Selling on Etsy could be challenging, but these Etsy shops all have over $1 million in sales.
In this article, I’ll break down the winning strategies that these top Etsy shops use to achieve their success, and how you can apply them to your own shop to boost your own sales.
It's a long article with many actionable tips, so grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and let's get started.
(I used Alura for the sales and revenue estimates in this article. You can try it out for free here, or take advantage of their $9.99/month limited-time discount. Use coupon code GROWING30 for an extra 30% off.)
Estimated Revenue: $31,157,893
Number of Sales: 1.856,850
Best Selling Items (Number Of Monthly Sales):
(875 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/973067509/flower-girl-proposal-bracelet-flower
(758 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/954776974/bride-jewelry-box-bride-gift-box-mrs
(623 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1184332357/personalized-iced-coffee-cup-glass-can
ModParty is one of the top sellers on Etsy, which is impressive especially in the highly competitive wedding niche. There are a few reasons why they are so successful.
ModParty's product range is comprehensive and meticulously tailored to meet all the needs of their target customers. From proposal gifts and matching bridesmaid robes, to bridal shower decor and wedding day favors, their product range caters to every stage of the wedding journey that their customers would go through. The extensive product range shows the deep understanding of their target customers, which makes the customers know that they are being well catered to in the shop.
Also, they maintain consistent, high quality product photos in the whole shop which contribute to a cohesive and visually appealing shop aesthetic. The photos are consistently in a light pink and beige tone, and the product is displayed as the focal point of the photos. Some listing photos show the product in use by the intended target customer, for example, the flower girl bracelet listing includes photos of a young girl wearing the bracelet. This can help potential buyers envision using the products.
In Alura, you can also ‘spy’ on Etsy shops by checking their ‘Message to buyers’ (otherwise you’d only see this if you buy from the shop). ModParty leverages email marketing in the post-purchase message by promoting customers to join the newsletter. This allow the shop to collect customer emails to communicate and promote new offers to them in the future. Email marketing is crucial for long-term profitability for any businesses, including Etsy shops.
In the message, Modparty also sets clear expectations about shipping times and offers the option to purchase a ‘rush fee’ for expedited order processing. This not only sets accurate expectations with customers, but also provides an upsell opportunity, further boosting revenue.
Estimated Revenue: $65,394,230
Number Of Sales: 781,004
Best Selling Items (Number Of Monthly Sales):
(287 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/538018885/crystals-herbs-tealight-candles-soy
(241 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/697555891/crystal-mystery-box-mystery-box-mystery
(195 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1116814447/raw-crystal-tea-infuser-loose-leaf-tea
NewMoonBeginnings has gained a huge number of sales by truly understanding of its niche and market. And use that knowledge to continuously innovate and create exciting products for their target customer.
The shop caters specifically to customers interested in gemstones and crystals, and they understand that their customers are also likely to be interested in areas like astrology, aromatherapy, and metaphysical properties. So other than selling just crystals and jewelry, NewMoonBeginnings expands the product range into crystal candles, water bottles, oil rollers, etc. These products are exciting for the target customers, while helping NewMoonBeginnings to establish themselves as an expert in selling crystals.
Another key to their success is their wide product selection. With over 5,000 items available, they make sure that there is always something new and exciting for customers to explore and come back to. This is also combined with them offering a 15% discount for repeat purchases if customers sign up to their email list (viewable through Alura’s ‘message to buyers’).
Estimated Revenue: $4,626,013
Number Of Sales: 575,884
Best Selling Items (Number Of Monthly Sales):
(88 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1141723736/editable-fairy-birthday-invitation
(81 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/959683008/editable-pampas-grass-baby-shower
(63 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1131379313/editable-party-animals-birthday
In a competitive niche like digital products on Etsy, it’s so important to have high quality designs. PixelPerfectionParty’s designs are consistently high throughout the shop.
Another aspect that stands out to me is that their product range is ‘deep’ instead of ‘wide’. What I mean by that is for a large part of their 4,000+ listings, PixelPerfectionParty has essentially one main product - editable birthday party invitation for children. Instead of creating just a few designs, they explore all possible styles, ideas and party themes to create thousands listings. This allows them to establish themselves as the go-to expert for birthday invitations.
This deep product range translate to happy customers because their unique needs are met. When looking at customer reviews, you can see that the designs are ‘great for themed parties’ are often mentioned. You can get these insights with the AI insights for reviews on Alura:
Another strategy that helps PixelPerfectionParty gain sales is by providing clear and comprehensive instructions to customers who may not be familiar with digital designs. One of their listing photos clearly shows the steps from 'adding to cart' to 'printing your edited design.' This makes the process seem easier to interested shoppers, which improves conversion rate.
Also, they use a design tool called Corjl for their design (which is also the tool I use for my Etsy shop). One strong feature of Corjl is the ability to create a free demo link which allows customers to try out the editing before purchasing. This can help reduce the risk perceived by shoppers, which also helps with increasing the conversion rate.
Estimated Revenue: $12,427,930
Number Of Sales: 451,386
Best Selling Items (Number Of Monthly Sales):
(770 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1590734455/webbing-dog-collar-personalized-dog
(748 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1538033335/dog-collar-leather-dog-collar
(733 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1062851075/dog-collar-leather-dog-collar
We can learn a few things from SoGoodSoWood’s remarkable success on Etsy, with over 450,000 sales and an estimated revenue exceeding $12 million.
For a shop with such a high number of sales, they take a different approach of having a have a relatively small number of listings of just 115, but making sure each product is high quality and customisable with highly optimised listing.
Product quality is one of the key factors of their success. According to the reviews, customers love their high quality leather and craftsmanship. Customisability is another aspect that customers love. By allowing customers to personalise products with names, colours, or unique patterns, they tap into the growing demand for personalised products on Etsy.
I also want to highlight how optimised their listing photos are. In their listings, each photo helps encourage interested shopper into purchasing. I’ll use the dog collar listing as an example, photos 2-4 highlight the product’s customisability by showing all the colours and patterns available, while offering multiple views of the collar (including how it looks when fastened). Later photos show different font styles for engraving, and different size options which makes sure that customers can find a collar that fits their dog perfectly. These listing photos appeal to shoppers visually while reducing potential concerns.
Also, SoGoodSoWood takes advantage of upsell opportunities by featuring matching leash sets in the product photos. And the inclusion of a free matching keychain with the purchase of a collar and leash set could push unsure shoppers to become buying customers.
Estimated Revenue: $10,137,413
Number Of Sales: 448,699
Best Selling Items (Number Of Monthly Sales):
(1410 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1553218952/engagement-christmas-ornament
(1006 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1574976003/new-home-ornament-personalized-new-home
(956 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1586960596/family-of-three-christmas-ornament
One of the main strategies of Keptsake is the focus on creating highly giftable products. Their products are tailored to special occasions with customisable options which makes the products even more suitable for gifts.
Consider creating unique customisation options like Keptsake does. Using this Christmas ornament as an example, customers can submit a photo, which is then transformed into a watercolor painting to print on the ornament. This unique customisation feature helps set this shop apart in customers’ minds.
Another tip that help make their products giftable is through listing photos. Each listing features an image showcasing the packaging with text writing “free gift box and ribbon”, which directly addresses a common concern for buyers looking for ready-to-gift product. This can help improving conversion rate and chance of making a sale.
Seasonality plays a big part in Keptsake's product range. Some of their most popular products are the Christmas ornaments, which you can see from the sales spike around November and December in Alura’s Shop Analyzer. However, Keptsake develops other products that are suitable throughout the year to mitigate this, like the birth flower tumbler and wedding ornament gift.
Estimated Revenue: $2,834,830
Number Of Sales: 366,078
Best Selling Items (Number Of Monthly Sales):
(172 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1373386869/editable-bridesmaid-information-card
(167 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1473769213/minimalist-who-knows-the-bride-the-most
(135 sales/month) https://www.etsy.com/listing/1459105107/minimalist-he-said-she-said-game-bridal
Let me show you a few key reasons why WillowLanePaperie is one of the top digital product shops on Etsy. They have a very clear target customer in mind - couples planning their weddings. Their success is rooted in a clear understanding of their target customer, resulting in a comprehensive product range that addresses all wedding-related needs. From invitations and planners, to menus and wedding day signs, they provide designs that make it convenient for customers to buy everything they need in one go.
Although the number of sales in the top selling products don’t seem particular impressive compared to other shops on this list, there are some particular strategies that WillowLanePaperie uses to encourage customers to buy multiple items.
First, they make sure it’s easy for customers to find the whole set of wedding templates with the same design. The use of codes in listing titles allows customers to easily find matching items. This makes it seamless for customers to buy multiple items at once like this greenery set:
Second, they incentivise bigger order by giving additional discount to customers buying three or more templates, which can increase average order value.
In this article, I used Alura's Shop Analyzer for the sales and revenue estimates. Alura is the SEO and research tool I recommend to my students. And you can try it out for free here, or take advantage of their $9.99/month limited-time discount. Use coupon code GROWING30 for an extra 30% off.
After that, read this article for the most common mistakes I see Etsy sellers make which could lead to low views and sales.
