Okay, I’m just going to say it—I love Etsy.

And I know there’s a stigma around it: high transaction fees, an overcrowded market… But here’s the thing—if you use Etsy strategically, it can absolutely transform your stationery business.

In my experience, Etsy is hands-down the best way to get your work in front of new eyes when you’re first starting out. Even eight years into my business, it remains my top platform for reaching new customers.

Through Dubsado (my CRM), I track where my customers are finding me. And, guess what? By far, the highest source of traffic is Etsy. Check out my breakdown below if you need a little more convincing!

Now that you’re seeing the potential Etsy brings, I’m excited to share some of my biggest tips for using Etsy to grow your wedding invitation business.

1. Sell Samples

I don’t actually sell full invitation suites on Etsy. Instead, I sell samples. Etsy’s high traffic helps people find my designs, and they often start by ordering a sample.

When their sample arrives, I include a small insert card that directs them to place their full order… on my website.

This way, Etsy may take a transaction fee from a $9 sample, but when that leads to a full order (often $2,000 to $5,000!), that revenue goes directly to my website.

It’s a simple, effective way to keep fees down on large orders.

2. Share and Save

Yes, Etsy’s 6.5% transaction fee can feel steep. But for me, it’s a small price to pay, considering how much business Etsy brings and how user-friendly it is. With Etsy, I don’t have to spend as much time on marketing—they handle a lot of it for me, which more than justifies the fees.

But there’s also a way to reduce those fees, called “Share and Save.” When you go to your Etsy Seller Dashboard, you’ll find “Share and Save” links. If someone finds your shop through these links, Etsy credits you 4% back.

I have a strong following on Instagram, and my Share and Save sales are significant! Anytime I share my Etsy samples—whether it’s in my bio link or stories—I make sure to use those links to save on fees.

3. Use Etsy Advertising

I know advertising can feel intimidating, especially when you’re just starting out. But Etsy makes it incredibly easy, letting you advertise for as low as $1 a day!

This helps boost your listings to the top of search results. So, when someone searches “letterpress wedding invitations,” my samples are front and center.

Personally, I advertise around $10 a day. In the last 30 days, this strategy brought 70,000 views to my products from ads alone.

Etsy ads are affordable, easy to track, and make a noticeable impact in Etsy’s competitive marketplace.

Conclusion

So, if you’ve been on the fence about Etsy, I hope this post gives you a fresh perspective. Etsy can be a powerful tool for reaching more clients and growing your wedding invitation business.

If you’re a wedding stationer ready to take Etsy to the next level, my friend Valarie Freeman is teaching a fantastic course on maximizing your Etsy success. You can learn all about it below.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through these links. I only recommend products I personally use and love.