Etsy Product Research – What most Etsy shops NEGLECT to do
By following a strategic approach to Etsy product research, you can increase your chances of success and avoid common pitfalls.
Last weekend, I decided to finally open up a TikTok. I’ve been dragging my feet on doing it because it is scary but I’m here to do things scared and not get stuck in familiar comfort zones.
And I’m a little shocked at what I see over there on the Tikidy-Tok. (I fully embrace my “oldness” and millennium-ism over there lol!). As I explored and looked around at other videos and creators around the Etsy and Illustrator Design space, I kept coming across the same video messages, just rehashed from a different person. And it was TERRIBLE advice.
Their videos went something like this:
1- Search for T-shirt on Etsy.
2- Find a design you like. See how well that shop is doing by multiplying their sales numbers by the amount the shirt is priced at. Wow.. they’re making a lot of money!
3- Remake the design in Canva for free.
4- Open a Printify that connects with your Etsy shop and upload your new design onto a T-shirt.
5- Watch the sales roll in…
š± š¤¦āāļø <— my faceSo many things wrong here…
Let’s break them down, shall we?
1- Searching “T-shirt” on Etsy. This is an extremely broad term to search for. The search results that will come up will be the BEST of the best shops on Etsy for T-shirts. This is great for them because they’ve established their shop tremendously well on Etsy (probably over a few years). They’ve established well from SEO, great products and customer service, and selling viable in-demand products. But not only that, the term “T-shirts” is a very saturated market. How will you also sell within that search term as a brand-new shop? Probably not very well.
2- Look to see how well this shop is doing by multiplying their sales by the average price of their t-shirt. The calculations are probably going to be very enticing. But you don’t see how LONG they’ve been in business to get to that total number. Their first few years on Etsy could have been terrible until they reached where they’re at now – you don’t know! You also don’t see what their actual profit is on the shirt. Which can vary wildly from shop to shop. Keep in mind they have Etsy fees, probably a bunch of full-time employees, and all the variety of costs it takes to produce and ship that T-shirt. A print-on-demand T-shirt shop could make a lot less than a shop that does screen printing at its own brick-and-mortar store. These calculations just don’t paint a full picture.
3- Remaking the design for free in Canva raised a bunch of red flags for me. Are the fonts and elements they are using in that free account commercially licensed to use on a product that is being resold? I doubt it. Who wants to be sued or shut down? Yikes.
4 – I personally use Printify but don’t plan to indefinitely. Costs are higher than doing it yourself and can vary depending on what you sell and who you choose as your supplier. Again, you don’t see the full picture of how much the product actually costs these other sellers. If you get to this point in this stage, you’re probably going to see it will be pretty difficult to make any money at all.
5- Sales will most likely not roll in. Because there is no viability with this method. The research phase is completely left out.
The importance of Etsy product research
To succeed on Etsy, it’s important to do proper Etsy product research and avoid falling for get-rich-quick schemes. Many of these schemes involve copying popular T-shirt designs, which can be risky and ultimately unprofitable.
Instead, ask yourself important questions about your product and how to sell it effectively:
- Is the product and/or design in demand?
- What are the costs of producing and shipping the product?
- What are the ways you’ll bring customers to your product?
- What will entice them to buy?
- What’s the best way to produce this product to increase my bottom line?
- What do I need to learn to produce this product?
- What are the time and financial investments required to start my Etsy shop?
When doing Etsy product research, avoid relying solely on broad search terms like “T-shirt.” These searches will bring up the best and most established shops on Etsy, making it difficult for a new shop to compete.
Also, be cautious about advice to copy designs and use free design tools like Canva. Many of these tools have restrictions on commercial use, which could lead to legal issues. Plus, copying popular designs won’t necessarily lead to success on Etsy.
Instead, focus on creating unique designs that appeal to your target audience. Consider investing in quality design tools like Adobe Illustrator or even working with a professional designer to create original designs.
When it comes to producing and shipping your products, consider your options carefully. Print-on-demand services like Printify can be convenient, but they come with additional costs that could eat into your profits. On the other hand, screen printing at your own brick-and-mortar store can be cheaper, but it requires more upfront investment and time.
Ultimately, the key to success on Etsy is doing your research and creating a solid foundation for your shop. By understanding your target audience, the costs involved, and the best way to produce and sell your products, you can set yourself up for long-term success on Etsy.
āStarting an Etsy shop is totally doable. *If* you do it the right way by starting with Etsy product research. And I can show you how! I know you’re excited and want to see the sales rolling in NOW, but it will be a slower grind without a proper foundation and product research prep work. And I don’t want that for you. Because I’m so passionate about not wanting you to be duped by these types of videos, I want to show you the right way! Keep watch for my next post, where I will show HOW to do product research – so you can set your business up the right way and for success.
