Etsy REAL RESULTS After 1 Year | My Etsy Income Report

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares their year-long journey selling on Etsy, starting from scratch in September 2023. They discuss initial struggles, such as market saturation and low sales, but emphasize the importance of testing niches, learning from mistakes, and refining strategies. The speaker shifted focus from digital stickers to pre-made book covers, eventually leading to consistent growth. Highlights include profitable months in May and June 2024, showcasing the impact of persistence, quality products, and smart marketing. While Etsy is not their primary focus, the speaker finds it a fun and rewarding side project to build over time.

Takeaways

• 😀 The seller started their Etsy journey in September 2023 with zero experience, focusing initially on digital stickers.
• 😀 Using the EverBee tool, the seller researched niches to find lower-competition markets for their stickers, including specific themes like boxer dog and Gen Z stickers.
• 😀 In the beginning, sales were slow, and the seller incurred losses due to high competition in digital stickers and ad spend, with a net loss of £356 in October.
• 😀 By November, the seller shifted focus to pre-made book covers, which they believed had more potential for success than the saturated sticker market.
• 😀 The seller ran ads throughout December with no sales, resulting in a small loss of £18.70. They recognized the need to refine their approach for better results.
• 😀 January 2024 saw a modest profit of £40, driven by pre-made book cover sales, with £6.61 in fees.
• 😀 February and March were challenging, with no sales and the seller experimenting with ad settings, which led to a brief loss of confidence in the platform.
• 😀 April marked a turning point as the seller created new products, setting up for more success, but no sales were made in that month.
• 😀 May 2024 was the first month with significant success, earning £189 from a pre-made book cover sale and a custom book cover order.
• 😀 June 2024 was the seller's best month yet, reaching £1,174 in sales, driven by multiple custom book cover orders.
• 😀 By July 2024, the seller had already made £750 in sales, and was optimistic that monthly earnings would continue to grow.
• 😀 Key to success on Etsy was product quality, consistent effort in creating new products, and a focus on customer satisfaction and reviews to drive organic growth.
• 😀 The seller acknowledged that Etsy wasn’t their primary income focus, with Amazon KDP and YouTube taking precedence, but Etsy served as a valuable supplementary income stream.

Q & A

What was the main challenge the seller faced when starting on Etsy?

The main challenge was starting from scratch with no previous experience and having to learn about the platform, niche research, and effective marketing strategies. It took time to gain traction and make sales.

How did the seller find niches for their Etsy shop?

The seller used the Everbee tool to research potential niches by analyzing keyword search volumes and competition. This allowed them to target smaller niches with less competition.

Why did the seller start with digital stickers on Etsy?

The seller began with digital stickers because it seemed like a popular product category, and there were many videos on Etsy's potential for selling stickers. However, they later found it to be too saturated.

What led to the seller's negative profit in October 2023?

In October 2023, the seller ran ads to promote their digital stickers, but the cost of the ads and Etsy fees outweighed the sales, resulting in a loss of £356.

What strategy did the seller use in November 2023 to pivot their product focus?

The seller shifted their focus from digital stickers to pre-made book covers, which aligned better with their skills in self-publishing and Amazon KDP. This move resulted in a small profit of £7.37.

What was the result of the seller's increased ad spending in December 2023?

Despite running ads in December 2023, the seller made no sales, which led to a loss of £18.70. The lack of sales was attributed to the need for more product variety and customer reviews.

How did the seller's sales improve in January 2024?

In January 2024, the seller made £39.39 in profit, selling a few pre-made book covers, which marked a small but positive improvement compared to previous months.

What were the seller's sales results in May 2024?

In May 2024, the seller experienced a significant improvement, earning £189 in profit. This was due to a sale of a pre-made book cover followed by a custom book cover order from the same customer.

What contributed to the seller's best month in June 2024?

In June 2024, the seller's best month so far, with earnings of £1,174, was driven by selling multiple custom book covers and continuing to improve their product offerings and ad strategies.

How did the seller's Etsy store perform in July 2024?

By July 2024, the seller had made £750 in sales, with the month still in progress. They were optimistic that this would increase, especially after positive results in June.

What does the seller believe is crucial for success on Etsy?

The seller believes that creating high-quality products, researching niches, and continuously improving customer experience are crucial for success. Building reviews, running ads, and consistent product creation also played key roles in their growth.