In the thrilling world of event planning, attention to detail can transform an ordinary gathering into an extraordinary affair. And from a shopper’s perspective, there’s no better place to look for unique party accessories than Etsy.

In this article, we embark on a journey to uncover the immense potential and limitless possibilities that lie within the party supplies niche on Etsy.

An overview of the party accessories niche on Etsy

Party accessories have become an undeniable trend on Etsy, captivating event planners and ordinary shoppers alike. The platform has evolved into a treasure trove of unique and handcrafted items that add a touch of magic to any celebration.

From intricately designed decorations and personalized party favors to thematic tableware and exquisite invitations, Etsy sellers have some truly remarkable creations to offer. With an array of styles, themes, and customization options, these trendsetting products cater to the diverse tastes and preferences of individuals who seek to make their social gatherings unforgettable.

Considering all of this diversity, it’s natural that the party decor niche won’t be limited to a few categories.

But before we dive into individual segments, let’s take a look at the market from a bird’s-eye view.

We broadened our research to factor in phrases like “party supplies”, and “party decorations”. After all, they fall under the same category as “party accessories” and neglecting them can skew our conclusions.

Using Sale Samurai, we identified the search volumes and competition levels of these three keywords. Additionally, we used Etsy to uncover how many listings rank for each phrase.

Here are our findings.

“Party supplies” is the unbeatable leader in terms of competition, with a total of 15,433,291 results on Etsy and a competition level of 16,533,290. However, it has a surprisingly low search volume, with only 61 users typing this phrase into the platform’s search box per month.

The next most competitive keyword turned out to be “party decorations”, with 1,167,831 results on Etsy and a competition level of 1,956,820. It stands out with the highest search volume of all three – 436. Still, the aggressive market suggests that ranking for this specific phrase won’t be a walk in the park.

The least competitive of all is “party accessories”, a keyword that has a competition level of 660,922 and a monthly search volume of 46. There are only 433,165 results on Etsy for the phrase, meaning that entering the segment will be much easier compared to the other two alternatives.

Niching down: The golden ticket to success

All of the discoveries from above lead to one conclusion – niching down is essential.

Huge and well-developed markets like the party accessories one can be extremely gainful. But revenue can only be secured if you position yourself adequately.

In this case, what struck us immediately is the wide array of categories, sub-categories, and occasions that occupy the niche. This signals the importance of selecting precise sub-niches to sell in, rather than putting all of your eggs in one basket with phrases like “party accessories” or “party decorations”.

In the following sections, we explore the different events and accessory types that prevail on Etsy.

Trendy occasions calling for party supplies

Right off the bat, we can put our fingers on multiple occasions that are often linked to party accessory shopping.

Some of the most popular ones include:

• Birthdays
• Bachelorette parties
• Baby showers
• Graduations
• Retirement parties
• Anniversaries
• Wedding parties
• Corporate parties

A quick browse on Etsy revealed that there are, indeed, a myriad of listings from these sub-niches.

But if a particular occasion interests you as a seller, you’ll need to make strategic choices using extra information. Let’s find out how by dissecting two of the most trending occasions – birthday parties and bachelorette parties.

Birthday parties

Say you’re a seller that has recently decided to tap into the potential of the birthday party accessory market.

Here’s what you’ll need to know.

First, the choice of keywords for your listing matters tremendously. For instance, “birthday party supplies” only generates a monthly search volume of 14 and yet has a competition level of 2,872,260.

On the other hand, “birthday party decoration” has double the search volume (29) and several times less competition (621,429). Put otherwise, it would be a much more strategic choice, resulting in better performance.

Second, just because you’ve selected a niche (birthday parties) doesn’t mean you have to stop there. Etsy and Sale Samurai suggest that there are plenty of themes you can use to gain a competitive edge.

Here are a few interesting examples, along with their monthly search volumes:

• fox birthday party decorations – 126
• tea birthday party decorations – 125
• art birthday party decorations – 125
• sing birthday party decorations – 125
• 90s birthday party decor – 124

As you can see, more buyers browse for themed birthday party decorations than the general phrase “birthday party decorations”. What does this mean? Such keywords will reward you with more traffic and will yield better sales volumes.

But let’s dive into a real-life example of a bestseller.

The “Iridescent Happy Birthday Banner – Narwhal Party Paper Bunting – Iridescent Mermaid party supplies – Unicorn Party decorations-Under the sea” listing appears in Etsy’s “Most Loved” section for party decorations.

It is part of the LittleOrchardCraft shop that specializes in “Stylish party supplies, accessories & gorgeous giftware”. This item has contributed to the shop’s total 101,474 sales and 14,608 reviews.

The seller has intelligently utilized the opportunities presented by sub-niches. Their shop is segmented into different categories, including wedding accessories, hen parties, baby showers, party tableware, birthday party, Valentine’s Day decor, and more.

Why is this important? Because it enables the seller to target specific audiences and increase their reach. It also boosts traffic potential and therefore doubles the chances of landing sales.

Bachelorette parties

A similar scenario can be witnessed in the bachelorette party accessory market.

In this case, optimizing your listings for “bachelorette party decorations” is likely to be much more fruitful than for “supplies” or “accessories”. The phrase generates a monthly search volume of 467 and has a competition level of 42,910.

As a comparison, “bachelorette party accessories” has a search volume of 13, yet a competition level of 61,686 (which is more than that of the previous example).

Looking into the types of items Etsy merchants offer in this niche, we came across different phrases used.

Here are some examples with individual search volumes:

• Hen party decoration – 212
• Bridal shower decoration – 52
• Bridal shower decor – 48

We also noticed that one of the best practices is to optimize listing titles and descriptions with synonym words, like:

• Bride to be
• Team bride
• Bride tribe

This increases the exposure of the listing and makes the item more relevant for multiple consumer searches.

So if you’re planning to dip your fingers into this niche, our recommendation is to thoroughly research the plethora of keyword phrases at your disposal.

And why not merge this niche with another relevant occasion – wedding party decor? Considering that “wedding decor” has a monthly search volume of 3,370 (despite the incredible competition level of 2,018,258), it’s definitely a market worth your interest.

The different party accessory categories to consider

So far, we’ve only inspected the party accessory niche from the perspective of occasions.

But let’s not forget that there are two more factors to select your sub-niches around: category and audience.

In terms of party accessory categories, we identified the following as the most popular on the platform:

• Pom poms
• Balloons
• Party lanterns
• Banners
• Bunting & garlands
• Hanging decorations
• Cake toppers
• Drink stirrers

But even selecting an occasion and a party accessory type won’t be enough to do the trick. You’ll need to target your listing for the right audience.

Selecting your target audience

The good thing about parties is that there’s a right occasion for everyone. In other words, you can use the niche to attract the attention of different buyer groups, boosting exposure. And all of this could be done via a shingle shop with individual listings.

For example, some of the wave-creating phrases and categories we came across throughout our research include:

• party decorations for kids
• Party decorations for adults
• Party decorations cats
• Party decorations 50th

Tying in these phrases with others like “party accessories” and a theme, like “hen party decoration” should lead you to success. For instance, a professionally optimized and high-ranking listing title could look something like this:

“Party decorations for adults – Pink party accessories that make the best hen party decoration – Bride balloons”

This title features key phrases with high search volume and bearable competition. It increases the chances of the listing ranking high in search results, making it easily discoverable. Considering that the images are attractive and the product description is high-level, there’s no reason why traffic shouldn’t convert into sales.

Wrapping up

Our journey through the party accessory market on Etsy leads us to several conclusions.

First, the niche is quite large. It is characterized by a huge search volume, high competition levels, and incredible product diversity.

Second, it’s divided into a wide range of sub-niches, which you must consider if you’re planning to become profitable in the space.

Lastly, best-selling listings show us that it’s essential to tie in the main phrase (for instance, “party accessories”) with a supply type (like balloons, name tags, etc), and a target audience (say, adults or kids).

Following this approach together with market insights from Sale Samurai will equip you with all you need to turn your Etsy shop into a money-making machine.