There are many ways to start a business, some of which are more intimidating than others. When thinking about launching your ecommerce business idea, you first need to determine where you want to both market and sell your products.
For many online business owners, building an Etsy shop is a great place to test your ideas and ultimately scale your online business.
Etsy first launched as a marketplace specifically tailored for makers, artists, and other creatives wanting to sell their wares. Now, brands of all kinds get their start on the marketplace, expand to other Etsy alternatives, and even eventually launch their own website.
This article lists some great Etsy shop ideas to help you get started with building your own Etsy business and gives you insight into how to sell on Etsy.
Stickers
Pros:
Easy and affordable shipping make it one of the best Esty shop ideas to start with
Unlimited design options
Cons:
Lots of competition
Need to constantly come up with new designs or leads
Stickers are a fairly popular item to sell and buy on Etsy. The term “Etsy stickers” sees just over 4,000 monthly average searches, and a search for “stickers” on Etsy turns up more than two million results. That’s a heck of a lot of competition, but also a lot of opportunity. Because selling stickers is so versatile, you can niche down into virtually any vertical market. You can also create sticker designs yourself or hire a designer to bring your creative ideas to life for you, so no skills necessary.
Enamel pins
Pros:
Many types of pins and unlimited design options
Less competition than some other items, especially if you’re selling vintage items
Cons:
Be wary of low-quality pin suppliers
Requires constant creativity for new designs to continue generating new Etsy customers
Much like stickers, making enamel pins is a flexible Etsy shop idea, and a search on the marketplace only turns up about 170,000 results—so there’s lots of room here. You can make many different kinds of enamel pins, including textured soft enamel, durable hard enamel, 3D mold, epoxy, and die stuck. You can make your enamel pin designs with an editing program like Photoshop or hire a designer to help you.
Pinlord sells enamel pins on Etsy and Shopify, under the Etsy shop name Enamelpinsforever. The pop-culture-inspired pins have illustrated designs with slogans beneath. They share a distinct design style, though each gives nod to a different theme or joke.
Art
Pros:
Super flexible with lots of product options and a great place to start for artistic types looking to start their own Etsy store
Allows Etsy shop owners use their creativity
Cons:
Lots of competition
Can be challenging to mix passion with business
Etsy is an ideal marketplace for selling art because it’s specifically geared toward makers and creators. Therefore, Etsy shoppers have come to expect art and other creative products when they visit the marketplace. “Etsy art” itself gets more than 8,100 monthly searches, and “Etsy wall art” is queried as much as 10,000 times each month, according to the Google Ads keyword tool.
There are lots of ways to sell your art online, both on Etsy and your own website. You can offer your art as digital downloads—think things like phone wallpapers or desktop background images—so you don’t have to worry about shipping and fulfillment. You can also sell physical items featuring your art. Some artists go the print-on-demand route and offer a multitude of products, including t-shirts, mugs, and phone cases. Others create one-of-a-kind items that can’t be replicated or reprinted.
More resources to help you sell your art online and on Etsy:
Candles
Pros:
Make candles yourself or outsource them from a supplier
Versatile in ingredients, scents, niche, use cases, target audience, etc.
Cons:
Lots of competition
Can be expensive to ship large, heavy candles and ensure they don’t suffer damage or melt.
The candle market is expected to reach $545.2 million by 2025, and “Etsy candles” gets more than 4,000 average monthly searches. Plus, candles are useful in a variety of environments even outside the home—think about restaurants, spas, and other places of business with a nice ambience.
Get more inspiration for your candle business:
Woodworking projects
Pros:
Can be as simple or as complicated as you like
Opportunity to upcycle old wood
Cons:
May have a bigger learning curve in terms of mastering the craft
May require money for upfront investment in equipment and supplies
Woodworking projects are excellent items to sell on Etsy because they fit in line with the crafting and makers theme. Infinite Abyss makes a variety of woodworking projects to sell online, including serving trays, wall shelves, and other home goods. To supplement Shopify sales, it also has an Etsy store where customers can browse the same items.
More resources to help sell your woodworking projects on Etsy:
Jewelry
Pros:
Small and easy to ship
Popular item for Etsy shoppers
Cons:
Requires investment in materials
Crowded niche with lots of competition
Jewelry is a massively popular item to buy and sell on Etsy. “Etsy jewelry” has an average 22,000 monthly searches and Jewelry & Accessories even has its own category on the marketplace—with more than 16 million results. Starting a jewelry business is an excellent way to start selling on Etsy.
Georgia-based handmade jewelry brand Virginia Wynne Designs sells its sterling silver designs on Etsy and its Shopify store. The brand has the same main image on both sites for a consistent brand experience.
Clothing
Pros:
You can make the clothing yourself or purchase it from a supplier
Flexibility in price point, niche, and more
Cons:
May have to handle returns more frequently than with other products
Has a higher learning curve to learn to make clothes yourself
Clothing is another popular item to sell on Etsy, with “Etsy clothing” being searched about 3,200 times each month. Just like with jewelry, you can take inspiration from drilling down in the search data.
Etsy t-shirts: 9,000
Etsy lingerie: 12,100
Etsy wedding dress: 8,100
“Etsy fabric” also has nearly 5,000 average monthly queries—you could use Etsy as a sales channel to sell your surplus or custom-made fabrics.
Check out these resources to get started selling clothes on Etsy:
Handmade pottery and clay goods
Pros:
Flex your creative muscles
Opportunity to make completely unique items
Cons:
Requires a specific skill set and equipment
May be expensive or difficult to ship without damaging
If you can make pottery, clay, ceramic, or similar goods, this skill is perfectly suited for Etsy shop ideas. Lorena Haldeman launched her Etsy store brand HaldeCraft on Etsy to sell her handmade clay goods. She later opened a complementary Shopify store where she could organize her products in a user-friendly way via categories and subcategories, making it easier for her and her customers. You can make any variety of goods.
Curated boxes
Pros:
Cons:
Have to constantly source products
Can be difficult to package
Curated boxes emerged on the scene with brands like Birchbox and they’ve remained popular since. These products are a way of bundling items from the same or different vendors in a themed “box” or product bundle.
For consumers, it’s a great way to learn about new brands and products—and it’s also a great gift option. In our consumer trends research, we found that buyers were more likely to shop from businesses that offered convenience. Curated boxes are convenient for gift givers on Etsy and elsewhere. You can build boxes around any theme your target market may be interested in—maybe it’s locally sourced products from your area, vegan food items, or yoga accessories. The possibilities are endless.
Check out these resources for building your curated box business:
Customized goods
Pros:
Shoppers love personalized items
Flexible for almost any niche or product
Cons:
May mean a long fulfillment window
Can be difficult to weather periods of high demand
Personalized items feel extra special because they’re one of a kind and customizable to the customer’s preferences. Etsy is an excellent place to sell personalized goods—there’s even a category called “personalized gift ideas.”
Personalized doesn’t necessarily mean monogrammed towels or name plate necklaces. Look at Conquest Maps, for example. The brand sells customizable push pin travel maps on its Etsy shop and Shopify store. The Shopify store allows for greater flexibility, and the brand has created a “build your own” digital experience where shoppers can customize their map’s region, style, format, size, and more.
Crafts supplies and kits
Pros
Built-in target audience with Etsy
Can use skills and supplies you already have
Cons:
Difficult to ensure consistent quality
May need to include extra things like instructions
Any crafts you already make at home could also be money makers on Etsy. Likewise, crafting supplies are also great items to sell on Etsy—it’s a marketplace for makers who want to both buy and sell on the platform. Plus, Craft Supplies has a dedicated category on Etsy.
Crafting kits work similarly to curated boxes, except they’re less about product discovery and more about convenience for the buyer—offering a one-stop shop for everything they need to accomplish a specific craft or project.
Get inspired for selling your crafts on Etsy:
QUIZ: what’s your creative calling?
New to DIY crafts and unsure which category would suit you best? Answer a few quick questions to get tailored ideas for crafts to make and sell, based on your personality, abilities, and interests.
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Tell us more about your crafting experience and interests and we’ll recommend the best craft ideas to kick-start a creative side gig.
Sustainable and natural crafts
Based on your interests and what’s important to you, consider starting a small craft business that makes an impact. Whether it’s using sustainable or upcycled materials or donating a portion of profits to a cause, there are many crafts that you can make and sell while also making a difference.
Consider upcycled vintage fashion, candles made from natural waxes in reusable jars, fabric grocery totes hand-dyed with natural pigments, or gardening pots and accessories. There are a range of DIY ideas from beginner to advanced.
Home decor crafts
Based on your interests and skills, home decor crafts are a great place to start. This is a wide category encompassing simple to complex crafts using a variety of materials. As home decor styles change, stay on top of trends and carve out a niche all your own.
Consider: handcrafted wooden planters, home fragrance products, home textiles like pillows and quilts, and ceramic plant pots.
Fashion crafts
Fashion is an ideal category for you based on your interests and goals. It’s a crowded space but there’s plenty of room for fresh ideas if you can find your niche and audience and develop a strong brand.
For beginners, polymer clay jewelry or hand-dyed scarves are simple-to-learn crafts, while more advanced creatives may choose to make handmade clothing from custom patterns or silkscreen t-shirts with custom designs.
Beginner crafts
Based on your experience, it’s best to start small. Ease into the DIY world by teaching yourself a range of crafts from free online tutorials. This way, you can discover which materials and methods you enjoy working with most.
Some great options for beginners are: textile dyeing, beaded or assembly jewellery, candles, and paper crafts. Most can be made and sold from home so you can start your small business with little upfront investment.
Advanced crafts
Whether you’re already a crafting superstar or you’re just really ambitious, based on your answers, you’re ready to dive deep into the craft world. Become an expert at one thing and build your personal brand around it. You can make and sell unique and intricate crafts on your website and use content to help drive traffic and sales. Offering free DIY advice on a blog or creating a YouTube channel dedicated to craft tutorials will both help establish you as a powerhouse in the craft world.
Consider: pottery, custom tufted rugs, jewellery made from fine metals, woodworking, or large scale loomed textile art.
Trending crafts
Your interests and goals tell us that you’re serious about building a successful business around a craft. If you’re looking for a place to start, immerse yourself in the craft, fashion, and home decor worlds to keep an eye on trends on platforms like TikTok and Pinterest. Build your business around an emerging trend that’s in high demand but also aligns with your abilities and interests—authenticity and excellent craftsmanship are important to handmade shoppers.
Keep reading to discover trending craft ideas for 2021 including ’90s revival, hand-dyed textiles, planters and plant accessories, and tufted rugs.
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Baby products
Pros:
Consumer demand for baby products
High potential for repeat customers
Cons:
Sizing may be tricky for apparel
Need to pay extra attention to safety precautions and regulations when dealing with children and babies
“Etsy baby” is a popular search term, with almost 6,000 monthly queries. And according to our consumer trends research, baby products are the number one thing people plan to buy post-pandemic. Forward-thinking entrepreneurs can get ahead of this trend by promoting and selling baby products well before the pandemic is “over.” You can sell a variety of baby products—clothing is a great option because Etsy has a category dedicated to Kids’ & Baby clothing. Toys & Entertainment is another category worth targeting with baby products.
More resources to help sell baby products online:
Skin care products
Pros:
Great consumer demand
Can be small and easy to ship
Cons:
Products and ingredients expire more quickly than other Etsy shop ideas
May require extra step(s) with the FDA, etc., to sell legally
Health and beauty is a thriving industry to get into, and most business owners are happy to operate in the space. According to our survey, 55% of health and beauty business founders reported being satisfied with business performance in the past year—compared to a 38% average across all industries. And nearly 80% of health and beauty founders have a positive outlook for the future.
Plus, more people are using video chat platforms due to the pandemic, so we’re seeing and paying attention to our own faces more. As such, skin care is increasingly important. People are washing their faces and wearing makeup more than usual. Thus, skin care products are a viable item to sell on Etsy—especially if you make them yourself.
Get more inspiration for your skin care products:
Pet accessories
Pros:
You get to help make pets happy and healthy
Growing industry with sustainable consumer demand
Cons:
Lots of competition
May be safety and healthy liability risks, especially for edible items and chew toys
One timeless Etsy shop idea is to sell pet products and accessories. Etsy highlights items for pets on its homepage, and more than 4,000 searches for “Etsy dog collars” happen every month. Plus, US-based pet owners spent $103.6 billion on their companions in 2021 alone. When it comes to starting a pet business and selling items on Etsy, you can make and sell a variety of things, including treats, collars, clothing, feeders, toys, beds, and more.
Plants
Pros:
Beautiful to photograph
Plants (house plants in particular) are in high demand
Cons:
Difficult to ship without damage
May be limited in who you can sell to due to restrictions against shipping plants internationally
Selling plants online is a viable business idea, and Etsy is a perfect place to put your plants up for sale. “Etsy plants” is a popular search phrase, with 3,000 queries each month. And with so many people spending more time at home, houseplants are especially top of mind. Take a look at how searches for “house plants” spiked shortly after the pandemic:
Plus, many people buy plants for themselves and as gifts for others, including succulents and other easy-to-grow indoor plants. If you don’t have a green thumb, faux plants could be a route to explore as well. The phrase “Etsy wreaths” generates around 2,900 average monthly searches and could be a perfect item to make with fake plants.
Print on demand
Pros:
Completely outsourced fulfillment
No upfront investment in inventory
Cons:
Little to no control over quality assurance and fulfillment
Smaller profit margin compared to other Etsy shop ideas which can be a challenge when trying to grow your own business.
A print-on-demand business sells items that have printed designs on them. Typically, merchants work with an external printing company—the merchants receive customer orders and pass them along to the printer for printing and shipping. Print-on-demand works well on Etsy because it’s a flexible product idea that can span across virtually every niche. Popular print-on-demand items include t-shirts, mugs, stickers, and books.
More resources for your print-on-demand business:
Furniture and home goods
Pros:
Flexible business opportunity, with many Etsy buyers
Many possibilities for sourcing products—DIY, secondhand, outsourced supplier, etc.
Cons:
Larger items may be expensive to ship
Lots of competition, especially for home goods
Selling furniture online is a great ecommerce business idea—and it also works well as an Etsy shop idea. Lots of shoppers are interested in furniture on the marketplace. “Etsy furniture” gets 4,400 monthly searches. However, furniture can be bulky, difficult to produce, and nearly impossible to ship. People also head to the site to search for home goods—consider the nearly 3,600 monthly searches for “Etsy home decor” and the 4,200 monthly searches for the seasonal phrase “Etsy Christmas ornaments.” So home décor and other items for the house also make an excellent Etsy shop idea, either instead of or complementary to your furniture items.
Get inspired to sell furniture and home goods online:
Sex toys
Pros:
Allows you to be really creative
Lots of room for new brands
Cons:
Requires adherence to specific safety guidelines and regulations
Difficult to scale on Etsy
You might not immediately think of sex toys when you think of Etsy, but it’s actually an excellent marketplace to sell these types of products. Selling sex toys online has a number of benefits, and Etsy is a great place to take advantage of some of them. The industry is growing, projected to be valued at $36.1 billion by 2027—yet a search for “sex toys” on Etsy yields a small 30,000 results, so there’s lots of opportunity there.
Strange Bedfellas got its start on Etsy, selling 3D-printed originally designed sex toys. Since launching, the brand has expanded to its own Shopify store, where it can own the customer relationship more directly. The Etsy shop earned more than 7,000 sales before closing so the brand could focus on growing through its owned channels instead of third-party marketplaces.
Phone cases
Pros:
Small, lightweight products are easy and affordable to ship
Can be as creative as you like
Cons:
Requires constant updates for compatibility with new phones
High potential for customer dissatisfaction if quality is not good
Phone cases make great products to sell on Etsy, and there’s still relatively low competition (at least compared to other Etsy products). A search for phone cases on the marketplace turns up just shy of 550,000 results. So there’s definitely space for new players.
Depending on your skill set and business goals, you can make phone cases yourself or outsource to a print-on-demand company. Floral Neverland sells phone cases on both its Shopify site and Etsy store. Founder Olivia Wang launched what was originally a school project on Etsy—and it later evolved into a full-on ecommerce business.
Digital products
Pros:
No shipping or fulfillment costs
Immediate fulfillment
Cons:
Requires constant updating and maintenance
More risk to cyberattacks
Digital products are another versatile Etsy shop idea you can pursue in pretty much any niche, and are currently all the rage. “Etsy wallpaper” gets more than 3,000 monthly average searches—you can create wallpapers for phone or computer backgrounds and screensavers. Another popular search at 3,500 monthly queries is “Etsy wedding invitations,” and you can also do invitations for any other type of event.
Shopify merchant Pixie Faire sells digital downloads of patterns for sewing doll clothes for popular brands like American Girl and Barbie. It supplements its web sales with an Etsy shop where customers can also purchase the brand’s instantly downloadable templates and patterns. More than 9,000 people have favorited the shop. Because the margins are quite high for digital goods, it’s one of the best Etsy shop ideas if you’re looking to get started.
Vintage and secondhand goods
Pros:
Minimal creativity or skills required
Good for the environment
Cons:
Requires space for holding inventory
Must have access to locations where you can source quality used goods
A heightened interest in the environment and conservation has driven demand for secondhand goods. More than 20,000 stores have a combined annual revenue of about $17.6 billion selling used goods in the US alone. Many kinds of secondhand or vintage goods make great sellers on Etsy, including:
Clothing and accessories: arguably the most popular category for secondhand goods
Home goods: look for durable, small, and/or lightweight items for easy shipping
Furniture: note that large and heavy items may be expensive to ship
Children’s toys: be extra sensitive to any safety requirements
When choosing which vintage or secondhand items to sell on Etsy, think about what you have access to and what will be easy to ship.
Moving forward with your Etsy shop ideas
Selling on Etsy is a great way to start your business or supplement your existing business with an additional sales channel. Plus, it’s simple to connect your Etsy shop to your Shopify store so you can sync inventory and sales data in real time—and sell on both Etsy and Shopify together. Remember, Etsy is an excellent marketplace to sell your products and attract new customers—but it’s a single sales channel, not your entire business strategy.
Ready to create your first business? Start your free trial of Shopify—no credit card required.
Etsy shop ideas FAQ
What are some good Etsy shop ideas?
Some of the most successful Etsy shops today focus on a single niche that is in popular demand. Currently, that includes jewelry, digital downloads, party supplies, baking supplies, and other customized items.
What’s the best thing to sell on Etsy?
As with other marketplaces, the “best thing” to sell changes constantly. In general, you want to sell items that are relatively easy to make, are in demand, and provide healthy profit margins.
What’s the easiest thing to sell on Etsy?
As with looking for the best item to sell on Etsy, the easiest items to sell change frequently. Products that are in high demand and are affordable to large groups of people will traditionally sell well compared to products that are expensive and not currently in demand.
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