If I said you could start an Etsy side hustle, what is the first thing that comes to mind? I bet it’s a beautiful handcrafted product and immediately dismiss it as a side hustle idea because you’re not creative.
I was just like you until I found out I could sell printables and digital products on Etsy as a side hustle, and I can tell you I am no creative!
In this post, I’ll tell you all about my shop and how I started my Etsy journey.
I’ll also share with you how to get a great free ebook to know more about this world.
But before I do, let me clarify exactly what these printables and digital products are.
What do you mean – printables and digital products?
If you’re not based in the US, you probably won’t know what they are and what they’re for. And you also wouldn’t be aware of what a great selling opportunity they are.
what are they?
They are either PDF to print or digital products to use on your computer, laptop, or phone.
The key things is that printables and digital products are so popular because they solve a problem.
what kind of problems do they solve?
Literally anything. From organizing time, to track fitness goals, to budgeting, to manage your gardening progress, to invoicing your clients or even entertain your kids and family.
There is a printable for any need!
and people buy them?
Yes! Because they don’t have the computer skills or the time to create one themselves. People in the USA are very familiar with printables and digital products, and they tend to purchase the most items. But I have sold my products all over the world, so don’t worry if you’re not based in the US!
The price of each printable varies greatly, depending on what is offered. A one page printable might sell for £2/$2, whilst a yearly digital planner might sell for £15/$15 or more.
This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a small commission (at absolutely no extra cost for you) if you purchase through my links. Please check my disclosure for more info.
how i found out about this etsy side hustle
I found out about this Etsy side hustle whilst on a blogging course ran by Julie and Cody from Gold City Ventures.
The Etsy course also seemed super interesting so I signed up for it as soon as I had some free time (beginning of 2020 lockdown). Knowing Julie and Cody’s professionalism and experience in Etsy sales and marketing, gave me confidence it was the right thing to do.
the e-printables course
The E-printables course is made of 15 modules and countless of videos via an online platform, which you can access any time and it never expires. It is completely self-paced; you can binge-watch all videos like I did, or go through one by one when you have some spare time in the evening.
The course also gives you access to a private Facebook support group, the “VIP Membership”, where Julie, Cody and some Etsy experts will answer questions and share their knowledge, as well as a Membership Video Vault with 80+ additional training videos. They even have a podcast available to all members!
This group is what really sets the course apart from any others, as it is a judgement-free and super supportive zone where everybody just wants you to have success.
Want to know more about the course? Click here for the FAQ Video and see what other students have to say about the course
The guys at Gold City Ventures were also so kind to share a free ebook to learn more about the world of an Etsy side hustle and give you plenty of ideas of products to create, as well as invite everybody to a free workshop!
my experience
In my shop Studio Moline, I sell planners and printables to better organise your life, like OneNote agendas, garden planners, and fitness trackers, as well as some cute hand-drawn stickers.
In the first 4 months of trading, I sold over 250 products, and now, almost three years later I sold over 3000 items and have 250 5 star reviews!
what are the benefits of etsy as a side hustle?
I have tried various side hustles throughout the years, but nothing beats Etsy for me.
Etsy requires a very limited initial investment. If you use free programs (they explain everything in the course), all you have to pay is:
- $0.20 listing fee to put your product up on Etsy
- Transaction taxes depending where you’re based (around 20% in the UK – use this calculator to see how much profit you could make)
And if you use this link, you can get your first 40 listings up on Etsy for free!
Anyway, there are three key benefits of starting an Etsy side hustle.
passive income
This is the most important benefit of all because you will make money while you sleep. First, you just have to create a product, then list it on Etsy and, because it is a digital product, you can sell infinite copies.
I recently was on holiday and it was great to see sales coming in whilst I was having fun (and not working on the Etsy side hustle at all)
learn new skills
En Etsy side hustle requires you to learn new skills, software, and online tools to make your products.
Additionally, you will also develop your marketing and customer service skills. All 100% needed to run an Etsy shop.
But don’t worry, the Gold City Ventures e-printable course teaches you exactly that, among other things!
I make all my products on Adobe Illustrator now, but when I first started I was using free tools like Canva and Inkscape. Adobe requires a (pricey) subscription but it offers automations and shortcuts that are well worth the money for the stage where I am with the shop.
creative outlet
There is a strange satisfaction to see a final product knowing that you made it from scratch. Don’t be fooled by those who say being creative only means drawing and painting; creating a product from scratch is being creative!
final words as etsy as a side hustle
I honestly love my Etsy side hustle, because it is a real business opportunity, as I know I can grow my shop with time, and increase my sales.
If you’re still unsure of the potential of Etsy as a side hustle, check out the success stories of other students who took the course before me.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the E-printables course, click here. And don’t forget to download the free ebook or join the free workshop!
Useful links:
- Etsy printables course: E-printable course
- Course FAQs : read them here
- Etsy free ebook: get it here
- Free workshop: sign up here
- Success stories from previous students: read them here