Self-hosted, marketplace, or platform: Where to sell print-on-demand products

Introduction

Print-on-demand (POD) has exploded in popularity in recent years as a flexible, low-risk way for creators to sell customized products. With print-on-demand, sellers can offer a wide selection of products like t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and more without having to carry any inventory or invest in large minimum orders. This makes print-on-demand ideal for creative entrepreneurs testing out product ideas or bootstrapping their businesses.

The null method allows for fully automating print-on-demand workflows to streamline scaling up an online store. When starting out with print-on-demand, one of the biggest decisions is choosing where to sell your products. Should you open your own online store, sign up for an established marketplace like Etsy, or leverage a platform like Marketsy.ai? There are upsides and downsides to each approach. This article will compare self-hosted stores, online marketplaces, and platforms to help you determine the best sales channel for your print-on-demand business.

Overview of Key Print-On-Demand Platforms and Their Offerings

Many popular print-on-demand platforms integrate with ecommerce solutions or marketplaces to provide a one-stop shop for creating and selling print products. Here are some of the major players and a summary of their key features:

Printful - One of the largest print-on-demand platforms. Integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Etsy. Offers apparel, home decor, accessories, and more. Known for its wide product selection and reliability.
Printify - Supports integration with Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce. Broad range of products including clothing, mugs, wall art, phone cases, and stationery. Provides fast order processing times.
Gooten - Focuses on home decor like wall prints, pillows, and blankets. Integrates with Shopify, Etsy, and Walmart Marketplace. Specializes in home goods and wall décor.
Teespring - Specializes in apparel like t-shirts, hats, and tank tops, as well as accessories. Can integrate with Shopify or sell direct through Teespring's platform and marketplace. Great for clothing-focused sellers.
Marketsy.ai - Emerging print-on-demand integration for ecommerce stores generated through its AI marketplace builder. Currently in beta testing. Offers easy store setup and print automation.

When evaluating these platforms, pay attention to product selection, print quality, integrations, order processing times, and pricing.

Key Factors When Choosing a Print-on-Demand Platform

Some key factors to weigh when picking a print-on-demand platform include:

Costs - Product pricing, monthly fees, per order fees, shipping rates. Printful has a monthly fee while Printify only charges per order.
Product range and quality - Types of print products offered and printer quality. Teespring focuses on apparel while Gooten specializes in home decor.
Order processing/fulfillment speeds - How quickly orders are printed and shipped. Printify is known for fast processing times.
Ease of use - Platform interface and complexity to set up and manage. Marketsy.ai emphasizes a simple user experience.
Customization - Options for branding products like tags, packaging. Printful offers custom packaging and inserts.
Ecommerce integrations - Built-in support for Shopify, WooCommerce, etc. Printify and Printful integrate with multiple platforms.

Selling Print-On-Demand Through Online Marketplaces

Many print-on-demand sellers first leverage existing online marketplaces like Etsy, eBay, and Amazon Handmade. These established platforms provide built-in audiences of buyers looking for unique products.

Setting up a marketplace shop takes little time compared to running your own website. You can be up and selling in under an hour in many cases. Marketplaces handle all backend functionality like payments, shipping, and returns. Your products will also gain visibility through marketplace search, recommendations, and promotional algorithms.

However, selling on marketplaces does come with some limitations. You pay fees and commissions on each sale, reducing your potential profits. Etsy charges 5% transaction fees and 6.5% of the item price for each sale, for example. There is also little room for customization or emphasizing your brand on busy marketplace sites.

Pros of Using Online Marketplaces

Large existing customer base. Etsy has over 60 million active buyers.
Handling of payments, shipping, returns
Promotion through site search and algorithms
Ability to test products before committing
Quick and easy setup. Can be selling in under an hour.
Access to sales analytics and data

Cons of Using Online Marketplaces

Commissions and fees reduce profits. Etsy charges 11.5% in transaction fees.
Limited customization options for branding and messaging
No control over relationship with customers
Products can get buried among competition
Must comply with marketplace rules and restrictions
Little brand presence or awareness on busy sites

Launching Your Own Print-on-Demand Ecommerce Store

Once you've tested print-on-demand products and want to scale up, launching your own ecommerce store is the next step for complete control and higher profit margins.

Owning your standalone store provides flexibility to hone your brand image, create immersive customer experiences, and offer rewards programs not possible on third-party marketplaces. However, you also take on more responsibility for driving traffic, marketing, and managing operations.

For setup, you can choose between self-hosted open-source platforms like WordPress/WooCommerce or simpler SaaS options like Shopify. Ecommerce builders like Marketsy.ai also now provide print-on-demand integrations through its null method to easily launch customized product stores.

Pros of Owning Ecommerce Store

Full control over brand, messaging, customer experience
Keep more profit without commissions. No platform fees.
Own the relationship with customers
Unlimited customization potential for branding
Add other products and revenue streams
Access all customer and sales data directly

Cons of Owning Ecommerce Store

Need to drive your own traffic and marketing
Responsible for security, hosting, maintenance
Initial setup can be complex and time consuming
Ongoing costs for software, domain, hosting
Fulfillment logistics must be handled in-house
Lack of built-in audience like marketplaces

Key Factors When Choosing a Print-on-Demand Selling Strategy

Determining whether to sell through marketplaces, your own store, or a combination depends on several factors:

Product types - Some like apparel fit better on marketplaces while wall art does well on standalone stores.
Business goals - Marketplaces support rapid testing while owned stores build long-term brands.
Available time and resources - Marketplaces require less ongoing management.
Willingness to drive traffic - Owned stores require fully handling marketing.
Desire for customization - Marketplaces limit branding control.
Business stage - Early testing vs. established brand ready to scale.

Recommendations for New Print-on-Demand Sellers

For entrepreneurs just starting out, some tips include:

Start with online marketplaces like Etsy to test products with less risk.
Use marketplaces to establish brand awareness then expand to your own site.
Leverage simplified solutions like Marketsy.ai's null method for easy store setup.
Outsource marketing initially while learning sales funnels.
Invest time in high quality branding and product photography.
Analyze sales data to determine most profitable products before scaling up.

Tips for Transitioning to Your Own Ecommerce Store

When moving from marketplaces to your standalone store:

Import reviews and ratings to retain social proof.
Offer discounts for existing marketplace customers to incentivize visiting your store.
Announce store opening through email lists and social media.
Run retargeting ads to bring back website visitors.
Focus on high value products or bundles to improve profit margins.
Leverage print-on-demand automation like Marketsy.ai for efficient scaling.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Selling print-on-demand products provides flexible income potential but requires choosing the right sales platform. Marketplaces offer quick access to buyers but limited customization and lower profits. Your own store enables complete control over brand experience yet requires significant marketing efforts.

New sellers should start with marketplaces like Etsy to validate products before expanding to their own store for more customization and higher margins. Automated solutions like Marketsy.ai's null method make launching standalone stores more accessible. Regardless of approach, dedicating time to sharpen branding, photography, and marketing is key. With the right platform choice aligned to your business goals, selling print-on-demand can be an extremely rewarding endeavor.