Are you looking for a way to make extra money on the side, but don’t want to dedicate all of your time crafting and making products?
If so, then you will be glad to know that there are plenty of ways to make money on Etsy without actually having to make anything.
Making money on Etsy can be a great way to make extra cash, even if you don’t have any crafting skills. With the right approach, it’s possible to turn your talents into profit without ever having to make anything yourself.
In this article, we’ll discuss how you can make money on Etsy with minimal effort and time investment.
From becoming an affiliate marketer to drop-shipping products from other companies, there are numerous strategies that are available for those who want to take advantage of the booming e-commerce marketplace.
We’ll cover each of these options in detail so you can decide which one is the best fit for your own unique needs and interests.
With just a few clicks and some basic marketing knowledge, you could soon be earning extra income through Etsy—and never have to worry about making anything yourself!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure for more information
MORE ETSY TIPS
Starting An Etsy Shop Checklist PDF {Free printable}
15 Free Things To Sell On Etsy (Yes, Really!)
How To Sell On Etsy Without Inventory
You want to make money online but don’t want to have a whole house full of clothes you can’t sell.
You also might not have a lot of money right now to spend on inventory without the guarantee that it will sell.
Never fear, there are lots of Etsy shop ideas that will allow you to make money on Etsy without making anything or having a ton of boxes of stuff at your house.
What is Etsy?
Etsy is a global marketplace that is known as the best place to find handmade goods. You might be wondering how you, a non-crafty person, can get in on the Etsy action and start a work from home side hustle.
Well, the truth is, Etsy has become an increasingly popular platform for entrepreneurs of all kinds to make money from selling their own products or items they have sourced. That’s right – you can sell products that you have bought somewhere else and then resell them on Etsy.
You can also sell on Etsy without inventory by using services such as drop shipping or POD. Let’s take a look at these different options:
Selling Digital Products
Etsy has opened up a whole new realm of opportunities for entrepreneurs who want to sell on Etsy without inventory clogging up their garage or basement as they make it easy to sell printables on the site.
Creating digital products can be a great idea for your Etsy shop since they are easier and faster to produce than physical products.
They can also be very lucrative. I have a friend who makes over $1000 a month selling digital downloads in her Etsy shop.
Furthermore, digital products don’t need to worry about running out of inventory and can often be sold at a high volume.
Printables are easy for buyers to order online or download for printing at home.
Printables are also popular because they require no inventory costs or shipping fees since all the customer needs is their own printer.
Whether you’re a graphic designer looking to monetize your designs or you have photographs that you’d like to sell, there are plenty of ways to generate income on Etsy.
What Kinds Of Digital Products Can You Sell On Etsy?
Printable artwork is a type of graphic design used to create products that can be printed out. It is possible to use printable artwork to create a variety of products, including greeting cards, invitations, labels, art prints and other items.
Starting an Etsy printables business is a great way to make money online without the need for inventory or being crafty yourself.
Lucrative Digital Products To Sell On Etsy
The world is your oyster when it comes to selling printable items on Etsy. Almost anything can be given a digital spin if you get creative.
Here are some popular ideas:
- Business card templates
- Social media graphics
- Printable artwork
- Journals and planners
- Digital planner stickers
- Invitations
- Baby Shower games
- Party decor
- Photos
- SVG Files
- Sticker downloads
- Clip art
- SVG files
Read my tutorial about making and sell printables on Etsy to learn exactly how to start your own shop.
With these strategies in hand, selling digital products can be an easy way for anyone with internet access and some creative ideas to start generating income from home today.
Dropshipping on Etsy
Drop shipping on Etsy is an effective way to make money without making any products.
What is Dropshipping?
Drop shipping is an arrangement in which a shop sells products without having to keep any inventory.
The shop instead purchases the product from a third party supplier who then ships the item directly to the customer.
This arrangement allows a shop to offer high quality products without having to bear the overhead costs of maintaining a physical store.
When you are looking at how to sell on Etsy without inventory, dropshipping is the most popular answer.
How To Get Started With Drop shipping
To make money through drop shipping on Etsy, you will have to find reliable suppliers who can provide quality merchandise at competitive prices.
Once you have found a suitable supplier, ask if they offer an automated dropship system that will let you easily list their products and manage orders within your Etsy shop.
You need to make sure that any supplier you use is legit and will not leave your reputation in a shambles if they don’t deliver quality products on time.
Selling on Etsy with Print on Demand products
Another way to make money on Etsy without making anything is by selling POD products.
Print on demand is a type of printing technology that allows entrepreneurs to create custom prints for any occasion at an affordable cost.
When selling these items on Etsy, you don’t have to worry about stocking inventory or dealing with shipping and returns. All you need to do is upload your designs and let the service handle the rest!
How Print On Demand Works
With Print on Demand, you would create a design and then use a POD company to actually fulfil and send your item to the end customer.
In a way is is similar to dropshipping although you will actually have to come up with products to sell in the first place.
There are really 2 steps to selling Print on Demand products on Etsy:
1. Design Your POD Products
Digital designs can be used to create unique merchandising material and when connected to a POD website, they can easily be printed on demand.
In terms of design options, there are several ways to get creative when it comes to print-on-demand products.
Here are some popular ideas of POD products that sell well:
- Posters
- Canvas prints
- Mugs
- Baseball caps
- Hoodies
- T-shirts
- Personalized journals and planners
- Travel mugs
- Tumblers
- Christmas ornaments
- Baptism gifts
You can customize each item with your own artwork or text so the possibilities are practically endless!
Use your own graphics or purchase them from a site such as Creative Market and Creative Fabrica to make all kinds of fun designs.
2. Find A POD Store
The nest step is to connect your shop to a POD website, such as Printful or Printify.
You will essentially work on the POD store to create products and they will automatically create listings on your Etsy shop.
This will provide you with a dashboard with lots of customer data, greater visibility for your products, the ability to upload a shop logo and images, and configure shipping information.
Reselling Items
Another great way to make money on Etsy without having to actually make anything is by reselling items on Etsy.
You could resell wholesale items for a profit or you could hunt for flea market flips and make money selling vintage items on Etsy.
Reselling items can be a profitable way to make money on Etsy without creating products from scratch.
Whether you look for wholesale items or great thrift store finds, finding high quality products at discounted prices means you can then resell individually in your shop with a solid markup.
Of course, if reselling bulk or wholesale items is your dream side hustle, make sure to look into Retail Arbitrage too.
Sell Craft Supplies
Are you interested in making money on Etsy, but don’t have the time or skills to make your own crafts?
One of the best ways to get started is by selling craft supplies instead. This can be a great way to earn an income without having to spend hours creating custom products and designs.
In fact, craft supplies like beads and lace are some of the best selling items on Etsy.
When it comes to selling craft supplies, there are several options available on Etsy.
You can choose from a variety of materials such as yarn, fabric, paper, and beads – just about anything that crafters may need for their projects.
You also have the option of reselling items from other sellers or even finding wholesale suppliers for bulk orders.
No matter what route you take, all it takes is some research and dedication to start bringing in sales.
Becoming an Etsy Affiliate
Becoming an affiliate for Etsy is one of the best ways to do make money on Etsy without actually making anything. In fact, you don’t even need an Etsy shop for this side gig!
Affiliates are influencers or bloggers who promote Etsy products on their own platforms (socials or website) and earn a commission when someone makes a purchase through their link.
It’s free to become an Etsy affiliate and there’s no limit as to how much you can earn.
If you want to start making money as an affiliate, all you need is a website or blog that covers topics related to what people buy on Etsy such as handmade items, art, vintage clothes, etc.
Once your website is set up and accessible to the public, sign up for the Etsy affiliate program at Awin.com and get your code for tracking sales.
Tips For Making Money On Etsy Without Making Anything
Now you have some fun ideas for making money on Etsy without being super crafty, it is time to make sure your Etsy shop is a success!
Make sure to read my post about how to start an Etsy store successfully for lots of tips plus 40 free Etsy listings to get you started.
Once you have got your shop set up, use the tips below to ensure success:
Use keywords in your titles, descriptions, and tags
It is important to use keywords your Etsy listings to make sure the right people see your products.
By targeting specific keywords, you can make sure your shop is at the top of the search results when someone is looking for your products.
The right keywords can also help your Etsy shop to rank higher in search engine results, providing increased exposure and potential sales opportunities.
Furthermore, using keywords helps Etsy learn more about a shop’s products and may result in it being recommended to shoppers.
Promote your products on social media
Social media promotion is incredibly important for shops on Etsy as it allows them to extend their reach beyond just their store.
Promoting products through social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter can help drive traffic to your store and build a client base.
Utilize Etsy offsite ads
Offsite Ads are a great way to promote an Etsy shop. They allow sellers to reach more shoppers and boost their visibility so that their products can be seen by potential customers.
With offsite ads, you only pay when you make a sale
Etsy covers the upfront costs to promote your listings on high-traffic sites like Google, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Bing. You only pay the 15% advertising fee if you make a sale from these ads.
Constantly update your shop
Many Etsy shop owners have found that adding new products to their shop every day or at least a few times a week is a great way to build sales.
Constant evolution ensures you stay up to date with trends, remain competitive, and attract new customers.
