additional legal protection in the event of theft or infringement.

So there you have it, some tips to help you start your Etsy digital printable business. Remember, success doesn’t come overnight, but with hard work and dedication, you can make it happen.

Best resources for printables

Design tools:

• Canva – Web-based drag-and-drop editing software with multiple templates, graphics, and photos for different usages.
• Adobe Photoshop – Professional tool for editing photos, creating graphics, and arts
• Adobe Illustrator – Professional tool for designing vector graphics and illustrations
• Photopea – Free online tool for editing images and creating graphics
• Procreate – Specialized tool for drawing digital illustrations and graphics
• Other tools: Sketch, inVision, Piktochart, Stencil, PicMonkey, GIMP, etc.

Stock images: Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay, Shutterstock, etc.

Graphics, and premade design elements:

• Pixeden: Library of website themes, templates, logo sets, business cards, catalogs, resumes, etc.
• Freepik: Graphics, illustrations,
• Flaticon: Library of icons, stickers, UI elements,
• Drawkit: Free SVGs, icons that you can use for commercial use
• Humaaans: Online software for mixing and combining characteristics to create human illustrations in inVision Studio or Sketch.
• The Noun Project: Library of icons and photos available for download in SVG and PNG.

Mockup tools: Placeit, Smart Mockups, Flair AI, Pebblely, etc.

>>> Also read: Top 13 Best Free Mockup Generator For Print On Demand Business

Fonts and font combinations: Google Fonts, Dafont, Typewolf, Lost Type, Mix font, etc.

Idea tools: Pinterest Trends, Google Trends, eRank, Mamarlead, etc.

Worksheet, tracker design tools:

• Excel or Google Sheets: Good for creating trackers or planners
• Adobe Acrobat: Best tool for creating PDF files, suitable for creating worksheets, workbooks, journals, teaching materials, etc.
• Indesign – Perfect for page layouts for digital documents or prints

Can you make printables on Canva to sell on Etsy?

Yes, you can use Canva to create printables for Etsy. But it’s important to carefully review their terms of use and only use elements that are licensed for commercial use.

Technically, Canva’s terms of use state that their designs cannot be used for commercial purposes on a standalone basis.

This means that you can sell original designs made on Etsy using Canva’s elements and graphics. However, it is not allowed to copy and resell templates found on Canva as they are.

Another note if you want to sell and share your printables via Canva, don’t use Canva Pro elements. If your customers don’t have Canva Pro account, they must pay $1 to unlock each Canva Pro element, which is never a promising scenario.

That being said, Canva does offer a variety of free and paid design elements that can be used for commercial purposes, so it is possible to use Canva to create printables for your Etsy shop as long as you follow their terms of use and only use elements that are licensed for commercial use.

It’s important to note, however, that using pre-made templates and designs from Canva may result in your printables looking similar to others on Etsy. To stand out and create unique designs, consider creating your own graphics and illustrations or customizing Canva’s designs to make them your own.

How do I legally sell my printables?

Selling printables can be a new terrain for many sellers. Many would ponder on the legality of this type of business, how it differs from selling physical products, and how to sell printables legally. No need to worry, here are some tips to ensure that your Etsy shop is compliant with the law:

Get your business license

Just because you’re selling online doesn’t mean you’re exempt from needing a business license or tax certificate. Depending on where you live, you may need to obtain a license to operate your Etsy shop. Check with your local government to make sure you’re compliant with any online selling laws.

Adhere to copyright and trademark regulations

If you’re thinking of using Mickey Mouse as the face of your new printable planner, think again. It’s important to respect the intellectual property rights of others, so make sure you obtain your graphics and images through the proper channels and have permission or licensing rights. After all, you don’t want to get sued by Disney.

Use templates to sell printables

Another option is to sell PLR products, which are private label rights products. These are pre-designed templates that you can use to create your own end products. Selling PLR products can help you stay compliant with copyright and trademark laws while still offering unique and customizable products to your customers.