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How to Sell Printables on Etsy: Guide for Beginners 

Turn your creativity into cash by selling printables on Etsy! If you love designing and want to make money from your art, Etsy is the perfect platform to showcase and sell your digital creations. In this article, you’ll learn how to make money selling printables on Etsy from expert Etsy sellers themselves. And even if you aren’t particularly creative, you can still sell printables on Etsy with some special hacks you’ll read below. It’s a great way to make passive income! 

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How to Make Money Selling Printables

Hey! I have an amazing interview for you today with Julie and Cody of Gold City Ventures! These entrepreneurs have a successful online business selling printables on Etsy. 

Julie Berninger and Cody Berman of Gold City Ventures have made thousands selling printables and digital downloads in their Etsy shops and on Shopify. They now help others start printable businesses with their programs and templates. 

A quick intro to printables if you’re not 100% certain what a printable is, or what types of printables people might want to buy off of Etsy to print out…

What is a printable?

A printable is a digital file that can be downloaded and printed by the buyer. Printables can come in various formats, such as PDF, JPEG, PNG, or SVG, and they are typically designed to be printed at home using a standard printer.

Types of Printables You Can Sell on Etsy

These digital products can include lots of different products like: 

1. Wall Art

Artwork, posters, quotes, and illustrations that can be printed and framed for home decor. 

2. Planners and Organizers

Calendars, daily planners, to-do lists, meal planners, budget trackers, and other organizational tools. 

3. Stationery

Greeting cards, invitations, thank-you notes, gift tags, labels, and envelope templates. 

4. Educational Materials

Worksheets, flashcards, coloring pages, activity sheets, and learning resources for children and adults. 

5. Party Decorations

Banners, cupcake toppers, party games, favor tags, and themed decorations for events and celebrations. 

6. Digital Art

Illustrations, digital stamps, clip art, patterns, and backgrounds for digital projects or crafting. 

Printables are popular on platforms like Etsy because they offer convenience, affordability, and customization for buyers.

Sellers can create and sell printables without needing physical inventory, shipping, or production costs. This can make selling printables a very profitable and scalable business model. 

Curious about selling printables online but don’t know where to start? Grab this free ebook that will give you a secret list of best-selling printables by month. Get it while it’s free! 

Okay, let’s get to the juicy stuff and find out all about selling printables on Etsy! 

Related post: Etsy Tools: The Best Free Etsy AI Tools to Crush Your Competition 

How to Make Money Selling Printables on Etsy 

Questions for expert Etsy printable sellers, Julie and Cody of Gold City Ventures:

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1. Tell us a bit about you and your journey to starting a printables business – what do you do, when did you start, how much you work, etc.

Julie: I started selling printables on Etsy in the bachelorette party niche when I was working a day job as a Project Manager for a large tech company.

I wanted something creative that I could do on weekends or nights when I had a spare moment and wanted to unwind.

I also was saving for financial independence and loved the idea of a fun, creative side hustle where I could also make money.

After making my first few hundred dollars, I was hooked!   

2. How much money can you make selling printables on Etsy? 

We have students who have made $70,000+ on Etsy selling printables but I think on average, most people only want to do this side hustle in their spare time versus full-time.

I think a reasonable goal is to aim for $1,000 per month which I have hit.   

— Julie and Cody’s students have made over $500,000 selling printables on Etsy. They created a completely free workshop to teach you how to get started. Get in on the workshop here

3. How do you balance your selling printables business with family/the rest of your life?  

I need to carve out time on nights and weekends where I can get desktop time to make the printables.

I can research on mobile using Pinterest and Etsy when I have 10-15 minutes of spare time in my day.

I’m also the host of the Crickets to Cha-Chings podcast about selling on Etsy so I know the value of listening to audio when you’re on a walk or doing something else.

That can move your business forward faster by giving you ideas!   

4. What was the hardest thing about figuring out how to make money selling printables on Etsy?

I was making the wrong products and I didn’t make great printables until I learned keyword research skills.

We teach students how to use eRank since for a few dollars a month with a basic subscription you can have a better chance of making a product that will sell.   

5. Why do you think you have made money selling printables on Etsy where other people haven’t?

I think I am a data-driven person and I made decisions up front about which printables to make based on what I see in the data.

When others go with their heart and hope something sells, they leave more to chance!   

6. What is your best advice for how to make money selling printables? 

I recommend finding a community so you stay focused on your goals and stay accountable!

We do 30-day challenges in our group since we know people get busy and need a goal to stay on track. Come join us! 

If you have other questions about making money selling printables on Etsy, Julie and Cody made a 15-minute video for you answering the most common questions about e-printables. 

Also, if you’re curious about selling printables on Etsy but don’t know where to start, Grab this free ebook that will give you a secret list of best-selling printables by month. Get it while it’s free! 

FAQs about Selling Digital Printables on Etsy 

1. Can you make money selling printables on Etsy? 

Yes, you can make money selling printables on Etsy!

Printables are digital products that customers can download and print at home, making them a popular and profitable category on Etsy.

Many sellers have built successful businesses by creating and selling printables such as wall art, planners, invitations, stickers, and more. 

Students of this E-Printables Course have made over $500,000 selling printables on Etsy. It can be a lucrative side hustle and way to make passive income online. 

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2. How do I make printables to sell? 

You don’t have to be a graphic designer or even particularly creative to make printables to sell on Etsy. 

There are so many free and amazing online graphics programs that make it easy to create beautiful and professional graphics, even if you think your 8-year-old is better at art than you. 

Selling printables on Etsy is one of the easiest side hustles to start. You don’t need overhead, or to spend lots of money to start up your business, or experience. 

You can make printables from scratch using a graphics program like Canva (my favorite – I use it for both my sites). 

Or you can buy templates for all kinds of different printables, that you can customize and then sell on Etsy.  

You can get access to over 100 printable templates and planners in the Printable Template Vault. You can sell them all as your own and make passive income every month. It also includes beautiful shop listing templates to make your printables stand out. 

3. Is it worth selling printables on Etsy? 

Do you consider $1000+ a month in passive income worth it? 

As Julie said in the interview above, they have had students who make $70,000+ selling printables on Etsy. 

The beauty of this income is that it is passive, and there is no physical inventory, big start-up costs, shipping fees, etc. 

Overall, selling printables on Etsy can be a lucrative venture for creative entrepreneurs who are passionate about design and interested in building a digital product business.

Success often comes from creating high-quality, unique, and visually appealing printables, understanding your target audience, optimizing your Etsy shop for visibility, and providing excellent customer service. 

Related post: 11 Creative Skills You Didn’t Know You Could Make Money From

4. Why sell printables on Etsy? (as opposed to another platform or hosting your own online shop)

Here are some key factors that contribute to making money selling printables on Etsy: 

Low overhead costs

Since printables are digital products, you don’t have to deal with inventory, shipping, or production costs. This means higher profit margins and lower initial investment compared to physical products. 

Global market

Etsy provides access to a large and diverse customer base from around the world. This increases the potential for sales and allows you to reach customers who are interested in your specific niche or style. 

Creative flexibility

Printables allow you to showcase your creativity and design skills. You can create unique and customizable products that appeal to different customer preferences, trends, and occasions. 

Passive income

Once you create and list your printables on Etsy, they can continue to generate sales without much ongoing effort. This passive income stream can provide financial stability and allow you to focus on other aspects of your business or personal life. 

Marketing opportunities

Etsy offers various marketing tools and features to help you promote your printables, such as SEO optimization, social media integration, and targeted advertising. Leveraging these tools effectively can attract more customers and increase sales. 

Related post: 7 Exciting Hobbies That Make Money

5. How to start selling printables on Etsy?

Step 1: Grab this free ebook that will give you a secret list of best-selling printables by month. It is a game-changer and right now it is FREE! 

Step 2: Watch the Manifest Passive Income with Printables workshop. It is a world-class workshop and is completely free. You’ll learn how you can make money selling printables on Etsy even if you don’t have much time, experience or money. 

Step 3: Get on the waitlist for the best Etsy printables course out there. They give their students the VIP treatment and they really care about you succeeding at making money selling printables on Etsy. You can read some of their impressive student testimonials here

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