Our guide will teach you everything you need to know! You don’t need any experience or special skills, just follow our steps and you can start making money online.
You can learn how to make stickers to sell as a fun and easy way to make some money.
It requires relatively little startup costs, time, and space, so it’s a good business to start if you’re low on funds or want to be a young entrepreneur.
Printables are top sellers on Etsy, and stickers are one of the best options for you to make and sell!
In this blog post, we’ll talk about how to start your sticker business, design your own stickers, get them printed, and where to sell them once they’re done.
Let’s get started learning how to make stickers to sell!
In a visual world, Canva Pro makes it easy for anyone to achieve their goals and create professional designs with premium content and features like Brand Kit, Background Remover, and more.
How To Make Stickers To Sell
There are several things you need to do to start a sticker business, it all starts with your design ideas but takes a few steps besides just drawing and printing stickers.
Your Business
Starting a sticker business from home could be so beneficial for you- and here are a few reasons why:
- Selling stickers can be done almost entirely from home
- There are minimal upfront startup costs to start selling stickers
- Stickers are relatively easy to create
- Selling stickers can grow into a steady stream of passive income
- This side hustle business has the potential to be your full-time job!
Once you have a name picked out (that isn’t taken already!), you’ll need to know your financial situation. How much you can invest in your sticker supplies helps you create and sell more.
We recommend using Mint to manage your finances for free, so you know how much money you’ll spend each month on your products.
If you spend about $1,000 a month on sticker sheets and other supplies, then you’ll want to be able to make at least $1,000 to break even on what you’ve invested!
Before starting your sticker business, we recommend the E-Printables FREE ebook, where you can learn how to start your business and get your designs selling!
Ready to create passive income selling digital printables online?
Watch the FREE training below to learn everything you need to know to start making money today!
Unique Designs
People love unique sticker designs!
Put your creativity into overdrive and draw some one-of-a-kind sticker designs that people will be unable to resist!
Don’t worry if your drawing skills aren’t perfect, it’s all about creativity!
You can find images online to combine and alter, color them in on the computer, and print them out to make stickers. If you use Canva Pro, you can access thousands of images to mix and match for stickers!
If you need some inspiration for unique designs the best place to look is the Etsy Top Sellers. Some popular Etsy shop categories for stickers are:
- Logos
- Hobbies/Activities
- Characters- Original or Famous
- Anime, Cartoons, Comics, & Movies
- Bumper/Car Stickers
- Celebration/Party
- Phrases/Quotes
- Custom Orders
- Planner Stickers
You just need to put your own twist on things to keep from copying others, so put your unique take on whatever you like!
If you don’t like drawing at all, you can also outsource the design portion- and we’ll give you all the details on that below!
Printing
Printing at home is a great way to start your sticker business, but you’ll have to invest in the printer, ink, sticker sheets, and any other papers you’ll need.
We’ll go over your home options below, but if you want to avoid the hassle of printing (we all know printers can have some issues!), you can also pay someone else to print them, even just FedEx or a local place to start with.
Trimming
Have you ever tried peeling a sticker and it didn’t peel off the backing or you’ve ripped the sticker trying to get it out?
Well, that’s because the manufacturer didn’t trim them enough!
After printing, the stickers need to be carefully cut and trimmed so your customers can peel them easily. You can do this yourself with some scissors or other trimming supplies.
Packaging & Shipping
Once your stickers have been designed, printed, and trimmed, they’re ready to sell!
Selling the sticker on your Etsy shop or your own website are some options to make money. Once you’ve got an order for your stickers, you need to package them for shipping.
Take the extra step to make your packaging match the colors and branding of your shop, including a business card or even a coupon for their next order.
Consider offering free shipping on repeat orders or free shipping with a certain sale amount, those types of sales marketing brings in the customers!
A good place to buy shipping supplies is at stores like Walmart, Amazon, or Target. You’ll need everything from tape and labels to boxes and envelopes.
You want to give packaging the sticker packs a personal touch while also protecting the stickers during shipping. Add a personal thank you note, tissue paper, and include sticker care instructions.
Equipment For Homemade Stickers
Now that we know how to make stickers and get your business off the ground, we need to talk about the equipment needed to make them more in-depth so you know your options!
You need reliable equipment to make stickers for sale. In order to make a decent income from sticker making, you should start with the best equipment available that you can afford.
Design Software
It doesn’t always take fancy design software to make stickers to sell.
Yes, you can create your designs on a computer using Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. They’re helpful, but not necessary to have these programs if you want to be a successful sticker entrepreneur.
There are several FREE design software online that you can use. These include Canva, PicMonkey, and InkScape.
Canva is our top pick- they offer a free version, but their Canva Pro services are perfect for a variety of business needs- you can even use them to design your business cards, packaging, website, and more!
In a visual world, Canva Pro makes it easy for anyone to achieve their goals and create professional designs with premium content and features like Brand Kit, Background Remover, and more.
Drawing Tablets
Perhaps you want to draw your sticker designs? They work well with editing programs, so they’d be helpful to create stickers quickly and professionally.
Investing in a drawing tablet such as a Wacom Cintiq 22 or using your iPad with a drawing program may be for you!
Check out the E-Printables ebook to make a successful business and create custom printed stickers!
Sticker Paper
Regular paper stickers can fade, tear, and even crack over time. They are cheaper to print than vinyl stickers but don’t last as long, so they appeal more for kids’ crafts than for adult usage.
When you are printing paper stickers you want to use good-quality paper, the quality makes a difference in how well they print and how long they last.
Use sticker paper that is compatible with your printer. There is sticker paper that is made specifically for either inkjet printers or laser printers but there is also sticker paper that can be used in both.
Savvy Tip: Be sure to run several comparison prints to make sure you are creating the best product possible.
Vinyl Stickers
Vinyl stickers are durable and last longer than regular paper stickers.
They are thicker than paper stickers and offer water resistance or face resistance, which makes them perfect to use on just about anything.
Vinyl stickers can be printed using a variety of methods:
- on a laser or inkjet printer
- on a Cricut
- on a Silhouette
- or outsourced to a printer like Sticker Mule or Sticker Ninja.
Now vinyl stickers can cost more to create, but you can also charge more for them. People buy a vinyl sticker expecting to get something long-lasting and are willing to pay more per sticker.
Printers
Your basic equipment is an office printer to print your stickers at home, plus quality ink and paper.
There are two basic types of printers: laser and inkjet.
Laser printers print faster and can print more sheets before running out of ink, but have a higher cost to buy. They’re typically worth it because you spend less on ink (and wasted time!)!
Inkjet printers print slower and run out of ink faster, but they cost less- plus many of you may have one already anyway!
In general, laser printers tend to be more expensive than inkjet ones but offer better quality prints.
Cutting Tools
There is a learning curve to cutting stickers. The old saying “Measure twice, cut once” is probably good to remember when it comes to cutting or trimming stickers at home. If you cut the sticker wrong, you can’t fix it!
Vinyl Cutting Machines
There is a wide range of vinyl cutting devices. They vary depending on the price and features you want. Some of these include:
- Silhouette Cameo 4: A popular choice among crafters and small business owners, this cutter can cut through both paper and vinyl.
- Cricut Maker: This is a popular brand in the crafting world. It costs more, but it’s worth the investment because of the quality and features this cutter offers.
Scissors or X-Acto Knifes
If you do not have money for a cutting machine, a pair of good sharp scissors will do!
A cutting mat, an X-acto knife, and a clear ruler are important for anyone who is cutting a durable vinyl sticker.
Outsourcing Your Stickers
Want to open a sticker business but don’t want to make your own stickers plus buy all the paper and equipment that you need to print them?
There is a way you can do it without breaking the bank!
Outsourcing the design of your stickers and also the printing of your stickers!
Designing
Pre-made sticker designs are relatively inexpensive and are a quick way to get your sticker business started.
To get a unique design when outsourcing, you need to hire a designer on Upwork, Fiverr, or other freelancing websites.
If you don’t mind buying designs off of people that are already selling them, there are several places you can purchase pre-made designs. These include:
- Etsy
- Creative Market
- Crello
- Design Bundles
Printing Services
Maybe you’ve made a lot of sticker designs but you just don’t want to take the time to print and cut them yourself. You can outsource printing and cutting your stickers.
There are many websites that offer printing services and also cutting services. Some of our favorites are:
- FedEx
- Sticker Ninja
- Sticker Mule
- Got Print
Outsource Both!
There is a way that you can set up a sticker shop and outsource both the designing and the printing and cutting of the stickers.
There are companies that will design the stickers and others that will print and ship the stickers for you!
This way you don’t have to keep physical stickers on hand and keep track of inventory, which takes a huge load off your plate.
Here’s how!
To outsource designing: Simply buy the design as we told you above, and get it ready for the companies to either print or print and ship!
To outsource the printing: Get your design ready, then use one of the printing services Sticker Mule or Sticker Ninja. The stickers are delivered to you and you’re responsible for packaging and shipping them to your customers.
To outsource all of it: designing, printing, and shipping. You just need to upload your outsourced design on the platform you decide to use and they will take care of the printing, cutting/trimming, and shipping of your orders!
Here are some companies that can help you, if you decide to use this for your sticker business:
- Redbubble
- Teespring
- Sunfrog
- Printful
How Much Stickers Cost
There are many factors that will affect the sticker price when you make your own stickers.
Creating stickers on your own can be expensive, especially if you want to buy the materials and make them yourself. All of this needs to be added to the price of the sticker.
Outsourcing some of the work might be more time-efficient and cheaper when you order in bulk rather than per order. The prices can vary from $1 for simple stickers and higher for medium-quality vinyl stickers.
Production Costs
The cost of the materials that you purchase to use to make your stickers will affect your sticker price.
When you print stickers on your own, you have to take into consideration:
- the ink and paper costs
- how many prints of a particular design you want to order
- the equipment costs like the printer, design programs, and other things
Outsourcing Costs
When you outsource your design, the price will definitely vary based on hourly wages, like a freelancer working for $20 an hour.
Those hourly costs include how many design revisions you want and how quickly they can complete the design. If one design takes 3 hours to complete, that’s $60 for that one sticker.
Another cost to remember is whether you are outsourcing the printing and shipping of the sticker. You may pay a little more for the convenience of someone printing and dropshipping the sticker for you.
How Much You’ll Make Selling Stickers
It’s hard to give you an exact number of how much you can make selling stickers. It typically comes from the price point of stickers X number of orders.
So if you want to sell your stickers for $3 apiece and plan to sell about 100 a month, then you’ve made $300 on that design.
To make a realistic price point, you have to figure a couple of things into the equation.
- You have to know the production costs (design, printing, packaging, the shipping labels cost of shipping, and how much the shop fees are) for the stickers you make and sell.
- You also can’t charge more than your competitors, or people may find you too expensive. Visit some of your competitor’s sites and see what they are charging.
Where To Sell Stickers
There are several places where you can sell your stickers: online, at your home, or at local markets and stores.
The best place to sell stickers is Etsy. It’s free to open an Etsy shop and you do not need to be a professional seller or eCommerce specialist to have success selling stickers on Etsy.
Next, we suggest selling stickers on your own website using Shopify. Set up a successful Shopify store to showcase all of your sticker greatness!
Some other places you can sell your stickers are:
- Facebook Marketplace
- Handmade by Amazon
- Artsy
Types Of Stickers To Sell
There are many different types of stickers to make and sell. You can make a sticker for something as simple as a crafty doodle sticker to a sticker with a clever, witty saying.
Some ideas for stickers include:
- motivational quotes
- emoji stickers
- emotion stickers (sad, happy)
- planner stickers
You just have to find what is going to appeal to your target audience and make sure there is a need for the stickers you are making.
Tips For Your Business
Now your designs are the backbone of your sales, but you need a strong business to find customers and make a strong profit!
Develop Your Business Plan
Developing a business plan will help you sell stickers successfully. Once you have a business plan, you will be able to better determine how much money and time to invest in the business.
Pick a good name. Be picky when coming up with a name to use to sell stickers online. If you want to look professional and be taken seriously, choose a good name that describes what you do.
Now that you have a great sticker idea, developed your plan, chose the perfect name, it’s time to create a professional website page and start working on your social media presence.
If you want to start a successful business, read the free E-Printables ebook to help you get started selling stickers!
Research Competition
Don’t forget to focus on your target audience and make sure you are providing a service they will want. Researching competition can help you get better ideas, but make sure you are not totally copying them!
Research other sticker businesses (your competition) to see the sticker trends and if you are pricing your sticker competitively.
Plan Out Finances
When starting a business, it is essential to have a budget, you may need to save up money to afford sticker equipment or for outsourcing your production.
There are many important things that will need to be paid for: supplies such as vinyl material, printing equipment, outsourcing expenses such as cut stickers, and advertisement.
A good way to think of the business finances is to estimate how much you need to earn per month and divide by the number of stickers you would have to sell. It may sound silly but really think about it.
Creating a business can be very rewarding. Keep track of your profits along the way so you know what you’ve earned so far and how much work there is to go until you have made a significant income selling stickers.
Social Media Accounts
Once you have created your stickers, start showing them off!
Make an Instagram account that features all of your creations. Make sure to use your Instagram photos on your website or Etsy store page so people can easily find them when they are shopping online.
Create social media accounts on other different platforms to help market your stickers to sell online.
- Tiktok
Sticker Bundles
There are endless ways to make money with your custom printed stickers! Why not create some sticker bundles?
By creating bundles of similar types of stickers (similar sayings, or the same color) you can introduce your clients to more of your sticker designs and also sell at a discounted rate.
Plus bundles can help sell old designs and get you ready to make and sell new designs!
Our Takeaways
There are many crafts to make and sell out there, and we believe stickers may be your best bet to make money quickly.
This article is loaded with info on how to make stickers to sell, so you’re mind should have some ideas floating around!
You can start with simple stickers and see how the business goes. Dig deep into your creativity or just think of something that makes you happy!
Be creative when designing your sticker, include bright colors and fun fonts. When designing, it is okay to be a little abstract and out there!
A sticker business can take time and effort, but it’s a great way to make money online and earn passive income. So get out there and sell stickers online for some extra cash!
Check out the E-Printables FREE ebook to help you get started selling stickers!
