DIY goods are an excellent starting point for anyone looking to dip their toes into product sales. Most of them are extremely easy to create, cost little to no money, and you can sell them online through various platforms.
But before you build your online empire, you need to decide what DIY products you want to create and sell. While many people think of DIY products as craft items, they can also be digital goods like personalized downloadables or online courses. Basically, if you can make it yourself, then it is a DIY product. There are countless options depending on your interests and skills.
That’s why we created a list of the 30 best DIY physical and digital products you can sell online that are easy and affordable to build. That said, first, let’s talk about DIY products and what makes them stand out.
Why Sell DIY Products?
DIY goods have amassed a huge audience over the past few years. They’re a great way for talented craftspeople and creatives to monetize their skills and ideas. A DIY product also brings a sense of exclusivity to a customer, further increasing their preference for these over mass-produced items.
Simply put, getting a handmade product from someone who has put their soul into their work feels special. For some, it even creates a strong connection with that item, which they’ll cherish forever.
DIY products are also very easy to personalize. Most shops that sell DIY products online will offer customization options, including different colors, combinations of materials, and message engravings, among others. And creating something personalized is an excellent gift for that someone in your customers’ lives.
Another significant benefit of DIY goods is they’re often much better in terms of quality and can be more affordable to sell. If you choose the right materials, balance quality with price, and optimize your workflow, you can create a fantastic product and sell it cheaper than mass-produced alternatives.
As for DIY digital products, their biggest benefit is the ability to cater to the customer’s needs. You can provide some features that buyers won’t be able to find in other mass-produced competitors while allowing them to tweak the product to fit their needs better.
Without further ado, let’s dive into our list of the top DIY products you can start selling online in 2024.
9 Handmade Physical Goods to Sell
We’ll kick things off with some of the most popular products to make and sell yourself - handmade physical items.
#1 Candles
Candles are definitely one of the easiest DIY products to sell online since they don’t require you to be an expert craftsperson. All you need to learn is some basic melt-and-pour techniques and purchase wax in bulk to create candles in different shapes and sizes.
You can also make more specialized varieties, such as scented or beeswax candles. Consider offering your customers the option to personalize their candles or create themed collections for different holidays.
Make sure your brand identity is unique. This is a market with a lot of competition, so you need an element that helps you stand out. For instance, you might have a special connection to candles or a unique design. Packaging is also key, and a nice unboxing experience will enhance the appeal of your products.
#2 Soap Bars
Handmade soap bars are another excellent DIY product, as many customers look for organic and safe personal care goods. You can create soap bars through a bunch of different methods, most of which are simple to learn, and they only require a few easy-to-find ingredients.
Once you get the hang of essential soap formulas, you can start experimenting with more unique ingredients, essential oils, different colors, and unique scents. Just keep in mind that some ingredients have a short shelf life, so don’t maintain a huge stock.
Like most DIY products, packaging and branding play a huge part in selling handmade soap bars. You should also ensure you meet all safety regulations and offer a variety of different formulas to cater to different customers and skin types.
#3 Handmade Jewelry
DIY jewelry products help elevate anyone’s style thanks to their unique design and handmade character. Crafting them isn’t particularly difficult, and you can always start off with simpler designs for rings or bracelets before moving on to more complex jewelry types, like necklaces.
The best thing about DIY jewelry products is there are infinite combinations of designs, styles, and materials you can create. That’s why you should do your research and find what the current trends are or decide that you’ll stick to classic, well-made pieces that will last.
Consider offering different options in terms of materials, and remember to incorporate your personality and style in your products. Give your branding a minimalistic and elegant identity to attract customers, and look for high-quality packaging to complement your jewelry.
#4 Leather Goods
Crafting DIY leather products is not as hard as it may seem. All you need is some essential tools, an online course to learn the basics, and some high-quality hides. Once you get the hang of leatherworking, you can make a vast selection of everyday carry items, like wallets, cases, and bags.
You can also jump into leather accessories, such as belts, hats, and bracelets. Just make sure to focus on high-quality materials so your products won’t deteriorate, and try to find unique designs with built-in functionality.
In the leatherworks market, design and quality are key. People gravitate towards handmade leather items because they look amazing and last for a lifetime, so yours should look and feel the part. And don’t forget to create a brand and aesthetic that will resonate with your target audience.
#5 Tote Bags
Tote bags have drastically increased in popularity, both as a plastic bag alternative and an eco-friendly accessory for conscious consumers. That’s why they’re a perfect DIY product to sell online, even if you don’t have any experience crafting them.
You can just utilize a print-on-demand service, upload your unique drawings or designs, and they’ll print and ship your tote bags. Just make sure to choose a brand that uses well-made tote bags, as their durability is extremely important.
Alternatively, if you’re good at sewing, you can make your own tote bags completely from scratch. Again, some high-quality canvas will go a long way in terms of durability, or you can just repurpose old fabrics for an even more eco-friendly product.
#6 Pet Accessories
Every pet owner looks to get the best accessories for their little buddy, and you can capitalize on this by creating some high-quality DIY pet accessories. You can choose from a wide selection of products, including collars, toys, beds, and different clothing items. Some of them will require more effort than others, but just choose the ones that fit your skills and preferences.
Apart from durable materials, you need to consider the functionality and safety of your DIY pet accessories. Think about talking with pet owners or even some of your customers to give you feedback on what they like about your products and what you could add in the future.
#7 Phone Accessories
Since people spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on their phones, they’re often inclined to buy unique handmade accessories for them. DIY phone accessories protect people’s smartphones and electronics while making them more stylish and functional.
You can start by creating unique designs that customers can download and print into cases and pop sockets. You can also sell stickers for people to put a personal touch on their devices or cases.
If you’re more crafty, you can even build your own electronics cases from canvas or even leather. Remember to use high-quality materials and ensure the design doesn’t affect the phone’s functionality. And, of course, don’t forget about protection, as it’s the number one reason people buy cases in the first place.
#8 3D Printed Items
3D printing is a vast world with infinite possibilities in terms of DIY things you can craft and sell online. However, an upfront investment in a quality 3D printer and a bit of time are needed to familiarize yourself with how it operates.
Once you get the basics down, you can create any object imaginable, from accessories to tools and figurines. You can also create 3D-printed replacement parts and add-ons for popular everyday items, such as electronics and household appliances.
Since 3D printing is still a niche market, you need to make an effort to communicate with your customers and tend to their needs. You can even consider offering personalization options or commissions for specific items they need.
#9 Ceramics
Ceramics is a category of DIY products with huge potential but one that requires a lot of effort and equipment. If you’re interested in creating your own DIY ceramic goods, you’ll need to learn the art of pottery and have access to tools and a kiln.
However, you can use more malleable materials and create simple designs, like bowls, when you’re just starting out. Then, you can move on to finer products, like plant pots, cups, and even sculptures.
Remember that a great ceramic product must be both attractive and functional. Do your research on what people are looking for, and come up with your own unique designs and finishing techniques to make your product special.
7 Handmade Productivity Goods
Moving on from handmade physical goods, let's take a look at some digital items that you can make and sell yourself. Here are 7 goods that you can sell to help people become more productive in their day-to-day lives.
#10 Guides
If you’re an expert in a specific area or have a unique skill set, you can create a digital guide to help newcomers learn more effectively. You can start with the first steps they need to complete and move on to more advanced concepts. You can also offer tips on how you overcame certain obstacles.
Guides come in many different shapes and sizes. They can be as simple as a step-by-step guide to creating social media profiles, resumes, or business plans. Or, they can be extremely in-depth to help optimize certain difficult projects, such as building a website from scratch.
In general, guides are some of the best digital products to sell online, as there’s always a market for them, and you can build them in no time if you’re familiar with the subject.
#11 Templates
As an extension for online guides, templates provide a starting point for individuals to create something unique for themselves or their business. They are extremely easy to build, and you can create and sell them for different purposes and platforms.
Some of the simplest ones include templates for cover letters, CVs, and business proposals, while you can also get more creative with website templates and templates for graphics and art.
Notion templates have also become very popular since most business owners and entrepreneurs use Notion to organize their ideas and workload. Selling Notion templates can help newcomers or those who feel overwhelmed better grasp the platform and its potential uses.
#12 Downloadable Checklists
If you like to remain productive every day, you probably have a bunch of checklists for every task you need to complete. You’re definitely not alone, and in fact, most individuals turn to checklists as their main form of task organization. After all, they’re simple to create, effective at presenting everything you need to do, and everyone loves crossing out checklist entries.
So, what better way to utilize this than to create checklists for specific tasks and sell them online? Pick a task you’re familiar with, such as planning a project, and go through all the necessary steps to complete it in sequence. This will help your customers get a grasp on everything they need to do and finish the task in a quick and organized manner.
There are also other types of checklists for important life events, such as wedding checklists and moving checklists. Or, you can just create a daily checklist that tracks common activities, like working out or cleaning, and allow your customers to personalize it to fit their own routines.
#13 Spreadsheets
Almost everyone uses spreadsheets, whether for work or personal life, but most can’t create the perfect one for their needs. That’s where having good Excel skills comes into play since you can create in-depth (and even personalized) spreadsheets for Excel or Google Sheets.
There are tons of different use cases for spreadsheets. Some use them to run their small business, track their warehouse inventory, or for bookkeeping. Others utilize spreadsheets tracking their personal finances or personal goals throughout the month.
Whatever the case, you can create a bunch of unique, personalized spreadsheets and sell them online for some passive income.
#14 Printable Journals and Planners
If you’re a productivity guru, you can create DIY planners and journals to help others keep better track of their lives. You can sell them as digital downloads, which people can use on their computer or print out in physical form themselves.
Digital planners and journals are ideal for those looking to improve their organization or those looking to track self-improvement goals. You can create a bunch of unique formats that specialize in work tasks and financial responsibilities.
There’s also a lot of interest in journals that focus on things like habit tracking, progression of certain hobbies, and even tracking how many books you’ve read this year.
#15 Calendars
Despite most people relying on their phone’s or computer’s preloaded calendar apps, there’s still plenty of interest and appeal in custom calendars.
These come in several different forms, such as digital calendars the customer can write on with styluses or even printable versions. And you can even offer the option for the customer to personalize their calendar with their favorite photos.
The primary use of calendars is to maintain habits and goals. Having a dedicated place to document your progress on learning a new skill or creating a healthy habit can help form a daily routine, which helps habits stick better. And, of course, people can just use calendars to mark down special occasions and events for better organization.
#16 Custom Notebooks
Creating unique notebook designs or offering personalized notebooks can be a simple and effective DIY product to sell online. Businesses and institutions can use them to promote their branding, while individuals can have a more personal handmade item for their daily note-taking and journaling.
Several print-on-demand services online will take care of all the logistics, printing, and shipping of your custom notebooks. This saves you a lot of time and hassle and removes the need to maintain inventory, which is one of the largest hurdles of running an ecommerce business.
7 Learning and Tutorial Products that You Can Make and Sell
If you have a skill that you're willing to teach, then these learning product ideas may be for you.
#17 eBooks
If you’re an expert in a specific field, you can share your knowledge with the world through several means, including eBooks. They are an excellent option for your customers to learn new things, improve as people, or find out how successful people achieve their goals.
There’s also a lot of information on how to sell eBooks online, and you can use platforms like Whop to create a storefront and market your eBooks effectively. In terms of what to write about, just choose a topic you can offer valuable information on and create a short and engaging eBook about it. You can even consider writing fictional stories if you’re good at creative writing.
#18 Patterns
Digital patterns are similar to templates in that you’re offering your design of a specific product as a digital download for someone else to create themselves. Patterns can be an excellent complementary digital product for craftspeople to earn passive income. If you already have established design patterns, you won’t need to spend the time to create them from scratch.
You can just sell them online alongside your other goods or even as a standalone DIY product. You should also consider including photos and videos with step-by-step guides to make the crafting process easier for your customers.
#19 Fitness Routines
If you’re a fitness enthusiast and have a specific routine you use every day, you can create a DIY tutorial on it and sell it online. This market has huge potential, and you won’t have any issues finding new customers since most people working from home look for simple fitness routines to incorporate into their work lives.
You just need to focus on something unique to help you stand out, such as easy workout routines using simple household items. Consider incorporating a video tutorial of you performing the specific exercises and sets to make it easier for your audience to follow along.
#20 Cooking Classes
Cooking aficionados should look to share their knowledge with the world through cooking classes and courses. You don’t need to be a professional chef to start off – just find a unique aspect of cooking you’re familiar with. It can be local recipes from a cuisine that’s not so popular, easy and healthy meals, or snacks and lunch boxes for kids to take to school.
Creating the class itself can be as simple or thorough as you want. You can just post recipes on your website in written format or film them in video, making them much easier to comprehend and drawing in a larger audience through social media. Don’t forget to include measurements in different units to accommodate all customers.
#21 Video Editing Course
If you do video editing as your primary occupation or side hustle, you can easily create a course to teach others how to edit. With the increase in social media content, even more businesses are looking for video editors, so you can capitalize on the demand and sell your courses to aspiring editors.
You can create multiple-level courses to attract beginners as well as more advanced users. Plus, advertising your work on social media will give potential customers a feel for your style and whether they want to follow a similar one.
#22 Craft Tutorials
Crafting handmade items is an extremely appealing hobby to many, which is why people seek out guides to craft unique decor items. That’s where you can utilize your expertise in a particular craft and create an online tutorial.
If you’re skilled at making a specific handcrafted item, chances are you’ll find an audience for it. Some popular options include paper crafting, origami, homemade decor, and knitwear.
For more complicated crafts, it’s best to have written instructions and a step-by-step video guide your customers can refer to. You can also sell memberships for crafting groups, where you do live crafting sessions together.
#23 Photo Editing Presets
If you dabble in photography as a hobby or profession and have a specific style, you can consider creating and selling photo editing presets online. Your customer base will consist of enthusiasts and social media creators just starting out in photo editing who look for presets for Lightroom or other software to create aesthetically pleasing pictures in no time.
You can start by setting up your social media accounts to display and promote your work and results. This will give people a look into the results of using your presets and how they compare to the original photo.
And, of course, if you’re already using these presets yourself, it takes no time to create them; you’ll just need to set up your store or website and sell them.
7 Artistic DIY Products to Sell Online
Now, let’s move on to some arts-inspired DIY goods for the more creative individuals out there.
#24 Music
Musicians usually put out their tracks on subscription platforms or sell them online directly to their fans as their primary source of income. However, there are additional ways to sell music online, with some not even requiring you to be a professional.
You can create some catchy beats, instrumental music, or even some lyrics and sell them to creators looking for background music for their content. Also, if you’re an experienced vocalist or have been playing an instrument for years, you can offer lessons and help create the next generation of talented musicians.
#25 Digital Art
Selling digital artwork online is the key to reaching a much larger audience, whether you’re a veteran artist or just starting out. If you’re in the latter group, you can choose to stick to a particular niche. Or, you can expand your portfolio to include different art styles, which can potentially catch the eye of more customers.
DIY digital artwork can encompass anything you design or draw yourself. It can include individual art pieces or collections of works designed around a specific theme. You can also utilize a commission system, where your customers give you ideas about personalized artwork.
#26 Web Comics
If you’re an illustrator specializing in comics, you can sell them online through different platforms. Whatever your style or story may be, there’s definitely an audience for it out there. You can create both classic Western comics or enter the fascinating world of Eastern comics with grand adventures.
Regardless of what you choose to do, consider ways to make your work stand out from the competition. See what resonates with your target audience better and incorporate it into your stories. Also, try to come up with unique storylines people haven’t seen before and create compelling characters your audience can get behind.
#27 Wallpapers
People always look for ways to customize their digital devices, and you can capitalize on that by selling unique wallpapers online. The key here is to target specific styles that will attract a large number of customers. For example, minimalistic designs are always popular, or you can go for a more vintage aesthetic.
You don’t even need to stick to one particular design language or device. You can offer different wallpaper packs for mobile devices, computers, and websites, among others. Plus, you can also provide a number of collections of wallpapers built around a unique theme.
#28 Icon Packs
Every user interface has its own icons that are an integral part of its design and appeal. So, if you’re into graphic design, you can build various icon packs and sell them online for some passive income. Your customer base can include content creators, software companies, or even individuals who want to personalize their devices.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to icon pack designs. Whatever your style may be, always consider the clarity and scalability of your designs. You want icons that are visually clear and attractive and show well on a variety of screen sizes. Also, you can offer small customization options, such as different colors, to allow your customers to create something unique for them.
#29 Stock Photos
If you enjoy photography and people keep praising your work on social media, consider creating stock photos and selling them online. There are several dedicated platforms that pay stock photo creators every time someone downloads their work.
Since there’s such a high demand for stock photos, you can specialize in a bunch of different genres depending on what you’re good at. For instance, you may enjoy taking pictures of landscapes or nature. Or, perhaps you prefer more urban settings with a contemporary aesthetic.
Regardless, you can definitely find a place for your stock photos on a digital marketplace and start earning passive income from them.
#30 Printables
The printables market is huge, and there are plenty of creative DIY products you can sell online. The most popular is printable art, which differs slightly from its digital counterpart, requiring the artist to work within specific dimensions to fit a canvas. There are several print-on-demand services that will print out your work and send it to your customers on canvas or other paraphernalia.
Another great option is printable coloring sheets, which customers can print out on their own or even use on their digital devices. There are also tons of printable activity books and games primarily aimed at kids. You can offer bundles of these products for a fixed price or choose a subscription model with new designs every month.
What is the Best DIY Product to Sell?
Digital products are the best DIY items to sell in your online store. Their operational costs are lower than their physical counterparts, making them more profitable to sell and easier to scale.
Plus, thanks to their intangible nature, DIY digital products have little to no material costs to create. At worst, you’ll need to pay for the software you use to build them. They also don’t require any space to store them, apart from a bit of room in your hard drive.
In terms of distribution, digital goods reign supreme even more. You don’t have to deal with shipping and fulfilling orders, which adds to the total cost and can take up a lot of your time. Instead, online platforms for selling digital products will take care of all order fulfillment with little to no additional cost.
Opting for digital goods is ideal if you’re just starting out with DIY products to sell online. Unless you have a strong skill in crafting physical products, digital ones are far easier to build and don’t require additional effort to create each one perfectly. You just build them once and sell them consistently without worrying.
Where to Sell DIY Products Online
After picking the products you want to build and sell, it’s time to find a home for them. You can choose among a few different solutions for selling and promoting your work, and we’ve gathered the best ones below.
Your Website
Building your own website will give you complete control over its design and aesthetic and help align them with your brand’s identity. Even if you can sell digital products without a website, having your own unique online space looks way more professional.
Also, you can basically do whatever you want in terms of pricing. You can create bundles of similar products and run special seasonal promotions and campaigns. Plus, you won’t need to worry about paying commission fees or subscriptions to other platforms.
However, creating a website from scratch will cost a lot and will take up a lot of your time. You may also run into technical issues that will require professional support.
Social Media
Social media reigns supreme when it comes to sales and promotions, so creating dedicated brand pages can be a great way to kick off your business. You can promote your work through targeted ads, paying influencers to directly promote your products, or creating a bunch of content centered around your projects.
Platforms like Instagram and TikTok also have built-in store functions to sell your products. Or, you can just redirect your customers to an online storefront. Just remember that finding your audience will be tougher when you start out since there’s a lot of competition. But, if you work effectively and target a specific niche, you won’t have a problem building a customer base.
Ecommerce Sites
Your next option for selling DIY goods online is ecommerce platforms. These offer a decent all-round solution, where they’ll help you build an online storefront through easy-to-use interfaces. You can also rely on them to handle payments and order fulfillment, as well as use any marketing tools they have available.
Ecommerce sites are basically like having your own website, except the platform handles all the backend operations. This means they’ll provide technical support in case something goes wrong. However, some come with subscription costs, which can be significant when you’re just starting out, so make sure you check out the associated fees when opting to sell on an ecommerce site.
Online Marketplaces
Depending on the size of the marketplace, your products could be exposed to millions of potential buyers, but the same goes for all your competitors. So, what can you do about it? Make products that stand out and market them effectively.
By using an online marketplace, you can put your product in front of thousands to millions of buyers, depending on the marketplace that you choose.
Start Selling Today with Whop!
So, how can Whop help you sell your DIY products online? You can easily sign up and start selling with Whop in just a few minutes, and your digital products will be exposed to millions of active users.
Whop also features an industry-leading 3% commission fee and includes a bunch of useful marketing tools to help you reach a larger audience. And if you ever run into any issues, Whop’s customer support team will always be available to help you out.
Kickstart your DIY product business by selling on Whop today! Join thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs on one of the largest digital marketplaces in the world and take the next step on your journey to the top.
Selling DIY Things Online: FAQs
What handmade item sells the most online?
There are several DIY products with great online sales, including handmade jewelry, soap bars, candles, and printable art. You can also try selling unique accessories, tote bags, and custom notebooks.
What is the easiest stuff to sell online?
Even if handmade DIY goods are very popular, by far, the easiest things to sell online are digital products, like guides, eBooks, and templates. They are extremely easy to build and have virtually no overhead costs, which makes them the best option for someone just starting out in ecommerce.
What is the best option to sell online?
You can sell your products online through different outlets, including your own website, ecommerce sites, social media, or online marketplaces. Each platform has its own strong and weak points, and you need to find one that fits your needs better.
Can I sell online for free?
Yes, you can start selling online for free on several different platforms, including Whop. You can create a free account, list your products, begin your sales in under 10 minutes, and enjoy all the perks Whop has to offer.
