Since e-commerce entered our lives, we have all become well aware of the changing trends in spending. In this wild world of e-commerce, one business model that has been gaining notable traction is print-on-demand. If you want to start a side hustle in your free time that can be managed online, then consider a print-on-demand business.
So, what exactly is a print-on-demand business? To explain this in simple words, it’s an e-commerce setup where products are produced once an order is placed. This means you will not be holding any inventory. You will sell customized products like apparel, mugs, and home decor.
Your chosen printing partner will take care of printing your designs on products and shipping them directly to your customers. In this guide, you will get to know everything related to starting a print-on-demand business. From market research and idea inspiration to choosing the right platforms, you will get to know about everything.
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How Does the Print on Demand (POD) Work?
The best thing about starting a print-on-demand business is that it requires minimal upfront costs. You don’t need to set aside heavy investments to start this business.
Following are some key steps that explain how a POD business works:
1. Design Creation: In the first step, you will create a unique design or source it from somewhere/ The designs need to align with your target audience’s taste and interest. These designs can be applied to various products such as T-shirts, mugs, tote bags, or phone cases.
2. Product Listing: Next, you will need to upload your designs to a POD platform or your e-commerce store and display pictures of how the final product will look which will be delivered to the customer’s doorstep.
3. Customer Purchase: Now when a customer places an order, your selected POD partner will automatically receive the order, print the design on the chosen product, and prepare it for shipment.
4. Fulfillment and Shipping: Here, the Print-on-demand partner will ship the product directly to the customer on your behalf. This will reduce your workload and simplify the process of shipping.
This seamless workflow will enable you to focus on marketing, customer service, and expanding your product lines without worrying about production and shipping the products to your customers.
Before starting any business you must know the steps that you need to follow to start a business, its pros and cons and how to make it successful. Here is a complete guide on how to start a business.
Types of Print On Demand (POD) Products:
There are different categories of print-on-demand products. In the apparel category, we have t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, tank tops, hats, and caps.
In-home decor we have wall art (posters, canvas prints), throw pillows, and blankets. In accessories, we have tote bags, backpacks, phone cases, and jewelry (e.g., custom charms).
In stationery, we have notebooks, journals, greeting cards, stickers, and calendars. Then other categories involve pet products (pet apparel, pet bowls, etc) and fitness items (gym bags, yoga mats, etc.)
How is Print On Demand (POD) different from Drop Shipping?
Drop shipping also involves third-party suppliers that ship directly to customers, where you’re usually selling pre-made products from a catalog. In POD, there is a level of customization and creativity that allows you to sell products designed by you or tailored to specific customer needs.
In 2022, the print-on-demand market was valued at $6.3 billion and this market size is expected to reach $45.6 billion in 2031.
Steps To Start a Print-On-Demand Business
1. Do Market Research and Select a Niche
Choosing the right niche can make your print-on-demand business stand out amongst other businesses. A particular niche will be able to target a specific audience and this will make your products more attractive. This will set your brand apart from businesses that are catering to every other niche.
Tools for Market Research:
Choosing the right category that has a good profit margin is essential and for doing this, you can use different tools. These tools will help you estimate the demand, and see what’s trending and who your competitor is.
Use Google Trends to check into the popularity of search terms over time in your chosen category. This will allow you to see if your niche is growing, stable, or declining with time.
You can use keyword research tools like Ubersuggest, Keyword Tool, Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs. These tools will let you check what customers are searching for. They let you check the keyword search volume and competition within specific products.
Analyze your competitors using the same tools as they also let you know who your competitors are and where their traffic is coming from. For what keywords do they rank, etc? Analyze their best-performing products and content.
Look for Inspiration
After looking into what is trending, you can go to different platforms and look for inspiration in your specific niche. These will help you create better designs and attract more customers.
You can draw inspiration from sites like:
Now here you need to keep one thing in mind. There should be a balance between trending and evergreen products. This is because trending products will sell out fast and work as quick wins but their demand dies over time whereas evergreen products will have a consistent demand over time.
2. Design Your Products
This business relies on designs. If people love your designs, they will buy from you so designs are your main product here. You need to create eye-catching designs. Everyone has a different taste so you will need to cater to all kinds of customers. Some love a pop of color, some like simple, minimal designs, and some love aesthetic-looking things.
You can use the following software to create your designs:
If you don’t enjoy the process or have that creativity with you, you can spend a little and get your designs created by professional freelance designers. You can find these people on platforms like:
Just ensure that you always use high-resolution images so that your designs end up looking crisp and professional when they are printed. Additionally, you can also use RGB color mode for professional designs as it provides a wider range of colors.
Now nobody will be able to envision the final product by just looking at the image of designs so you need to make sure that you put your designs on products for your customers to be able to see it.
Platforms like Placeit can be used to create realistic product images. You will be able to place your designs on various items such as mugs, t-shirts, hoodies, etc.
3. Choose Where to Sell Your Products
Following are some of the platforms where you can easily set up your e-commerce store:
Every platform will have its unique features, pros and cons. Some of these platforms will allow you to create your website and some will work like offline marketplaces. You can explore all these options and decide what works best for you.
Once you are done choosing a platform, set up your store and create a visually appealing storefront or website that will attract customers. If you have your website, invest your time in SEO to rank your website at higher levels in the search bar.
4. Select and Integrate Print On Demand Platforms
There are various print-on-demand platforms that you can use to sell your products.
Here are a few options:
- Select a reliable print-on-demand service that aligns with your product needs.
- Now follow the specific instructions provided by your chosen POD service to connect it to your e-commerce platform.
- Upload your designs and sync your products so they automatically reflect on your storefront.
- Lastly, place test orders to see that the entire process is running smoothly.
Now to ensure that your operations run smoothly, follow this step-by-step guide on how to integrate your print-on-demand platforms with your e-commerce store:
5. Set Prices
To set prices for your print-on-demand business, various steps should be followed. Start by calculating the total costs associated with each product, which includes production costs, fulfillment fees, shipping expenses, and any platform fees.
After this, research similar products within your niche to evaluate the ongoing market rate and identify a competitive price. You can set up higher prices for your products and justify them if you are using high-quality materials or providing unique designs that are not available in the market and have a consistent demand.
Once you start making some sales, evaluate the customer feedback, sales, reviews, etc. to adjust the prices accordingly.
6. Market Your Business
Multiple businesses start each year around the globe. Very few can make it past 1 year whereas all else fail. One of the main reasons for their failure is that people don’t know what they offer.
This is why marketing is extremely important for any business. The goal of any type of marketing is to drive traffic, attract customers, and make sales.
There are a few types of marketing that you can do for your business:
Social Media Marketing: Create your social media profiles and start promoting your products on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. If you have the budget, collaborate with different influencers and ask them to promote your products. This will help in driving traffic to your store and making revenue.
Paid Advertising: You can also run targeted Facebook and Google Ads campaigns by using different ad formats such as carousel ads, videos, and retargeting ads. Just focus on highlighting your product
Email Marketing: Start by building an email list using lead magnets like discounts or freebies. Then craft automated email sequences to welcome your subscribers and share product updates. Try to engage customers with periodic newsletters and promotional content that will serve as a reminder for your business and whenever they need something, they’ll come to you.
There are various other forms of advertising such as content marketing where you can publish blogs or upload videos on YouTube to attract the audience. Also, make sure to use SEO strategies to optimize your website and bring it to the top.
7. Manage Orders and Focus on Growing Your Business
Automating the order process can make your life easy. If you have integrated your POD platform with your e-commerce store then it will save you a lot of time and reduce the risk of any errors. This will also give you time to focus on other aspects of your print-on-demand business such as building customer loyalty.
This can be achieved by providing exceptional customer service. Try to address customer inquiries promptly and have clear return and refund policies to handle any issues that may arise.
To build customer loyalty, you can offer loyalty programs, personalized thank-you emails, and exclusive promotions to encourage returning customers. More business will leave you with more profit margins that will help you grow and scale with time.
What if I want to Start In-House Production?
If you are thinking of how to start a print-on-demand business, one question that will pop into your mind is if you want to outsource production or start in-house printing.
Outsourcing is convenient and has minimal startup costs but may limit your control over quality and turnaround times. Whereas, in-house production will provide more control and potential for profit margins but also requires a huge initial investment in equipment and ongoing maintenance.
If you are interested in starting an in-house production, you must buy reliable printing equipment. For direct-to-garment (DTG) printers, which are best for detailed, high-quality prints, we recommend you look for reputable suppliers like Epson or Brother.
Sawgrass is a good brand for sublimation printing which works well for items like mugs and phone cases.
Lastly, you will need heat press machines which are important for transferring designs to fabric, and these can be sourced from brands like Cricut and Stahls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is print-on-demand business profitable?
Yes, a print-on-demand business can be profitable, especially if you choose the right niche and good marketing strategies. In the start, profits may be modest due to production and platform fees but you can scale up through popular products, strong branding, and repeat customers can lead to sustainable profitability.
Can you still make money in print-on-demand?
Yes, you can easily make money print-on-demand, as it offers a low-risk way to sell custom products with minimal upfront costs. Success depends on choosing the right niche, creating appealing designs, and effectively marketing your products. With the right strategy, it can be a lucrative source of income.
How much does it cost to start a print-on-demand business?
The startup cost can vary. It depends if you are outsourcing or doing in-house production. If you are starting an in-house production, the costs can be several thousand dollars depending on the type of equipment you are buying. If you are outsourcing, the cost will be minimal and usually consist of platform fees, design software, and marketing.
Do I need design experience to start a print-on-demand business?
Having a design experience does help but it’s not mandatory. There are tools like Canva and templates available that can help you or you can hire freelance designers.
Can I run a print-on-demand business part-time?
Yes, you can easily start POD businesses as a side hustle and gradually transition to full-time as your business grows.
Conclusion
Print on Demand (POD) can be a very fruitful business but when it is done right. You will need to plan everything carefully. The step that can make or break your business is the research for your niche.
You should choose one particular niche that has a market gap at the start. This will help you stand out and later on you can grow your business once you start getting orders and people know about your business.
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