4 ms·

Is selling something on Etsy ever a good idea? How to know if there is demand?

• giantg2 6y ago
  It can be. It's not passive income since you have to make and ship the items. If you see other items similar to yours, then there is likely demand. If you don't, then you could experiment by making a few and listing them.
  • mrfusion 6y ago
    Thanks. I was thinking of selling wooden benches but would the shipping be ridiculous? Are there any shipping hacks to keep it affordable?
    • giantg2 6y ago
      Not really. You can work with the shipping companies to get the rates lowered if you're shipping as a small business instead of an individual, but it won't help much. You might be better off selling them at craft shows or selling on consignment through a local small business.
    • jthistle 6y ago
      This shipping hack may apply, or it may not. Search for a local warehouse that provides order fulfillment services and see if you can have them ship your benches. A place like that ships enough packages they can usually get lower shipping rates than other businesses. I own a company like that in Ohio. With my rates it costs perhaps $30 to ship a gaming PC to California... for an individual it might cost $75.
  • akudha 6y ago
    Doesn't Etsy let you sell digital products too? That could be passive, isn't it?
    • giantg2 6y ago
      I'm not sure. That would be good though.