How to make stickers to sell on Etsy
Unless you have been living under a rock, you will notice that Stickers are everywhere. With our insatiable appetite for all things organizing, now is a great time to learn how to make stickers to sell on Etsy. If you want to cash in on the trend for stickers or even just for your own use – we cover everything in this post.
Stickers are Evergreen products; you can make and sell stickers on Etsy at any time of the year. — the item has always been marketable in every generation that has passed. From baby boomers to Generation Z, stickers can attract them all — whether it’s for business or personal interest.
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What are stickers anyway?
The item was once made from manual labor, creating postage stamps. Rowland Hill invented it in 1839 — using adhesive paper, and the first batch of stamps was attached by gum or paste.
In 1935, the first modern-day sticker was developed by Ray Stanton Avery. The sticker has a self-adhesive peel-off label to easily attach the sticker on surfaces without gum or paste. Eventually, stickers became a marketing material for businesses — as it’s a great way to brand products and put on label prices.
During the start of the digital era in the 90s, digital stickers were produced through digital inkjet printers. The production of stickers evolved until it became one of the best-selling digital products on online eCommerce platforms such as Etsy. Sticker makers have grown from a small niche market to an income-generating powerhouse for any business owner.
But enough of all that, let’s discuss how to make stickers to sell on Etsy
What Types of Stickers are There?
With how stickers evolved through time, many versions of the sticky label were invented. Kids and adults love these items — it’s a good idea for decor and functionality for business purposes. Sticker sheets are fun to use — making them marketable to potential customers.
You can find these kinds of stickers on Etsy and other selling platforms:
- Bumper Stickers
- Clear Stickers
- Die Cut Stickers
- Vinyl Stickers
- Logo Stickers
- Photo Stickers
- sticker sheets
Stickers can be used for various purposes such as:
- School Projects
- Product Labels
- Marketing Collateral
- T-Shirt
- Stationery
- Personalized Items
- Events
- Journaling
- Planners
Why Sell Stickers On Etsy
Digital downloads and printables sell well on Etsy — making stickers one of the platform’s best sellers and Etsy has built an excellent reputation when it comes to this niche. The platform has a large population of shop owners for every kind of sticker — a fresh wave of new sellers create an Etsy shop every year.
Audience Range
Take advantage of the audience Etsy has garnered throughout the years. Customers are looking for unique designs that can fit their personality or business branding in this day and age. Etsy is a great way to introduce your products as a new seller — with the proper use of SEO; your visibility can reach the platform’s existing audience.
Top Seller
According to CedCommerce, crafts and supplies were the top categories on Etsy in 2021. Under craft and supplies, the best-selling item is stickers — the printable product is in demand on Etsy. Moreover, more than half of Etsy’s buyers are females — with many unique, cute, and colorful stickers on the platform, it will sell well.
Community
Etsy is a place for creatives — a community that supports the arts and craft industry. It is a helpful environment, especially when you design your stickers. Sellers can exchange tips and tricks — there’s room for improvement for everyone in the community. You can even ask technical questions about Etsy’s interface — as a new seller; you need to familiarise yourself with the platform and its features.
Cost-Efficient Fees
Etsy certainly made its platform an excellent place for business start-ups and creatives. Having an Etsy store won’t cost you much money — listing and transaction fees are seller-friendly. Etsy will charge a seller $0.20 per product listing and a 5% share for settlements.
Here’s a friendly guide about how much money you’ll spend on opening an Etsy store.
Category and Tags
Stickers have a high visibility rate on Etsy — it’s a product that you can place or tag in more than one category. You won’t even run out of tag ideas as the product can be used for business or personal interests. Events or holidays are good tags, like bridal shower decor or birthday cup designs.
Learn more about Etsy tags in this blog post.
Read more about digital downloads in this blog content — know why Etsy is the best place for this niche.
Can I Make Money Selling Stickers?
Yes, especially if you are on the right platform — effective marketing strategies should be planned well. Your profit depends on how you price your products. Prices range from $3.00 and $9.00 for bundles — it also depends on the sticker paper and the number of sheets per pack. The total estimate of your monthly income can reach up to $200-$800 — you can earn more than that with the help of proper promotion and store performance.
Do competitor research to find out what worked for your other sellers. Knowing your niche is an important thing — you have to learn from someone else. List down the factors that affect the price of their products. Search for top sellers on Etsy — observe and see what you can apply to your business.
Selling on Etsy is the best platform for a sticker business. As I have mentioned earlier, Etsy is a cost-effective selling platform — transaction fees won’t deduct a large sum of money from your income. Product price should also depend on your chosen audience — consider their age and monthly income. Does your shop appeal to students or business owners?
Here are the factors you should consider when pricing stickers:
- Design
- Materials
- Target Audience
- Colors
- Size
- Purpose
How Much Does It Cost To Make Stickers?
You’ll need good equipment and materials to create high-quality stickers. It’s better to invest in high-quality materials to keep a good brand image — your store should have a consistent brand performance rate. Half of your profit will most likely be allocated to printing materials such as the following:
- Sticker Paper
- Cutting Machine
- Inkjet Printers
- Ink
Keep producing high-quality items and let the positive reviews be your marketing strategy. Use your customers as a way to spread the word — spending money on good equipment will be worth it. A listing fee might not even be an issue as your sales increase because of your high-quality printed stickers.
Check out these inkjet printers and cutting machines:
- Canon Pixma Color Professional Inkjet Printer
- HP OfficeJet
- Brother ScanNCut
- Sizzix Big Shot Starter Kit
Why Sell Digital Stickers?
Digital stickers can be downloaded by the customer, avoiding those annoying shipping costs. Like a physical sticker, the only difference is that customers can use the item independently, usually in digital planners. The digital item is generally uploaded online in PNG, JPG, PDF, TXT, DOC, and SVG. It’s a hassle-free transaction, giving significant profit margins — customers can even print the stickers whenever they need a copy.
There are many reasons why digital stickers are great products to sell.
Shipping
Digital downloads do not require shipment — it’s a click, purchase, and download process. Also, the packaging won’t be included in your workflow — you don’t have to allocate a budget for packaging materials. You can manage a store without spending much money.
Production
If selling stickers is a side-hustle, digital stickers can make managing your store easier. Weekly or monthly production of stickers is not required — the design is already enough. Since you have to upload the file online, stocks are unlimited. You can create a design once and already sell it for a long time. Pretty helpful for a one-person team or a person who has a regular day job during weekdays.
Passive Income
One of the advantages of a digital download niche is that you earn money even without physical labor. You can earn income while still working on your day job, and it is a great way to make extra money.
Express Creativity
Creating stickers can challenge your creativity — your hobby is a great idea to gain income. If you are already into digital art, you can quickly develop great designs that will sell. Also, you get to learn what design attracts customers best — reviews can help you determine your design mistakes and selling points.
Sticker templates
Many sticker sellers have grown to sell sticker templates on Etsy. These are digital products that just show the cut out of the sticker. You might find several circles or squares on a sheet for you to create digital stickers of your own.
Do I Need Any Special Programs or Skills To Sell Stickers?
Most sticker shop owners are graphic designers, and they already specialize in creating digital items — illustrators thrive in this niche. However, it does not mean that graphic designers or illustrators are the only groups of people who can sell stickers. You can still appeal to your potential customers when you have a sense of style and a keen eye for details.
How to get started making stickers to sell on Etsy
Online Courses
Starting an online business is pretty challenging — especially when you decide to pursue a niche you haven’t tried yet. Digital download and printables are the trends these days — many content creators share online courses about stickers. Most Etsy shop owners share their side hustle tips and tricks on internet platforms such as Youtube. You can watch those contents for free — purchase the course if you want to obtain a certificate.
Don’t worry – I’ve done some research and found a few online courses which will really help you. Well, I say help – I actually mean teach you everything you need to know to get started selling stickers online.
Printables by number – Suzi from Start a Mom Blog.
Suzi’s course pretty much covers much more than you need to know for selling stickers, it’s an in-depth course on how to sell digital products online. Everything from creating the product online, downloading it, creating files, Selling the digital product, and maximizing your profit.
As a small business owner, if your funds stretch to it, this course is the perfect way to get you up and running and start making a profit. Everyone loves Suzi, she has a very loyal customer base, and I buy everything she produces.
Easy profits with stickers by Simply Couture designs.
Both of these courses will deliver everything you need for selling stickers online and at a reasonable cost.
Familiarise Yourself with Illustration Software
While planning the first few steps of your sticker shop, you have already conceptualized the sticker designs — the first batch that will make or break your store branding. For this reason, you have to familiarize yourself with illustration programs. Most illustrators use Adobe Illustrator to create icons for stickers. Aside from Adobe Illustrator, you can try this software as well.
- Adobe Photoshop
- Paint Tool SAI
- Corel Painter
If you are a graphic designer, you can take advantage of your design skills — harness your knowledge about branding and color schemes. Also, you can quickly adjust to illustration software if you do well on traditional art such as drawing and painting.
Use Free Programs
You can still use free programs for simpler sticker designs — many design platforms have made their way to the internet. A simple drag and drop can help you create fantastic sticker designs — even if you have limited access to premium design elements. You can start there — a good idea for beginners who are not yet earning income from the business.
Social Media Posts
The community of online business owners earned a helping hand from social media platforms. Each site has features solely for business management — an effective marketing tool to reach a wide range of audiences. Learn how to promote your business on each social networking site. Familiarize yourself with the function of each feature — determine what’s practical for your product niche. You can quickly find your competitors and prospective customers on social media platforms. Try out:
- Tailwind for Pinterest
- Meta Business Suite for Facebook and Instagram
- Instagram Shopping
To start with, here’s a friendly guide on how to utilize Pinterest for marketing your products.
How Can I Make physical Stickers To Sell?
You can create your stickers with influence and reference — whether you’ll sell by the sheet or by the bundle. Appeal to your chosen audience — make stickers that are trendy and functional.
Designing Stickers
Competitor research is essential — you need to know the qualities that will set you apart from others. That’s why it’s necessary to incorporate a bit of your personality into your sticker design, and unique stickers sell better, of course. You can offer custom stickers design marketing materials such as business cards, logos, packaging design, etc.
You should also apply the latest trends to your designs. Holidays and events are important, too. Create seasonal and evergreen products — create stickers that will make your store in demand in any period of the year. Don’t be afraid to experiment during the first year of your business — up until you find what’s best for your design style.
Creating Stickers
As I mentioned above, you can either use illustration software or a content-creating platform online. It depends on your design skills and where you are most comfortable. You can create ready-made templates — one you can use and modify to create new sticker designs.
Be mindful of the color mode you’ll use — RGB is different from CMYK. It is recommended to use CMYK to obtain the actual color when printing the image. RGB can make the image colors brighter and saturated. Don’t forget to double-check the document size and compatibility of the sticker paper to the available printer.
However, sticker shop owners don’t just sell printed stickers — it can also be a digital download. You can save the file, upload it on your chosen marketing platform, and save it as SVG, PNG, PSD, AI, PDF, DOC, or ZIP file.
Printing Stickers
You need to have the right kind of paper for your stickers — base it on the purpose of each design. Paper labels are the most commonly used sticker paper. It’s used for decor stickers like for stationery. You can also purchase pre-cut sticker papers for easier production. Aside from paper labels, vinyl stickers are best for:
- Packaging Labels
- Promotional Labels
- Production Labels
- Bumper Stickers
- Wall Decoration
Ensure that you have a printer compatible with printing stickers. Popular options, including the silhouette cameo, an investment as they are not cheap but serve a purpose if you need to post things quickly — like the examples mentioned above. You can use a laser or inkjet printer. Laser printers are much more expensive than inkjet printers. However, it quickly runs out of ink, unlike the laser printer, which only requires a refill after printing over 5,000 sheets of paper.
Posting Stickers
If you are an Etsy sticker shop owner, you are required to pay a listing fee to place your stickers for sale. Before finalizing your upload, you need to develop a product title and description — where SEO should be applied. Be specific on each title — check out these best-selling stickers –
- Cute Girl digital sticker pack
- MOTIVATION QUOTES Theme Sticker Sheet / Happy Stickers for Bullet Journal and Planners
The product will be visible if it’s tagged to events, holidays, and pop culture trends. Also, make sure that the product photos are clear and can quickly catch the attention of your potential customers.
When posting physical products, consider how much the posting charges will be. Etsy will charge you a higher fee as the posting fee is included in the fee calculation.
Good stickers will do well on Etsy if you provide brilliant customer service, create a loyal customer base, and ensure the final product is perfect. You can grab tips on this post about creating an Etsy best seller.
Sticker Printing Services
Aside from an online store Etsy, people also try a business for sticker printing services. A customer-based business — working directly with customers and creating stickers according to their brand. Customers are considered as clients — the printing service is responsible for designing the marketing materials for their clients. Otherwise known as print shop – they need to contact their client for checking and approval of the design.
Sticker printing services offer sticker designs for:
- T-Shirts
- Custom Labels
- Label Dispenser
- Wall Graphics
- Business Cards
- Letter Envelope
Some sticker printing services offer delivery services to their clients. They can communicate through chat or call — a shipping fee is required as well. Printing services have package deals for business owners — it’s a good idea when you are at the first phase of building your brand, avoiding wasting too much time.
Examples of Sticker Printing Services:
What Stickers Sell Best on Etsy?
Stickers are categorized as crafts and supplies — these items also belong to printables and digital downloads. Sellers tag their products on events and holidays — making the item’s visibility rate go up and consequently becoming one of Etsy’s best-sellers.
These kinds of stickers are in demand on Etsy:
- Custom Stickers
- Custom Vinyl Stickers
- Vinyl Decals
- Meme Stickers
- Random Sticker Packs
- Quote Stickers
- Seasonal Stickers
- Vehicle Stickers
- Wall Decoration Stickers
- Journal Stickers
You can search for a lot of inspiration on the internet on what to create first. Stickers will always be in demand — it appeals to any age.
You’ll find customers with a similar personality as you — create stickers as if you are going to be one of your potential customers.
Starting a sticker printing service is a good idea as well. You can solely focus on creating designs for business clients — help them build their brand. No matter how you start your sticker business, the most important thing is that you get to do what you love.
You can begin from a small business on Etsy and then turn it into a large printing service company — a small sticker can have a significant impact on your bottom line.
Final thoughts on How to make stickers to sell on Etsy – know your market before you begin. Don’t spend too much money getting started unless you have tested the market and understand shipping rates and how much profit you will make. Don’t use cheap materials as this will affect the quality of your product and ultimately sales.
I hope you enjoyed this post – if you like, you can pin it to your favorite Pinterest board.
Bye for now
Trina !
