8 Etsy Digital Products Business Success Stories [2024]
An Etsy digital products business involves creating and selling digital goods on the Etsy platform.
These can include items like printable art, digital planners, e-books, graphic designs, and more.
To start this business on a budget, first identify a niche or category you're passionate about and skilled in.
Create high-quality digital products using free or low-cost tools like Canva or Google Docs.
Then, set up a shop on Etsy, optimize your product listings with relevant keywords, and promote your shop through social media and online communities to attract potential customers.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a etsy digital products business:
1. Outline Planner ($36K/year)
Ralu Petrea, a UX Designer, came up with the idea for Outline Planner after realizing that she was skilled at creating effective plans for herself but struggled to teach others to do the same. She decided to create a digital planner that could be used on tablets, specifically the iPad, and spent three days researching existing digital planners before launching her own. Despite starting with no followers or business plan, she sold two copies of her first planner on the first day and went on to reach €80K+ in sales within two years.
How much they make: $36K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
Current team size: 1
How a founder turned a €499 investment into €80K+ in sales in just two years by creating and selling all-in-one monthly, weekly, and daily digital planners for iPad through Etsy, with 15-20% of orders from returning customers and profit margins around 70%.
2. Made Urban ($60K/year)
Erin Mooney came up with the idea for MadeUrban when she realized the overwhelming competition on Etsy. After several unsuccessful attempts to build a rival online marketplace, she shifted her focus to the blog section of her website, which gained significant traction and led her to create her first ebook. She now earns between $5000 - $8000 per month and has sold close to 5,000 copies of her ebooks.
How much they make: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 0
A small business owner and blogger shares how she turned her failing handmade marketplace into a successful e-book business that generates between $5,000 - $8,000 per month, by focusing on a blog that resonated with her audience and providing unique value in her e-books.
So... can you actually make money with a etsy digital products business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Money Hacking Mama ($120K/year)
How much they make: $120K/year
Current team size: 0
MoneyHackingMama.com founder creates and sells downloadable printables on Etsy, generating passive income and also selling courses for personal and professional success.
4. OpossumRotStudio ($12K/year)
How much they make: $12K/year
Current team size:
A 16-year-old with no prior experience managed to generate over $1,000 a month in income from her side business on Etsy by selling Possum pins.
So... can you actually make money with a etsy digital products business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. Pretty Arrow ($125K/year)
Emily McDermott, founder of Pretty Arrow, came up with the idea for her personal finance brand after quitting her full-time job and wanting to monetize her passion for budgeting. She discovered the opportunity to sell budgeting templates on Etsy and used keyword research to create products tailored specifically to her target audience of young women. Since launching in 2021, she has sold over 29,000 spreadsheets and has grown her business through email marketing and Facebook ads.
How much they make: $125K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10
Current team size: 1
Founder Emily McDermott turned her passion for budgeting into a successful personal finance brand, Pretty Arrow, which sells customizable budget spreadsheets that have brought in over 29,000 sales since 2021, with much of the business coming from Etsy, email marketing, and Facebook ads.
- 4,818 founder case studies
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- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
