9 Best Selling Items on Etsy To Be Successful

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I know exactly where you are right now. You are looking for a way to start your own business and you don’t know exactly what you want that business to be. You think you may be interested in selling on Etsy but you don’t know exactly what to sell. This post will help you find the most popular products to sell on Etsy.

When I went to choose my Etsy niche I knew it would be something with art because I loved to paint and create. Eventually I landed on creating and selling digital art. I enjoyed creating it and I enjoyed how it was mostly passive income.

A word of warning though, choosing a profitable niche does not mean automatic success. There is a lot more worked involved than just creating products and listing them. To learn how to have a successful Etsy shop check out this post here.

Things To Sell On Etsy

When choosing what things to sell on Etsy, it makes sense to keep all the products in the same niche. So if you are creating home decor products don’t throw in a couple of t-shirt designs because it will confuse your customer. You are a high quality handmade shop – not Target.

When picking out products you need to make sure that you can produce them quickly. You also need to make sure that you can actually make money on them. This means you need either wholesale pricing on your products or you can make the products cheaply enough that you won’t lose out on profit.

If you are buying wine glasses that you decorate from Walmart for $10 a 4 pack that’s $2.50 a glass. The average price of a custom wine glass on Etsy, last I checked, was about $12.50. No that’s not a $10.00 profit.

If it takes you two hours to prepare and decorate the glass you are only paying yourself $5 an hour. That is not even taking into account the paints or supplies you need, no matter how minimal the cost per glass.

Finally, you aren’t looking at how much money will go back into your business to create new products to sell. If you are breaking even on each glass you sell, you aren’t actually ever paying yourself.

Now that we have talked a little bit about how you can figure out the pricing of a product and what you need to look for, let’s go through our list of popular things to sell on Etsy.

What Sells Best On Etsy

As with anything if something sparks your interest think about how you can take that category to offer a unique set of items that no one else does. What makes for success is when someone takes a popular niche and makes it their own by offering a unique product. Copy cats will find small successes, not big ones that last.

Jewelry

Jewelry is always a popular category and while the market may seem “flooded” to the average person there is a good reason for it, it is always an emotional decision. A piece of jewelry is a unique purchase for a special and unique person.

If you are a jewelry maker you decide your pricing, you do not let other people decide the pricing based on similar options. Unlike with other products each piece of jewelry is unique to the maker.

The key to marketing jewelry is by having a great plan to tackle Google SEO (that buy now section always has Etsy products in it) and unique marketing on Pinterest.

If you need help fine tuning your jewelry making skills here are two classes that help you get there so you can make awe-worthy jewelry and sell lots of it.

Check out my post Pinterest for Etsy Sellers – How to sell more products.

Art

I don’t like to limit art. If you are an artist consider expanding your Etsy shop to include all sorts of art. Paintings, photography, mixed media, printable art, art prints, and even sculptures. This is for more than just one reason. You do not want to limit your money making possibilities.

I started off with printable art on Etsy and it transitioned into selling prints as well. That transition was the defining factor in turning my shop from barely selling anything to selling successfully. Stay within a niche but don’t limit your niche by only selling just one specific type of product.

Check out my post How To Start A Side Business When You Work Full Time.

Invites

These days people are always looking for unique and beautiful invitations for everything. Kids need unique invites for birthdays. Couples need invites for weddings. Store bought invites just no longer do the job.

Create invites in many different styles for many different people. Be aware that if you touch on anything trademark, like superheros or movie references, you may need to get permission and pay some money. Start off with unique to you invites and as you start making more and more money invest in the ability to use certain trademarks.

Planners

Planners are big. People love planners. The nice thing about starting a planner business is you can create several different types from budget planners to day planners. You can bundle planners, sell individually or even sell just a few sheets.

Finally, planners are printable. This means they purchase, download, and print themselves. So once the planner is made, outside of marketing your planner, income is passive. Of course you will want to consider having loads of planners and uploading new ones often in order to keep this business fresh.

Crochet and Knitted Products

For those who practice needle arts these crafts can easily turn into a great business. My only recommendation due to the time it takes to make products, make sure you create them first and then sell them.

Custom creations are completely up to you. You can create clothing items however, make sure that you take your time of creation and costs into consideration. If you can’t be competitive and sell great products (with high quality yarn) it will be highly disappointing when you aren’t making sales because the product is too expensive.

Quilts

If you are one that can whip out handmade quilts quickly consider selling quilts. Make the quilt list it up and sell it. Quilts are something that people will pay a lot of money for.

Consider creating quilts of different sizes and with different purposes. Go light, traditional, modern, and any style you can. Create unique quilts and market them like crazy on Pinterest with beautiful pictures.

Check out my post Take Product Photos That Sell Your Products For You.

Home Decor

Home decor can be big or small depending on what you do. Remember the cost to ship something may be significant the larger you go. Please keep your shipping costs in mind.

You can create and paint those beautiful wooden farmhouse signs to sell. Build and sell blanket ladders. Create and sell all sorts of unique home decor items. Think decorating mantels, coffee station decor, art, furniture. All these things can be sold on Etsy and sell pretty well too.

Glassware

I know we talked a little bit about glassware in the beginning but there are some things you can consider. I know in my own search I found wholesalers who sold wine glasses for $0.50 a piece. Additionally, there is also the option to use a drop shipper on other glassware like coffee mugs.

Glassware is popular and people are always looking for fun things to give as gifts throughout the year. The secret to selling glassware lies again in Pinterest. Pinterest is an important part of the Etsy business marketing plan.

Clothing

While clothing can have an expensive startup if your are doing your own screenprinting – you can start off small and use a drop shipper. If you have the means to screenprint your own shirts already this is a great business to get into.

Offer cute shirts, onesies, and more for all sorts of people at any age. Consider matching sets and make them funny. Instagram is actually a really fantastic way to market this type of Etsy business.

Top Selling Items On Etsy

Listen, when you are going into a craft business like Etsy you will need to look at the cost of the craft you want to sell. A top selling item on Etsy could have a high overhead cost and it can take a little time before you start selling products. Take a good look at your financial capabilities to invest into this business before you jump in.

There are items that do well on Etsy this doesn’t mean you will make money right away with it. If you need to start off with a most cost effective product first to get the ball rolling that’s ok. Before starting this blog my intention was to sell printables and prints until I could start selling glassware. You can start with one product and transition into others as your business grows.

Make sure to do market research, competition research, and research the cost and profits of your product. A handmade business can be a side hobby that you make pizza money at or it can be an actual business. You are the deciding factor for how far you want it to go.

Best Selling Items on Etsy

Always keep in mind the time it may take to create a product. If you have 100 orders come in for a product how long will it take you to produce and ship that product. Do you have other daily commitments, like a job or family, that will slow down your creation process. Be realistic on your time constraints.

Finally, as with any business, things will be slow to start. Keep marketing, creating new products, and eventually your business will start to grow. If you are looking to turn this into a reliable source of income you must treat it as though it already is.

Which best selling items on Etsy are you interested in selling? Let me know in the comments below. Follow me on social media for more like this and make sure you pin this to your business boards on Pinterest.

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19 thoughts on “9 Best Selling Items on Etsy To Be Successful”

  1. Dear Crystal,
    Thank you so much for this beautiful article. I find it very helpful.

    I am a stay home mom and I make macrame jewrlry and crochet items (tops, dresses, barefoot sandals, etc…

    I want to build an etsy shop with one of these two skills, I don’t know which one sells best, c
    an you help me decide?

    Also, how can I stand out from the etsy crowd, in other words, how can I create my own and unique style and brand?

    I am good at making things but not at selling them. Please give me your input,
    Many thanks,
    Saliha

    1. I know macrame jewelry is a popular product on Etsy but I don’t see why you can sell all the items you create they tie into one another as accessories and clothing anyways. As far as finding your own unique style that’s all you. As you create products and get creative with them you will have your own distinguishable flair to your products that is unique to you. So keep creating products and don’t be afraid to get creative with them. Check out some of my other Etsy posts for help on setting up and selling your products on Etsy.

  2. Hello I’m really just browsing, I’ve always loved being creative as far as designing clothes, interior, whatever I’m interested at the time, I began adding patches and destroyed look to Jean’s and dying tops instead of paying hundreds . I currently sell on poshmark and do everything by hand so I cant have too much demand but it’s how I love spending my time and I’m always coming up with new ideas. I just wonder if I need a better platform as well as tips on how to make a real quality product that will stay the way I originally planned. Do you think I’m getting ahead of myself? If you have time check me out on pinterest or poshmark as @tbutterfly, thanks Ta

    1. I haven’t done much with Poshmark so I can’t speak fully to the platform. The successful sellers I do see on Poshmark have most likely gone to their local thrift stores, bought items that are in good shape, and re sell them at a higher price. This can be a profitable way for you to earn some income as well as create and sell your own products and have a continuous flow of money and products in your store. It’s important in any business that you have consistency, great images, and great customer service. This is how you build a following of customers. The real money is not in the one off customer but turning those customers into repeat purchasers. Repeat customers will most likely see what you have first before shopping elsewhere.

  3. Hello and thank you for the great information. I’ve been very interested in starting an Etsy shop. What are the costs associated with getting up and running? I make wine racks, shelving unit’s, candle holder’s etc. Do these types of items sell there?
    Thank you!

    1. I have seen these types of items being sold on Etsy. The costs associated really depends on what you already have, what you need to get, the cost of building your products, and the time it takes to build your products. Remember, your time is valuable so always build that into the price of your products too. As far as costs on Etsy, they charge based on listings. They have full explanation of their charges here.

  4. Hello Crystal,
    thank you very much for sharing. I also believe it is very important to make solid estimations of the time investment and the returns that you are possible to make with it. Lately Etsy got very crouded and it does really take some time before you start doing sustainable sales (unless you start running ads, but I find those quite pricy and not guaranteed ROI).
    Anyways, starting off is always tough but if you stick around and stay persistent, you will start seeing results 🙂
    Just to add to this article, getting a list of best selling items or best selling shops might be very useful for inspiration. As once example here.. https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/listing/734215243/1001-best-selling-items-list-etsy-sept
    That helped me back then quite well to see how pros set up their shops and what is currently trending on the market.
    Best wishes.

  5. Dear Crystal,
    I enjoyed your article very very much as I am right now preparing to put my product on Etsy. For me it was perfect timing. I have done etched glass for over thirty years in Colorado, but moved back to my home state Minnesota 3 years ago and finally have my one woman shop back up and running. I do my own designs and the last few years in Colorado I was doing tremendously well making quality stash jars and do plan to keep making my best sellers. But now that I’m restarting I have been designing colored vases and such, with inspirational quotes and enjoy making them very much. When researching new quotes I always find myself on Pinterest. My question is and has been for awhile is are these two different styles of glassware going to conflict with each other? I put the finest detail I can in all my work, no matter what kind of flower the glassware may be containing. My first thought was the inspirational home decor pieces on Etsy and the jars on another. But now that I’m getting close to launching and finding both types do sell on Etsy maybe it would be best to just put all my work on Etsy. What do you think? Thank you again for your very timely and informative article. Mother Mountain

    1. I would think that the two objects are similar enough that it won’t clash inside your store page. It’s all home decor. You could move into more glassware like decorative plates, bowls, or other objects too. You basically want your store to look like you specialize in one thing and do it really well. The most profitable Etsy shops specialize in one niche and their unique style carries through each of their products.

  6. What a great article 🙂
    I create art on posters but I am also a graphic designer, and I love to create Graphic digital downloads for social media. Would you recommend me to start two Etsy shops then?

  7. Great article(s)!
    I believe having 2 etsy shops is the way to go for me.
    I have been making catnip toys for 15+ years. I’ve sold them at farmers markets and a few small stores. I need to get my product online asap!
    The toys I make are of superior quality. Lots of rave reviews! I grow the catnip myself at my sister’s acreage (about a 15 minute drive from home). 99.8% of my materials are up cycled – even my thread is upcycled! Brightly colored cotton scraps are quilted onto upcycled denim. This makes my toys extremely sturdy – almost dog proof!
    No plain toys here! I love to embellish the toys with ribbons, sparkly yarns, feathers, (my feathers almost never come off. I have perfected attaching the feathers!)
    I love making cat toys! But sometimes I put it to the side and make…..a clock! A painting! An embroidered pillow! Who knows what I’ll make next. I’m thinking 2 etsy shops so as to not confuse my customers. Do you think this is a good way to proceed? Can I link my 2 shops together?
    I especially need some guidance with marketing. I really need some help setting up my shop (I think). Is there a specific place you could recommend for me to find a tech helper?
    Thankyou in advance Crystaal!
    Yours truly,
    Sheila

    1. I think two shops would be good in this case. One for the animal toys and one for home decor. However, I highly recommend picking just one shop to really make a go of. This way you don’t burn yourself out trying to do it all. The home decor shop would be a great hobby shop for you while you focus heavily on the marketing of your toys for animals.

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