Introduction
As I fell into the bookish space on social media in 2021, I started seeing shops that sold bookmarks and other accessories for readers. Somehow, I stumbled on corner bookmarks, made with either paper or fabric. And then I decided I wanted to figure out how to fold them with paper. It took a few tries and a few different sizes, but I was ultimately inspired by the humble paper football from high school note folding days. I was able to design a compact, neatly folded bookmark that held together without any tape or glue.
And once I perfected that, I wanted to figure out how to sell them. Keep reading to see how the modest little bookmark turned into a few thousand dollars in sales.
How to Make the Bookmarks
To make the bookmarks, you need to cut paper to 2 inches by 6 inches. You can change the size as long as you keep the proportions to same, so you can cut 3×9 or 4×12, or change them to centimeters. The folding works up the same, you’ll just end up with a giant bookmark. I had settled on 2×6 as the size so that the bookmark would be big enough to hold inside the book, but small enough that you can still read the page beneath it.
I like using patterned scrapbooking paper and you can grab that at any craft store. I recommend against a paper that’s too thick because it will get tough to fold and your fingers will hurt after awhile. I prefer using a paper cutter, but you can measure and cut with scissors if needed. It’s just a smidge more exact and polished with a paper cutter, especially since I was planning to sell them.
The video below shows how the bookmarks are folded together.
Supplies
- Scrapbooking Paper
- Paper Cutter
- Replacement Blades (the blades get dull fairly frequently with all that cutting)
How to Sell the Bookmarks
When I first started selling these bookmarks, I was experimenting to see if there was even a market for them. I used scrapbook paper that I already had in my stash and it was an assortment of different patterns. I decided that the easiest way to sell the bookmarks was to do a random pick of 4 bookmarks based on color scheme or theme. This way, I could replenish the bookmarks with whatever paper I had lying around or found on sale without having to retake a bunch of listing photos.
Pricing
My original package size was 4 bookmarks for $4, and then I would have a discount for buying more (8 would be 10% off at $7.20 and 12 would be 20% off at $9.60). I figured this was comparable to other bookmarks I saw online. I did not actually calculate anything in terms of profit and was basically winging it. I’ll include an actual calculation in 2026 dollars below.
Selling Platform
I knew that I wanted to sell these on Etsy, for the sole purpose of being able to purchase tracked first class letter stamped labels. That’s it. That’s the only reason. It was the easiest way to buy the cheapest shipping label. I knew the bookmarks were lightweight and flexible enough to be shipped in a letter envelope, so that’s what I did. I already had an existing Etsy shop where I used to sell digital art prints and lettering guides, so I added it there and called it a day.
Shipping Materials
In order to be able to send with first class letter stamps, I needed the bookmarks to stay as flat as possible in shipping. This led me to package the bookmarks in a 4 pack inside a 4×6 cellophane bag folded over itself to keep things tidy and flat. I labeled the outside with a simple file folder label that had the name of the product and the URL to my Etsy shop and my instagram account. Easy peasy. These fit easily into a 5×7 greeting card and envelope. I bought blank kraft cardstock folded cards and envelopes to ship. Perfect for keeping the bookmarks safe in transit and still fit a 4×6 thermal label on the outside.
For 12 packs of bookmarks, I use the same 4×6 cellophane bags, but also put two 4×6 index cards inside to keep things stable. The index cards I bought were fairly thin, so I put two of them for rigidity. These still pack flat into those 5×7 cards and envelopes.
Marketing Efforts
With most of my online efforts, my primary social media platform is Instagram. I started posting about my new bookmarks, showing them inside of books in photos and videos, and also sending some to other bookstagrammers to help promote. In 2021 and 2022, this worked great. I also tried Etsy ads towards the end of 2022, probably also contributing to the spike in sales. I would make and post videos on Instagram of every step of the process: cutting paper, folding bookmarks, showing how to use the bookmarks in books, packaging the bookmarks in cellophane. I would also post photos of order that got sent out. It was probably at least one bookmark-related post every single day. I also sent emails to my email newsletter whenever I was running a sale on Etsy. But as sales declined and marketing efforts didn’t yield any more, I definitely slowed down on posting. Every so often, I’ll revive a post or two, but present day sales are not what they were.
Results
From 2021 until now, gross sales have totaled $4609. This does not include supply costs or selling fees. The peak was really November and December of 2022, during holiday gifting season. I believe that a feature in a bookstagram gift guide round-up was the major contributor here. After that, sales have pretty much plummeted in the past few years, which is always such a let down when you’ve had prior success. I was not keeping track of profit all these years, so with supply costs, Etsy fees, and shipping costs, the net profit would obviously be less than this.
Profit Calculation in 2026
At 2026 costs of all supplies, Etsy fees, and shipping costs, the profit on selling a 4 pack of bookmarks for $4 is $1.67 and the profit on a 12 pack of bookmarks for $9.75 is $5.95. If I’m able to buy the scrapbook paper on clearance, then the cost of supplies decreases and the profit increases. This also does not account for time and labor.
Future Plans
For now, I plan to keep this item available for purchase in my shop. Even though sales have dramatically slowed down, it’s a fun thing for me to make. I love playing around with the different patterns of papers and the task of packing them up for shipping is pretty soothing. I do wish these got more sales because I enjoy sending them out. I’m not sure that the profit margin is worth the time in marketing for me, especially as my social media posts aren’t getting as much reach. I’ve tried various influencer outreach methods, and it doesn’t seem to lead to sales. I’ll just leave the listing up on Etsy and if I get sales from the organic search there, that’ll be good enough.
Conclusion
For awhile there, when times were good, I think the sales were great. I mean, overall, we’re looking at over $4,000 in folded up bits of paper that I was making at my desk at work. I think small ticket items can be profitable, but you need a huge volume of sales. This item is also fairly labor intensive, and you can start to feel a bit like a self-run sweatshop. Unless you actually have fun making these, I don’t recommend it as a profitable side hustle.
Thanks for reading this post! Subscribe here to get articles like this emailed directly to you.
