eCommerce is the new era of doing business on the Internet! With retail sales over the eCommerce channel racing towards $5 trillion in 2021, now is the best time to start an online business.
But, not every vendor has the right idea about buying and selling goods over the Internet. To date, most vendors think it’s more affordable to run a brick & mortar store over the eCommerce model. But, interestingly, it isn’t!
With eCom service providers like Shopify, you can start your own business with an investment of as little as a hundred dollars. Wonder how? Continue reading the blog as we explore the Shopify on-demand printing business model!
On this page
- Print-On-Demand: The New Age Customization Business
- Shopify Print-On-Demand: Steps To Starting Your Business
- How to Choose the Best Print on Demand App
- Best Shopify Print On Demand Apps
- Perks of starting a Shopify Print-On-Demand Business
Print-On-Demand: The New Age Customization Business
Print-on-demand is the perfect opportunity for aspiring eCommerce entrepreneurs. It’s a model for those who have always thought of making it big in the industry but are not backed by enough resources to carry out full-scale operations.
The Shopify print-on-demand business model allows business owners can scale up at their convenience. Here, they generally collaborate with a supplier to personalize white-label goods (such as tote bags, t-shirts, or baseball caps) with personalized designs. Once done, they market these products under their brand name on a per-order basis.
This way, business owners are not required to buy bulk or manage inventory for their products as they only pay for them once sold. Additionally, your supplier takes care of everything after the transaction with print-on-demand services, including printing and delivery. Once you’ve put everything up, fulfilling an order after a sale merely only a few clicks.
In addition, if you’re an existing owner, you can leverage the print-on-demand Shopify apps model to:
- Use representations like t-shirt mockups to test a business concept or new product line for an existing company without the risk of purchasing inventory.
- Monetize whatever you’ve established. Printing on demand is a fantastic choice if you’re into the creative field or a social media influencer who can make the most of their following.
- Produce specific items for a niche market. For instance, clothing for those who are enthusiastic about gaming.
- Print unique goods, including bags, wall art, t-shirts, books, shoes, phone covers, and clocks, among a wide range of other items. These may be used by you and your team or given as presents.
Relax, these aren’t the only perks of switching to the print-on-demand business model. Let’s understand the additional perks to the model in the following section.
Shopify Print-On-Demand: Steps To Starting Your Business
Step 1: Create Your Shopify Store
Sign up for Shopify and pick a relevant plan to launch your POD company. You may pick a subscription plan per your needs or start with a 14-day trial that can be extended later.
Once done, the next step is to choose a Shopify print-on-demand integrations theme and modify it to suit your tastes while setting up all the necessary product pages like Contact and About Us. Finally, to ensure that your store appears perfect, enable your payments section and evaluate it.
Step 2: Select Your POD Partner
After step one, it’s time to select a print-on-demand vendor. When selecting one, ensure you choose a Shopify plugin that offers you the best affordability, quality, speed, and selection.
However, if you’re confused about the options, we can help! Printify happens to be the best POD partner over the Shopify platform. With over 700 high-quality goods with unique designs and a network of more that spreads over 110 print facilities globally, this firm fits the ideal requirement for almost every startup on the Shopify platform.
Step 3: Create Designs & List Your Products
The third step happens to be the most important in the process! Once your product is ready, list it on your site using vector icons to create your designs. Vectors are high-quality images that scale without losing quality, so they work well on many different products.
Drive some traffic to your business by starting small with ten goods and using SEO or paid advertising. Then, sell customized items on your website while communicating your design concepts with clients.
Tip: Don’t refrain from spending money on Shopify website development services, as these professionals can help you get the desired looks for your website.
Step 5: Ship To Your Customers
Once you’ve followed the steps mentioned above, you should quickly start earning sales and rank well among the top Shopify print-on-demand sellers using excellent design and marketing skills. Create unique items, set fair prices for them, provide promotions, and complete orders with the most recognized printing partners over the platform.
How to Choose the Best Shopify Print on Demand App
When choosing the best print-on-demand (POD) app, there are several factors you should consider to ensure it meets your specific needs and requirements. Here are some essential steps to help you choose the best print-on-demand app:
- Start by identifying your specific needs and objectives. Consider factors such as the types of products you want to sell (e.g., t-shirts, mugs, phone cases), the level of customization you require, integration with your online store or marketplace, pricing, shipping options, customer support, and any other features that are important to your business.
- Look for print-on-demand apps that offer the features and capabilities you need. Some popular POD apps include Printful, Printify, Gooten, and Teelaunch. Explore their websites, read user reviews, and compare their offerings.
- Consider the app’s user interface and ease of use. A user-friendly interface can make your experience smoother and more efficient, especially if you have little technical expertise.
- Evaluate the range of products and customization options each app offers. Ensure that they provide the specific products you want to sell and that they offer enough flexibility to meet your customers’ demands.
- Check whether the app integrates seamlessly with your preferred e-commerce platform or marketplace. Popular platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Etsy often have compatible print-on-demand apps that can simplify the order fulfillment process.
- Compare the pricing structures of different POD apps. Consider factors such as product costs, printing fees, shipping fees, and any monthly or transaction fees charged by the app. Ensure that the pricing aligns with your budget and business model.
Best Shopify Print On-Demand Apps
Printful
Printful is one of the most popular print-on-demand apps on Shopify. It has the largest range of print-on-demand products, starting from t-shirts to fanny packs. It also offers premium products like footwear and blankets.
The app takes care of all the operational aspects like inventory management, warehousing, and shipping. This is a great choice if you need to create custom products & sell them and boost eCommerce sales through marketing and promotions.
Key Features
- Global shipping and order fulfillment
- 360+ premium quality products
- Seamless integrations with eCommerce platforms
- Printed and embroidered products
- Average manufacturing time of 2-5 days
Printify
Printify is a free-to-use, Shopify print-on-demand app. It offers a wide product range, all of which can be customized with high-quality printing & competitive price.
It seamlessly integrates with Shopify The selection of print providers is international & you have companies from the US, Europe, China, and Australia.
Key Features
- 600+ products & unlimited product designs
- 90+ printer locations across the world
- Easy-to-use design mockup generator
- Option to choose environment-friendly printing suppliers
- 24-hour customer support
CustomCat
CustomCat creates custom products to sell on your Shopify store. When a CustomCat product is ordered from your store, it is auto-processed, printed, and shipped directly to your customers.
Key Features
- 350+ product options to sell on Shopify
- Bulk upload/export
- Business-friendly rates
- Personalization tool for customers to add names and texts to products
Teelaunch
Tееlаunсh is a lеаdіng рrіnt оn dеmаnd fulfillment company. They tаkе уоur dеѕіgn іdеаѕ and оrdеrѕ аnd fulfіll thеm frоm ѕtаrt tо fіnіѕh. When someone оrdеrѕ оn your wеbѕіtе, Teelaunch prints & ships thе product.
Key Features
- Print on demand production facilities all over the world
- Highest level of quality printing and performance
- Extensive product range: clothing, dinnerware, drinkware, home goods, and office accessories
Gooten
Gooten is a globally distributed technology and fulfillment company that empowers brands to scale through a print-on-demand eCommerce model; maximizing profits, and increasing efficiency while minimizing risk & quality concerns.
Key Features
- Easy-to-use dashboard with order information, delivery statuses, and analytics
- Good product range for niche stores and mid-sized businesses
- Automatic order processing, production, and shipping
Perks of starting a Shopify Print-On-Demand Business
Exhaustive Customization
It’s simple to build a stunning and unique online store with Shopify, thanks to the more than 150 free and premium themes available in the Shopify Theme Store. In addition, since millions of individuals already use Shopify to manage their print-on-demand companies, multiple examples of different shops are also available to inspire your choices and help you get started.
In addition, each theme on Shopify is completely changeable and responsive for those who know how to use code. This way, you can easily make your Shopify store unique to reflect your brand.
Ease Of Getting Started
Launching an online business for print-on-demand is simple with Shopify. Its features are straightforward, so eCommerce newcomers and seasoned experts may utilize them.
Besides, the platform provides comprehensive video tutorials to help newcomers succeed in their print-on-demand ventures. In addition, several Shopify developers on the helpline help new users with the required instructions around advertising unique items, setting up a business, selling their branding, and more.
Exhaustive Product Selections
With Shopify, there’s no limit on the number of units your business can sell. So if your marketing metrics are a hit, your business can sell as many physical print-on-demand goods, services, and items.
Great On-Demand Features
Vendors have better chances to rank their stores in competitive positions thanks to the outstanding SEO functionalities. Additionally, with a better listing on web pages, it becomes easier for potential consumers to locate their Shopify store.
Besides, vendors also get access to an advanced analytics panel over the Shopify platform. It allows them to identify different aspects of their business. For instance, using analytics, store owners can decrypt where their traffic is coming from and adjust their marketing strategy accordingly.
Now that you have the required idea around the POD business model, let’s help you start your store over the Shopify platform.
Now You Know!
Shopify is a great alternative to start your eCommerce journey. However, if you’re new to the platform, you might have issues setting up your store. Here, you can leverage the expertise of professionals by hiring a Shopify development company.
Once done, it’s only a matter of time until your eCommerce business has started. So wait no more; sign up for Shopify today if you’ve already wanted to get into the eCommerce wagon. All the best!
