A quick guide to learn about ways to make some extra money with print on demand.
Whether you are a student, full-time employee, or have another major source of income, it never is a bad idea to add a side hustle to bring in some extra cash. But how?
The online world of the internet has lots of e-commerce business-related opportunities for the willing mind, building an additional income source shouldn’t be that hard for anyone.
Here we have some suggestions for you if you feel stuck between finding the right business idea. In simple words, we are talking about the passive income idea of starting a print-on-demand business.
In this article, we discuss in detail what is a print-on-demand business, how to make money from it, and what are the top print-on-demand websites in 2022 for you to start with.
So, let’s begin.
What is a print on demand business?
Print on Demand is an e-commerce business model where the owner without investing upfront in any inventory, gets to sell a huge portfolio of digitally printed products.
To some extent, it is a business model works quite like a drop shipping business model.
All that is needed is to select a physical product or number of products that could sell best with a design printed on it and that’s it. Once a customer places an order after selecting a product featuring that design, you simply forward the necessary details to your supplier which arranges everything from buying the product and getting it printed to packing, handling, and shipping it to the customer with your shop or brand name on it.
How to start a print-on-demand business and make money with it?
Even though this business model literally means selling a customizable product after printing it when an order is received, starting this business requires an ample amount of planning, hard work, and commitment.
But once it has been set up successfully, it can turn out to be an excellent means for passive income.
The following guide explains the necessary steps to start and run a print on demand business –
- The first and the foremost important thing is to select your product or niche. For example, most people are interested in starting a custom t-shirt store, however, other customizable objects such as mugs, cushions, water bottles, swimwear, stickers, stationery, etc. are also popular in the print-on-demand industry. But whatever you choose, make sure you understand the product well, and know how to sell it.
- The next step is to arrange designs that sell or are attractive enough to compliment the product you plan to sell. You can either create your designs by taking inspiration from other designers or you can buy some online from freelancing marketplaces or stock image sellers.
- Once you have selected the products and have arranged the designs, it is time to make some mockups. Of course, your customers would want to see first how good your designs look in finished form once printed.
- The next important step is to select a reliable platform through which to sell your products. Many print on demand websites offer the ability to build stores within them. However, you can attract more customers by expanding your print-on-demand business on multiple platforms. For example, you can also build an e-commerce drop shipping store to sell your products, use social media pages, etc. But whatever platform you choose, just make sure that you are well versed in it.
- Now comes the point where you need to decide about your fulfillment partner. There are many best print-on-demand companies on the internet to choose from based on several potential factors. These include things like range of products, quality, existing customer reviews, lead time, prices, e-commerce platform integration, after-sales service, etc.
- Once you have the designs, selling platform, and a reliable fulfillment partner, it is time to launch. You can now upload your content on the internet, create optimized listings, write descriptions, and set prices to get started.
- As a new entrant to the print-on-demand business industry, you will have to spend some extra time and money on marketing as well. There are several ways, both organic and inorganic, to attract customers and lure in some sales. Offer discounts, promotions, referral discounts, etc. to make a first good impression through social media campaigns, newsletters, email marketing, search engine optimization, etc.
Top 6 Best websites to make money with print on demand in 2022
Here is a highly curated list of some top 6 best print-on-demand companies to select from for various needs of your print-on-demand business.
Printful
When it comes to listing the top print-on-demand sites, Printful does rank among the best ones. With more than 300,000 active customers, Printful offers a free-to-use platform with complete automation.
In addition to this, there are no minimum order restrictions. They also have the facility to serve global clientele with the best shipping rates and custom branding.
Pricing
- Completely free to set up and begin. Only pay per order for its fulfillment, shipping, and related taxes.
Printify
Printify is another great option to partner with for all your print-on-demand business needs. It has over 300 products to choose from, with an advanced mockup generator that lets you work with different designs on different products easily.
The platform also offers the option to order sample products first with your design printed on them. This way you can make sure about the print and product quality before commencing the commercial activities.
Printify provides simple yet automated solutions at the best prices for print-on-demand businesses.
Pricing
- Free plan
- Premium plan at USD 24.99 per month
- Enterprise plan with custom pricing to suit your needs
Redbubble
Redbubble is another great and widely popular place for starting your print-on-demand business and making it a success. However, it is more of a design selling platform.
Designers upload their designs for specified products on the platform. Then, when a customer likes a product featuring their design, he can order it and get it delivered. In return, the designer gets paid for the design.
Redbubble offers worldwide shipping and has over 70 unique products to feature your design.
Pricing
- Free to set up a Redbubble store
Spreadshirt
Although there are a few products to sell with a major focus on t-shirts, Spreadshirt is another great way to begin your print-on-demand business. It is quite easy to use and a preferred choice for beginners and especially those wanting to make a mark in apparel designing.
Spreadshirt offers the opportunity to either sell your designs in its marketplace or sell its products in your online store. A benefit about selling in the marketplace is that other sellers can sell your designs too on different products, which generates a commission for you on each sale.
Pricing
- Free to set up a store on Spreadshirt.
Gooten
With a catalog comprising of over 150 different products in various categories, Gooten is another best place to begin your print-on-demand business.
Either upload your designs and select the products to feature them on, or simply sell products featuring the design of other creative artists and make commission-based sales, Gooten offers a one-stop solution to various segments of a print-on-demand business.
Pricing
- Free to set up a store on Gooten.
Teespring
With a cross-platform integration that supports bringing sales volume through YouTube, Facebook, Etsy, eBay, etc. Teespring is another popular platform to monetize your designs and creative talent.
Simply, make designs and upload them to your free custom store at Teespring. Then do some marketing and product promotion using various channels such as social media platforms etc. to reach your potential clients and make a profit on every sale without engaging in any hassle.
Teespring will take care of all the production, shipping, customer support, and other steps in the order fulfillment procedure.
Pricing
- Free to set up a store on Teespring.
Final thoughts
Finding the right and the best print-on-demand company will play an important role in the success of your print-on-demand business. After all, it will be your product that will directly interact and represent you in front of your client without you having anything to do in between. Fortunately for you, our list of print-on-demand sites has the most reliable print-on-demand companies to make this task easy.
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