So you want to open an Etsy shop of your very own, but you aren’t quite sure what to sell. Maybe you’re a little handy with Photoshop or Illustrator. You could sell templates or digital products. Or perhaps you love collecting and assembling gift boxes. What if you do something with that? Personalized gift boxes are popular on Etsy, aren’t they?
Or maybe you just got into AI art-generating software like Midjourney. What if you sell Midjourney prompts as bundles or AI art?
Maybe, maybe, maybe.
There are a million ideas out there, many of which could do quite well on Etsy, so how do you decide?
What to sell on Etsy is a good thing to think about before jumping in, but don’t let all the “maybes” and “what ifs” keep you from moving forward.
In this guide, I’m going to walk you through what’s been trending on Etsy, what the data says, and even some keyword analysis to help offer more insights on what you can sell on Etsy.
I’ll also wrap this blog post up with some creative ways you can do some brainstorming to find the right product to sell using tools like ChatGPT, Google Trends, and other techniques.
Etsy Keyword Research
Before jumping into some Etsy shop ideas, I want to highlight the value of monitoring trending keywords. This can give you major insights into what people are searching for, both on Etsy and across the web.
Remember, Etsy does marketing on Google, so if someone searches for things like “personalized gifts” in a basic Google search, Etsy listings can appear in those results. This is why it’s crucial to pay attention to trends not just on Etsy, but online in general.
Tools like Google Trends can help with this and show you what topics are popular and even how their search volume has changed over time.
Take a look at the screenshot below. I’ve entered the keywords “personalized gifts”. The graph shows the interest in this keyword over the past 12 months (you can adjust the timeframe).
Check out the blue line – you can see a major increase in traffic during the holidays, and then another little peak around Mother’s Day.
Why is this important?
Understanding these trends is important for a few reasons:
- Identifying Popular Product Ideas: By looking at what keywords are trending, you can get ideas for products that are currently in demand. For example, if “personalized gifts” shows a high volume of searches, this shows that there is a strong market for customized items. Knowing this will help you move towards creating personalized products.
- Timing Your Launch: Recognizing when interest in certain products spikes can help you time your product launches and marketing efforts to coincide with peak demand periods, which of course can increase your chances of making sales. So let’s say you want to sell Mother’s Day cards or Father’s Day cards, you might prepare and promote those kinds of listings in the lead-up to those specific holidays.
- Niche Exploration: Exploring keywords and trends can help you find niche markets. If you notice a rising trend in a specific type of product or style, you can explore that niche and create unique items that cater to it. This can also reduce competition and help your shop stand out.
- Avoiding Saturation: Let’s say you have some ideas for your Etsy shop. Analyzing trends can help you see which products might be a bit too oversaturated and not worth investing in. And if a product shows a decline in interest, it might be smart to avoid that category and focus on emerging trends instead.
- Informed Decisions: Rather than guessing what might sell, looking at keywords and trends means you’re making data-driven decisions based on actual search behavior. You’re far more likely to succeed by aligning your product offerings with what people are actively looking for.
In the screenshot below, I’m comparing “customized hat” and “customized shirt”. You can see the interest in these two products over time, plus more details in Google Trends like related trending queries, interest by region, and so on.
Top Etsy Searches in the US
Let’s get right into the good stuff by looking at what the most popular Etsy searches were throughout last year (2023), according to a recently published review by eRank, one of the most powerful SEO and analytics tools for Etsy.
Earrings
According to eRank data, earrings have been the one product to make their Top 20 list every month throughout the year.
Earrings are popular. They’re cute, can be reasonably priced, and they make great gifts. The chart below shows Etsy shopper search volume for the keyword “earrings” over 15 months.
In November alone, there were 209,730 searches for this product.
How to sell earrings on Etsy
If you’re handy, you can handcraft earrings yourself using materials like beads, metals, or even upcycled components to create unique designs.
For the less crafty of us who still want to get in on this consistent trend, you could design the earrings or work with a designer and have them manufactured by a third party. This lets you focus on the creative aspects minus the hassle of production.
Stickers
Stickers are another consistently popular item being sold on Etsy.
They have a low manufacturing cost, they’re easy to design and make, and you can turn pretty much anything into a sticker. You can make stickers based on trending memes, fun hobbies, pop culture, you name it.
This product made eRanks Top 20 list every month last year except for November.
How to sell stickers on Etsy
If you have some fun ideas for stickers you want to try it, it’s a relatively cheap investment to make. Stickers aren’t expensive to produce, and there are tons of online businesses who can do it for you.
All you need is an idea and a design. And some companies can even make the design part easy, like Printful, a company that offers stickers as one of their customizable products. You can design and sell stickers using their platform which integrates with Etsy.
Stickermule and VistaPrint are also popular third-party options for creating custom stickers.
Or you can make them yourself. I thought this Reddit post was particularly helpful in explaining the different kinds of stickers and printers needed to create them yourself.
Tshirts
You might think t-shirts are a super saturated product to sell on Etsy, and they are, but what you have to keep in mind is that t-shirts can encompass virtually every theme or niche out there.
You can create t-shirts for cat lovers, t-shirts with funny quotes for teachers, t-shirts inspired by popular TV shows or movies—there is or can be a t-shirt for anything.
So yes, there are tons of people selling t-shirts on Etsy, but there could be pockets of opportunity to sell them in a specific niche that may not be quite as saturated.
According to eRank’s report, t-shirts never fell below the Top 10 from January through May, took a little dip during the summer, and then came back to the Top 20 again starting in October.
Overall, this is a product that has been popular for years and isn’t going anywhere, especially with how easy it is nowadays to add customization or personalization to clothing.
This graph shows how t-shirts fared in 2023 with Etsy shoppers.
How to sell T-shirts on Etsy
If you have any interesting design ideas or maybe phrases you want to slap on a shirt, dropshipping companies like Printful or Printify make it super easy.
For a slice of the profits, these businesses will manufacture and fulfill orders for you. All you have to do is upload the design and they take care of the rest (which is essentially the heart of print-on-demand).
There are tons of videos and tutorials out there on how to get in on creating custom shirts, which you can check out here.
Hats
Hats are a great item to sell on Etsy. Unlike T-shirts that come with various sizes and fabrics and brands, hats are much more straightforward and less overwhelming to get started with. You can add text, logos, designs, or interesting patterns.
With that said, you can get creative with the types of hats you sell, whether it’s bucket hats, fedoras, or hand-knitted beanies. And while there are plenty of people selling hats on Etsy, it’s easy to offer something unique by adding your own designs.
How to sell Hats on Etsy
Wall Art
Wall art is huge on Etsy. There are thousands of people selling digital and physical posters, postcards, and canvas prints, from public domain art to AI-generated art and beyond.
But don’t let the heavy competition scare you away.
Remember, even in saturated markets, standout designs, good photos, and overall good listings can carve out a successful space for your products.
I’ve been selling mostly public domain art since starting my shop a few years ago and have recently started to pivot to education posters and prints, since I was seeing more demand there and much less competition.
How to sell wall art
This is another product that can be sold by partnering with a dropshipping company, or of course, you can print everything yourself and store your own inventory, making a much larger profit.
The key to start selling wall art on Etsy is to find your target audience.
Who are you trying to sell to? Think of things like age groups, location, interests, and even buying habits.
For example, if you create AI digital art, you may want to target younger buyers in bigger cities who have an interest in this emerging trend and are looking for neat new art pieces for their home spaces.
This article does a great job at walking you through the thought processes involved in getting started with selling wall art on Etsy.
Personalized Gifts
Personalized gifts are BIG on Etsy.
When people are searching for gifts for loved ones, Etsy is where they go for cute, quirky, unique, and personalized gift ideas (I know I do). These can range from custom name necklaces, engraved cutting boards, personalized mugs, and more.
Personalization adds a unique touch that makes gifts feel special, which is why this category is always in demand. And this is a great way to get creative and even get your listings to stand out from the crowd.
I don’t sell this in my Etsy shop, but here is a custom hat I personalized for my Mom’s boyfriend who does my taxes (one of the gifts, I swear I’m not that cheap).
I picked out a hat I liked from Printful’s products, uploaded the logo I found online, and added his initials to the back for that extra personalization. Done!
This takes what could have been a generic product and add’s more value to it, which is the whole point of personalized gifts.
Here is another example of a popular product adding personalization in a really unique way. It’s a personalized constellation map—great gift idea for weddings and anniversaries.
You can personalize it by adding names, a date, and even coordinates. You can even see from the screenshot above the price, it’s in 20+ carts. (That’s one way you can see if a product is in demand).
So you can keep things simple by adding personalization to everyday basic items like hats and mugs, or you can get creative and offer something more unique and tailored for a very specific buyer, as this listing does.
How to sell personalized gifts
Invest in tools or services that allow for customization, like engraving machines (if you’re going the DIY route) or printing services that can add names or messages to products.
You can also offer digital products like custom prints or downloadable gift cards with personalized messages.
Jewelry
I already mentioned earrings, but Jewelry in general remains a perennial favorite on Etsy, with items like custom name necklaces, gemstone rings, and minimalist bracelets being particularly popular.
Jewelry offers a wide range of possibilities from handmade to custom designs, making it a versatile category.
Despite the high competition, jewelry tends to sell well on Etsy because each piece can be uniquely crafted to stand out.
It allows for endless creativity and personalization, allowing you to offer something truly distinctive that others aren’t selling.
How to sell jewelry
If you have the skills to make jewelry, you can start by creating your own unique pieces.
Alternatively, you can collaborate with a jewelry manufacturer to produce your designs. Focus on quality materials and unique designs to stand out in this competitive market.
More Popular Products
While the above are the most popular items trending from last year, here is a full list of trending Etsy shop ideas for new sellers.
- Hair accessories
- Socks
- Mugs
- Greeting Cards
- Coasters
- Phone cases
- Laptop cases
- Notebooks
- Tote bags
- Fanny packs
- Pet products
When looking at popular products on Etsy, you’ll notice a trend. A lot of the items in this list—mugs, coasters, tote bags, fanny packs, stickers, earrings—they are giftable.
When thinking about what to sell on Etsy, always think about what is giftable.
Many people come to Etsy for gift ideas. Things that aren’t crazy expensive, and would make for cool, unique gifts.
Etsy Shop Categories
When deciding on what to sell, these are popular categories:
- Jewelry & Accessories
- Clothing & Shoes
- Home & Living
- Wedding & Party
- Toys & Entertainment
- Art & Collectibles
- Craft Supplies & Tools
- Vintage
How to Come Up with Etsy Shop Ideas in 2024
Coming up with unique and appealing Etsy shop ideas can feel overwhelming, but it’s all about harnessing your creativity and tapping into current trends.
Here’s a systematic approach to brainstorming that can help you find the perfect product line to jump into:
- Leverage Your Skills and Interests: Start by listing all your skills and interests. Whether you’re a master knitter, a graphic designer, or have a knack for vintage collectibles, your passions can inspire profitable shop ideas. This is a good place to start.
- Use Tools for Trend Spotting: Use tools like ChatGPT, Google Trends, and Etsy’s own Trend Tool to see what items are gaining popularity. For example, if you notice an uptick in interest in eco-friendly products, you might consider creating a line of sustainable home goods.
- Evaluate Market Gaps: Browse through Etsy to see what’s available and what’s missing. Maybe there’s a demand for personalized pet products, but not many sellers are offering these. That could be your niche!
- Consider Seasonal and Holiday Trends: Align some of your products with seasonal events or holidays. Items like Christmas ornaments or Halloween costumes always see a spike in demand during specific times of the year.
- Look at Consumer Needs: Think about problems you can solve with your products. If people are searching for effective ways to organize small spaces, could you offer unique storage solutions?
- Think Beyond Products: Remember, Etsy isn’t just for physical goods. Digital products like templates, planners, and educational materials are also hugely popular and can be sold without requiring any inventory whatsoever.
- Test and Get Feedback: Before fully launching a product line, consider making a small batch and see how your target audience reacts. Use their feedback to refine your offerings.
- Keep an Eye on the Competition: Regularly check what similar shops are doing. This can give you insights into pricing, marketing, and even new product ideas. However, use this information to differentiate rather than just replicate what others are doing.
Final Thoughts
Starting an Etsy shop in 2024 offers a world of possibilities, from crafting unique jewelry to designing digital art.
By leveraging the power of SEO through keyword research and aligning your products with current trends, you can significantly increase your shop’s visibility and appeal.
Remember, the key to success on Etsy is creativity and adaptability—always be ready to evolve with your customers’ needs and preferences. Dive in, use the insights and strategies discussed, and turn your passion into a thriving online business.
What trends have you noticed, or what ideas do you have for Etsy? Leave a comment.
Happy selling!