Looking back, I have no idea why I so stubbornly resisted opening an Etsy shop. But over the last year or so, I started looking into it more, and I decided it might be a great outlet for me.
What Is Etsy?
I can’t imagine that any crafter would NOT know what Etsy is, but just in case, let me offer a quick description. Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade and vintage items.
It’s like eBay or Amazon for handmade items. What’s great for shoppers is that they can often find unique or personalized items on the site.
What’s great for shop owners is that they can quickly open a shop and sell their handmade items such as crafts.
So Why Didn’t I Want To Open An Etsy Shop?
Over the years, I would occasionally think about a shop. But crafting has always been something I did in my spare time. It was a fun and relaxing thing for me to do.
If I sold craft items that I made in an Etsy shop, then I would have to become much more disciplined with my crafting time in order to make an inventory and keep up with orders.
That didn’t sound like fun or relaxing at all!
As an educator, my days are full enough already.
Never Say Never
It’s funny how life can change our minds about things!
Several years ago, I started an education blog – Central Matters. And in 2020, I began beverlypayne.com where I share craft tutorials and ideas. I also started an accompanying YouTube channel.
As a reader of this blog, you know this already! Right?
Probably because I am an educator, I love learning new things. And creating this site has given me lots of new things to learn.
For your convenience, I included affiliate links which means I may make a commission, but it won’t cost you any more. Read my entire disclosure here.
I began exploring creating digital graphics through Inkscape, then later Adobe Photoshop. I also began using Canva (affiliate).
During this time, opening an Etsy shop was still in the back of my mind. My research also showed that some Etsy shop owners were selling digital products similar to some of the things I was already creating.
These shop owners were not having to deal with keeping inventory or finding time to pack and ship all the orders!
With digital downloads, customers purchased a file that would download automatically!
This I thought I could do. And my Payne and Simple shop was born!
How I Got My Start
So I said I had been thinking about starting an Etsy shop for some time, but thinking about it was not ALL I was doing.
Remember how I love learning, right? So I had taken a few courses that helped me with either the technical skills or the Etsy platform.
I started thinking about this in earnest while working my way through a course that taught me a lot about creating SVGs and PNGs. I started the course because I was needing to level up with my work on this site, but it started me thinking seriously about a shop.
Other courses that I took involved the logistics of opening an Etsy shop, creating digital products, and listing them. One course was called Build Your Digital Etsy Empire (affiliate). I highly recommend it!
If you are thinking about opening an Etsy shop or if you are just wanting to learn how to create a variety of digital products for your personal use, you can’t go wrong with Build Your Digital Etsy Empire(affiliate).
Benefits Of Opening An Etsy Shop
One benefit of opening an Etsy shop is that it can provide a part-time or full-time income.
Many people are making a full-time income with their Etsy shops. Some of these folks create and ship items, but others create digital downloads and printables.
Many shop owners have their shops strictly as a side-hustle option.
But even as a part-time gig, an Etsy shop can be a way to make a few extra bucks.
And for crafters who sell items at craft shows and fairs, an Etsy shop provides them with a bigger marketplace.
Many crafters are looking for a way to take their hobby to the next level and convert it into a business. Etsy is one avenue to make this happen.
Downside To Opening An Etsy Shop
Opening an Etsy shop is NOT a get-rich-quick proposition. It takes time to create products, mockups, and videos.
Put In The Work
It takes some time for a new Etsy shop to get traction. And it takes time to build up inventory – whether with physical products or with digital products.
I’ve been working on my shop since the late fall, and I have only had time to create about 30 products, so far.
In addition to inventory, you also need to know how to create listing photos and preferably short videos. I do a lot of this in Canva (affiliate).
When I am not using Illustrator to create my printables, I use Canva (affiliate). Canva (affiliate) has a lot of fonts and images, so it works well for creation as well as making mockups and short animations. There is a free version, but if you are serious about creating printables, the pro account is affordable and offers so much more.
Eventually, you need to learn a little bit about Search Engine Optimization, too, but you can get your shop up and running without knowing this at first.
Fees
And, of course, there are Etsy fees. The basic fees that Etsy charges include
- Listing fee of $0.20
- Transaction fee of 6.5%
- Payment processing fees
Other fees that might apply include
- Shipping fees (for physical products)
- Promotional/Advertising fees
- Other fees, depending on the seller’s location
You can find more information on Etsy’s fees on their site.
Interested In Opening Your Own Etsy Shop?
As I said earlier, my shop, Payne And Simple, has only been opened a few months, but I have really enjoyed making and listing products. I’ve only had a few sales, but I am hopeful that as I continue to add products and get exposure my sales will increase.
One thing that has helped me is that I was able to get some free listings to start my shop. If you are interested in starting a shop and receiving 40 free listings (no 20 cent listing fee!), then use my free listing link. It’s a great way to get started.
I still have a lot to learn about being an Etsy shop owner, but I am looking forward to learning more AND earning more!
I will keep sharing what I learn here, too, in case you are interested.
And remember to grab your free listings here if you want to open a shop. It will save you and me a little bit of money!
