Digital products on Etsy are available in various formats from calendars, eBooks, business cards, personal planners and so many more. Instant gratification by not having to wait for a product to arrive is a key factor behind its high demand throughout the year.
Therefore, making selling digital products on Etsy among the most lucrative niche for sellers and one of the sought after product categories for shoppers.
Most importantly, selling digital products on Etsy eliminates all sorts of dependencies (inventory sync, overselling, underselling, bulk upload) that would otherwise have halted your selling operation.
Launching and Building Business of Selling Digital Products On Etsy is Comparatively Easy
So, are you planning to sell digital products on Etsy but still in a dilemma which digital products to choose or how to sell digital products on Etsy?
Here’s your in depth guide into the nitty gritty of selling digital products on Etsy and scaling it with tried and tested tips.
Why Sell Digital Downloads On Etsy? Is It Profitable?
There are very few products that can be created once and can be sold hundreds of thousands of times. Digital products are one of them and on the bright side, these products don’t require a warehouse for storage as well need not be shipped to reach on time.
Having said that, shouldn’t you be interested in selling digital products on Etsy? After all, there is consistent demand and are free from usual worries associated with physical products.
Example: If you sell handmade jewelry and downloadable party printables, recognize that these cater to different audiences. Tailor your marketing strategies for each segment to maximize reach and sales
10 Important Pointers To Consider To Sell Digital Products On Etsy in 2024
Whether you’re a seasoned seller or a newcomer, these insights will help you navigate the digital landscape, diversify your offerings, and provide exceptional customer experiences. Let’s delve into the key strategies that will elevate your Etsy digital storefront and unlock new possibilities for success
Understand Etsy’s Policies
- Ensure that you are familiar with Etsy’s policies, especially those related to selling digital products. Stay updated on any policy changes.
- Example: Regularly check Etsy’s Seller Policy and review any updates. Ensure that your digital products comply with copyright laws. For instance, if you’re selling digital art, ensure you have the right to use any third-party elements in your designs.
Diversify Your Digital Offerings
- Explore a variety of digital products to appeal to a broader audience. Consider offering bundles or themed sets to encourage multiple purchases.
- Example: If you’re currently selling printable planners, consider diversifying into digital wallpapers, social media templates, or Lightroom presets to cater to different customer needs and preferences
Optimize Listings for SEO
- Use relevant keywords in your product titles, descriptions, and tags to improve visibility in Etsy’s search results.
- Example: If you’re selling digital calendars, optimize your listing with keywords such as “2024 printable calendar,” “monthly planner,” and “instant download calendar” to improve visibility on Etsy’s search results
Consider Instant Downloads
- Opt for “Instant download” listings to provide a seamless experience for customers. This allows them to receive the digital file immediately upon purchase.
- Example: If you create Lightroom presets, set up your listings as instant downloads so that customers can access and use them immediately after purchase, streamlining the buying process.
Experiment with Designs
- Start with a few designs rather than waiting to have a large inventory. Experiment with different designs and observe customer responses to identify popular categories.
- Example: Start by listing a few variations of smartphone wallpapers to test the market. Analyze customer responses and sales data to identify popular themes or styles, then expand your offerings accordingly.
Photographing Digital Items
- Use high-quality and stylized photos for your digital items. Clearly showcase what customers will receive, and consider adding a stylized photo of the digital product itself.
- Example: If you’re selling digital art prints, include high-quality photos showcasing the prints in style frames. Add an additional photo clearly indicating that it’s a digital product to avoid confusion.
Communicate Clearly
- Emphasize in your titles and tags that the item is a digital download. Use banners or additional photos to make it clear that customers are purchasing a digital product.
- Example: Use banners or overlay text on your listing images to highlight that the item is a digital download. Craft titles like “Printable Wall Art” to make it evident that customers are purchasing a digital product.
Invest in Customer Service
- Be prepared to offer customer support, especially for pattern or digital art customers who may require more detailed instructions. Consider creating blog posts or resources to address common questions.
- Example: If you sell sewing patterns, anticipate that some customers may need extra assistance. Create blog posts or video tutorials demonstrating step-by-step instructions to help them navigate the customization process.
Address Technical Questions
- Anticipate and be ready to address technical questions related to downloading and using digital files. Provide step-by-step directions in emails or additional resources.
- Example: Include a section in your product description or a follow-up email with detailed instructions on how to download, open, and use PDF files. Anticipate common technical questions and proactively address them.
Market Segmentation
- Recognize that selling digital downloads may attract a different audience than your other physical products. Consider it as an opportunity to reach new markets rather than a threat to existing sales.
The Pro Tip – The seller should not include images or descriptions of physical items in digital listings.
How Much Can You Make Selling Digital Products On Etsy
At the start your earnings can be as little as $10-100 a week but it can go as high as $93K or even more.
Kayla leveraged her creativity to earn her first $1000 in 4 months . But, she reached $93K during her 2nd year on Etsy by selling printable business planners.
Image credit- ammarosedesigns
Three decisive factors in scaling etsy store selling digital products on Etsy are
- Since the launch of the store till making the first 1000 sales consider it as your full time job.
- When things don’t work out as expected, focus on the hit and trial method.
- Invest more to reach more customers at fast pace
Other factors that also come into play when you plan to sell digital products on Etsy are niche, pricing, and product.
The Pro Tip – Esnuring your listing is optimized for smooth shopping experience is key to stable conversion rate.
Therefore, you too can go from a newbie seller of digital downloads to knowing the nitty gritty of what all it takes to grow an Etsy business by selling digital downloads.
Which Digital Downloads Can You Sell On Etsy
Top Selling Digital Products On Etsy
Selling digital products on Etsy sounds lucrative and easy due to no shipping, no inventory, low cost,and high profit margin.
Having said that, low entry barriers attract more sellers to give it a shot. Therefore, one must be aware of the hot selling digital products to double the chance of success.
After all, having a competitive advantage will help in growing your sales figure.
Digital Wallpapers
Digital wallpapers adoption has increased with rising demand for customized wallpapers. Keep the designs unique and trendy, such that shoppers take notice of your products at first glance.
Moreover, the digitally printed wallpaper market is forecasted to be around USD 119.1 billion by 2029.
- Changing Aesthetics and Design Trends – Evolving design aesthetics and trends significantly influence consumer preferences. Digital wallpapers offer a flexible and easily updated solution for staying in line with the latest design trends.
- Rise of Digital Content Creation – Digital wallpapers play a vital role not only in personalizing devices but also in serving as background elements for content creation. This dual functionality positions digital wallpapers as sought-after assets in the digital landscape in 2024.
- Increased Screen Time and Remote Work: The global shift towards increased screen time, driven by factors such as remote work and digital entertainment, amplifies the significance of visually appealing digital environments. Users are investing more time in front of screens, making the demand for aesthetically pleasing digital wallpapers a natural outcome as people prioritize creating visually comfortable work and leisure spaces.
Calendars
Digital calendars enable better productivity and have emerged as an updated version of traditional calendars. People love the fact collaborating with colleagues without clash over date is possible with digital calendars.
The constant demand for calendars throughout the year can fetch you monthly sales between $50-$5000.
- Efficiency and Organization in Digital Spaces: In 2024, the demand for digital calendars is poised to increase significantly as individuals and businesses prioritize efficiency and organization in the digital realm
- Enhanced Accessibility Across Platforms: The ubiquity of smartphones, tablets, and computers has created a demand for solutions that seamlessly integrate across these platforms. Digital calendars, with their ability to sync and update in real-time, provide users with a consistent and accessible scheduling tool, contributing to the anticipated rise in demand.
- Environmental Considerations: In alignment with global sustainability trends, the shift towards digital solutions contributes to reducing paper consumption. Digital calendars serve as eco-friendly alternatives, appealing to environmentally-conscious consumers.
Image credit: Etsy
Lightroom Presets
Anything that makes people’s instagram feed look fantabulous is always in high demand. Lightroom presets is one such digital product. These are image filters to enhance photos and turn it high quality with creative effects.
You can get started selling presets that make colors look rich and vibrant. Such presets are used widely in nearly all types of photos.
- High Contrast B&W – This preset is one among the favorites with just sufficient contrast to make images nicely pop. Enures high contrast for portraits, street photos, and landscape
- Street View – Perfect to smear photos with a sense of warm feeling
- Portrait Preset – It Lends a dramatic appeal by making images look sharp and gritty
- PRO Landscape and Travel Lightroom Presets – Add a layer of personal style
- Cinema Lightroom Preset – It adds the missing artistic vibes to images with cinematic atmosphere
- Shadowze – Easily turns colored images to black and white. Also, it ensures balanced contrast between light and dark shadows.
The Pro Tip – Amateur photographers should be careful about of over-editing or underexposing of the images. Presets avaialble to address this esperience high througout the year. Etsy seller interested in selling digital products can portray it as supern solution to achieve optimal image results.
Thank You Cards
There is always a need to express gratitude and thank you cards are a preferred medium to convey it. Moreover, digital thank you cards can be easily personalized to make others feel valuable. Raising shopper awareness about long term impact of thankyou cards will prove its worth.
- Emphasis on Personal Connection: In an increasingly digital world, the value of personal connections and meaningful gestures is on the rise. Thank you cards provide a tangible and thoughtful way to express gratitude, fostering a deeper sense of connection between individuals.
- Elevated Importance of Relationship Building: In both personal and professional spheres, the emphasis on relationship building remains crucial. Sending thank you cards is a timeless practice that contributes to building and nurturing positive relationships.
- Remote Work and Virtual Appreciation: With remote work becoming more prevalent, expressing appreciation and gratitude virtually has become commonplace. Thank you cards provide a tangible and enduring way to express thanks in a digital age.
Therefore, as individuals recognize the enduring value of strong connections, the demand for thank you cards is expected to see an uptick in 2024
eBooks
ebooks or digital books market size have experienced an uptick in its popularity every year since the past few years.
- Growing Popularity of E-Readers and Mobile Devices – As the smartphones, tablets, and dedicated e-reader become more affordable and widely adopted in 2024, the demand for ebooks is likely to rise.
- Global Shift Toward Digital Content – As people become more accustomed to accessing information and entertainment digitally, the demand for ebooks is expected to grow. This shift is influenced by factors such as environmental concerns and ease of storage.
- Rising Preference for Instant Gratification – This immediate access to a vast library of digital content aligns with the fast-paced lifestyle of many individuals, further driving the demand for ebooks over traditional print books.
Therefore, listing ebooks on Etsy can generate maximum profit among all.
Moreover, you’ve got a plethora of reasons to convince readers to make the purchase. You can portray some of these as distinct benefits to convince an ebook lover.
- These are lightweight and easy to carry.
- Enables you to have your library at your fingertips
- Inbuilt dictionary enhance reading experience
- Freedom to choose and change the font and style of the ebook
Digital Logos
The popularity of logos has always been high owing to the fact that a unique visual identity is key to communicate the business vision.
Image credit: Etsy
- Digital Presence Dominance: In 2024, the demand for digital logos is set to soar as businesses increasingly prioritize their online presence. A digital logo serves as a dynamic and versatile brand identifier across various digital platforms, reinforcing brand consistency and visibility in the competitive online landscape.
- Responsive Design Requirements: The rising importance of responsive design principles necessitates logos that seamlessly adapt to different screen sizes and devices. Digital logos, designed with scalability in mind, ensure a cohesive brand image across websites, social media, mobile apps, and other digital touchpoints, responding to the diverse ways audiences engage with content.
- Interactive and Multimedia Platforms: With the surge in interactive and multimedia content, digital logos offer the flexibility to integrate seamlessly into evolving digital experiences. From animated logos for video content to interactive elements for web design, businesses in 2024 will seek digital logos that transcend static representations, fostering engagement and leaving a memorable impact
Every business desires to own a logo to quickly grab attention and delivers an impression their company is an established entity. As a result, it easily solves two purpose
- Enures a distinct identity by differentiating from the competition.
- Makes it easy for customers to trust the brand.
Digital Wedding Invitations
Social Media Templates – In the age of cutthroat competition social media templates are the right tool for visually appealing social media posts that uniqi;y describe a business as well as separate it from its competitors is the need of the hour for business owners.
Social media template is an amazing digital download to sell on Etsy as it speeds up the process of content creation. Another solid reason the product experiences huge demand.
- Sustainable Elegance: In 2024, the demand for digital wedding cards is expected to surge as couples increasingly prioritize sustainability without compromising on elegance. Digital wedding cards offer a sophisticated and eco-friendly alternative to traditional paper invitations, aligning with the growing global emphasis on environmentally conscious choices.
- Customization and Personalization: The desire for unique and personalized wedding experiences continues to shape consumer preferences. Digital wedding cards provide couples with a wide array of customization options, from personalized messages and interactive elements to incorporating multimedia such as photos and videos, allowing for a truly individualized and memorable invitation experience.
- Instantaneous Connectivity: In an era of instant communication, digital wedding cards cater to the need for swift and seamless interaction. With just a click, guests can receive, RSVP, and access additional event details. This immediacy aligns with the fast-paced lifestyles of couples and their guests, contributing to the increasing popularity of digital wedding cards.
Smartphone Wallpapers
Digital phone wallpapers are highly sought after digital products on Etsy. The primary reason for custom designs on it makes it the perfect expression of individuality for phone owners.
Digitally printed wallpapers for smartphones have a promising future as it can be personalized as per different themes, seasons, and holidays. And, on the bright side it’s average cost is as low as $1.5.
Therefore, making it perfect digital product to sell on Etsy
Digital Templates and Tools
Every business needs various types of digital templates to scale their business on the next level and skill up their professionals.
High demand digital templates include
- Resume templates
- Graphic design template
- Website templates and themes
- Excel templates
- Zoom background templates
Image credit: Etsy
How To Know Are Digital Products Popular or Not Among Etsy Shoppers?
If you are planning to sell digital products on Etsy, It is wise to measure its popularity before listing it on your Etsy store.
Search for specific product in the Etsy search bar and scroll down to the bottom and have a look at the following stats
- Total number of sales
- Total reviews
- Overall ratings of the shop
Higher value in above parameters suggests a promising digital product.
There are tools like insightfactory revealing Etsy trends live data about different types of digital products. Here you can easily measure real time popularity of items you are planning to sell on Etsy in terms of sales and competition.
Image credit- insightfactory
As a result, you will always be aware about top selling digital products on Etsy.
How To Safeguard Your Digital Products on Etsy From Copyright Issues
Copyright infringement pertaining to digital products on Etsy is a serious issue. Taking preventive measures will be in your best interest.
Let’s explore how to ensure your digital products are 100% authentic and free of copyright infringement. As a result, you will avoid the mess and save yourself from legal consequences.
image credit: reddit
Here is a comprehensive checklist to ensure your Etsy store digital products are away from copyright issues.
- Have the permission to use registered trademark else leave it.
- Use fresh titles and descriptions to describe your digital products. But. don’t copy it from other Etsy sellers.
- Either own the commercial license of using the images, fonts, and other design elements from third parties or these are to be from free resources that permits you to use it for commercial purposes.
These will ensure you win customer trust as a genuine Etsy seller. Also, need not worry about listing removal and account termination.
Summing It Up – Selling Digital Products On Etsy is Profitable Venture
Remember to stress on utility of the digital product in the description. Portraying utility as a customer benefit and how it will ease up customers’ daily life struggles is a tried and tested approach to convincing the customer to purchase.
A clear and concise refund policy and explicit mention of the number of files included in the order will ensure the customer knows what he will receive. It goes a long way in enhancing customer experience and building customer trust.
Disclaimer– Etsy is a trademark of Etsy, Inc. This content is not created or endorsed by Etsy, Inc.