A 26-year-old man earns 3 million yuan a year by selling candles, working only 20 minutes a day

When Chinese sellers go overseas, Amazon is usually their first choice of online platform. However, in recent years, as competition among sellers has become increasingly fierce, some have begun to explore new platforms. Among them, small platforms with precise market positioning have attracted particular attention.

Etsy, which mainly sells handicrafts, is one of them. As a niche website focusing on handicrafts, its average monthly visits are nearly 400 million, which is enough to prove that its strength should not be underestimated. Over the years, many sellers have found new business opportunities on Etsy.

Many sellers earn six figures a year on Etsy

Etsy is undoubtedly a platform full of potential for sellers who are good at handmade and have unique creativity. The following three sellers have achieved remarkable success on this platform.

26-year-old man sells candles: earns $460,000 a year

It is hard to imagine that a person who is allergic to candles can earn $462,000 (about 3.36 million yuan) a year from candles.

Francisco Rivera of Florida saw a YouTube video about a print-on-demand side business when he was looking for ways to supplement his income after his online tutoring company in the U.S. plunged in business as extracurricular activities resumed following the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this video, sellers design patterns for products such as T-shirts or mugs, then list these patterns on platforms such as Etsy or Amazon. When customers place orders, they find manufacturers to print the patterns on the products and ship them.

Inspired by this, he decided to give it a try, so in February 2023, Rivera started his side business on Etsy, but instead of T-shirts or mugs, he chose a new category in the on-demand printing field at the time: candles. At the same time, he added humorous phrases to the products.

“I thought candles were a bigger opportunity,” Rivera said. “A lot of people were already selling clothing and mugs, and candles were a great gift. There were a lot of consumers on Etsy, and people who opened interesting candle stores usually became popular within a year.”

After deciding on the direction, he acted decisively: creating designs on Canva, publishing works on Etsy, and connecting with manufacturers on Printify.

Last year, his store's sales were about $462,000, and the profit on each order was about 30% to 50%. This was much higher than his income from online tutoring, so in December of the same year, he resolutely quit his job.

And now his work status is more relaxed. Generally speaking, he only works 20 minutes a day. Occasionally he works overtime, but it will not exceed two hours. The rest of his time is devoted to the music career he loves.

“I’m making more money and working less,” said Rivera, 26.

However, although this model has low risks, it is extremely easy to copy, so Rivera was once troubled by the "copycat" problem.

Rivera said that once those who copied him saw that he had a popular candle, they would immediately copy it. Even if he complained about copyright infringement, it had little effect. He used to be annoyed by this. Now he no longer dwells on this issue, but focuses on launching new candles. By constantly innovating and staying ahead, it is difficult for copycats to keep up with him.

59-year-old man sells barbecue pots: earns $169,000 a year

In September 2021, as inflation became more serious, Tim Riegel, a 59-year-old resident of Lamar, USA, began to try to sell homemade fire pits (a free-standing, open metal container, usually used for making fires in the backyard or patio) to earn some extra money.

So he spent $90 to buy seven propane tanks and used the ends of the propane tanks to make barbecue pits. At first, Riegel only sold them in his own city at a price of $400 per piece. Unexpectedly, the sales were surprisingly good. In just 10 days, the barbecue pits he made were sold out, and he also received a large number of orders.

With a cost of $90, he generated $2,800 in revenue. From any perspective, this is an excellent business. So, after a period of offline sales, in order to seize more business opportunities, in March 2022, he decisively moved his business online and opened a store on Etsy.

The result did not disappoint him. In the next five months, he made $50,000, and the highest monthly profit was even $16,000. The price of these barbecue pots is much higher than when they are sold offline, and most of them are priced between $600 and $1,700. However, the cost has also increased. With the addition of shipping costs, advertising fees and other expenses, the average cost has risen to $650.

But online sales are staggering. In July 2023, when Riegel checked his income statement, he found that his sales in the previous 12 months had reached $169,000.

In fact, Riegel is not without competitors, whether on Etsy or other e-commerce platforms, but he can stand out in the brazier segment. Why?

First, he has twenty years of experience in welding and has excellent skills, and second, he has put a lot of effort into design, such as making the products bronze, coloring, or adding customization.

In addition, he spends three hours a week communicating with customers, such as sending them photos of the braziers before delivery and contacting them again after they receive the goods to make sure they are satisfied.

Because of this, Riegel has never received less than a five-star rating on Etsy.

36-year-old mom sells printables: earns $160,000 a year

Rachel Jimenez, 36, a mother of two, has always wanted to be a teacher, especially a university professor. However, she knew that the salary offered by this job was not high, so she chose to become a businessman five years ago.

In 2019, Jimenez, who lives in Southern California, opened a shop on Etsy to sell printable items, such as Pokemon games, that people could buy and print out at home.

This business brought her nearly $160,000 in revenue in 2021, and although it decreased in 2022, it also exceeded $110,000. In terms of time, she only needs to invest 2 to 10 hours a week.

Many people may not realize that Jimenez’s business success and today’s achievements are largely due to her two maternity leaves.

When Jimenez got 10 weeks of maternity leave in 2019 after her first child was born, she used the time to take a course on how to start an Etsy store that sells prints.

After completing his studies, Jimenez immediately opened his own store.

In 2020, Jimenez took a longer maternity leave for the birth of her second child, 12 weeks, during which she spent a lot of time improving her skills.

“I try to absorb information in small chunks throughout the day,” Jimenez says.

In 2022, Jimenez's business was already on track and profitable, so she decided to try her hand at teaching, which she had long been interested in, and opened an online course - "Optimize Your Life Academy".

“My course is all about strategies and tools that a lot of people don’t know about because they haven’t studied positive psychology,” she says. The Optimize Your Life Academy includes a series of videos on defining success and time management, as well as a 70-page workbook with exercises on goals, stress, and more.

The course costs $297 and has earned just over $10,000 since it went online in January 2023. Although it is a big gap compared to the income from the Etsy store, she enjoys it.

While many sellers use Etsy as a side hustle, there are also some outstanding sellers whose stores have sold over a million units and have turned their craft hobbies into full-fledged businesses.

Etsy Top 20 Sellers

Last month, the US technology website Techreport released a list of Etsy's top 20 sellers, introducing their respective niche markets and the founders behind them.

The 20 best-selling Etsy shops each sold at least 717,000 items. Combined, that's more than 21 million items sold, ranging from jewelry and healing crystals to seeds and party supplies.

Among them, the sales volume of each of the TOP 5 sellers reached at least 1 million pieces, accounting for more than one-third of the total sales volume of the list.

Let’s learn more about them below.

TOP 20： NewMoonBeginnings

Pennsylvania-based NewMoonBeginnings tops the category with 717,700 units sold on Etsy . It sells more than 5,500 items , ranging from different types of healing crystals, candles, bath products to jewelry and home decor.

The most expensive of these items is a 7kg natural citrine that costs $6,000. NewMoonBeninnings is also active on social media, with more than 70,000 followers on Instagram and 12,000 on Pinterest.

TOP 19: SeedvilleUSA

SeedvilleUSA, a store in Ohio , has sold 722,400 items on Etsy . As the name suggests, it is positioned as a gardening store, selling flower and vegetable seeds. Buyers can choose from more than 2,000 seeds and can also choose to purchase gift certificates.

SeedvilleUSA's most expensive product is on the low end - a pack of 100 orange blossom honeys costs $31. The seller is active on Facebook, with 17,000 followers.

TOP 18: UrbanEnV

UrbanEnV, a Florida-based Etsy store that sells jewelry-making supplies like pebbles, cabochons, beads, and inlays, has sold 722,750 items to date . Customers can choose from more than 3,400 supplies in different shapes and sizes.

UrbanEnV is not active on social media. The polymer clay bead set is the store's most expensive item, priced at $31.30.

TOP 17: DigitalCurio

DigitalCurio is run by an artist named Kate Rose who lives in California and has sold 771,000 items on the platform . As the first digital product seller on the list, DigitalCurio offers a large selection of clipart, digital paper art, and printable paper art for commercial use.

Kate’s store has some social media presence, but it’s not as big as some of the other businesses on this list. The most expensive item in the store is a set of 108 digital clipart pieces for $35.

TOP 16: SilverRainSilver

SilverRainSilver is the first non-US Etsy store on the list and is based in Glasgow, Scotland and is run by Emma Perry. As the name suggests, it sells silver jewelry, with over 4,300 items to choose from, including necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.

The store's most expensive item is a sterling silver morganite oval ring that costs $32.60, but there are also custom listings for specific buyers that can go for up to $1,200.

The store has nearly 5,000 followers on Instagram.

TOP 15: DomedBazaar

DomedBazaar, run by Rong Minjuan , is China 's largest Etsy store, selling mostly jewelry items, with more than 800,000 items sold to date. Buyers can choose from more than 26,000 items such as clasps, rings, beads, charms, dried flowers and embroidery kits.

Like some of the other stores on this list , DomedBazaar sometimes offers customers special deals on items priced over $1,000.

TOP 14: AZSupplies

AZSupplies is the first Turkish store on the list and is a store that sells jewelry and jewelry supplies such as pendants, chains, ring bases, bracelets, etc. The store is run by Bilal and has sold over 805,700 items to date .

The store has more than 16,700 items for sale, the most expensive of which is a gold connector butterfly connector for $302. The store is not very exposed on social media.

TOP 13： DesignInYourHeart

DesignInYourHeart is also a jewelry store with sales of more than 807,600 items . Located in South Korea, the store offers more than 6,000 items for customers to choose from, ranging from beads and charms to chains and loose gemstones.

DesignInYourHeart is not active on social media. Its most expensive item is a crystal cube brass buckle, which costs $31.60.

TOP 12: Ilovelotus

ilovelotus is based in Utah. Like NewMoonBeginnings, its main business is selling healing crystals and jewelry. So far, it has sold more than 832,000 items on Etsy . Customers can choose from more than 2,400 figurines and statues, stone eggs, palm crystals, earrings, rings and bracelets.

Unlike many American Etsy shops, ilovelotus does not have a large social media presence. The most expensive item in the shop is a large chlorite quartz crystal that costs $180.

TOP 11： HeatherRobertsArt

The store is run by Texas artist Heather Roberts. HeatherRobertsArt sells more than 4,000 digital art files, including clip art, lettering, and hand lettering. To date, the store has sold more than 837,000 pieces .

Heather doesn’t have many followers on Instagram, but has a relatively large following on Pinterest (over 1,600). The most expensive item in the store is an extended commercial license of her work , which costs $188.

TOP 10： Worldincensestore

Worldincensestore in Florida is a standout among the top 10. The store, run by Jane , Bryan and Sam Roberts , has sold more than 848,000 items to date . Like ilovelotus, its main business is crystals and gemstones, with more than 1,700 items to choose from, including loose gemstones, crystals and jewelry.

Worldincencsestore also has a small presence on Instagram and Pinterest. Its most expensive item is a 2.5kg JUMBO ocean jasper crystal that costs $182.

9. Nicole de Bruin

Nicole de Bruin is a store named after its founder. Like many of the other stores on this list, it sells jewelry making supplies, but primarily sells charms and beads. So far, it has sold 884,000 pieces .

The store, which has a strong presence on Pinterest and Facebook , lets customers choose from more than 14,000 items, with the most expensive item being a bulk order of 5,000 washer beads for $ 23.

TOP 8: HappyKawaiiSupplies

HappyKawaiiSupplies , based in Missouri, is run by Rain. As the name suggests, the store sells all kinds of "kawaii" supplies, from jewelry charms and cabochons to fake candies and sprinkles. HappyKawaaiiSupplies has nearly 7,000 items to choose from and has sold nearly 916,000 items to date.

HappyKawaaiiSupplies has a large number of followers on Instagram, nearly 70,000. Its most expensive product is a dark color set of 20 resin colorants, which costs $60.

TOP 7: PeggySueAlso

PeggySueAlso is a Washington-based leather goods seller who has sold more than 925,000 leather goods to date. The store is a leading supplier of leather and hides, with more than 7,000 products to choose from.

Peggysue also has a relatively low exposure on Instagram. Their most expensive set is 50 pieces of leather in different colors and costs $188.

TOP 6: Spoonflower

The first Etsy store on the list to exceed 1 million sales , Spoonflower, is a North Carolina-based custom interior fabric and wallpaper merchant. It has more than 70,000 wallpapers, fabrics, and DIY fabrics in different themes and colors for customers to choose from .

Spoonflower, which has nearly 500,000 followers on Instagram, sells its most expensive item, sage-green cotton, by the yard for $26.

TOP5: Yakutum

Turkish Etsy seller Yakutum has sold over 1.11 million items on the platform . Like many other sellers on this list, this store's success comes from selling jewelry supplies, including charms, clasps, fasteners, chains, and more. Buyers can choose from more than 31,000 items .

Yakutum has no social media presence. The store’s most expensive item is a gold-plated brass oval pendant that costs $363.

TOP 4: ModParty

California-based Etsy retailer ModParty is all about making wedding parties awesome. The store has more than 1.5 million bridesmaid gifts, bachelorette parties, and bridal shower supplies, and has made nearly $1.69 million in sales on Etsy to date.

ModParty is popular on Instagram and Pinterest. The most expensive gift is a set of 24 wedding pens, valued at $61.

TOP 3: Beadboat1

Founded by Katy, this Texas-based Etsy retailer is the most successful jewelry retailer on this list. Beadboat1 sells over 8,000 gemstones, chains, beads, and charms, and has sold nearly 1.84 million pieces on Etsy to date .

The store has a modest presence on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest. However, the most expensive item is not jewelry supplies, but her jewelry-making courses, which cost $1,370.

TOP 2: PlannerKate1

Runner- up on this list is PlannerKate1 , an Ohio-based Etsy shop that has nearly 2 million sales on Etsy . Founded by Kate Antesberger, the shop sells more than 2,700 organizing and planning products, including notebooks, stickers, binders, and photo albums.

Kate sells both physical and digital goods. She has more than 72,000 followers on Instagram, and the most expensive item in her store is a " Planner Girl " sweatshirt , which costs $50.

TOP 1: CaitlynMinimalist

The number one Etsy store in terms of sales is CaitlynMinimalist, a California-based store founded by Kate Kim that sells minimalist jewelry. Kate's store has achieved nearly 2.37 million sales since its inception .

In Kate's store, you can choose from more than 1,200 pieces of custom jewelry. She is active on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. The most expensive item in her store is a Cuban chain custom men's bracelet, which costs $73.

In summary, although the competition on Etsy is not as fierce as that on Amazon, many people must have noticed a problem, that is, the sellers who can enter this platform or stand out on this platform are some special sellers or sellers with special skills, so not all sellers are suitable for entering. Therefore, all latecomers must recognize their own advantages before entering the platform and do not blindly follow.

Etsy