Etsy is the perfect platform for crafters, artists, and makers to sell their physical products online. But did you know Etsy also allows you to sell digital downloads?
From art prints to sewing patterns, you can sell files for customers to download instantly. Digital products provide a great passive income stream with minimal effort to create each additional sale.
Read on for a step-by-step guide on how to sell digital downloads on Etsy successfully:
Table of Contents
Choose Your Niche
Etsy already attracts buyers looking for digital items in specific niches. Consider what types of digital products you can create and select a niche that works with your strengths. Some top-selling digital download categories on Etsy include:
- Printables – wall art, calendars, planners, stationary, labels
- Sewing Patterns – for clothing, bags, accessories, home decor
- Paper Crafts – origami, cards, invitations, party decor
- Arts and Crafts – bookmarks, coloring pages, knitting patterns
Research current trends and competitor prices to pick a niche and digital product ideas with healthy buyer demand.
Set Up Your Digital Shop
Sign up for an Etsy seller account if you don’t already have one. Etsy’s basic Shop Manager plan is free.
The Pattern tool allows unlimited one-of-a-kind printable downloads for $15 a month. Optionally get an Etsy Plus subscription for $10 a month to unlock premium features.
Carefully complete your shop setup:
- Add an eye-catching banner, profile pic, and shop icon.
- Write an informative “About” section to build trust with buyers.
- Organize your shop into sections like ‘Printables’, ‘Sewing Patterns’, etc.
Create Your Digital Products
Put your creative skills to work designing digital products buyers will love. Here are some tips:
- Make original designs using graphic design software, illustrations, or photos.
- Craft detailed sewing patterns for your niche audience.
- Format content for 8.5 x 11” size for easy printing at home.
- Include text and visual instructions for usability.
- Proofread content carefully and run spell check.
- Credit any external assets used to avoid issues.
Save final files in the best format for your product:
- Printables – PNG, JPEG, PDF
- Craft Patterns – PDF
- Other – PNG, JPEG, PDF, DOC, MP3
Have at least 10 digital products ready before opening your Etsy shop. This creates a sense of abundance for shoppers.
Write Compelling Listing Details
Each Etsy listing has several sections to optimize with keywords and sales copy:
- Title – Include your main keyword phrase here concisely.
- Description – Explain what’s included, file format, aspects, and usage.
- Tags – Add popular search terms like the niche, design style, product type.
- Photos – Showcase the digital product visually with mockups.
Check competitors for inspiration on listing details that sell.
Price Your Digital Goods
Consider your costs along with competitor rates when pricing items. Make sure to account for Etsy fees in your margins.
Price printing costs separate from the digital file itself. Charge a fair price for the time and effort you invested.
For extra revenue, offer discounted bundles of several digital products.
Set Up Your Payment Options
Etsy integrates directly with payment processors. For digital goods, PayPal tends to be the most cost-effective option.
You can also try Etsy Payments which accepts credit cards directly. Just note the extra fees involved.
Digital items incur fewer fees overall compared to physical goods which is a nice bonus!
Publish Your Digital Products
Upload your listings into the relevant sections in your Etsy shop. Add plenty of visually appealing photos to each one.
Etsy will automatically assign a purchase link once a listing is published.
Promote Your New Shop!
With your Etsy digital download shop ready to go, it’s time to get the word out! Promote your shop and new products using:
- Etsy search engine optimization
- Social media promotions on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter
- Cross-promotion with other Etsy sellers
- Craft fairs, trade shows, and events
- Business cards and promotional stickers
Keep creating new digital products and refreshing your shop to sustain long-term success selling on Etsy.
With these steps, you can start your own Etsy digital download shop and begin earning passive income from creative assets. Just imagine making sales while you sleep – no more trading hours for dollars. Start selling digital downloads today!
