7 Best Platforms for Selling Your Printables: Turn Your Designs into a Lucrative Side Gig
Looking to turn your creative skills into a money-making side gig? Selling printables online could be the perfect way to earn some extra cash.
These digital products are easy to make and sell, with no inventory or shipping hassles to worry about.
You can start selling printables on many different platforms, each with its own pros and cons. From big marketplaces to your own website, there are lots of options to choose from.
Picking the right place to sell your printables can help you reach more customers and boost your sales.
Let’s look at some of the best platforms for selling your digital creations.
1) Etsy
Etsy is a top pick for selling your printables as a side hustle.
It’s easy to use and has a huge audience of people looking for unique, handmade, and digital items.
To get started, you’ll need to create an Etsy account and set up your shop.
It’s pretty simple and doesn’t take long.
Once your shop is ready, you can start listing your printables.
Etsy lets you upload up to five files of 20MB each for every listing.
This is plenty for most printables.
Your printables can be anything from planners and calendars to wall art and party decorations.
The sky’s the limit! Just make sure your designs are original and eye-catching.
Pricing is important.
Look at what similar items are selling for and set your prices competitively.
Don’t forget to factor in Etsy’s fees when deciding on your prices.
To boost your sales, use clear, descriptive titles and tags for your listings.
Good photos of your printables in use can also help attract buyers.
Remember, success on Etsy takes time and effort.
Keep creating new designs and improving your existing ones.
With patience and persistence, you can turn your printables into a profitable side hustle.
2) Gumroad
Gumroad is a great pick for your printable side hustle.
It’s super easy to use and lets you sell digital products online without any tech know-how.
You can set up your Gumroad account for free.
There are no monthly fees to worry about.
Just upload your printables, add some nice descriptions, and you’re good to go.
One cool thing about Gumroad is that it handles all the payment stuff for you.
You don’t need to mess with complicated payment systems.
They take care of it all.
Gumroad also lets you sell directly from your own website if you have one.
This means you can keep your brand look consistent across all your sales channels.
Another plus is that Gumroad gives you detailed stats about your sales.
You can see what’s selling well and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Remember, Gumroad takes a small cut of each sale.
But as you sell more, this percentage goes down.
It’s a nice way to reward you as your side hustle grows.
With Gumroad, you can focus on creating awesome printables.
They handle the tech stuff, so you can put your energy into making products people love.
3) Shopify
Shopify is a great choice for selling your printables as a side hustle.
It’s super easy to set up an online store and start making money from your digital creations.
You can sell printables on Shopify without any hassle.
The platform lets you create a digital store and sell all kinds of products, including your awesome printables.
Setting up your Shopify store is a breeze.
You can customize it to match your style and make it look just how you want.
Plus, there are tons of apps you can add to make selling and managing your printables even easier.
One cool thing about Shopify is that it works with print-on-demand companies.
This means you can sell physical versions of your printables too.
Companies like Printful integrate with Shopify, giving you more options to grow your side hustle.
Shopify has powerful features to help you run your business smoothly.
You can track sales, manage inventory, and even handle shipping if you decide to sell physical products.
The best part? You can run your printables business from anywhere.
Shopify’s mobile app lets you manage your store on the go, perfect for a flexible side hustle.
Remember, Shopify does charge a monthly fee.
But the potential to earn from your printables can make it totally worth it.
Give it a try and see how your side hustle can grow!
4) Big Cartel
Big Cartel is a cool platform for selling your printables as a side hustle.
It’s made for artists and creators like you who want to set up shop without a lot of fuss.
You can build a free online store with Big Cartel.
This is great if you’re just starting out and want to test the waters without spending money.
The platform is super easy to use.
You don’t need any tech skills to get your store up and running.
This means you can focus on creating awesome printables instead of worrying about website stuff.
Big Cartel lets you sell different types of printables.
Whether you’re into wall art, planners, or stickers, you can list them all in your store.
One neat thing about Big Cartel is that it’s made for small businesses.
You won’t feel lost in a sea of big sellers like on some other platforms.
You can also hook up Big Cartel with print-on-demand suppliers.
This means you can sell physical products without keeping inventory.
It’s a great way to expand your printables business.
The downside? Big Cartel doesn’t have as many features as some other platforms.
But if you want a simple, straightforward way to sell your printables on the side, it’s worth checking out.
5) Creative Market
Creative Market is a cool place to sell your printables and make some extra cash on the side.
It’s a platform where designers and creators can showcase their work to a big audience.
You can upload your digital goodies like planners, wall art, or even digital stickers.
The best part? Once you set up your shop, you can earn money while you sleep.
The site attracts lots of people looking for unique designs.
This means your printables could reach customers you might not find elsewhere.
Plus, you get to set your own prices.
Creative Market takes care of the technical stuff.
They handle payments and file delivery, so you can focus on making awesome printables.
It’s a great way to turn your design skills into a fun side hustle.
Remember, your designs need to stand out.
Make sure your printables are high-quality and solve a problem for your customers.
This will help you build a loyal following and boost your sales.
You’ll need to promote your shop a bit.
Share your products on social media or in design communities.
The more eyes on your work, the better chance you have of making sales.
With some effort and creativity, Creative Market could become a nice source of extra income for you.
It’s worth giving it a shot if you’re looking to monetize your design skills.
6) Redbubble
Looking to turn your art into a sweet side hustle? Redbubble might be just the ticket.
This popular platform lets you slap your designs on all sorts of goodies, from t-shirts to phone cases.
Getting started is a breeze.
You just upload your artwork, pick which products you want it on, and boom – you’re in business.
Redbubble handles all the nitty-gritty stuff like printing, shipping, and customer service.
One of the coolest things about Redbubble is the huge variety of products you can sell.
We’re talking everything from stickers to shower curtains.
This means you can really let your creativity run wild.
Pricing is pretty flexible too.
You get to decide how much profit you want to make on each item.
Just remember, the higher you price things, the harder it might be to make sales.
Redbubble’s got a big audience, which is great for getting your stuff seen.
But it also means there’s a lot of competition.
You’ll need to make sure your designs really stand out.
One thing to keep in mind – Redbubble takes a chunk of each sale.
But hey, that’s the trade-off for not having to deal with inventory or shipping yourself.
So if you’re looking for a low-stress way to make money from your art, Redbubble could be worth a shot.
Just don’t expect to get rich overnight – building up a successful shop takes time and effort.
7) Society6
Looking to turn your art into a cool side hustle? Society6 might be just what you need.
This platform lets you upload your designs and slap them on all sorts of stuff – from wall art to phone cases.
You don’t need to worry about inventory or shipping.
Society6 takes care of all that for you.
Just focus on creating awesome designs and watch as people buy your art on different products.
One neat thing about Society6 is its wide range of products.
You can put your art on shirts, mugs, pillows, and even furniture.
This variety gives you lots of options to appeal to different customers.
Society6 is super easy to use.
You just upload your design, choose which products you want it on, and set your prices.
The platform handles the rest, including customer service and returns.
Keep in mind that Society6 takes a big chunk of each sale.
You’ll get about 10% of the sale price.
But hey, that’s the trade-off for not having to deal with production and shipping yourself.
Society6 is great if you want to dip your toes into selling your art without a huge commitment.
It’s a low-risk way to start your creative side hustle and potentially earn some extra cash from your designs.
Getting Started with Selling Printables
Selling printables can be a fun and profitable side hustle.
It’s easy to start and doesn’t need much upfront investment.
Here’s how you can get going:
Setting Up Your Shop
First, pick where you’ll sell your printables. Etsy is a popular choice for many beginners.
It’s user-friendly and has lots of customers looking for digital products.
To set up your shop:
- Choose a catchy name
- Create a logo
- Write a shop description
- Set your policies
Don’t forget to make a brand for yourself.
Think about your shop’s style and the customers you want to attract.
Your brand helps you stand out in a crowded market.
Creating High-Quality Printables
Now it’s time to make your products.
You don’t need fancy software – tools like Canva or even Microsoft Word can work great.
Some popular printables to start with:
- Planners
- Calendars
- Wall art
- Worksheets
Focus on making your designs look good and work well.
Test print everything before you list it.
Ask friends to try your printables and give feedback.
Remember to price your items fairly.
Look at similar products to get an idea of what to charge.
Start low if you’re new, then raise prices as you get more sales and reviews.
Marketing Your Printables
Getting the word out about your printables is key to making sales.
A solid marketing plan can help you reach more customers and grow your side hustle.
Utilizing Social Media
Social media is a great way to show off your printables.
Pick 2-3 platforms where your target audience hangs out. Instagram and Pinterest work well for visual products like printables.
Post pretty photos of your printables in use.
Share tips on how to use them.
Run contests where followers can win free printables.
This builds buzz and gets people excited about your products.
Try doing live videos to connect with potential customers.
Show how you use the printables yourself.
Answer questions and give a behind-the-scenes look at your process.
Don’t just post and ghost. Engage with your followers by replying to comments and messages promptly.
Building relationships can turn followers into loyal customers.
Building an Email List
An email list lets you keep in touch with interested buyers.
Offer a freebie like a simple printable in exchange for email signups.
Place signup forms on your website and social media bios.
Send regular emails with valuable content, not just sales pitches.
Share organizing tips, productivity hacks, or creative ideas that relate to your printables.
This keeps subscribers engaged and positions you as an expert.
Give exclusive discounts or early access to new printables for your email subscribers.
This makes them feel special and encourages list growth through word-of-mouth.
Use email to announce new products or limited-time sales.
Segment your list to send targeted offers based on past purchases or interests.
This personal touch can boost your conversion rates.