Diversify your assets: How to Launch a Print-on-Demand Store on Different Platforms
Introduction
Launching a print-on-demand (POD) store is a low-risk way to start an online business. With print-on-demand services, you can sell customized products without holding inventory. When an order comes in, the print provider fulfills and ships the item for you.
POD makes ecommerce accessible, but most sellers only use one platform like Etsy or Redbubble. Selling across multiple POD sites allows you to reach wider audiences, utilize unique features of each marketplace, and mitigate risk if policies or fees change on one site. Manually launching and managing stores on different platforms is challenging, but AI tools like Marketsy.ai simplify multi-channel POD with just a few clicks.
In this article, we’ll explore popular print-on-demand platforms and how Marketsy.ai’s AI helps you effectively diversify your online offerings.
Overview of Leading Print-on-Demand Platforms
Many great POD sites exist, each with unique benefits:
Printful
- High quality printing and fulfillment services. Integrates with Etsy, Shopify.
- Broad selection: apparel, home decor, accessories, and more.
- No signup fees, but charges fulfillment fees per order.
Printify
- Marketplace of print providers to choose from.
- Also integrates with Etsy, Shopify, WooCommerce.
- Diverse products like leggings, masks, posters, pillows.
Etsy
- Massive audience seeking handmade, vintage, and custom goods.
- Sellers can open standalone shops or list POD products.
- Charges listing fees plus sales commissions.
Amazon Merch
- Sell apparel on Amazon’s built-in customer marketplace.
- Must apply and be approved to sell. Limited product slots.
- Around 15% commission but unbeatable visibility.
Redbubble
- Global community for indie designers and artists.
- Specializes in art prints, wall decor, apparel.
- Standard 20% sales commission.
Teespring
- Crowdfunded model for limited-time apparel campaigns.
- Create custom shirts, hoodies, hats with no upfront costs.
- Keep 65% profit on apparel sales.
Every platform has advantages, so diversifying makes strategic sense. Marketsy.ai's AI easily sets up optimized POD stores on any platform in minutes.
Choosing Products to Sell
When launching your POD business, start by identifying profitable niches and designing trending or evergreen products people want.
Research popular keywords and designs around holidays, events, hobbies, passions, and cultural trends. But also look for underserved niche markets you can corner.
Test both mass appeal and niche targeted products. Experiment with different POD product types beyond just t-shirts and mugs, such as phone cases, wall art, pillows, blankets, jewelry, notebooks and more. Use keyword tools to validate demand.
Optimizing Your Print-on-Demand Stores
Making your POD shops visually enticing and promoting them effectively is crucial for sales.
Use lifestyle product photos and compelling titles, descriptions, and branding that speak to the emotions and identity around your products. Offer occasional sales, discounts or limited-time deals to spur purchases.
Build your brand through social platforms like Instagram and TikTok where visual content performs well. Consider Facebook/Google ads to target buyers by interest and maximize sales of niche POD items.
Monitor data on your top sellers to expand production of winning designs. Marketsy.ai's AI allows instantly duplicating or tweaking underperforming stores.
Managing Multiple Platforms
When selling across print-on-demand marketplaces, use tools and tactics to stay organized:
- Centralize order processing by integrating fulfillment services like Printful.
- Maintain one product design library for easy distribution.
- Use apps to sync inventory, orders, shipping between channels.
- Automate recurring tasks like social posts where possible.
Marketsy.ai's AI handles multi-channel POD complexities, making expansion easy.
Key Takeaways
- Diversifying across POD platforms maximizes reach, unique features, and mitigates risk.
- Test trending and niche products beyond just t-shirts like wall art, pillows, blankets, etc.
- Optimize POD shops with visual content, promotions, and compelling product listings.
- Manage channels efficiently with fulfillment integration, asset libraries, syncing apps and task automation.
- Marketsy.ai's AI simplifies launching and managing diversified POD businesses across multiple platforms.
Ready to easily build a profitable multi-channel print-on-demand business? Let Marketsy.ai's AI handle the heavy lifting and get started right now.