Annual Etsy Sales Report - 2023

As we close the chapter on the vibrant and eventful year of 2023, we invite you to explore the intricate tapestry of Etsy sales throughout the entire year. In this comprehensive annual report, we navigate through the peaks and valleys, unveiling overarching trends, standout categories, and noteworthy shifts that have defined the e-commerce landscape on Etsy. Join us in deciphering the narrative told by the numbers, offering Etsy sellers valuable insights to shape their strategies in the coming year.

Table of Contents

Overview

Let’s kick off this report with some general insights and address the common questions posed by Etsy sellers—answers that our data is ready to unveil.

Was 2023 a more favorable or challenging year for Etsy sellers compared to 2022?

In a nutshell, 2023 didn’t significantly outshine or underperform—it merely held its ground. When examining the overall sales figures on Etsy, the difference between 2023 and 2022 is a mere 0.2%. Looking at the graph depicting sales trends in 2022 and 2023, you’ll notice a remarkable alignment, with peaks and dips around events like Black Friday and Christmas almost perfectly mirroring each other.

What are the best and slowest months for Etsy sellers?

Certainly, the prime month for Etsy sellers, and those on other online platforms, is November. Everything revolves around Black Friday, with discounts often kicking in weeks before the actual day, influencing sales throughout the entire month. The data also distinctly shows a peak around Black Friday.

Following closely, December stands as the second-best month for Etsy artisans. With discounts still prevalent and many buyers continuing their quest for gifts, this year showcases sales on Etsy consistently surpassing the average throughout December.

Conversely, the platform experiences its lowest ebb in June and July, amid the summer season. However, this is a broad overview for the entire platform, as the summer months prove quite successful for sellers in specific categories, like Wedding.

Are there specific months where sales tend to slow down?

It’s common to see sellers expressing on social media that “this month is quite slow.” This sentiment often arises at the beginning of the year, following the two busiest months for Etsy sellers. While a decline is expected, it might feel more pronounced to sellers. However, a closer look at the numbers reveals that, overall, significant declines and very low sales levels on Etsy in specific months are challenging to pinpoint. Excluding the peaks in November and December, other months exhibit their own patterns, with fluctuations but no substantial disruptions in the overall volume of Etsy sales.

The chart below illustrates the difference between the average daily sales on Etsy for each month compared to the average daily sales for the year. We observe a 15% and 14% dip from the average for the weakest months, June and July—a notable decline but not one that raises concerns about the platform’s future or warrants conclusive assessments of sales levels.

Monthly Sales Deviation from Annual Average on Etsy

Sales on Etsy in 2023 by categories

Category-specific data always unveil intriguing differences. The overall trends on the platform don’t uniformly apply to sales in each category, a nuance consistently observed in our monthly reports. Examining the data for the entire year further highlights these unique patterns.

The general trend of a gradual sales increase from mid-year to November doesn’t hold true for categories like Art & Collectibles, Clothing, Electronics & Accessories, Jewelry, and Weddings. In these categories, we notice a dip in performance in October (and some in September) compared to the previous month.

For certain categories, December nearly matches the strength of November (Books, Music and Movies, Electronics & Accessories, Jewelry). Notably, some categories show December performing even stronger than November – Bath & Beauty being a prime example.

Products in the Craft Supplies & Tools category witness high sales levels in the first quarter of the year, with January, February, and March outselling even November (and surpassing December). A similar trend surfaces in Paper & Party Supplies. This is likely because, after the substantial year-end shopping, Etsy sellers turn to the platform for materials to craft new products.

The chart unmistakably illustrates the categories driving the highest product purchases on Etsy – Craft Supplies & Tools, Home & Living, Paper & Party Supplies, Art & Collectibles, Jewelry, and Clothing. In contrast, sales from categories like Shoes, Pet Supplies, Bags & Purses, Books, Movies & Music hold a much smaller share.

Sales on Etsy by Category - January 2023 - December 2023

Newly registered Etsy shops in 2023

Every month, Etsy sees a surge of 170K to 260K new sellers joining the platform. In 2023 alone, over 2.6 million sellers embarked on their Etsy journey. While this number is impressive, especially when compared to the 7.5 million active sellers in 2022, it’s essential not to jump to hasty conclusions. Many of these new registrations don’t necessarily translate into active, competitive sellers. Etsy’s marketplace is indeed competitive and continually growing, but registering a new shop marks just the beginning for aspiring Etsy sellers. The reality is that many enthusiasts quickly lose motivation and don’t pose a significant challenge to the experienced Etsy sellers.

Monthly New Etsy Shop Registraions - 2023

Top Etsy sellers of 2023

Each month, our reports highlight the top 10 most successful Etsy shops based on sales. However, it’s common for the same names to appear among the leaders.

How many top sellers emerged in 2023?

Only 29 shops made it to the top 10 for the year. Out of these, 19 are from the United States, 5 from the United Kingdom, 3 from Canada, and one each from Australia and China. This doesn’t mean that successful shops are exclusive to these countries. On the contrary, by exploring data from our free tool – Free Top Etsy Countries – you’ll see that shops from much smaller countries often perform significantly better, especially when considering the criterion of sales per shop.

Which shop had the highest sales on Etsy in 2023?

The shop with the highest sales for 2023 is CaitlynMinimalist. CaitlynMinimalist consistently ranked in the top 10 every month. Moreover, for 11 out of the 12 months, the shop secured the first position in sales, with February being the only exception when it claimed the second spot.

From which categories do the top Etsy shops come?

Most frequently, the top 10 includes shops from the categories of Home & Living, Craft Supplies & Tools, Jewelry, and Paper & Party Supplies.

Etsy Sales breakdown by countries in 2023

In the charts below, we’ve delved into the sales performance of Etsy sellers from some of the countries boasting the highest seller numbers on the platform, a tradition we maintain each month. Notably distinct trends emerge when comparing these countries.

A case in point is the comparison between sales in the United States and the United Kingdom in the late part of the year. It’s apparent how closely aligned the sales figures are at the end of November and the start of December for UK stores. Conversely, for US stores, a more conspicuous surge in sales is evident, particularly around Black Friday.

Daily Sales January-December 2023 - USA and UK

This pattern persists in the subsequent chart, where once again, for stores from Australia and Canada, a distinctly prominent spike in sales appears around Black Friday, diverging from the subsequent weeks in early December. The probable explanation for these fluctuations lies in the varying popularity of Black Friday, with it being more fervently embraced in North America and Australia than in Europe. Consequently, European stores may not have optimized their listings adequately for Black Friday, potentially affecting their competitiveness against counterparts in the US, Canada, and Australia.

Daily Sales - January - December 2023 (Germany, France, Australia and Canada)

Yet another intriguing observation from the last chart is the marked disparity in sales volume between weekends and weekdays for stores from Germany and France.

How do holidays impact Etsy sales in 2023?

For many Etsy sellers, leveraging various holidays throughout the year is a common strategy to sell their products. This makes sense, especially since handmade, customizable items are highly sought after as gifts for occasions like Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, and more. Etsy even has a dedicated category for one of life’s most anticipated celebrations – weddings.

However, if you’re expecting to witness a substantial surge in sales before each holiday, based on the charts we present, you might be in for a surprise. A significant spike in sales is only evident during November and December. In the remaining months, we don’t observe massive leaps in sales overall (though there may be such spikes for specific categories, like around summer weddings).

This doesn’t mean you should overlook holidays. On the contrary, each holiday is an opportunity for many sellers to reach potential customers. If you have products suitable for specific holidays, be sure to optimize your listings (e.g., using tags for the particular occasion) to effectively reach your potential customers. Given the competitive nature of Etsy, it’s crucial not to miss out on such opportunities. That’s why, at Koalanda, we strive to make your work easier. Our Listing Editor will save you considerable time when changing tags before and after holidays or when experimenting with different keywords and phrases.

Speaking of holidays, it’s worth noting another sales trend we observe – weekend sales tend to be slightly higher than weekday sales. While it may not be a dramatic increase, leveraging this information can be advantageous when planning the timing of your listing launches or renewals.

Some key insights into Etsy sales in 2023:

The pinnacle of Etsy sales for 2023 is anticipated to be Cyber Monday on November 27, 2023.
Conversely, the day with the lowest sales, as expected, falls on December 25, 2023 – Christmas.
Home & Living emerges as the top-selling category on Etsy for the year 2023.
Leading the charts in total sales for 2023 is CaitlynMinimalist, boasting an impressive 675,149 sales.
March stands out as the month with the highest influx of new shop openings in 2023, tallying up to 257,613 registrations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, for a more in-depth analysis of each specific month from the past year, simply click on the corresponding link below:

As we move into the next year, stay tuned for our ongoing monthly reports on Etsy sales. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram to stay updated, and remember to work smarter, not harder, with Koalanda’s tools in 2024.