How to Create Product Lines in your Etsy Shop

Creating new product lines from start to finish is a strategy that experienced Etsy Sellers and artists often use to develop new products, but did you know it will also help you increase your sales on Etsy?

You can listen to this podcast episode, or read the blog post below!

You might be wondering, what is a product line?

 How is that different from just having products in my shop?

A product line is a collection of products that were designed at a single time, and can be purchased together to complement each other, or work beautifully as standalone purchases. 

People love to buy multiple pieces that work together!

👉Let’s look at a couple of scenarios.

If you sell printable wall art, offering different pieces that would work well together on a gallery wall is going to make people want to buy more than one piece, which then increases the value of that sale in your shop.

Or, let’s say you sell jewelry. 

If someone falls in love with a necklace you have, they might also want the earrings!

Think about when you go to the accessories section of any store. Let’s say Target. You walk in there and yes, they sell some earrings as individual pairs, but you know what the majority of the jewelry products are? Packs of like 6-10 pairs of studs, or necklaces and earrings. Expert product-based businesses know that people like choices and they like the option of getting multiple pieces at one time that complement their style.

👉And, here’s another really important factor that you might not have ever considered before: customers believe that their preferences are unique. 

Even though a customer is buying the exact pair of earrings that 15 other people have bought in the past week, they believe they are unique and their style is unique. The more individualized they get to feel, the more personalized their buying options, the more likely they are to buy.

 And product lines are one way you can personalize their buying experience by offering different but similar products like the same coffee mug, but in 6 different colorways, or bookmarks with and without a tassel, or giving customers the option to buy a single scrunchie in a cute holiday print, but you also sell a multiple scrunchie pack that would match, or maybe you sell both scrunchies and t shirts that would coordinate. 

Some people are going to buy just the scrunchie, some people are going to buy a pack of scrunchies for every day of the week, some people are going to buy the scrunchie and the coordinating t-shirt. 

What makes product lines a unique buying experience that is different from a customer simply shopping multiple items in your shop is that the connection between items in the product line is OBVIOUS to the customer.

It is not just a matter of them liking and buying multiple items, it is you saying, through the design, colors, and feel, “hey these things go together.”

(Shop our western sticker collection here)

Why creating collections, or product lines, is inspiring:

Creating collections, or product lines, is inspiring because it allows for the expression of a cohesive vision or theme. 

It allows you to explore different creative avenues and push boundaries within a specific concept.

 It also encourages you to think about how different pieces can work together! Additionally, it can be a way for you to showcase your unique aesthetic. Ultimately, creating product lines can help you build a deeper level of engagement and connection with your customers (and charge more!), as they can see your thought process and intention behind the collection.

What is the process of creating a product line:

Step #1 Brainstorm

This is the fun part. What is inspiring you right now? What’s the next season ahead look like? Here are three things Katie likes to do every time we are in the “brainstorm” phase of creating a new product line:

• Create Secret Mood Boards on Pinterest

• Make a word list

• Sketch (if you want to) 

Step #2 Research

You want to make sure that what you’re creating has a clear niche and actually fills a gap. That gap could be a seasonal trend or it could be a purpose/solution to a problem. But you need to be able to show your customers why they need the products you created. 

You also need to know, are people actually looking for these kinds of products? Is there a demand? 

We have a wonderful past episode on how to validate products for Etsy with 4 secret indicators that goes over exactly how to do market research for new products on Etsy, so in this process, you can revisit that episode. [link]

Step #3 Map it out

The next step is to create an outline, or a map if you’re a visual person. 

You want to outline every task in the product launch process. Some of those tasks are probably going to include ordering new materials or supplies, creating designs, doing SEO research, getting new props for  product photography, actually taking the photos, creating the listings, and possibly launching a social media campaign. 

Depending on your product types, the map is going to look different. We like to map everything out in Trello, or even a notebook.

Step #4 Make samples/mock ups

If you’re creating products you’ve never made before, it’s a really smart idea to create samples or mockups of your physical products.

This isn’t really as important if you are selling digital, but if you’re doing physical, it is so smart to make samples to test materials, how long it takes you to make it, maybe in the sample creation process, you actually find a better way or you change something entirely.

If you’re a digital product seller, you could spend some time making sure your digital products actually work (test links, templates, etc.).

Also - if you sell print-on-demand, you should be ordering samples to ensure that your products look good and the quality is right.

Step #5 Revise & edit

After you’ve done your research and made samples, it’s time to revise. 

You might be changing the way you describe your products, or what you call them, maybe you’re making major changes to the collection and the outline after you made samples. Or, everything passed the test, it’s gone smoothly because you’re experienced with what you sell, and there are only minor changes.

Step #6 Launch

Finally, you move into the last part of the process, which is launching the products. This includes creating the listings, the photos, videos, and whatever forms of promotion you do including social media, emailing, etc.

A product line can seem intimidating or overwhelming if you’ve never done one but it’s actually really fun inspiring. 

I also just want to note that a lot of people think if you “launch” a collection on Etsy, you’ll have a ton of sales at one time. 

If you are driving your own traffic to Etsy from social media, then yes, that’s very possible. However, if you’re not doing that, and the majority of your sales come passively through SEO,  you should just expect the normal process of giving yourself a few weeks to let your products rank in the Etsy algorithm before you see sales of your new collection pick up.

In conclusion, creating new product lines can be a valuable strategy for Etsy sellers and artists to not only develop new products, but also increase sales on Etsy. Product lines are a collection of products that were designed at a single time and can complement each other or work as standalone purchases. By offering different but similar products, you can personalize the buying experience for your customers and build deeper engagement and connection with them. 

The process of creating a product line begins with brainstorming and researching to ensure the product fills a gap in the market and has a clear niche. By following these tips, you can improve your sales on Etsy by creating product lines that are both inspiring and effective.

👉Ready to start making DAILY sales on etsy? Enroll in our course, Dream, Create, Sell, where we teach our 6-Figure Etsy Seller Strategy.