ETSY NICHE RESEARCH AS A BEGINNER | BUILD A 6 FIGURE ETSY STORE IN 2023 | ETSY DIGITAL DOWNLOADS

[@AlexisLK]

Posted my comment on the last video and there's not much more to say, it's just so clear, honest, transparent and easy to follow, great work !

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you! I really try to be as transparent as possible so I’m glad you see it too :)

[@AlexisLK]

@@whatshaesells Definitely the most transparent and realistic series of videos so far on Etsy, all the rest is very cloudy, very theoric and it's all huge numbers but it's really suspicious or hidden, so big respect to you

[@whatshaesells]

it's so true- I've found a lot of the Etsy videos don't give a ton of info because it's hidden behind a paywall (like a course) or they started on Etsy years ago and it's just a completely different landscape now as a new shop

[@AlexisLK]

@@whatshaesells Absolutely, you said it all

[@lorenapguazhambo4987]

Can you put subtitles in Spanish please.?

[@thefineletterco.7199]

Shae, you are such a breath of fresh air! As a starter on Etsy, I am simply looking for someone who is honest and smart who can hold my hand through the process. I am so turned off by all those ‘in your face’ gunfire-speed videos which don’t actually tell you anything! I am following on your journey and trust I will make progress with your advice!

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you so much for this comment!! I completely agree with some of the other videos, and I’m so glad my videos are helpful. I know your shop will grow with this advice!!

[@Mr-my8kx]

Finally a youtuber who you can understand and dont feel like your on speed.

[@whatshaesells]

Hahaha thank you 🤣

[@moolikeatree]

Thank you for making these videos! I started a digital templates store at the beginning of this month, but right now I'm just making a sale about every other day so I'm trying to get more listings up. Wishing you the best as you grow!

[@whatshaesells]

That’s already such a great pace for sales so soon!! Thank you, good luck on your shop as well!

[@moolikeatree]

@@whatshaesells Thank you!

[@ketankshirsagar3148]

Hey, I don't usually comment on KZbin videos, but I had to tell you that you're the most honest Etsy growth creator I've seen on here and you'll be the first to know if I make my first sale, thankyou

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you so much for this comment! Good luck on your shop and yes please let me know when you make a sale!

[@TheJeniVlogShow]

I just discovered your channel last night before bed, what a gem! Already love your channel so much, so many helpful tips, great advice, I’m so glad I accidentally found your KZbin channel and I’m so excited to continue following your journey! It’s very inspiring!!

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you so much for the kind words! That dang KZbin algorithm works sometimes I guess haha ;) So glad my vids are helpful and inspiring 💕

[@Amastar8]

Thank you a million!!! Crazy before going into this video I was thinking about niching down to weddings. I love your videos and appreciate this!

[@whatshaesells]

You're welcome :) It really is such a great niche!

[@astera8]

i just began my shop mid march and it feels nice to follow along w u, sorta like buddies on the same path lol. great channel! :)

[@whatshaesells]

It’s so true, I felt alone in my Etsy journey until I started making these videos and I realized we are all on this path together!! Good luck on your shop ❤️

[@consueloclementi6727]

Thank you Shae, you videos are very useful, and please keep on speaking so clearly, it’s a pleasure to follow your experience

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you! Will do!

[@3rdbeatz836]

After mirroring some of your strategies i went up to 200 views and 150 visits still no sales but I definitely see the progress ❤❤ thank u so much for help

[@whatshaesells]

Oh my gosh this is amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing. I know you will start seeing sales soon :)

[@3rdbeatz836]

@@whatshaesells You Definitely helping all your subscribers out with your knowledge that you providing. I try to add 10 listings every night one day ima wake up and see a sale lol ima celebrate 🎉 😂

[@jaclin1429]

I just came across your channel and I am loving your videos, they are so helpful and you present everything in an organized and easy to follow way! I'm hoping to get my etsy printable shop going this year. I got stuck taking a long time on the intial designs and kind of lost momentum, but your videos are motivating me to get back to it!! Thank you! Just a question have you thought of opening another shop in another niche and having multiple shops? I'm just wondering what considerations you would make before doing so. There are so many interesting niches out there it's hard to not want to jump into them all!

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! Glad my videos are helping you out! I have thought about doing another store for sure. I just don't want to do it too soon and hurt my current shop by spreading my time too thin between the two shops. I think I'll give it through the end of the year before opening another. But I agree there are so many interesting niches- I'm thinking about doing something in the wedding niche next!

[@SiRobinson]

Hey Shae, I truly enjoy your videos, your transparency you are amazing! I would like to know if opening a shop dedicated to event planning would be good (baby shower, wedding, birthday, & planning templates) I want to do all of these but I hope it’s not too broad.

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! Thank you :) Yes I totally think an events shop can work. But I would recommend starting out pretty cohesively in a sub-niche like weddings, and then moving into the other events as your shop grows. An alternative would be keeping the type of product pretty consistent (like invitations and programs) but making them for a variety of events

[@TemperanceLibraRising]

i love the loud typing its ASMR

[@whatshaesells]

Haha I totally had the wrong mic on when I filmed that and it was so loud! It is relaxing to listen to tho lol

[@othmanapple5465]

thank you sooooo much you saved my life, I was watching a lot of videos about that but you explaine to me everything I need to know. and if i can ask you a question: Is have a store on type of product better than specific audience for example: is template shop better than wedding template shop

[@whatshaesells]

Glad I could help!! I think the wedding template shop is better. It’s easier to have a specific customer and solve their specific problems. That way when they come to your shop, they will buy more than one item and keep coming back, recommend to their friends, etc. I think that’s the best move for long term growth on Etsy!

[@othmanapple5465]

@@whatshaesells Yes I understand but if you have a template store and inside the store you have a wedding template section + templates for teachers section + ..

[@whatshaesells]

hmm I still think starting with just the wedding templates or just the teacher templates. Because they are completely different niches, with a different customer base with different problems. There are plenty of products within each of those niches to build out an entire store. Later on you could potentially expand or open another shop. If you already have a store like this no worries, but I'd just try to narrow down and pick a customer group/audience and create templates just for them!

[@othmanapple5465]

@@whatshaesells Thanks you, I Will follow this advice

[@ProudBharatiya24]

Hi Shae...just came across your videos...I loved them

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you for watching! I'm so glad they're helpful :)

[@MindfulTravelbysara]

Hi Shae! I'm thinking of doing a travel shop with travel planners, road trip games, boarding passes for gifts, itineraries, and journals. What do you think? Thanks for your videos! ❤

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! That is a pretty narrow niche, but I think it could do well, you could start there and then expand into other digital products like planners!

[@axelwasch3068]

Thank you so much, this video helped me plenty to get started :)

[@whatshaesells]

You’re welcome! Glad it was helpful :)

[@rleung2001]

On 18:06, Everbee shows that item has Est 507 monthly sales, and est monthly revenue. I understand each software has different formula.

[@whatshaesells]

Good point, all these softwares are just estimating the sales and revenue! I always take the data with a grain of salt

[@usernameiphone3gkid]

Youre one of the few non scammy channels in this part of youtube lol

[@whatshaesells]

lol that is the biggest compliment 😆 fr though!

[@jennyhorner]

Excellent. Have you considered turning this into a Skillshare course? You seem to have that planned-out-course way of thinking.

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you! Yes I am considering a course or some type of coaching program in the future!

[@geoffauckett2330]

Gday Shae. Firstly thanks for your generosity in helping us with our shops etc. Love your kind heart. Second, what type of membership do you have with eRank - basic or pro?

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you Geoff! I just have basic, the cheapest membership, it is $6 USD per month!

[@enckgo18]

🔥 Great info

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you! Hope it helps :)

[@fruityliving3413]

Really enjoying your series. I am trying to start a store but having issues with design. Do you come from a design background? Any tips for the technically challenged that want to start a store? I know I can outsource but would think I’d need to learn to keep up with the items in my store myself. Especially if items are customizable. Thank you

[@whatshaesells]

Hello! No I do not come from a design background... in fact I am very un-artistic haha. I don't think you should outsource from the beginning as you are just testing out what works and what doesn't. For me it was all about practice. It took me sooo long to make my first items in Canva and now I can pop out new designs pretty quickly. I also pay close attention to what's selling well in the particular niche- colors, styles, overall visuals- and take inspiration from that. It's all about making what people want to buy, not necessarily what you want to make!

[@WreathPurpose]

Great video 😊 thanks for sharing!!

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you, I’m glad I can help!

[@doublebarrelldarrell]

LOVE IT GIRL! keep going

[@XoliMan]

Ur video are so informative

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you! I am so glad they are helpful 🙏🏽

[@dydy_medesse]

Hello, Thank you so much for your video. How do you find new stores within your niche on Etsy? I mean is there a way to know if a store is new ?

[@dylantucker3432]

Really Great Video 🎉

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you so much!

[@asjadsyed4988]

Thank you

[@whatshaesells]

You're welcome :)

[@Introverted_Rn]

Is it better to focus on building enough products first before looking up key words? Ty for your transparency and helpful tips 😊

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! You want to do in depth research into the niche before you start making products, and I do a brief keyword search specific to the product to make sure it's worth selling. But I don't do a in depth keyword/SEO research until I am about to list the product!

[@Gut-BrainRevivial]

Do you think it's ok to have a mic of digital and physical stuff within my shop? I have a homemakers shop and I have, for example, crochet patterns as well as some of the physical items I've crocheted in my shop. Or do you think it would be better if I separated into two shops, one for digital stuff and one for physical items?

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! Great question. I think it’s totally fine if the products are in the same niche:)

[@Gut-BrainRevivial]

@@whatshaesells thank you!! 💖

[@cfpaddock]

Thoughts on the following niche example? The niche I researched passes criteria 1-4 (specific audience: yes; range of products: yes; solve a problem/need: yes; proven bestsellers & new stores doing well: yes) but does not pass the 5th criteria for keywords. Based on my research with eRank, I only found 2 keywords that pass the high search/low competition test. The rest of the keywords had really low searches (under 100) but high CTR and low competition. Thoughts? Is this a viable niche?

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! I do think this is a pretty good niche, especially as a beginner shop. If there is proof that new stores are doing well, I think you should be good! I started in a niche similar to this and some of those products are still doing quite well. My only concern is that maybe you'd run out of good products to make? So there might be an adjacent niche that you can expand into in the future (an example is if you're doing weddings, and you expand into templates for other events).

[@DownerIsland]

Great vid lookin forward to the other parts 👍

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you!!

[@kathywalters3811]

Great video :) Based on your advice for a shop with one niche, if you add other niche's later, then you would add an additional store, correct? This means a different store name and new dba, which seems like a hassle, so just wanted to make sure that I am understanding correctly. Thanks!

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! It kind of depends on the situation but for me personally, if I were to go into a completely different niche, I will be creating a different store for that. There are exceptions like if the other niche you want to go into is pretty close to you current niche (like if you’re in the wedding space but also get into other events like baby showers). I also don’t want to add other stores any time soon because I think it will spread me too thin and hurt the growth of my main shop :)

[@kathywalters3811]

@@whatshaesells Thanks Shae! I was thinking of Excel and Google sheets templates so those could be for several things, but if I’m just doing personal finance templates, business finance tracking, wedding planning/budget, those are different niches but I would only have 10 or so base products, then styling variations. To me, not enough to warrant an entire store. I was thinking a template store with categories. I really appreciate the insight as this has me in analysis paralysis trying to think of a shop name. I also want to do designs for crafters so that audience is crafters but the type of design will be all types of niches since crafters need all types of designs for their customers. I really appreciate the videos and your feedback! ❤️

[@whatshaesells]

​@@kathywalters3811 oh yes that is a way to do it as well- I've seen stores like that where they focus on just making Excel templates but for different types of people. They become the go-to excel template store and can do really well that way! It took me a while to figure out a name too haha

[@frankjoe2272]

Great video. Quick question: what Abt wall art for history nerds for a niche?

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you! In my opinion, digital wall art is one of the worst digital niches to get into as a beginner. I know so many people do it and I don't want to be discouraging, but I feel strongly that the niche criteria in this vid is where you can find success as a beginner! Most of the digital wall art space isn't going to meet the criteria (specifically the last criteria about keywords). For history specifically, perhaps you can find keywords that do well but in general if it doesn't pass the niche criteria, unfortunately I don't think it's going to be a profitable route as a beginner :(

[@maxgoldecom]

Very usefull! Thank you :)

[@whatshaesells]

You're welcome!

[@mafloideas8752]

Great video as always, just wondering.. could you have an affordable course for beginners to move step by step with you.. Thanks

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you! I would love to make a course. There's only so much I can do in a video but with a course I could literally show everything in detail! I am considering making one later this year :)

[@musaasami4906]

Amazing video, very very informative and helpful! What do you think about the printable posters niche? I guess that's a larger niche and there are smaller niches within that. That's what I want to start with but I feel that its very saturated and I'm not sure if new shops do well. Any thoughts? Thank you 😊

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! Are you talking about wall art? I don't recommend that niche.. it's just so saturated unfortunately. There might be very specific sub niches within that could do well but in general I don't think that's a beginner friendly niche!

[@riyankathomas4802]

Hey Shae - I absolutely love your videos and appreciate the knowledge through it

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you :) Are you talking about svgs for totes and stickers? I think that niche definitely can do well- just make sure the product looks good on erank (or another software) before designing in it. I'm not sure about photomontages, I haven't seen many of them sold on Etsy- is it like a digital photo album?

[@riyankathomas4802]

@@whatshaesells Photomontages are overlays of various art to create new and abstract art - I was wondering if this a niche that would make sense to develop overtime - I literally just started my store two days ago

[@whatshaesells]

@@riyankathomas4802 ohh I unfortunately have no idea. I wouldn't design anything unless you have data backing it up though. Sometimes, niches are quite new and therefore the keywords aren't really showing up on erank well. So what I do is search on Google trends. I look at how much a keyword has been searched over the past 5 years. If it's been increasing a gaining in popularity, it could be worth selling on Etsy and being one of the first people to sell it on there!

[@felipepassos499]

Hey Shae I love watching all your videos!!! I'm in the realtor template/printable niche any opinions if I should continue pursuing it I'm 1.5 months in with just under 40 listings. only got 4 sale :/

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you so much for watching! I think that is a great niche. I've done lots of research in that space and even though there are quite a few big stores, there are also smaller stores that are able to make sales. I'm not sure what products you are making, but I'd focus on diversify-ing the products you offer within that niche. For example you could add more complex products (like a buyer or seller presentation), or more rare products like a home buying roadmap. The great thing about that space is there are SO many product possibilities and realtors are always wanting something new for their marketing! Also 4 sales isn't bad at this stage!! You'll want to get a few more and hopefully a couple of reviews and then start running ads on your top selling products

[@felipepassos499]

@@whatshaesells thanks for the advice!!! See you grow fuels a fire in me!

[@whatshaesells]

@@felipepassos499 You're welcome! Good, I'm glad! I hope I can help inspire other new shops!! It is totally possible to make serious money with Etsy!

[@adypuzzle]

Hello, first of all, it is a very nice video. I want to ask something. I make my designs in photoshop program. Can I sell my custom designs as photoshop files to the buyer?

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you :) Yes you absolutely can sell photoshop files to a buyer. In fact, i have bought photoshop files on Etsy before. The potential issue is, though, that photoshop is a paid program and pretty complex for the average person to use. So if you are in a niche where most people already have photoshop (like photographers/designers), then I think that's fine- but if you are selling the designs to the general public or people that probably don't already have photoshop, then this will most likely hurt your sales. Another thing you could do is look at your competitors- are they selling psd files, or Canva templates, or editable pdfs? See what's already selling well in your niche. Lastly, you could always test this by making the same design as a photoshop version but making another listing with the same design that's in a different program like Canva or Corjl to see which version sells better

[@digidownlo]

Hi, great video thank you. Does etsy allow you to include a link to your external website.

[@whatshaesells]

Hello! Thank you for watching. As far as I know, it is not allowed to link to your own website because etsy doesn't want you to direct traffic off of their site. What you can do, however, is show your socials in your etsy banner and I have seen shops direct people to a email list... then from there you could get people directly to your website! Or you could include your website info in your branding after they purchase (again being careful not to directly link to your website on anything in Etsy itself)

[@digidownlo]

@@whatshaesells That's really good information thank you for taking time out to check for me.

[@ifeelfantastic8956]

Is your channel all about digital products or physical as well? Great video btw.

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! Thank you :) I only sell digital products on Etsy so I don’t know too much about physical. I’d imagine that a lot of the strategies would be the same though!

[@ifeelfantastic8956]

@@whatshaesells Thank you.

[@dydy_medesse]

Hello, when reaserching keywords on products inmy niche the reuslts are so different for USA vs. CANADA. I live in Can and my etsy store is in CAD. The keyowrd reaserch result is bad in CAN but great in USA. Do you think I can still use that niche ? Does the country matter ?

[@TheThingsuwant]

Hi - really enjoyed this video, very clear. New subscriber gained! So, here is a (terrible!!) newbie question! You show using eRank that you can research keyword search volume/competition by different country (e.g. USA, UK, Canada, etc.), but when it comes to selling digital products, if I for example list a product in the UK Etsy store, is that visible/searchable and can be bought on other country stores, like the US? Reason I ask is that a niche/keyword may score really badly in one country, but score really well in another country. Help appreciated.

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! Good question. For digital products where you don't have to set up shipping, it will show in other countries. I do all my erank research within just the USA and 85% of my sales are US based, with the UK/Canada being the next. So personally it makes sense to just look at US erank data. But for some people making items in different languages or something that would be more popular in a specific country, it would make sense to toggle to the data in different countries!

[@TheThingsuwant]

Thank you, that’s great. Glad I’ll be able research the US, some of the results in other countries for the niche I was looking at were pretty terrible! I am based in the UK, so wanted to make sure that listings based on US research were visible and sellable on the US site even if I list via the UK. Thanks again.

[@whatshaesells]

@@TheThingsuwant Yep! There might be a setting in your Etsy shop to toggle to international selling (I don't recall seeing one, but I might not have one being based in the US). So just double check but I see UK sellers all the time when I'm searching on Etsy!

[@FrannyGlass89]

How do you feel about the resume template niche?

[@whatshaesells]

It’s a great niche I think! The downsides are the lower price point and some types can be over saturated, but it’s a great niche to be able to iterate and quickly make different versions

[@FrannyGlass89]

@@whatshaesells thanks for your answer! I was curious since I saw a lot of people recommending it here, but I can’t really see new stores doing super well, most of the ones that are are at least a few years old, and I thought your rule about seeing new stores having best sellers as part of the niche research what pretty in point.

[@whatshaesells]

​@@FrannyGlass89 Yes that's a good point- that's maybe the most important niche criteria- you need to be able to see newer stores breaking into the niche!

[@VV-iw1ly]

Hello, please what are the software you use,

[@whatshaesells]

Hello! I use erank and the free version of alura right now!

[@Klaus252]

where can i learn how to make templets?

[@10xSmiles]

Oh general question for anyone- do you recommend for bookkeeping just starting do on own or outsource? How about qtrly taxes? That what makes me nervous

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! I pay quarterly taxes, but mainly for my other online businesses and I haven't always when those businesses were just starting out (not actual tax advice, just what I've done). I do my own bookkeeping and always have. Does take a bit of time but I don't think it's worth paying for unless your business is particular large/complicated. I just use a spreadsheet but I have used quickbooks in the past. But definitely chat with an accountant as they will point you in the right direction!

[@10xSmiles]

@@whatshaesells thank you so much for reply. Definitely making an appointment with my tax accountant. I know I’ll need to get my EIN if I’m selling online.

[@whatshaesells]

@@10xSmiles You can do it with your SSN and not an EIN, but you will eventually want an LLC and EIN (especially when you start making a bit of money and you want to reduce taxes by being an S-corp, your accountant will let you know about that!)

[@user-cm6uj4xo4u]

Hello, I'm getting no traffic to my store. I have 25 sales but only because of etsy ads. I just opened at the end of October but need to know how to get consistent amount of huge traffic. Please help!!! I want a 6 figure store too!

[@whatshaesells]

Hey, what type of profits are you selling?

[@ShowSomethingCooL]

I have Creative Fabrica paid subscription & Free Canva Free Printful & Etsy. But I don't have a clueHOW to get the digital products in MY ETSY STORE?? Please HELP!!!

[@whatshaesells]

Hi I don’t have a tutorial video on this yet but this is the video I watched to learn how to do it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYvMfp6hqbx1edU

[@fevzialtn6159]

How do you create 3 design a day 😮 I want to be like u

[@whatshaesells]

It is SO much work haha not going to lie. It's taken up all my free time lol! But I am getting faster at creating listings :)

[@fevzialtn6159]

@@whatshaesells I want to ask a question. I have produced printable daily journals, bedtime charts and chore charts for children. I also want to design a planner. Do you think it's better if I open a different store for the planner? I'm going to make this my store more of a niche for kids. Thank you so much

[@whatshaesells]

@@fevzialtn6159 I don't recommend starting new stores because it could spread you too thin and if you're not listing consistently enough in both stores, it will hurt your stores more than if you just had one store. I think the kids niche is great! But your target audience is moms who are actually buying the items for their kids. if you market your products to help busy moms, I think the planners could still fall in that niche. If you absolutely want to have separate stores, just focus on one of the stores as your main shop rather than dividing your efforts equally. Hope that makes sense lol!

[@fevzialtn6159]

@@whatshaesells Thanks for your answer, my only goal is to improve my store right now, but if I add a set of digital or printable planners to my mind, would I go out of my niche category to my store? I think I understood that from the answer that I will not quit

[@TiredMama97]

Do you find you have to upload a PDF file to etsy even when using Templett? The customer service from Templett told me I only need the ID numbers in the listing and no PDF but if I remove the PDF etsy won't publish the listing..so confused!!

[@whatshaesells]

Hi! Unfortunately I do canva and not templett, but I’d still put some sort of pdf, even if it’s just a thank you page with instructions for what they need to do next!

[@TiredMama97]

@@whatshaesells Do clients need to buy canva pro to edit a template they purchased if you used pro elements in the template? Or do they get the edit it for free for a limited time?

[@whatshaesells]

@@TiredMama97 I do not use any pro elements in my designs, I'm very careful of that! So everything is just through the free version of canva. When the customers purchase on etsy, they get a pdf that has links to the canva templates. when they click the link, they'll either be prompted to sign into their canva account or create a new account

[@TiredMama97]

@@whatshaesells I'm having a hard time choosing between Corjl, Canva or Templett..it's getting me very stuck. I spent all day designing in one and now I think I should have done it on a different platform...do you have a preference for why you use canva or do you use others too?

[@VV-iw1ly]

How do you know newer shop

[@whatshaesells]

What do you mean?

[@VV-iw1ly]

How do you know a shop is new, is it by their reviews or when it started

[@whatshaesells]

@@VV-iw1ly Oh yes I look at 2 things, I'll scroll down and see when they opened their shop, but then I'll also sort their reviews by my recent, go to the last page, and see what date their oldest review was!

[@orion9779]

"PromoSM" 😕

[@bozobaloons4255]

oF link?

[@whatshaesells]

😆😆😆😆no

[@bozobaloons4255]

@@whatshaesells Great video btw

[@muzikmunster3287]

What is OF? Did I miss a topic 🤔

[@whatshaesells]

@@bozobaloons4255 Thank you!

[@whatshaesells]

@@muzikmunster3287 OF stands for something I don't think I can write on youtube hahaha but you didn't miss anything, I don't have a OF and will not be getting one

[@britneydavidson]

You are very thorough, I really love and appreciate it! First video I’ve seen that gives very detailed information that is so easy to replicate 🫶🏽 keep up the good job! 😊

[@whatshaesells]

Thank you so much- I sometimes wonder if it's worth going into so much depth but I will keep it up for sure, glad to know it's helpful :)