While print-on-demand sounds like it should be something of the past (we don’t print things anymore!) it actually is one of the most resource efficient ways to start an online store. With print-on-demand there is no risk of accumulating unwanted inventory or fronting a substantial amount of capital for merchandise that you as a small business owner simply don’t have. So many business owners have decided to start a print-on-demand business that the entire print-on-demand industry is projected to get up to over $100 billion in the next decade.
Does this pique your interest? Let’s get into what print-on-demand is and how you can use print-on-demand to grow your business.
What is Print On Demand?
Print-on-demand is the simple model of only manufacturing a product once the sale has been made. This goes against the traditional merchandise manufacturing model of ordering products in bulk and then going on a frenzy to try and sell them all. By partnering with a print-on-demand service, when you receive an order through your online store, they print and produce the item with your design, and ship it directly to your customer.
The design is completely yours, and you can choose the types of products you would like to sell on your online store. Some of the most popular products for print-on-demand are t-shirts, hoodies, coffee cups, and calendars. Home decor items in the print-on-demand space are picking up popularity and are slated to grow exponentially in the next ten years, even though clothing items are the most popular niche to use print-on-demand at the moment.
Benefits of Print On Demand
The major benefit of print-on-demand is that you as a business owner can give your customers any merchandise they want without having to front the cost. You can avoid the stress of pre-ordering branded t-shirts that you are not even sure will sell and the risk of losing money by having to discount that excess inventory just to get rid of them.
There is nothing more disappointing than finding out a product you love is being discontinued because it’s not popular. With print-on-demand, you will never break your customers’ hearts by discontinuing products because there will be no waste or stress in producing the products they want. This also allows you to grow your design and product inventory since you won’t be working with finite resources and can give your customers more selection.
While you as the business owner benefit from not wasting any financial resources, with print-on-demand you also get the added peace of mind of knowing you won’t be wasting any physical resources either. You won’t waste a bunch of cotton on t-shirts that don’t sell or paper on calendars or posters that aren’t popular. This is especially important in 2025 and beyond as consumers are more selective in their purchases, prioritizing sustainability and good business practices over cost.
How to Grow Your Business with Print On Demand
The above benefits flow directly into how you can use print-on-demand to grow your business.
By giving customers the freedom to choose the exact design and product that they want from your online store, they will be more loyal to your brand since they see that their likes and dislikes are valued. They will then spread their positive outlook and relationship with your brand to their friends and followers on social media, giving your business much more exposure.
The only way your business can grow is if you devote the time to strategizing the optimal business plan and marketing strategy. There is absolutely no way for you to do those things if you are too busy spending capital you don’t know you will make back and managing a full inventory of products. If you use print-on-demand, there is no inventory to stress about, and no need to worry about packaging and shipping because your print-on-demand partner will produce the product based on the order and ship it directly to your customer. You will also immediately receive the money from the sale upfront!
We do recommend ordering a couple samples of items, just so you know exactly what your product is and what your customer is going to get, but that amount of money is nothing compared to bulk ordering.
You will also be able to introduce seasonal items and special products only available for a limited time without the pressure of having to sell them within a small time frame. The buzz around these items will let you engage even more with your customers and social media followings, building more excitement around your business.
Best Print On Demand Sites
The best way to start a print-on-demand business is to partner with a great print-on-demand site that will cater to your needs, in both financial and branding, and will integrate seamlessly with your online store. Here are a couple of the best print-on-demand sites to jumpstart your business.
Printful
Printful prides itself on printing quality designs on over 397 products (and growing!) with reliable international shipping and the most integrations with online stores and apps. Their base platform is free, but customizable features can be added on as you grow your business. Printful does not use third party production centers, keeping the quality on their products consistent and very high.
Printify
Printify is a global print-on-demand partner that integrates with almost all eCommerce store hosts from WooCommerce to Shopify to LincSell. It is completely free to start, saving you from having to put down money before you even set up your store. With a great print-on-demand partner like Printify, you will grow your business, and can update to a paid plan starting at $29 per month to keep up with your growing business if need be. Their prints are high quality on a variety of products including clothing, home decor, and even beauty products.
Conclusion
Now that you have an introduction to what print-on-demand is and how it can help grow your business, you can forget about ordering and managing a risky inventory of products and gambling your business’ money on untested products. If you use print-on-demand, then you will have a reliable partner to print and ship specialized products that your customers are excited about, helping your business expand its reach and find new, loyal customers.
You will get your time back to focus on your business’ big picture and be involved in sustainable business practices. It’s a win win!
LincSell will integrate with the print-on-demand site you use, and work with you to grow your business to heights you never even thought possible.
