Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well today.
In today’s edition of AI Hustle Lab, I want to share with you one simple idea… selling AI art on Etsy.
As you know, selling products online has never been easier.
And with marketplaces like Etsy, anyone can start an online store and sell their creations to a global audience.
But deciding what to sell can be challenging, especially in crowded markets dominated by mass-produced items.
As a graphic designer and entrepreneur, I was looking for a unique product that would allow me to stand out on Etsy. That’s when I discovered the incredible potential of using AI image generation to create stunning digital artwork to sell.
Here, I’ll share a new interesting, and exciting niche and provide actionable tips on how you can leverage AI to make money selling images on Etsy too.
Trust me, if I can do it, so can you!
Thanks to our sponsors, this newsletter is free for you.
Jasper is still one of the best AI writers on the market. Recently, it introduced a chatbot, an image generator, and a better pricing model. Try this writer for free and learn why it is one of the best tools.
WellSaid Labs is a leading AI text-to-speech technology company that provides a platform for creating human-like voiceovers and experiences through synthetic voices. It offers a range of voices and customization options for different delivery styles. Try it for free.
Why Sell AI-Generated Images on Etsy?
Etsy is the perfect platform for selling AI art for several reasons:
- Huge audience – Over 90 million buyers actively search Etsy for unique items. There’s a massive demand for original digital artwork.
- Low competition – Very few sellers have tapped into AI generation yet. This gives us an advantage in catering to underserved demand.
- Appreciation for tech – Etsy buyers value creativity and innovation. AI art is seen as cutting-edge.
- High profit margins – Digital files are easy to reproduce. No physical production costs.
- Personalization – AI allows endless customization. Each piece can be tailored to the customer.
- Passive income – Once designed, digital artwork can earn royalties forever. Great residual income stream.
For me, selling AI-generated designs aligned perfectly with Etsy’s expanding printables category. Let’s look at how I got started.
Choosing an AI Image Generator
The first step was selecting the right AI image generator for my needs. The top options I evaluated were:
- Midjourney – User-friendly Discord bot with balanced quality and stylistic control.
- DALL-E 2 – Cutting-edge images, but access is limited. Long waitlist.
- Stable Diffusion – Open source so free to use. Fast and flexible image generation.
- Leonardo – Ideal fusion between Midjourney and Stable Diffusion. You also get more control over the results.
After experimenting with the various platforms, I ultimately chose Stable Diffusion in ClipDrop and Leonardo for their impressive image quality and open-source accessibility.
It does have a learning curve, but taking the time to master it has paid off tremendously.
Generating Captivating Listing Images
To make sales on Etsy, awesome listing images are essential. The process for using Stable Diffusion to create compelling product photos involves a few key steps:
- Prompt engineering – Carefully craft prompts using descriptive words to define the desired style, composition, and details.
- Generating batches – Generate 50-100 initial images to select the best iterations.
- Manual touch-ups – Use Photoshop or Canva to refine colors, crop, add text, etc. to polish the AI output.
- Thumbnails – For listing thumbnails, resize the image to 640×640 pixels to catch browsers’ attention.
Take the time to refine both your verbal prompts and post-processing skills. This will drastically improve the final image quality.
Offering Customization for Maximum Value
One of the biggest advantages of AI art is the ability to fully customize each piece.
For my Etsy shop, you should offer customers tons of personalization options:
- Custom names, dates, text
- Adjust colors, shadows, highlights
- Change scenery, props, poses
- Resize to any dimensions
- Add glitter textures, borders, gradients
- Convert to different file types
Giving shoppers more control over the final product increases perceived value. And the extra effort is minimal since the AI does the heavy lifting!
UpsCaling Digital Files into Print Products
While selling digital image files alone can generate income, you should find far more profit potential in upselling them into physical products.
Make a shop that makes it easy to order the same designs on printed:
- Canvas prints
- Framed prints
- Posters
- Tapestries
- Pillows
- Phone cases
- Stationery
- And endless other products!
These are all produced print-on-demand, so you don’t have to hold any inventory. The fulfillment services handle production and shipping.
This is almost 100% passive income once the digital file is created. And profit margins on printables are excellent, with each design being resold indefinitely!
However, to make sure that your design fits into any of these formats, you need to upscale your AI artwork to larger dimensions.
Choosing Profitable Niches and Trends
Naturally, some image niches sell better than others on Etsy. Through testing various verticals, I’ve identified several particularly profitable ones to focus on:
Landscape Photography
Serene nature scenes like forests, mountains, and beaches have timeless appeal. Atmospheric lighting adds extra intrigue.
Space Art
Ethereal space vistas with stars, galaxies, and nebulae captivate people’s imagination. These tend to sell incredibly well.
Pet Portraits
Custom portraits of dogs, cats, and other pets are hugely popular. Tapping into people’s love of animals is big business!
Typography Art
Creative text overlays on muted color backgrounds make stylish wall art, especially for inspirational quotes and poetry.
Pop Culture
Capitalizing on the latest pop culture crazes like TV shows, movies, books, and celebrities drives impulse buys from fans.
Staying on top of hot trends is so much easier with AI! I can churn out relevant designs the moment something goes viral.
Tagging for Maximum Discoverability
Optimizing Etsy listings for search is crucial. You need to tag each product with relevant keywords so it gets discovered.
For example, a beach sunset print might have tags like:
- ocean wall art
- beach sunset print
- coastal decor
- sea view artwork
- ocean canvas prints
- beach house wall decor
Do the research about the op search queries people use to find related products and make sure to incorporate these into tags. The more keywords the better!
Building Shop Credibility Through Reviews
Positive reviews and star ratings are key to establishing credibility in Etsy’s marketplace. This signals to buyers that my shop is trustworthy and my products are high-quality.
To encourage reviews, you need to send a friendly note with each order asking for feedback if the customer was satisfied. Many happily oblige since it only takes them a minute.
You should also offer discounts for submitting reviews. This motivates buyers to take the extra minute to leave stars and comments.
As the reviews roll in, your conversions should be improved. Nowadays, 50+ five-star ratings really give buyers peace of mind to purchase confidently.
Letting Your Creativity Run Wild!
The awesome part about selling AI-generated products on Etsy is that opportunities are endless. You’re limited only by your imagination.
My advice is to brainstorm fun ideas outside the norm. Combining unexpected concepts usually produces the most original and eye-catching artwork.
Don’t be afraid to try bold new styles and subjects. The great thing with AI is you can mass-produce images at virtually no cost. If one flops, just pivot and try something new!
Selling AI art has enabled me to leave the 9-5 rat race and pursue my passion full-time. And the lifestyle freedom is absolutely priceless.
So don’t wait around any longer. Fire up your favorite image generator and start designing!
I hope this guide gave you ideas and motivation to begin selling your own AI artwork on Etsy. The future possibilities are tremendously exciting.
Let me know if you have any other questions. I’m always happy to chat more about this game-changing opportunity.
Now get out there, wow buyers with your amazing AI designs, and start earning the income you deserve!
