Side hustles don’t have to be to make some extra money only. Sometimes, people aim for them in order to have a new source of income that could scale later on. In other words, people start with the thought of “oh, this could make me some extra cash.”
However, they change their minds when they notice that instead of having the one they chose as an extra income, it may be a better idea to put more effort into it.
But is there a side hustle that could lead you to this? Selling items on Etsy is one we could quickly mention, and the best part is: you can sell what you’re able to make with your own hands.
Many people start it while thinking about making some ends with the money from selling these items. However, many end up having a store that is worth their full-time jobs.
So, if you were already having this idea or want to get introduced to it, we will leave you some information and tips that will help a ton.
What Is Etsy & The Side Hustle About?
If you’re not too familiar with online stores or platforms, it is only natural you’re not too familiar with Etsy, even if you might have heard about it before.
Therefore, we will need to start with some descriptions and introductions when it comes to this side hustle and being able to jump to action later.
Etsy is an e-commerce website that allows individuals to sell their handmade crafts and other goods to consumers.
Many people love that you don’t really need to be an official store or person with records in selling.
Instead, you can sell any of these products regardless of your background:
- Jewelry.
- Arts.
- Crafts and crafting supplies.
- Artisan foods.
- Clothing and accessories.
- Paper goods.
- Digital items like art prints, stationery designs, planners, or any document that can be printed.
To this point, the side hustle is quite simple: you come up with an item or product and start offering on the platform.
However, you are probably wondering how can you get started? Is it that simple to just go to the website and start selling?
Overall, yes, it is THAT simple. You don’t really have to worry about how difficult it can be since it doesn’t require talent, just some time and money to invest depending on what you will sell.
But to help you with the process, we will go over a few steps next.
How to Start Selling on Etsy
Before even thinking about the side hustle itself and how you will start on the platform, you need a plan.
The idea of selling items itself can be good enough to start, but do you know what you will sell? Do you have money in case you have to invest some cash to make it possible?
In general, you need to consider all the factors that will influence your decision and how you can start.
That being said, once you’re done with this, you can go and work on Etsy.
Here, we will go over the steps that will save you time and answer your questions:
- Register: you will need to create an Etsy account and make sure to choose a proper nickname that will be either your name or maybe one that comes up to name your online “store.” Fill each of the fields with your age, biography, and basic information about yourself and the items you will offer.
- Open your store: Etsy offers you the option to open a shop where you will have to choose the language, country, currency and give the shop a name. Make sure to use a logo or clear photo for people to trust you a bit more.
- Work on your profile: this is a step you will usually complete in the first step, but you’ll have to go over them again since SEO is crucial on the website for your shop and products to be found. This is why your bio, listing, and any text you introduce, as well as tags, will be crucial.
- Post your stock: take high-quality pictures (or, at least, that are decent to show your items) and create listings.
- Wait for the customers: once you have posted your items, you only have to wait for people to see them and decide to buy. However, while doing this, you can monitor your search and see what you’re missing in order to bring more people to your online shop.
One thing to keep in mind is that you HAVE to ship the items yourself, though this is quite clear considering you are dealing with your own shop.
So far, can you see how simple it is? There’s no talent required, and if you think it isn’t possible because you don’t do any crafting, that’s not needed. You can invest in some items that aren’t made by yourself and sell them in the store.
Finally, this is the best part: you choose how much you invest.
It is hard to designate a budget for how much you spend on this project since it depends on how much you have and what you’re thinking to sell.
However, this is what we can tell you: you can invest as much as $50 or go up to $500 whenever you want and still have opportunities in selling.
You decide your budget and determine it based on what you will sell.
Can You Earn Money in Etsy?
It all depends on how much you invest and sell.
The problem with this side hustle is that you don’t have a fixed income every week or month.
You make money according to how many sales you have, and if you don’t sell, that’s when you might find this side hustle a problem.
However, many people have found it quite profitable even when the start tends to be slow. After, you don’t really need to put too much effort, and sales can come anytime, and you just need to stay alert.
But if you do your homework correctly and invest time in finding how you can improve your shop and SEO, you are bound to earn money after a few days or weeks.
On average, people earn around $300 per month by selling items on Etsy, and when you’re just starting, and sales are slow, you might earn nothing the first month and the second one as well.
Or there’s a chance you will, at least, earn between $20 to $100.
Shops or people who have invested a lot of time on the side hustle reach two points: they remain as occasional sellers and earn extra cash or focus on it due to all their profits.
But do people really earn that much? Some report they make around $1.500 with frequent sales and depending on the items, but it is possible to reach this and more as you can see.
Should You Give It A Try?
If you’re interested in opening your own shop, want to be more independent, look forward to selling your handmade items, or just want to try something different, Etsy is for you.
In our experience, we find it an excellent option for two types of people: those who dream about selling their creations and those already in the process and need a push to become more successful in this small business idea.
However, if you’re someone who doesn’t want to put a lot of effort in searching products, comparing, building listings, or just investing time in managing an online store, then reconsider it and evaluate yourself in this matter.
In this case, we highly recommend it if you try to make some extra money and aren’t in a hurry for it but instead just looking for an income that can help later on.
For those wanting extra cash that is safe and will come as soon as you start working, this is a no again.
Just take the time to think about what will fit your situation the most: a general side hustles with a salary or specific income every particular time, or this that will be a personal and more independent project but with fewer possibilities or earning money soon or fast (when starting most of the time).
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