Different options you can explore as a Pakistani Etsy seller?

Many Pakistani sellers are confused about what to sell on their Etsy stores. They have different options available and are struggling to choose the right one. In this article, we aim to put an end to this dilemma and burst all the myths related to different streams of income on Etsy. Let’s discuss them one by one:

Physical products

Selling physical products of any kind on Etsy from Pakistan is a tricky job. Product hunting, sourcing, logistics, and delivery requires much planning and deliberation in their execution. Moreover, we also know that we can’t make an Etsy seller account from Pakistan, exposing our shop to risk if we’re shipping products from Pakistan.  

Niche selection

Firstly, if you plan to sell physical products, you need to choose a good niche. Use different tools such as erank and sale samurai to know what’s trending on Etsy. Another option could be to explore Etsy to find out the niche that’ll work best for you. You can choose to sell handmade products, vintage and craft supplies etc. 

Product hunting and sourcing

The next phase is to select the products you want to sell in a particular niche and how you will source them. For instance, you plan to sell leather products on Etsy from Pakistan. Your job is to find out the people who can manufacture these products for you. You’re not limited to any specific kind of product. You can partner up with local artisans to make handmade products for you. It’s up to you what kind of products you want to sell.

Logistics and Shipping:

You can opt for two different methods for handling the shipping of your products. In the first method, you forecast your sales and send a batch of your products based on your forecasts to a third-party warehouse in US. You can ship your orders from that warehouse to your customers. The second method involves collaborating with a third-party logistics company that’ll pick and ship your products through DHL or FedEx at affordable rates. The feasibility of both these methods depends on your niche and product range. 

This method of selling physical products is not only complex but also costly. You’re also taking a massive risk as a considerable investment is required to set things in motion. It can pay off in the long run, but you need to be very cautious in every step of the journey.

Dropshipping

Many people fall prey to this method of selling on Etsy. It seems like an easy way out for selling physical products on your Etsy store, but you should be mindful of the fact that Etsy doesn’t allow dropshipping either through Amazon or Aliexpress. You can earn a good amount of profits in the short run, but your shop will be suspended sooner or later. That’s why we don’t recommend dropshipping to our audience.  

Print on demand

POD is also a feasible option for Pakistani sellers on Etsy. Etsy allows you to partner up with production partners where you’re responsible for designing your products, and your partner will be responsible for manufacturing and shipping your orders. The most famous POD partners are Printful and Printify, but you can also explore others and see which one works best. You can integrate these platforms with your Etsy account and offer a seamless shopping experience to your customers. It requires much less investment as compared to selling physical products from Pakistan.

The problem with this model is that you need to capture trends and upcoming events that become very competitive. To cope with this competition, sellers design trademark products and expose their shops to the risk of suspension. The algorithm of Etsy automatically deactivates listings with trademark keywords such as legos or any Disney character. You start selling products related to different movies or TV shows, and later, you come under the radar of Etsy, resulting in shop suspension. Be very careful of the designs you’re using, and don’t fall prey to the high sales velocity of trademark keywords.  You can also read our article about how you can set up a successful POD store on Etsy.

Digital products

Digital products are by far the best option for Pakistani sellers on Etsy. It requires minimal investment and guarantees a good amount of returns. You can sell many different kinds of products, and the best thing is you don’t need to worry about the shipping/handling of your products. You don’t have to manage any inventory, and you can quickly scale your business. Your target market isn’t limited to any country as you can sell digital products to anyone from anywhere in the world. You can enjoy high-profit margins over a long period as digital products last forever. One of the astonishing benefits of digital products is that it gives you personal freedom and location independence.

If you go through the top sellers of Etsy in 2022, you’ll find out that many of them are selling digital products like lightroom presets, digital prints, planners etc, and making huge amounts of money. Nothing is stopping you from becoming one of them.

It’s also true that digital products have lower perceived value, and it becomes challenging to demonstrate their value to your customers. Another problem is that your ideas might get stolen, and you really can’t do much about it. Creating digital products from scratch is also time-consuming and needs proper research and planning. Despite all of these challenges, the market for digital products is booming, and it is the right time to invest your money and efforts in this category. For instance, there are over 4.7 million printables available on Etsy for purchase. It shows you the increased demand and growing competition for digital products. You can still use your creativity to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Hiring someone to design different products for your Etsy store can also be a viable option, and you can then market and sell those products on your Etsy store.

Now it’s up to you to decide which route to take for your Etsy journey.

SCROLL UP