How To Make Money Selling Printables?

Do you have a knack for creating beautiful designs or writing informative content? If so, you could turn your creativity into a money-making opportunity by selling printables online.

The great thing about selling printables is that once you create the design, you can sell it repeatedly without any additional work or costs. It’s a simple way to earn passive income by sharing your creativity with others.

Many people are looking for printables to help them organize their lives, plan events, or just for fun activities. You can help them people and make money selling printables to them.

Whether you’re an artist, designer, or just someone with a knack for creating useful printables, you can start making money with printables by selling them online.

What Is Printables?

Printables are digital files that people can download and print for their personal use, such as worksheets, planners, art prints, or templates.

what is printables

The best part about selling printables is that it’s a low-cost business idea. You don’t need to worry about manufacturing, inventory, or shipping physical products. All you need is a computer, design skills (or the ability to create valuable written content), and a platform to sell your digital files.

With the rise of online entrepreneurship and the growing demand for digital products, selling printables has become a popular way for creative individuals to earn extra income or even build a full-time business from the comfort of their homes.

Types of Printables

There are various types of printables that can be sold to make money. These include:

  • Printables for kids: coloring pages, flashcards, chore charts, activity books, schoolwork, back-to-school signs, reward coupons, and more.
  • Wedding printables: wedding invitations, save-the-dates, bachelorette party games, photo booth props, wedding planners, labels for wedding favors, bridal shower games, table numbers, place cards, etc.
  • Holiday printables: holiday party invitations, gift tags, holiday planners, holiday greeting cards, party games, advent calendars, etc.
  • Planner printables: academic planners, home planners, personal finance planners, meal planners, business planners, emergency planners, etc.
  • Tracker printables: habit trackers, fitness trackers, weight loss trackers, budget trackers, debt payoff trackers, savings trackers, reading trackers, baby milestone trackers, cleaning trackers, etc.
  • Art and decor printables: art prints, photography prints, stickers, quote wall art, nursery wall art, kitchen wall art, laundry wall art, etc.
  • Miscellaneous printables: adult coloring pages, guided journals, stationery, gift coupons, recipe cards, greeting cards, ideas for custom mugs, etc.

How To Make Money Selling Printables Online?

How To Make Money Selling Printables?

To sell printables online and make money with them, you need to follow these steps:

Step 1 – Create High-Quality Printables

Creating high-quality printables involves several key steps to ensure that your final product is both visually appealing and functional.

  1. First, know why you’re making the printable. What’s it for? Who will use it? Knowing this helps you plan what should go into it.
  2. Use a good design program like Canva or Adobe Illustrator. Learn how to use the tools to make things look professional.
  3. Pick easy-to-read fonts that match the printable’s purpose. Don’t use too many different font styles.
  4. Add high-quality images and graphics that fit the topic. You can find free images online.
  5. Choose 2-3 main colors that look nice together and have good contrast so the text is readable.
  6. Line everything up neatly and leave some empty space so it doesn’t look cramped.
  7. Keep it simple – don’t overload with too much stuff. White space helps it look clean.
  8. Test it out by printing a copy or viewing it on devices. Fix any mistakes.
  9. If needed, provide clear step-by-step instructions with pictures on how to use it.
  10. Save as a PDF or image file to print easily. Share online or email to others.

Step 2 – Choose The Right Platform

Picking the best website to sell your printables is important for business success. There are different marketplaces made just for digital products like printables. Here are some things to consider:

  1. User base – Think about who uses the website and if they match your target customer.
  2. Fees – Look at all the fees for listing, transactions, etc., and find the most affordable option.
  3. Customization – Some sites let you customize your storefront more than others. Decide if that’s important.
  4. Marketing tools – Many sites offer tools to help promote your products like SEO, analytics, etc.
  5. Competition – Check how many other printables are listed and if yours can stand out. More competitors aren’t always bad though.
  6. Integrations – See if the site connects easily to other tools you use like email marketing.
  7. Reputation – Read reviews about the site from other sellers.
  8. Technical requirements – Make sure it supports your printable file types and sizes securely.
  9. Customer support – Having reliable support is helpful when issues come up.
  10. Scalability – Choose a platform that can grow with your business over time.

some popular platforms for selling printables include:

  1. Etsy: A well-established marketplace for handmade and vintage items, Etsy offers a dedicated section for printables. It has a large user base and strong brand recognition, but also higher fees compared to other platforms.
  2. Creative Market: A platform specifically designed for creative entrepreneurs, Creative Market offers various customization options and a user-friendly interface. It has a smaller user base than Etsy but a stronger focus on digital products.
  3. Sellfy: An eCommerce platform tailored for digital products, Sellfy offers flexible pricing plans, customizable storefronts, and robust marketing tools. It has a lower transaction fee compared to Etsy and Creative Market.
  4. Gumroad: A platform that allows creators to sell digital products directly to customers, Gumroad offers a simple, user-friendly interface and low fees. However, it lacks some of the advanced features and customization options found on other platforms.
  5. Shopify: A comprehensive eCommerce platform, Shopify allows you to create a fully customizable online store for your printables. It offers various payment gateways, shipping integrations, and marketing tools, but also has a higher monthly subscription fee.

Step 3 – Setup Your Online Store

The process of setting up your online store to sell printables is almost the same so here I am explaining how to set up your Etsy store to sell your printables online.

set online store to sell printable

Create an Etsy account

  • Go to Etsy.com and sign up for an account.
  • Choose a username and password that reflects your brand and is easy to remember.
  • Fill out your profile information, including your name, email address, and location.

Set up your shop

  • Click on “Shop” in the top navigation menu and select “Open a Shop.”
  • Choose a shop name that aligns with your brand and is easy to find.
  • Add a profile picture and cover photo to your shop page.
  • Write a brief description of your shop and what kind of printables you offer.
  • Set up your payment method, such as PayPal or credit card.

Create listings for your printables

  • Click on “Listings” in the top navigation menu and select “Add a Listing.”
  • Choose “Digital” as the type of listing and select “Printable” as the subcategory.
  • Enter details about your printable, such as title, description, pricing, and file format.
  • Upload your printable file(s) to Etsy.
  • Choose whether you want to offer instant download or delayed download (where the buyer has to wait for you to send them the file).
  • Select “Save and Continue” to proceed to the next step.

Set up your print-on-demand options (optional)

  • If you want to offer printables that can be printed on demand, you can integrate a print-on-demand (POD) service with your Etsy shop.
  • Research POD services that work with Etsy, such as Gelato, Printful, or Society6.
  • Sign up for an account with the POD service and connect it to your Etsy shop.
  • Configure your POD settings, such as pricing and shipping, within your Etsy shop.

Optimize your listings for SEO

  • Make sure your listing titles, descriptions, and tags accurately describe your printables and contain relevant keywords.
  • Use high-quality images that showcase your printables in the best light possible.
  • Consider offering variations of your printables, such as different sizes or colors, to increase visibility and appeal to more buyers.

Promote your shop

  • Share your shop on social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
  • Collaborate with other Etsy sellers or influencers in your niche to cross-promote each other’s shops.
  • Offer promotions, discounts, or freebies to attract new customers and encourage repeat business.
  • Utilize Etsy’s advertising options, such as promoted listings and sponsored ads, to reach a wider audience.

Benefits of Selling Printables

Benefits of Selling Printables

These are the benefits of selling printables online.

Easy to Create and Sell

Selling printables online is easy because they are digital products. Once you design a printable, you can sell it right away without any physical production, storage, or shipping. This means you don’t have to spend money on materials, rent for a store, or monthly fees for storing inventory.

Passive Income Opportunity

Selling printables online allows you to make passive income. After creating a printable, you can sell it an unlimited number of times with little extra effort. If your product becomes popular and gets good reviews, it can quickly make you a lot of money.

Versatility and Wide Audience

Printables can be used for many different purposes, such as planners, calendars, to-do lists, greeting cards, invitations, wall art, t-shirt designs, and printable models.

This versatility means you can target a wide range of people or focus on specific interests, depending on your marketing plan.

Global Market Access

By selling printables online, you can reach customers from all over the world. This increases the number of potential customers and ways for you to make money.

Flexibility and Convenience

Selling printables online is flexible and convenient for both the creator and the customer. As a creator, you can work from anywhere with an internet connection. Customers can buy and download printables instantly without waiting for shipping or dealing with physical products.

Best Tools To Design Printables (Free and Paid)

Free Tools To Design Printables

Free Tools To Design Printables
  1. Canva – A popular graphic design platform that offers a wide range of templates and design elements for creating printables such as flyers, brochures, invitations, and more.
  2. PicMonkey – A user-friendly design software with a drag-and-drop interface that’s ideal for beginners who want to create printables without any design experience.
  3. Creative Fabrica – Offers a vast library of free printable templates, including planners, calendars, wall art, and more.
  4. Photopea – A free online photo editor that also offers a range of printable templates, including invitations, gift certificates, and labels.
  5. iPiccy – A free online photo editor that provides a range of printable templates, including collages, cards, and banners.
  6. BeFunky – A free online photo editor that offers a range of printable templates, including cards, invitations, and social media graphics.
Paid Tools To Design Printables
  1. Adobe InDesign – A professional graphic design software that offers advanced features for creating complex printables, such as books, magazines, and catalogs.
  2. Affinity – A vector graphics editor that offers a range of features for creating detailed printables, including illustrations, icons, and typography.
  3. Photoshop – A powerful image editing software that can be used to create high-quality printables, including photos, illustrations, and designs.
  4. Planify Pro – Specifically designed for creating printable planner inserts.Offers various templates to kickstart your design process.

How Much Can I Make Selling Printables on Etsy?

Selling printables on Etsy can be a great way to make money. People who are just starting out can make around $500 per month, while those who have been doing it for a while can make over $5,000 per month.

How much you make selling printables depends on things like what kind of printables you sell, how well you market them, and how many people want to buy them.

To make the most money, it’s important to price your printables correctly and choose a popular niche. You should also use words that people might search for when they’re looking for printables like yours in your title and description. This will help more people find and buy your products.

Other ways to increase sales include offering a variety of different printables, using design tools like Canva or Creative Market, and sharing your products on sites like Pinterest. By doing these things, you can make even more money and get more people interested in your products.

What Printables Sell Best On Etsy?

Here are some printables that sell best on Etsy:

  • Planners (daily, weekly, monthly, meal planning, habit tracking, financial planning)
  • Customizable templates (resume, business cards, wedding invitations)
  • Crochet, sewing, and knitting patterns
  • Worksheets (educational, journal prompts)
  • Coloring pages (themed, adult coloring books)
  • Flashcards (alphabet, sight words, multiplication tables)
  • Weekly chore and reward charts
  • Digital planners (Goodnotes, Notability)
  • Cleaning planner bundles (Ultimate Cleaning Schedule Bundle)
  • Bridal shower games bundles (100 Bridal Shower Games Bundle)

Note:

Before you start selling your printables, it’s crucial to understand copyright laws and how they apply to your digital products. The U.S. Copyright Office provides valuable information on copyright for visual arts, which includes many types of printables. Familiarizing yourself with these laws can help protect your work and ensure you’re operating your business legally.

FAQs

How To Earn Passive Income With Printables?

With printables, you can create a design once and sell it multiple times. This means you can earn money passively, without having to constantly monitor your shop or spend hours working each day.

Can You Make Money Selling Printables on Etsy?

Yes, it is possible to make money selling printables on Etsy. The key to success is creating high-quality, unique printables that appeal to a specific niche.

Final Thoughts

Selling printables is a straightforward way to earn extra cash from your creativity. Instead of making physical products, you create digital files that customers can download and print themselves.

This approach cuts out many costs and hassles associated with traditional product sales. While it takes some upfront effort to design appealing printables and set up an online store, once you’ve done the groundwork, you can keep earning from the same digital files over and over again.

The key is to offer unique, high-quality designs that solve problems or bring joy to your customers. With patience, marketing savvy, and a passion for your niche, selling printables can blossom into a lucrative side hustle or even a full-time business venture.

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