Selling on Etsy in 2024: A Complete Guide

Etsy has become a go-to online platform for artists, crafters, and designers to showcase their unique creations to a global audience. Whether you specialize in handmade items, art, or digital designs, Etsy is the perfect place for those who appreciate creativity and uniqueness.

According to Etsy, there are 7.5 million sellers and 91.5 million buyers on the platform, with an annual gross merchandise sales volume of $13.3 billion in 2022. These impressive figures highlight Etsy’s potential for sellers looking to expand into the international market. Ukrainian entrepreneurs have also been making their mark on Etsy, with over 15,750 shops from Ukraine, according to Handmade Hunt. The top-ranked Ukrainian shop boasts more than 19,000 sales per month.

Since Etsy has officially allowed Ukrainian sellers to register shops from Ukraine as of October 17, 2023, interest from local entrepreneurs has surged.

This guide is aimed at helping both new and experienced Etsy sellers make informed decisions about which niches are most promising for 2024, which tools can streamline your workflow, and practical tips on how to boost your sales.

Promising Niches on Etsy for 2024

Etsy buyers are drawn to the platform for unique, custom, and personalized items that can’t easily be found in traditional stores. This means they are often willing to pay a premium and wait longer for delivery. Keep this in mind when choosing a niche or product to sell.

Here are some top Etsy niches based on our marketplace experience that are expected to perform well in 2024.

Pet products

Items for pets, such as furniture for cats and dogs, comfort accessories, toys, and personalized pet tags, are highly sought after on Etsy. With a large customer base looking for products for their furry friends, this niche offers a lot of potential. However, photography costs and potentially high shipping fees due to the size of some items may be challenges.

Personalized gifts

Customization is at the core of Etsy, and personalized gifts for holidays, family events, or special occasions are very popular. These gifts can be made from a variety of materials, from wooden phone cases to resin tables with custom engravings. The wide appeal of this niche means it's easy to stand out, but the high competition and the need for careful customization and customer communication can be demanding.

Wedding decor

Wedding-themed products, such as table decorations, cake toppers, custom signs, and wedding favors, are another great niche on Etsy. Even digital products like printable invitations are in demand. Though competition is high, the wide variety of wedding-related products means there's room for new sellers to carve out a space.

Home textiles

Unique home textiles like linen curtains, organic tablecloths, personalized placemats, and pillow covers offer great potential. While competition is lower and demand is solid, high sales volumes typically require some level of product customization.

Retro clocks & decor

Retro-style products such as wall decor, tables, drawers, cabinets, and clocks with vintage aesthetics are also a promising niche. While competition is relatively low, the downsides include costly shipping and a smaller customer base compared to other categories.

While these niches hold potential for the upcoming year, remember that successful selling on Etsy depends on more than just the niche itself. Consider factors such as your resources, profit margins, unique selling points, competition, and seasonality. Tools like eRank, Alura, Etsy Pulse, and Google Trends can help you analyze your niche before diving in.

Tools to improve your Etsy experience

When starting out or enhancing your Etsy shop, the right tools can make a significant difference. Here are some of the best tools to analyze your niche and streamline your work on Etsy.

• eRank.This tool helps analyze market trends and demand for your chosen product. Use the Keyword Tool to check search volume and competition. Look for keywords with an Average Searches of at least 1,000-1,500 per month, and an Etsy Competition ratio that is within a 2-3 range.
• Etsy Pulse. The only tool that provides sales data for specific competitor listings, allowing you to evaluate the sales performance of similar products.
• DeepL and Grammarly. If you have trouble communicating with international customers in English, these translation tools can help improve the clarity and grammar of your messages.
• ChatGPT and Bard. Writing product titles, descriptions, and identifying keywords is much easier with AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard. They help reduce the time needed to craft descriptions to as little as 10-15 minutes, though they shouldn't entirely replace human input, as marketplace requirements and readability are crucial.
• flair.ai and Canva. High-quality product photos are essential on Etsy. flair.ai uses AI to create new mockup images for your products, while Canva helps you easily design simple yet effective infographics to enhance your listings.

Tips to boost your Etsy sales

Boosting sales is a priority for most Etsy sellers, and while choosing the right niche is crucial, proper shop management and marketing are just as important. Here's what you should focus on:

• Quality product photos: eye-catching photos are crucial to attract buyers. High-quality images and infographics with product dimensions and variations can significantly improve conversion rates.
• Optimized listings: ensure your product titles, descriptions, and tags include relevant keywords to improve searchability. Fill in all tags and metadata accurately to attract organic traffic.
• Customer communication & support: respond to customer inquiries promptly and process orders quickly. This not only boosts your shop rating but also builds trust. For example, offering professional customer support services has helped some of our clients achieve Star Seller status, resulting in increased sales.
• Target offsite traffic with keywords: properly optimized listings with key search terms can attract users searching for products through Google, leading to increased traffic from Offsite Ads.
• Social media marketing: utilize platforms like Pinterest to drive additional traffic to your shop. A well-crafted social media presence combined with unique offerings can effectively convert traffic into sales.
• Email marketing: segment your existing customers and send personalized offers based on their preferences. Targeted email campaigns can be an effective strategy for increasing repeat sales.

Final thoughts

Etsy is a platform where creativity, uniqueness, and personalization thrive. We’ve outlined some of the most promising niches for 2024, introduced useful tools to analyze products and optimize shop performance, and shared tips to enhance your sales based on practical experience.

With the right approach, niche selection, and tools, your Etsy business can reach new heights in 2024. Good luck!

Our team has hands-on experience navigating the ins and outs of Etsy and can offer personalized guidance to improve your shop's performance and sales. Whether you're new to Etsy or an established seller looking to grow, SellerSail can provide professional assistance to help you succeed.