Ep 207 | Make More Money Selling These POD Products – with HeatherXStudio

Summary

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Podcast Summary:

How to Sell Your Stuff on Etsy
Episode 207 | Make More Money Selling These POD Products – with HeatherXStudio
Host: Lizzie Smiley
Guest: Heather (HeatherXStudio)
Release Date: November 13, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the latest trends, strategies, and practical advice for making more money on Etsy with Print on Demand (POD) products as we head into 2026. Host Lizzie Smiley interviews Heather from HeatherXStudio, a top 1% Etsy seller and coach, who surprises with her data-backed insights on what products are emerging as bestsellers. The conversation covers what’s hot for this holiday season, important predictions for 2026, pricing strategies, niche market opportunities, and powerful productivity tools for Etsy sellers of all stages.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Hottest Print on Demand Products for the Holidays (08:22–11:55)

• Ornaments:
  • "Ornaments sell just so well in the holiday season." (Heather, 08:53)
  • Sell year-round, with strong sub-niches: new homeowners, maternity, pregnancy reveals.
  • Product tip: Acrylic (glass-like) ornaments trending higher than ceramic; print quality is often better.
• Cutting Boards:
  • "Cutting boards are very big. It’s like multiple millions of dollars the market has on Etsy." (Heather, 10:19)
  • Both engravable wood and printed glass cutting boards are popular, with high profit margins ($15+/sale).
  • Stained glass style graphics are a current hot trend.
• Custom Wrapping Paper:
  • Solid seasonal performer; “last-minute” personalized gifts.
• Market Insights:
  • These categories are less saturated than apparel, and offer solid year-over-year growth.

2. Pricing Strategies for POD Products (12:01–17:22)

• Ornaments: Don’t compete strictly on price with handmade sellers (who can undercut on cost). Instead, confidently price for profit and focus on quality.
  • Ceramic: Production cost ~$4–$5, recommend listing at $14.99.
  • Acrylic/Glass: Higher production cost (~$10), recommend $19.99+.
  • "Don’t be afraid to price higher... customers will attribute your price to the quality and the end result." (Heather, 13:59)
• Apparel: Aim for "middle-of-the-market" median pricing to balance perceived quality and sales volume.

3. Product Deep-Dives:

• Cutting Boards (17:39–19:08):
  • Printify now supports both engraved wood and glass cutting boards.
  • Glass cutting boards allow vibrant designs—stained glass effect is trending.
  • Higher profit per sale compared to t-shirts; fewer sales needed for the same income.
  • "The profit margin for glass cutting boards is insane. Even for engravable cutting boards, you can easily have well over $15 profit per sale." (Heather, 18:21)
• Phone Cases & Tech Accessories (29:33–37:44):
  • Heather’s experiment: 100 phone case listings → 20+ orders in 30 days, scaling to 100+ sales/month.
  • Lower competition, rapidly growing market, and entry point for new sellers.
  • "Is phone cases the new product I should design for? ...I saw so much success in phone cases." (Heather, 32:14)
  • Tech accessories and home decor are set to be leading print on demand categories in 2026.

4. Shifts in POD Market: Apparel vs. Everything Else (26:33–38:08)

• Apparel still sells, but competition is fierce and discovery tougher for new entrants.
• Home décor and tech accessories (e.g., phone cases, drinkware, cutting boards) are less saturated, more profitable, and where new sellers find faster success.
• "For some sellers, going into t-shirts is just not it right now." (Heather, 35:26)
• 38% of Etsy’s Q4 2024 sales were home décor. (36:53)

5. Effective Market Research & Tools (19:16–25:02)

• Profit Tree:
  • Budget-friendly all-in-one profit and data tracker; integrates with Printify, calculates real-time profit, expenses, and ad ROI.
  • Includes “Etsy Radar” Chrome extension for real-time marketplace trends and sales stats directly in search results.
  • "I was just blown away… this is so cool to see in the past week." (Heather, 24:25)
• Compared to higher-priced monthly tools, Profit Tree is recommended for new and budget-conscious sellers.

6. Mockups for Newer POD Product Types (40:07–44:41)

• New Products, New Mockup Needs:
  • Find distinctive mockups on Etsy (e.g., shop “Impavi Mockups”).
  • Custom mockups: Use Canva, Kittl, or AI (ChatGPT) for unique images.
  • Etsy’s algorithm favors distinctive main thumbnails—avoid using the same popular mockups as everyone else.
  • "AI images come out beautifully… I was so against AI for the longest time… But now… they are just out of this world." (Heather, 45:06)
  • Avoid mockups with fingers/hands, as AI still sometimes struggles with realism.

7. Getting Started & Mindset (47:23–54:08)

• Open your shop now—shop age increases trust in Etsy’s algorithm, and startup fees always rise.
• Action over perfection: First listing can be “garbage”—just get started.
  • "Your first listing, you’re probably going to delete or deactivate… might as well just get it over." (Heather, 50:03)
• Focus on consistent output, not instant results:
  • Daily/weekly listing uploads over months build momentum.
  • Quality and quantity both matter, but don’t compare your output to veteran sellers—just move forward!
  • "Focus on output and not something that’s out of your control—the listings you create matters most." (Heather, 53:25)
• Overcome “Perfectionitis”: Don’t get stuck in the learning phase—take imperfect action.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the future of POD:
  “We are at a stage of a new era of print on demand.” (Heather, 08:13)
• On diversifying away from apparel:
  "Home decor is a big one that you can break into… so much less saturated." (Heather, 36:39)
  "For someone new coming to the table, this is just so fascinating." (Lizzie, 39:05)
• On Profit Tree:
  "Profit Tree...was the easiest setup I've ever done. I just integrated my Etsy shop and Printify, and it pulled the data automatically." (Heather, 23:52)
• On taking the leap:
  "The best time to start something new is yesterday. The second best time is today—this moment now." (Heather quoting another podcast, 48:19)
• On perfectionism:
  "Perfectionitis is just the tendency to not do anything because you feel like it's never going to be perfect enough." (Heather, 51:39)
• On her story and mindset:
  "The down payment [for our home] was money that I made from print on demand... you can make a life out of this." (Heather, 64:38)

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 08:22 – Top 3 trending holiday POD products
• 12:01 – Ornaments: pricing & profit margin advice
• 17:39 – Cutting boards: types, trends, high profits
• 19:16 – Using Profit Tree for real data and analytics
• 26:33 – 2026 predictions: market shifts away from apparel
• 29:33 – Heather’s phone case experiment, results, and process
• 36:44 – Home decor market stats; why shift focus from apparel
• 40:07 – Challenges & tips for mockups for new POD products
• 47:23 – How and why to start your Etsy shop now; overcoming perfectionism
• 64:38 – Real-life impact: buying a home with POD profits

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Action Steps & Tips for New and Growing Etsy POD Sellers

• Start early: Even if you’re not ready to go live, open your shop and post a simple listing to gain Etsy trust.
• List consistently: Focus on consistent uploads—aim for at least a listing per week to create momentum.
• Diversify out of apparel: Explore home décor, tech accessories, and other less saturated categories for higher chances of success.
• Invest in the right tools: Budget-friendly, real-time market tracking like Profit Tree can help you make data-based decisions from day one.
• Be unique in your presentation: Use distinctive mockups; avoid the “sea of sameness” for better algorithm placement.
• Accept imperfection: Launch before you’re ready; your first attempts don’t need to be flawless.
• Utilize educational resources: Start with free content (Heather’s crash course, Lizzie’s guides), and invest in focused courses when ready.

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Resources Mentioned

• Heather’s Links:
  • heatherxstudio.com (site, free Print on Demand crash course)
  • YouTube: HeatherXStudio
  • New “Mega Seller Programs” focused on tech accessories/home décor (details in episode links)
• Productivity Tools:
  • Profit Tree (with Etsy Radar Chrome extension)
  • Canva, Kittl for mockups and backgrounds
• Recommended Mockup Shop:
  • Impavi Mockups (for tech accessories)
• Book Mentioned:
  • The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schafler
• Podcast & Educational Offers:
  • Lizzie’s Six Figure Secrets beginner Etsy course (discount code in episode)
  • Weekly Trends & Opportunities Report (Lizzie’s membership)
  • Heather’s retiring Print on Demand Academy (final chance offer)

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Episode Tone and Closing

The conversation is supportive, practical, and sprinkled with humor and empathy, reflecting both Lizzie and Heather’s accessible style. The hosts emphasize that while success with Etsy and print on demand is absolutely possible, it requires staying up to date, being willing to pivot, persistence through imperfect action, and choosing the right product markets. They close with gratitude, encouragement, and actionable next steps for sellers at any stage.

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“You can do things and make a life out of this… Print on Demand and Etsy changed everything.”
—HeatherXStudio (64:44)

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Transcript

[A]

Hey, my name is Lizzie Smiley and.

[B]

I absolutely love helping people connect with.

[A]

Their calling and all the tools they need to kick roadblocks and excuses right out the door so they can cultivate.

[C]

The life they dream about.

[B]

If you want to launch, grow, pivot or scale your Etsy shop, or you've always wanted to develop the mindset and skills to run your own business, then I'm your girl. I've had that entrepreneurial spirit going strong since my very first lemonade stand and now I'm a work at home mama with multiple online companies and a full time Etsy shop. All while being present with my kids for the everyday chaos and most important milestones. On this podcast we'll talk about all things business, mindset, Etsy, creativity, dazzling our customers, and so much more.

[A]

There's plenty of room at this table.

[B]

For you, so scooch on in and let's go. I'm holding nothing back. Welcome to how to sell your stuff on Etsy. I'm so glad you're here.

[C]

Hey guys, welcome back to the podcast. I'm super excited to be chatting with my friend Heather today about all things print on demand. I I hope you are either brand new here, new to Print on Demand, or really looking to just build some momentum going into 2026. Like, to be honest, I went into this conversation with Heather expecting it to go a really different direction than it did. She had fascinating things to say. Like, as you guys know, I've played with print on demand but my strengths are really like handmade and digital products. So I've got like Cassie and Jenny and Heather that I talk to about the print on demand stuff. This was just like kind of shocking and exciting. So hopefully you have clicked play and you are excited to learn. I want to let you guys know that starting on November 18th is when my Black Friday deals are going to be launching and lots of things are going to be like insanely discounted. The coaching group is going to be opened at the discounting rate. If you've been really wanting to come in and get some more one on one help, be able to come to coaching calls, be able to be part of that community where people are unbelievably helpful. Like, the group will critique and give you suggestions on your shop and your listings. You can get help with AI prompts, you can get help with pr, like literally anything. Everyone in there is amazing. My staff and I are in there as well to help manage questions and make sure you've got all the support you need. It's just become the most lovely community. So those are some great things. Make sure you go click on the Black Friday link below. If there's some things you've been eyeing but you've been waiting for a discount, my memberships are not going to be part of it. So the transponding membership and the template drop are going to continue. They're, they're normal. Those are the only things that aren't on special but everything else is going to be. Have some fun things coming. So go click on that link and then for my new or like soon to be print on demand sellers, everyone needs this. But I really like come back to me and listen for a second. If you are kind of new to the Etsy space, I really want to make sure you know about this tool because when I first started on Etsy we didn't have like any additional tools that could help us. Okay. We had literally what was on Etsy.com and we had to, we had, it took a lot longer. We couldn't make database decisions as easily as we can. Now there is a tool called Profit Tree and Profit Tree integrates with your Etsy shop if you're in print in print on demand. I learned today from Heather that Profit Tree integrates with your Printify and it helps you with a bunch of different things. There's a lot of tools out there. The reason I want newbies to know about about Profit Tree is because it's the cheapest right now. They have a special where you can get lifetime access to their like basic tools for only one fee of $67 whereas everyone else on the market, you're having to pay a monthly subscription fee and you're going to exceed $67 within three months easily. So I want you to know about this because I need you to have tools to be able to make database decisions. And Profit Tree is the cheapest place for you to start. So here's some of the things that it does. I don't know if you ever watched Shark Tank. It's literally one of my favorite shows and I get, I honestly I can't watch it before bedtime because I get too hyped up. But you'll notice like on Shark Tank, the sharks ask these entrepreneurs what their numbers are. They want to know what their profit is. They want to know what their losses are. They want to know what their cost of goods sold are. They want to know what their ad spend is. They want to know all their I call it your Shark Tank numbers. And if you're anything like me, I am 43, almost 44 with undiagnosed ADHD and math and numbers are not my strong suit. And if you ask me to pull up an Excel spreadsheet, we're going to have a fist fight because I literally that my brain just does not work that way. But one of the things Profit Tree does is it first of all integrates with Printify. If you're doing print on demand or if you're doing handmade products or digital, you can enter in like the costs of the things that you paid for and you can if you're doing ad spend, it helps you make sure you're profitable on your ads and it gives you really easy on the eye like pie charts that help you understand what your profit is, what your net is, all of those numbers that are harder to do. The fact that you can get that for a one time fee blows my mind because it's ongoing. You'll have it going forward. And then recently they launched an additional tool that'll integrate with Etsy. And if you're doing search, if you're like in the search results and you're looking at, you're trying to come up with the next design that you want to create, the next listing you want to create, you can look at your competition and in the search, in the search results below, every listing will tell you how many times it has sold, how old the listing is, how much money it has made, how much it's making every single month. And that's how I as an established seller decide what to create next. I find out where are the newer listings that are killing it. Because if they're new listings and they're killing it, there's space in the market for me to create something like it or related to it and also have good results. So when you hear Etsy coaches or people in the Facebook groups talk about making data based decisions, that's the kind of thing you want to follow, what the trends and the sales data is pointing you to. Profit Tree is amazing. So I'm going to go ahead and link a little tutorial in the show notes. I'm going to link Hannah's free ads masterclass. So if you want to learn about running Etsy ads, that's going to be down there for you. And then also my special link for the lifetime access fee. I just, I want you guys, if you're newer and you're coming to se to know about this because one of the biggest complaints I get is Lizzie, how am I supposed to be successful if I can't afford any of these tools. And so this is one of those that, that people can afford, they're more likely to than the monthly memberships. Check it out, learn more. Let's talk Print on Demand because I'm excited for you to be as wowed as I just was talking to Heather. To be honest, we were on here way longer than our just recording. It's been so good catching up with her. She is such a wealth of wisdom. Just one of my favorite people to speak to in the Etsy space to just put our heads together and talk through what's happen happening. So if you don't know Heather yet, you probably, if you're on YouTube. She's all over YouTube. She's got a huge channel. She's a top 1% Etsy and print on Demand seller. So Print on demand expert, multiple six figure Etsy store owner. She went from 0 to 250,000 in sales in revenue in 2021. She's been featured on Printify, Success Stories, Upflip and the side Hustle podcast. And then she has an Etsy, print on demand, YouTube and TikTok coach that has taught multiple students to earn five figures and beyond with Etsy and Print on Demand. So she has incredible success stories with her students. She's creating mega sellers left and right. She's always cutting edge of what's happening. One thing I really admire about Heather is she's such high integrity. Like you know, she. Her Print on Demand course was the one that I took when I wanted to migrate from handmade to print on demand. And it helped me so much. I learned everything I needed to from there. I built a successful shop. I had best selling listings. It was. But she's so meticulous about like keeping things updated and really providing a really valuable experience. So I'm really proud to be her friend and I'm really confident and proud to recommend her to you guys. So let's dig into it. She's about to shock you with the products that you should be selling in 2026 that are doing the best right now. So please help me welcome Heather to the podcast. Yay, Heather. Welcome back to the podcast.

[D]

Hi.

[E]

Thank you for having me back.

[C]

I've been missing you. We all have.

[D]

Oh, I miss you too. Thanks for having me.

[C]

This is gonna be so fun because we're gonna do like a kind of like a double whammy. Like let's hit the, let's hit the holiday stuff, but then let's also be planning for 2026. So like, I'm just glad you brought your A game as you always did.

[E]

Yeah, yeah. I'm excited to share some trends and.

[D]

Some things we're seeing in the print on demand industry.

[E]

I think we are at a stage.

[D]

Of a new era of print on demand.

[E]

So I'm really excited to kind of.

[D]

Hopefully guide your listeners on the new.

[E]

Track that I've kind of seen.

[C]

Okay. Super, super excited because we both know that print on demand is not my strength and you are literally Wonder Woman at it. So let's like right off the bat tell me hottest holiday print on demand products this year. Like what are people buying but also what are people having unusual success with selling?

[E]

Yeah, so number one is probably an obvious one for a lot of sellers.

[D]

Who have probably followed my YouTube videos or other YouTube videos right now that have been talking about this, which is ornaments.

[E]

So ornaments, I feel like, have I. I talked about this on my YouTube.

[D]

Channel for the past few years. But ornaments sell just so well in the holiday season.

[E]

In November, December, they start selling as.

[D]

Soon as like July.

[E]

I mean people sell them in even.

[D]

January so you can sell them all year round.

[E]

I think that they typically do really.

[D]

Well in new home owner niche, the pregnancy maternity niche kind of pregnancy reveal.

[E]

Ornaments are really viral in those areas of ornaments. What I've also seen is acrylic ornaments, like the glass acrylic ornaments that have been selling a little bit more at times than the just ceramic ornaments. So even swapping into a slightly different product type than what has been kind.

[D]

Of the norm on Etsy or the go to which has been that ceramic.

[E]

And ceramic ornaments I will say are.

[D]

A little bit more lower in production fees.

[E]

So that's kind of benefit there if.

[D]

You are going into ornaments.

[E]

So the second product I have been seeing that sells really, really well around the holidays is this one.

[D]

Surprising. Get ready for it. It is cutting boards. So cutting boards are very big. It's like multiple millions of dollars the.

[E]

Market has on Etsy. And I verified this through research, tools and softwares.

[D]

It makes millions for the people who.

[E]

Are selling cutting boards during the holiday.

[D]

Season in like November, December.

[E]

It's one of Etsy's like top trending products.

[D]

Some sellers are selling like over six figures of cutting boards.

[E]

I like counted one day there was.

[D]

Like over five sellers making over six figures of just selling cutting boards on Etsy.

[E]

And with Printify, that is a new product drop that they have now.

[D]

I actually just did I think a YouTube video on a tutorial on how to create designs for it and do mock up images.

[E]

But cutting Boards is top of that list as well.

[D]

Honestly, now that I'm ranking them, I'm.

[E]

Kind of thinking like ornaments are high up there, but cutting boards, when I say multi million, like I've seen that with ornaments. So I guess statistically wise, maybe I won't, maybe I shouldn't number them, but they, they are both up there for top. And then third product is wrapping paper. It sells really well.

[D]

Custom wrapping paper, really good one to go into.

[E]

I've had a lot of sellers I've worked with who have went into that.

[D]

And have seen some good sales.

[E]

Just kind of like almost like last.

[D]

Minute holiday gifts to give in a way.

[E]

I know cutting boards aren't really last minute, but wrapping paper ornaments, that's what.

[D]

Some customers are thinking at times. So those are like my top three right now.

[C]

Okay, I am exploding with, with questions. Can I, can I drill down on.

[A]

This a little more?

[C]

Like first of all, like. Okay, okay, I have a few questions. First of all with ornaments. They're what. How would you recommend someone's do a pricing strategy on that or like decide how to price it? Is it, Are you trying to do a volume game? Like tell me how you make money with them? Because I'm guessing the profit margin's smaller. But there's got to be, there's got to be a way.

[D]

Yeah.

[E]

So with ornaments, the competition.

[D]

So a lot of competition on Etsy is handmade sellers.

[E]

So a lot of sellers are able.

[D]

To price a lot lower than what we can for print on demand. So first and foremost I just want to tell everyone that it's okay to be the middleman or a little bit higher than your competition on Etsy. So don't be afraid to price for profit rather than take a loss for ornaments.

[E]

So if you're doing a ceramic ornament and production fee, I know with top.

[D]

Of my mind right now is Swift Pod. They recently came out with ornaments on.

[E]

Etsy, the ceramic ones, and I believe.

[D]

Their production fees float around 4 to $5.

[E]

However, shipping is about, I think the same price too. So if you're offering free shipping, keep that in mind. But if you're having four to five.

[D]

Dollars of production fees, I would say.

[E]

Like you can go as low as 10. But I would honestly recommend probably 14.99.

[D]

I like to keep with 99s. I don't know why that is.

[E]

I think it's just like marketing psychology through the years that's been, I don't know, impressed on me in a way. I don't know if that's a phrase but I, I guess I just said it. But I would say that basically just doing ornaments.

[D]

14.99 if you're selling the glass ones, glass is typically closer to $10 production fee, so probably around $20.

[E]

Also to note like with pricing psychology.

[D]

Don'T be afraid to price higher also.

[E]

For the fact that a lot of.

[D]

Customers will attribute your price to the quality and the end result quality. And what's really nice is print on.

[E]

Printify does to the glass ornaments as.

[D]

Well and they are known for really good quality.

[E]

So it's kind of nice if you.

[D]

Are going with a glass ornament because you know the quality is going to come out nice. So when a customer is paying a little bit more they're going to usually get what they expect.

[E]

Ceramic ornaments on the other end.

[D]

I would say it's most print on demand companies that have like we've seen.

[E]

If anyone's in the printify group or.

[D]

Any print on demand group, you typically see some reviews come back for a little bit of blurring of the design.

[E]

So that's just something to consider is that's one reason why I like to.

[D]

Give the glass ornament a recommendation because that might save you from that headache.

[E]

Of having any blurring of your final design. So I hope that answered your question.

[D]

By the way.

[E]

I feel like I spiraled into a whole different area.

[C]

Literally the dopamine hit you just gave me is next level. Yes, you answered it and then gave me three more questions. You said something so interesting about pricing strategy and I think it's really, really smart on the ornaments to not be so much worried about because. Because. And actually we may have. I want to hear your opinion about this. When I'm thinking about T shirts and and sweatshirts, I'm typically recommending that people don't try to be a whole lot above what the best sellers are at. But I feel like maybe that strategy, like that's the right strategy for T shirts and sweatshirts. But for ornaments it makes sense that logically people are going to attribute it to quality. So is that true? Do you use a slightly different pricing strategy for shirts and sweatshirts or are you saying the same. Would you say the same thing?

[D]

Usually it's the same thing.

[E]

I would say that I typically like.

[D]

My pricing strategy is pretty even keel, so to speak.

[E]

Again, another phrase. I don't know what I what I'm.

[D]

Doing today with phrases, but I'm using new phrases I've never used before.

[E]

So I keep looking at you, Lizzy. Like did I Just butcher that.

[D]

Please let me know. Let us know in the podcast. Can podcasts have comments yet?

[C]

By the way, I'm actually kind of glad. I feel like it would be a whole thing. But you know what, on the YouTube they absolutely can and they will be commenting below the YouTube video.

[E]

Yeah, well let us know if I.

[D]

Butchered anything and just troll in the comment section and put even keel.

[E]

I almost said even peel and I.

[D]

Was like actually say that because that's not the phrase.

[E]

But I do the same with all.

[D]

Of my pricing strategies.

[E]

So with apparel I'm. I like to be the middleman in the market if I can. So I'm not the highest, I'm not.

[D]

The lowest in pricing. I'm usually the mid range of the price, typically the median rather than I.

[E]

Try to be the average if I.

[D]

Can'T be the median, so to speak. So if the median price out of.

[E]

Like 10 sellers is like you know, 11.99 for ornament and I'm not profitable at that, then I'll do the average.

[D]

Which might be like 13.99 if I take the highest, the lowest and do an average.

[E]

So I like to be the middleman.

[D]

Because it that's associated with quality.

[E]

But also we are kind of still.

[D]

Getting that quantity in a way.

[C]

Okay, I totally love it. So then question my next question. Cutting boards help me understand what they look like. Are they engraving on them? Are they pretty printing on them? I'm think I'm just, I'm over here being slightly crunchy and being like our people are going to be consuming that ink. So tell me how those are being made. I'm so curious.

[D]

Yeah.

[E]

So there are two main cutting boards on Printify right now. One is engravable, so that is with wood. The second one is a glass cutting.

[D]

Board which does sell as well. And you get very vibrant colors through.

[E]

The printing process, which is really nice. And you know, right now, one kind.

[D]

Of bonus trend I'm seeing, if anyone is listening to this part, I have a little secret for you.

[E]

But that is the current design trend.

[D]

Is stained glass effect with cutting boards.

[E]

So there's like a big trend with.

[D]

That right now on Etsy.

[E]

A lot of customers really love that.

[D]

Stained glass effect and it looks so gorgeous on a glass cutting board. And what's really nice is the profit margin for glass cutting boards is insane. I mean, even for engravable cutting boards, you can easily have well over $15 of profit per sale.

[E]

So you don't need as many quantity of sales right.

[D]

In a week or a day to maybe hit the profit of someone who has to hit maybe like 20t shirt.

[E]

Sales a day at $5 a profit.

[D]

But you're selling maybe cutting boards at $20.

[E]

So you would only need 5 sales of cutting boards rather than someone selling.

[D]

T shirts that they have to sell 20T shirts to make maybe $100 a day of profit.

[C]

So you're good at math.

[D]

Thank you.

[E]

I made that example as easy as humanly possible. I was like, what's five times 20?

[D]

Let me just go for that.

[C]

Okay. Super, super interesting. I had noticed that cutting boards all across Etsy had been shooting up and I didn't realize, realize that print that Printify had added them. So I think that's really exciting and actually. Okay, so like piggy, piggyback on the math thing. Are, do you use Profit Tree at all? Are you using that to help you with these, with your calculations?

[D]

Yes, yes. Profit Tree. What's so nice about Profit Tree is.

[E]

They have the built in profit tracking now and then they also have a.

[D]

Lifetime deal with the Etsy, I believe.

[E]

It'S their tracker, the Etsy Radar.

[D]

Is that. I feel like you've mentioned it. Yeah, you have mentioned it.

[E]

So you know with the Etsy Radar.

[D]

You can get that.

[E]

So it's a Google Chrome extension that.

[D]

You can get in that lifetime deal.

[E]

And then also the tracker for just.

[D]

Research which is really, really cool to see, like marketplace insights in a way.

[E]

Which I know there is marketplace insights.

[D]

On Etsy now too, but it still doesn't pull the data of okay, what.

[E]

Is selling right now and what is actually trending. Even though we have search history sometimes that's still not enough to like give.

[D]

Us that real world data of okay, this seller is selling this, they're selling.

[E]

A lot of this and we can.

[D]

Kind of go from there in our research.

[E]

So but I've been using Profit Tree.

[D]

For my current shop and it helps a lot with ads too. So if you want to look at ad metrics and maybe, maybe there are certain ad metrics that you're really confused.

[E]

About because Etsy, I love Etsy, but.

[D]

It does not give us some metrics that we should have as sellers.

[E]

But then again Etsy doesn't know our.

[D]

Production fees but Profit Tree does when.

[E]

You link up to Printify. So that's kind of the plus there. So I hope I answered your question.

[C]

You totally did. Well, you know what's so interesting is like so I first started talking about Profit Tree for, well, specifically for my handmade sellers because that was where I got started. So that's like kind of where my heart ultimately was, was in handmade. I never really knew my numbers. Like, I always joke like, you got to be ready. You got to be Shark Tank ready. You've got to know your numbers. And I remember sitting down with my dad, like when I started making real money with my sign shop and looking at the data and he's like, I can't believe it doesn't have this other data in it to help you, you know, know your cogs and all of that. And he's creating Summers spreadsheets, which I never used because it was too confusing for me because don't ask me to operate in Excel, like, I'm so sorry. And those of you who are good at it, like the way we should be best friends because that's just not my thing. But then Profit Tree like opened up a whole new world for the handmade sellers and all of that. And then I always started recommending it for people who are running ads as well. Because people are like, how do I make sure I'm not losing money on ads? And I'm like, well, don't ask me because again, Excel, but Profit Tree fixes to that. So I was really curious to hear from the print on demand perspective. Do you know, I didn't even remember that it integrated with Printify. So it literally, like there are so many fewer steps. So that's hearing it from your perspective is super interesting. And then I've been really obsessed with Etsy Radar. I'm using it. I still use Ever Be constantly. But I love Etsy Radar because the data is more, more recent. So I even like emailed with Ever be. I still love them and I need them for SEO. I but their data is like a month behind and Profit Trees is like basically real time or from like yesterday.

[A]

Kind of a thing.

[C]

So that's been really interesting. As I've gotten more into trends and wanting to know how, how much they're blowing up at a given time. I don't want to be a month delayed doing my trend research. And then, and then on top of that, and I'll link below. I have a link for the lifetime. I don't know how much longer they're going to be doing it. But the lifetime access where you get the profit tracking so you can be Shark Tank ready. And the Etsy Radar tool where you can be seeing below, like in the search results, you can see below a listing how much, how many times it's sold, how much it's Making a month how old it is. And those are all really important things to know so you can make a database decision about the listing to create. But like for people who are brand new to building a business, they don't necessarily have money for monthly memberships. I'm pointing them to Profit Tree because a $67 one time fee to be able to do your profit tracking and to be able to see that data to me is like people need a cheaper version than Ever be and the free version of Ever be is great but it only gets you so far. Like you're not, it's not going to help you for the next six months while you're trying to build a profit from the print on demand perspective. I'm like wanting to do jumping jacks like about it pulling in the Printify data and helping so much.

[E]

Yeah, yeah, it only takes under a minute.

[D]

Like I would say it was the easiest setup I've ever done.

[E]

I just integrated my Etsy shop and then I integrated Printify and I was like whoa. And sure there are some certain like.

[D]

The cost of goods sold, the cogs that you have to enter yourself.

[E]

Sometimes that does happen if you, if.

[D]

There is like a error in integration.

[E]

But I was so surprised. I refreshed within like I would say an hour or so and I had like.

[D]

Because it does take a second for.

[E]

It to like integrate all the data.

[D]

But I was just blown away.

[E]

I was like, oh my gosh, this.

[D]

Is so cool to, to see like in the past week because if I'm.

[E]

Doing my own like bookkeeping on my own, which I don't anymore thank thankfully.

[D]

My husband does that.

[E]

But I bookkeeping is the bane of my existence. Oh my goodness. I don't know what I did before. Again, I'm grateful husband.

[D]

He's good with Excel like you said Lizzie.

[C]

So.

[D]

But Profit Tree does it for me too and it gives me insight that Excel spreadsheets will never do for me.

[E]

Because I can look at those.

[D]

Like even when my husband makes it, I'm like, I have no idea what I'm looking at but Profit Tree, I'm like, ooh, pretty graph with profit.

[E]

I like that.

[C]

So I'm super excited. I'm going to be mentioning now when the Print on demand people are asking, I'll know, I'll know. It's like an even, even better because of that data.

[A]

Are you a print on demand or digital product Etsy seller who's tight on time or still learning all of the Etsy secrets? I totally remember the days of having no idea what product to create next before I learned how to make those informed decisions so I can really identify with where you're at. I know how stressful and frustrating it can be to just create listing after a listing and see little to no results. You wonder what you're doing wrong and just you just want someone to tell you what to create that's actually going to sell. Where are those opportunities? So let me give you a leg up with my weekly trends and opportunities report. You just join my membership and every Monday I'm going to send you an email with a list of exactly what is trending right now, with a video tutorial showing you how I found those trends and how to apply them in your shop. We're taking guesswork and time, extensive time off of your table. I'm also going to send you five print on demand and digital product opportunities that are growing in demand right now, helping new shops make sales and still have very low saturation in the marketplace. So your tight schedule, your newbie status doesn't have to hold you back anymore. I'm going to help you out earn while you learn. You can grab my free demo to start and see an example of what the weekly trends and opportunities email looks like right from the show notes. See what you're going to get and I will see you on the inside soon.

[C]

How do you feel about let's like move into talking about 2026.

[D]

Yeah.

[E]

So moving into 2026, what I'm seeing, and this is what I kind of hinted at at the beginning of this.

[D]

Episode, which is a new era of, I would say sellers.

[E]

And when it comes to just print on demand in total, I think that print on demand on Etsy is seeing.

[D]

New highs in certain markets and new lows in other markets for sellers.

[E]

And I've worked with all types of sellers. I would say I've worked with beginning.

[D]

Sellers, intermediate sellers and advanced sellers.

[E]

One of my clients that I've worked.

[D]

With, well actually I have a few that I'm working with that are top 1% sellers on Etsy currently.

[E]

So this data that I'm pulling is.

[D]

Not from thin air by any means. This is actually like what I'm seeing.

[E]

In sellers I've worked with and sellers.

[D]

Who are rising and who are hitting 100 sales a month.

[E]

But what I'm seeing right now is.

[D]

A trend away from apparel and people being as successful as they used to be with apparel and wow.

[E]

I wouldn't say that it's like, oh.

[D]

Like don't sell T shirts.

[E]

I'm not trying to say that because.

[D]

I think T shirts are still profitable on Etsy.

[E]

If that is what your heart's set on.

[D]

Please do go forth with apparel and maybe T shirts and sweatshirts.

[E]

But I have found that the market.

[D]

Is very hard to compete in and.

[E]

I think that I hear a lot of sellers say, hey, Heather, like, I saw that you did well with sweatshirts.

[D]

I'm trying to go into sweatshirts, it's not working. Or T shirts. I'm trying to break through T shirts, I can't get seen.

[E]

And I have like such better designs than what's on Etsy that I see. You know, and I know, like, we all kind of maybe think that about.

[D]

Our businesses in some form.

[E]

But like, I've looked at these seller shops and I'm like, I don't know.

[D]

Why this isn't like doing well.

[E]

Like, I honestly have.

[D]

Like, it has stumped me this year.

[E]

Like, it has stumped me as a.

[D]

Coach because I've been like, how do we get you to that?

[E]

And I know that's not for everyone. Like, I mean, I know sellers who.

[D]

Do well with T shirts, but I'm just finding the competition is just a little bit rougher.

[E]

Is my mic still working?

[D]

I attacked it.

[C]

You're great.

[E]

Awesome. But essentially that has driven me to.

[D]

Start and conduct my own experiments.

[E]

Not only on, not, not that I have experimented with the sellers I've worked with.

[D]

I have seen that result in previous.

[E]

Students who I've worked with that I've led them away from apparel and now into areas and categories of home decor and accessories. So top of my list for 2026 trends. This whole long winded story is going into kind of that experiment I conducted on my own business. And I decided this year to start.

[D]

I think it was like earlier this year, maybe quarter two, I decided to list 100 phone cases in which I.

[E]

Had no idea where this was going to go. I was just like, you know what.

[D]

What if someone listed 100 listings in.

[E]

One category on Etsy, what type of.

[D]

Results would they see? I was very curious because I haven't watched that on YouTube before.

[E]

I haven't seen anyone tell me about that. I mean, I've heard stories, but like.

[D]

I haven't seen like just one case study on this.

[E]

So I was like, let me do this.

[D]

And then if it works well, I'll.

[E]

Go into other product categories. I, I completely spiraled because. Not spiral, but I would say I went off the deep end on that.

[D]

Idea of doing different categories because spoiler alert, I saw so much success in phone cases. In the first 30 days of listing phone cases, I had, I want to say it was over 20 orders in phone cases, which was insane because, as.

[E]

You know, it's really hard to randomly start getting sales like that to almost. I mean, we're looking at one every.

[D]

Other day almost and one every day.

[E]

Kind of, if you really think about it.

[D]

But I was getting multiple order sale days at the end of the 30 days.

[E]

So two or three sales I got. At one point, I got four sales.

[D]

So this was just very alarming to me and shocking because prior to this, in this test Etsy Shop, and a lot of people ask this, hey, Heather, where is your Etsy Shop?

[E]

I can't find it. Or they find my old one on from my YouTube channel, which is completely fine.

[D]

I don't share my current active shop because one, it dilutes my data of traffic.

[E]

So it's like if I'm practicing a.

[D]

Test experiment and everyone finds me on YouTube or from YouTube, then that's going to dilute my data for what I'm experimenting on. Second of all, people just.

[E]

I've had a lot of copyright.

[D]

Copyright infringement of people just copying my IP on my Etsy Shop that I've had to close or stop selling on my past Etsy Shop that did over.

[E]

10,000 orders in its time, and it.

[D]

Was the top 1% Etsy store.

[E]

So. And I do apologize, I'm going on 10 tangents now.

[C]

But no, people ask that all the time. Heather, I'm so glad you said that. Like, it's good me for. For people to understand. We don't want to gatekeep anything. It's like, literally my data is useless to you if everybody on YouTube goes and sees the shop. I'm with you. Keep going.

[D]

Yep. Yeah.

[E]

And so with that experiment, since the 30 days, I was like, okay, I've listed for so long now I'm going.

[D]

To take a little break.

[E]

And then sales started rolling in, and.

[D]

They kept rolling in.

[E]

And I was like, oh, my gosh.

[D]

Is Phone Cases the new product I should design for?

[E]

And then I was like, how about.

[D]

I list this year? Maybe I just Keep listing like 100 listings a month. That might be my goal.

[E]

And then I got serious about it.

[D]

And I was like, let me do it.

[E]

I was like, I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna have.

[D]

My goal for end of this year is 1000 listings. Still working on it, but after the. I would say 300, 400 listing mark.

[E]

And I also want to say in.

[D]

The Same breath listing. Quantity is not correlated to your success on Etsy. It is the quality at the end.

[E]

Of the day, the design. When I'm talking about quantity at such.

[D]

High repetition, that's because I've been selling on Etsy for five years now. I have the reps. It's, it's almost like I've practiced the.

[E]

Sprint so many times that I can sprint the. I don't know, that's probably a bad example. No, I have just, I, I practice the sprint so many times that I am now just like a veteran at this.

[D]

And so don't compare yourselves to me and get yourselves down.

[E]

If you're like, I am not doing.

[D]

100 listings a month, you don't have to. I've seen sellers who've had under 20 listings in their shop, right.

[E]

So we know that there is success.

[D]

That exists for all types of sellers.

[E]

So outside of that, with my Etsy shop, I started seeing sales. It went from every other day sales to every single day I got sales.

[D]

And I kept listing phone cases after phone cases and it got to the point where I was starting to get a handful of sales a day and.

[E]

Now I'm still at like I would.

[D]

Say handful to two handfuls. I have had days of over 10 orders. I did take a little break because I got a little bit burnt out. Again, just other things in life, personal reasons.

[E]

Not like, I would say I overworked myself. And then also just personal life. Life lives or I don't know, that's.

[D]

That'S my new phrase.

[E]

Life lifes.

[C]

We're still humans, right? Wonder women, but we're still human. We need breaks. We have to take breaks.

[E]

Yeah, exactly.

[D]

So I took a break, came back.

[E]

But yeah, the, the shop is doing.

[D]

Over 100 sales a month now.

[E]

Just, I checked today on profit tree.

[D]

I'm at over 500 of profit per the last 30 days.

[E]

So every month I'd say on average.

[D]

Now we're hitting a few hundred of profit a month, which I'm just really proud of that I started this experiment.

[E]

And all of this to say. So this whole story relates back to.

[D]

2026 trends and the print on demand industry as a whole. And just being a print on demand owner with Etsy.

[E]

Right.

[D]

Or any platform, I'd say the competition, if you feel like the competition is high in apparel, it probably is because that's what it is.

[E]

To be quite honest, I think that.

[D]

It'S validating for some sellers to hear.

[E]

That other sellers are maybe like, I'm.

[D]

Getting sales and T shirts Though what do I do?

[E]

And I'd say, you know, there are.

[D]

People who can have success with T shirts and sweatshirts and you break through market saturation and over time you can scale that.

[E]

But for some sellers I've found at.

[D]

Least my number new sellers. The going into T shirts is just.

[E]

Not it right now. And what I am recommending to Future sellers for 2026 trends is one home decor.

[D]

Home decor is a big one.

[E]

We kind of already talked about that.

[D]

Earlier which you can do, you know, come mid year July is when I'd start this which is the ornaments, cutting boards, wrapping paper, those are great options for almost home decor esque products.

[E]

And then the second category is tech accessories. So tech accessories, like phone cases. I've seen a lot of traction in my own business. I have been currently like working with.

[D]

Other sellers on their businesses to go into tech accessories and they're seeing a lot of, a lot of results from this.

[E]

So it's a really great industry, it's.

[D]

A really great market to go into.

[E]

I just like that you can kind.

[D]

Of break the through competition more as a new seller with new product types.

[E]

When it comes to home decor, there's.

[D]

So many different things you can sell in home decor that again you're breaking through that market saturation which I know a lot of sellers feel like it's so tough to be seen in this market. So home decor is a big one that you can break into.

[E]

One of Etsy's top trending categories of.

[D]

Quarter 4, 2024, 38% of their sales on Etsy was in home decor.

[C]

Wow.

[E]

And that pulled from their Investor report.

[D]

From 2024 of quarter four.

[E]

So if you think about that, why.

[D]

Are we going into T shirts and apparel which I mean it's fun to go into.

[E]

I still go into it.

[D]

I'm not going to lie to you. I still like making a T shirt.

[E]

That's where I started and that's where I like people to kind of start.

[D]

At times just to have fun and kind of learn and maybe you might.

[E]

Make sales but I've seen that it.

[D]

Is a diluted market in a way where it's hard to be seen.

[E]

So why not maybe take that T.

[D]

Shirt design, take it to a mug, go to drinkware, maybe go to cutting boards. You know there's so much but all this to say tech accessories, phone cases, these are big avenues on Etsy and.

[E]

That'S kind of my 2026 categories so far that I have.

[D]

Product wise home decor, there's candles you can sell on Etsy with Print on.

[E]

Demand, which is a really viable and.

[D]

Very profitable avenue as well. Drinkware, home decor.

[E]

I think some, some of us think of drink wear and it is its own category in a way, but like.

[D]

Underneath home decor, sometimes drinkware can be home decor at times.

[E]

But those are the top of my.

[D]

List currently for 2026.

[E]

I hope I answered your question. I feel like I went on 20.

[D]

Different tangents there, and I do apologize. That turned into a monologue.

[C]

You could not be more perfect. And that was exactly what I wanted to hear about. I'm. You know what? I'm so. Okay. So I started the podcast in 2021 and it was 2022 when I talked to Gen, our mutual. Our mutual dear friend Jenny from the shop for the first time. I didn't know about Print on Demand until I talked to her. And I learned so much. That was one of my favorite episodes because this whole new world of Etsy opened up, but it was kind of all about. And it was a different time. That was, gosh, pushing four years ago now, as we were approaching 2026, she was, she was a super successful T shirt and sweatshirt seller. And I feel like back then it was a very different ball game. And new sellers were, I think, you know, YouTube was just like really starting to peak in terms of really great content for Etsy. My point is, I'm super tickled and just entertained to hear the shift of the success your students are having. Completely veering from the traditional T shirts and sweatshirts. Because we're all, as coaches, we're always, if we're good and ethical, which you and I and anyone I have in this podcast are. We're constantly looking for the paths of least resistance for our students. What are the ways that you can get it? It's not necessarily. It's not to say you, you couldn't go sell comfort colors T shirts. It's just for someone new coming to the table, this is so fascinating. I'm very intrigued about these different types of products. Some things that are going through my mind are like, I mean, and I know that you have resources to help teach on this, and there'd be nobody I'd feel more comfortable or excited to, to point my listeners to than your content. How are, how are we handling? Like, one thing that comes to mind is mockups for these newer things that are a little less common. Are we, Are we still. Is Etsy still the best place to find them? Are you making them yourself? Like, what are some of your tips on that?

[E]

Yeah, so One thing I wanted to note on your, your last comment about.

[D]

Just talking about the new era of.

[E]

Print on demand and Etsy that I.

[D]

Was thinking of when you were saying.

[E]

That is I want to also note that I think these market shifts are.

[D]

Not due to that people would not buy T shirts.

[E]

I think that a lot of people.

[D]

Don'T have the funds right now.

[E]

I think it's the economy, the market as a whole, customers as a whole.

[D]

Right now, they're shopping for more need.

[E]

Based or like actual like what's a.

[D]

Long term product rather than short term.

[E]

And it's not like people don't have that extra money to just spend on.

[D]

A few maybe T shirts or apparel.

[E]

Like maybe they're cutting back on their spending on those frivolous purchases and that extra income might be a little bit.

[D]

Tougher for some people right now.

[E]

I know a lot of people, honestly.

[D]

That just in my personal life that are having issues with just like paying rent, paying the bills, you know.

[E]

And I know a lot of people.

[D]

A lot of our listener. Our listeners. That's why we are doing print on demand. That's why we are doing Etsy. That's why we are selling digital products. Maybe we're trying to make that extra income for bills, not just the extra additional income anymore. So I think the market shift is because of the economy too, that T.

[E]

Shirts like I think when the economy.

[D]

Comes back or maybe we're seeing better.

[E]

Trends than we are now.

[D]

I think we'll see the shift back to T shirts and sweatshirts.

[E]

But I think right now, this 2026, like next year, that's where I'm standing.

[D]

Firm is usable products rather than just like usable long term products rather than the. I don't know if that makes sense.

[E]

But so going to mock ups as well.

[D]

You were asking about how to make mock ups for tech, right.

[E]

For the tech accessories or just yeah.

[C]

Like are there good for these newer products that are not? Because we know and I have a list that I publish of here are the pious converting T shirt and sweatshirt sweatshirt mockups. But when I'm thinking of phone cases and drinkware and things like that, I'm like, oh, I mean I haven't really shopped it. Are we finding really good ones on Etsy or are you making them yourself?

[D]

So I am doing both. One, I have found good mockups on Etsy.

[E]

So one mock up shop that I've.

[D]

Been using for phone cases is Impavi mockups. I believe it's Impavi. I could have that wrong. I do apologize to that seller. It's E M P A V I maybe I butchered that though. We'll find out later.

[C]

I'll link it for you guys.

[E]

Yeah, but that At Sea seller has really beautiful mock up images and a.

[D]

Lot of the phone case mockups on Etsy I've seen that.

[E]

Are those however, I will say I.

[D]

Think was it our last episode that we recorded that I was talking about.

[E]

Having different mock ups is also the.

[D]

New wave of Etsy that we're seeing.

[C]

I don't remember hearing that. You may have, but tell me because I if I don't remember.

[D]

Yeah, I feel like maybe it might have been earlier this year or maybe it was.

[E]

I'm so sorry. Maybe I said that just on my YouTube channel but what I'm seeing I. I talked about this on a YouTube video earlier this year about how mock.

[D]

Up images and for anyone who hasn't.

[E]

Seen that YouTube and I know a lot of people, they probably aren't on my channel anyways. So what I said in that video was that I'm seeing a shift towards the Etsy algorithm in which they want.

[D]

I mean they've even mentioned this in their quarterly in fact investor reports that they want the search on Etsy and the algorithm to not show every single image looking alike.

[E]

So what that means for our mock.

[D]

Up images is we don't want to be using the same mock up everyone else is using. So even though I recommended a shop.

[E]

I just want to encourage anyone watching.

[D]

To maybe either make your own or look at different shops and different options as well.

[E]

Main thumbnail image though is most important more than anything. But also having like unique thumbnail images that aren't like the rest. I know that's kind of a hard.

[D]

Pill to swallow in a way because.

[E]

It'S like oh man, I just want the A to Z like guide and.

[D]

Exactly what to use.

[E]

But that's what I found also is I've opted for different mockup images and.

[D]

I think that's what's been helping my shop too.

[C]

Interesting.

[D]

Yeah.

[E]

So but I have been making my.

[D]

Own mockup images as well.

[E]

So the way that I've done this.

[D]

Is background remove on Canva Kittle use.

[E]

A like marble background or wood background. Put that there, put a shadow on.

[D]

Underneath my phone case.

[E]

I've done that in the past and then AI I have been such like.

[D]

So over the moon about the results and the outcomes I've been getting from ChatGPT. It is just out of this world how realistic and beautiful the images come.

[E]

Out and I was so against AI.

[D]

For the longest time Lizzie, I kid.

[E]

You not, I was not against AI.

[D]

And hold just AI mockup images because you could tell they were terrible.

[C]

They were terrible in the beginning.

[E]

Yeah, like generation one of mockup images.

[D]

Maybe it was like two or three or four or five, who knows? I'm not in the AI software engineering world but it was just so bad.

[E]

And I had to tell so many.

[D]

Sellers to stop using their mock up images because you could tell they were AI.

[E]

But now the AI images come out beautifully and one of my hacks also.

[D]

Is I try to use no people at all. Like I don't use fingers. Fingers because fingers. So I try to do none if.

[E]

I can but I have had like good images with hands in it now and so. But yeah, so AI for mock ups, chat GPT. I know kittl they have chat GPT.

[D]

On kittle so shout out to them if you already are using them.

[E]

But yeah, that's how I've been doing my mockup images when it comes to engravable pictures products.

[D]

In my tutorial on YouTube I recently.

[E]

Did I show how I, how I did that and that's background remove shadow marble background. That's essentially what I did.

[D]

So that's little hack for anyone listening.

[C]

My mind is still blown by the cutting boards. Just like what, just that we can get. I mean it was so cool when Printify took on embroidery. I was just over the moon about that. But then now it also have engraved so I'm just, that's. They do such a good job. They do such a good job. So if we have some, you know, people who are listening who haven't even gotten started yet, they're just kind of building up their, their knowledge base. They're trying to make some decisions on where to start and they're, they're wanting to start in print on demand. What are, what are some tips? Like what are the first few steps that they need to take? And I mean one of the questions I think at the love to ask you too is should they wait until January to actually start or should they start now and just what, what are the best first steps?

[D]

I think that is a great question.

[E]

And I would say that starting now is number one most important. Like I would say yes, start now because Etsy does base their length of.

[D]

Time that you've been a seller. So the longer you're a seller the more trust you basically establish in the Etsy algorithm.

[E]

The other thing is with the bot system on Etsy I found that new.

[D]

Sellers typically get tripped. So even if you open a shop.

[E]

And don't even sell anything for some time, and given Etsy does require you.

[D]

To upload one listing, but you can upload a digital listing, delete it, and then put your shop on vacation mode, that's still your shop open.

[E]

So you could always do that and just say, hey, I'll start when I'm feeling it.

[D]

Because there's.

[E]

I heard this on another podcast and I do apologize.

[D]

I'm going to do podcast inception for a moment.

[E]

But on I don't even remember what podcast it was. I feel really bad that I don't know and I wish I could quote it, but in the podcast they said the best time to start is something new is yesterday. But the second best time to start something new is today, this moment now. So that's something that I can't recommend enough to anyone listening is like starting now, because starting is legitimately the hardest part. And then on top of that, fees always increase.

[D]

So Etsy fees.

[E]

I know when they first started the.

[D]

Etsy fees to start up a shop, it was much lower than it is now. So the sooner you start, the lower the cost in most cases.

[E]

You never know.

[D]

And they can increase it.

[E]

So that's one thing too to note.

[D]

Is I would Recommend Starting before 2026, but if you're listening to this, it's.

[E]

2026, then I think right now is perfect.

[D]

It's fine.

[E]

And it's a beautiful time to start.

[D]

It's always going to be a perfect time to start because everyone's journey is.

[E]

Going to start differently, right?

[D]

And no one's journey is the same.

[E]

The second thing is after you start, I would say try to get just one listing done.

[D]

If you're doing print on demand, if you're doing digital what. What have you, wherever, whatever you're selling on Etsy, try to get one listing done because that's going to start the momentum. And you can't start momentum without the kind of tipping point and pushing something. Once something's in motion, it stays in motion. So you need to get that thing in motion. And the only way is going to be a listing.

[E]

And let me tell you, your first.

[D]

Listing, you're probably going to delete or.

[E]

Deactivate in like a few months anyways. So might as well just get it over. But you know, there's so many free.

[D]

Tutorials online on how to list.

[E]

So don't be intimidated, just do it.

[D]

And it doesn't have to be perfect. I'm already in this book right now. About perfectionism. And I can't say this enough. Your listing can be absolute garbage. The first one, I am allowing you to have absolute, absolutely terrible listing and I hope you allow that for yourself because it's just getting that first listing done. I cannot tell you how many sellers I've worked with who have so many designs in draft.

[E]

And I have like again, I have tutorials on YouTube. I know Lizzie, you have tutorials.

[D]

I have a free print on demand crash course too. I think, I think Lizzy, you, you've linked in every episode. So that is A to Z. How to set up a shop.

[E]

Like I, I encourage anyone listening to this.

[D]

Set up a shop with me, create a new listing. I have all the tutorials completely free course that you can just do that all in under two hours if you follow A to Z.

[E]

So that's for anyone who has perfectionitis, I like to call it.

[D]

It's.

[E]

It's a funny inside joke with some of my advanced sellers because they have been known to have this disease. I like to call. And this is very silly of me.

[D]

This is me being silly.

[E]

I'm not trying to make any like bad humor come from a bad place. But I. Perfectionitis is just the tendency.

[D]

To not do anything because you feel like it's never going to be perfect enough. And basically you are just sitting and nothing. You're getting no output. There's no outcome. It's almost like ChatGPT on Loading for.

[E]

The longest time or you're in the search bar on Google and it's just.

[D]

Loading and your Internet speed is just. That's where a lot of us who have perfectionitis are. So just do it because your version of perfection might be 10 times better.

[E]

Than someone's version of this is draft.

[D]

Status and you just need to do rather than wait.

[E]

And I know that's like a common.

[D]

Motivational.

[E]

Quote thing that you hear probably all the time. I know I hear it all the time and it's kind of annoying to.

[D]

Hear but like just put that listing.

[E]

Out and then start that momentum and start building.

[D]

Keep creating listings.

[E]

And my last tip for anyone listening.

[D]

Is expect this process to take a few months.

[E]

Don't expect a sale the next day.

[D]

You might compare your shop to others.

[E]

Get out of that comparison trap.

[D]

You're going to find yourself in it.

[E]

Time and time again in different phases of your business. I have Lizzie, I know you have.

[D]

Like we all have been there and you need to push through, keep listing and what matters is your output and your quality of the listings you create.

[E]

It doesn't matter about any other noise that's around because, like, I. I did.

[D]

In my experiment, I listed 100 listings, and I didn't stop because I didn't see sales.

[E]

I mean, for the first week, I.

[D]

Wasn'T seeing sales, and I was listing, like, I'd say over 10 listings a day.

[E]

So just know, like, focus on output and not the something that's out of your control.

[D]

Your control is output. It's not results like scene sales, right? Like, it's the output. The listings that you create on a daily basis, the designs focus on that.

[E]

Rather than something that's out of your.

[D]

Control, which is traffic and seeing sales at first.

[E]

I mean, it is in your control in certain aspects, but it's ultimately on Etsy.

[D]

It's kind of out of your control at times until you start to start that momentum and that wheel of. Of sale, review, sale, review, sale, review.

[E]

At least that's what I like to.

[D]

Say is, you know, Etsy organically pushes you more. The more sales you get, the more reviews, and then you start that spin.

[E]

Those are my tips, and I promise.

[D]

I am done monologuing. Lizzie, thank you.

[C]

We have loved every single second of it.

[A]

Are you brand new to Etsy, about to get started, or struggling a bit to find your groove? What I'm about to say is just for you, okay? I can completely relate to where you're at because I think I can help you achieve success faster. When I first started my Etsy shop, it was not one of those success stories that we hear, you know, on the big YouTube channels, even on this podcast, where I just had crazy success. And it took off right away, right? I all but failed for my first six months, just like a lot of new sellers. And so it's very relatable. And the issue for me was I didn't understand demand, for one. I didn't understand SEO. I was way too broad in my search terms, and I didn't know how to position my product so that customers just couldn't help but click add to cart. And so once I learned those things, I went from making about $25 a month in sales to $6,000 a month and up. And in the holidays, I would even have $13,000 a month, like, at my shop's peak. And the thing about me, if you've been here for a minute, you already know this. I'm a terrible gatekeeper, okay? When I figure something out, when I crack of code, when I get excited, I cannot help but tell everybody who wants to listen, it's like either my my best asset or my toxic trait. I can't decide. But I put everything that you need to know to fill that beginner knowledge gap into a low ticket just under three hours beginner course that I have called Six Figure Secrets to getting started on Etsy. In it I'm teaching you how to find what's in demand for your niche, how to find and use trends, how to start your shop if you're worried about that part SEO strategy to find the micro niches where the opportunity is, how to understand the Etsy algorithm and a ton more. The whole thing is bite sized videos. Not long form, just small bite sized videos. Zero fluff and to the point. You could get the course today, go through the less than three hours over the next couple days, launch your shop this weekend and have sales coming in as soon as Sunday. So let's get you the few missing pieces of the Etsy success puzzle, those little tweaks you need to make so you can start making the sales that you deserve. Because I have never been more convinced that there is room at this table on Etsy for everyone. And the opportunity is so ripe right now. I am in the numbers in the data every day and my mind just keeps expanding on the possibilities. Okay, so as a special treat, use the code save50 to save $50 on the Six Figure Secrets course today. That's $50 off with a coupon save 50 and by all means DM me.

[C]

Or shoot me an email when those.

[A]

Sales start popping because I want to celebrate with you.

[D]

You.

[C]

I want to in a second here invite you to share all the resources you have. But before you do that, when I had my foray into print on demand, I learned from you. I bought your course, I bought your design lab, I watched your YouTube videos. You were the person I learned from and I very quickly had bestsellers. I had. It was the, it was the smoothest process I've ever had starting any kind of business, Etsy shop or otherwise. Because you are so meticulous, thoughtful, detailed and just practical in what you create to help sellers. And it turned out that print on demand wasn't my favorite way to do Etsy, but it wasn't for like your stuff got me bestsellers and I mean I made money fast so I just wanted to endorse you in that way and say that there is no one I have done have dived more into their content and can vouch for just the insane quality that you and effort you put into your stuff. With that being said, I if someone's listening and they want to do Print on Demand. I can unreservedly point them in your direction and I'd love for you to tell them. You mentioned the Print on Demand crash course, which is a great free place to start. If you guys don't start there. That's just, I can't believe, I can't believe you give that away for free. But where else can people and how else can people learn from you and follow you?

[E]

Yeah, so I have a website, ww.heatherxstudio.com.

[D]

My YouTube channel is heather Studio and currently I'm working on a series of.

[E]

Programs that are focused based on the categories that I spoke about today. Because again, since I'm seeing the shift, I really just want to make something that is, is like digestible quick and.

[D]

Gets people results in these product markets that we're seeing ships in.

[E]

So I have a mega seller program that I'm releasing.

[D]

It might be released by the time.

[E]

This podcast goes out, to be quite honest. So check out the links down below. I am like this is probably the most content and most affordable that I've made a program. Like I'm, I'm doing a deal for like at least this podcast that you can grab down below. So I highly recommend if anyone wants to check out that mega seller program series, I'm doing it again in multiple categories on Etsy.

[D]

I'm starting with tech accessories.

[E]

So if anyone wants to join me.

[D]

In that and you want to learn.

[E]

How to sell and how to become.

[D]

A mega seller in these categories, highly.

[E]

Recommend doing those product focus mega seller programs. And then also I will announce on the podcast first. Here is I'm retiring my Print on Demand Academy. So again, Print on Demand Academy is.

[D]

My like A to Z course that.

[E]

Lizzie took that I used to charge.

[D]

Like I think the course when it initially released it was like $1,000. And the reason why I'm retiring it is just because I want to get more product focused.

[E]

I want to focus on I guess.

[D]

More intricate and like in depth lessons.

[E]

Rather than Print on Demand. Academy was very like it's all, all the things you can know about Etsy and Print on Demand, which is a great thing for anyone starting out. But I find a lot of my sellers, I'm trying to meet them in the middle where they're intermediate and advanced now that only you know, it does.

[D]

Get you to the point of scaling and maybe bestsellers.

[E]

But after that it's kind of like what what's next?

[D]

Or what product market can I go into or if T shirts and sweatshirts.

[E]

Aren'T selling right now for me because.

[D]

Of the economy or what have you. Maybe that's just the shift we're seeing. Can I go into a different product market? Maybe it's the product, maybe it's the niches I'm in, maybe it's the designs. There's a lot of factors that can affect where your, your trajectory is, but.

[E]

That'S one of the reasons why I'm.

[D]

Kind of pulling back from updating the.

[E]

Print on Demand academy. So it is still like very a really good course.

[D]

It's just, it's time for me to.

[E]

Put down one thing so I can.

[D]

Give a whole new.

[E]

I can start a whole new legacy.

[D]

Of programs and courses.

[E]

And so if anyone wants to get that deal, it's the lowest it's ever going to go. And then I am taking it off.

[D]

The market at some point here. I haven't decided when because it's, it's kind of a big deal to take it down because. Because it's a three year progression in the making.

[E]

But again, you can grab it in.

[D]

Lizzie's links down below.

[C]

I will link all of those things. The place, the free course, the tech accessories mega seller program which I am so excited you're doing. And I think it's exactly what people are looking for. I think I completely understand how hard it is to let go of things that we've spent years building on. I did the same thing when I retired my course. It was, it was brutal that my, my like original big one when we used to sell them that way. It's just not, it's not what people need anymore. But I will, I'm so excited you're doing that. I will link that. I will link your YouTube and everything else that I, that I have for you. That mock up shop. I will find that, that you mentioned. I feel like I want to end with I. I don't have a question for you. What is the book that you're reading that's talking about perfectionism? I think that'd be a fun place to do. You have to look for it.

[D]

It's the Perfectionist guide to Losing Control.

[C]

That's such a vintage looking cover.

[D]

Yes. Yes.

[E]

I love it.

[D]

It's by Katherine Morgan Schaffler.

[E]

I feel like I always.

[D]

Is it Schaeffler?

[E]

I feel so bad. I'm so sorry, Catherine, but I always.

[D]

Mispronounce most things in life.

[E]

It's funny, I feel like I, I've.

[D]

Always had pronunciation issues. I was supposed to go to speech.

[E]

Therapy as a kid and I still can go as an adult. But I promise I am, I am smart. Even though I mispronounce things.

[D]

I have, I have a bachelor's degree in science.

[E]

I feel like some people have commented.

[D]

On my YouTube channel, if you can't pronounce th's, I can't follow you.

[E]

And I'm like, I know I have some speech difficulties, but I promise I, I have some smarts.

[C]

You're utterly brilliant. And I, I feel violent right now towards anyone who would make a comment like that.

[E]

Oh, yeah, Yeah. I always have to say that when I, like, pronounce things really bad. But anyways, I, I digress.

[D]

It's.

[E]

That's just part of life. I think that you, you can't judge a book by its cover.

[D]

Again, another phrase I'm going to use.

[E]

I'm pulling them all out today. But you really can't. Yeah, and I like, even today we had blind installers come in and the guy, he looked at me and he.

[D]

Was like, he looked at our house and he's like, what do you do for a living? And I was like, oh, I own two businesses. And he was just, just like, his.

[E]

Face, I, I could see in his face, like, because, you know, me and my husband were, you know, early 30s. I'm, I'm still in my late 20s. But when people see our house, I think when they go through it, they're.

[D]

Like, what do you do? Like, what have you done? Like, how, how have you gotten to this place?

[E]

And it's not through, like, you know, I don't have wealthy parents. I mean, they did really good their whole lives. They've worked hard, but they were labor.

[D]

Workers, you know, so it's. We didn't get this handed down. It was through Print on Demand, etsy, and also YouTube now. So I'm very grateful for all that.

[E]

But, you know, you can do things and you can make a life out of this. And I like the home that we bought. The down payment we put down, that.

[D]

Was money that I made from print on demand.

[E]

So I look around my house and I'm like, oh my gosh, this is.

[D]

This is what it's given me.

[E]

And, and I will speak about it until the day I die.

[D]

Because this is important. Like, this is, this is life changing. Print on Demand and Etsy. So.

[E]

And just e commerce in total, the.

[D]

The world we have now of making money online in digital sales. So anyways, I'm gonna stop. I'll end it on a mushy on that mushy standpoint, but I love that.

[C]

You said that and I, I love our friendship. There is nobody better to jump on Marco Polo with and pour my heart out because I'm always going to be met with empathy and wisdom and just presence and you mean the world to me. It's just even better that we get to work together. Like, what, what a life is this? And everyone who's listening has access as well. Do you know what I mean? Like, that's the best part, isn't it, Heather? Like, you're not going to come out of the gates being a Heather. You have to do the reps. Just, like, you know, it's going to take me a good 10 years in the gym to deal with this fluffy body, but I could still get there if I put in the reps. So I just think. I'm so glad you shared that. It's so. It's so different and practical and real to hear it about people observing, you know, the lifestyle that you've been able to build, but then, but then tying it back to. I literally started an Etsy shop that changed everything.

[E]

Oh, yeah. I think that's the craziest thing. And I, you know, I say I'm smart. I really am a Rudy. Like, if anyone's watched the movie Rudy, like, in comparison, that's the best way I can compare myself to anyone is I, like, even in, you know, getting going to school for MRI and X ray, like, I just put in the reps. I wasn't, I wasn't an A plus student. I was always like, B. And I had to try really hard for that. And I've always tried really hard. Like, I've always felt like people have gotten opportunities over me easier than I have. And if you feel like that now, just know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

[D]

I know, Lizzy, like, you have had the hardest hands dealt to you and.

[E]

You have gotten through that and made incredible things and had Etsy as well.

[D]

So Lizzy's podcast is just such a.

[E]

Blessing and I know you all know that, that listen, but I am grateful.

[D]

I am grateful as we approach Thanksgiving for our friendship as well.

[C]

Well, thank you for coming back and we'll have to get this on the books for. For 20, 26, maybe spring to. I don't know, I need to know what's going on. Like, what you have done with that phone case shop and your students is just blowing my mind. So more to come. You guys, thank you so much for listening. Follow Heather. Go to her YouTube take her crash course. Feel very safe to invest in any of her things because there is nothing I've been and vetted more thoroughly. And until next week go make something awesome. We love you guys and that's a.

[B]

Wrap on this episode of how to Sell youl Stuff on Etsy. Thanks so much for hanging out with me today.

[A]

If you're looking for more resources, head.

[B]

On over to howtosellyourstuff.com where you'll find podcast show notes, all the links from today's episode, the blog courses, coaching and more. If this episode was helpful to you, awesome. The greatest compliment I can receive from you is a rate, review and subscribe on this podcast. Not only will it allow us to connect again on a future episode, it lets me know I'm providing you with value and helps other people find this content more easily. From the bottom of my heart, thank.

[C]

You for your support.

[B]

Have a great day and see you next time.