Start A Selling Business On Etsy - Business Ideas

Updated: September 15th, 2022
Start A Selling Business On Etsy

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

Etsy is a marketplace where millions of people around the world connect to make, sell and buy unique goods. You can sell unique handmade goods, vintage items and craft supplies on the platform.

Here are steps for starting a selling business on Etsy:

  • Create your Etsy Account
  • Define the Shop preferences and set a name
  • Create a viable product
  • Input the payment settings and enter the credit card details
  • Open the Etsy shop, set up your bio and shop policies
  • Take images of your products and upload
  • Include compelling product descriptions and set reasonable prices

Your Etsy shop policies should indicate the processing time, shipping policies, payment options and the returns/exchanges policy.

Starting a selling business on etsy requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell etsy selling business, or selling etsy selling business online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Key Stats

market size
$604M
starting costs
$13.7K
gross margin
40%
time to build
210 days

Startup Costs

Min Startup Costs Max Startup Costs

Office Space Expenses

$0

$7,000

Inventory Expenses

$350

$14,750

Software Expenses

$150

$2,794

Website Costs

$13

$215

Advertising & Marketing Costs

$0

$2,450

Total Startup Costs

$513

$27,209

Successful Businesses

Business URL Rank

OpossumRotStudio

etsy.com/in-en/shop/OpossumRotStudio

73

Gift Wink

etsy.com/shop/GiftWinkCustom

74

Small Business

luminate.com

121,518

Sell.com

sell.com

121,801

Valigara

valigara.com

189,999

Galen Leather

galenleather.com

338,189

Etsy On Sale

etsyonsale.com

368,084

Etsy Conversations Podcast

convome.com

3,568,837

Etsy {NewYork} Street Team

thenewnew.blogspot.com

5,081,260

Pros & Cons

Pros Description

Flexibility

You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own.

Ability to start your business from home

It's not necessary to have a physical storefront or office space to get your business started. You can do everything from the comfort of your own home, at least in the beginning!

Little startup costs required

The cost to start a selling business on etsy costs significantly less money than most businesses, ranging anywhere from 12 to 27,209.

Rewarding work

Starting a selling business on etsy can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about.

Scalable

With businesses and processes changing daily, there will always be demand for new features, products and services for your business. Additionally, there are several different business models and pricing tiers you can implement that will allow you to reach all types of customers.

Traffic to your website

A selling business on etsy gives people a reason to visit your website and to keep coming back to you!

Cons Description

Crowded Space

Competition is high when it comes to your selling business on etsy, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies.

Finding The Right Supplier

Most businesses in this space go the supplier/manufacturer route, which isn't a bad thing! However, finding the right supplier can take a lot of time, energy and trial/error. If done properly, this process can save you months (if not years) of time and energy. More on this below in the "finding a supplier" section.

Security Issues

With any Saas business, data loss and security issues may arise throughout your process of building your product. It's critical that you understand exactly what you're responsible for and how to avoid potential issues down the road.

Lack of benefits

With a selling business on etsy, you are typically self-employed and responsible for finding your own insurance, which can be quite costly and time-consuming.

Isolation

Often times, as a selling business on etsy, you typically work alone and do not have much face-to-face interaction with other team members.

Taxes

As a selling business on etsy, you typically pay self-employment taxes which can be quite high. It's important to understand what you will be paying in taxes each year so you can determine if the work you're taking on is worth it.