Running an Etsy Shop as a Traditional Artist: My Journey, Tips, and Earnings

Is It Worth It? Running a Small Etsy Shop as a Traditional Artist

I started my Etsy shop back in 2017 during what I now know were the platform's "golden days." Back then, Etsy was a lot simpler—the algorithm worked in your favour, and just by uploading a listing, you'd see views and orders roll in almost effortlessly… Fast forward to now, things have changed dramatically. After a long break, I reopened my shop a few years later and quickly realized that Etsy has become much more competitive. But let’s rewind and talk about my early experience as a traditional artist selling hand-painted art on Etsy, the lessons I’ve learned, and my current approach…hopefully this will help you decide if opening an Etsy shop is right for you!

Here is my YouTube video where I talk you through my experience of running an Etsy shop as a traditional artist.

My Etsy Journey

Let’s take a little trip down memory lane and look at my Etsy stats when I first opened my shop. I actually started late in 2017 when I was at home looking after my newborn, but 2018 was my first full year. Honestly, all I did was upload a few listings of some past pet portraits I had done—no marketing, no extra effort. To my surprise, I got 10 orders for custom pet portraits that year! My prices weren’t high back then (they still aren’t to be honest), so I made £1,476.34, which is about $1,897 USD. Not bad for the minimal effort I put in.

That year, I had 2,668 views in total and at that time, I was over the moon with the commissions! It was just enough work for me as Etsy was more of a side hobby that brought in a little extra cash.

Then in 2019, I had my second baby, and with a newborn and an 18-month-old to take care of, my shop took a serious backseat. I closed it for a period of time because I often found that if people messaged me and enquired about a pet portrait I didn’t get that excitement that I used to feel when I received commissions so I knew it was time to take a break. But fast forward to the end of December 2023—that’s when I really started taking my art business seriously. We moved back to the UK from Dubai, my kids started school and preschool, and suddenly, I had more time and headspace to focus on my art and Etsy again. It felt like the perfect moment to put more energy into growing my business and my shop! Ill talk about all the stats for this year once I’ve talked a bit more about my experience with Etsy recently.

Painting at my home studio in West Sussex

Growth on the Platform

Etsy has a lot of great things going for it, which is why it’s still a popular choice for many sellers. One of the best features is that it’s a marketplace, so shoppers can search for specific keywords and browse through tons of items that catch their eye. This is a huge advantage compared to platforms like Shopify, where you need to drive traffic to your store by linking directly to your products.

Plus, if you’re just starting out, Etsy is super affordable. It doesn’t cost anything to open a shop, and each listing is only around 16 pence in the UK or 20 cents USD, which lasts for about four months—definitely a budget-friendly way to get your products out there!

I've been working on a few things to grow my sales on Etsy, which are still relatively low. But since I see my business as a long-term, sustainable project, I’m okay with that slow and steady pace. My main focus right now is offering more affordable ways for people to buy my art, like greeting cards, bookmarks, and prints, which I only started introducing late last year.

For me, it’s all about growing steadily and sustainably. I don’t want to chase trends or fixate on how much money I can make. I’ve found a niche that I’m passionate about, and my goal is to create products that really resonate with my target market. It's more about connecting with people who love what I do rather than fast growth. If this is also how you see your relationship with Etsy hope some of the following tips will help you with with your either your shop set up or ongoing maintenance. I’m no expert but I’ve picked up some things along the way which will be really useful.

Tips for Growth

As I mentioned, my Etsy sales are still relatively low, with 84 purchases overall. However, 65 of those have come in the last 9 months, which, considering my track record since 2017, is a solid improvement! For me, it's all about growing slowly and sustainably, at a pace that feels right. Etsy is just a small part of my overall business strategy, and I’m confident that if I could dedicate more time to it, I could increase sales at a faster rate.

If you're looking to grow an Etsy shop, be prepared—competition is fiercer than ever. Etsy used to be all about handmade goods, but recently, more mass-produced items have been slipping through, making it harder for smaller sellers to stand out. In fact, a lot of smaller sellers have left for other platforms because of this shift. If anyone has experience with alternative handmade platforms, let me know which works for you!

Listing Quality Tips

Product photos are so important when it comes to selling online! I’m definitely still learning and I have a few things I want to improve, but here are a few tips I’ve picked up so far. First off, photographing artwork in natural light is key—I always try to photograph outdoors on an overcast day or close to a window day to avoid any harsh, direct sunlight. And honestly, I just use my iPhone for photos; the camera is pretty great, and it works perfectly fine for now.

If you want to get more advanced with product photography, YouTube is full of fantastic tutorials that really break down the details. For my greeting card listings, I’ve been using a mock-up I purchased on Etsy for a few pounds. Some people may think mock ups look a bit borning but personally but I think for greeting cards they are great as they give my product thumbnails a nice, clean, and consistent look across the shop. I also like to stick to a standardized photo setup: I’ll use one mock-up, one shot of me holding the card, and then photos of the inside and reverse. Since the inside and reverse of the cards are the same across all listings, I just reuse the same photo for those.

The mock up I use for my greeting card listings

Occasionally, I use an AI app to generate background mockups for my paintings, usually opting for simple, plain backgrounds with soft lighting to keep the focus on the artwork. It’s been a fun way to experiment! And one that I recommend is photoroom you have access to a free trial and I used this to generate mockups for all my paintings.

A photo using an AI generated background

My next tip: if you're offering variations, don't go overboard with too many options. It can lead to choice paralysis and actually put potential buyers off. Instead, I've narrowed down my options to make things simpler. For example, with my paintings, I offer 5 or 6 of the most popular canvas sizes, which most people are happy with. However, I still give the option to contact me for custom sizes if someone wants something larger or smaller.

I also keep framing simple by offering just one style in three colors—black, white, or natural. This not only makes it easier for buyers but also helps me manage my stock more efficiently in my studio, whether it’s canvases or frames. For my bookmarks, I stick to 4 tassel colour variations, even though there are tons of colours out there. Keeping choices streamlined like this really helps indecisive buyers and keeps things manageable for me too!

Shop Quality Tips

Make sure you fill out all the sections in your Etsy shop, like the "About Me" section and FAQs. Etsy tends to rank shops higher in search results when they’ve completed all these details. Also, don’t forget to upload a high-resolution cover photo, include some "About Us" photos, and keep your shop announcement updated. I've heard that frequently making small tweaks to your shop helps maintain your ranking in search results, whereas not updating for months may signal to Etsy that you're not an active seller.

Ensure strong communication with your customers by enabling automated emails to let them know when an order is received and when it has been shipped. If any unexpected delays occur, promptly reach out with a personalized message to inform them and provide an updated timeline. Clear, proactive communication helps build trust, reduces potential misunderstandings, and creates a positive customer experience that can lead to repeat business and positive reviews.

Look for opportunities to connect with your customers. When I send out greeting cards, I include a couple of marketing materials. One is a thank-you note encouraging customers to leave a review if they're satisfied with their purchase. On that note, it's helpful to publicly respond to reviews, as I always make sure to thank customers for their feedback. The second is a flyer with information on how to order a portrait, which helps raise awareness of my services within my niche. Success in a small niche takes time, but providing excellent customer service and building a base of repeat buyers can greatly enhance the long-term growth of your business.

I’m not a keyword expert, and I don’t use any of the fancy apps to track trends. However, I do market research by looking at sellers who offer similar products to mine and target the same audience. Periodically, I check the keywords they use, especially in their titles or descriptions, and I update mine to keep things fresh. The key is to avoid broad keywords that appeal to everyone; instead, focus on terms that resonate with your niche. Think of it as fishing in a small pond—it's about serving your specific audience, meeting demand, and offering quality products that keep customers coming back.

Pin your Etsy listings to Pinterest - Etsy products perform well on Pinterest, which acts like a visual search engine. You can schedule pins in bulk using tools like Tailwind to drive long-term traffic without daily involvement. However, I also like to use pins to direct people to my website, Instagram and YouTube channel so not all my traffic from Pinterest is going to my Etsy shop.

Why I Struggle with Etsy as a Traditional Artist

I don't want this video to be all doom and gloom, but I did want to discuss some of the downsides of selling on Etsy. One of the biggest drawbacks for me, is the high commission they take. I’m not exactly sure of the current percentage, but it's around 11%. For example, if I sell a custom portrait and frame for £200, the fees take a significant chunk out of that. Since I have my own website, I prefer directing people there for commissions because I don't have to pay any fees.

Digital art is now becoming a big thing on Etsy which was no where near as big as when I opened my shop in 2017. This type of art normally has a quicker turnaround time and lower shipping costs especially if there are digital files that are sent to direct to the recipient. When I search for similar products to myself in etsy its normally these types of products that are high up in the search results.

The bigger businesses can sell cheaper products, offer faster shipping, and keep costs low, which makes it tough for smaller artists like me to compete. For example, my lower-priced items like greeting cards and bookmarks have a 1-2 day turnaround, but my custom pet portraits take much longer—up to 4 weeks if I’m not swamped with orders, and even longer around busy times like Christmas. From what I’ve heard, Etsy favours shops with fast turnaround times, so I wonder if that’s working against me.

There has also been a new algorithm update recently which I don’t know the ins and outs of it and as I understand Etsy’s algorithm doesn’t change that often. But with this new algorithm they are prioritising items that have lower shipping costs. So if you can, include shipping costs in your item costs. This isn’t great for shops that have heavier items or who are shipping overseas as these types of shipping costs are typically very high.

What’s Next For MY Etsy Shop?

Looking ahead, I plan to increase my listings, particularly seasonal greeting cards and bundles like sets of Christmas cards. I’m also focusing on improving my product photography and gradually migrating more of my business to my website, where I have full control over the process.

The biggest takeaway from my Etsy experience is that success doesn’t happen overnight. Persistence, hard work, and a clear vision for your business are key. While Etsy may not be the perfect long-term platform for me, it has provided a valuable stepping stone in growing my art business. If you’re an artist considering Etsy, my advice is to embrace the slow and steady approach, focus on quality, and always keep an eye out for other platforms that might better serve your needs.

Do you have experience selling on Etsy or other handmade platforms? I’d love to hear your thoughts and tips! Let’s share insights and grow together.