Etsy Sellers Optimizing POD Margins

“Do personalized Loom videos still work? Anybody using them at scale here? With thoughts or advice, thanks! submitted by /u/usman232323 [link] [comments]”

“I would be happy to get some advice and generally understand if anything is possible to do about it. For a bit longer than two years, I have been selling handmade dice on Etsy. It was okay, not great, but okay. Recently, sales went down drastically, and I tried to figure out why. Accidentally I figured out that Etsy implemented the "Handmade only" filter for search and the "Handmade by ..." label for listings. I noticed that neither my shop nor my listings have the handmade l”

“Hello fellow etsy sellers, this is my first post here and i am REALLY needing some advice. I opened my store about a year ago but didn't put products in until around aug-sep. Then in dec-jan i changed my products from party printables to religous printables - digital products. I neiched right down and it's paid off. Its so far been popular. Ive been slowly growing this year. And this past 30 days has been my best. However... my dilemma is, great sales and about 2-3 months ago i put ads o”

“I want to start making bows, and I purchased all the supplies to do so. I just cannot for the life of me figure it out. I’ve watched countless tutorials on TikTok and YouTube, but my bows aren’t turning out like I want. I want to make the ones with the bands attached, but the tutorials confuse me so I bought clips to glue on. But regardless of clips or bands, they’re still not turning out pretty. I am so frustrated. Idk why I’m struggling so much, I feel dumb. Please help submitted by &#32”

“I have a single listing for a popular tarot deck that’s currently out of stock. I have a second print run on its way and will be back up mid to late August. I get a lot of messages asking if we’re going to restock. I happen to have saved a few decks to use as rewards on a Kickstarter campaign I’m running that is for an unrelated project. Can I tell the inquirers that they can support the kickstarter and add on a deck or will Etsy get all upset at me for drawing traffic away from them? subm”

“Views and sales have always been low. My designs are original, handmade and good quality, but I’ve always had low engagement. Would love to have an outside audit or review done because I just can’t see the problem (I’m not that way minded). I’m looking for actually useful and actionable pointers. - I’m familiar with SEO strategy, however I think I can struggle to know what key words my audience may use to find my products, beyond the obvious. - My images are accurate, vibrant and reflect the vib”

“Emmm, do you have a way for distribution assume you have an ecomm site already listed all your items? I’m asking bc I don’t know if FB marketplace is a terrible idea…”

submitted by /u/HippyMcFly [link] [comments]

“I tried creating some of my own but I’d really want to know the best way to do this.”

“Don’t pay for a full ecommerce build yet. Since Marketplace is already proving demand, version one should be a fast catalog of your best 10–20 pieces, service/delivery area, reviews, and one “check availability / book a time” action, with Messenger as the fallback; add GA4 and Search Console so you can see whether Google actually produces inquiries. A clean no-checkout build like that is usually a $1k–$3k job, not a $5k–$12k store; if you want hands-on help scoping it before you hire, happy to c”

“So I'm planning on making a small business that will sell stickers and keychains, and the products are all going to be cutesy & cartoonish, but I have no clue what business name will fit that aesthetic😭. Please help!🙏 submitted by /u/IllShelter5700 [link] [comments]”

you won’t get anything for free.. do a barter collaboration

“These two companies make custom glue on nails out of silver and gold. They are extremely expensive lol. Does anyone happen to know any alternatives? submitted by /u/FuckingBethesda [link] [comments]”

“I have read the IRS standards, and I am curious what your thoughts and interpretations are. I have been knitting a lot of hats lately while watching sporting events and during church. So I was thinking about starting a small scale Etsy shop to sell the extras. My main goal is to pay for some fun activities for my kids and get rid of some of the things that I knit. My plan was to list and (maybe) sell 10-15 per year. They are all knit from yarn I have on hand, or yarn that I bought because I want”

“I'm not too sure how to say this. I have been in this forum before posting about my small business. However, I am working on something else and it's a kind of brand play sort of. This may be one of those "first to market" product ideas where no protection was ever necessary because protection isn't likely to be granted by the US anyways. I have a concept for a small toy and basically you hit the single large button and it emits a sound that the user has chosen(out of 6 opti”

“hi, I was wondering that how can I help my cousin sister so she can sell her paintings. She has made beautiful artwork but don’t know where she can sell it and what would the accurate value. Which is the best platform globally? and any specific platform that u guys would recommend? submitted by /u/Ok-Fish9091 [link] [comments]”

“Like the headline says. I have 3 design mockups for trucker caps and hoodies/t-shirts. Now I need someone to fine tune them and make them into vectors. Can someone tell me how to do that? Thank you. submitted by /u/city-2-country [link] [comments]”

“I’ve had it. I’m kind of grossed out by the perpetual sales. Every day a sale. Every time on sale. I don’t like as a shop owner we feel like we have to do this to get any sort of sales. It seems with Etsy’s recent announcement that they are warning against this and will be enforcing a crackdown on this in the future. Frankly - they need to build into their sales that a shop can only run a sale five days out of any given month. That could be five days in a row, or five random days. But Etsy needs”

“Honestly, your list is more thought out than most people post. The first things I'd prioritize are trust and product presentation because those affect every visitor, paid or organic. I'd also make sure the product page answers every objection without people needing to scroll forever. One thing I'd add is checking the mobile experience really carefully, most people won't forgive even small annoyances there.”

“i am so lost is there a specific algorythm? how will i get people to see it? submitted by /u/NeverPercieved [link] [comments]”

“Hey guys, so I'm fairly new to posting and have had my Etsy shop for over a year now. I sell a lot of stickers and some ACEOs. Yesterday this guy messaged me about some of my listings and was asking about if I had specific character ACEOs to which I told him I did but hadn't posted them yet. I sent him a picture of all the ones related to what he asked for and he circled the ones he wanted. I was going to make a private listing for him but before I could even do anything listing wise our”

“The friends-and-family plateau is super common for handmade sellers, and the fastest way through it is usually getting your product physically in front of strangers rather than doing more online! For kids' bows and outfits especially, that means the markets and events parents actually go to (school craft fairs, community bazaars, holiday markets, children's consignment sales,etc) and getting into local children's boutiques, gift shops, and toy stores, which will often carry handmade”

“I was just wondering if there are sites or people on here who are experienced with etsy that would just check out your shop to give advice if things look any good or if you are on the right track or not? I don't want to just post my etsy shop to seem like i just want people to go and click, I genuinely want advice to try and earn some money as a second income. Any assistance would be appreciated! submitted by /u/Classic_Ad_798 [link] [comments]”

“I’m a new shop (about 2 months old). I just got my first review after 6 orders. In the last 24 hours, I got 2 additional orders for higher priced items. Does anyone send free gifts as thank yous or do a surprise and delight and send a free gift with an occasional order? submitted by /u/Brookaliscious [link] [comments]”

“A little bit of background: this is a handbeaded jewelry shop is run by my MIL and I (she makes everything, I am the shop runner/advertising/photography etc) Are the listing details ... well, too detailed? Like at which point is the detail given TOO much details (aka, is putting what size beads and materials were used too much detail)? Are the listing descriptions too flowery/is it better to just say what the item is and let the buyer buy? Is there any information that makes us look dropshipped”

“Hello, do I include my shipping prices with the product? I am a leather craftsman and some of my products are small leather goods, keychains, bookmarks, and lighter cases. Im confused on what to properly price my items. I dont want to rip people off but I need to make a profit as well. submitted by /u/Striking-Range-4806 [link] [comments]”

“Hi! I have a basic question regarding CPC testing. We manufacture T-shirts, Hoodies, Sweatshirts, Shorts, Pants & lot of kids clothing for multiple clients in USA. Some of them sell through Amazon and theirs own website as D2C Brands... For Customs clearance and Ecom Selling we provide them CPC Test Certificates... CPC tests are generally valid for one year. Does Amazon require a CPC test for every individual SKU, or is one representative test for the same fabric, construction, and product t”

“I usually sell things on eBay, so I'm very familiar with selling online. Recently, I've been designing a lot of stuff for a clothing brand I want to start on esty. I'm hoping some of you can point me in the right direction and give me a few options of how/where you buy bulk clothing and get things printed quickly at a low cost. I would also love to hear about any advice you'd give to a new seller on etsy that can help me avoid mistakes along the way. Thanks! :) submitted by”

“I'm thinking about starting an Etsy Print on Demand shop and wanted to hear from people who are currently selling. Is POD on Etsy still working for you in 2026? Are you still getting consistent sales, or has it become too saturated? I'd appreciate hearing about your experience and any advice for someone just getting started. submitted by /u/Tasty_Entertainer_37 [link] [comments]”

“Questions: I was wondering if the title is clear enough or if it should be changed a bit. I'm not completely sure if I'm using the right keywords. I'd also like to know what you think about the listing overall, especially the images and the price. Do you think anything should be improved? What inspired you to create this shop? I've always liked creating useful things, and I thought digital templates could be helpful for small businesses. I wanted to try selling something that peo”

“Hey, genuine question from someone considering opening a shop. I’m a graphic designer / illustrator and I want to offer **fully custom work,** not templates, not instant downloads. I’m talking about sitting down and actually making something from scratch for each person, using Photoshop, Illustrator, Procreate, InDesign, and Nomad Sculpt for 3D work. What I’d be offering: \*\*•\*\* Custom manga-style portraits (your face, your character, your vibe) \*\*•\*\* Custom posters built around you or yo”

“Hey guys I am looking forward to start a Custom Printing business on cloths But I am stuck with “how to start “ part can anyone help me out Looking forward tips and support 🫶 submitted by /u/Mrcarrotton [link] [comments]”

“I have a handful of print on demand tshirts on my etsy which have been getting decent attention and one of them is in 20+ carts but i’m not making that many sales. my margins are already relatively low so I could offer a minor abandoned cart discount or I could raise my prices a bit and offer a more significant discount but are there any other methods to convert bagged items to sales? submitted by /u/buubyy [link] [comments]”

“Wondering if anyone has created branded swag that offers a little extra, like a T-shirt printed with a QR code for a one-time discount. Or if you’re a brick-and-mortar business, would you offer a discount to people who walk in wearing your merch? If yes, was it successful? Would you recommend? submitted by /u/Vistaprint [link] [comments]”

“Hello there.. I opened my Etsy shop in late February to sell custom 1/6 scale heads with rolling eyes. Most of the clients are asking to buy the digital STL files. I tried, but Etsy only allows a 20MB limit per file. Each file is about 400MB. How can I offer this in my store? Is there a workaround to bypass the 20MB limit? Or is there any other way to offer an instant download? (Pictures only as reference of my sculpts) submitted by /u/NovaStudioMx [link] [comments]”

“I used to sell digital planners on Etsy, specifically Notion planners. When you buy it, you receive a link to the template that you should duplicate into your own Notion to use it (when you duplicate, you get your own copy to use and do whatever you want). Now the problem is my account got deleted and I lost my own original templates, this means that if you didn’t duplicate the template before, you won’t be able to now, and if someone wants to duplicate it again (if they duplicated before and wa”

“I used to sell digital planners on Etsy, specifically Notion planners. When you buy it, you receive a link to the template that you should duplicate into your own Notion to use it (when you duplicate, you get your own copy to use and do whatever you want). Now the problem is my account got deleted and I lost my own original templates, this means that if you didn’t duplicate the template before, you won’t be able to now, and if someone wants to duplicate it again (if they duplicated before and wa”

“What is your content about? Have you thought about posting process videos sped up and cut to hold attention? You also have an opportunity to create pdf guides as lead magnets and entry offerings I’ve found artists make more teaching others vs selling alone. There is always going to be a demo of people that don’t want to bother or find it to be too much work. They’re more likely to buy, but tutorials are an easier way to capture interest”

“I tried Printful first. No Choice really on who the Printer is. They send it to whoever will get them the biggest profit. That'd understandable, but some of these printers are TERRIBLE. I tried to woo a customer by making nice mugs for them. OMG, A Sunny Day shot looked like night time. The red lettering looked like Poop Brown. Really Disgusting. I ended up losing the customer. And trying to get refunded is a real pain. A logo mug came back wicked dark and blurred too. So, I searched for ano”

“Hi Sellers! I’m currently an at home seller of custom stickers and notepads. Would it be worth it to sell on Etsy for these items? Or is it too saturated? submitted by /u/Immediate_Offer_6683 [link] [comments]”

“That’s like saying “everyone is selling skincare” supplements is a niche not 1 product, you can still find an untapped subniche”

Supplements are the best of both worlds, high margin, consumable

“Questions: I was wondering if the title is clear enough or if it should be changed a bit. I'm not completely sure if I'm using the right keywords. I'd also like to know what you think about the listing overall, especially the images and the price. Do you think anything should be improved? What inspired you to create this shop? I've always liked creating useful things, and I thought digital templates could be helpful for small businesses. I wanted to try selling something that peo”

“Hello there I'm a new seller on etsy from india I have around 20 -30 skus . Should I upload all my listing within 1 - 2 days or Should I upload them with a gap of 1-2 days ? I hope you got my question submitted by /u/GIMNER [link] [comments]”

“Hi all, I have opened my shop about 3.5 weeks ago. I create personalised chopping boards through pyrography. I have 6 listings and 4 orders so far and 2 reviews that are 5 stars. I am in the Uk. I’m curious how long did it take you to have consistent orders? What can I do to improve and start getting consistent orders? I absolutely love pyrography and personalise chopping boards. Insight - two of my listings are showing on page 1 and 2 so SEO is definitely working on these ones. I welcome any ad”

“You've already got the Shopify POS side sorted, so I believe the bigger opportunity is making the pop up work as an extension of your online store rather than treating it as a completely separate operation. I'd definitely map out the stock flow, staffing and post-event inventory before the event starts. Especially since you're moving stock to another event straight after, I'd be careful not to solve the pop up in isolation. I work with Shopify/ecommerce brands, so I'd be inte”

“Hey everyone! I want to start a little jewelry business from home but i’m not in a position to splurge right now. I know it’s not totally smiled upon but would it be really bad for me to get charms from Temu in the beginning to sell and then as I make a small profit, work my way to more expensive and handmade charms/try to make charms myself? I know a lot of people don’t like Temu but i don’t really know where else to start ETA: i would not be advertising them as handmade, but hand assembled &#3”

“So for context i started etsy about 6 months ago, and one of my listings has been pretty popular it is a sticker pack but i sell the digital download. People were asking for commerical use for my items and i have a listing for a commerical use for about $15. Some one who has a bigger following than me bought one of my listings (5 drawings in a pack)with a commerical liscne and just put it on a sticker sheet and is selling it on their etsy shop for cheaper than my digitla downloads. I know i prob”

“Hi everyone, I’m planning to open an Etsy seller shop and to digital art in general. I enjoy creating traditional art & paintings (although i have engineering background), but I’m wanting to lean toward starting with digital products because, as a beginner, it seems like less time-consuming, less confusing, and much lower investment than selling physical art. If that’s totally off-base, please tell me, I genuinely don’t know what I don’t know. My shop idea is centered around mental wellness”

“So for an example I can create my own website at wix or base 44 and use Shopify to sell clothing or anything trendy?”

“you build a site, get a domain name, find products and figure out how they are being shipped. it is a ton of work and does require some capital. getting traffic to your site isn't exactly easy. nor is finding products you can sell at competitive prices. most of it just requires common sense.”

“Aware of that but I was thinking about the variations - I'm not sure how many this has but every paint mix has to be slightly tweaked to account for age, mix variations, amount of metallic, etc. That's where I was going.”

“Competition is brutal here, anyone can spin up a custom tee and get it delivered in a day. What actually separates a brand in that environment is story and marketing, not the product alone. If you can build a following, or get people to relate to what you're making enough to talk about it themselves, that's the real business. You need a community around the brand before you need customers. Show the process, post videos or memes that speak directly to your audience, so there's already”

“Hi all. I’m thinking of applying to a local curated show to do an in-person pop-up. I’m an established Etsy seller but have never done a show before. It looks like I’d pay for a booth and with that comes “storage space, load-in and load-out support, and a 2nd-day load-out option.” How on earth do people do this? I’m guessing I’d be responsible for all the displays, possibly a table/tables, decor, marketing materials? Is it ever even worth it financially? I’d have to shell out for all of the abov”

“I make personalized bar crawl games for bachelorette parties. Buyer fills in details about the bride and their bar list, and gets a custom game back. It's not a static printable PDF like most listings in the category. Does Etsy's format handle "made to order digital" well, or do buyers there expect instant download? Any gotchas on processing time expectations, reviews, or how personalization requests come through? First time selling on Etsy. submitted by /u/Confiden”

“Hello I started my POD shop 2 months ago and have made 19 sales so far, the first one being on June 22nd (it's July 14th as I'm writing this). My problem is, I obviously have to pay out of pocket to printify to fulfill the order, which by itself is fine and I wouldn't expect it any other way. BUT Etsy told me my first sales deposit would be available last week (when you go to "payment account" and look at the details of your profit and fees, it says "funds will be avai”

“I have a lot of apparel ideas I want to bring to life, and I've been comparing Gelato, Printify, Printful, etc. I'd really love some honest input and advice from people who've actually done this: 1) Which platform would you recommend and why? (No affiliates please just real honest advice) 2) Does the shirt quality on the platforms you chose feel good or cheap, and does it lose color over time? 3) Is it actually lucrative or are margins too thin to take seriously? 4) Anyone shipped in”

“Hello! I am based in Sweden and considering starting a small Etsy shop selling 3D printed home organization products, gifts, gadgets , etc. I am not trying to scale immediately, just testing demand. For those who started small: What products worked best for you? What surprised you about Etsy fees/shipping/customer expectations? How many hours per week do you spend managing orders? What would you do differently if starting again? Thank you Samah submitted by /u/Just_Software_6614 [lin”

“Haha thanks. I’m happy with it but we don’t have insanely good margins so it always eats at me when I see how much we’re spending still. I’d love to get better at retargeting, emails and flows to capitalize more and eventually spend less on ads but that’s probably a ways out still. Last I looked we spend around $14 to acquire a new customer, average item is $60 and AOV is around $100 but has been climbing over the year. I’d like to see AOV around $120 by EOY. The most ridiculous thing to me is w”