Digital Products I Wish I'd Started Selling 3 Years Ago
Digital Products I Wish I'd Started Selling 3 Years Ago
A friendly shove into the world of templates, printables, KDP, Notion systems, and low-effort digital wins.
The "Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda" Chronicles
Picture me three years ago: scrolling through Instagram, watching people casually mention their "$10K months from digital products" while I'm over here trading time for money like some kind of medieval peasant. I'd see these posts and think, "Yeah, right. That's probably just hype."
Fast forward to today, and I'm sitting here doing the math on what I could have made if I'd started selling digital products back then. Spoiler alert: it's enough to make me want to build a time machine and slap my past self.
But instead of wallowing in regret (okay, maybe a little wallowing), I'm here to give you the friendly shove I wish someone had given me. Because the best time to start was three years ago, but the second-best time is right now.
The Digital Product Reality Check
Let's get one thing straight: digital products aren't some get-rich-quick scheme where you upload a PDF and suddenly you're buying yachts. But they are one of the most scalable ways to build passive income that I've ever encountered.
Here's what makes them magical:
- Create once, sell forever (hence the "digital" part)
- No inventory, shipping, or storage costs (your laptop is your warehouse)
- Global reach (someone in Australia can buy your product while you sleep)
- High profit margins (after platform fees, most of your revenue is profit)
The digital products market has exploded. We're talking about a market that was valued at approximately $7.8 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $25.6 billion by 2031 [1]. That's not hype—that's math.
💡 Reality Check: You don't need to capture a huge slice of this market to make meaningful income. Even 0.001% of a billion-dollar market is still $10,000.
The Products I Wish I'd Started With (And Why)
1. Notion Templates: The Gateway Drug
What I missed: Notion templates are like the perfect starter digital product. They're relatively easy to create, there's massive demand, and people are willing to pay $15-50 for a good one.
The opportunity: The Notion template marketplace is booming, with creators making thousands monthly from productivity templates, habit trackers, and business dashboards [2].
Why I was an idiot for waiting:
- I was already using Notion daily (I had the skills)
- I was constantly tweaking my own systems (I had the ideas)
- I kept seeing people ask for template recommendations (I had the market validation)
What you can start with:
- Budget trackers (everyone wants to manage money better)
- Content calendars (creators are always looking for organization)
- Project management dashboards (freelancers and small businesses need this)
- Habit trackers (New Year, new me energy never dies)
2. Etsy Printables: The "Duh" Moment
What I missed: Printables are digital files people download and print at home. Think planners, wall art, party decorations, organizational sheets. The barrier to entry is incredibly low, and the demand is consistently high.
The numbers that hurt: Top-selling printables on Etsy regularly make $5,000-15,000 per month [3]. Some simple planner templates have generated over $100,000 in sales.
Why I was sleeping on this:
- I thought "printables" sounded too simple to be profitable
- I underestimated how much people love organizing their lives
- I didn't realize that "simple" often sells better than "complex"
What's selling like hotcakes:
- Weekly/monthly planners (organization never goes out of style)
- Budget worksheets (financial wellness is trending)
- Party printables (birthdays happen every day)
- Wall art with motivational quotes (people love pretty inspiration)
- Business templates (invoices, contracts, social media templates)
3. Amazon KDP Low-Content Books: The Passive Income Goldmine
What I missed: KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) isn't just for novels. Low-content books—journals, planners, coloring books, notebooks—are crushing it on Amazon.
The opportunity I ignored: People are making $2,000-11,000 per month with simple journal designs [4]. We're talking about books that are mostly blank pages with some nice formatting.
Why I face-palmed later:
- Amazon handles all the printing, shipping, and customer service
- You get paid royalties forever
- The books can rank in search and get organic traffic
- You can create a book in a weekend
What's working:
- Gratitude journals (self-care market is huge)
- Password logbooks (boomers need somewhere to write their passwords)
- Recipe journals (cooking enthusiasts love organization)
- Fitness trackers (January gym resolution energy)
- Coloring books for adults (stress relief market)
4. Canva Templates: The Design Shortcut
What I missed: Not everyone has design skills, but everyone needs good-looking graphics. Canva templates bridge that gap perfectly.
The market I underestimated: Social media managers, small business owners, and content creators are constantly looking for professional-looking templates they can customize quickly.
Why I should have started sooner:
- Canva makes template creation accessible to non-designers
- The demand for social media content is endless
- Templates can be repurposed across multiple platforms
- One good template can sell hundreds of times
What's in demand:
- Instagram story templates (everyone's trying to look professional)
- Business card designs (networking never dies)
- Social media post templates (content creation is exhausting)
- Presentation templates (corporate world needs pretty slides)
- Email newsletter templates (email marketing is back)
5. Digital Planners: The iPad Generation's Love Language
What I missed: As iPads and digital note-taking became mainstream, digital planners exploded. These are interactive PDFs that work with apps like GoodNotes and Notability.
The market timing: The digital planner market is expected to grow significantly, with more people embracing paperless organization [5].
Why I was late to the party:
- I thought people would always prefer paper planners
- I underestimated how much people love their iPads
- I didn't realize digital planners could be more interactive than paper ones
What's selling:
- Daily/weekly planners with hyperlinks and interactive elements
- Budget planners with automatic calculations
- Fitness planners with progress tracking
- Business planners for entrepreneurs
- Student planners for the digital-native generation
The "But I'm Not Creative" Excuse Buster
Here's the thing that took me way too long to realize: you don't need to be the next Picasso to create profitable digital products. Most successful digital products solve practical problems, not artistic ones.
Skills You Probably Already Have:
- Organization → Create planners and templates
- Problem-solving → Identify what people struggle with and create solutions
- Basic computer skills → Use Canva, Notion, or simple design tools
- Life experience → Turn your knowledge into guides and resources
Tools That Make It Easy:
- Canva (design templates for non-designers)
- Notion (database and template creation)
- Book Brush (create book covers and graphics)
- Figma (free design tool with templates)
- ChatGPT (help with content and ideas)
⚠️ Truth Bomb: The most successful digital product creators aren't necessarily the most talented—they're the most consistent. They create, test, iterate, and keep going.
The Money Talk: What People Are Actually Making
Let's talk numbers because that's probably why you're here:
Realistic Expectations:
- Month 1-3: $0-500 (learning curve, building inventory)
- Month 4-6: $500-2,000 (products gaining traction)
- Month 7-12: $2,000-5,000 (established product line)
- Year 2+: $5,000-15,000+ (compound effect kicks in)
Success Stories That Hurt My Soul:
- Notion template creator: $18,000 in 4 months from productivity templates
- Etsy printable shop: $12,000/month from party planning printables
- KDP publisher: $8,000/month from low-content books
- Digital planner creator: $25,000/month from iPad planners
These aren't outliers—they're people who started with zero experience and figured it out as they went.
The "Getting Started" Action Plan
Okay, enough regret and FOMO. Here's your step-by-step plan to not be me three years from now:
Week 1: Market Research & Niche Selection
- Browse Etsy, Gumroad, and Notion templates for 2 hours
- Note what's selling well and what gaps you see
- Pick ONE category to focus on (don't try to do everything)
- Join Facebook groups or Reddit communities in your chosen niche
Week 2: Create Your First Product
- Start with something simple (seriously, resist the urge to go big)
- Use free tools like Canva or Notion
- Focus on solving one specific problem
- Don't aim for perfection—aim for "good enough to sell"
Week 3: Set Up Your Sales Platform
- Choose your platform (Etsy for printables, Gumroad for digital products, etc.)
- Create your seller account
- Write compelling product descriptions
- Take decent product mockup photos
Week 4: Launch & Learn
- Publish your first product
- Share it with friends and family
- Post in relevant communities (without being spammy)
- Start working on product #2 while #1 gains traction
The Platforms: Where to Sell Your Digital Gold
For Printables & Templates:
- Etsy (built-in audience, easy to start)
- Creative Market (higher prices, more professional)
- Gumroad (simple, creator-friendly)
For Notion Templates:
- Notion Marketplace (official platform)
- Gumroad (more control over pricing)
- Your own website (highest profit margins)
For Low-Content Books:
- Amazon KDP (massive reach, handles everything)
- IngramSpark (wider distribution)
For Digital Planners:
- Etsy (huge market for digital planners)
- Gumroad (direct sales)
- Your own Shopify store (professional approach)
Common Mistakes (That I Would Have Made)
Mistake #1: Perfectionism Paralysis
Waiting for your product to be "perfect" before launching. Perfect is the enemy of profitable.
Mistake #2: Trying to Please Everyone
Creating generic products that appeal to no one instead of specific products that solve real problems.
Mistake #3: Underpricing
Thinking you need to compete on price. People pay for value, not cheap prices.
Mistake #4: Creating in a Vacuum
Making products without validating demand first. Always check if people actually want what you're making.
Mistake #5: Giving Up Too Early
Expecting overnight success. Digital products are a marathon, not a sprint.
The Compound Effect: Why Starting Now Matters
Here's the thing about digital products: they compound. Your first product might make $50/month, but your 10th product might make $500/month. Your 20th might make $1,000/month.
The math that keeps me up at night:
- If I'd started 3 years ago with one product per month
- And each product averaged just $100/month after 6 months
- I'd have 36 products making $3,600/month in passive income
- That's $43,200 per year from work I did years ago
But here's the beautiful part: it's not too late for you. The market is bigger now than it was three years ago, the tools are better, and the demand is higher.
Your Digital Product Empire Starts Today
Look, I can't go back and start three years ago. But you can start today. And three years from now, you'll either be thanking yourself for starting or writing your own "I wish I'd started sooner" blog post.
The digital product world isn't going anywhere. If anything, it's getting bigger. More people are working remotely, more businesses are going digital, and more consumers are comfortable buying digital products.
Your homework:
- Pick ONE type of digital product from this post
- Spend 2 hours researching what's selling in that category
- Create your first product this weekend (yes, this weekend)
- List it for sale before you talk yourself out of it
The worst thing that happens? You make a few bucks and learn something new. The best thing that happens? You build a passive income stream that changes your life.
Stop waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect idea, or the perfect skill set. Start messy, start small, but start today.
Your future self will thank you. Trust me, I would know.
References
[1] Akiflow. (2025). What is a Digital Planner & How to Get Started in 2025? https://akiflow.com/blog/digital-planner-get-started/
[2] Super.so. (2024). Step-by-Step Guide on How to Sell Notion Templates. https://super.so/blog/how-to-sell-notion-templates
[3] Roketfy. (2024). 12 Best Selling Digital Product Ideas on Etsy in 2024. https://roketfy.com/blog/best-selling-digital-product-ideas-on-etsy/
[4] Reddit. (2023). Story Time! Amazon KDP: Low and High Content Books. https://www.reddit.com/r/passive_income/comments/101tjgt/story_time_amazon_kdp_low_and_high_content_books/
[5] Whop. (2024). How to create and sell a digital planner (expert insights). https://whop.com/blog/create-and-sell-digital-planner/