I Tried Selling AI Art on Etsy | [ACTUAL RESULTS]
TLDRIn this engaging account, the author recounts a 10-day challenge to establish a print-on-demand business on Etsy using AI-generated art. Initially inspired by the success of other Etsy stores, the author chose a niche of 'trippy dream art' after researching trends and AI capabilities. The process involved setting up an Etsy store, creating compelling AI art prompts, and connecting the store to Printful for product fulfillment. Despite a lack of initial sales, the author explored strategies to improve visibility and sales, such as keyword optimization, duplicating listings, and pricing tactics to increase conversion rates. However, the venture faced a setback when the Etsy store was mistakenly flagged as selling non-handmade items as handmade, leading to a ban. The author has since appealed the decision and encourages others to learn from the experience and continue experimenting with AI art in e-commerce.
Takeaways
- π The challenge was to create and run a print-on-demand business on Etsy using AI-generated art within 10 days.
- π Research showed that companies were making significant income with Etsy stores, prompting the experiment to see if similar results could be achieved.
- ποΈ The three main rules for the challenge were to create a new store, pick a niche, and use only AI-generated art.
- π§ The niche chosen was 'trippy dream art' after observing trends on AI Reddit forums and Etsy's popularity for such designs.
- π¨ Day one was spent setting up the Etsy store and researching how to create effective AI-generated art prompts.
- π Day two involved refining prompts to produce better art designs, noting that text on art performed better on Etsy.
- π» On day three, the account with print fulfillment service Printful was created and linked to the Etsy store.
- π Day four was dedicated to website setup, listing all t-shirt products with a profit margin of 30-40%.
- π Day five revealed no sales, prompting further research into top-selling products and strategies to improve visibility and sales.
- π Three strategies were identified: optimizing keywords, duplicating listings to test different variables, and pricing one variation low to increase conversion rates.
- π¨ On day six, the store was unexpectedly banned by Etsy for mislabeling the products as handmade, which was a default setting from Printful.
- π€ The speaker has appealed to Etsy to unban the store and encourages others to use the shared information to start their own experiments.
Q & A
What was the challenge the speaker undertook on Etsy?
-The speaker undertook a challenge to build a print on demand business on Etsy using AI generated art within 10 days.
What were the three main rules for the challenge?
-The three main rules were: creating a brand new store on Etsy, picking a niche, and only using AI generated art.
How did the speaker find a niche for their AI art on Etsy?
-The speaker researched on Google Trends and found an interesting trend from an AI Reddit forum about people sending their dreams to be designed by AI artists. They chose 'trippy dream art' as their niche.
What was the key to creating good AI generated art according to the speaker?
-The key to creating good AI generated art is to create good prompts. The speaker spent a full day experimenting with different prompts to find what works well.
Why did the speaker decide to add text to their AI art designs?
-The speaker found that art designs with text on them performed significantly better on Etsy compared to those without text, so they decided to incorporate text into their designs.
How did the speaker connect their art to a print on demand service?
-The speaker connected their art to Printful and then linked it to their Etsy store.
What was the speaker's strategy for pricing their products on Etsy?
-The speaker calculated the product cost plus shipping cost, added them up, and then multiplied by three to determine the selling price, aiming for a profit margin of 30 to 40%.
Why did the speaker's Etsy store receive no sales on the fifth day?
-The speaker did not specify the exact reason for no sales, but they decided to investigate and strategize to improve views and sales.
What were the three new strategies the speaker came up with to improve their Etsy store's performance?
-The three strategies were: optimizing keywords using a tool like Sales Samurai, duplicating listings to test different variables, and pricing one variation significantly lower to attract clicks and increase conversion rate.
Why was the speaker's Etsy store banned?
-The store was banned because the listings were marked as handmade when they were not, which is a default setting when importing from Printful.
What action did the speaker take after their store was banned?
-The speaker appealed to Etsy to get their store unbanned and continue the experiment.
What advice does the speaker give to others interested in starting a similar business?
-The speaker advises others to take the information provided, start experimenting on their own, and remain committed to finding solutions to any problems they encounter in running their business.
Outlines
π Launching an AI Art Etsy Store Challenge
The speaker describes their 10-day challenge to create a print-on-demand business on Etsy using AI-generated art. They researched Etsy's terms and copyright laws to ensure compliance and avoid infringing on brands and characters. They identified a niche in 'trippy dream art' after observing trends on Google and AI Reddit forums. The process involved setting up an Etsy store, creating AI-generated art prompts, and connecting the store to Printful for product fulfillment. The speaker also experimented with strategies to increase visibility and sales, such as optimizing keywords, duplicating listings, and pricing variations strategically.
π¨ Etsy Store Ban and Resolution
The speaker recounts the unfortunate event of their Etsy store being banned on the sixth day, due to listings being incorrectly marked as handmade when they were not. This was a default setting when importing from Printful. The speaker emphasizes the importance of transparency with any company you work with. They have appealed to Etsy to get the store unbanned and continue the experiment. In the meantime, they encourage others to use the information shared to start their own experiments and to remain committed to finding solutions to any issues that arise in running a business.
Mindmap
Keywords
Print on demand business
AI generated art
Etsy
Niche
Google Trends
Printful
Profit margin
Keyword optimization
Duplicate listings
Conversion rate
Etsy terms and agreements
Highlights
The challenge was to build a print on demand business on Etsy using AI generated art within 10 days.
Research revealed companies making 10K per month with Etsy stores, inspiring the challenge.
Three main rules: create a new store, pick a niche, and only use AI generated art.
Researching Etsy terms, agreements, and copyright laws is crucial to avoid infringing on brands and characters.
Google Trends and Reddit forums inspired the niche of 'trippy dream art'.
AI generated prompts are key to creating good art, requiring a full day of experimentation.
Art with text performed better than art without on Etsy.
Hiring a designer on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork to create text for art can be beneficial.
Printful was used to connect the Etsy store for print on demand services.
T-shirt listings were created with a profit margin of 30-40%.
No sales on the first day led to investigating top selling products and strategies on Etsy.
Optimizing keywords with tools like Sales Samurai can improve product discoverability.
Duplicating listings allows for testing different variables like pricing, tags, and titles.
Pricing one variation significantly lower can increase conversion rates by attracting clicks.
The store was mistakenly listed items as handmade when they were not, leading to a ban by Etsy.
Transparency with companies and platforms is essential to avoid such issues.
The store owner appealed to Etsy to get the store unbanned and continue the experiment.
The experience encourages others to start their own experiments and find solutions to hurdles encountered in business.