After a couple years of designing CNC files with Carbide Create to sell custom signs and home decor, I’m considering selling some of my designs on Etsy and was looking for any advice you can offer. In particular the formats that the files need to be in, svg, jpeg, pdf, ai, etc? Any other things for me to consider? Thanks.
SVG is the standard for 2D design files, and it’s always nice to get a PDF version, too.
One word of caution – within days of first selling a new design, you have to be prepared to accept that it will be released into the wild and there will be a dozen stores selling your file (most of them from Russia, where IP / Copyright protection is non-existent). If you’re ok with that reality, go for it. I’ve taken down all my laser cutting & engraving files from Etsy for that very reason.
Etsy claims that they will take down such listings, but what really happens is they send the offender a notice. Offender responds saying “oh, no – I would never do such a thing. The person that reported me is lying – my file is the original.” It then becomes a game of I said / they said that can’t be resolved.
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Are there any other established storefronts for buying/selling craft-type files and goods? Hopefully something that makes clear what commercialization rights the purchaser has to the file?
I like Creative Fabrica, but it’s mostly crafting files. Their licensing plan is trackable and verifiable. However, nothing stops bad actors from taking the downloaded files and selling them on Etsy. Not trying to discourage you – lots of folks claim to be making money hand-over-fist with their files on Etsy, but I’m not 100% sure they’re telling the truth.
Searching for CNC on the site turns up over 22K entries.
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Yeah, you’re sanity. Keep your files and your sales close.
There’s no reason (except naiveté) to believe that you’ll make any real money selling what you’ve created unless you can find a system like the music industry has. Even that has plenty of theft.
The other thing to consider is that right now you’re a big fish in a little pond. If you seek out the ocean, you’ll just become bait. 
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I’ve always given/shown my woodworking plans online with videos I put up. Most of mine are simple drawings as opposed to actual step by step plans. As mentioned above, several have subsequently appeared all over the internet. I’ve been negatively commented on when showing a project while not providing the detailed plans (which I downloaded from another site and said as much in the video!).
Put your work online if you like. But after the first couple of sales, you should be aware that your work will find itself available worldwide – likely with no credit to you.
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I sell files on Etsy.
The files are easily stolen. Once you sell the file anyone can “adjust it” a little and call it their own.
People will even download a copy of your listing photo and recreate the file by doing edge detection.
I have about 70 files on Etsy and I sell one or 2 files per week more or less. The files vary in price from $1.99 for a basic “EZ” file up to $7.99 for a more complex design (ie wavy 3d flag).
I have made the most money on Etsy by making physical items. People get stoked when they can customize an item!
I did about $2K in sales from one item in November/December 2022 (Christmas Rush).
I would not post/sell the files for your most profitable/exclusive items. Someone will just buy the file and then become your competition.
Most of the files I sell on Etsy are pretty basic, but a lot of makers do not have time to recreate a Wavy Flag with an Egle or Marine Corps logo on it. They are willing to pay the $5.00 or so to save the hour it would take to make the file their own. I end up spending about 1-2 hours perfecting a File and then I get to sell it over, over, and over again.
One cool thing I like about selling my files on Etsy is I get to see what other people make out of the projects I sell.
I Sold a Harley Davidson SVG/CRV file to this gal and she made this awesome bench with it.
I am honestly more stoked to see that she made such a cool piece than I am to get the $5.00 for the file.
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Curious, I know that Harley Davidson can be pretty vigorous when it comes to their logo being used for monetary gain without their express permission. I have a few things that I have done based on some online games that I play which I would love to sell. However, for fear of receiving a cease and desist letter or else being sued altogether, I have opted to not list them at all.
Are you concerned at all about this?
Should I be?
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That’s a very good point.
I did have to pull down a listing of my own Jeep that I used an Edge Detect on.
Etsy just pulls down the listing. It’s definitely a bit of a risk to use anyone’s logo.
Go to Etsy and search Harley Davidson and like 64,000 listings show up.
Definitely, use your own discretion.
I just realized this pic had a middle finger… I took it down.
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