Sell planners online before the new year starts

1. 01

   Show every layout

   Buyers choose a planner by its pages. Photograph or scan each spread (year, month, week, notes) and say how many weeks or months it covers.

2. 02

   Choose dated, undated or both

   Dated planners feel finished but lose value once their year begins; undated ones sell all year. Many makers do both, with undated as the year-round seller.

3. 03

   Time your launch

   Calendar-year planners sell from late summer to January, and academic planners from early summer. Launch dated planners early, and choose a date for clearing leftovers.

4. 04

   Make size, cover and start month options

   List each planner once, with size, cover color and start month as options, each with its own stock, so January and July starts never get mixed up.

5. 05

   Sell printables alongside

   A printable PDF of the same layout reaches buyers abroad and people who want it today. On any paid plan, files are delivered after payment and kept in the buyer’s account.

6. 06

   Add refills and extras

   Refill inserts for next year, stickers, page flags and pen loops bring back customers who already own your cover.

• Check every date twice

  One wrong date or a missing holiday spoils a dated planner. Proofread every month against a printed calendar, and if you list public holidays, say which country they’re for.

• Digital downloads and the right to cancel

  In the EU and UK, buyers of downloads can usually cancel within 14 days unless they agreed, before downloading, to give up that right. Say plainly on the page how your downloads work, and check what your checkout asks.

• VAT on printables

  Digital sales to EU consumers are taxed at the rate of the buyer’s country. Stripe Tax can calculate it once it’s active, and you may need to register for the EU’s One Stop Shop. Check with your accountant.

General information to help you get started, not legal advice. Rules differ by country, state and product, so check the ones that apply to you.