HOW TO START PRINT ON DEMAND SHOP ON ETSY

Welcome to POD Actually – success academy for mastering Print on Demand business model. In this article, I'll guide you through the basics of Print on Demand and what to keep in mind as you embark on your journey. The aim here is to shed light on the strategic decisions crucial for establishing a successful POD shop, and to steer you clear of common pitfalls that often hinder beginners' success. Here's a rundown of what we'll cover:

• What is Print on Demand?

• Understanding the workings of POD

• Selecting the right product for your shop

• Choosing the best supplier for your needs

• The advantages of starting with Etsy

What is Print on Demand?

Print on Demand (POD) is a unique business model. It involves a supplier company that manufactures a blank product. They then print your design on it and ship it directly to your customer. This model started with simple items like T-shirts and mugs. Over the years, it has grown significantly. Now, you can apply your designs to a wide range of products. For example running shoes, beach towels, and even curtains.

Is Print on Demand worth it? One of the biggest advantages of Print on Demand model is that you do not need to manufacture or ship the product. As a designer or solo entrepreneur, this is a huge plus. Your supplier takes care of manufacturing, printing, and shipping. This setup allows you to focus on creating designs and making sales. Despite this, you still remain the face of your brand. The products your supplier ships are usually white-labeled. This means there's no mention of the manufacturer's name, when your customer receives the product

In this article, I'll outline how to start a successful Print on Demand shop on Etsy. Success is the key focus here. Opening a shop on Etsy might be easy. But running it successfully requires a lot more effort. You'll need to understand market trends, conduct competitor research, and study consumer behavior.

This guide is especially useful for those, who are not professional designers. If you're looking to make extra income without a big financial investment, this is for you. It's all about investing your time and effort.

How Print on Demand works

Next up, let's dive into how the Print on Demand (POD) model operates.

At its core, this model involves three key players: you, the store owner; your customers; and your supplier. Your supplier is the company tasked with manufacturing the products. They print your designs onto these items and ship them directly to your customers.

Your primary role as a store owner is to manage your Etsy shop effectively. This involves either creating or sourcing designs that will be printed on your products. Keep in mind, your supplier will have certain requirements for your design templates, including their size and shape. Once you have design, you will use mockups to showcase how your design looks printed on a product. You can add mockups as your listing pictures on Etsy.

When a customer makes a purchase from your shop, it's your responsibility to ensure the order is passed on to your supplier. Many POD companies offer a feature to integrate their systems with your Etsy store. This allows them to automatically receive orders. However, this process can differ between suppliers. It's essential to understand how the order fulfillment process works with the supplier you've chosen.

Additionally, as the store owner, you're in charge of customer service. This means addressing any questions or concerns your customers may have. If issues arise, such as a customer receiving a defective product, you'll need to contact your supplier. Together, with your supplier, you'll work out whether to offer a replacement or a refund, depending on the specific situation.

 

How to Choose a Product for your Print on Demand Store

Selecting the right product is crucial for the success of your print on demand (POD) store. With hundreds of options available from suppliers, the decision can be overwhelming. The key to success lies in finding products that balance high demand with lower competition. For instance, while t-shirts are highly sought after, they also face intense competition. This can be challenging for POD newcomers, and it's often advisable to explore less saturated markets.

To aid in your decision-making, numerous tools and applications are available for conducting comprehensive market research. These resources can help you identify products that offer the best chance for success. We delve deeper into this topic in our article on selecting products for your POD store.

Beyond demand and competition, there are other factors to consider. The ease of designing for a product is one such consideration. Tapestries, for example, are relatively straightforward to design due to their simple rectangular shape and wall-mounted display. On the other hand, designing for a jacket, with its various components like sleeves, hoods, and pockets, requires more intricate planning.

Mockup availability is another important factor. A high-quality mockup from your supplier can significantly streamline the process of creating your Etsy listings. For universally popular products like mugs, which are offered by numerous suppliers, it's worth taking the time to find the most appealing mockup. Additionally, third-party services such as PlaceIt leverage AI technologies to generate a wide range of mockups for different products, offering even more options for your store.

 

Choosing a Print on Demand supplier

There are numerous Print on Demand (POD) suppliers, each providing a similar array of services. Typically, these include a selection of products for your designs, manufacturing and printing your design upon sale, and shipping the product directly to your customer. Reputable POD companies usually feature a comprehensive website, a mockup generator, and robust customer support. We delve deeper into POD suppliers in our detailed article.

When selecting a POD supplier, two critical factors to consider are the supplier's location and the pricing of their products. For Etsy shop owners, it's crucial to remember that the vast majority of Etsy customers are based in the US. Therefore, one key factor is the delivery speed from the manufacturer to the US. Naturally, suppliers based in the US can offer shorter delivery times compared to those in China, Vietnam, or other countries. However, products shipped from the US are often more expensive than those from abroad.

Delivery speed, while important, shouldn't be the sole deciding factor in choosing your supplier. It's essential to manage customer expectations regarding shipping times. If customers expect a three-day delivery but it takes two weeks, you risk receiving negative reviews. Such reviews can be particularly harmful to new Etsy shops, potentially jeopardizing your business before it gains traction. We discuss setting realistic shipping times and listing your POD items on Etsy in another article, providing further guidance on this topic.

 

Why Choose Etsy for Your Print on Demand Business?

Deciding where to launch your Print on Demand (POD) business is pivotal. Will you opt for a marketplace like Etsy or Amazon, or establish your own online store using platforms like Shopify or WordPress? For those new to e-commerce, I highly recommend starting with Etsy. The platform has its own built-in audience, with millions browsing and trusting Etsy for their online purchases. As a newcomer, tapping into Etsy's existing traffic can be far simpler than attracting visitors to a standalone site and earning their trust to make a purchase.

So, why choose Etsy over a giant like Amazon? Although Amazon may have a broader reach, it enforces stringent policies on delivery speeds and returns, which can complicate running a POD business. We delve deeper into the Etsy versus personal website debate here, and compare Etsy and Amazon here, offering more insight into choosing the right platform for your business.

 

I hope the information above has helped you understand the key strategic points and decisions involved in setting up a Print on Demand business on Etsy. The advice provided aims to help you establish not just another POD store on Etsy, but a store that possesses all the essential foundations to succeed in this competitive marketplace. Please check out my other articles that delve deeper into various aspects of setting up and running your Etsy print on demand store, and let's embark on this exciting journey!