How I Make An Extra $1000+ Monthly Selling Printables On Etsy
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.Are you looking for a creative and flexible way to make some extra cash each month? Have you ever considered selling printables online? If you’re intrigued by the idea but not sure where to start, you’re in the right place!
In this blog post, we will dive into the world of selling printables on Etsy, one of the most popular platforms for creative entrepreneurs. To give you some expert insights, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Julie Berninger from Gold City Ventures about her successful printables business.
But hold on, what exactly are printables? Think of them as digital creations like planners, wall art, and stickers that people can download and print at home. And the best part? Once you create them, they can keep bringing in income passively!
So, let’s discover together how you can start making over $1000 monthly by selling printables on Etsy!
Can you tell us about yourself, and what inspired you to start your business selling printables on Etsy?
My name is Julie Berninger and I’ve been blogging, podcasting, and creating content for over a decade. I had a long career in tech but switched to full-time entrepreneurship in 2021 and never looked back! I started my Etsy printables business as a side hustle to help me reach financial independence years ago and it was so creative, fun, and profitable that I started sharing my passion for it with others first through my podcast and now an online course and community.
Could you share some potential income opportunities for selling printables on Etsy? How much revenue do you typically generate, and how has it evolved over time?
My company Gold City Ventures has students in our community that have earned high five figures and low six figures selling printables in one year! Most students though want to sell printables as a side hustle like me and could earn hundreds to $1,000+ per month as a side hustle. Selling printables is a “set it and forget it” type side hustle but you have to continue to keep your shop updated as buyer demand changes. There have been sometimes over the past 5 years where I haven’t had time to update as I should have (like right after I had my kids) and then times that I did have time to work on the shop and income increased. There is no magic passive income situation but this is definitely a side hustle where you have complete control over your time and you can upload a listing and have customers buy it relatively passively.
Could you explain what printables are and how they can be used?
Printables are downloadable files that you create on your computer and a customer can purchase them from Etsy without you needed to facilitate the order each time. So theoretically you could make a design once and 2,000 customers could buy that design with little action from you after only light customer service. People use printables to celebrate all of life’s occasions (send greeting cards at the last minute, decorate their home or classroom, or to share with clients in their business. There are so many use cases for printables.
What are some popular types of printables to sell on Etsy? Can you provide examples of best-selling printables from your store?
I enjoyed making and selling gift card holder templates in my store recently and that is a product that we teach you how to make in our E-Printables course since it can be customized and personalized so many different ways. We find that seasonal products sell the best for our students and I definitely have seen that in my store as well.
Can anyone start selling printables on Etsy, or does it require specific skills or resources?
You need a computer. It is hard to make and sell printables on an iPad although people do it all the time! We teach you to use the free online program Canva to make and sell printables. You don’t have to be a graphic designer or have special skill sets to give this a try!
Can you explain the importance of creating high-quality designs and how it impacts sales and customer satisfaction?
The first thing to note is that the bar for what is a high-quality design changes based on your niche. If you are new, don’t try to make a wedding printable! Make a printable for kids or a printable for a bachelorette party like I have and you will see a lower bar for graphic design. I think product selection is the key to making sales on Etsy and why we focus on it so much in the course.
How do you price your printables, and what factors influence your pricing strategy?
I price my printables in the middle and don’t agree with under-pricing since it drives a profitable niche down and is short-term thinking.
For those interested in starting their own Etsy shop selling printables, what advice would you give them to be successful and make money in this industry?
Don’t give up! It sounds silly to say but many people get distracted and never finish what they set out to do! I’m guilty of that one. That is why we add challenges and other games to the course to keep you focused on your goals.
Do you consider your printable business on Etsy to be a passive income stream, or does it require active involvement and maintenance?
It is more passive than other things but you have to update your shop over time. For example, the bachelorette gold scavenger hunt that I created years ago still sells but I had to update the listing over the years as the market for that product changed. For example, people didn’t want letter-sized ones anymore, they wanted 5×7 inch smaller designs they could laminate so I needed to add that smaller size to the listing after a few years to stay competitive.
Could you tell us a bit about your training program for anyone interested in starting to sell printables on Etsy?
We take you through the A to Z in starting an Etsy printables business with our course E-Printables. It includes a series of video tutorials, templates, and live feedback in our VIP Community.
Could you share any success stories from your students?
We have two fantastic coaches who started out as students with our program with zero starting sales. Sasha Hutchison now has 20,000 sales on Etsy and Chelsea Shelton now has 9,000 sales on Etsy. If you join our program, you will have their feedback on your listings in our VIP Community and they are fantastic coaches so you are very lucky!
If you’re curious to learn more, I highly recommend joining this Free Training Workshop: Earn Money Selling Printables. In this workshop, you will discover everything you need to start your journey into selling printables, from brainstorming ideas for printables to setting up shop on Etsy and even mastering the art of making sales. Don’t miss out on this valuable chance to turn your creativity into cash!
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