How to Sell Printables on Etsy (2024 Guide for Beginners)

Do you have a creative talent that you want to turn into cash?

Etsy is an amazing online marketplace that lets you sell practically anything so that you can earn money in the comfort of your own home.

And the biggest sellers on Etsy right now are printables!

Printables are digital files that can be easily bought, downloaded, and printed and can range from journals to budget trackers and more.

So if you’re thinking, “I want to make printables to sell on Esty,” I don’t blame you!

Etsy is the place to be now, oh yea!

But starting out can be a bit confusing – which is why I wrote this guide on how to sell printables on Etsy.

Are you ready to jump into the world of digital printables and make money from home?

I thought so! Let’s get started.

How to Make Printables to Sell On Etsy

The first step in making money from selling printables on Etsy and knowing how to make your printables!

I’m going to talk a lot about Canva because it’s one of my favorite tools for any and all graphic design.

So let’s start with how to create printables in Canva to sell on Etsy, and then we’ll get into how to make sure they’re the right size and where to find images that you can use.

How to Make Printables on Canva to Sell on Etsy

Canva is a fantastic online design tool that’s perfect for beginners.

It has a very user-friendly interface, a library of templates, and a variety of design elements to help you create beautiful printables with little to no design experience.

Here’s how you can use Canva to make your printables to sell on Etsy:

Sign Up For Canva: First things first, you need a Canva account! You can go for the free version that has cool features or dive into their paid membership for access to tons of images, videos, audio, templates, and more!
Choose Your Printable Type: What kind of printable do you want to make and sell? Wall art? Planners? Or something else? Select the type of printable you want to make and browse through Canva’s template library for inspo.
Design Your Printable: Use Canva’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface to customize the template you choose. You can add images, text, colors, and other elements to make it truly unique.
Download the Right Format: When your printable is ready, make sure you save it in the correct format. PDF is a common choice for printables because it retains the document’s visual quality – and it’s easier for your customers to download and print.
Quality Control: Before you upload your printables to Etsy, make sure you check out the quality and that the resolution is high enough for crisp and clear printing.

How to Size Printables to Sell on Etsy

Speaking of quality control when it comes to printing, the size of your printable will affect what it looks like when printed.

So it’s important to get this right so you can provide your customers with the best product!

Here are tips for sizing printables:

Standard Dimension: For things like wall art, standard sizes are usually 8×10 inches for 11×14. For planners or anything that will go in a binder, the most common size is A4 (8.27×11.69 inches) or US Letter (8.5×11 inches).
Resolution: You should aim for a resolution of 300 DPI (dots per inch) to ensure high-quality printing for your printables.
Margins and Bleeds: Make sure to leave a small margin around the edges to prevent content from being cut off when printing. A bleed (extra content that extends beyond the trim edge) can ensure that there are no white borders when printing.

When it comes to margins and bleeds, Canva automatically adds a border around the page so you know when you’re heading out of print territory!

How Do I Use Graphics Legally?

Okay, so you know how to create printables to sell on Etsy using Canva, but where do you find graphics that you’re legally allowed to use?

Due to copyright laws, you can’t just pull any image from Google and use it on your printable.

So understanding the legal aspects of using graphics in your printables is super important!

Here are some tips to help you out:

Royalty-Free and Licensed Graphics: Look for graphics that are labeled as “royalty-free” or have clear licensing terms. This means that you can use them in your printables without worrying about copyright infringement.
Public Domain: Some graphics are considered to be public domain, which means they are not protected by copyright and can be used by anyone.
Create Your Own: If you’re concerned about copyright and you have some artistic skill, you can always create your own graphics and illustrations. This way, you have complete control over their usage.
Giver Proper Attribution: If you do find an image or graphic that is owned by someone else, see if they offer licenses to use it. This means that you have to give credit to the owner if you use the graphic in your printable.

Just to let you know, you can use Canva’s images and graphics on printables you sell – you just can’t sell their templates or stock elements as-is – you have to customize or change it.

How to Sell Digital Printables on Etsy

Now that we’ve talked about how to make a printable, let’s explore some different types of printables and how to effectively market them on Etsy!

How to Sell Planner Printables on Etsy

Printable planners are super popular on Etsy, and you can earn some cash by making and selling them successfully.

Here are the steps to do that:

Know Your Audience: Who are you selling your printable planners to? Moms? People who work from home? Teachers? Knowing your audience will help you create a targeted product and market it to the people who will buy it.
Design for Functionality: Your printable planners should look nice, but they also need to be functional. Think about what features your target audience needs and wants, like space for notes, habit trackers, to-do lists, etc.
Pricing: Pricing your printable planners can be tricky since you don’t want to charge too much or too little. Take a look around Etsy to see what sellers are charging for similar planners, and then be competitive with your pricing. Just don’t undervalue your work to try and get more sales!
Presentation: How you present your planners on Etsy can make a huge difference. Create appealing cover designs and include clear instructions on how to download and print your planner.
Marketing: You can use Etsy’s SEO tools to optimize your list titles and descriptions. You can also use your social media accounts or other online platforms to promote your printable planners!

How to Make Budget Printables and Sell on Etsy

Another product that sells like hotcakes on Etsy is budget printables.

People are always looking for ways to better manage their finances, and printables make organizing budgets super easy!

If you want to make budget printables and sell them on Etsy, here’s how you do it:

Types of Budget Printables: Create a variety of budget-related printables like expense trackers, budget planners, debt payoff worksheets, and savings goal trackers.
Offer Value: Along with worksheets and trackers, your budget printables should provide valuable insights and help customers with financial planning. Make sure they are user-friendly and informative.
Pricing: Again, you want to be competitive in your pricing without cutting yourself short. Consider offering budget bundles or packages that cater to different financial needs and then base your pricing on their value.
Marketing: Even though most people want to find a way to keep their finances on track, there are different pockets of audiences out there you can market to, like moms or people who earn an irregular income. Again, think about who you are selling to and then demonstrate how your printables can help them manage their finances.

Other Printables You Can Make and Sell on Etsy

Creating and selling printables on Etsy isn’t just limited to planners and budgets!

Etsy is a versatile platform where you can sell all types of printables.

Here are some ideas you can check out:

Wedding Invitations: Offer beautifully designed wedding invitation templates for engaged couples looking for a personal touch for their special day.
Educational Worksheets: Create worksheets and learning resources for teachers and parents, aiding in the education of children.
Recipe Cards and Cookbooks: Create beautifully designed recipe cards or compile a collection into a digital cookbook for cooking enthusiasts.
Travel Planners: Design travel itineraries, packing lists, and destination guides for travelers looking to organize their trips efficiently.
Digital Art and Coloring Pages: Share your artwork or intricate coloring pages for art lovers and those looking for a creative outlet.
Language Learning Materials: Develop language learning worksheets, flashcards, and study guides for language learners and educators.
Home Organization Printables: Offer printables for home organization, including cleaning schedules, decluttering checklists, and home maintenance planners.

Remember, the key to success on Etsy is finding your niche and catering to a specific audience!

How to Sell Printables on Etsy: Opening a Shop

The final step in selling printables on Etsy is opening your Etsy shop!

The process is super easy, but don’t rush through the steps just to get your shop up and running.

You need to think about a shop name and a brand image, which will be displayed through your shop header and your product images.

Here are the steps you should take to ensure a successful Etsy launch:

1. Choosing Your Shop Name

Your shop name is the first thing people will see on Etsy.

While it doesn’t have to be on the nose in relation to your printables, it should be memorable and related to your niche.

2. Create Your Shop Visuals

Designing eye-catching shop visuals can help you make a good first impression on Etsy.

You can even use Canva to create professional-looking graphics!

This is what you’re going to need:

Shop Banner: Your shop banner is like a welcome sign for your store and should reflect the theme and style of your printables
Product Images: Because this is what customers are going to see in the search results, high-quality images are a must! Take this opportunity to make your printables look enticing.
Shop Icon: Your shop icon is a small but mighty part of your shop’s visual identity.

3. Create Your Listings

When you start adding listings for your printables, make sure you use clear and attention-grabbing titles and descriptions.

You want people searching on Etsy to know exactly what you are offering!

4. Price Your Printables

So we’ve already talked about pricing your printables, but this is an important step when it comes to successfully selling on Etsy.

Research similar products, consider the time and effort you put into making the printable and its value, and then price your products competitively.

This means either charging what other people are charging or pricing slightly below (which can be a great way to attract people to your products as a beginner).

You can also offer introductory discounts to get people to your shop!

And another thing is to look at your competitors to see what they are charging to determine if that is the right price bracket for your product.

You can also tweak as you go too!