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What is Print on Demand?

Print on Demand or POD is an eCommerce business model that involves working with a print provider to customize white-label products. The artist then sell these products on a pre-order basis under their own label or brand. Print on Demand is similar to dropshipping in that the products are printed only after a customer places an order, meaning the artists don’t need to keep a stockpile of inventory.

Moreover, when they work with a Print on Demand company, those handle everything after the sale, including printing, counting, packaging, and shipping the products. Such companies are also useful for testing a new product line or business idea without the risks that come with inventory purchase.

How Print on Demand works:

The process from set-up to the sale of POD products is only a few steps long. However, the first of these steps varies depending on the chosen platform.

Choosing a provider:

To use a print provider, the artist only has to choose their preferred service and set up an account. There are many options to choose from, so research will be necessary.As already mentioned, for me Redbubble for merchandise and Fine Art America for “wall art” have been the best choices. Once an account is made, the artist can upload designs and choose the products to sell them on. A Print on Demand company will sell and fulfill items on their behalf.

If he/she wishes to work directly with a fulfillment service, it will require much more planning. First, they will need to find a POD platform and integrate it with their own site. Then the products and designs must be chosen and put up for sale. From here, advertising and order processing will be handled by the seller.

Selling products

If a print provider is used, they will handle most of the sales and marketing for the artist. But if one is a solopreneur running a Print on Demand business, the can start marketing their products and attracting people to own website.

Order fulfillment

When the POD platform receives the order, it will be printed, packaged, and shipped out to the customer. The seller receives payment, and the goods arrive at the customer’s doorstep.

Pros of Print on Demand

As a business model that runs primarily through dropshipping, Print on Demand has many benefits for the budding eCommerce company. This includes:

No inventory hassle – Since this is a service in which a company orders through a third-party merchant, the primary seller has no stock to hold. The printing company holds the items to be printed on, and completed products are only shipped after they are made. This ensures that there will never be an excess of stock. If no one has ordered a specific product, then it won’t exist. In essence, a POD fulfillment company never has to have any products on hand.

Zero fulfillment efforts – As with handling the inventory, each order needs minimal input for the front-end company. After receiving the order, the printing and shipping of it are handled by the service provider.

Easy-to-use accounts – For the most part, POD platforms are uncomplicated. As a user, the buyer must create an account for themselves to place their orders. Often this is as simple as setting up an account with any other eCommerce site. Other details regarding the delivery of products are added as each order comes in.

Print on Demand products:

Due to its versatility as an art, POD products come in many types of items and uses. Anything that can be adhered to can have a design printed on it. Such items commonly sold using POD services include:

Apparel such as men’s, women’s, and children’s tops, dresses, skirts, and hoodies

Accessories like jewelry, hats, bags, and socks

Homeware and decorations like pillows, wall decals, framed art, tapestries, pillows, custom tumblers, towels, curtains and custom printed blankets

Tech accessories like phone and tablet cases

Anything that can advertise a person’s interests can be sold as a Print on Demand product. If it can be imagined, it can be printed.

Fulfillment services and marketplaces:

Print on Demand service is accomplished through two different methods: fulfillment services and marketplaces. It is important to know the difference between these two as their business models change how they function in the eCommerce space.

POD fulfillment services:

A Print on Demand fulfillment service is a company that takes design specifications for a product and brings them to life. These are companies that provide Print-on-Demand services. They maintain warehouses full of blank items, such as mugs, t-shirts, bags, and the machinery to print them.

POD marketplaces:

POD marketplaces are where the artist licenses their designs to be put on physical items. However, the marketplace also promotes and sells the items for them. He/she simply uploads the artwork to their platform and wait for the sales to happen.

Experts predict that the POD market will grow at an average rate of 25.8% every year between 2023 and 2030.

Hopefully, you know now all there is on POD. Do drop me a line if you have a specific question, not already covered.