Best Places to Sell 3D Prints Online

1. Etsy

Etsy is one of the most popular online stores for selling 3D prints. With over 400 million monthly visitors, Etsy is one of the best places to sell your prints, especially if you’re just starting.

Pros of Selling 3D Prints on Etsy

• Large Audience
• Easy to Set Up
• Low Initial Cost
• Extensive Learning Resources

Cons of Selling 3D Prints on Etsy

• Recurring Fees
• Unexplained Suspensions
• Tough Competition

How to Sell 3D Prints on Etsy

Here’s how you can sell your 3D prints on Etsy:

• Create Your Etsy Account
• Set up Your Etsy Shop
• Market and Promote Your Prints

Check out this video from Glenn Brian 3D on how to sell on Etsy.

Etsy Fees/Commissions

On Etsy, there are three mandatory fees for each product sold on Etsy. They include: Listing Fees, Transaction fees, and Payment Processing Fees.

The listing fee is $0.20 per product listed on the platform, a 6.5% transaction fee on each product sold. The payment processing fee varies with different countries. For example, in the United states, it is 3% plus $0.25.

For a 3D Benchy sold for $20, the fees taken by Etsy will be $0.6 plus $0.25 for payment processing fee, $1.3 for transaction fee, listing fee $0.20 which adds up to $2.15.

Other fees may include the shipping fees and ads fees. The shipping fees which depends on the delivery service, package weight, and the dimensions. Also, the advertising fee also depends on your budget.

User Experiences

Ericson Vuong made about $300 selling his prints on Etsy within the current month. He designed the product and made a $40 profit on each sale after accounting for shipping and packaging. He said it costs $0.70 worth of filament to print the model, with the print taking just an hour to complete

Ericson mentioned that he doesn’t do any marketing, advertising, or social media and that the sales are purely SEO driven. But he believes he can boost his sales if he implements it. He hopes to cross the $4,000 monthly.

Shawn Knight made over $2,000 selling prints off Etsy between April and December. He sells random pop culture prints in his online store, and each print sells at an average of $35.

2. Amazon

Amazon is the largest e-commerce website with various products on sale ranging from everyday house items to books, clothes, and so on. With over 4 billion monthly visits, it’s a no-brainer for anyone looking for a place to sell their prints.

Pros of Selling 3D Prints on Amazon

• Amazon has billions of visitors monthly, making it the best place to attract potential customers.
• The level of competition is much lower because the ratio of the buyers to the sellers is smaller compared to Etsy and eBay.

Cons of Selling 3D Prints on Amazon

• Setting up your account is not as straightforward as Etsy.
• The commissions on each sale are much higher.

How to Sell Your 3D Prints on Amazon

Here’s how to sell your 3D prints on Amazon.

• Choose a Selling Plan
• Create an Amazon Account
• List your Products
• Select your Shipping Option
• Advertise Your Products

Check out this Video from Travis Marziani on how to set up an Amazon Seller Account.

Fees/Commissions on Amazon

On each sale that happens on Amazon, Amazon charges $0.99 for each listing, 15% referral fees, and FBA fees, which varies with the package weight and size. Other fees may include the inventory storage fee, advertising fees, which varies with the product.

For a $10 fidget spinner, there is a referral fee of $1.50 and a listing fee of $0.99, making it total of $2.49, excluding other Amazon fees like shipping and adverts which varies with the package’s size and weight.

User Experiences

Brandon St Aubin made a total of $3,000 within 6 months. He didn’t give specific details about what kind of product it was but, he said he sold each for $14. Brandon mentioned that it costs only $2 to print one and the profit after all the fees is $6. He did complain about losing 50% of his profit to Amazon, but he said his volume of sales is much higher on Amazon than on Etsy.

Kyeong Chung earned $10,000 selling 3D prints on Amazon within the last 30 days, just from his best seller. He didn’t state the specific item he sold but he said he sold each for $28.99. He said selling on Amazon is less expensive and less demanding compared to Etsy, eBay, or other e-commerce platforms.

Kyeong mentioned that while Amazon and Etsy take 30% commissions on each sale, Amazon handles the delivery and shipping for each item. You only need to send in your inventory to them.

There’s another section to Amazon called Amazon Handmade where you can sell 3D prints.

Amazon Handmade

Amazon Handmade is a branch of Amazon Inc., specially designed for people to sell their handcrafted goods.

To sell your prints on Amazon Handmade, you must first sign up for the Professional Plan, and then submit an application for Amazon Handmade.

Once this application is approved you can begin selling your prints.

On Amazon Handmade, you’re charged a 15% referral fee on each item sold. There are no listing fees or other processing fees. Also, fees for the Amazon Professional plan are waived after the first month of signing up.

Some of the categories you can list your prints under include:

• Accessories
• Artwork
• Sporting Goods
• Stationery
• Party Supplies
• Toys
• Games
• Home
• Outdoor

3. eBay

eBay is another popular e-commerce platform where you can sell your prints. It also has many monthly users and visitors, but fewer than Amazon’s users.

Pros of Selling 3D Prints on eBay

• The listing process is very easy.
• It has a very friendly user interface, making navigation very smooth.
• You can sell your products for either a fixed price or on auction.
• It has a lesser listing fee.

Cons of Selling 3D Prints on eBay

• Its product listing does not allow full customization — You cannot write the product information in your own words.
• eBay also has a high commission rate (up to 30%), but it’s not as high as Amazon’s fees.

How to Sell 3D Prints on eBay

Here’s how you can sell your 3D prints on eBay

• Sign Up for an eBay Account
• Set up Your Seller Account
• Create your Product Listing
• Set the Sale Type and Price
• Configure your Shipping Details

Here is a video from How To Guide on how to set up your eBay account.

eBay Fees/Commissions

eBay charges an order fee, final value fee, and an insertion fee if you make more than 250 listings in one month. For a $10 3D Benchy, eBay charges you 15% for the final value fee, an order fee of $0.30, and an insertion fee of $0.35. The total fee adds up to $2.15, excluding other platform fees that vary with the package at hand.

User Experience

Ande O’Keffe said he earns about $6,000 monthly from his eBay store. He said he had a Shopify store before but the fees were excessive. His only worry now is eBay’s 15% commission on each sale which he’s looking for ways to avoid.

4. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace was introduced in 2016 to connect buyers and sellers from the same platform, allowing them to take advantage of their billion-user platform. It is a great place to get started if you want to sell prints, especially when you consider how easy it is to set up.

Pros of Selling 3D Prints on Facebook Marketplace

• Facebook Marketplace is free to use.
• It’s very easy to list your prints.
• You can easily get better exposure since it allows you to also list your prints in Facebook groups.

Cons of Selling 3D Prints on Facebook Marketplace

• Facebook Marketplace does not provide users with storage space to keep and manage their inventory.

• The delivery process may not be safe for the seller. This is because there is a risk of meeting shady buyers in unsafe places.

How to Sell 3D Prints on Facebook Marketplace

You can sell your 3D prints on Facebook Marketplace with the following steps:

• Launch your Facebook App/Browser
• Create a Listing
• Set up Delivery

Here’s a video from GuideRealm on how to sell on Facebook Marketplace.

Facebook Marketplace Fees/Commissions

Facebook Marketplace does not have platform fees like other e-commerce stores. There is no final value fee or listing fee. You are only charged 5% on each item sold or a flat fee of $0.40 for items lower than $8. For a $10 3D Benchy , you will only be charged $0.50.

User Experiences

Jeremie Humbert said he’s been selling his prints on Facebook Marketplace for a while now. He said he only sells niche woodworking tools. He didn’t mention his total earnings so far, but he said he was looking to expand.  

5. Shopify

Shopify is a ecommerce platform used to host or manage your website. This can be used to design your 3D printing store if you want full control over how you manage your online store. There are various user plans you can subscribe to, if you want to sell on Shopify, depending on the perks or features you want.

Pros of Selling 3D Prints on Shopify

• You only need to pay a monthly subscription fee to sell.
• Full customization of your platform.
• No risk of suspension.

Cons of Selling 3D Prints on Shopify

• There is only a limited collection of free themes
• Shopify does not offer custom email addresses to buyers.

How to Sell 3D Prints on Shopify

• Sign Up on Shopify
• Choose your Shopify Plan
• Select a Domain Name
• Connect your Store to a Payment Gateway
• Add your Product
• Customize your Store’s Appearance
• Set Up Shipping Terms
• Advertise your Store

You can check out this video from Metics Media on how to sell on Shopify.

Shopify Fees/Commissions

Shopify charges you a monthly subscription fee and a transaction fee depending on your subscription plan. The plans include:

• Basic Plan – $24 per month and a transaction fee of 2%.
• Shopify – $69 per month and a transaction fee of 1%.
• Advanced – $299 per month  and a transaction fee of 0.6%
• Plus – $2,300 per month and a transaction fee of 0.2%.

User Experiences

Reece Wright said he sells his prints both on Etsy and Shopify. For every Etsy order he gets, he sends a leaflet to the buyer to direct them to the Shopify store where they will get some discount on the print. He mentioned that he does this to avoid paying Etsy’s fee due to their large commission. The commission can reach up to 50% of the earnings.

6. TikTok Shop

TikTok shop is another platform for you to sell your 3D prints. While it’s still very new, it has a large user base for sellers to explore.

Pros of Selling Your 3D Prints on TikTok Shop

• Has a large pool of users so there’s no shortage of potential customers.
• Your prints basically promote themselves. This is because there is a possibility of the item going viral.
• Helps push your prints to gain more visibility through their algorithm, since they stand to gain.
• It has an affiliate program that can help you create content for your products, and the creator gets a commission on each sale.
• There is no listing fee, TikTok only charges an 8% commission on each sale.

Cons of Selling Your 3D Prints on TikTok Shop

• Not available for sellers in all regions.

How to Sell 3D Prints on TikTok Shop

• Create your TikTok Business Account.
• Set Up Shipping
• Create your Listing
• Promote your Designs

Check out this video from Baird Business on how to set up your TikTok Shop.

TikTok Shop Fees/Commissions

TikTok shop charges the following on each order completed.

• Marketplace Commission – 4%
• Transaction Fee – 2%
• Shipping Fee – 5%

For a $10 3D Benchy, there will be a $1.1 charge on the total sale.

User Experiences

Stephen Lightspeed did $40k in total sales from his TikTok shop, Etsy, Cults3D, Patreon, and Thang’s shop from the Saturday before Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve. 94% of the total sales came from his TikTok shop as he went viral four times, and this helped boost his sales.

He only sold unique non-IP models that fit the current season and was able to make a 1,000% markup on most of the items he sold. The running cost came to about 30% of the total sales, which was pretty profitable.

Conclusion

These are the best places to sell 3D prints that you will commonly see online. I’d recommend trying out multiple platforms to see how the process works and to maximize your reach.

Starting out with Etsy can be a good idea since it’s quite simple and straightforward compared to a platform like Shopify, where you have to do more marketing work to get eyes on your products.