Etsy is one of the easiest places to start selling what you make. You don't need a website, the buyers are already there, and setting up a shop takes an afternoon.
What trips people up is everything after setup: fees they didn't budget for, listings nobody sees, and prices that leave nothing after costs. This guide walks through the whole process, from deciding what to sell to your first few sales.
Our method: the rules and fees below come from Etsy's own help center and fee policy, checked in October 2026. Where Etsy's pages change often (like the setup fee), we say so. Nobody at Dollarberg runs an Etsy shop, so we stick to what Etsy publishes.
Step 1: Decide What You'll Sell
Etsy has clear rules. Everything you sell must fit one of its categories:
Made by a seller: physical items you make by hand or with your own tools.
Designed by a seller: your original designs, printed by a partner or sold as digital downloads.
Handpicked by a seller: vintage items and certain curated collections.
Sourced by a seller: craft and party supplies.
Etsy says reselling mass-produced items is not allowed, and digital items must be made or designed by you (Etsy help center, checked October 2026).
Best things to sell on Etsy
Good Etsy products share four traits: people search for them, they're giftable or personal, they ship cheaply, and you can make them consistently. Categories that fit:
Personalized gifts: name necklaces, custom mugs, pet portraits.
Home decor: candles, prints, signs, ceramics.
Digital downloads: planners, printables, templates, SVG files.
Seasonal items: Christmas ornaments, Halloween decor. See our list of Christmas crafts to make and sell.
Craft supplies: patterns, kits and materials for other makers.
More ideas are in our list of crafts that make money.
Step 2: Understand Every Etsy Fee
Budget for these before you list a single item:
Fee | What it is |
|---|---|
Setup fee | Etsy may charge new sellers a one-time, nonrefundable fee; the amount is shown during shop setup |
Listing fee | $0.20 per listing, renewed every four months or when the item sells |
Transaction fee | 6.5% of the order total, including shipping and gift wrap |
Payment processing | 3% plus $0.25 per order in the U.S. |
Offsite Ads | 15% on orders from Etsy's offsite ads for shops under $10,000 a year (12% above), capped at $100 per order |
Sources: Etsy fees policy and Etsy's Offsite Ads help page, checked October 2026. Etsy's fee page no longer lists a fixed setup amount, so check what your setup screen shows.
Step 3: Set Up Your Shop
Create an Etsy account and choose "Sell on Etsy."
Pick a shop name that's short, easy to spell and not tied to one product, so you can grow.
Set your shop preferences: language, country (United States) and currency (USD).
Add payment details: Etsy Payments needs your bank account and identity information.
Write your shop policies: processing time, returns, and personalization rules.
Add an About section with who you are and how you make things. Buyers like a real person behind the shop.
Step 4: Price for Profit
Use this formula so you don't end up busy and broke:
Price = materials + (hours × your hourly rate) + Etsy fees + packaging + shipping
Then compare with similar listings. If your formula price is far above the market, simplify the product or choose a different one. Underpricing to get first sales trains buyers to expect low prices and leaves no room for fees.
Offering free shipping? Build the shipping cost into the item price, and remember the 6.5% transaction fee applies to the whole order total.
Step 5: Create Listings That Get Found
Write titles and tags buyers search for
Etsy search reads your title and tags. Use the words a buyer would type: "personalized dog name ornament," not "Rufus's Holiday Joy."
Put the main phrase first in the title.
Use all 13 tags, each a different buyer phrase.
Fill in every attribute (color, occasion, material); they help search too.
