5 Hot Things to Sell on Etsy Right Now

Etsy is one of the biggest online marketplaces. It’s where consumers go to find unique, personalized and handmade products, and where creatives go to turn their passions into thriving businesses.

If you’re thinking about joining the eCommerce world and becoming an Etsy seller, there’s one thing you can do to help maximize your shop’s growth—sell products that are in high demand.

When you leverage current trends and give potential customers exactly what they’re searching for, you create opportunities for thousands, if not millions, of people to discover and potentially buy from your shop.

Of course, trends come and go, but there are five categories of products whose popularity has stood the test of time. If you’re serious about opening an Etsy shop, these top-selling items may just be the key to your success. Let’s take a look!

1. Handmade Jewelry

More and more consumers are turning away from mass-produced jewelry and opting instead for high-quality hand-crafted pieces. There is a high demand for unique handmade jewelry like necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings that can’t be found in traditional stores. These pieces can be made from a wide variety of materials—silver and gold, beads, wood, resin, polymer clay and even paper!

To make your jewelry truly one-of-a-kind, consider offering personalization options. You can engrave names and messages, let customers choose their favorite colors or incorporate birthstones and birth month flowers. Personalized jewelry makes a wonderful gift and is in high demand, especially around holidays like Christmas and Mother’s Day.

Including high-quality photos with your product listings is important no matter what you’re selling on Etsy, but it’s particularly crucial when it comes to jewelry. Be sure to invest in a good camera, lighting equipment, props and backdrops. Try to get photos from every possible angle—your customers will want to fully examine the jewelry before making the decision to buy it.

2. Digital Products and Printables

Some of the most popular items on Etsy are not physical products—they’re files that customers can download and either use digitally or print on their own. Popular products include:

Planners (digital or printable)
Graphic design templates
Greeting cards
Children’s coloring pages and workbooks
Wall art

If you have graphic design or illustration skills, this is the perfect option for your Etsy shop. There are minimal upfront costs, since all you need to get started is your computer and design software. Plus, you only need to create each digital product once, making this a great way to earn passive income.

There’s a fair amount of competition among Etsy shops selling digital downloads, so if you’d like to stand out, consider offering personalized products. For example, you can sell custom wedding invitations or art prints that incorporate a meaningful date or quote. This route isn’t completely passive, but once you’ve created the main design, it shouldn’t take long to customize it with personal details for each order.

You can also offer to print and ship the product for an additional fee. Some people like to have full control over how it gets printed, while others like a completely hands-off experience. Giving this option ensures that your shop appeals to both kinds of customers.

3. Unique and Custom T-Shirts

Graphic t-shirts are all the rage. People wear them to express themselves and show their interests. Custom t-shirts with personalized designs make meaningful gifts and add a special touch to events and celebrations.

The designs you offer can be as simple or as complex as you’d like. If you are a skilled illustrator, you can incorporate fun graphics into your designs. But there is also plenty of demand for plain t-shirts with nothing but text.

When it comes to selling t-shirts on Etsy, you have a few options:

You can stock up on blank t-shirts and print designs in-house, using a screen-printing system, sublimation printer or heat transfer vinyl.
You can get a professional manufacturer to print the t-shirts, then pack and ship them yourself.
You can partner with a print-on-demand service that will print and ship your products as each order comes in. This option is best for t-shirts with a set design and no personalization. Since the service handles everything—you don’t need to worry about holding inventory or shipping costs—this is a great way to make passive income.

For small simple designs, consider embroidery as an alternative to printing. If you invest in an embroidery machine, you can start offering personalized hats, scarves, hoodies, sweatpants and other apparel.

4. Vintage Goods and Home Decor

Etsy attracts a lot of people looking for truly one-of-a-kind items that they won’t see anywhere else. To appeal to these customers, consider selling vintage goods. On Etsy, anything older than 20 years is considered vintage, and best-selling products include clothes, jewelry, accessories, art, home decor and furniture.

To find vintage items, make regular visits to thrift stores, yard sales, estate sales and auctions. Instead of trying to sell anything and everything you stumble upon, try to niche down based on your own interests. For one, when you focus on what you know, it’s a lot easier to find and evaluate items worth selling. Plus, having a particular theme or aesthetic to your shop will help attract your ideal customers and keep them coming back for more.

Prioritize selling items in good condition. If something has a minor flaw, be sure to disclose it and provide clear photos of the imperfection.

5. DIY Craft Supplies and Kits

Etsy shoppers love handmade items, but many also love taking on their own crafting projects. The only problem is that the costs of buying individual supplies can quickly add up, and most of the time, they end up paying for way more than they actually need.

That’s where crafting kits come in. You can center each one around a specific project, provide detailed instructions and just the right amount of supplies needed to complete it.

This is a great way for people to “sample” new hobbies without wasting money and supplies. Plus, it gives beginners lots of structure and guidance, making the experience a lot more fun.

Best-selling items include:

Origami and paper crafts
Toy sewing kits
Knitting and crocheting projects
Embroidery and cross-stitching kits
Paint-by-number kits
Macrame kits

Learn How to Grow Your Etsy Store with Skillshare

Ultimately, the best items to sell on Etsy are ones that align with your skills, knowledge and interests. Sell items you would love to purchase for yourself—when you’re passionate about what you do, it will make your whole experience that much more enjoyable.

Don’t get discouraged if your Etsy shop is not an immediate success. This marketplace is quite saturated, and building a thriving small business here takes time, dedication and a willingness to keep learning and adapting.
If you’re serious about making a living or supplementing your income with an ecommerce business, be sure to check out Skillshare’s dedicated learning path for how to open your own Etsy shop. It will guide you through everything you need to know, including how to refine your brand, take high-quality product photos, use SEO-friendly keywords and much more!

Written By

Sayana Lam

Sayana is a musician, writer and graphic designer based in Toronto, Canada.