The TRUTH about Etsy Print on Demand | 5 Things I Wish I Knew

This video is about the five things the speaker wishes they knew before starting print on demand on Etsy, including the amount of work required, the importance of responding quickly to customer messages, the challenging setup process, and the fees associated with using Etsy and print-on-demand fulfillment services.

This video by Greg Gottfried was published on Jun 4, 2023.
Video length: 07:06.

The video is about the truth of selling print-on-demand products on Etsy.

The speaker, who has been a print-on-demand seller for almost 10 years, shares five things they wish they knew before starting print-on-demand on Etsy. These five things include the amount of work required compared to selling on other print-on-demand websites, the constant need to respond to customer messages quickly, the challenging setup process on Etsy, the fees associated with listing on Etsy, and the upfront cost of goods when using a third-party print-on-demand fulfillment service.

The speaker ultimately stopped selling on Etsy due to these factors.

• Selling print on demand on Etsy requires more work compared to selling on print-on-demand specific websites.
• Etsy sellers receive a lot of messages from potential customers, even if they haven't made a purchase yet.
• The setup process on Etsy to sell print on demand is more challenging than on print-on-demand specific websites.
• Etsy charges a listing fee of 20 cents per listing, which can add up when you have hundreds or thousands of designs uploaded.
• Print-on-demand fulfillment services are free to use and integrate, but you have to pay the upfront cost of goods for each order.

The TRUTH about Etsy Print on Demand | 5 Things I Wish I Knew - YouTube

Amount of Work Required

• Selling print on demand on Etsy requires more work compared to selling on print-on-demand specific websites.
• Tasks such as finding and setting up a third-party print-on-demand fulfillment service, nurturing customer reviews, and managing customer service are time-consuming.
• Etsy is an entire marketplace, not a print-on-demand specific website, which adds to the workload.

Importance of Responding Quickly to Customer Messages

• Etsy sellers receive a lot of messages from potential customers, even if they haven't made a purchase yet.
• Etsy monitors response time, and it affects how well you rank on the platform.
• Putting frequently asked questions in the product description doesn't eliminate the need for customer messages.
• As your business grows on Etsy, you'll spend more time glued to your phone, responding to messages promptly.

Challenging Setup Process

• The setup process on Etsy to sell print on demand is more challenging than on print-on-demand specific websites.
• Etsy is not an actual print-on-demand website; it's a marketplace where you handle print-on-demand fulfillment.
• You need to integrate with a third-party print-on-demand fulfillment service like Printful or Printify.
• Learning how to use Etsy and the third-party fulfillment service adds to the learning curve for new sellers.

The TRUTH about Etsy Print on Demand | 5 Things I Wish I Knew - YouTube

Fees Associated with Etsy and Print-on-Demand Fulfillment Services

• Etsy charges a listing fee of 20 cents per listing, which can add up when you have hundreds or thousands of designs uploaded.
• Other print-on-demand websites have no fees for uploading designs.
• Print-on-demand fulfillment services are free to use and integrate, but you have to pay the upfront cost of goods for each order.
• When someone places an order on Etsy, you're charged the cost of goods, and you receive the purchase price from the customer, keeping the profit in between.

The TRUTH about Etsy Print on Demand

• On Etsy, you have to handle the cost of goods and put a card on file to pay for it, unlike other print-on-demand websites where you simply receive a split of the profit.
• Responding quickly to customer messages is crucial when selling print on demand on Etsy.
• The setup process for print on demand on Etsy can be challenging.
• There are fees associated with using Etsy and print-on-demand fulfillment services.
• Sales tax can become messy when selling on Etsy, as you are technically buying a product from the print-on-demand fulfillment service and reselling it to an Etsy customer.

Watch the video on YouTube:
The TRUTH about Etsy Print on Demand | 5 Things I Wish I Knew - YouTube