Selling on Etsy, which is a popular online marketplace, allows artists to start their own small business. It allows you to list your art decor in one easy-to-manage storefront, share multiple types of art prints, and, most importantly, make a profit. As an artist, there are several ways for you to sell your art on Etsy. Aside from selling original work, you can sell prints on Etsy, which gets your artwork into more people’s homes. If you’re a photographer, painter, graphic designer, or illustrator, then creating Etsy wall art featuring your unique artwork is an easy way to launch your creative business.
Over 400 million people visit Etsy. That’s a huge market of people your art can reach on the eCommerce platform. And people are constantly searching Etsy for trendy wall art, home decor, and unique prints. Follow our straightforward guide to setting up your Etsy shop and profiting from your art.
How to Start Selling on Etsy
To open an Etsy shop, first visit Etsy.com/sell. Review the company’s Creative Standards and Seller Policies to make sure your art can be sold on their platform. This is where you will find the fees and regulations related to listings on your storefront.
With those logistics out of the way, you can personalize your storefront. Since wall decor has a huge market on Etsy, you want your shop to stand out. Naming your store is crucial for establishing your business branding. Some artists will just use their name. Others will focus on a theme common throughout their work, like spooky art, floral designs, or simple line art. Make sure the name is available across other platforms, and be sure to snag the handle on social media accounts. Using these other sites is an easy way to promote your artwork outside of Etsy, and you want your business to be consistent and easy to find. Write a descriptive bio, then upload a profile photo and banner artwork for your page. Specify your language, country, and currency.
Pick Your Art Products
When creating art prints, there are several different materials you can use. To figure out which ones to sell, you should first consider your audience. Cute, trendy art might appeal more to younger people like college students, who probably have a lower budget. People creating an art gallery wall will want multiple types of wall hangings. More modern, high-end home decor will appeal to those with luxury tastes. Whether you’re offering Etsy metal wall art or canvas wall art, your work can appeal to a wide variety of customers.
Custom art posters are popular on Etsy, as they are less expensive and yet high-quality. Printing posters with artwork appeals to students decorating their college dorms or teachers decorating their classroom with inspirational wall art. Canvas prints and mounted wall prints are great for traditional art styles or fun prints that stand out. Cool modern art will look great on a metal print, while paintings will pop on a custom canvas print. Whether you sell art with inspirational quotes, bold abstract designs, cute illustrations, or soft watercolor paintings, you can find a custom art print that best showcases your work. You can also offer wall art decor in multiple mediums to reach different demographics.
Sourcing Print Materials
Sourcing your prints from GotPrint also lets you sell a variety of high-quality art prints. We use full-color, detailed printing to ensure your work is exactly transferred to whatever product you select. Need wall art ideas? GotPrint offers a wide variety of wall art prints, including posters, framed prints, and canvas prints.
List and Price Your Products
Once you’re ready to list products on Etsy, you need to be prepared with a description of your unique wall art. Start with the materials and dimensions. But you also want to describe the artwork itself. Make sure your product titles and descriptions have keywords that target what people are searching for on Etsy. Many Etsy sellers use eRank and Marmalead to find phrases that are searched on that platform. Taking time to perfect your Etsy SEO strategy makes it easier for your shop to rank high on Etsy—which increases your sales. Make sure to pair your listings with high-quality photos of your art from different angles and in different environments.
As for pricing, you need to keep Etsy’s seller and listing fees in mind, as well as the labor of making the art and the price of materials. Ultimately, it’s up to each artist to decide what their work is worth. A good starting point is to see how other artists price their work on Etsy. But there’s no point in undercharging just to compete for a sale, since you’ll lose money that way. You want to make a profit, so set your prices accordingly.
Market Your Etsy Storefront
Don’t just rely on Etsy rankings to grow your business. Sure, you’ll make sales from people searching the platform. But you also need to cross-promote across other platforms. Create an Instagram, TikTok, or any other social media account to build your audience. You’ll build a stronger brand that people trust and boost sales. This gives you a space to directly reach fans of your art.
Be a Consistent Etsy User
You don’t want to post a product and then leave it alone. Occasionally update Etsy keywords to ensure your products reach new Etsy users. Uploading new products also keeps your page fresh, whether it’s a new size of a pre-existing art print or launching a new art print material. Make sure to respond to messages and reviews, as this makes people trust that you’re selling high-quality art prints.
When you create an artist Etsy page, you are transforming yourself into a small business owner. You’re set with your premium wall decorations and art prints for sale. Make sure you’re prepared with other prints to promote yourself as an artist and establish your branding. You can share your artwork in catalogs or sell small versions of your work on art postcards. When you ship your art prints, slip in a thank you card with a note of gratitude for your buyer. This makes people feel appreciated and adds a personal touch to your Etsy store.