If you have made it here, you already may have ventured into the world of creating/designing cutting machine files, and are now ready to take that leap of faith by launching your own e-commerce shop or your very own website.
SVG cut files are a popular choice for crafters, DIY enthusiasts, and graphic designers, who use them to create unique designs for various projects such as vinyl decals, t-shirts, cards, and more. With the rise of online marketplaces, selling SVG cutting files has become a profitable business opportunity for those who have the skills to create high-quality designs.
The good news is that there are several options to explore, each with their own unique features, and benefits. I’ll walk you through the platforms that I have had experience with as well as some information on other potential platforms. Hopefully, you’ll then be able to make an informed choice on where you would like to get started, and monetize your creativity!
The even better news is that there is no reason why you shouldn’t sell your products over MULTIPLE platforms once you have established yourself on your first platform … If you are able to put your products in front of as many eyes as possible, it only makes sense, right?
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So let’s get started!
We’ll start with Etsy as it is a massive (as well as super-popular) online marketplace, boasting over 60 million active buyers. It’s the perfect platform for selling your handmade and vintage goods, including SVG cut files. With its low fees, including just a small listing fee and a transaction fee for each sale, Etsy is an attractive option for new sellers looking to reach a large audience for their designs.
Here’s my digital Etsy shop:
Grab 40 FREE listings when you open an Etsy shop:
ETSY PROs
LOW FEES
Apart from the $0.20 listing fee per item every 4 months, you don’t pay until you make a sale which helps especially when you are starting out. Etsy charge transaction and processing fees on all sales meaning they take around 23 to 25(ish) percent of your sales*. That may sound like a lot, but in comparison to other online marketplaces, their fees are actually relatively low!
*this may change at your time of reading
LARGE AUDIENCE
One thing that new sellers have issues with is driving traffic to their store in order to make sales in the first place. The great thing about Etsy is that this is where all the DIY crafters live … not only that, it’s a marketplace meaning that the traffic already exists within that platform so rather than having to find buyers yourself (which would be the case if you had your own website) all you need to do it put the right product in front of the right people, and make sales (*chef’s kiss*).
BUILT-IN MARKETING TOOLS
On Etsy, you’re able to promote listings and make use of targeted advertising which, as a seller, helps you reach new customers and boost your sales.
ETSY CONs
COMPETITION
As Etsy has millions of sellers and listings, it is a highly competitive marketplace, making it challenging for some sellers to stand out and make sales. Consistent listings, great SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and high-quality files are key to standing out from the crowd.
ETSY DEPENDENCY
Etsy does come with its limitations in that, as a seller, you are reliant on the platform for exposure and sales, not to mention Etsy’s policies, and ever-changing algorithms. In order to drive more traffic, you will need to be proactive, and carry out some of your own marketing (e.g. promotions on social media) especially if you feel like your store isn’t getting enough exposure on the platform. This is even more reason to set up shop over multiple platforms; there have been well-established shops who have been shut down without any backup, meaning that all the work and effort has been lost overnight.
LIMITED CUSTOMIZATION
While Etsy provides a user-friendly platform, it also has limitations in terms of customization and branding, which can impact a seller’s ability to differentiate their shop and products from others.
Once established on Etsy, SVG designers tend to naturally transition to Design Bundles for their next selling opportunity. Unlike Etsy, Design Bundles is geared towards customers looking for digital design elements, and offers a platform for designers to sell their digital designs, including cut files, graphics, patterns, fonts, and more. Similarly to Etsy, the marketplace is already established meaning that traffic already exists on the platform rather than you having to drive traffic there.
Here’s my Design Bundles shop:
DESIGN BUNDLES PROs
WELL-ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY
On Design Bundles, there is a great community of designers, sellers, and buyers, providing a platform to showcase your work and reach a wide audience.
AFFORDABILITY
Design Bundles really focuses on affordability, making it an attractive destination for buyers looking for high-quality items at a low cost.
USER-FRIENDLY INTERFACE
Design Bundles has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to manage your shop and sell your designs. Listings are relatively easy to create without too much hassle, and there are plenty of free design resources to tap into to keep both buyers and sellers engaged.
DESIGN BUNDLES CONs
COMPETITION
With a large and established community, there is a lot of competition for designers looking to sell their work on Design Bundles. Consistent listings, great SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and high-quality files are key to standing out from the crowd.
LIMITED CONTROL OVER PRICING
Design Bundles currently sets prices for the designs sold on this platform (currently $4 minimum) which can be a drawback for sellers who would like to set their own pricing. There are, however, opportunities to reduce prices by running sales/discounts.
COMMISSION FEES
While there is no listing fee to pay when you list your products, the platform does take a commission on sales, which can impact the overall profitability of selling on Design Bundles. At the time of this article, you will get around 75% commission of selling from your links, and 50% if an affiliate is selling your items. However, the fact that the platform drives so much traffic to its website does offset the commission. There are also opportunities to be invited to $1 deal events around Black friday as well as getting your items listed into the Free Designs section which can bring additional traffic to your shop.
Creative Fabrica is the third platform that I use to sell my digital products. It’s another digital marketplace for buying and selling various design assets, including fonts, graphics, and crafts. Listing is pretty straightforward, and the only grey area is how sellers get paid. There’s no way to see which of your listings were sold which would be a helpful tool to see which items are popular or not. I’m a stickler for fonts, and this is my go-to site for those. A monthly subscription only costs $19 per month, giving you access to the entire library which include licenses for commercial use!
Here’s my Creative Fabrica shop:
Click my affiliate link here to explore more of the platform:
or here to follow me on CF:
CREATIVE FABRICA PROs
VAST COLLECTION OF DIGITAL DESIGN ELEMENTS
Creative Fabrica offers a vast collection of high-quality design assets, including fonts, graphics, and digital templates, making it a one-stop-shop for many customers. The platform has a good reputation in the industry, which only increases the credibility of sellers and their products.
USER-FRIENDLY INTERFACE
Creative Fabrica has an easy-to-use interface, which makes it simple for sellers to navigate and upload their products.
USER-GENERATED CONTENT
This platform allows you to create and share your own content which can increase your exposure, and help you to reach potential customers.
CREATIVE FABRICA CONs
COMPETITION
There are a large number of seller on the Creative Fabrica platform which can make it challenging for sellers to stand out from the crowd, and make sales.
LIMITED MARKETING TOOLS
Creative Fabrica does not offer advanced marketing tools and features, which makes it difficult for sellers to promote their products and reach more customers. This means that you’ll more than likely need to promote your products outside of the platform in order to drive traffic to your store.
LOW COMMISSION
The pricing structure is a bit confusing despite Creative Fabrica providing a breakdown of how it’s meant to work. It has a low commission rate compared to other marketplaces, which can make it challenging for sellers to make a profit.
The last 2 are platforms that I haven’t (yet) ventured into:
From my research, The Hungry JPEG is another option to consider, especially for those selling digital assets for crafting purposes. The low pricing and flat 30% commission rate attracts many sellers, especially those in the crafting industry. There are a large number of free items that they give away, and their rapid growth also suggests that they are a reputable and reliable platform. So, if you are selling digital assets for crafting purposes then The Hungry JPEG is definitely worth considering as a seller platform, with its low pricing, large number of free items, and stability being key benefits.
Creative Market has been around since 2011, meaning that it is one of the most established and well-known platforms for digital products. With over 6 million customers, Creative Market has a large and active customer base, which makes it easier for sellers to reach potential customers and make sales. Compared to some other marketplaces, Creative Market has higher commission rates, which can make it difficult for sellers to make a profit. It does, apparently, have strict guidelines for sellers, which can make it challenging for you to get your products approved and listed.
Creating a website gives you full control over your content, and allows you to showcase a wide range of products, services, and resources. By having a blog post, email marketing, free SVGs, digital (or physical) products, courses, and/or social media links all in one place, you are providing customers with a comprehensive overview of what you have to offer.
Having your very own platform means that you are not limited by the restrictions or guidelines set by a marketplace, and you have the freedom to showcase your products and services in a way that is unique to your brand. You can also make changes to your website whenever you need to, without having to go through a review process or waiting for approval.
The added bonus is that you are not beholden to fees and charges set by marketplaces, and can really structure your prices to maximize profit.
One thing you’ll need to bear in mind is that you no longer have the established audience that comes from selling in an online marketplace, meaning that you’ll need to create your own marketing strategy to drive traffic to your site. As well as listing products on your own platform, you can add links to your online marketplaces, too, as many customers feel more confident in purchasing from somewhere more familiar. This may contradict the reason for setting up your own site as you’ll still incur fees from the marketplace platform, so you’ll need to weigh up the pros and cons to establish whether that will work for you.
All in all, when you are ready to get going, a website is a great addition to using a marketplace; it provides full control and the ability to showcase a wide range of products and services, while also helping to build your brand and establish credibility with your customers.
See you next time!
ELDICA DIGITAL DESIGNS 