How to Sell eBooks on Etsy: Simple Steps for Authors to Follow

If you are an author, a blogger, or a content creator, make sure to learn how to sell eBooks on Etsy. Talking about the reason why, selling eBooks on Etsy is a great way for you to turn your knowledge or creativity into passive income. The process is straightforward, but it does require careful planning. This guide will give you everything you need to know from planning to finally making a sale with eBooks.

Let’s have a quick overview of what it looks like to get your eBook listed and sold on the Etsy platform:

• • Decide on your eBook’s topic and genre.
  • Write and format your eBook.
  • Create an Etsy shop (if you don’t already have one).
  • Upload your eBook as a listing, and optimize your Etsy store.
  • Market your eBook via social media, email, and other digital platforms.

Is selling eBooks on Etsy worth it?

First things first, you might wonder whether it is worth it to learn how to sell eBooks on Etsy. The short answer is Yes! There are many platforms to do the same thing, and as a creator, it is always beneficial to expand your visibility on multiple platforms. So lets Masstic convince you why Etsy is a good choice to sell eBooks:

✏️Low fees to sell: 

Etsy charges a nominal listing fee ($0.20 per item) and a 6.5% transaction fee. When comparing this to Amazon, which requires a steep 30-70% royalty share, Etsy starts to look much more attractive for authors.

✏️ Reach established Etsy buyers: 

Etsy has already operated for a long time and attracted many shoppers who love unique products. Selling your ebooks on Etsy means that you can share your product with those potential customers.

✏️ Low overhead cost:

A great benefit of selling digital products on Etsy is that you just need a low initial investment. Once you’ve written the eBook and exported it for selling, no more burden! There’s no physical inventory to manage, no shipping fees, and no restocking.

✏️ Steady passive income: 

Only a little work left to do once the eBooks are uploaded. Since then, you will have a passive stream of income. With a few simple marketing tactics (which will be introduced later), you can generate sales even when you sleep.

Although Etsy is not a top-of-mind platform when talking about selling ebooks, it is definitely worth giving it a try. Therefore, let’s dive into the main part of the article about how to sell eBooks on Etsy!

 

How to sell eBooks on Etsy: 5 Simple Steps

1. Decide on an eBook topic

Your eBook’s success will depend largely on its topic. To effectively decide on what topic to start, there are some questions you need to answer:

• • What are you passionate about?
  • What topics are you knowledgeable in that people are willing to pay for?
  • What are the top-selling ebooks on Etsy? What makes them special?
  • Can you provide more than things that already exist?

Here are a few all-time favorite categories of ebooks to consider. We also give you some successful ebook examples about those subjects for reference:

Topic	What is it about?	Some popular ebook titles
Self-help	A self-help book is written to guide its readers in solving personal problems. Giving them the guides that offer tips on productivity, time management, or mental health is always in demand.	– Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – The 4-Hour Workweek
How to guides	Teach people how to do something. You can decide on any niche whether it’s starting a business, crafting, or baking. Give them tips and tricks to make it more appealing to them.	– How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent – Reading How to Win Friends and Influence People
Creative stories	Not all buyers are keen on reading knowledge books. Some love to engage in stories, the poetry collection, or novels.	– The Iris – The wedding dress
Workbooks and digital planners	Selling templates as an online book for the customers to buy and use as personal management. It helps them to stay organized.

👉 As you might like: How to sell digital planners on Etsy in 6 quick steps

2. Create your eBooks to sell

 

Now that you know what to write, it is time to start rolling your sleeves and actually creating the eBook. Here is where the hard work begins as it is the most time-consuming. But don’t be scared, below are the 3 to-do lists for you in this step:

✏️ Write the content:

Whatever subject you choose to make your pick from, ensure you are adding value to the reader. First of all, you need to know who will likely want to purchase your book and what it covers to address the needs. Additionally, your book content must be transparent, concise, readable, and very easy to comprehend. If it is a guide, then you can break it up into straightforward sections with useful tips.

✏️ Format the eBook:

Use formatting to make the eBook look good. This will make your eBook easily readable on any device. Some of the tools that can be used include Canva, Google Docs, and Adobe InDesign. The interfaces of these three are so simple that even beginners with no experience can use them. Export them in PDF for mass use or AWZ3 for a Kindle device.

✏️ Design eBook cover:

The first thing people will see is the cover, so let that be visually appealing. You can make it through Canva or a graphic designer to ensure professional results.

Remember, Etsy shoppers love a well-designed product, so make sure your eBook can catch people’s attention with its appearance besides the content.

3. Create your Etsy shop

To start selling, you need an Etsy store. Here are a few things to do to establish your Etsy store and sell eBooks on it:

✏️ Sign up on Etsy: 

Head to Etsy.com, there is a small button that says “Sign in” on the top right. Click on it to start. You can also use your Google, Facebook, or Apple account.

✏️ Click on “Sell on Etsy”: 

To turn the buyer account into the seller account, click your avatar icon on the top right and hit “Sell on Etsy” on the dropdown menu.

From here, Etsy will guide the seller through an onboarding process, you just need to go through each step one by one.

✏️ Set up your shop preference:

• • Language: Pick the language you’ll use with customers (you can’t change this later).
  • Country: Select your store’s country.
  • Currency: Choose the currency you will use to sell your products (Important note: You will be charged a 2.5% fee if your bank’s currency is different from the store currency).

✏️ Enter a shop name:

The name is crucial for the customers to remember your Etsy store, so choose wisely. If you’re stuck, check out some best name for Etsy shop on the list.

✏️Add the first product listing: 

Add your first eBook listing (it’s free!) by entering basic product information. There is more to be aware of when talking about uploading the product listing that will be covered in the next step. Note that each additional listing costs $0.20.

✏️ Fill in the payment method: 

This is used for Etsy to pay you. So make sure to fill in the correct information for your payment account. Plus, you will need to declare your seller type along with the bank details.

✏️ Set up the billing:

Etsy will charge you some fees, so this is the place where you add a card for billing.

Congratulation! Your Etsy store is now created! For more detailed guidance and important policies, check out our detailed guidance on How to sell on Etsy for beginners in just 12 steps. Once your shop is ready, it’s time for the fun part – listing your eBook!

4. List your eBook on Etsy

With the user-friendly interface from Etsy, it is not too hard to list your eBook on Etsy. Visit “Shop Manager” and click on the “Listing” tab, then “Add listing”. You will be navigated to the listing uploading screen. Here are a few best practices you’ll want to follow:

✏️ Upload your eBook File: 

Because Etsy allows you to upload your products digitally, you can simply attach your file in a PDF or any other kind of eBook format.

✏️ Include relevant keywords:

Focusing on SEO is a smart tactic for any Etsy seller. When deciding on the product title or writing the description, include keywords that one is likely to search for. For example “how-to guide,” “self-help,” or “digital planner.” Also, make the benefits of your eBook stand out and highlight what readers can expect to learn or gain from it.

✏️ Attractive cover photos:

Although you are selling a digital product, the need for listing images cannot be avoided. Add pictures of the eBook cover, sample pages, or mockups showing exactly what it would look like on download.

Don’t rush this step, you might need to repeat this process multiple times. This makes all the difference in how you list your products on Etsy and finally convert them into sales. It is a crucial step to concentrate on when learning how to sell ebooks on Etsy.

 

5. Market your eBook store

You have enough eBook listings on your Etsy store. Now you are totally ready to sell! But don’t just sit back and wait for sales to roll in. Marketing is key to driving traffic to your Etsy store. So, what channel can you utilize to promote your Etsy ebook store?

✏️  Run Etsy Ads: 

To speed up the selling process, sellers can use Etsy’s built-in ad system. It is the tool that allows you to increase the visibility of your eBook, with just a small investment.

✏️  Social media:

Several platforms you can use to promote your eBook are Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Share snippets, and quotes of the book content. Otherwise, you can share the behind-the-scenes about your writing process. Keep up with the trends to go viral.

✏️  Email marketing:

Collect emails from various sources to build a list. This is a precious resource for you to do marketing by sending out newsletters. Let your audience know about promotional campaigns, exclusive discounts, or new releases.

✏️  Influencers/ peer reviews: 

Find influencers in your niche who can promote your eBook to their followers. Otherwise, you can find the list of less famous creators. In exchange, offer them a free copy or a commission on sales.

✏️  YouTube:

Produce videos and upload them on the YouTube channel. This is a great platform to explain your book’s value in greater detail and include links back to your Etsy store.

 

Some policies to be aware of when selling eBooks on Etsy

Selling eBooks is an appealing niche but can be very tricky at the same time. That is the reason why the sellers must equip themselves with the important laws to protect their business:

⛔ Prohibited Items: 

Etsy has strict policies about the items that cannot be sold on Etsy including things that promote hate, violence, or illegal activities. Therefore, ensure your eBook content does not violate Etsy’s prohibited items.

⛔ Copyright infringement: 

Make sure your eBook does not infringe on any copyrights. This includes using images, text, or other content that you do not have the rights to use in the content.

⛔ Intellectual property:

Ensure that your eBook’s content is original and doesn’t infringe on anyone else’s copyright. Property Rights: Clearly state the usage rights and licensing for your eBooks. This helps protect your intellectual property and informs buyers about how they can use your content.

⛔ Refund Policy for digital products: 

Digital downloads are typically non-refundable since they can’t be “returned.” Make sure to clearly state this in your shop policies to avoid disputes. Clearly outline your policies regarding refunds and exchanges for digital products.

 

How to start selling eBooks on Etsy with ChatGPT

Booming at the end of 2022, ChatGPT is a secret weapon for you to fasten the selling process. Here’s how you can leverage AI to get started:

✏️ Brainstorm eBook Ideas

So, the first thing you have to have, before starting to write, is a profitable topic. To get the above results, just ask ChatGPT a question such as: “What are the popular categories for eBooks on Etsy today?” or “What kind of eBook could I write about in [your area of interest]”? ChatGPT will be useful in coming up with more idea concepts consistent with popular trends.

✏️ Outline your eBook

Having had your idea, it is time to organize your eBook. Tell ChatGPT to generate an outline for your eBook by either entering a topic or a general theme. For example, you can order: “provides me with an outline to create an eBook on the basics of managing personal finances.”

✏️ Assistant to write content:

It is possible to ask ChatGPT to widen some ideas and write chapters using those ideas or ask to provide content on particular subjects. For instance, you may request, “Can you help me write an introduction for my eBook on [topic]?” It assists in sustaining the voice you require while at the same time boosting the speed at which you write. At the same time, you can ask ChatGPT to suggest revisions or rewrite the parts if they are unclear.

✏️ Write a catchy description:

In the case of Etsy sales, it is very essential to write down a good description of the product. It can also assist you with creating an engaging description of your eBook and its features and benefits. Just say, “Generate a sales copy for my eBook on [topic],” to it. ChatGPT will create headlines that are likely to attract traffic and clicks.

 

How to sell eBooks on Etsy: The bottom line

Selling eBooks on Etsy can be a rewarding venture, especially if you approach it with a plan. Whether you’re looking for a side hustle or aiming to turn your writing into a full-time income, Etsy provides a marketplace full of buyers eager to discover new and unique digital products.

With the right topic, a bit of creativity, and some smart marketing, you’ll be well on your way to building a successful eBook shop on Etsy. So, what are you waiting for? Start writing today, and let your passion for writing earn you extra income!

For more information about Etsy selling with useful tips and tricks, keep an eye on Masstic new update! We make sure to bring valuable knowledge for you to create the most convenient and thrilling selling journey.

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