If you’ve been thinking about starting a print-on-demand business—or you’ve just gotten started and you’re still in that early stage and you’re not really getting a ton of traction—this article lays out a complete roadmap of the decisions to think about and choose when you are first starting a print-on-demand business.
With so many tutorials and so much information out there, it can be hard to get a clear idea of the basic things you actually need to think about to get started. The focus here is the barebones system that can help you grow a very successful and profitable business without a ton of extra stuff.
1) Decide What Platforms You Want to Sell On
The very first decision you need to make is figuring out what platforms you want to sell on. This seems straightforward, but there’s a lot that goes into it.
There are two different types of print-on-demand platforms:
- More passive platforms
- Platforms that involve more work (but can be more profitable)
Both options have pros and cons.
2) More Passive Print-on-Demand Platforms
On the more passive side are sites like:
- Merch by Amazon (Amazon Merch)
- Zazzle
- TeePublic
- Redbubble
On these platforms, you are basically:
- Creating the design
- Uploading the product
- Writing the title and description
Then the platform you are selling on does everything else, including:
- Making the item
- Shipping it
- Packing it
- Storing it
- Handling customer service, including returns
This is nice because:
- You aren’t fronting money to purchase the products you are selling.
- If a customer doesn’t like an item, you aren’t doing the customer service.
- The platform (like Amazon) is going to eat the cost for you.
Drawbacks to consider
Merch by Amazon is desirable, but it has an extensive application process and a lot of people do not get accepted. Even if you do everything “right,” it doesn’t guarantee acceptance, and it may take applying multiple times. If you do get accepted, it can be super profitable and has one of the lowest barriers for getting lots of items up and making lots of sales.
On the other hand, other passive platforms like Redbubble, TeePublic, and Zazzle do not have an application process and you don’t have to front money—but they are often more competitive. Because the barrier to entry is low, these platforms can be flooded with sellers.
If you’re just trying to dip your toes into print-on-demand, you can try one of these sites, but you might not be able to build as profitable of a business as if you were selling somewhere else.
3) Selling on a Platform Like Etsy
Another strong option is selling on a platform like Etsy. This does involve more work, but it can be much more profitable than a place like Redbubble.
Etsy doesn’t have the capability to make items for you. It operates as a marketplace, so you need to partner with a manufacturing company that produces the items for you. You are acting as the middleman:
- You list products on Etsy.
- A customer purchases the product.
- Your manufacturing partner produces the item.
You’re still not printing, packing, shipping, or storing items yourself, but you are purchasing the item upfront.
Example of how the pricing works
If you wanted to sell a t-shirt on Etsy:
- You might pay around $10 to your manufacturing partner to purchase the item.
- Then you can turn around and sell that item for $20 or more on Etsy.
- You pocket the difference every time the item sells.
Choosing a production partner
There are tons of different manufacturing partners, and some are better than others. You’ll want to think about:
- Pricing
- Turnaround time
- Quality
One example mentioned is Printify, which offers a wide range of products because it has many different manufacturers. That means you can sell:
- T-shirts
- Mugs
- Tote bags
- Tumblers
- Journals
- Many other product types
Printify can also integrate with Etsy so orders can run smoothly.
If you go the Etsy route, make sure you have a strong production partner who is vetted, has good quality, and isn’t too expensive.
4) You Can Sell on More Than One Platform
You are not limited to one place. You can sell on more than one platform, and many sellers choose to do that.
5) Research the Niches and Products You Want to Sell
Once you figure out where you want to sell, the next step is deciding how you are going to research niches and products.
A lot of new sellers start with a shop idea based on something they personally like. Sometimes that can work, but often those shops are too broad or too competitive.
Example: “Cats” as a niche
If you want a shop completely dedicated to items about cats, that broad cat niche is very competitive. As a print-on-demand seller, you need to find a way to sell something with a lot less competition.
6) Use Research Tools Instead of Guessing
It’s tempting to think you can figure out niches and trends on your own, but that often leads to:
- Wasting time scrolling bestseller pages on Etsy or Amazon
- Making items that don’t sell because the niche is too competitive
Using a research tool can help you find designs and opportunities day after day.
Research tools mentioned
Merch Informer
- Based completely on sold data from print-on-demand items on Amazon
- Shows what items are selling daily
- Helps identify items ranked low in bestseller charts
- Highlights items that have recently started selling well
Sale Samurai
- More geared toward Etsy sellers
- Shows information about products that could be good choices to sell on Etsy
- Provides SEO information
Depending on your platform, one tool may fit better, but both can often be used interchangeably. If something is selling well on Amazon, it’s often safe to assume a similar niche can also sell well on Etsy, and vice versa.
7) Use Cross-Niching to Reduce Competition
A strategy mentioned is targeting niches that are a cross between two popular things.
For example:
- A generic Christmas design is extremely hard to compete with (there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of generic Christmas designs on Etsy).
- Instead of a generic Christmas design, you can cross-niche Christmas with something else popular, such as:
- A Christmas beagle owner design
- A Christmas dentist design
- A Christmas granny design
Anytime you can sub-niche and get more specific with the audience you’re targeting, there is a greater opportunity to make sales.
(Any promotional workshop, registration links, or “email to watch” references are removed for article format.)
8) Decide What Products You Are Going to Sell
There isn’t one type of product that always does better than others across the board. It depends on your platform and its limitations.
If you’re selling on Amazon Merch
- You will have a smaller catalog of products.
- People often get the most traction selling t-shirts.
- If you’re a beginner on Amazon, it can help to stick with apparel and aim for your first sales before expanding into other products.
If you’re selling on Etsy integrated with Printify
The sky is the limit with the kinds of products you can sell, including classic apparel items like:
- Hoodies
- T-shirts
- Sweatshirts
Another strategy new sellers use is choosing a more unusual product type to break into a competitive niche faster. For example, if a niche is selling well on t-shirts, you could put the idea on:
- Tumblers
- Blankets
- Other products with less competition
Avoid getting overwhelmed
A major mistake new sellers make is spreading themselves too thin by uploading too many different product types.
A strong recommendation is to stick with two or three product types and focus your energy on getting lots of products uploaded in those categories.
Good starter products include:
- T-shirts
- Hoodies
- Sweatshirts
- Mugs
You can also pick a couple of more obscure products if that fits your shop.
9) Printify Free vs. Printify Premium
If you are purchasing items on Printify, another decision is whether you want:
- A free account, or
- Printify Premium
Both can be good options.
- With a free account, you can get started, but you’ll pay a bit more for the wholesale cost of items.
- With Printify Premium, you can get up to 20% off wholesale items, which means more profit on every sale.
The math often works out like this:
- If you plan on making more than 15 sales per month, it is usually worthwhile to get a premium account.
- If you’re not sure yet, it can still make sense to start with a free account.
10) Start Making Your Designs
Once you know what products you’re making, the next step is making your designs. Many people jump straight to this step, but there’s a lot to think about before you get here.
There are many design tools out there, and it can feel overwhelming. The main thing is choosing a tool you understand and can use easily enough to make new products regularly without getting overwhelmed.
Design tools mentioned
Canva
- A helpful resource for many tasks.
Kittl
- Tailored to print-on-demand sellers
- Designs created in the platform are intended to be safe to sell on print-on-demand sites
- Includes many templates (especially for t-shirts)
- Allows quick drag-and-drop design creation
- Includes AI image generators
Templates can act like training wheels for beginners, and they can still be useful even later because they speed up design creation.
Placeit
- Includes design tools and templates
- Also includes access to a catalog of mockups
11) Extra Tools for Fonts, Graphics, and Personalization
A couple of additional tools mentioned as optional add-ons:
Creative Fabrica
- Access to hundreds of thousands of fonts
- Access to millions of downloadable graphics and designs
- Described as a low-cost subscription (around $5/month)
HelloCustom (for personalized items)
Personalized items can be a profitable market, especially on Etsy, but they can seem like more work. HelloCustom is described as a tool that automates the personalization process by generating updated artwork based on what the customer submits, so you don’t have to create new designs manually for every order.
12) Build on the Foundation With Consistency
Once you have made all the key decisions—platforms, research tools, design tools, niches, and product types—you’ve laid the foundation and groundwork.
From there, it comes down to consistently uploading:
- Strong niches
- Good designs
- New products regularly (even daily, if possible)
That consistency is what helps turn the foundation into a successful, thriving print-on-demand business.
