What is print-on-demand and why should I consider it a business?

Introduction to Print on Demand

Print on demand, often abbreviated as POD, is a printing technology and business process where products like books, clothing, and other items are printed individually on-demand as customers place orders, instead of printing batches in advance and holding inventory. This enables companies and entrepreneurs to sell custom printed products without the high costs and risks associated with traditional manufacturing and inventory management.

Some key benefits of the print on demand model include:

Low startup costs - No need for large upfront investments in equipment and materials. Print on demand allows testing product ideas with minimal risk.
Easy to scale - Print on demand can efficiently meet spikes in demand. No guesswork required for how much inventory to hold. It scales to demand easily.
No wasted inventory - Items are only printed when ordered by customers, so there's no excess. This reduces waste.
Endless customizations - Print on demand supports easy personalization and customizations for each order.
Global distribution and reach - Products can be printed and shipped locally to customers worldwide.
Sustainable - Reduces waste since items aren't mass printed upfront before demand is known.

Popular print on demand products include books, clothing like t-shirts and hoodies, posters, phone cases, mugs, and many other customized items. The technology makes it possible for entrepreneurs and small businesses to offer endless personalized products without big risks.

Marketsy's print on demand integration allows users to easily add print on demand products to their AI-generated stores. This makes it faster and simpler for sellers of all sizes to get up and running with customized print products.

Defining Print on Demand

Print on demand means that products are only printed when a customer places an order, rather than printing large batches upfront and hoping they sell. This contrasts with traditional printing, where companies must forecast demand, pay for large print runs in advance, and hold excess inventory if products don't sell as expected.

With print on demand, there is no need to predict demand or hold inventory. Products can be printed on-demand as orders come in, even in small quantities down to a single order. This makes print on demand ideal for niche products, personalization, and unique designs that may only appeal to a smaller audience. Popular print on demand items include books, t-shirts, phone cases, wall art, home decor, accessories, and much more.

Print on Demand Business Models

There are a few key business models for selling print on demand products:

Owned ecommerce store - Sell print on demand products directly through your own online storefront. Handle marketing and drive your own traffic.
Dropshipping - Integrate with print on demand platforms like Printful who handle fulfillment. List items on marketplaces like Etsy as a middleman.
White label services - Offer print on demand fulfillment for other businesses under your own brand.
Licensing designs - Create designs and content then license to print on demand platforms in exchange for royalties.
Hybrid model - Combine owned storefront, partnerships, licensing, and wholesale.

The flexibility of print on demand supports many creative ways to build a business.

Benefits of Print on Demand

Some of the major advantages of the print on demand business model include:

Low startup costs - No need for purchasing batches of inventory upfront so less capital required. Allows testing ideas.
Low risk - Easy to test product ideas with less commitment. Fail fast and adapt.
No forecasting required - No guessing at demand. Print only what sells. Reduces waste.
Customization - Support personalized designs tailored to each customer order.
Global reach - Print and ship items locally to customers worldwide.
Sustainability - Reduce waste since items are printed on-demand.

For entrepreneurs and small businesses, the low-risk nature of print on demand allows for efficient testing of product ideas to see what resonates in the marketplace. It enables iterating quickly based on demand signals.

Print on Demand Products

Print on demand technology can be used to sell a diverse range of customized and personalized products, including:

Books - Perfect for self-publishing, niche topics, and small print runs.
Apparel - T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, phone cases, bags, and other accessories.
Wall art - Photos, paintings, posters printed on canvas, prints, metal, wood.
Stationery - Notebooks, notepads, stickers, calendars, planners, cards, invitations.
Home decor - Pillows, mugs, clocks, trays, blankets, fabrics, phone cases.
Accessories - Face masks, jewelry, buttons, stickers.

Nearly any design can be printed on a huge array of products, enabling endless customization. Products can be made unique by using special materials and production techniques.

Print on Demand Platforms

Popular print on demand platforms include:

Marketsy - Launch customized print on demand stores easily with AI. Optimizes listings and marketing.
Printful - Top print service integrating with ecommerce stores. High-quality fulfillment.
Printify - Print network with warehousing and order processing. Global fulfillment centers.
Zazzle - Print on demand marketplace to sell instantly. Great for niche creators.
Redbubble - Leading marketplace for apparel, wall art, and more. Strong organic traffic.
CafePress - One of the pioneers in print on demand. Wide range of products.

These platforms handle printing, shipping, and order fulfillment so you can focus on design and sales.

How to Start a Print on Demand Business

Launching a profitable print on demand business involves careful planning and execution across these key steps:

Researching Trends and Ideas

Research current bestselling designs and products in your niche.
Use keyword tools like Google Trends to identify rising searches.
Look for gaps by analyzing competing print on demand sites for untapped opportunities.
Brainstorm creative and personalized products tailored to your target audience.
Validate ideas by surveying potential customers and running pre-sales.

Setting Up Your Print on Demand Store

Choose ecommerce platform - Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, GearBubble, etc.
Integrate print on demand suppliers - Printful, Printify, Monster Digital, etc.
Design brand identity, logo, store layout, packaging.
Add products to storefront and sync listings with print provider.
Configure payment processing, shipping rates, and sales tax setup.
Install analytics, marketing apps, email plugins.

Creating and Optimizing Designs

Make unique designs following trends and niche interests.
Use mockup generators to showcase products attractively.
A/B test multiple design variations to determine bestsellers.
Analyze data to identify and double down on proven top sellers.
Refresh and add designs periodically to maximize sales.

Driving Traffic and Sales

Content marketing through blogging, social media, video sites.
On-page SEO optimizing product pages and metadata.
Paid ads through Google, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.
Email marketing like newsletters, promotions, re-engagement.
Cross-promote top selling items across channels.
Retarget engaged visitors across sites and channels.

Managing Your Print on Demand Business

Automate order processing and customer notifications.
Closely monitor production time, shipping, and quality.
Manage profit margins and pricing strategies wisely.
Continually analyze data to optimize conversions.
Provide excellent customer service and support.
Test and improve all aspects of operations for efficiency.

Getting the backend operations running smoothly is vital for scaling efficiently.

Keys to Print on Demand Success

Running a consistently profitable print on demand business requires excelling across a few key areas:

Finding Profitable Niches

Monitor best selling designs on other print sites for inspiration.
Use keyword research to identify high-demand, low-competition niches.
Create evergreen designs not tied to short-lived trends.
Balance broad appeal products with customized niche designs.
Test products across multiple niches to find winners.

Creating Engaging Product Listings

Showcase designs worn on models in lifestyle settings.
Optimize titles for SEO and highlight key features.
Provide detailed sizing information and product specs.
Show creative ways customers can use and wear products.
Use videos to demonstrate products when helpful.

Marketing and Promotions

Offer site-wide sales and coupons for holidays or events.
Provide free shipping over certain order values.
Prominently feature best selling items.
Run contests and giveaways on social media.
Create promotional videos showcasing products.
Retarget past visitors across channels with ads.
Send email newsletters and promotions to subscribers.

Providing Excellent Customer Service

Respond to customer inquiries quickly.
Proactively notify customers when orders ship.
Make returns and exchanges easy.
Follow up with customers about any issues.
Request reviews and feedback on products.

Optimizing Your Print on Demand Store

Continually A/B test designs and marketing.
Analyze data to optimize store for conversions.
Refresh product listings regularly.
Closely monitor order fulfillment time.
Automate repetitive tasks to improve efficiency.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

The print on demand business model offers a low-risk way for entrepreneurs to sell customized products online without high startup costs or inventory commitments. Market research and carefully testing designs are key to finding profitable niches. Excellent marketing and promotions get products in front of customers, while great customer service keeps them coming back.

Marketsy makes launching and running a print on demand business easy. The AI platform lets you get an ecommerce store up and running in minutes to start selling customized print products. With Marketsy handling the store creation and management, you can focus fully on designing compelling products customers will love.

The key takeaways are:

Print on demand enables low-risk customized product experimentation.
Choose niche products based on market research and testing.
Focus on marketing, promotions and great customer service.
Continually optimize the business for efficiency.
Marketsy's AI simplifies launching print on demand stores.

Ready to start selling customized print products online? Get your store up and running in just minutes with Marketsy!