Thinking of starting an online lifestyle business on Etsy and looking for some etsy shop ideas?
It’s a fantastic business model so you’re definitely on the right track.
Etsy is known for its creative and unique crafty, homemade feel, so if you love to craft, then Etsy is most definitely the right place for you.
However, if like me, you don’t have a crafting bone in your body, is it still worth looking at Etsy as an option to start your lifestyle business?
The answer is categorically Yes.
These days you can get started for free on Etsy with nothing more than an Etsy store, access to Google and a Canva account!
Here are 126 Etsy shop ideas you can start today!
Canva Templates Etsy Shop Ideas
Digital printable Canva templates are all the rage right now.
Not only on Etsy though. You’ll find sellers on Instagram, TikTok & Facebook.
Quick & easy to set up, even for non-creatives like me, Canva gives you all the tools you need to create practical and useful checklists & templates.
The beauty is that there are no tangible products involved. All the files are online and downloadable, so you can scale infinitely with no shipping costs or time.
Popular designs include;
1. Canva Business Template Kits
2. Canva Webinar Slides
3. Canva Ebook Templates
4. Canva Planner Templates
5. Canva Lead Magnet Templates
6. Canva Social Media Templates
Wall Art Etsy Shop Ideas
Wall art is a super popular category on Etsy with over 7.5 million monthly searches.
You can create a wall art Etsy shop in one of three ways;
- Create your own paintings and sell them on Etsy (for the avid Van Goghs amongst us)
- Integrate your Etsy store with a print on demand platform such as Printful and create your listings from your wall art designs (more on print on demand below)
- Sell wall art as digital printables buyers can download and print themselves
Print on demand (POD) is a service whereby a POD company offers a range of blank products for you to add designs too. These can include t-shirts, hats, mugs, socks, wall art, and much more.
The only time a product gets manufactured is once a buyer purchases the product online. Your design is then printed onto the product and shipped out to the buyer.
It’s a great business model as you don’t have to purchase or hold any stock upfront. Simply upload your designs and let the POD company do the rest.
Popular Wall Art Etsy Shops Include;
7. Downloadable Printable Wall Photo prints
8. Downloadable Printable Motivational Quote Wall Prints
9. Playroom & Nursery Wall Art for Children
10. Abstract or Wooden Wall Art
11. Gallery Wall Print Sets
12. Metal & Glass Wall Art
Digital Printable Coloring Product Ideas
The idea of adult coloring books has been around for a while now and how meditative they are by the way!
However, it’s not just coloring books that sell on Etsy, here are some popular designs and ideas which you could easily specialize in and start an Etsy shop around;
13. Downloadable Adult Coloring Books & Pages
14. Kids Coloring Books & Pages
15. Printable Coloring Bookmarks
16. Printable Coloring Calendars
17. Coloring Placemats
18. Coloring Gift Cards
Public Domain Paintings Etsy Shop Ideas
This one is for the non-artists amongst us!
Imagine being able to download the most beautiful and even famous paintings online and sell them on Etsy!
Well, guess what? You can!
Public domain images are images that are not covered by copyright and that you can use free online for personal or commercial purposes.
This basically means you can download a copy of Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ or Da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’, and sell them on Etsy in different formats.
Here are some Etsy shop ideas for historical public domain paintings;
19. Historical Painting Packs
20. Historical Painting Wall Prints
21. Historical Painting Digital Paper
22. Historical Junk Journal Printables
23. Historical Painting Craft Supplies & Printables
Public Domain Photos Etsy Shop Ideas
It doesn’t just have to be historical paintings, however. There are thousands of images available on public domain sites.
Websites such as shutterstock.com, unsplash.com, free-images.com, pixabay.com, and publicdomainpictures.net, all offer public domain images that can be used for personal or commercial purposes.
Here are some fabulous Etsy shop ideas using public domain images;
24. Public Domain Photo Wall Prints
25. Public Domain Collage Photo Kits
26. Public Domain Digital Photo Paper
27. Vintage Public Domain Photo Kits
28. Vintage Public Domain Photo Wall Prints
29. Public Domain Vintage Art Packs
30. Vintage Postage Stamps
31. Vintage Wallpaper
Sticker Shop Ideas
Stickers are huge on Etsy! Over 2.2 million results pop up on a search for ‘stickers’.
They’re also crazy easy to create and list, especially if you create printable stickers which buyers can print directly onto sticker paper and cut out at home. Fun for all the family!
Many households now have a Cricut machine that can cut precision shapes through lots of different materials including paper, sticky paper, vinyl and some even do fabric and wood.
Hence there are lots of Cricut sticker products selling on Etsy also.
Here are some fab sticker Etsy shop ideas;
32. Printable Planner Cricut Stickers
33. Printable Motivational Cricut Stickers
34. Floral Cricut Stickers
35. Kids Cricut Stickers
36. Printable Cricut Blank Stickers
37. Printable Sticker Bundles
Labels Etsy Shop Ideas
Following on from the sticker ideas, you can also create labels for specific products or events using the same strategy.
Simply create the labels in Canva, and make them available on Etsy as SVG or PNG files for buyers to print off. Or you could also create them as templates buyers can download and amend specific to their needs.
Here are some label Etsy store ideas;
38. Labels for Candles
39. Labels for Kitchens or Pantries
40. Labels for personalized Champagne or Wine Bottles
41. Hand Sanitizer Labels
42. Gift Tag Labels for Presents
43. Gimmick Labels for Special Events such as Halloween, Christmas, Weddings etc.
Printable Greeting Cards Ideas
Next on our list of Etsy business ideas are greeting cards.
If you’re a crafter you might like to make these at home and create a physical greetings card business, or once again you can go down the printable route and let the buyer print the card directly.
Here are some great greetings card Etsy shop ideas;
44. Christmas Cards
45. Baby Shower Cards
46. Anniversary cards
47. Wedding Cards
48. Birthday Cards
Birthday Party Etsy Shop Ideas
It doesn’t just stop at Birthday cards, however.
Birthday parties are one of the best Etsy shop ideas as they are big business on the platform with almost 2 million monthly searches.
You could either set up a store specializing in all things Birthdays or break it down to cover specific areas like cards, banners, or tableware.
As with several of the other ideas here, you can create a physical product store, meaning you actually create, sell & ship ready-made products, or you can go down the super fast and low-cost digital printable route.
Here are some fantastic Birthday Party Etsy shop ideas;
49. Printable Birthday Party Banners
50. Printable Birthday Party Hats
51. Printable Party Favor Bag Tags
52. Birthday Party Signs
53. Birthday Party Invitations
54. Birthday Party Tableware
55. Printable Birthday Party Games
Wedding Etsy Shop Ideas
Another hugely popular event niche on Etsy is weddings with over 6 million results from the search term ‘weddings’.
From wedding dresses to handmade backdrops and even wedding rings the products available are varied, however, you could start a wedding Esty shop today by focusing on smaller items that can be instantly downloaded such as;
56. Wedding Invitations
57. Wedding Bag Favor Tags
58. Wedding Menus
59. Wedding Programs
60. Wedding Welcome Signs
61. Wedding Seating Plan Signs
Please note I could go on here and add hundreds more ideas for baby showers, anniversaries, special occasions, etc, but I think you get the idea by now!
Kids Activities & Games Ideas
How about creating an Etsy store around kids’ games and activities?
Lending itself massively to digital printables, the most popular activity kits are for road trips (obviously), but there are lots of other Etsy store niches you could specialize in including;
62. Printable Matching Games
63. Flash Card Games
64. Scavenger (Treasure) Hunts
65. Chore Checklists
66. Family Trivia Night Sheets
67. Mothers Day Games
68. Charade Games
69. Escape Room Games
Adult Activities & Games Etsy Shop Ideas
Who said only kids could have all the fun! A huge niche on Etsy is adult activities and games. Here are some of the best;
70. Bingo Games
71. Family Quiz Games
72. Murder Mystery Packs
73. Couple Coupon Books
74. Date Night Cards
75. Drinking Games
76. Adults Only Trivia Games
77. Adults Only Risque Games (XXX – for the more adventurous amongst us!)
Digital Printable Board Games Ideas
Lastly, in the games niche, you could also create an Etsy store or stores selling all manner of printable board games including;
78. Printable Monopoly Templates
79. Make Your Own Board Game Printable
80. Snakes & Ladders
Craft Supplies Etsy Product Ideas
Craft supplies is one of the biggest categories on Etsy with over 11 million results popping up for the search term.
I could potentially include hundreds of different ideas, but I’m going to focus once again on ideas you can start today for free using just Google and Canva!
81. Downloadable Sewing Project Planners
82. Downloadable Sewing & Embroidery Patterns
83. Downloadable Quilt & Crochet Patterns
84. Downloadable Paint by Numbers Kit
85. Printable Bottle Cap Images
86. Printable Crafting Kits
Junk Journal Product Ideas
Junk journals are also a big crafting niche on Etsy and there are many Etsy sellers offering handmade journals or the supplies to go in them.
They are what they say on the tin and are basically journals crafted from old paper, ribbons, fabrics, and anything else which looks vintage or distressed.
Once again, however, you could start by using some of the public domain images we discussed earlier and offering vintage or historical printables Etsy shoppers can download and add to their junk journals.
Here are some of the products you could offer;
87. Junk Journal Pages
88. Junk Journal Tabs
89. Junk Journal Quotes
90. Junk Journal Bookmarks
Travel Digital Printable Etsy Store Ideas
Onto my favorite subject and most definitely the niche I will start with when I launch my Etsy store; travel!
Focusing again on the instant printable product route, here are some Etsy business ideas for the travel niche;
91. Printable Travel Checklist
92. Printable Travel Journal Kits
93. Printable RV or Campervan Checklist
94. World Trip Activity Packs for Adults & Kids
95. Editable Plane Tickets or Boarding Passes for Gifts
96. Printable Flight Records
97. Printable Luggage Tags
Inspirational Products Etsy Shop Ideas
Inspirational products are on the rise across the web and amongst Etsy shop owners. Since the pandemic, people want more motivation and inspiration than ever.
Posters, banners, stickers, wall art, and inspirational quote t-shirts, have all increased in numbers over the last couple of years.
Type in the word ‘inspiration’ in Etsy and over 1 million results pop up.
Here are some great ideas for products to sell on Etsy to inspire your buyers!
98. Printable Journal Prompts
99. Inspirational Mugs
100. Printable Quote Cards & Calendars
101. Printable Spiritual/Religious Cards & Notes
102. Printable Affirmation Cards
103. Hoodies & T-Shirts with Inspirational Messages
104. Bracelets & Necklaces
105. Inspirational Gifts
Student Digital Printable Etsy Shop Ideas
As I write this my daughter is going through her high school exams. Armed with her iPad she’s downloading all sorts of digital products to help her study.
Here are some printable and digital ideas for Etsy store products to sell to students;
106. Printable Lecture Notes
107. Printable & Digital Study Planners (Goodnotes)
108. Printable Mind Maps
109. Digital Flashcards (Goodnotes)
Goodnotes Digital Products
Talking about digital products, this is a fantastic and versatile Etsy shop idea all on its own.
If you’re proficient with an iPad and either Goodnotes or Notability, you can create many of the printable and downloadable planners, journals, and templates I’ve mentioned throughout the article as digital products.
110. Digital Planners
111. Digital Journals
112. Digital Notebooks
113. Digital Notebook Covers
114. Digital Stickers
Branding & Website Graphics Digital Printable Ideas
I was surprised to find so many website themes and graphics available for sale on Etsy.
I’d always categorized these as ‘techie stuff’ only available from verified Shopify or Wix app providers, but if web design is your jam, then selling your themes and designs on Etsy could be another way of driving traffic to your offers.
Here are some great ideas for setting up Etsy stores selling website and brand design;
115. Editable Etsy Shop Branding Kits
116. Shopify Themes
117. Wix Themes
118. WordPress Themes
119. Editable Logos
120. YouTube Branding Kits
121. Instagram Story Highlight Icons
122. Instagram Post Templates
Jewelry Supplies Etsy Shop Idea
Jewelry supplies are huge on Etsy, but unless you’re willing to fork out cash and order earring studs, jewelry pliers, or vintage jewelry beads it’s tough to get started straight away selling physical jewelry supplies.
However, would you believe there are some printable jewelry supplies products available!
Here are some product ideas to get you started;
123. Jewelry Product Catalog Templates
124. Jewelry Care Templates
125. Printable Bracelet & Ring Sizers
126. Jewelry Organizer Printable Sewing Pattern
Etsy Shop Ideas Summary & How to Get Started
That’s a lot of ideas to help you get started and I haven’t even really scratched the surface.
There are over 60 million items for sale on Etsy which proves just how popular the platform is.
Your best bet is to think about what interests you and where you believe you could add some value.
For example, my love is firmly in the travel & business niches, so I wouldn’t waste my time researching how to sell vintage items or baking supplies for example.
I would only consider selling items in the travel or business niche, which reduces the types of products I could sell considerably.
Here’s how to get started;
- Choose your niche
- Decide which model(s) you’d like to pursue – physical products, print on demand or printables
- Make a list of best selling products within your niche that meet your model requirements
- Create or outsource the creation of your products
- Create your Etsy store & list your products!
- See my blog post “How to Make Money on Etsy” for step-by-step instructions on setting up your store and promoting your products.
The most important thing is to simply get started. Stop thinking and start doing!
Good luck with your Etsy store!
Etsy Shop Ideas FAQ’s
How Do I Choose What to Sell on Etsy?
Choosing what to sell on Etsy depends on your niche and your business model. Selling physical handmade products is very different from going down the print on demand or printable route.
First, choose your niche, then decide your model, and then research what’s already selling well.
Of course, you’ll be tempted to come up with a brand new idea no one’s ever thought of before, but the chances are you’ll have better luck simply adding your own unique flair to an already best-selling item.
What Sells Well on Etsy
The best selling niches on Etsy are;
- Home Decor
- Vintage Products
- Craft Supplies
- Wedding products
- Jewelry Supplies
If none of these is your niche, don’t let that put you off. You only need a small portion of the 90 million buyers on Etsy to purchase your products and you’ll generate a fantastic monthly lifestyle income.
What’s the Perfect Etsy shop idea?
There is no perfect Etsy store idea.
In fact, there is no perfect business idea. Use the information available to guide you and see what’s already selling well by researching the best sellers in your niche.
Then create something better! Always remember you get out what you put in.
How Much Does it Cost to Set up an Etsy Shop?
Setting up your Etsy store is completely free. Etsy will charge you $0.20 for each product listed and then 5% of your sales.
As you can see, if you choose printables or even print on demand, it’s perfectly feasible to get started on Etsy today for free!