How to Start a Shopify Print On Demand Business | Step-by-step Guide

How To Start A Shopify Print-On-Demand Business From The Very Beginning

Would you like to express your creative vibes by designing new garments, accessories and home decor? If the answer is yes, you may want to consider starting a print on demand business and make money online.

After reading this Guide you will learn all the necessary steps for setting up a Shopify print on demand shop. We share valuable tips on how to select the proper supplier, talk in detail about the most popular products for print on demand and unveil some best techniques to market your store.

What Is Print On Demand (POD)?

Print on demand is a business model where you collaborate with a supplier of white-label and blank products and get items customised with your own design and printed only when someone is placing an order for them in your online store, like Shopify. With print-on-demand services, you can customise products that you use on a daily basis with your own artwork, photos, and texts. From clothes and posters to cups and books, print on demand allows you to sell your designs and ideas without having to manage the  inventory.

If you want to know more about print on demand, follow this link.

The Benefits Of Such Business

Prior to launching your own Shopify on demand printing shop, consider all the benefits of starting such business:

• You can kick-off your online business fast and without upfront costs.
• Print-on-demand businesses may easily test the market before making any investments.
• It’s easy to customise a vast variety of items with your art, photos, slogans and quotes. The only limitation is your creativity.
• You can start making a profit with just a few designs.
• In comparison to the standard practice of stockpiling goods at a warehouse, you will not deal with unsold inventory.
• You can focus on your business growth and get all orders printed and shipped without any involvement in the operational part. 
• You can scale-up easily, adding as many products as you want, because they're all gonna be printed on demand, so you are not binded by any commitments.

Cons to consider:

• Print on demand implies you make original products, so you’ ll need to invest in design, if you don’t do it yourself
• The cost of POD products can be higher than those you can buy from dropshipping supplier, so you can’t set big margins to make the prices compatible.
• You need time to invest in marketing your store to set sales on a scale.

What You Will Need To Start Your Shopify Print On Demand Business

When it comes to online storefronts, Shopify is one of the top options. As one of the world’s leading e-commerce platforms Shopify makes it simple to sell print-on-demand items and come with everything you need to start selling online from breathtaking themes customisation options to all analytical tools you may need. Without spending any money upfront, you can expand your product range by using one of the many POD applications that are compatible with Shopify and available in Shopify App Store. Keep reading to learn about what you need to start the print on demand with Shopify business.

Shopify Account

To open a shop online, you'll need a Shopify account first. You can create an account for free and even enjoy a 14-day trial period. The registration process is smooth and fast. However, after the end of the free trial, you will have to pay for a monthly subscription. The Basic plan starts with USD 29, Shopify  plan costs USD 79 and Advanced is USD 299 per month (that’s when you’ve grown big and need advanced reporting). 

Follow these steps to set-up your store:

1. Create your account with “Start your free trial” button. Then you’ll have to fill in the information about your store.
2. Connect your credit card and select the plan of subscription. However, you may do it upon your free trial period ends.
3. Set-up your domain. When you sign-up, first you get “myshopify.com” domain. It’s free and can work for the start, but then we'd recommend switching for your custom domain. It’s not only because Google puts branded urls higher, but as well it makes your brand look more professional and easier to remember. You can buy the domain either from Shopify or through any domain providers, like GoDaddy.
4. Choose your storefront theme and get it customised. Go to Online Store >Themes>Free Themes for the ones you don’t have to pay for or Shopify Theme Store to explore paid options. For print-on-demand business we would suggest Dawn or Studio free themes. They’ve got great customisation options, have modern minimal design and go great for e-commerce. Check our Helloprint Create & Sell Shopify Demo store made with the Dawn free theme by the link.

Graphic Design Tools

Since all ideas must be digitised, you will require graphic design tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or if you have no experience of using professional tools, you can use magic design tool like Canva to create your unique artwork for product customisation. There you're gonna find plenty of templates that you can use for free. If you plan to use print-on-demand app, you don’t need to worry about designing products themselves, as best print-on-demand providers empower you with intuitive design tools, using which you can easily add your artwork or texts, or combo of both to ready product mock-ups and then get them automatically published to your Shopify store.

Print-On-Demand Provider

For the fast development of Shopify print on demand business, you will have to cooperate with a provider of print-on-demand products. You need a supplier to print your designs, photos and texts on the ordered items and then ship these items to your customers. Go to Apps in your Shopify Dashboard and then to Shopify App Store to select print-on-demand provider. 

Best to go with one primary provider, so pay attention to the countries and manufacturing regions it is shipping, products catalog variety and pricing. Each POD provider app has a dedicated page in the store, where you can easily go through the benefits and main points to consider and compare.

If you go for Helloprint Create & Sell as a POD provider, you can count on:

• fast deliveries and best shipping rates due to network of 180 print providers in 18 countries
• 100 + customised products range + big sustainable products collection
• most competitive prices
• quality guarantee
• most personal customer service 

Print On Demand Shopify Store Examples

Shopify makes it easy to open an aesthetically appealing online shop, fill it with your items, and establish a connection with white-label products suppliers. Take a look at the top print on demand Shopify store examples to get inspired .

• FRAMINGOS

This print on demand for Shopify shop specialises in breathtaking posters and wall art. Framingos offers a variety of posters featuring calm and aesthetically appealing designs and motivational custom-made quotes that both brighten up the interior or elevate spirits. They chose Shopify on demand printing store theme to match and use Helloprint Create & Sell Shopify app to produce on demand their posters and ship to customers.

‍

• Kate Gabrielle

Kate Gabrielle is an artist who created all the designs available in the online shop by herself. Her print on demand for Shopify online store offers a wide range of products, including apparel, stationery, accessories, purses and tote bags, and many others. This Shopify on demand printing store sells swag inspired by old movies, X-Files memorabilia, vintage fashion, feminist statements, and products catering to her followers. The online store has a modern, appealing aesthetic with catchy product descriptions and boisterous visual language. The store also stands out from the other POD Shopify shops by including a vivid and unique blog with a memorable personal style.

• AWOLNATION

Unlike the previous two examples, this store is the platform where famous American rock band Awolnation sells its merchandise. All the available designs are based on the music content created by the band including their album covers, lyrics and band logo. The selection of print on demand products is wide and includes T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, cassettes, vinyl records, and small accessories like socks, flags, postcards and caps. For its custom merchandise products Awolnation uses print-on-demand app by Helloprint Create & Sell.

• Classic Dad

“Classic Dad” is a timeless representation of a successful print-on-demand business. For “Classic Dad”, that market segment is apparel that is customized with "Dadisms"—statements that encapsulate the spirit of fathers worldwide. Its Shopify shop is quite efficient as most often it is on the list of "top sellers". The design is unfussy and straightforward, drawing one's attention only to the threads themselves.

• Raccoon Brand

Raccoon Brand sells merchandise featuring designs with raccoons. Going minimal, the shop features just three further pages except for the homepage: t-shirts, caps, and wallets. Despite this, Raccoon Brand print on demand for Shopify shop is quite noticeable and matches this with reasonable prices and quality products.

How To Set up A Print On Demand Business On Shopify

There are numerous eCommerce platforms that can easily be integrated with a POD service providers, but Shopify is one of the best choices for making the most of the custom printing business model. Besides, it is quite easy to get started with print on demand for Shopify. Here are some guidelines that will help you to do so.

Select Your Niche And Products

If you want to identify your niche and your target audience, it is best to do some research and see what is trending and how it is connected with your artwork and design ideas. By focusing on a specific subset of the market, you can better understand your ideal customer and then offer a range of one-of-a-kind designs. Such an approach will give your Shopify print on demand shop a competitive advantage. Once you decide on the general direction of your online shop, you need to select categories of products you are going to sell - apparel, accessories, household items and others.

Find Or Develop Designs

To offer your customers unique designs, you do not necessarily need to create them by yourself. You can use your own ideas and sketches, hire a professional designer or use free or paid designs that were developed by other artists. Either way, you need to think of the concept of your online Shopify store and support this concept with proper designs.

Create Mockups

After designing products, you need to create mockups for your print on demand store for Shopify. They will let you acquire an idea of what the finished item will look like. Use a mockup generator. You can find this tool for free on some platforms. However, paid mockups are more detailed and have high quality. Don’t forget that POD providers offer in-app design tools that have mock-ups as well, which you’ll be able to use for your product pages in the store.

Set-up Shopify store

To implement your business ideas, you need to set up a Shopify account first. Complete the registration and set-up process as we described above.

At this stage, you do not need to fill your store with many designs and products right away. You can always add new ones as far as you see the demand and sales progress. Pay attention to product configuration and setting prices. You need to take into account VAT settings for your shop, the cost price you pay to the POD provider and transaction fees Shopify charges. If you use the Helloprint Create & Sell Shopify app, you can easily go through this process in the product configuration dashboard with clear and visually intuitive price setting dashboard.

Launch Your Store

It's time to unveil your brand-new Shopify shop to the world! Make sure your website looks organised, offered items are set up properly, and your settings are in place before hitting the “Publish” button. If you go to Shopify's "Online Store" and then select "Customise," you will be able to release your online store to the public. The "Publish" button can be found in the upper right corner.

Advertise & Scale

Advertising your products is the most challenging stage for print on demand companies that integrate with Shopify. First, you can create accounts for your shop on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media. Moreover, you need to use PPC advertising, as a few online posts will not be enough for a large audience to notice your online shop and designs. You can cooperate with YouTube and Instagram influencers who have thousands or even millions of followers and have them spread the word about your newly-launched business online.

If you are thinking of scaling your online shop, keep track of your progress and monitor the overall store operation. It means that when you scale, you need to maintain control of your investments and their return. Scaling involves enlarging your product range and testing out new ideas with more ads. If a large number of customers like buying T-shirts with popular logos or artwork, you may think of adding tote bags and caps with the same designs to enlarge your catalog. 

How To Choose A Print On Demand Supplier For Shopify 

To run a successful online POD shop for Shopify, you need to select a proper supplier. Choosing the best print on demand provider for Shopify store is crucial as it will cover the product manufacturing, payments, order packaging and shipment. Therefore, below we talk about the most important criteria for picking the right provider.

Platform Compatibility

You need to make sure that it will be possible to integrate the supplier's software or plugin with your Shopify online store. As a rule, POD providers have their apps available in Shopify App Store to enable easy integration. It will considerably simplify the process of order fulfillment. Plus, you will not have any problems with managing sales.

Available Items For Printing

The range of items offered by the prospective supplier is extremely important. Pay close attention to the Shopify print on demand product types that will be available to you as well as their quality. The larger the product selection, the better. Low quality is № 1 reason why customers may leave your online shop.

Printing Quality

The quality of printing must be high and do not opt for anything less than that. Check the printing mediums that are available, color saturation and wearability with samples orders. No one will be likely to return to your shop if the printed designs will fade after one wear and wash.

Fulfilment

As it was mentioned before, the smartest choice is to opt for a provider, which app you can get from Shopify App Store. Once the Shopify app is integrated, the fulfilment is automatic for every order that is placed by a customer. Thus, there will be no errors in order processing, manufacturing and delivery and most importantly no effort on your side. 

Shipping Speed

More than 95% of Shopify POD shop consumers agree that shipping delays affect their loyalty to a business. It is important to compare the speed of shipping of multiple providers and select the one that guarantees the fastest deliveries worldwide. 

Helloprint Create & Sell partners with print producers in 18 countries. It enables us to deliver packages as fast as possible because we always try to manufacture ordered items at the points that are located closest to the customer’s region. 

Prices

Compile a list of print on demand companies that integrate with Shopify and compare the prices they charge for products as cost price and shipping. Since the prices are configured in POD supplier apps, most of them have intuitive dashboards that will help you see the exact profit you will earn with the margins you set. 

Benefits Of Working With Helloprint Create & Sell

Nothing can be easier and more beneficial than optimising print on demand business with Shopify and Helloprint Create & Sell. Install our app from the Shopify App Store for free and discover a lot of benefits for your print on demand business with Shopify: 

• Worldwide deliveries. 
• Automatic order fulfilment.
• The most competitive prices in the POD market. 
• In-app margin configuration dashboard.
• Opportunity to reach the audience in 18 countries due to a large network of suppliers. 
• 24/7 customer support. 

Create unique designs, expand your catalog of products and let us worry about everything else from product manufacturing to fast and effective deliveries.

The Most Popular Products For On Demand Printing with Shopify

To help you take your on demand Shopify printing shop to the next level, we have compiled a list of the top POD goods that are in demand now. 

If you are an artist or a content creator and thinking of creating your own merch, do not miss a chance to read this article.

Apparel 

The business of print on demand for Shopify cannot be imagined without apparel as the main category of products on which one can print unique designs. 

1. T-shirts

Though the array of choices available out there for T-shirts is dizzying, T-shirts always provide a great opportunity for your Shopify print on demand product line. The global custom t-shirt market keeps on growing. As an integral part of the wardrobe, customised T-shirts allow people to create unique outfits and this is your chance to step in and come up with original designs telling a story or expressing memorable messages. 

Tip: Consider Unisex options that will go great both for men and women and don’t forget to have in your range classic and most demanded black and white colored T-shirts. While the market is flooded with cheap options, consider choosing premium and sustainable brands that will make your products stand out.

2. Hoodies

Hoodies may be less popular than T-shirts, but a large number of customers highly appreciate clothes that can be comfortable, stylish and personalised at the same time, so do not neglect this piece of clothing for your apparel line.

Tip: You can create custom design for hoodie’s front, back or sleeve and even have it all-over print. Go creative with ideas and breath in your unique aesthetics.

3. Tank Tops

If you sell clothing, add tank tops to your list of available merchandise. Fitness centers, beaches, and hot summer days are all perfect for wearing a tank top. They're simple to print and have reasonable cost price, so they'll fly off the virtual shelves of your shop especially in summer days.

4.  Polo T-shirts 

They're as casual and versatile as T-shirts, but with a face-framing, respectability-enhancing collar. Great way to go into the premium segment and give a good extension to the t-shirts line.

Tip: As a rule, customers prefer to order polo shirts with small prints and logos. 

Products For Kids

Even though you may start your POD business by offering custom goods for adults, do not forget that products for kids are also popular and there are many parents who are willing to buy a colorful matching designed T-shirt or bodysuits for their little ones. Another great option is to consider this market as the main focus for your Shopify shop and go with unique kids assortment.

Print on demand is a great way for children to express their individuality and interests through clothing. With a great variety of cartoons, games and movies for kids, you will never run out of ideas for designs. The most popular apparel items for kids are T-shirts, pants and shorts, caps, long-sleeve shirts and socks. Do not forget to include pieces of clothes for babies and toddlers, namely baby T-shirts and baby bodysuits. 

Tip: Great way to complement your kids line is featuring toys for kids. Not only toys will help kids to develop creative thinking and motor skills, but also create unforgettable memories. Make sure you include in your assortment toys made of eco-friendly materials that will not be harmful for kids and the environment. 

Posters

To sell custom posters you do not need to create all your designs by yourself. With a large number of music artists, movies, video games you can create multiple collections of posters with different illustrations, pictures and photos. Besides, you can create motivational posters with famous quotes and texts or come up with your own quirky ones. Posters are not only a great way to brighten up the interior, but as well can be bought as present by your customers.

Tip: Pay attention to the paper quality and its finish, go for posters with photorealistic prints. Keep in mind that most people prefer to get ready-to-use products and not spend time on buying accessories. Good point to think of framed posters and posters with hangers.

Drinkware

The use of printed mugs dates back to what may as well be the dawn of time. Personalised mugs with phrases like "World's Greatest Dad/Mom/Bro/Sis" and "Happy Holidays" are the ones you've definitely once held in your hands or received as a present. Like T-shirts in its category, mugs are most versatile and one of most popular print-on-demand products.

Tip: Don't forget that there are more than 11 ounce white mugs in print-on-demand range,  you can also customise latte mugs, mugs with colored hangers, black mugs and of course water bottles. Customers that take care of their health and carry water bottles everywhere, will not miss the opportunity to get a unique and cool-looking water bottle from you to use every day. 

Home Products 

There is a wide range of products that are ready to be customised for home. It is a great way to create a unique interior of the house and add a few bright accents. The list of house items that can be designed is endless and here you can combine different categories and offer them in your online print on demand Shopify store. 

Cushions and pillows

A few well-chosen cushions can easily change the mood of any room. The great fabric and color diversity will allow you to sell products that will be to the taste of different buyers.

Bedsheets 

Bedsheets are the first thing you notice when you walk into your bedroom. Obviously, many customers want to make their bedroom look modern and stylish, that is why they order bedsheets with the design they want. Moreover, physical and online stores that have pre-made products may not offer what they want. This is where you come to the rescue.

Blankets 

Different types of blankets will bring a lot of potential consumers to your stores. Yoga blankets, bed and picnic blankets come in different colors, shapes and are made of diverse materials that are offered by POD suppliers. This way you can experiment with your designs and see what works for your print on demand with Shopify store the best. 

Tip: All these products provide great cross-selling or upselling opportunities. Create a Collection for your Shopify store and don’t forget about Related products to be shown at the end of each product page.

TOTE BAGS

The most straightforward print-on-demand item for design is always a great option for your store. And the demand for them has achieved its peaks in recent years. Used mainly before for buying groceries, tote bags today make a real fashion statement being functional and reusable accessory in every wardrobe. 

Tip: Match tote bags with your apparel collection, using the same style artwork and colors. Think of limited-edition products, dedicated to some events or specific themes. Stand out with adding to your shop eco-friendly tote bags made from sustainable materials, 

Mouse Pads 

Mouse pads are a must-have item for those who spend their days at their computers. People nowadays aren't content to settle for generic office supplies, like mouse pads, and are instead on the lookout for unique designs to display in their homes. If you include them in your lineup, it may boost your IT product sales.

Where To Find Design Ideas And Designers For Your Items

The importance of design in producing effective print-on-demand items cannot be overstated. Below we describe three possible approaches to finding ideas and designs for your products. Read and pick one that works best for you.

Develop By Yourself

If you are a creative person with great drawing skills, it will not be a problem for you to come up with your own designs and illustrate them. It's a lot of fun to work on the ideas for customised goods if you use diverse free and paid designing tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator and others.

Tip: Not a professional designer?  You can use Canva powerful design tools, where pro design skills are not required at all and create easily custom graphics for FREE.

Order From A Professional Designer

Another option is to hire a professional designer for your on demand printing Shopify business at your own expense. The designers will be able to better depict your ideas if you are have ones, but are not good at creating artwork yourself. Plus, a professional opinion may improve the design and help you come up with new ideas. 

Tip: You can hire graphic designers on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, where you can browse a list of profiles, see the ones matching your style and requirement and hire on a project basis with reasonable prices.

Use Ready Made Designs 

The third alternative is to purchase already-crafted designs from stocks. High-quality designs with a track record of success and a fine-tuned focus on a certain market segment are available for instant purchase. 

Tip: While Shutterstock is the one most popular one, you may find great graphic on such stocks as  or iStock that offer quality artwork for less and have nice niche options, you won’t find elsewhere. Great thing about Rawpixel is that it has many cool designs available for free.

The Pros And Cons Of On Demand Printing With Shopify

There's little doubt that a POD business has enormous expansion potential. However, if you start your print-on-demand company on Shopify, you need to be aware of some hidden dangers. Pros and cons are an integral part of our “how to print on demand with Shopify” guide. So read carefully to be aware of every drawback and benefit of this type of business.

Pros

Zero Risk

Print-on-demand requires almost zero financial commitment compared to other selling strategies like dropshipping and wholesaling. With the POD model, you do not need to make large orders in advance. In case your shop is not as successful as you expected you do not lose anything. 

No Need For An Inventory

There is no need to pre-order products since the POD supplier you work with produces the products only when they are sold. So, you may start making a profit immediately without having to bother about stocking, delivering, or storing any items by yourself. Good thing about Shopify is that integration with a POD provider won’t require any developer involvement, because there are POD apps available that ensure it goes fast and smoothly for you.

Easy To Set Up

Best print on demand for Shopify stores are intuitive and simple to use. To start selling your designs or items, all you need to do is sign-up, choose and customize your theme and connect to the POD supplier app. This won’t take much time. No coding skills required and no website maintenance, as in case of a custom website development.

Minimal Investment

Launching a POD online store requires nothing in terms of initial investment and risks. You won't have to make any initial investments in stock or printing equipment. You only pay for Shopify monthly subscription, and for a professional designer if you hire one. 

Selling Globally

Whichever country you stay or even if you travel all the time, for print-on-demand Shopify business all you need is just your laptop and WiFi. The United States, the United Kingdom, China, Germany, or Australia, any country  where you stay you may have a custom print run of your products and sell them, if you choose the POD supplier, who has worldwide shipping options and even better production facilities in many countries to reduce shipping time and prices, like Helloprint Create & Sell. As a result, you'll have access to a worldwide market.

Eco-Friendly

Many on demand printing Shopify suppliers offer numerous alternatives for you to consider if you want to create an environmentally friendly business. With Shopify POD online shop you will have no wasted items in stock. With print producers that are located close to the customer region, there will be less CO2 emissions. Helloprint Create & Sell partners with print providers in 18 countries and ensures fast deliveries that are not harmful to the environment due to reduced shipping distances. Make sure you include eco-friendly products, check our Sustainable Collection.

Cons

POD service is a great way to make income, especially if your store attracts a large number of customers year around, though when you just start you need to invest time to market your store and build your brand. The launch is easy, but it’s not everything and you need to roll-up your sleeves for its success.

Next thing to consider carefully is margins you set, cause you need to bear in mind not only the cost price of the products you pay to the supplier but as well transactions fees Shopify charges and VAT regulations for the countries you shop to for tax purposes, as well as related to marketing expenses.

How To Promote Your Shopify Print On Demand Products

It's quite improbable that your print on demand brand would get traction on its own, so you should give web advertising a fair amount of attention. In order to attract consumers and start making money as soon as possible, you need to apply a variety of advertising tactics. Below we share useful tips on how print on demand with Shopify can be promoted. 

Get To Know Your Target Audience

Understanding your audience is most crucial to advertising your Shopify store. You can't just persuade your potential buyers that you are selling the best things. You need to investigate and know everything about your audience: First determine the following factors:

• Age group
• Occupation
• County they live in
• Main interests
• Social platforms they spend most time on

Segmenting your clients will assist you in understanding what they expect. It will not be extra to post some surveys and let your audience tell you what they actually want and need. Because when you know the pains and needs, it’s easier to offer what will be definitely in demand.

Use relevant keywords for Search Engine Optimization

To get organic traffic from Google is the dream of any online store owner. To appear in the search results, you need to think of using the right keywords when you make content for your product pages. Conduct keyword research and find the words that people most look for related to your products.  Try  to use long-tail keywords, as the competition in search will be less and the chances to attract the visitors with specific search intent who are more likely to make purchase in your shop are higher.  Optimize product titles and meta descriptions, integrating keywords to the beginning. 

Tip: You can also look for specific SEO apps available in Shopify app store that will help you to outrank the competition and get more visitors.

Develop A PPC (pay-per-click) Plan

If you're passionate about your designs, be serious about advertising them online. A solid PPC strategy may help. Ads will help to promote your Shopify print on demand shop and show how customers react to your products. The question is where you should be rolling your adverts to get the most out of your advertising budget. Choose something from the sources at: 

• Google: Shopping Campaigns, Dynamic Search Ads, Responsive Search, Remarketing Campaigns;
• Facebook: Dynamic Product Ads, Collections Ads for eCommerce;
• Instagram Ads.

Tip: Connect Google Analytics to your store. This will help you to understand, where your website visitors are coming from (understanding traffic), what’s are their behavior on the website (understanding user experience), how is your online content is performing. What is measured can be easily improved.

Use Social Media

It’s important to market your shop by establishing profiles on numerous social networks. Benefit from running targeted advertisements on both Facebook and Instagram at the same time. You may also use TikTok to advertise your print on demand Shopify store. Create catchy posts, videos or stories where you promote your goods and leave direct links so that customers can be redirected to the product page. Use high-quality images, experiment with formats and most importantly monitor the results and make the adjustments to get most of your investments. 

Use email marketing to engage and retain customers

Yes, email marketing still has the revenue-driving power. And it’s the best way to return loyal customers to your store, which is way cheaper than acquiring new ones. Think of your email strategy, tone of voice you're gonna write with, frequency of emails you plan to send, make them meaningful and valuable for your audience. Email marketing is a great way to keep in touch with customers, and even better if you're trying to build a relationship. By sending out regular newsletters or other content that keeps your products in front of them, customers will remember who you are and be more likely to purchase Send new:

• product announcements 
• sales and promotions
• blog posts announcement
• product videos
• feedback surveys.  

Tip: Choose the platform, like Mailchimp, Getresponse, Vero or any other to automate your email marketing.

Get In Touch With Influencers

Influencers may promote your print on demand for Shopify goods. You don't always need  guest posts or product reviews. A simple mention may go far when you discover the appropriate brand fit. Get in contact with the influencers and organise sponsored posts. Ask influencers with relevant audiences to highlight your product, create tags and hashtags.

Tip: Make a personalised print-on-demand product and send it out with a nice note, many chances you get the unpacking story from the influencer with your products or a good mention. 

Expand Your Portfolio

Say you began your POD Shopify business with personalised T-shirts. Many merchants offer just one item and do well if the concept is unique. But you may also try something different. Test out the reaction of the customers with different types of matching wristbands or tote bags, as example. don’t be afraid to experiment, as with POD model you can likewise easily add or remove new stuff from your Shopify store. To succeed with Shopify print-on-demand, you must outdo your competition.

The Six Most Common POD Mistakes To Avoid

When marketing and selling Shopify print on demand items, it is crucial not to make any blunders. New online shop owners might make a lot of mistakes if they don't take the time to do “their homework”. If you're one of such POD beginners, here are some typical pitfalls to watch out for.

Poor Quality Products

Take any kind of sale as an example. It must be high-quality! POD items with inadequate quality flood the market, and consumers will eventually catch on. Just make sure you offer something better. 

Tip: It’s wise to order samples, check in the app of the POD provider you have integration with the policy on samples. Many offer good discounts off the cost price for sampling orders. Check your inbox, sampling email might be there.

Slow At Shipping

The timely delivery of customer orders is of the utmost importance. People won't want to wait too long for their items, and if you take too long to deliver. They will not be loyal to you and end up placing their orders with other online shops.

Tip: Check the shipping times for each product and country, as they may differ in POD provider app. Pay time for  relevant set-up of your shipping policy for your store to be super clear for customers before ordering.

Not Investing Enough In Designs

Follow the latest trends. To make your designs more attractive and popular with customers, invest  into their development. Use paid platforms or hire a professional designer. This will help you remain ahead of the game. 

Not Ordering Samples For Yourself

Why do we need samples?

• You may evaluate the product.
• You may verify the colors and whether the print file is too detailed, pixelated, or broken.
• You may snap product photos for marketing.
• You may also ask friends or industry specialists for honest feedback. 

Don't sell anything you haven't seen. Samples help build a solid Shopify print on demand brand. 

Tip: Helloprint Create & Sell will provide you with a lucrative discount when you order samples of the products for your online shop.

Not Marketing Your Shopify Store

Most of the Shopify stores are not successful due to a lack of marketing and advertising. You may lose hundreds of consumers simply because of poor marketing strategy. Do not neglect using PPC advertising and cooperating with social media influencers. Marketing does not require you to spend a fortune, a small initial investment will be more than enough to start with.

So, Should I Start Shopify Print on Demand Business

Definitely, yes! Shopify is a good choice for custom printing businesses because:

• You may open your own online shop within 30 minutes.
• Shopify makes scaling your store easy.
• You will be eligible for a 14-day free trial that allows you to fully test the platform operation and tools. 
• Shopify lists 90+ print-on-demand companies, so you will definitely find your supplier.
• Shopify is an eCommerce platform for SMBs.
• Shopify professionals help with shop set-up and development.

Start Selling High Quality Print On Demand Products With Helloprint Create & Sell

Dive into the world of successful POD business with Helloprint Create & Sell and Shopify. What can be easier? Find our App in the Shopify App Store and install it. Get access to more than 100 customisable products to print on and express your creativity by designing products in our intuitive design editor. No extra steps are required - you make a sale and we cover everything else - orders processing, fulfilment and shipping. With print suppliers in 18 countries worldwide, we will deliver your packages fast to your customers, wherever they are. 

Start selling your custom print on demand products with Helloprint Create & Sell today and enjoy earning profit by doing what you like.

Conclusion

In this comprehensive guide, we provide valuable information on the easiest way to open the best print on demand for Shopify store. Starting a POD business is simple and fun. Make sure you partner with a reputable supplier that will take care of every aspect of order fulfilment. Do not be afraid to experiment and try out different concepts for your store. After all, due to no set-up cost and inventory, you have nothing to lose. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Print On Demand?

A "print on demand" business is one where you work with a provider of white-label products to customise and sell them online on a per order basis. You create designs and sell your goods, the provider manufactures the ordered items and ships them to the customers. 

How To Start A Shopify Print On Demand Business?

To start a POD business, you simply need a computer with internet access, graphic design tools, a print-on-demand provider, and a Shopify account.

How Does Shopify Print On Demand Business Work?

Your Shopify online store accepts orders for a certain product. Once an order, such as a custom shirt or water bottle is placed, the job is handed over to a third-party provider, who prints your  design on the ordered item and then it goes into the shipping process and into the hands of the customer.

How To Make Money With Shopify Print On Demand Business?

You may lay the groundwork for a successful online business by making a business plan, selecting items you will be selling, developing a visual concept for your shop, and marketing your goods using different channels. The main business model gets you no upfront costs, but you need to way the margins you set-up for products and the volumes of sales you can make.

How Much Money Can You Make With Shopify Print On Demand?

The amount you may earn by selling custom goods in your Shopify print on demand shop depends heavily on the goods you offer, the prices you set as well as prices offered by the POD supplier you work with as this defines the margins you can earn. Keep in mind that when using Shopify, you will need to pay $29/mo. + percentage-based transaction fee per order.

How To Set Up A Shopify Print On Demand Store?

Select your niche and products you want to sell, sign up for Shopify account, choose your subscription plan, add a print-on-demand provider app, design and publish your products and don’t forget to publish your store.

How To Promote Shopify Print On Demand Business?

In order to promote your business, you should dive deep into your target audience first to know the platforms, where you can reach them easily. Then, develop a PPC plan, start sending emails, make SEO work done, run SMM campaigns and most importantly generate word of mouth for your products to get as much organic traffic as you can.

‍

‍

‍