Three Ways to Make Money on Etsy.Com If You Aren't an Artist

Etsy.com is a website where artists of all genres sell their creations, from oil painters to knitters and dress designers to doll makers. So, how can you get in on the action and open your own shop on etsy.com if you aren't naturally blessed with the ability to create a masterpiece? There are three categories of merchandise allowed to be sold on etsy.com, anything handmade, vintage pieces and commercial or handmade crafting supplies. If you aren't the next Monet or Betsey Johnson you can simply choose from the other two allowable categories!

Become a Vintage Diva:

If you have an eye for Vintage pieces, this is a great way to start your own etsy.com shop. Etsy defines Vintage as items that are at least 20 years old. So Basically anything from 1990 on down. I personally love clothing, bags and shoes from the 50's and 60's. But hey, whatever you think will sell. You could even think about having a niche decade that your shop is dedicated to. Disco era or Father Knows Best, I'm sure you will be able to define your new shop quite easily after your first shopping trip. Scour local estate sales, moving sales and consignment shops to get your initial inventory, or better yet start off with items you already own. This way the initial start up won't break the bank.

Learn a Simple Trade:

If you aren't the artistic type but enjoy crafts and can follow instructions well, you can buy a book or dvd or take a local class to learn something new. Some ideas are: Candle making, Crocheting, Sewing or Photography. Then you can use your new found ability in whatever you choose and create lovely items for sale in your etsy shop.

Be in Demand:

If the first two ideas here don't appeal to you but you are still interested in owning your own etsy shop, perhaps you should consider selling other crafters the supplies they need to create the products they sell in their own etsy shops.

Additional information:

You are allowed to set up a shop on etsy.com for free. When you list an item it will cost you .20 cents for a four month listing and when you sell an item, the etsy.com fee is 3.5% of your sale price. So you see, for a relatively small amount of money (for listing fees) you can start your own business using etsy.com.

Best of luck on your Etsy shops!