So your kiddo came home from school the other day with a newfound passion for crafting and wants to share their creations with the world. Sounds exciting!
Firstly, hats off to you for fostering your child’s creativity. Like this article notes, creativity is one of the most important skills that a child can have. The arts help kids express themselves, process feelings and emotions, and develop creative problem solving skills that will serve them later in life!
If your child is interested in sharing their creations, Etsy is a great option. Etsy is an online marketplace where independent creators can sell handmade items, craft supplies, and vintage pieces and antiques. As such, it’s a great way for kids and teens to share their creativity with the world—and maybe make a little profit along the way.
How old do you have to be to sell on Etsy?
Can children sell crafts on Etsy? The simple answer: yes!
Of course, it’s a bit more complicated than that. According to the Etsy Minors’ Policy, children over the age of 13 can create and facilitate an Etsy account with a parent or guardian’s permission. In addition, the account must be created using your information! This means:
- The account must be under the name of a parent or guardian.
- The account must be registered with a parent or guardian’s email.
- A parent or guardian must be listed publicly as the shop’s owner.
- All financial information must also be under a parent or guardian’s name!
On the other hand, the Etsy policy states that children under 13 may not use Etsy under any circumstances. As Etsy is a public marketplace on the internet, it can be dangerous for younger kids to own and facilitate their own account. The internet can be a frightening place, and Etsy is watching out for your children by enforcing these stipulations.
However, this does not mean that a parent or guardian cannot run the account on behalf of their child! This is a great way to let your children share their creativity, while ensuring that their privacy remains secure.
Can you have more than one Etsy shop?
Yes, you can have more than one Etsy shop! This is extremely beneficial if you have more than one child that wants to sell things on Etsy, especially if their products may not mesh well together (acrylic paintings of Disney characters and crocheted scarves may not be very compatible). In addition, helping your child create their own Etsy shop is a great way to develop your child’s confidence in their individual creativity.
While you can use the same credit card/banking information for all Etsy shops, you’ll need to use a different email for each account you create. To learn how to create your second account, check out this helpful article from Etsy.
What’s the best thing for children to sell on Etsy?
What your kid decides to sell is totally up to you and your child! Etsy is very amenable with what can be sold on the website, so the sky’s the limit when it comes to your kid’s creativity. If your child is having trouble coming up with craft ideas, here are a few potential projects to get them started:
- Paintings
- Handmade jewelry (think necklaces, bracelets, and earrings)
- Friendship bracelets
- Bird houses
- Candles
- Slime (or slime making kits, if your child is particularly slime inclined)
- Bookmarks
- Magnets
- Clothing (t-shirts, tank tops, even handmade skirts!)
Is it legal to resell items from Etsy?
While Etsy is primarily a marketplace for handmade items and creations, you may be wondering if you can resell merchandise on it, as you can on Ebay or Amazon.
According to Etsy, reselling is “selling an item that you, the seller, did not make or design.” As such, the legality of reselling depends on what type of item you intend to resell. If your child is interested in reselling vintage clothing or antiques that they found, then there is nothing standing in their way!
If your child is hoping to resell handmade items that they did not design themselves, then they are out of luck. Etsy firmly states that “reselling is not allowed in Handmade.” This includes repackaged commercial items like gift baskets, goods made by another creator, or traditional handicrafts that the seller did not design or make.
Try Troomi!
Selling items on Etsy is a fantastic way for your children to spread their creations across the world—and develop their creativity in the meantime.
If you’re looking for other ways to help foster your kids’ creativity, try Troomi! Our smartphones are developed with empowerment and creativity in mind. With the aid of our KidSmart apps and your thoughtful parenting, there’s nothing stopping your child from reaching their highest potential and becoming the best they can be!