Print on Demand, or POD, is a business model where you can create designs and then add them to a large variety of products which you can then sell. Third party fulfillment companies will print your design on their products and ship them directly to your customer. POD is a great business model for artists, designers and entrepreneurs alike.
Print on Demand is one of the easier business models to get started with. All you need to do is create attractive designs (can be outsourced) which can then be added to a variety of different products.
The products can then be sold on your own website, through a marketplace like eBay, Amazon or Etsy
Initial results can be seen in as fast as a few days, but like any business, it can take a while to build up and scale the business. Once your designs are ready, you can start adding them to various marketplaces. If you prefer to sell on your own website, you can start seeing sales immediately if you’re running paid ads (Facebook, Adwords, etc…) or already have an audience to sell to.
If you’re relying on SEO, it can take a significantly longer time to see results.
You can get started for just a few hundred dollars.
The main startup costs for a print on demand business are 1) designs (unless you’re creating them yourself), 2) advertising/marketing and 3) e-commerce tools if you’re selling on your own site.
There are many large print on demand businesses making 7 and 8 figures in revenue so the profit potential is extremely high.
Ultimately it will come down to your experience level, the amount of time and work you put into your business, the niche you select, and other important determining factors.
Low startup costs – No inventory fees, storage fees or printing expenses
Branded products and packaging
Shipping handled by fulfillment center
One design can be applied to many products
Large selection of POD products available
Can be run remotely from anywhere with an internet connection
Low barrier of entry means lots of competition
There is a learning curve to running paid ads for your ecommerce store
Finding a good, affordable and reliable designer can be difficult
The amount of money you can make with a Print on Demand business is directly proportional to the time and effort that you put into business. You can run it as a side hustle to make an extra few hundred dollars a month or you can completely replace your full time income and even scale it to multiple 6 or 7 figures in revenue. It all comes down to your specific goals and willingness to invest in learning how to properly run this type of business.
The barriers of entry to a POD business is low which means you’ll need a few things to stand out and be successful:
The niches that do best with print on demand are ones that have a passionate audience and don’t mind spending money to support their love or passion for that topic.
Examples include: