What Is A Print On Demand Business And Why It's A Smart Start for Beginner Entrepreneurs
- 12 February 2025
- 2 min read
Starting an ecommerce business can seem like a daunting task. From picking a niche to building a customer base, and all the other technicalities that go into running an online business, it can be overwhelming if you're new to online selling. If you're looking for a simple way to get started, a print on demand business might be the right model for you.
So, what is a print on demand business? In this blog post, we'll explore what print on demand is, why it’s great for first-time ecommerce sellers, and give you tips for getting started.
In a print on demand (POD) business, you come up with your own designs that then get printed on white-label products like t-shirts, accessories, home decor, and more. You advertise your designs on your website, and once a customer places an order, the POD service provider that you’ve chosen ships your product to the customer.
While POD is a model that works well for any stage of business, it’s ideal for beginners since the POD service provider takes care of everything: product creation, shipping, inventory management, and sometimes even marketing. POD is especially compelling for creative entrepreneurs because it gives you the bandwidth to focus on designing.
Some of the key benefits of working with a print on demand service provider include:
Established POD service providers usually have facilities in many different locations around the world. This means that customers can receive their orders quickly from shipping locations closer to where they live. This is beneficial for a new entrepreneur who is less likely to be operating all over the world.
Since the POD service providers handle product creation, they keep large and varied inventories of white-label products to meet their customers’ needs. This means you're able to get your designs printed on many different types of products (clothing, accessories, mugs, etc.), offering your own customers more variety. And you can do this without having to worry about managing and holding inventory.
Since they are responsible for printing many designs onto various products, POD service providers generally invest in high-quality printing equipment. You get the benefits of this equipment without having to pay the usually hefty cost to own and maintain them. This is also beneficial if you're working from a small space since you don’t need to store any equipment.
Well-established brands can benefit greatly from print on demand businesses, but this model is especially friendly if you're a new to ecommerce. Here's why:
As a beginner entrepreneur, you're likely working with a small budget or you're cautious with your spending in case things don't work out the way you expect. Print on demand allows you to get started with no investment in the product you're planning to sell. Since the product is only created after a customer places an order, you're only paying for the inventory after the sale has already been made.
Your only upfront costs would be the price of the POD service, your time, and any costs associated with building your online store.
As a new entrepreneur, how do you know your business idea will be successful? One way to find out is to test your idea. Print on demand makes this process easy and affordable since you don't need to invest in creating the actual product if no one is interested in buying it.
So, what happens if no one likes your original product idea? A print on demand business allows you to freely experiment with various designs on a wide variety of products, until you eventually find an idea that works for you. Because you're paying up front for inventory that might not sell, you're free to experiment as much as you like at a very low cost.
New entrepreneurs—especially artists and makers—are often more passionate about their ideas than they are about the more mundane business operations. So much goes into running an ecommerce store, from website management to inventory management, shipping, fulfillment, and marketing. Online sellers usually have to divide their time between all these aspects of business to be successful.
With print on demand, your POD service provider takes care of the fulfillment and inventory management piece, freeing up bandwidth for you to focus on developing your ideas.
POD platforms are typically very user-friendly. Pair that with a simple ecommerce platform that offers print on demand integrations, like Big Cartel, and you have the perfect recipe to start an online business with no experience. POD providers take care of everything in the background, which means you don't need to have technical expertise or be very knowledgeable about shipping or inventory to start your business.
Although print on demand significantly simplifies the process of starting an ecommerce business, some upfront effort is still necessary. Here are some tips to help you get started:
You want to choose an ecommerce platform that doesn’t require technical expertise or a huge upfront cost to get started. Big Cartel is affordable, easy to use, and also offers seamless integrations with popular print on demand providers like Art of Where and Printful.
You can also set up a print on demand business with marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy, but using an ecommerce platform to build your own website gives you complete control over your brand and market presence. Big Cartel offers free, customizable templates to make your brand stand out without coding or design experience.
There are many print on demand service providers available, and they each have unique selling points. Some of the popular POD providers include Printful, Printify, and Art of Where. A little research will go a long way in helping you pick the best provider. Here are some things to consider when choosing a POD company:
After a customer places an order through your store, how long will it take for your POD service provider to build the final product? It's important to have this information available, as it will affect your customers’ wait time. Knowing up front allows you to set expectations with your customers.
Similar to fulfillment speed, shipping speed will affect the quality of service you're offering your customers. POD service providers with many locations worldwide might be able to offer faster shipping options.
Ultimately, the quality of the end product will determine the success of your business. There is no substitute for a good quality product. We recommend testing a few providers to find the one that offers the highest quality end product for your business.
You should always order product samples from various providers to compare quality and experience the entire shipping and fulfillment process firsthand.
If you're just getting started with your ecommerce business, you might not be sure how customers will respond to your original product idea. Working with a POD service provider that has a diverse selection of white-label products gives you more options to switch up your offerings to meet market demand.
The cost of your POD service provider will determine the cost at which you sell your products to customers. The higher the cost of the POD service, the more your customers will need to pay if you're to make a profit. With POD, you don't have the benefit of ordering in bulk to access discounts, so choose a provider whose cost aligns with your target audience’s ability to spend.
Choosing a POD service provider that integrates with your ecommerce platform simplifies the whole process listing products on your online store. You can upload your designs to the POD platform, and the provider will supply final product images of your design on their products that you can then use on your own store. When a customer checks out on your storefront, the connected print on demand provider will fulfill the order and ship it to the customer. Big Cartel offers easy integrations with two reputable POD providers, Printful and Art of Where, so you can launch your store quickly.
Although some print on demand providers market the end products, you should do your own marketing to maximize sales, build your brand, and nurture your customer base. Promoting your shop on social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok is a great way to reach new customers. You can also leverage the power of email marketing to alert your customers whenever you’re dropping a new product or offering special deals and discounts.
Print on demand is a simple way for beginner entrepreneurs to start an ecommerce business. If you're looking for a low-risk, low-cost way to begin your online selling journey, or even to test your idea, then a print on demand business might be the right choice.
Ready to take the first step? With two seamless print on demand integrations, straightforward pricing, no-code templates, and real human customer support every step of the way, it’s easy to get your print on demand business up and running today with Big Cartel!
12 February 2025
