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Welcome to the thriving world of POD on Etsy, where artistic passions can become profitable realities. Print-on-demand is one of the best ways for creative entrepreneurs to showcase their digital talent and sell on the Etsy marketplace.
Since selling basic products has now been replaced with the trend of promoting personalized products. These products connect with the buyers and sellers get a huge leverage when it comes to selling Etsy’s Print on Demand (POD). But to harness the real benefits of selling POD products it becomes important for sellers to look at the full picture. Whether you are an entrepreneur or an artist, you have to be creative to deal with custom products & customer’s expectations while selling printables on Etsy.
Before diving deep, let’s first understand the relationship between Etsy & POD.
A Brief into Etsy POD
In a fiercely competitive eCommerce world where standing out as a seller is the ultimate challenge, Etsy presents an unparalleled opportunity with POD. The Etsy Print on Demand business first kick-started in 2013, and since then it has been growing every day.
As per the 1st Quarter result of 2024, Etsy serves around 91.6 million active buyers out of which 20% have been purchasing customized or personalized products from this creative platform. If you are one of those enthusiasts looking to pour your heart and creativity into crafting unique POD designs, Etsy is a platform for your creativity and innovation.
The platform is quite convenient for selling personalized designs, gags, graphics, and creative content on various items like mugs, t-shirts, bags, etc. Keeping in mind that, it should be unique and should showcase your own idea.
To understand how to sell POD on Etsy, it’s very important to first learn what POD products and POD service providers are permissible on Etsy.
What Do Reports Say About POD(Print On Demand)?
Research suggests that the Print-on-demand industry is growing at a compound annual growth rate of (CAGR) 25.3%. Being a seller, you should know what printables sell best on Etsy, especially during the holiday season, the peak time for gifting personalized gifts to loved ones. For example, items such as emoji-printed mugs, framed quotations, T-shirts featuring printed quotes and messages, or handmade portrait paintings are popular choices.
Talking of special occasions, there is always an extreme demand for customized jewelry and mom-kid paintings during Mother’s Day. On the other hand, for Teacher’s Day, buyers look for customized mugs with related quotations, such as my favorite teacher or my best teacher, etc. On Valentine’s Day, couples usually search for a couple of T-shirts or cushions with their photo or name printed on them. A special mention for Etsy events falling in Etsy Q2 and Q3 such as Father’s Day, Earth Day, US Independence Day, etc, where a huge demand for custom-printed products is witnessed.
Below is an example of POD product ideas for Earth Day:
If you plan to have a POD store on Etsy, get ideas from existing shops and blend your creativity into it. The Etsy community supports new sellers, guiding them to build stores, share unique product ideas, improve marketing, etc.
And on Etsy, where creativity knows no bounds, selling print on demand isn’t just a trend — it’s a transformative journey waiting to be embraced. If you plan to have a POD store on Etsy, get ideas from existing print-on-demand Etsy shops and implement your creativity into your store.
How to Sell POD on Etsy?
Like various other POD creative business owners, you can also prosper your Printables store with Etsy. Before you plan for an Etsy print-on-demand business, it is obvious to have an Etsy store first. Following are the basic steps to set up the POD shop on Etsy.
- Sign in to Your Etsy Store: Just go to Etsy.com and set up your store there. All you need to do is, hit the ‘Open Your Etsy Shop’ button and register as a seller. Do not forget to mention your shop preference in terms of language, country, and currency. This process will take you less than a minute.
- Name your Shop: If you are going to open a POD shop on Etsy, you should be creative & keep SEO in mind while deciding on a Shop Name. Your store’s name must also resonate with the business model & product category (ies) you are selling.
- Stock Up Your Store: You must add at least 1 item to your Etsy store to complete the setup process. You can upload any related picture from Google and can delete it later. You can name your products with some search-friendly keywords. If you will use the customized product services, mention them in the “About the Listing” section.
- Fees and payments: Listing for 1 item will cost you $0.20 every time you list on Etsy, this will go on for 4 months and has to be renewed after that. Find the fees and payment structure in detail here.
- Create an Account On Any POD Service Provider: If you want to sell customized products through some POD service providers, you need to have an account with them. Create an account and link it with your Etsy store.
What happens after you link both Accounts?
Once you link both accounts, the steps of managing both Etsy and POD service accounts will become very simple and easy for you. You have to list some sample products and designs that you are offering on your Etsy store. Mention the pricing with an SEO-friendly product description and the quantity you have in stock.
When a buyer makes a purchase on your Etsy store, the order details will be sent (notified) to the POD Providers. The POD company will print the selected design onto a product purchased, later dispatch and deliver it to the buyer. This is one of the most prevailing side hustles on Etsy these days.
What If You Don’t Require POD Service Providers to Sell on Etsy?
You can skip using POD service providers if you manufacture customized products yourself or have a skilled manufacturing unit. If you deal in products such as soap, scented candles, chocolates, cookies, paintings, art novels, etc., opting to sell the products directly to customers via your Etsy shop is a more favorable option. This kind of business model also has a lot of potential as Etsy promotes creative sellers and their business models more.
How can Shopify Sellers Sell POD on Etsy?
There are many marketplaces, but Etsy has earned more trust from sellers. As these sellers have expanded their small businesses on multi-channel platforms. If you have a Shopify store, running an Etsy store simultaneously can be profitable. Selling print-on-demand products on both platforms can boost your online business.
To sell customized products, you must have linked your store with any of the Print On Demand companies. Since you have to sell through Etsy to cater to more buyers, you just need to connect your Shopify store with Etsy for simplified operations. The linking can be done through Integration solutions such as CedCommerce ‑ Etsy Integration. After that, you will witness the listings you have already made on your Shopify store reflecting on the Etsy store too.
How Can The CedCommerce Etsy Integration Help You Sell POD?
The CedCommerce Etsy Shopify app helps sellers upload and manage their products in bulk and handle orders efficiently. Follow these steps and learn briefly about how ‘Shopify- Etsy Print on Demand’ order management is done on the app:
- When a buyer makes a purchase on Etsy, the details can also be tracked on your Shopify store linked with it.
- Since Your account with the POD service is linked with the Shopify store, the order details will be fetched by the POD provider too.
- The next step is order fulfillment. The POD service provider will create, pack, and deliver the order to the buyer.
- From order making to dispatching, every tracking detail gets reflected on the POD account, Shopify store, and Etsy store respectively.
- The automation will make the process of selling easily handled for you and allow you to enjoy the profit with fewer efforts.
How Benefiting is it to have a POD business on Shopify and Etsy?
If you’ve been selling through your Shopify store but haven’t seen much traffic, expanding to multiple channels is a smart move. This approach gives you global exposure and increases your reach. You can use your Etsy store to promote your Shopify brand, gaining more visibility. Additionally, having an Etsy store allows you to experiment with pricing, offering different rates than on Shopify. This means you can sell with a higher profit margin compared to your Shopify store.
Some Common FAQs On Selling POD On Etsy
Is it a great idea to launch an Etsy POD during an event?
Events and Occasions bring the opportunity to fetch many buyers. Events such as Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Valentine’s Week create a massive surge in consumer interest and purchasing behavior for tailor-made products. As a seller, you just need to get your stores and listings ready. Event-centric POD products are the first preferences for buyers. Like many, you can even have two stores in sync and flourish your POD business.
What are some of the US POD service providers that can help design products for Etsy?
Companies like Printful, Printify, and Shine On help you succeed in POD by selling what buyers demand. They are top print-on-demand service providers for building a successful business.
How can I start selling ‘Product on Demand (POD)’ on Etsy?
To start selling ‘Product on Demand’ on Etsy, follow these steps:
- Sign up for an Etsy account
- Set up your Etsy shop
- Create a Printify account
- Link Etsy to Printify
- Choose and design your products
- Publish products to your shop
- Update product details
- Personalize your Etsy shop
- Promote your products
- Additionally, use CedCommerce Etsy Integration to optimize your selling operations and sync POD order details to save time and scale your business.
What are some tips for increasing POD sales on Etsy?
Following are some tips that can help you increase POD sales on Etsy:
- Choose a niche for your Etsy Print-on-Demand
- Provide free shipping on some POD Etsy products
- Use keywords to customize and personalize your listings
- List multiple variations of your print-on-demand products on Etsy
- Take clear and good-quality product photos for a better shopping experience
- Provide good customer service with automated replies, human support, and quick response
- Provide discounts, coupon codes, limited-time offers, etc., to engage your customer’s interest
- Want to start your own POD Etsy business with automated selling operations? Reach out to us and get expert support with our integration solutions.