What is print-on-demand?
As you can read from the name, print-on-demand means merchandise only print the product when orders are placed. This business model makes the online business much easier, as you don’t need to buy or store any inventory, and are able to keep your costs low.
The old model of merchandise:
- Buy or print hundreds of units.
- Store the product.
- Take some pictures of your product and market them
- Mail the product after someone purchase
The print-on-demand merchandise:
- Design and upload your product
- Market your product
- Print the product and mail (it can be taken over by platforms)
As you can see, all you need to do is prepare your designs and market your product. Aside from that, the print-on-demand platforms will basically handle the rest, from printing to packing and delivery.
Why choose print-on-demand?
Easily create your own shop
If you’re an influencer or even just a micro-influencers, have your own audiences in your niche, then print-on-demand is perfect for you, as you can start to sell your own product or design easily.
You can add your shop link or product links in your social media, or Youtube description, then your audience might purchase them from there, that’s how you get extra income.
Test a new product in your niche
As you don’t need to invest in a large inventory of products, you would easily create and upload the new designs and test them out first on your own website or on print-on-demand platforms, and minimize your risks. No pressure at all!
How to start your print-on-demand business?
Choose the right print-on-demand platforms
First of all, you need to set up your online store to sell your products. There’re several options:
- Create your own online shop + integrate with print-on-demand companies
- Sell on print-on-demand marketplace
If you choose to create your own shop, then you can use e-commerce platforms to build all the shop functions, like Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, BigCommerce.
Print-on-demand platforms monthly fee:
Shopify: $9 (the most popular platform)
Bigcommerce: $29.95
Volusion: $15
Big Cartel: $0
3dcart: $29
If you don’t want to spend much time on creating an online shop, then you can choose an easy way, sell your product on the marketplace, like Redbubble, Esty, Zazzle.
Choose your products
Print-on-demand allows you to sell almost everything, from coffee cups, bags to a T-shirt, stickers, etc.
It’s important to find your own niche, as print-on-demand is a very competitive market.
Design your products
If you’re already an artist or photographer, you probably already have a range of designs.
If you don’t have any designs, you don’t want to spend time learning from the beginning, then finding a freelancer on Fiverr to work for you is a good choice.
If you want to make your own design, but don’t have professional tools or knowledge, then here are some useful tools that you can use:
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
- InDesign
- GIMP
- Inkscape
You can also purchase some copy-free images or photos from sites like Shutterstock.
Choose your print-on-demand partner
If you choose to set up your own store, then you need to integrate the print-on-demand services with your shop.
On Shopify, you can integrate a print-on-demand service with one click from a number of options.
Promote and sell
After you set up your online shop (if you created your own shop), upload your designs, and set up your products, the most important part is just starting, you need to start to market your product, make some sales.
If you’re an influencer with an existing audience, then you can simply send some posts on your social media.
If you don’t have an audience, then you can start with your friend and family, tell them about your online shop and design, ask them to share your shop in their networks.
We also have a guide on print-on-demand marketing.
Print-on-demand tips: Focused on your niche
Understand who your product’s for, spend some time hanging out with them, know what they’re caring about. That’s how you can get some ideas to target them with free marketing strategies and paid advertising campaigns.
It’s better to order some samples and take some images of the product ‘in use’ instead of brand images. This makes the product seem more tangible.