If you’re tinkering with the idea of starting a new business, the best place to begin is to ask yourself what it is you really love to do. If the answer is something that taps into your creativity, something you can start from home, or a specific passion project, you may want to join the 8.8 million active sellers who currently leverage the power of Etsy to build their businesses.
Etsy, the popular online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods as well as supplies, boasts 86.60 million active buyers looking for items that you can’t typically find anywhere else. Etsy offers seller protection and built-in advertising channels that aren’t available to entrepreneurs starting on their own. For small sellers seeking to reach a wide audience quickly, this platform can be a good option.
Before you dive in, consider whether what you have to sell is a good match for Etsy’s marketplace. These popular categories consistently perform well with Etsy shoppers.
Home and living
With the rise of hybrid work, many shoppers started to spend more time at home and take a second look at their living space. As a result, home decor, organization, furniture, and even small items—puzzles, games, and candles—are in high demand. Searches for things like mahjong sets, vintage barware, gallery prints, and wall decor mirrors are up.
“Shoppers are stepping away from AI-overload and leaning into what feels personal, imperfect, and made with intention,” wrote Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy’s Trend Expert. “Heritage crafts are resurging. Hobbies have graduated from pastime to way of life.”
Art and collectibles
E-commerce has helped to democratize art for both artists and art lovers. It provides artists with exposure beyond the limits of physical galleries, and allows buyers to easily search for art across mediums that suit their tastes and budgets.
“As collecting becomes more accessible, sellers are redefining what it means to build a personal gallery at home, blending expressive design with nostalgic nods to childhood bedrooms, early-2000s pop culture, and the beloved objects that shaped us,” wrote Johnson.
On Etsy, digital prints, clip art, original drawings, paintings, and illustrations are all highly sought-after items, and artists who bring something fresh, exciting, and unique to the platform can do very well. Those who work in the downloadable digital space have the added advantage of delivering their art free of shipping costs, which is attractive to today’s online shoppers.
Craft and supplies
Etsy classifies materials used in the creation of an item or for a special occasion as craft supplies. Think crochet patterns, knitting patterns, yarns, charms, beads, and paint. “The craft supplies category continues to thrive on Etsy, with top sellers reporting consistent growth throughout 2024,” wrote GoDaddy. “This category's strength lies in its versatility—from nail decals and egg stamps to crochet patterns and wire strips for face masks.”
Although this is a popular category, it’s worth noting that it’s highly competitive. Crafts is one of the few categories where commercial wholesale products are actually permitted under Etsy's policies. These bigger sellers can crowd the market and make it hard for small merchants to compete.
Wedding
Brides-to-be come to Etsy for inspiration, as well as for the unique, one-of-a kind things that reflect their personal wedding styles. Johnson says the current wedding trend is “botanical bride,” reflecting garden romance, natural settings, and personalized details. Think pressed flowers as part of the invitations, embroidered napkins, and tons of unique details. Exploring niche micro-categories like rustic farmhouse or eco-friendly is worth considering when seeking the attention of this highly engaged audience.
Pet supplies
Americans spent a staggering $158 billion on pets in 2024—and are projected to spend $165 billion in 2026. This is a huge, and growing, market where shoppers are looking for unique products like eco-friendly toys, beds, bowls, clothing, and accessories.
Furthermore, data shows that shoppers are browsing online for their pets, not just relying on pet stores. “Online pet product sales increased by 22% globally during 2024. Customized pet accessories such as engraved collars, breed-specific apparel, and personalized nutrition plans gained traction among 29% of consumers,” wrote Business Research Insights.
If you have a penchant for pets and a creative side, this market is a solid bet for starting a new business.
Jewelry
Jewelry is consistently one of the top-selling products on Etsy. In 2025, the market was valued at $342.7 billion; 15% of Etsy sellers operate in this niche. Although it’s competitive, it’s also a category that serves a range of tastes. From brilliant hammered and sculpted metals to boho beads and pretty pearls, jewelry is big business on Etsy.
If designing handmade bracelets, earrings, or necklaces is your thing, offer your own interpretation of what’s trending in the fashion world or bring your own aesthetic and craftsmanship to the marketplace. The top three jewelry sellers on Etsy—NewMoonBeginnings, CaitlynMinimalist, and MignonandMignon—all have a minimalist vibe and offer personalization from initials and names to inspirational symbols and quotes.
Self-care
The self-care trend has morphed from bath and body products to “treat yourself”—personalized pieces for celebrating moments big and small.
“For Gen Z, the ‘little treat’ era isn’t impulsive, it’s intentionally acknowledging that smaller moments matter. New place, finished the laundry, made it through the week? It’s all worth celebrating, and sellers get it,” wrote Johnson.
Little treats like keychains, candles, charm bracelets, and ceramics are all on-trend. And so are traditional self-care items, like handmade soap, fragrances, and essential oils.
Shoppers look to Etsy for self-care that is less complicated and more transparent. Clean, organic, and sustainable beauty rank high with Etsy’s beauty and wellness fans. But before you dive into the beauty pool, make sure to familiarize yourself with the rigorous regulations and policies that govern this category, including the FDA-specific guidelines and Etsy’s own rules.
Shoppers are stepping away from AI-overload and leaning into what feels personal, imperfect, and made with intention.Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy’s Trend Expert
Clothing
If you have a flair for fashion design, opening an Etsy shop that showcases your talent and aesthetic may be a great way to test the demand for your concepts. Creating custom T-shirts and clothing that make a statement with bold and fun typography or humorous sayings is a great option for someone with strong graphic design skills.
Trends change quickly in fashion. If you do decide to go into the style section, pay attention to what’s happening in lifestyle, fashion, and pop culture. Small sellers may have a harder time responding to market shifts than merchants that have supply chains already set up.
Accessories
Accessories are big business on Etsy and sales in this category are dominated by makers who anticipate or identify a trend and then make it their own. Shoppers turn to Etsy for more unique, handmade options than what can be found in pharmacies or mall stores.
Like fashion, trends in accessories change quickly. Currently, “gothic romance” —lace, stained glass, and Victorian drama—is the top-selling trend. But by the time you open a business, shoppers may have moved on. It’s wise to pay attention to Etsy key words to make sure you’re offering products for which there’s sustained demand.
Vintage
If your closets and drawers are overflowing with vintage finds like printed silk scarves, oversized sunglasses, stationery, doll clothes, or matchbooks, consider sharing your love for all things retro and joining the ranks of Etsy’s vintage sellers. Keep in mind that items must be more than 20 years old to qualify as vintage on Etsy.
Again, it's often best to choose a niche within the category, such as Swatch watches or vintage barware, and make frequent trips to estate sales, auctions, and yard sales to build your inventory. Before you start purging your leg warmers or mixtapes, make sure you know the policies that govern all things vintage on Etsy.
How to research trending products before you open your Etsy shop
As in all Etsy categories, the key to success is often in the keywords used to rank high and stand out in searches. Luckily, Etsy supports its sellers with a trove of useful advice and information.
Etsy's Marketplace Insights Tool is available to sellers who set up their account and access their profile on desktop and web version (not through the Etsy app). Using this tool, you can search for specific terms and view related data such as the number of searches and listings on Etsy from the last 30 days. Sellers are allowed up to 15 key word searches per week for free.
Marketplace Insights will also show you similar search terms, trend data, and the most-search keywords related to the categories you sell. It’s a good starting point for positioning your product and identifying where there’s a gap in the market.
Etsy also has an Ultimate Guide to Etsy Search resource page, which is useful for understanding all the resources available on the platform.
If you decide to go even deeper, try an Etsy analytics tool such as Alura. Specialized Etsy analytics extensions to browse competitor shops, track exact estimated monthly sales, and find products where demand heavily outweighs the number of competing shops.
How to optimize your Etsy listings to get found in search
As with any e-commerce page, product descriptions are critical for engaging shoppers. Etsy is a competitive marketplace; as a result, spend some time making sure your page is fully optimized for sales.
Fortunately, Etsy has a detailed guide, The Anatomy of a Well-Crafted Etsy Listing, to help you make the most of their profile pages. The listing title and the images are the first things someone sees when they click on your page. High-quality product photos go a long way; and, include a key word in your title to make sure you connect with the right audience.
Think you’re ready to jump in? There is a lot more to discover and learn, and Etsy’s community is well-supported with great ideas and invaluable information. Start with the Ultimate Guide to Starting an Etsy Shop, which covers wide-ranging topics from naming your shop to social media marketing and everything in between.
Andrea Forstadt contributed to this article.
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