Stickers are great. Stickers can be used to decorate almost anything. Stick them on your car, fridge, backpack, or anywhere else you wish to draw attention. You can make stickers for personal use, but you can also sell them online. There will always be people who want your products.
According to eRank which tracks the most popular products on Etsy’s online marketplace, stickers was the ninth most searched keyword in January 2022. Sticker shops have sprung up in recent years because there is a high demand for this product.
Start your own sticker company! This post will cover how to design and produce stickers, selling them and marketing your sticker business.
Create your stickers
Consider the type of stickers that you wish to sell. There are so many sticker shops out there, it is important to find a distinctive aesthetic that will make you stand out. To get some ideas for stickers, think about your interests, hobbies, favourite artistic styles, quotes that represent your personality, and the communities in which you are a member.
You can use a tablet to create the sticker design. Procreate is an app that allows you to draw, color, texture and create anything for iPad users.
What type of stickers can you make?
You have a wide range of options when it comes to sticker printing. These things will streamline your process.
Two main types of stickers are available: die and kiss.
Kiss cut stickers can be made by cutting through the top layer of the sticker while keeping the backing paper. The backing and a border will remain after the sticker is removed. This cutting technique can be used to create sheets of stickers with different designs.
When both the backing material and sticker material are cut into the same form, it is called die cut. You can make it as simple or complex as a circle or square, or even as intricate as the eight limbs on an octopus.
Different types of stickers
Stickers can look and feel different depending on what material they are printed on. A matte finish may be better for fine details, while holographic stickers will show off bolder designs.
These are the most sought-after finishes:
- Vinyl or glossy paper
- Holographic
- Matte
- Holographic glitter
- Mirrored
- Clear
- Prismatic
- Before finalizing your sticker, you might want to test different finishes.
How can I sell stickers?
You have many options to make your own custom stickers. You can design, cut and print your own stickers using the DIY method. Some prefer to use a professional printer for their stickers. Print-on-demand companies can also do the majority of the work.
- We’ll discuss each method below.
- Cricut Cricut allows you to print stickers at home
Access to the right equipment is necessary for making your own stickers at home. The Cricut machine can be used as a primer and has a blade that can cut precise designs from various materials like paper.
You will also need adhesive sticker paper. These can be purchased online from Amazon, OnlineLabels.com, office supply stores and craft stores. Double verify that the paper you purchase is compatible with your printer type (laser, inkjet).
To make your stickers:
- Select the file you wish to print on your computer.
- Connect your computer to the printer.
- Print the design on your preferred paper.
- You can apply any finish or lamination to your printed design.
- To cut your sticker, use the Cricut machine
The software that came with your Cricut will allow you to calibrate it. Navigate to your account menu and select calibration. Follow the instructions to calibrate your machine.
To ensure that you are cutting within the lines, it is a good idea to test cut with a Cricut. It can take some trial and error to print at home.
Printing stickers using GotPrint or Sticker Mule
You can also pay someone to print your stickers. Sticker printing is available from many vendors, including Sticker Mule and GotPrint. These services allow you to upload your artwork online, and the company will print, cut, and ship the stickers.
GotPrint will be the best choice for budget-minded people. It charges half the price of Sticker Mule or StickerApp to make and ship stickers. This sticker printer does not offer vinyl stickers. This should be taken into consideration when choosing a sticker printer for your business.
Printing stickers together with a company has the main advantage of taking out all the guesswork of calibrating a cutting tool on your own. This is a good option if your orders are large and you don’t need to buy equipment or have the time to make them yourself. Reputable sticker printers not only deliver high-quality results, but also provide templates that can be used to make unique stickers in a shorter time.
Dropshipping stickers printed with print on demand (POD)
Print-on-demand dropshipping is the last option for printing stickers. Shopify’s POD apps, Printful and AOP+ allow you to upload a design and then take care of all the rest: cutting, printing, and shipping orders to your customer.
Dropshipping allows you to take a lot off your plate but gives you less control since you don’t get to see the final product. If you do decide to go this route, request a sample to see the quality of the sticker firsthand.
What is the best way to sell stickers online?
There are a few options available to you for selling your stickers once you are ready to monetize them. There are many options for selling stickers online. You can use an Etsy dropshipping platform like Redbubble or start your own sticker shop. These are the requirements for selling on each channel.
Redbubble and Etsy sell stickers
There are many ways to sell stickers online. Redbubble and Etsy are great places to get your designs out there. There is one slight difference between these two options.
Etsy allows you to make your stickers at home and ship them to customers. You can also manage orders. You’ll be able to list your products in the marketplace. Customers will also be able search for your products.
Every new product that you add to Etsy is subject to a $0.20 listing fee. This fee renews every set period. A basic Esty account will charge a 5% commission as well as a transaction fee.
Although Etsy is easy to set up, there are only a few customization options that can make your site stand apart from other sites. Optimize your storefront with these:
- Engaging product descriptions featuring keywords
- High-quality product photographs to grab audience attention
- Customers can enjoy a simplified checkout and delivery process
Redbubble makes selling easier as you don’t need to create and ship stickers. Redbubble allows you to share your artwork on the shared marketplace. The website prints the product and sends it to you when a customer purchases it. You only need to pay the cost of the product.
Redbubble will take a lot off your shoulders when selling stickers but you won’t have any control over the creation or fulfillment process. This can make it hard to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Redbubble will take a percentage of the sales you make to create and ship the product to customers. This can reduce your profit margins.
Shopify allows you to sell stickers online.
You have full control of the entire process from the design to the running of sales and promotions. You can build everything from scratch and decide how your shop will look to your customers.
Shopify charges a monthly fee depending on the plan you select to maintain your shop. You can import your Etsy data to migrate your products and sales information to Shopify if you sell on Etsy.
Notable: Online sticker shops sell on Shopify and Etsy in order to diversify their reach.
Running your own sticker shop comes with its challenges. You’ll need to promote your business by using influencers or social media.
How to price stickers
The most important step in making sure you sell stickers is choosing the right price. It can be difficult to decide on a fair price when you have spent so much time creating your stickers. Consider the price of your competition to help you start to look at pricing options. Consider other sticker shops that sell products similar to yours.
Stickers sold online typically cost between $2-$6. It is possible to charge higher depending on factors such as:
- The sticker’s size (larger items are more expensive).
- Materials used, like holographic sticker papers
- Complexity of the design. For example, whether it’s a custom-made piece.
A good price for your stickers should allow you to make some profit. You will need to take into account the time you spent creating the stickers, the cost to print them yourself, as well as the shipping and packaging costs.
You might offer different pricing options for your stickers depending on whether they are standalone designs or bundled packs.
Your creations are yours to cash in
You now have all the information you need to make your stickers come to life. Although stickers may seem like a small product but customers are well aware that it takes a lot of work to create custom stickers. Stickers will always be in demand.
A sticker shop is an affordable and simple way to start your own business. There are many types of stickers that you can make, including logo stickers, funny quotes stickers and cute cartoon stickers.
Start turning your art into stickers, and you’ll be part of a new trend.