How I Made $6,161 in Simply 4 Months With a New Etsy Printables Store

Do you need to learn to make a semi-passive earnings by promoting printables on Etsy?

Are you questioning if a new Etsy printables store can earn a living?

Promoting digital merchandise is a good way to earn cash on-line with out worrying about stock, transport, or buyer returns. With the suitable technique, you’ll be able to create merchandise as soon as and promote them again and again – incomes earnings even when you sleep!

Right this moment, I’m excited to share an interview with Cody, a profitable Etsy vendor who has turned printables right into a thriving enterprise. He’s been featured right here on Making Sense of Cents earlier than and you’ll find that article right here – How I Make Cash Promoting Printables On Etsy. Right this moment, he’s again as a result of he lately began a brand-new Etsy printables store to point out that it’s potential to nonetheless earn a living in 2025.

In simply 4 months, his new store that he lately began hit $1,000 in month-to-month income (in about 4 months, he made $6,161 from this brand-new Etsy store), proving that it’s nonetheless potential to begin and develop a profitable Etsy enterprise right this moment.

On this interview, Cody shares:

• The technique he used to develop his new Etsy store from $0 to $2,500 per week
• Essentially the most worthwhile kinds of printables to promote
• How a lot effort and time is absolutely wanted to make this work
• The step-by-step strategy of promoting printables
• How one can earn a living even if you happen to’re new and don’t have any tech abilities
• The largest errors new sellers make and the best way to keep away from them

For those who’ve ever considered beginning an Etsy store however weren’t positive the place to start, this interview is full of insights that can assist you take step one!

I additionally advocate signing up for the Earn Cash Promoting Printables free coaching. You’ll be taught printable concepts, the best way to get began on Etsy, and the best way to really make gross sales. Moreover, you’ll be able to join Cody’s free e book, which shares his secret listing of best-selling merchandise month by month.

How I Made $6,161 in Simply 4 Months With a New Etsy Printables Store

This interview is for you if you wish to learn to begin an Etsy printables enterprise proper now.

1. Please give us just a little background on your self and the way you bought began promoting on Etsy.

I first began promoting printables on Etsy in 2018 after attempting nearly each facet hustle conceivable (cleansing boats, delivering Uber Eats on a motorbike, freelance writing, constructing web sites, and so forth). 

The issue with most facet hustles is that they’re “lively”, which means that you simply don’t receives a commission until you’re actively engaged on them.

Promoting printables was completely different. I may create and listing a digital product in my store, and somebody may purchase it at any time, it doesn’t matter what I used to be doing. 

I keep in mind waking as much as gross sales and listening to the “cha-ching” sound from Etsy on my cellphone whereas I used to be on the fitness center or within the automobile.

After that began occurring extra ceaselessly, I rapidly dumped nearly all of my “lively” facet hustles and went all in on attempting to make extra passive earnings. 

Some months after I opened my store, round Valentine’s Day, I had my first huge break and revamped $718 in every week. I significantly couldn’t consider it. It felt like faux cash. 

I used to be promoting issues like love coupons, love playing cards, and different Valentine’s printables.

The craziest half? 

I used to be on trip that week and barely touched my store. 

These had been all printables that I had listed in December and January.

This one week in February fully modified how I considered money and time.

2. Are you able to inform me all about your new Etsy store experiment? How do you discover new printable concepts to promote? How a lot time do you spend in your new store every week? What are your long-term plans with this store?

As I discussed above, I opened my first Etsy store in 2018. In web years, that seems like ages in the past, and apparently, I’m not the one one who thinks so.

Somebody commented on a video of mine and mentioned “You simply obtained fortunate you began again in 2018. You might by no means repeat your success on Etsy right this moment”.

Problem accepted.

Fueled with “I’m gonna present him” power, I opened a model new Etsy store in mid-August of 2024 to see how rapidly I may attain $1,000/month in gross sales.

My technique was easy: Create a bunch of base templates, after which use key phrase analysis to make as many in-demand variations of that base template as potential.

For instance, I’d create a “thanks card” template, after which from that template, create a instructor thanks card, soccer coach thanks card, grandfather thanks card, marriage ceremony thanks card… you get the thought.

The explanation why I selected this “template” strategy was as a result of it allowed me to create and listing merchandise as rapidly as potential. I may create a brand-new product (together with the design itself, itemizing photos, description, tags, and so forth.) inside a matter of 15 to twenty minutes.

Every week in the course of the problem, I in all probability spent a complete of 5-10 hours on my store.

Now, I solely spend a few hours per week on my store.

Because the store has carried out so properly and requires little upkeep, I’m going to proceed to run it and add to my product suite. Who is aware of, I’d even do one other problem!

3. How a lot cash have you ever made together with your new Etsy store? 

The objective of the brand new Etsy store experiment was to see how rapidly I may attain $1,000/month in income. 

I hit that objective in 116 days.

That’s not one of the best a part of the story although…

Only one week after hitting my objective, my gross sales exploded, and I revamped $2,500 in income in 7 days. I truthfully couldn’t consider it. This was simply 4.5 months after I opened my store.

From mid-August to December thirty first, I made $6,161 from this new Etsy store.

4. What are your bills together with your new printables store?

Since these are digital merchandise (I don’t promote bodily merchandise or print-on-demand), the bills are fairly minimal. 

I spend $22/month on software program between Canva Professional and eRank Professional.

It prices $0.20 to listing a product and Etsy takes 6.5% of every product sale.

I pay a further $0.50 for every editable product sale since I exploit a program known as Corjl.

In the course of the holidays, I additionally spend cash on adverts to extend site visitors to my seasonal merchandise.

On common, digital merchandise have 80%+ revenue margins, which is far increased than promoting print-on-demand or bodily merchandise on Etsy.

5. So, what’s a printable? Why do folks purchase printables?

A printable is a digital file {that a} buyer buys after which both prints or makes use of on their pc. On this interview, I’m utilizing “printable” and “digital product” interchangeably, though you wouldn’t really print one thing like a social media template.

Some printable examples embody thanks playing cards, present tags, marriage ceremony invites, labels, digital planners, wall artwork, calendars, budgeting spreadsheets, Instagram templates, media kits, printable video games, junk journals… the listing goes on and on.

For those who look across the room you’re in when you’re studying this, you’ll possible see a printable or two!

As I’m typing this, I see wall artwork subsequent to me, a planner on my desk, a journal on the espresso desk, and a calendar on the fridge.

Folks purchase printables as a result of it’s lots simpler to pay $5 than to go and create the printables themselves. Whilst a printable vendor myself I’m nonetheless shopping for printables on a regular basis.

To make one other analogy to drive this level dwelling… everybody can prepare dinner meals at dwelling, so why do eating places and take-out even exist? The reply is comfort.

6. Why promote printables on Etsy? What do you want about promoting on Etsy versus straight on a weblog or web site?

Etsy is one of the best market by far for brand spanking new printable sellers.

You don’t want an e mail listing. You don’t want a giant social media presence. You don’t want a web site. You don’t have to promote.

For those who perceive key phrase analysis and search engine optimization, Etsy will ship consumers to the doorstep.

As of this writing, there are over 90 million consumers on Etsy, and that quantity is rising yr over yr. Etsy is spending tens of millions in promoting (you may need seen their Tremendous Bowl industrial final yr) to get new consumers onto the platform. 

Some folks complain concerning the 6.5% price that Etsy takes from every sale, however I’m really a fan. Etsy is utilizing that cash to present us sellers extra potential prospects. I’ll gladly give Etsy $0.65 once I make $10 in change for locating consumers for my digital merchandise.

You may promote printables straight in your web site, or on a platform like Shopify, however then you definately’re accountable for driving site visitors and prospects. 

To not say that this isn’t a very good transfer for some, however this often solely is smart if in case you have a giant e mail listing, a large social media following, or another approach to appeal to prospects.

7. How worthwhile is promoting printables on Etsy? How a lot cash can an individual make promoting printables on-line?

When it comes to profitability, promoting printables on Etsy is tough to beat. 

Many sellers I do know personally have 80%+ revenue margins, with some as excessive as 95%.

Essentially the most “costly” a part of this facet hustle is your time. I don’t need to painting this as a get-rich-quick scheme. 

It’ll take a little bit of time to be taught graphic design, key phrase analysis, advertising and marketing, and so forth.

However the good half is that after you have a store stuffed with handsome, well-researched merchandise, they will proceed to promote for months and years to come back!

The sum of money you make fully will depend on the quantity of effort you’re keen to place in.

We had one pupil, Rachel, who earned over $150,000 on the facet promoting printables on Etsy.

We had one other pupil, Sasha, substitute her full-time earnings as an accountant.

We’ve got some college students who’re pleased making $600/month promoting digital merchandise and utilizing that cash to cowl a few of their month-to-month payments.

8. Can a printables store be passive earnings? How a lot ongoing work is required to keep up and develop a printables store?

I prefer to say that promoting printables on Etsy is 95% passive earnings.

When somebody buys a printable out of your store, Etsy will routinely ship them the digital file. There’s nothing that you could do in your finish to finish the transaction.

The 5% the place it’s “lively” is responding to buyer questions, that are often resolved inside a few minutes.

I’ve an entire bunch of “fast replies” a.okay.a. saved responses to widespread questions for my store in order that I can reply to consumers inside the Etsy App in just some clicks.

For ongoing work, when you get to a income degree you’re comfy with, you can “coast” for some time and maintain issues 95% passive with out seeing a lot of a drop in gross sales.

Nevertheless, in order for you your earnings to develop, you’ll need to maintain including new merchandise to your store at any time when potential. 

Utilizing the “template” methodology I discussed above, including a brand new product would possibly solely take 15-20 minutes. In my new Etsy store, I attempt to add ~10 new merchandise per week.

9. What are among the best-selling printables on Etsy? Are sure niches extra worthwhile than others?

The riches are within the niches. The most effective-selling printables on Etsy are these with good search quantity, however low competitors. I prefer to name these “unicorns”.

The place most individuals go fallacious is that they create generic merchandise (e.g. thanks playing cards, birthday invites, plain calendars).

The issue with that is that each Etsy vendor and their mom are promoting these generic merchandise. As a substitute of promoting only a “thanks card”, contemplate promoting a “faculty bus driver thanks card” or a “pediatrician thanks card”.

As you area of interest down, not solely are you competing in opposition to fewer folks, however you’re additionally making a printable that’s extra according to what the client is looking for!

Think about a purchaser goes to Etsy, sorts in “faculty bus driver thanks card” after which sees two playing cards subsequent to one another. One is a plain thanks card that claims “Thank You!” and the opposite is a thanks card with clip artwork of a faculty bus that claims “Thanks for being one of the best bus driver!”.

Which do you suppose they’re going to choose?

The one which’s extra according to what they had been looking for, after all.

This is why niching down is so essential.

To offer you an actual instance from my Etsy store, I created this printable for a “Medical College Commencement Get together”.

It’s a lot simpler to face out with this product than with a generic “Commencement Get together” printable.

The reality is, there’s no definitive listing of bestselling printables or a sure kind of printable that’s assured to make you cash. If there was, everyone can be promoting them, and then you definately’d be competing with everyone, which is strictly what I counsel not to do.

The “secret” to making a living on Etsy is to area of interest down and create precisely what the shopper is on the lookout for. There’s a purpose why the phrase “The riches are within the niches” exists!

10. Can an entire newbie make a printable? Is it laborious to make a printable if an individual has no tech abilities?

I’ve been promoting printables for six+ years at this level, and it’s embarrassing to confess, however I’d nonetheless solely contemplate myself a 5/10 (possibly 6) graphic designer.

However hey, that was ok for me to make over $6,000 in 4.5 months with my brand-new store.

Crucial a part of promoting printables is key phrase analysis, not graphic design.

We’ve seen college students with zero graphic design or tech backgrounds make gross sales inside every week of opening their store (some inside the first day or two).

In fact, printables gained’t promote if they appear completely horrible, however you actually don’t must be a graphic design whiz to make this facet hustle work.

There are just a few niches the place graphic design issues much more than others reminiscent of weddings and wall artwork, however for the overwhelming majority of printables, it simply has to look “ok”.

11. How does an individual get views and site visitors to their printables? Is there lots of competitors?

I sound like a damaged report right here, however the reply is key phrase analysis.

For those who create niched-down merchandise which have good search quantity, and low competitors, you’ll appeal to consumers.

There may be a lot of competitors for generic merchandise.

There may be a lot much less competitors for well-researched, particular merchandise.

The secret’s discovering these merchandise and creating as lots of them as potential.

Because the variety of merchandise in your store continues to develop, so will your views, clicks, and gross sales.

You’ll be able to enterprise out and drive site visitors on locations like Pinterest, however I’d put this extra within the “superior” class. It’s not essential to make gross sales.

12. Are you able to give me a step-by-step course of for promoting printables?

This may very well be a whole weblog publish in and of itself, however I’ll attempt to break down the steps as merely as potential:

1. Generate a listing of printable concepts. You are able to do this utilizing Etsy, Chat GPT, Google, Pinterest, and even simply your personal mind energy. Attempt to write down as many concepts as potential.
2. Run that listing of printable concepts by a key phrase analysis device. I like to make use of eRank or Everbee. The purpose of this step is to determine which merchandise have good search quantity and low competitors.
3. Design the “profitable” merchandise you discovered from step 2. I exploit Canva to create my designs. After you undergo this train as soon as, you’ll have a bunch of “templates” that you should utilize in future designs.
4. Checklist the designs on Etsy. You’ll need to ensure that to optimize your itemizing photos, title, tags, and outline to present your product one of the best probability of success.
5. Repeat steps 1 by 4. You’ll get sooner each time you come back to step 5. I promise.

I used this precise course of to listing over 350 digital merchandise in my store in simply over 4 months.

That may sound insane, however keep in mind, through the use of the “template” methodology that I described above, I can create and listing a brand new product in 15-20 minutes.

13. Inform me concerning the printable templates you present to your college students. How do these work and are these a great way to begin an Etsy store that you may really earn a living with? Did you utilize any of those templates together with your new printables store?

In our E-Printables Course, we offer 15+ Canva templates to assist college students get merchandise listed as rapidly as potential. We additionally give out a further 5 product templates every month in our VIP Membership.

We all know how irritating it may be to spend hours in your first design, so these templates function a kind of shortcut. As a substitute of designing from scratch, you begin with an already-completed printable design and make just a few tweaks to customise it.

All of our templates are well-researched and particularly chosen as merchandise we see with lots of gross sales potential. Some college students have made gross sales inside a day of itemizing their custom-made templates!

One other beauty of templates (which I additionally talked about above), is that one template may simply flip into 10+ merchandise. 

A present card holder may grow to be a nurse present card holder, a instructor present card holder, a Valentine present card holder, a Christmas present card holder… you get the thought.

One of many fundamental causes I see folks fail with this facet hustle is as a result of they by no means even begin.

The sooner you will get that first product listed (which is drastically lowered through the use of templates), the extra possible you might be to succeed. I’m a giant believer in momentum.

We additionally provide templates for itemizing photos and product descriptions to simplify the method.

For my new Etsy store, I didn’t use any templates from the E-Printables Course as a result of I assumed that might be dishonest. 

Every part for my new store was designed from scratch to show that anybody could make this facet hustle work (not only a man with entry to a giant template library).

14. Are you able to inform me concerning the course that you simply educate? How does your course assist somebody begin a printables enterprise?

The E-Printables Course is the A to Z for promoting printables on Etsy.

We cowl thought era, designing merchandise, itemizing merchandise, establishing your Etsy store, product advertising and marketing, key phrase analysis, search engine optimization, creating editable printables, coping with prospects, seasonal traits, copyright/logos, and the whole lot in between.

You’ll be able to see all the modules and classes on the course web page right here.

E-Printables is self-paced, so you’ll be able to work by it as rapidly or as slowly as you want.

We’ve got over-the-shoulder tutorials instructing you precisely the best way to design printables (and use templates to make a number of design variations).

Plus, you’ll be taught to make use of the precise key phrase analysis and search engine optimization methods that I exploit to drive site visitors to my outlets.

For those who observe the teachings so as, you’ll have an Etsy store and a number of listings posted by the point you end the course.

We’ve helped hundreds of scholars begin their Etsy outlets and we’re seeing new sellers make gross sales sooner than ever earlier than. 

This pupil win occurred final week:

You too may very well be simply 15 hours away from making your first sale on Etsy.

The cool half about this facet hustle is that we see profitable sellers from all completely different walks of life… a busy mother of two attempting to complement her earnings, a university child seeking to make some additional money, or a retiree who needs a inventive outlet.

It doesn’t matter who you might be, or what your background is, this facet hustle is for everybody.

We don’t simply assist folks begin promoting printables on Etsy although, we additionally assist these with present outlets take them to the subsequent degree.

Along with the E-Printables course, we even have a VIP Membership (30-day free trial obtainable upon course buy) which incorporates:

• 50+ bonus classes on superior Etsy methods
• Entry to our VIP Group the place our specialists reply your questions day by day
• 5 further product templates every month
• A personal podcast and video library
• Challenges and prize giveaways
• Store audits, Q&A periods, and member meetups

And extra. There’s lots in there.

If I needed to break it down as merely as potential, the E-Printables helps you arrange a profitable Etsy store, and the VIP Membership helps take that store to the subsequent degree.

For those who’ve made it to the tip of this interview and suppose this facet hustle is perhaps for you, I’d like to see you in our neighborhood!

Are you curious about promoting printables on Etsy? What printables would you promote?

Advisable studying: