🟢 Want to attend the world's largest POD event? I'm HEADLINING! Use coupon code AMPSTARLA to claim your 100% discount for Amplified 2024! Sign up with your access code here: printify.com/amplified/
This is why I love your channel, you always talk with the truth, if I see a pod TH-camr with a paid promotion or a thumbnail doing a dumb surprise reaction face or a thumbnail with thousand of dollars a week with the phrase “do this to earn $$$$$ a week” is a totally no for me, because they’re there just for the clicks
Thank you, Starla! This needs to be shouted from the mountaintops! I love my shop but it is a ton of work and constant learning. Thanks for all that you do… boot camp was awesome & can’t wait for Amplified!!🎉
Thank you for this educational video. A person can make money with POD, but it’s NOT super-easy and passive, nor is it a stream to make life-changing money. Using copyrighted material can get you in big trouble, and if you don’t already have a following, you’re trusting your luck to showing up in the searches and algorithms. What some of these “gurus” fail to tell you that they were successful with POD because they already had a following willing to buy their product to support them, or they have the license to use copyrighted material.
Hey Pookie! 😊 I have a smaller shop with about 200 designs with original art. Four of my designs became bestsellers and were stolen as is (without alteration) and are currently being sold outside of Etsy (Amazon, TikTok shop, Ali Express) but not by me. Is there any way to stop anyone outside of Etsy from stealing your designs and profiting from them? Everyone I’ve spoken to just keeps saying “forget about those, make more designs” but it doesn’t make sense to me. It’s like if you’re complaining that thieves are stealing things from your house and the only answer is “buy more stuff” for them to steal. Do you have any advice for when this happens?
Find a lawyer to represent you sending a "cease and desist letter" ("Such letters are usually written by attorneys and are often sent to stop alleged or actual infringement of intellectual property rights, such as copyrights, trademarks, and patents."). They'll have to stop using your design or be threatened with a law suit, it usually works, no one wants to be suited. I hope it helps.
Thank you for your honesty, I wish people would realize that these “gurus” are making money off of people trying to get rich and seeding their own shops. It takes work BUT if you do the work and have the patience it will happen
Etsy ads price is getting rediculas. On an item sold for 30$ you make 5 to 8 dollars profit. they are sometimes charging you 1$ for a click. Even if it was .50 it is still a lot. The avg is 30 clicks for a sale. So you must pay 15$ to get 5 back. You can't just put ads on everything
Thank you for this video! I started my Etsy shop this year and still haven’t made any sales yet. It’s still unclear to me if buying Etsy ads is worth it or not
If you haven't already, be sure to grab all of the free Etsy and marketing resources and mini courses that I offer! There are a ton of different toolboxes to help you with various areas of your business. You can find them all here:
Thank you for this! It is definitely not passive. You only get out of it what you put into it, especially at first. You have to keep educating yourself and be adaptable to changes. Standing out beyond the crowd can be one of the biggest selling points any POD person can offer.
Thank you !! I have a second shop with only 35 listings and one best seller and another headed that direction. My first shop that is 1.5 years old is only so so.
Even though Etsy says they don't allow copyright infringement, there are people selling "Disney" designs by thousands for years and they won't do anything about it!!
I feel like the elephant in the room that isn't discussed with POD videos, are the margins. The margins are so small, and new people are blinded by the "Make $100,000 a year selling POD!" content. The margin on garden sign POD for example is only 3-8%. For shirts, it is typically no more than 10%, because of the competition for these items on Etsy. I make more money selling a $4 printable in profit than most POD sellers do selling a high priced t-shirt. Running a POD shop is a lot of risk for little reward in most situations.
It's all about finding niches where you can actually compete. We officially license with authors to create merch for popular books, allowing us to price significantly higher than standard high competition generic products. Even then, our margins are still relatively small. I suspect that many POD influencers are sharing their total sales numbers - not the amount of profit they are actually making.
@@StarlaMoore I haven't come across a POD seller that ever shares their margins... nothing pops on a YT thumbnail like top line revenue to get the click.
You are wrong about profit not being discussed. It's discussed more than ever -- I think mainly because others have also voiced this opinion on other YT's POD channels. On *average* the profit margin seems to be about 20%-30%.
@@elizabethg7806 oh wow! I haven't come across any of that content that I have consumed. I just did an analysis of a gurus shop, and his shop only made 3% on average. He never discusses profit margin.
Hello, I don't speak very fluent English, but I understand enough from your video. In my case, I'm an accountant who lives in Mexico and I'm just starting out in the POD world since there are several videos in Spanish and some of them talk about Etsy. More than anything, the Spanish-speaking community sees this more as a way to have some extra income than to actually live off of POD. In the case of Mexico, Etsy is not popular since Amazon and Mercado Libre (and to a certain extent FB Marketplace) lead the e-commerce market, so people who sell on Etsy in LATAM and Spain sell more to the United States and other English-speaking countries than to other countries in the world. This is according to what I've researched and they consider that, depending on the country where you live, and the exchange rate, one can "live" off of POD, but it's true that POD took away "the essence" (so to speak) of what Etsy originally was.
Thanks for this video, it's very informative! I was wondering if using quotes from other people is allowed or if this would also result in a ban? e.g. quotes from interviews, blog posts, investors, etc. that are inspirational/offer wisdom/life advice.
Etsy could take down all those listings they see where sellers use copyright material. Etsy is in business to MAKE MONEY- period. They stop that train and there goes hundreds if not thousands of Etsy sellers selling stuff they know they shouldn’t. Policing sellers slowly keeps the money coming in for stock holders. Putting it on company’s to police their designs is a cop- out. They know who is doing it daily - all the while collecting on their fees and such.
I am very new to Etsy and I have noticed A LOT of listings with Disney characters etc. I looked up the procedure to get a license and the amount and it would be cost prohibitive for many sellers. Are people selling this stuff with Disney Princess etc without a license and if so, why? If Etsy will suspend an account because of duplicate art, then why are these listings still up with hundreds of reviews?
Only the copyright holder can actually claim it and report it to Etsy so Etsy really can’t do anything about the listings until Disney themselves report it which by then your in a lot more trouble and may be sued than just getting a listing taken down by etsy.
Disney seems to go in waves. I will see nothing for a long time and then boom. Tons of Etsy sellers upset their business has been shut down. Just don’t do it.
They will get eventually get shut down too, I’m selling on Etsy since 11 years now (embroidered Kids clothes) and I saw so many selling Disney and thought maybe I should do it too but decided I won’t, all of the shops I saw back then are shut down now, It took me a little bit to get my first couple of customers but that’s ok my shop is one in the top 1% on Etsy now, without anything copyright or trademarked! Personalized was is selling the best for me!
@@michaelayearwood4821 Etsy really is known to be a marketplace for customizable gifts that’s what they got big for. And I really wish Disney would get there product listings removed more often…So many sellers think it won’t happen to them that etsy is flooded with it and it’s harder for sellers that are following the rules to sell products because everyone wants Disney when they see it….
Hi Etsy is getting worse day by day How do I know that a single casual word is a trademark i am so upset I did my best to list trademark free items but I got 3 violations in the back few days Please help us with how we protect our account. Halloween is the event on Etsy but Halloween is the trademark too also how to know that the design image is also a trademark I am so sad and worried What Do I do😢 I work so hard on my shop I don't want to lose my shop
This isn't a lie about POD, but I was today yrs old when I learned that Printify charges the artist for an order first, and then pays the artist later, on the back end. Even if I'd have had any success, I would not have been able to pay for it XD. I will be shutting my etsy down today b/c of that.
Politicians hold a right to publicity so it is entirely up to them if they choose to take legal action against those who use their name. Many don't because it often leads to positive publicity. But it is 100% up to the individual.
@@StarlaMoore Thanks Starla...I've had a shop with 5 listings for a year. Didnt' do much with the shop. I want to start again for Q4. Is is better to build the existing shop I have or start a new one? Thanks
A big, fat LIKE 🖱👍 to this video for all the incredibly valuable info packed in it! 🎉💡 Seriously, it's like a brain buffet 🧠🍔-you leave smarter and satisfied! 😂📚
🟢 Want to attend the world's largest POD event? I'm HEADLINING! Use coupon code AMPSTARLA to claim your 100% discount for Amplified 2024! Sign up with your access code here: printify.com/amplified/
signed up already and looking forward to it
@@StarlaMoore great information 👍
This is why I love your channel, you always talk with the truth, if I see a pod TH-camr with a paid promotion or a thumbnail doing a dumb surprise reaction face or a thumbnail with thousand of dollars a week with the phrase “do this to earn $$$$$ a week” is a totally no for me, because they’re there just for the clicks
Thank you, Starla! This needs to be shouted from the mountaintops! I love my shop but it is a ton of work and constant learning. Thanks for all that you do… boot camp was awesome & can’t wait for Amplified!!🎉
You are so welcome!
Thank you for this educational video.
A person can make money with POD, but it’s NOT super-easy and passive, nor is it a stream to make life-changing money. Using copyrighted material can get you in big trouble, and if you don’t already have a following, you’re trusting your luck to showing up in the searches and algorithms. What some of these “gurus” fail to tell you that they were successful with POD because they already had a following willing to buy their product to support them, or they have the license to use copyrighted material.
Hey Pookie! 😊 I have a smaller shop with about 200 designs with original art. Four of my designs became bestsellers and were stolen as is (without alteration) and are currently being sold outside of Etsy (Amazon, TikTok shop, Ali Express) but not by me. Is there any way to stop anyone outside of Etsy from stealing your designs and profiting from them? Everyone I’ve spoken to just keeps saying “forget about those, make more designs” but it doesn’t make sense to me. It’s like if you’re complaining that thieves are stealing things from your house and the only answer is “buy more stuff” for them to steal. Do you have any advice for when this happens?
Find a lawyer to represent you sending a "cease and desist letter" ("Such letters are usually written by attorneys and are often sent to stop alleged or actual infringement of intellectual property rights, such as copyrights, trademarks, and patents."). They'll have to stop using your design or be threatened with a law suit, it usually works, no one wants to be suited. I hope it helps.
Thank you for your honesty, I wish people would realize that these “gurus” are making money off of people trying to get rich and seeding their own shops. It takes work BUT if you do the work and have the patience it will happen
Etsy ads price is getting rediculas. On an item sold for 30$ you make 5 to 8 dollars profit. they are sometimes charging you 1$ for a click. Even if it was .50 it is still a lot. The avg is 30 clicks for a sale. So you must pay 15$ to get 5 back. You can't just put ads on everything
@@annastoyanova1722 oh my goodness that's insane!
Thank you for this video! I started my Etsy shop this year and still haven’t made any sales yet. It’s still unclear to me if buying Etsy ads is worth it or not
Hi have you tried doing some tic toks organically promoting your items?
If you haven't already, be sure to grab all of the free Etsy and marketing resources and mini courses that I offer! There are a ton of different toolboxes to help you with various areas of your business. You can find them all here:
Thank you for this! It is definitely not passive. You only get out of it what you put into it, especially at first. You have to keep educating yourself and be adaptable to changes. Standing out beyond the crowd can be one of the biggest selling points any POD person can offer.
Exactly! 💚
Thank you so much, Starla! This was great information! Safe travels next week. I hope to see you online.
Thank you! Your videos are the best. I missed the etsy community
Thank you !! I have a second shop with only 35 listings and one best seller and another headed that direction. My first shop that is 1.5 years old is only so so.
Thank you for this information. So, so helpful.
You are so welcome!
Glad you found it useful!
Thank you!!! Very clear information ❤
Even though Etsy says they don't allow copyright infringement, there are people selling "Disney" designs by thousands for years and they won't do anything about it!!
I cover exactly why this happens in the video and why Etsy cannot legally act unless the IP owner reports the listing.
I feel like the elephant in the room that isn't discussed with POD videos, are the margins. The margins are so small, and new people are blinded by the "Make $100,000 a year selling POD!" content. The margin on garden sign POD for example is only 3-8%. For shirts, it is typically no more than 10%, because of the competition for these items on Etsy. I make more money selling a $4 printable in profit than most POD sellers do selling a high priced t-shirt. Running a POD shop is a lot of risk for little reward in most situations.
It's all about finding niches where you can actually compete. We officially license with authors to create merch for popular books, allowing us to price significantly higher than standard high competition generic products. Even then, our margins are still relatively small. I suspect that many POD influencers are sharing their total sales numbers - not the amount of profit they are actually making.
@@StarlaMoore I haven't come across a POD seller that ever shares their margins... nothing pops on a YT thumbnail like top line revenue to get the click.
You are wrong about profit not being discussed. It's discussed more than ever -- I think mainly because others have also voiced this opinion on other YT's POD channels. On *average* the profit margin seems to be about 20%-30%.
@@elizabethg7806 oh wow! I haven't come across any of that content that I have consumed. I just did an analysis of a gurus shop, and his shop only made 3% on average. He never discusses profit margin.
Hello, I don't speak very fluent English, but I understand enough from your video. In my case, I'm an accountant who lives in Mexico and I'm just starting out in the POD world since there are several videos in Spanish and some of them talk about Etsy. More than anything, the Spanish-speaking community sees this more as a way to have some extra income than to actually live off of POD. In the case of Mexico, Etsy is not popular since Amazon and Mercado Libre (and to a certain extent FB Marketplace) lead the e-commerce market, so people who sell on Etsy in LATAM and Spain sell more to the United States and other English-speaking countries than to other countries in the world. This is according to what I've researched and they consider that, depending on the country where you live, and the exchange rate, one can "live" off of POD, but it's true that POD took away "the essence" (so to speak) of what Etsy originally was.
How exciting for a trip like that, once in a lifetime memories. Once again, thank you so much for your expertise. 😉
I appreciate you! 💚💚💚💚💚
Thanks for this video, it's very informative! I was wondering if using quotes from other people is allowed or if this would also result in a ban? e.g. quotes from interviews, blog posts, investors, etc. that are inspirational/offer wisdom/life advice.
Uh, also Etsy has been suspending stores also for no reason.
I have multiple videos covering this topic on my channel.
Etsy could take down all those listings they see where sellers use copyright material. Etsy is in business to MAKE MONEY- period. They stop that train and there goes hundreds if not thousands of Etsy sellers selling stuff they know they shouldn’t. Policing sellers slowly keeps the money coming in for stock holders. Putting it on company’s to police their designs is a cop- out. They know who is doing it daily - all the while collecting on their fees and such.
I am very new to Etsy and I have noticed A LOT of listings with Disney characters etc. I looked up the procedure to get a license and the amount and it would be cost prohibitive for many sellers. Are people selling this stuff with Disney Princess etc without a license and if so, why? If Etsy will suspend an account because of duplicate art, then why are these listings still up with hundreds of reviews?
Only the copyright holder can actually claim it and report it to Etsy so Etsy really can’t do anything about the listings until Disney themselves report it which by then your in a lot more trouble and may be sued than just getting a listing taken down by etsy.
Disney seems to go in waves. I will see nothing for a long time and then boom. Tons of Etsy sellers upset their business has been shut down. Just don’t do it.
They will get eventually get shut down too, I’m selling on Etsy since 11 years now (embroidered Kids clothes) and I saw so many selling Disney and thought maybe I should do it too but decided I won’t, all of the shops I saw back then are shut down now, It took me a little bit to get my first couple of customers but that’s ok my shop is one in the top 1% on Etsy now, without anything copyright or trademarked! Personalized was is selling the best for me!
@@michaelayearwood4821 Etsy really is known to be a marketplace for customizable gifts that’s what they got big for. And I really wish Disney would get there product listings removed more often…So many sellers think it won’t happen to them that etsy is flooded with it and it’s harder for sellers that are following the rules to sell products because everyone wants Disney when they see it….
Hi Etsy is getting worse day by day How do I know that a single casual word is a trademark i am so upset I did my best to list trademark free items but I got 3 violations in the back few days
Please help us with how we protect our account. Halloween is the event on Etsy but Halloween is the trademark too also how to know that the design image is also a trademark I am so sad and worried What Do I do😢
I work so hard on my shop I don't want to lose my shop
This isn't a lie about POD, but I was today yrs old when I learned that Printify charges the artist for an order first, and then pays the artist later, on the back end. Even if I'd have had any success, I would not have been able to pay for it XD. I will be shutting my etsy down today b/c of that.
As far as I know I think Politicians name allowed to sell
Politicians hold a right to publicity so it is entirely up to them if they choose to take legal action against those who use their name. Many don't because it often leads to positive publicity. But it is 100% up to the individual.
Is it possible to have a etsy shop in the UK doing print on demand with printify and target the etsy US market?
You can target trending US keywords but definitely do not falsify your shop location because this can get you permanently suspended
@@StarlaMoore Thanks Starla...I've had a shop with 5 listings for a year. Didnt' do much with the shop. I want to start again for Q4. Is is better to build the existing shop I have or start a new one? Thanks
Definitely keep your existing shop. There's no benefit to starting over AND Etsy has been suspending most new shops, making it risky!
@@StarlaMoore Brilliant. Thanks Starla
A big, fat LIKE 🖱👍 to this video for all the incredibly valuable info packed in it! 🎉💡 Seriously, it's like a brain buffet 🧠🍔-you leave smarter and satisfied! 😂📚