Sticker Business Mistakes I Made as a Beginner (and What Actually Works)

If you're an illustrator or visual artist, you may be thinking of turning your hobby into passive income. Many artists overthink starting and often put off jumping into getting the ball rolling. Often times it seems too complicated, expensive or "it's just not the right time." The truth is, there is never a perfect time and you will never be ready. Starting a small business seems scary at first but the outcome ends up being fulfilling. 

Stickers are a great starter product to experiment with selling or even make your bread and butter. You do not need fancy equipment. You do not need to invest a ton of money you probably do not have.  

I started my art business in 2024 selling stickers online. I learned early on what worked, what didn't and what I would do differently. I spent way too much money on things I did not need and overcomplicated the process. 

Why stickers?

Stickers are low cost, not only to produce but for customers. Often times customers will not think twice about purchasing a $5 item, especially if it makes them feel an emotional connection to the design. Low price point impulse buys are often more profitable than an item that makes the consumer wonder if they can even afford it. 

In this economy, consumers are more cautious on what they choose to spend their money on. More than ever consumers will validate spending money on a useful product. My biggest example for this is prints. Sure, you can have a really beautiful art print but art enjoyers are more likely to have a piece of art as a sticker on their laptop. Most do not want the hassel of having to find a frame and put it on their wall. 

They are also easy and cheap to ship. They are light and flat when packed. You can send a sticker Lettermail (stamped) which is only a couple bucks.

Let's break it down

I am going to walk you through mistakes I made when I started my sticker business and what I would do differently if I were to start over, or how I fixed it. No sugar coating, no fluff, just totally honest and real so you too can succeed.

Mistake: Not having a realized niche

In the beginning, I made stickers out of fanart of bands and TV shows that I personally liked. I also made stickers of old art I had done years ago. My brand was not established and was just a confusing collection of random designs. 

Y2K nostalgia isn't just trending—it's a cultural phenomenon with serious purchasing power. Gen Z and millennials are dropping serious cash on anything that captures that chaotic early-2000s energy.

How I fixed it: Established a cohesive brand

What are you passionate about? What are strengths of your art? What message do you want to send to the world? And most importantly: Who is your target audience and consumer?

Assuming everyone in the world will want to buy your art just because you are skilled is not realistic. You must figure out your niche(s) and target consumer. I tweaked my brand to be a reflection of myself while still thinking WHO would benefit from my art. For example, my target audience is Gen Z and Millennial creatives (approx. ages 16–35) drawn to alternative, expressive, aesthetic-driven art. They love goth, emo, punk, Y2K, and witchy aesthetics, DIY culture, journaling, and collectible handmade goods like stickers, pins, prints, and accessories. Many are neurodivergent (including ADHD), queer, and seek identity-driven products from small independent artists that reflect their individuality and creativity.  

Moral of the story: If your target audience is EVERYONE, you will sell to no one.

Mistake: Not choosing a fitting business name

My first business name was Club Seance. The name is witchy and dark. It did not fit my products or brand theme. 

How I fixed it: Rebranding

I had known for a while I had to change my name to fit the direction my brand was headed in. While I was drawing a new logo, I came up with an evil looking cartoon of cat Sabrina. 'Club Sabrina' popped in my head and I knew that was the one. I did not want something literal. 

Mistake: Making too much of a product

I made way too many quantities of every sticker before testing if my consumer wanted it or if it was even in demand. 

How I fixed it: Producing small batches

Whether you print and cut stickers yourself or get them manufactured third party, you never want to have stock sit there collecting dust. Now when I have new designs I make them in really small batches and see if they will even sell. I only restock when needed and I am running low. 

Mistake: Not pricing accordingly

As artists we tend to undervalue our work. We get worried if customers will buy if they find the prices too high or "not worth it". I was pricing my stickers at $4 each or 3 for $10. As someone who was printing, laminating, and cutting sticker all by myself it ended up feeling really daunting and time consuming. My stickers are also larger than most and curated with intention. 

How I fixed it: Increasing appropriately

If you feel like you are undercutting yourself, you definitely are. Don't be afraid to have price points that suit your time and effort. Now I sell my stickers $5 each or buy 4 get one free. I feel like this is not only fair to me but to my audience as well. 

Mistake: Not marketing my business

Customers are not going to magically appear. I spent a lot of time wondering why no one was buying from my website when I was not posting content consistently.

How I'm fixing it: Making my business known

Feeling embarrassed to take up space and put yourself out in the world is so over. I struggled a lot with worrying what others will think of me if I create content. Here is my realistic plan to drive traffic to my website and in turn gain sales 

• Post consistently on Instagram for better reach
• Create Tiktok content that are not only promotion for my business and products, but ensuring they are meaningful, relatable, and personable
• Use Pinterest to create pins and boards of my products to gain traction
• Write helpful and knowledgeable blog posts that will benefit my target audience

Takeaway

Running any kind of small business is a constant learning experience. You are never going to have it all figured out, but things do get easier over time. Don't worry about when the perfect time is to get started, you must plunge in or time will pass you by. 

Starting a sticker business doesn’t require a big investment — it requires testing, adjusting, and actually showing up consistently.