Online course teaching 3D modeling for Etsy sellers of 3D printed goods.

Okay, I've taken a look at the Reddit discussion.

Opportunity Identified:

Etsy recently updated their terms of service, preventing sellers from printing and selling designs created by others, like licensed 3D models. This change has created an immediate and significant need for these sellers to learn how to create their own original designs.

Product Suggestion:

An information product, specifically a targeted online video course titled something like: "Original 3D Design for Etsy: From Zero to Your First Printable Product."

Course Content & Focus:

  • Target Audience: Etsy sellers, particularly those who were previously selling 3D printed items based on designs by others, or those wanting to start selling unique 3D printed items.
  • Core Skills Taught: Fundamentals of 3D modeling and digital sculpting using beginner-friendly (and ideally free or low-cost) software (e.g., Tinkercad, Blender basics focused on simple object creation).
  • Etsy-Specific Focus: The course would emphasize creating small, popular, and relatively simple items suitable for 3D printing and selling on Etsy. Examples could include:
    • Customizable keychains or tags
    • Simple planters or vases
    • Desk organizers
    • Cookie cutters or stamps
    • Small figurines or decorative items (that are demonstrably original)
    • Earrings or simple jewelry components
  • Practical Application: Project-based learning, where each module culminates in creating a sellable item.
  • Bonus Content: Understanding Etsy's new "original design" policy, tips for photographing and listing 3D printed items, basic slicer settings for common printers.

Expected Benefits & Revenue:

  • Solves an Immediate Problem: Thousands of Etsy sellers are potentially affected by the policy change and need a way to continue their business legally. This course provides a direct solution.
  • Empowers Sellers: Teaches a valuable skill, giving sellers more creative control, the ability to create truly unique products, and avoid licensing fees or reliance on others' designs.
  • High Demand: Given the number of sellers on Etsy dealing with 3D printed goods and the direct threat to their existing business model, demand for such a specific and timely course would likely be high.
  • Significant Revenue Potential:
    • Assume there are at least 5,000-10,000 sellers significantly impacted or interested in this niche.
    • If the course is priced competitively (e.g., $99 - $299), even a conservative conversion rate (e.g., 5-10%) could yield substantial revenue.
    • Example: 500 sales @ $149 = $74,500.
    • The LTV could be higher with advanced courses or community access.
  • Low Barrier to Entry for Creation: The course itself can be created with standard video recording and editing tools. The primary asset is the expertise and structured curriculum.

This product directly addresses the expressed need for sellers to learn design skills due to a platform policy change, offering a clear path to adapt and thrive under the new rules.

Origin Reddit Post

r/3dprinting

Etsy have updated their terms and it might be a big hit for designers licensing their designs

Posted by u/guyeertoen06/14/2025

Top Comments

u/Brown_Chaos
To be honest, I love this. I’d rather sell my own work than push someone else’s work anyways.
u/Odd_Blood5625
In my experience, Etsy only enforces its rules for smaller sellers. If you’re big enough you can basically do whatever you want.
u/Jazehiah
This could also affect people who sell sewing patterns.
u/JcBravo811
If they make it, they'll stay. If they copy and paste stolen designs, they'll leave.
u/Speffeddude
I support this. If it's enforced, it gives them wording to take down spam and copyright infringing sellers, resellers and drop-shippers. I'm sure there will be some sellers caught in the cro
u/guyeertoen
https://www.etsy.com/legal/creativity The simple way to interpret it is no more Cinderwing dragons allowed, but will be interesting to see if it actually gets enforced or they are targeting
u/Rippedyanu1
Good. Fuck resellers or people trying to scrape people's hard work for a buck or two. You want to make money selling 3d printed items? Design it yourself or hire a designer to make it for you
u/PlutoniumBoss
On the other hand, encouragement to learn digital sculpting and modeling I guess?
u/YoteTheRaven
Thats also fair. Legalese is hard.
u/Blob87
Great way to get a lot of vendors to leave your platform.
u/YoteTheRaven
I read that as: "if you didn't design this, ypu must make it the way the creator did." Maybe thats wrong. Idk.
u/The_Doctor_Bear
Well Etsy’s shtick has always been that they sell crafted or unique items. They’ve become a source of mass produced bullshit as long as it’s “trinkety”. Sounds like they want to get some rep
u/ironfairy42
They have a different section in the new terms for selling designs.
u/MaterCityMadMan
"must be produced based on a seller's original design" That tells me the seller, which is the one selling the print on Etsy, has to design their own stuff.
u/thisremindsmeofbacon
honestly, this is a super good thing even as a person who sells licensed prints. Etsy is swamped with garbage that's not in the spirit of the site, and it has been a constant source of pai
u/No-Individual-9414
You’re still good to go listing your 3D printed items as “Made by a seller”—because even though you’re using a digital design (sourced from someone), you are the one physically crafting and a
u/BookkeeperOk8368
I dont see how this changes anything. Unless its some unique design, its hard to prove they arent just using a slightly different model.
u/triangulumnova
And yet I'd wager at least 75% of the stuff sold on Etsy is just crap you can find on AliExpress. But nooo, flexible dragons are the real enemy.
u/ApprehensiveBee671
If those vendors are selling mass produced/copied designs they don't belong on Etsy anyway. Which is the point of this rule, which I am sure all actual artists, crafters, and designers will g
u/irving47
I just hope they don't do zazzle-like enforcement. Parody/transformative works (which I question, myself) and other types of fair use get nuked and you have no way to appeal.
u/Belistener07
I feel like this is just words and not going to be enforced. There are so many people that already infringe on IP that don’t get removed, I don’t see this changing much.
u/Longjumping-Impact-4
Etsy has more piracy than Piratebay.
u/mcbergstedt
Yeah it’s pretty hypocritical when they let people sell mounds of Chinese garbage
u/RainStormLou
Unless they're getting sued by dragon modelers so much that it eats into the millions in fees they're getting from allowing those dragons to be sold, they're likely only doing it so they have
u/Brown_Chaos
Now that anyone can become a maker after 2-day shipping. The market got saturated with replicators and the creatives get squashed out for one simple reason: time. People making high quality d

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