If you’re creative, print-on-demand might just help build your design skills. This area could even allow you to monetize your talent, or even make a living from it. Plus, print-on-demand means you don’t have to deal with too much work, like taking tedious inventory. It can also save you huge start-up investments.
If you want to know everything about print on demand, you’ve come to the right place. Here are the topics that we will cover in this article.
- What is Print on Demand?
- What are the pros and cons of print on demand
- Examples of print-on-demand sites
- Create your own print-on-demand website
1. What is print on demand?
Print on demand is a particularly interesting service for those who offer it, in the sense that there is no need to order a huge stock. Indeed, it is enough to order only what customers “request”. In addition, the service provider still has the possibility of paying his supplier after the sale of the product.
Moreover, it also happens that the service provider can also be released from all the constraints related to the printing and shipping of the products. In this way, he will be able to concentrate more on his creations, and not worry about stocks.
With print-on-demand, there are many possibilities depending on your skills. Here are some ideas in particular:
- You can test a business idea by printing just a few prototypes
- You can create additional income with your audience through print on demand if you are a social media influencer or vlogger
- You can make a hobby out of it, if you are a hobbyist, for example designing custom clothes for yourself and other people
- You can create personalized keepsakes for events
- You can customize everyday items and sell them
- Etc.
2 . What are the pros and cons of print on demand?
Here is a small non-exhaustive list of the advantages that printing on demand can provide:
- You can create products quickly, as long as the designs are ready.
- You can start your business even with a small start-up fund.
- You have almost no risk of planting yourself because you are not going to buy in large quantities. You will therefore not risk finding yourself unable to sell your products.
- You can devote more time to creating new designs.
- You won’t have to worry about printing or shipping orders.
- You will only have to inform your customer of the progress of his order, once the payment has been received.
But like anything, print-on-demand also has its downsides:
- The cost per item will be much higher, which will also reduce your profit margins.
- You will have limited control over the logistics. For example, product packaging will generally depend on your supplier.
- You will also be limited in terms of personalization, as the sizes, as well as the printing techniques, will depend on what is offered by your supplier.
3. Examples of print-on-demand sites
Print on demand is usually an online service. Customers go to the service provider’s website to see the offers and order their products. If you are determined to get into the print-on-demand service, then it will be important that you have a website that is both professional and functional.
To inspire you, we’ve picked out some examples of some of the best print-on-demand sites out there. Note that these are also suppliers who can help you start your own business.
• AOP+ Easy Print on Demand
AOP+ is one of the best print-on-demand sites that mainly focus on simple, yet high-end products. You can simply upload your own design and choose the specific type of product you want to create. AOP+ is considered one of the fastest and best print-on-demand site apps to get you started.
AOP+ also offers a free print-on-demand sitemap. This includes many amazing features that you will only find from the best print-on-demand companies. Their paid subscription plans are truly one of a kind, giving you access to all of their discounts, print customization options, and more.
• Tee launch
Teelaunch is another print-on-demand website that offers an interesting product customization tool. It allows its customers to personalize their products, simply by adding a brand image or by uploading their own photos and having them printed on the product of their choice.
Teelaunch is also considered one of the most versatile print-on-demand companies. It can be a great partner for your print-on-demand services. What sets it apart the most is its high-quality and professional-looking products. These articles come highly recommended and help find better marketing materials for your next business.
• JetPrint
JetPrint is one of the best print-on-demand sites specializing in a unique and specific style of product category. Their main object? The watches. This company offers different styles, straps and colors to choose from for your watch design. It allows you to create a design and sell it to your target market. Their print-on-demand shipping comes in a simpler form offering free and express options, including international coverage.
Once you have finished designing your print-on-demand product, JetPrint will automatically generate a photo collection of it. You will then have beautiful images of your watches from different angles.
4. Create your own print-on-demand site
Nowadays, creating a website is not such a daunting task as before. You no longer need to have coding or programming skills to do this. All you need is the services of a good website builder such as Strikingly.
But before getting there, let’s see some good basics to get started in the print-on-demand service.
Order product samples
Since you will be working with a supplier, the first thing to do is to make sure of the quality of the products that it can offer in print on demand. After all, it is your own brand that is at stake. In fact, your design may not be fully reflected in the final product, which could disappoint your customers.
By ordering samples, you will be able to check the quality of the products, and you will also have a good relationship with your supplier. Of course, when the quality is at the top, your customers will also be satisfied and will not hesitate to order from you again. Also, do not hesitate to order samples, especially since some suppliers offer discounts or free delivery on a sample.
Finally, ordering a print-on-demand product sample will also allow you to offer real photos of your products on your online store.
What types of products can I print on demand?
If you do not yet know what types of products you can offer in print on demand, here are some examples that could inspire you:
- T-shirts (for children and adults)
- phone cases
- Towels
- Cups or mugs
- The hoodies
- Tank tops
- The posters
- Jewelry
- The watches
- The bags
- Etc.
Develop a shipping strategy for your print-on-demand products
As said above, your supplier usually takes care of the shipping. However, you will need to take some details into account. For example, the shipping time that you will configure on your website should range from 2 to 4 days. It’s better to take a margin than to end up with an inbox flooded with complaints from your customers.
Good to know: You can set a shipping time on the product page or on your FAQ page.
Focus on a niche
When getting into print-on-demand, it would be best if you focused on a well-defined niche. You will then become the reference site for people interested in the type of product you offer.
For example, if you choose skateboarding, many skateboarding enthusiasts will always think of you when they need something and will go directly to your online store. So imagine you also sell dishwashing products. You won’t have an established market, and you may even risk lowering your sales.
Contact your supplier
Maintaining a good relationship with your supplier is important in the field of print on demand. Tell them what you want your product to look like, ask them how long it takes them to print and ship a certain number of products, or ask them about different shipping options. By maintaining constant communication with your supplier, not only will you ensure the quality of your service, but you could also benefit from certain discounts.
Opt for a custom domain
Now let’s talk about your future print-on-demand website. Once you have chosen the right website template, you can start customizing it from top to bottom, however, you want. Among the many customization options, it is much better to opt for a custom domain, in order to establish your authority as well as your notoriety.
Add your print-on-demand products to your online store
If you opt for Strikingly, know that you have the option of opening your own online store and adding your print-on-demand products to it. For this, you will just need to add the store section on your website. You will be able to add the product, its name, its description, some images as well as any useful information.
To conclude, if you decide to go into the print-on-demand service, choosing the right provider will be important. You’ll probably have to try a few and compare. Once you’ve made your choice, the rest will be easy, including creating your own print-on-demand site, especially if you choose the Strikingly site builder. Setting up your online store will be a breeze. And if you have any questions, our agents will be happy to help you.
