How to Make Money Selling on Etsy.com

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By HS Schulte
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If you have a hobby, or are an expert at making something, you can make money selling your product on Etsy.com. Etsy is a website where crafters can sell their handmade products for a very low fee. It is more economical to list items at Etsy.com than at eBay, and there is a community of crafters that frequently barter or buy the crafts of others.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Selling on Etsy.com

When you are creating your ETSY online shop, remember that people can purchase mass produced items much cheaper than handmade items. People choose to shop ETSY.com's handmade items for the extra care and handling that goes into products. Perhaps they want something made of a material that is not commonly found, or custom made in some way. Be sure to explain in great detail how you make your item, the materials it is made from and any customization you offer. Be sure to include well detailed photos, so the customer can see what they are buying.
Step 2

Getting Etsy.com Customers

Obviously, it is important that people can find your ETSY store front. Articles are a great way to increase traffic to your handmade items. Write an article about how you make your product and publish it in an article directory like eHow, eZine.com, or Suite101.com. You can place a link in your article to your Etsy.com store.

You also might post links in forums or any online community you participate in frequently that is related to your store. Craft forums would be a great place to post a link to crafts available at your Etsy.com store.

Another way to get Etsy.com customers is to get to know other Etsy.com sellers. Many sellers purchase from other Etsy.com shops to establish feedback, or because they appreciate handmade products. There is a section of Etsy.com where buyers post items that they wish to purchase and the sellers bid to make the product. That is called Etsy.com alchemy.
Step 3

Etsy.com Fees

Because of Etsy.com's low fees, it is easier to make money there than with many other online retailers. ETSY.com does charge a small fee of 20 cents for listing each item. They are also currently charging a small sales fee of 3.5% on all items sold. Be sure to consider this when you are deciding how much to charge for your item.