Episodes
Julie Berninger welcomes back Emily, a successful Etsy seller who has generated nearly $450,000 in revenue in her first two years. They discuss the dynamics of holiday sales, particularly during Q4, and share valuable tips for print on demand sellers. Emily emphasizes the importance of personalization, customer service, and the need to prepare throughout the year for the holiday rush. They also announce an upcoming print on demand course aimed at helping aspiring Etsy sellers optimize their...
Published 11/18/24
Published 11/18/24
In this episode, Julie Berninger and Sasha Hutchison discuss effective strategies for Etsy sellers to prepare for Black Friday and the holiday season. They cover the importance of creating gift guides, utilizing Etsy promotions, collaborating with other sellers, and engaging audiences through social media. The conversation also touches on adapting listings for seasonal trends and exploring business growth opportunities beyond Etsy.   Takeaways: Creating gift guides can significantly...
Published 11/11/24
In this episode, Julie Berninger interviews Cody McGuffie founder and CEO of Everbee, an e-commerce platform that assists Etsy sellers in product research and marketing. Try Everbee: https://go.goldcityventures.com/everbee Cody shares insights on seasonal trends, particularly the significant sales spikes during Q4, and dispels myths about summer sales being slow. He also reveals upcoming features for Everbee that will enhance data accuracy and trend tracking for sellers. The conversation...
Published 10/29/24
Etsy's Cat Craze: A Purrfect Opportunity for Sellers The cat niche on Etsy is booming! In this video, we dive into the surprising popularity of cat-related products and how you can capitalize on this trend. Key Takeaways: Cat vs. Dog: While dogs may have a slight edge in search volume, cats are still a major force on Etsy. Cat-ify Your Products: Consider adding cat-themed variations to your existing products. This could include cat-shaped crochet toys, cat-inspired wall art, or even...
Published 10/25/24
This episode delves into the potential of medical subspecialties as lucrative niches on Etsy for digital products. While popular niches like nurses and doctors are often saturated, exploring subspecialties can offer a more unique and less competitive market. Key Points: Subspecialty Examples include EMT, pharmacy techs, veterinary techs, radiology techs, lab techs, surgical techs. Use tools like eRank to estimate search volume for specific keywords.  Product ideas include digital study...
Published 10/10/24
This episode dives deep into the lucrative potential of dog-related products on Etsy, highlighting highly searched but often overlooked niches. From practical items like dog stairs and ramps to personalized gifts and themed merchandise, the dog-centric market on Etsy is booming. Key Points: High-Demand Dog Products: Dog stairs, ramps, food scoops, crates, bowls, ornaments, apparel, and more. Personalized Products: Customize items with dog names, pictures, and breed-specific designs for...
Published 10/07/24
Julie interviews eRank Founder, Anthony Wolf, to find out if eRank accurate and where is the data from? See below for an eRank free trial link. They discuss eRank's features, data sources, and how it aids Etsy sellers in optimizing their listings. They delve into buyer insights from an annual survey, emphasizing the importance of quality images, effective communication, and shipping strategies. Resources: If you want to try a premium eRank plan for 7 days sign up using the Gold City...
Published 09/30/24
Teachers can sell products on Etsy like t-shirts, printables, and classroom decor. This episode explores what is bestselling in the teacher niche. Key Takeaways: Niche Down: Targeting specific teacher subniches like math teachers or third grade teachers can increase visibility. Bulk Sales: Offering teacher gifts in bulk can appeal to schools and individual teachers. Personalized Products: Customizing items with teacher names or grade levels can make them more appealing. Teacher-Related...
Published 09/26/24
Nurse Niche Etsy Opportunities Lucrative Niche: The nurse niche is highly profitable on Etsy, with some shops having hundreds of thousands of sales. Popular Products: Nursing school notes, study guides, t-shirts, sweatshirts, badge reels, ornaments, and gifts are in demand.   Niche Down: Targeting specific subniches like oncology or NICU nurses can increase search visibility and sales. Customization: Holiday-themed and personalized products can stand out in a competitive market. ...
Published 09/23/24
Julie covers ideas for Etsy sellers in the coffee lover gifts niche. She discusses various trends and opportunities within this niche, such as combining food and non-food items, emotional support items, teacher gifts, Christmas tree decor, and mug wraps. The host also highlights the popularity of iced coffee candles and suggests that sellers in the homemade soy candle industry could tap into this trend. The conversation concludes with the importance of social media presence and the potential...
Published 09/11/24
Julie Berninger discusses unique gift basket ideas for Etsy sellers. She explains Etsy's new creativity standards for gift baskets and provides examples of traditional gift baskets for women and men. Julie then explores creatively assembled gift baskets that meet Etsy's standards, such as seasonal gift baskets, goth gift baskets, and gift baskets for teenagers and tweens. She also suggests ideas like book blind date gift sets, flower girl gift groups, DIY slime kits, and Play-Doh sensory...
Published 09/04/24
Emily, a successful 6-figure Etsy seller, shares her journey of starting and growing her print on demand and digital product shops. She emphasizes the importance of research and finding niche markets to target. Emily also discusses her graphic design skills and the importance of practice and simplicity in creating professional-looking designs. She shares her productivity strategies, including using templates and setting goals, and how she balances creation and consumption of content.  ...
Published 08/26/24
In this episode, Julie interviews Meagan, an Etsy seller in the faith and family LDS niche who wants to expand her business beyond Etsy. Megan shares her journey of starting on Etsy and growing her shop to 300 sales. Julie suggests participating in a bundle and creating an email sales sequence to promote the flagship product. They also touch on the topic of social media and the potential benefits of creating videos.   Takeaways Having a flagship product to sell can help drive sales and...
Published 08/19/24
Mary, an Etsy seller in the Catholic niche, discusses her journey of selling machine embroidery products and transitioning to selling printables. She shares her desire to move off Etsy and reach her Catholic clientele. The conversation explores the idea of Mary becoming a Catholic influencer and the challenges she faces in feeling like a thought leader. They discuss the potential of creating lifestyle content, such as home decorating and holiday activities, to attract and engage her audience....
Published 08/15/24
Lisa, a seller in the Gold City Ventures community, shares her journey of starting an Etsy shop to help with daycare costs and her transition to digital products. She discusses her goals of growing her shop and making it a bigger business. The conversation explores the idea of finding a flagship product, with a focus on handprint art and trivia games. Lisa also talks about her experience with social media, specifically Pinterest, and her plans for building an email list and engaging with...
Published 08/13/24
Halloween is approaching and it's a great time to discuss how to appeal to Halloween shoppers. Julie Berninger shares ideas for Halloween products with good search volume and low competition on Etsy sourced from eRank. The main themes include vintage and retro aesthetics, girlie Halloween, dog breeds, specific Halloween terms like 'momster', accessories like headbands and socks, home decor items like pillows and doormats, boo baskets, dioramas, Halloween slime, digital products like trivia...
Published 08/09/24
Julie talks with Etsy digital products seller, Stephanie, about her plans to create a larger digital products business for busy moms. Her niche is women pursuing businesses. Takeaways Starting an Etsy shop can be a great entry point into the online business world. It's important to be flexible and willing to pivot your business direction based on what sells and what your target audience wants. Understanding your target demographic and their needs is crucial for building a successful...
Published 08/07/24
In this episode of Crickets to Cha-Chings, Julie Berninger interviews Lauren Hooper, an artist and entrepreneur, about her expertise in user-generated content (UGC) photography. Lauren provides tips for creating UGC, including the importance of background, lighting, and showcasing the product in real-life scenarios. She also discusses the impact of UGC on Etsy sales and the value of testing different types of content to see what converts best. Contact Lauren: https://lauren-likes.com/ Gold...
Published 07/31/24
Sarah Edwards, a Cricut crafting expert, discusses the crafting community and the popularity of digital files and finished crafts.  We cover: Cricut machine, digital files, finished crafts, SVG files, trends in crafting, selling crafts, crafting, digital files, pricing, layered paper crafts, SVG, sublimation, AI, sublimation printer, Facebook groups, floral craft countdown   Takeaways The crafting community has grown, especially since the pandemic, with a predominantly female...
Published 07/08/24
Julie Berninger and Janet LeBlanc of Paper and Spark discuss the steps to take when starting an Etsy shop from a CPA's perspective. They cover topics such as understanding the difference between a business and a hobby, obtaining a DBA permit, opening a business bank account, and the importance of bookkeeping. They also touch on the issue of Etsy shop suspensions and the need for proper tax ID information. The conversation emphasizes the importance of treating an Etsy shop as a business and...
Published 07/01/24
Laura Winston, Principal and Chair of the Intellectual Property Practice Group at Offit Kurman, answers your questions on common trademark and copyright issues Etsy sellers face. Note: This is not legal advice. Please review your own situation with professionals. Questions covered: How do I search on the USPTO web site and understand the results? Is the word FRIENDSGIVING trademarked? Can I use a song title on a t shirt or baby shower bundle of products? What about song lyrics? How about...
Published 06/20/24
Etsy put out a spring/summer trend report​​ and Julie reviews it in this episode of the Crickets to Cha-Chings podcast. Here are some snippets of trending keyword searches according to Etsy in case you don't have time to read the report: +266% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for divorce gifts or items +351% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for cozy home items +465% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for host or hostess gifts +2,159% YoY increase in searches on Etsy for lawn games +105% YoY...
Published 05/06/24
In this live episode of the Crickets to Cha-Chings podcast, Julie Berninger and Sasha Hutchison discuss strategies for growing an Etsy business off of the platform. They provide guidance to Naomi, an Etsy seller selling printables, on how to expand her business and reach a wider audience. The conversation covers topics such as building an email list, repurposing content for social media, and creating YouTube videos. They emphasize the importance of niching down and finding the right platforms...
Published 04/29/24
If you missed our Live Q&A, here is the replay on YouTube. Julie broke down 4 business ideas and how they would work off Etsy 1) subscription book box, 2) beauty professional templates 3) seasonal printables for kids monthly subscription and 4) a blog for dog lovers. She also screenshared what Beyond looks like and the prizes you get with purchase. Special pricing ends April 30th at 11:59PM ET. Resources: https://goldcityventures.com/beyond/
Published 04/25/24