I Tried Selling AI Art Prints On Etsy For 30 Days

Jensen Tung
11 May 202308:01

TLDRThe video documents a 30-day experiment where the creator attempts to sell AI-generated art prints on Etsy. The journey encompasses the entire process from generation to advertising, highlighting the challenges faced including account suspension, competition in niches, and low traffic. Despite the initial setback and eventual financial loss, the experience underscores the complexities of selling AI art in a digital marketplace and the importance of niche targeting and marketing strategies.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 The experiment involved selling AI-generated art prints on Etsy for a 30-day period.
  • 🚀 The individual used AI art generators like MidJourney, NightCafe, and Stable Diffusion to create the art.
  • 💡 The plan was to target various art niches and generate art that appeals to those niches' interests.
  • 🖼️ Physical prints were chosen for sale over digital prints to potentially yield higher profits.
  • 📦 Print-on-demand service, Printful, was utilized to handle printing, packaging, and shipping.
  • 🔍 Keyword research was crucial in identifying popular art niches and optimizing listings for Etsy search.
  • 💸 Pricing strategy involved using a profit calculator to determine prices that offer a 30-45% profit margin.
  • 🛒 The smallest size print was priced lower to attract customers, even at a reduced profit margin.
  • 🚫 The Etsy account faced a temporary suspension, which is a common issue for new stores.
  • 📈 Despite having attractive listings and competitive pricing, initial sales were non-existent due to low visibility.
  • 💡 The realization was that targeting smaller niches with less competition might increase the chances of sales.
  • 📊 After resorting to Etsy ads, a sale was made, highlighting the potential need for advertising to boost visibility.

Q & A

  • What is the main goal of the individual in the script?

    -The main goal of the individual is to sell physical AI-generated art prints on Etsy for 30 days and see how much money can be made from this endeavor.

  • Which AI art generators does the individual plan to use?

    -The individual plans to use MidJourney, NightCafe, and Stable Diffusion to generate AI art.

  • Why did the individual choose to sell physical prints instead of digital prints on Etsy?

    -The individual chose to sell physical prints because they typically sell for more and can generate more profit per sale, as customers who purchase physical prints are willing to pay for the convenience of not having to deal with printing themselves.

  • What is the print-on-demand service mentioned in the script?

    -Printful is the print-on-demand service mentioned, which handles custom art printing, packaging, and shipping for the individual's Etsy store.

  • How does the individual plan to upscale the AI-generated images for printing?

    -The individual plans to use Gigapixel AI, an AI image upscaler, to increase the resolution of the images up to six times their original size and fill in the missing details.

  • What are some of the popular art niches the individual found through research?

    -Some of the popular art niches found include mid-century modern abstract art and flowers.

  • What are the five important elements that need to be done right for a product to sell on Etsy?

    -The five important elements are professional-looking photos, a title filled with relevant keywords, tags that match the title's keywords, offering free shipping (especially for customers in the US and Canada), and pricing the product with a profit margin of 30 to 45 percent.

  • Why did the individual's Etsy account get suspended?

    -The reason for the suspension is not explicitly stated in the script, but it is mentioned that random suspensions happen often, especially with new Etsy stores.

  • How did the individual attempt to increase the visibility of their listings on Etsy?

    -The individual initially relied on organic search traffic but later decided to use Etsy ads, spending one dollar a day for five days, to increase visibility and attract more potential customers.

  • What was the final outcome of the 30-day challenge?

    -The final outcome was a net income of negative $4.29, as the individual made two sales but had to cover printing costs, shipping, Etsy transaction fees, processing fees, seller fees, and listing fees.

  • What is the individual's conclusion about selling AI art prints on Etsy?

    -The individual concluded that selling AI art prints on Etsy is not easy, especially within a short timeframe, but with more time and potentially more sales, it could become profitable.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Launching an AI Art Print Business on Etsy

The creator embarks on a 30-day challenge to sell AI-generated art prints on Etsy, focusing on the entire process from creation to advertising. They plan to use AI art generators like MidJourney and Stable Diffusion to produce unique pieces, targeting popular niches identified through research and Etsy keyword tools. The strategy includes selling physical prints via print-on-demand services like Printful to avoid handling printing and shipping. The goal is to appeal to customers willing to pay for ready-to-hang art, aiming for higher profit margins compared to digital prints. The creator also discusses the importance of optimizing listings with professional photos, SEO-friendly titles and tags, competitive pricing, and offering free shipping to boost visibility and sales on the platform.

05:02

🚧 Challenges and Learnings in Selling AI Art on Etsy

The creator faces challenges in their endeavor, including an account suspension by Etsy and difficulty in getting their listings noticed. They learn that targeting smaller niches with less competition and using specific keywords can help listings stand out. Despite the challenges, they manage to make a sale through Etsy ads, although the overall experience highlights the complexities of selling AI art on the platform. The creator spends on advertising to boost visibility and secures a sale, but ultimately ends the challenge with a net loss. However, they reflect on the learning experience and the potential for better outcomes with more time and optimized strategies.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI art

AI art refers to the use of artificial intelligence in creating visual art. In the context of the video, the creator uses AI art generators like Mid-Journey Night and Stable Diffusion to produce unique images, such as a chicken wing oil painting. The main theme of the video revolves around the creator's attempt to sell these AI-generated artworks as physical prints on Etsy, an online marketplace for arts and crafts.

💡Etsy

Etsy is an e-commerce website focused on handmade or vintage items and craft supplies. In the video, the creator plans to sell their AI-generated art on Etsy as physical prints. The platform's niche market and focus on art and crafts make it a suitable choice for selling unique wall art products.

💡Print on demand

Print on demand is a business model where products, in this case, custom art prints, are manufactured and shipped to customers only when an order is received. This eliminates the need for the seller to handle inventory, printing, and shipping. The video creator uses a print-on-demand service called Printful to produce and deliver their AI art prints.

💡Gigapixel AI

Gigapixel AI is an image upscaling tool that uses artificial intelligence to increase the resolution of images without losing quality. In the video, the creator uses Gigapixel AI to upscale the low-resolution AI-generated images so that they can be printed in larger sizes without pixelation.

💡Mock-ups

Mock-ups are visual representations of how a product will look in a real-world setting. In the video, the creator uses free mock-up templates found on Google to create professional-looking images that showcase how their AI art would appear when printed and displayed in various frames or settings.

💡SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

SEO involves strategies to improve the visibility of a website or content in search engine results. In the video, the creator uses SEO techniques such as keyword research and optimization of titles and tags to make their Etsy listings more discoverable by potential buyers searching for specific art niches.

💡Free shipping

Free shipping is a selling strategy where the seller covers the shipping costs to attract more customers. In the video, the creator offers free shipping to customers in the US and Canada, as this feature is known to prioritize listings on Etsy and appeal to buyers looking for cost-effective options.

💡Pricing strategy

Pricing strategy refers to the process of setting the selling price of a product to maximize profits. In the video, the creator uses an e-rank profit calculator to determine pricing for different sizes of AI art prints, aiming for a profit margin of 30 to 45 percent, except for the smallest size which has a lower margin to attract more customers.

💡Sales tactics

Sales tactics are strategies employed to increase the number of sales. In the video, the creator uses a tactic of putting the listings on sale, offering a discount to create a perception of a good deal for customers, without significantly reducing the profit.

💡Etsy ads

Etsy ads is a paid advertising service offered by Etsy that allows sellers to promote their listings and increase visibility in search results and the Etsy app. In the video, after not making any sales organically, the creator decides to use Etsy ads to boost the chances of making a sale.

💡Niche markets

Niche markets refer to target audiences with specific interests or needs that are not met by mainstream products or services. In the video, the creator realizes that their AI art listings need to target smaller niches and use less competitive keywords to stand out and attract real visitors.

💡Bot traffic

Bot traffic refers to visits to a website or online listing made by automated software programs (bots) rather than real human users. In the video, the creator notices a high number of visits from the 'direct and other' traffic channel, which are likely bots, leading to a low number of actual potential customers.

Highlights

The individual plans to sell AI-generated art prints on Etsy, an online marketplace for arts and crafts.

The first step is to find an AI art generator, with the use of mid-journey night Cafe and Stable Diffusion mentioned as free options.

The goal is to generate and sell art across various niches, hoping for success in at least one of them.

Physical prints are chosen over digital prints due to their higher profit margins.

Printful is selected as the print-on-demand service to handle printing, packaging, and shipping.

The individual plans to upscale AI-generated images using Gigapixel AI for higher resolution prints.

Five key elements for selling on Etsy are identified: photos, title, tags, shipping, and pricing.

The individual's Etsy account gets suspended but is later unsuspended after a week.

A total of 36 listings are created in two weeks, but sales are slow due to lack of niche specificity.

The realization that smaller niches with less competition might be more effective for listing AI art.

Most traffic to the listings appears to be from bots rather than real people.

The individual decides to run Etsy ads as a last-ditch effort to make sales.

After 30 days, two AI art prints are sold, resulting in a net income of negative $4.29.

The conclusion that selling AI art prints on Etsy is not easy, but with more time and effort, it could potentially be profitable.

The individual used free mock-ups and Photoshop to enhance the product listing's visual appeal.

Etsy prioritizes listings that offer free shipping, which the individual takes advantage of for customers in the US and Canada.

The individual's strategy includes putting listings on sale to attract customers, despite the small profit margin.

The challenge faced by the individual in generating art that is both niche-specific and appealing to a broad audience.