The Backstory

**This article has been adapted from my recent YouTube video about this topic. If you would like to watch it to see the screenshare of shop numbers, please click here!

Today, I want to dive into a serious question that I get asked multiple times a day. Did I kill my million dollar Etsy shop by sharing it on social media? Specifically, by revealing it on my YouTube channel. But before I answer that, let me give you a bit of backstory.

About six months ago, I was sitting here, about to hit publish on my YouTube channel videos, and a thought crossed my mind. What if this is the end of my Etsy empire that I've worked so hard to build? I started thinking about all the reasons why other YouTubers in the digital product and pod space don't share their shops, and I understood why. Copycat issues are rampant on Etsy, and sharing my shop publicly on YouTube would undoubtedly attract more copycats and visitors who wouldn't actually make a purchase.

But then I reflected on why I made the decision to start this channel in the first place. I wanted to be different from all the other make-a-million-dollars-on-Etsy creators out there. I wanted to be transparent. So, despite the risks, I went ahead and shared my actual shop, along with all the numbers and work that came with it. If you haven't watched those videos, you can watch them here & here! 

The Numbers

Now, let's take a look at what actually happened. Here, you can see me refreshing the browser and the shop's all-time revenue, which is a little over a million dollars in total. In 2022, the shop generated over $365,000, and in 2023, it reached over $423,000. Despite a lower conversion rate, there was still a positive increase. In fact, my revenue grew by $58,000. These screenshots are available here.

More Visibility, More Customers

So, how did this happen? Well, when you share your business on social media, it's like opening your shop in the middle of Times Square instead of a hidden alley. More visibility equals more customers. It's as simple as that. In my case, not only did I attract people who were curious to see if I was telling the truth or to copy without buying, but I also introduced new people to the industry I'm in. 

Some of them started buying my designs to kickstart their own print-on-demand or home craft businesses. They weren't even interested in selling tumbler wrap designs like I do, but my designs served as inspiration for their ventures in the same industry.

Over the past few months, many people have reached out to share their progress using my designs, and it has been truly eye-opening. By sharing my shop and numbers, I not only grew my revenue, but I also carved out a unique space on the YouTube platform as one of the few Etsy sellers with complete transparency about their shop.

Should You Share Your Shop on YouTube?

Now, here's the important question. Would I recommend showing your shop on YouTube today? Not at all. The only situation where it might work is if you're an established seller with hundreds of thousands of listings, a large email list, and a social media following that you can directly market to. 

This helps balance out the influx of new visitors you're likely to attract. Generally, there's no real need to share your stats on YouTube unless you're interested in pursuing YouTube as a platform and providing proof of concept, like I did in my videos. But that's a topic for another day.

I want to emphasize that this video is not a “flex”. My daughter even told me to say that to sound cool, but it's the honest truth. I made this video to answer the questions I get asked dozens of times and now it's here for everyone to reference.:) And, If you're looking to find the quickest way to make ten thousand dollars per month with digital products, check out the video linked here!