Have you ever thought about selling custom-printed T-shirts, mugs, or hoodies online—without having to hold any inventory?
That’s exactly what Print-on-Demand (POD) allows you to do.
In this detailed guide, I’ll walk you through how a POD business model works, how to find designs, where to source them, how to partner with a fulfillment company, and how to run ads to bring in customers.
Let’s dive in!
Before you move ahead, welcome to the Duothrivers, here i (Anku) and my partner (Anu) provide free resources and guides to make money online. We have been blogging and making money online, from 2017, since our first year of college – read more about us.
If we can do it, you can too. So, let’s get started.
Start and Grow a Print-on-Demand (POD) Business : A Step-by-Step Guide
1. What is Print-on-Demand, and How Does It Work?
Print-on-demand is essentially a dropshipping model where you sell products—like T-shirts, mugs, phone cases, or hoodies—with your custom designs printed on them.
Here’s how it works in a nutshell:
- You create or buy a design (for example, a funny quote or a cool illustration).
- Upload this design onto products in your online store—usually through an app or integration.
- When a customer places an order, your POD fulfillment partner (e.g., Printful, Printify, Gelato) automatically prints the product and ships it directly to your customer.
- You collect the payment—the POD partner only charges you after the sale is made.
Because of this setup, you don’t need to maintain any physical inventory.
You don’t handle printing or shipping, and you don’t spend money upfront on bulk stock. Everything is made only after a customer orders.
2. Design Research: The Heart of Your Business
In the POD world, the design is your real product—not just the blank T-shirt or mug.
A simple white or black T-shirt is not what people are buying; they want the message or art on it.
Connect Emotionally:
The best designs often trigger an emotional response.
Maybe it makes someone
- laugh,
- feel proud, or
- remember a special moment.
If you’re selling to dog lovers, for example, a T-shirt that says “Life is Better with a Dog” resonates with them.
Points to keep in mind (for POD T-shirt designs):
- Make sure the design conveys emotion.
- Each niche has its own distinct emotion (for example, the gym niche focuses on pride and motivation).
- The design should be neat and clean. Don’t overcrowd it with too many elements; otherwise, the quote’s emotional impact will be lost.
- Use no more than 2–3 colors.
- Use no more than 2–3 font styles.
Niches & Passions:
People buy T-shirts and accessories to show off their passions—fitness, gaming, pets, coffee, travel, and so on.
Pick at least a few niches that are both large (lots of potential buyers) and passionate (people really care and would wear something that shows off their interest).
For example, on our POD T-shirt store, we have tested out a bunch of different categories.
However, only a few like Spirituality, Patriot Fit, Family, etc. have worked well for us.
You can choose a niche with which you relate or have some experience with. If you go to a gym, you can choose the evergreen niche ‘Fitness’ and create some amazing design with quotes. For example:
Quick Example
A fitness T-shirt that says, “I’m Not Drunk, It’s Leg Day!” instantly connects with gym lovers who struggle walking after leg workouts. It’s relatable and funny.
That’s the kind of emotional hook you want.
Platforms for design research:
Adspy Tools:
- Minea
🛍️ If you’re starting a POD business, one of the biggest challenges is getting traffic to your store – especially without a big ad budget.
I help shop owners drive free traffic from Pinterest by creating scroll-stopping pin designs and setting up strategy-backed accounts that bring results.
3. Examples of Successful POD Stores
Many brands and small businesses thrive by focusing on a specific audience:
- Outdoor & Hiking Enthusiasts: T-shirts, hats, or hoodies with mountains, nature quotes, or camping graphics.
- Pet Lovers: Funny cat or dog quotes, paw-print designs, or breed-specific humor.
- Coffee Addicts: Quotes about coffee on mugs and T-shirts like “But First, Coffee.”
- Family Themes: Tees for moms, dads, grandparents with heartfelt or humorous quotes.
The key takeaway: Pick a niche, target that niche with designs that speak to them, and you’ll stand out in a crowded market.
Store Examples:
- https://classicdad.co/
- https://houseofchingasos.com/
- https://gearbunch.com/
- https://flagwix.com/
- https://rebelyouthapparel.com/
- https://starrypaige.com/
- https://ownyourstigma.com/
- https://dumb-club.com/
- https://shoppassionfruit.com/
- https://ikonick.com/
- https://www.circlesquarediamond.com/
4. Where to Get or Buy Designs
If you’re a graphic designer, you can make your own using Canva or Kittl.
But if you’re not, you can still get cool designs without spending a fortune:
- Etsy or Creative Fabrica: Search for “SVG Designs” or “T-shirt Designs” in your niche. Sellers often offer big bundles with hundreds of designs at once. You pay a small fee and can legally use these designs for your products.
Freelance Designers: Hire someone on Upwork or Fiverr to create custom designs.
Use Simple Text-Based Designs: A lot of best-sellers are just witty quotes or phrases in a nice font. Tools like Canva can help you make simple text-based graphics.
5. Choose a POD Fulfillment Partner
In the US, there are several reliable print-on-demand companies with user-friendly platforms:
- Printful
- Printify
- Gelato
- Gooten
These companies integrate with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Etsy.
Shopify is what we recommend.
Once integrated, any new product you create (with your design) will appear in your online store. When a sale happens, the order is automatically sent to the POD partner, who then prints and ships the product.
What to Look For
- Product Range: T-shirts, mugs, hoodies, phone cases, etc.
- Shipping Options: Fast, affordable, and reliable shipping within the US (and internationally, if you want).
- Quality: Read reviews or order samples to test print quality.
- Pricing: Different POD companies have varying base costs, so compare carefully.
6. Connecting Your Store
Once you’ve chosen a POD partner, create a Shopify (or any other platform) store and install the POD partner’s app. Typically, the steps are:
- Sign up for the POD service (e.g., Printful).
- Install their app on Shopify or your chosen platform.
- Upload your design onto a product mockup (e.g., T-shirt).
- Set your pricing (base cost + your profit margin).
- Push your product to your store, where it’s visible to customers.
When a customer checks out, you collect the retail price. Your POD partner charges you their base cost plus shipping once the order is processed.
7. Marketing: Bringing Customers to Your Site
No matter how awesome your designs are, you need traffic to sell:
- Facebook & Instagram Ads: These are great for targeting specific interests (dog lovers, fitness enthusiasts, coffee fans, etc.).
- TikTok & Reels: Short, catchy videos of your T-shirts or a behind-the-scenes look at your design process.
- Pinterest: Create visually appealing pins to show off your designs. Use relevant keywords to reach your audience.
- Influencer Collaborations: Send free samples to micro-influencers in your niche. If they love your product, they’ll share it with their followers.
- Email Marketing: Encourage site visitors to subscribe. Offer them a discount code. Over time, send them new product releases or special offers.
Quick Tips for Ads
- Focus on the emotional hook in the ad copy: “Show off your love for your dog with our new paw-some design!”
- Test 2–3 different ad sets with small budgets first (e.g., $10-$20/day each).
- Track metrics like Cost Per Click (CPC) and Cost Per Purchase. If an ad set isn’t working after a couple of days, pause it and try a new angle.
8. Day-to-Day Operations
Here’s what running a POD store typically looks like:
Order Processing: When someone buys from your site, the order automatically appears in your POD partner’s dashboard.
Fulfillment: The POD partner prints, packs, and ships the product to the customer. You pay the base cost automatically (usually via credit card on file or PayPal).
Payment Collection: You receive payment from your Shopify store’s payment gateway (Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe, etc.).
Customer Service: If a customer has questions about shipping times or returns, you handle that via email or a help desk tool.
However, since you’re not physically shipping items yourself, you’ll coordinate with your POD partner if there are any fulfillment issues.
Stock & Inventory: Not needed in POD—everything’s on-demand!
9. Scaling Your Print-on-Demand Business
As you start making consistent sales, you can do the following to grow:
- Add More Products: Hoodies, phone cases, tote bags, stickers—anything that fits your niche.
- Expand Your Niche: If you started with dog designs, maybe branch out into cats or other pets.
- Optimize Your Ads: Increase budgets on winning ad sets or test lookalike audiences.
- Build a Brand: Use custom packaging slips, a memorable logo, and consistent social media presence.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Overcomplicating Designs: Remember, simple, bold designs often sell better.
Ignoring Market Demand: Validate your niche by checking best-sellers on Etsy, Amazon, and facebook ads library.
Not Ordering Samples: Always test the quality of the prints to avoid unhappy customers.
Setting Prices Too Low: Don’t forget to include marketing costs. Aim for a healthy profit margin—often 20% to 40%.
Poor Customer Service: Quick email responses and transparent shipping updates go a long way.
SEE ALSO:
7 Ways to Make Money Fast as a Woman
How to make $1000 per month with a Faceless YouTube Channel
11 Small Business Ideas for Teens: Guide to Starting a Business
Final Words
Print-on-demand is one of the simplest ways to start an online business—especially if you’re passionate about design, art, or connecting with specific communities (like pet lovers or gym enthusiasts).
You don’t need inventory or a big warehouse. With the right niche, appealing designs, and effective marketing, you can grow a successful POD brand from your laptop.
Ready to take the leap?
- Brainstorm your niches.
- Find or create designs that resonate with your target audience.
- Partner with a reliable fulfillment provider like Printful or Printify.
- Launch your store, run targeted ads, and watch the orders come in!
If you have any questions or want to share your experience with POD, drop a comment below. I’d love to hear about your journey and help you make it big in the print-on-demand world.
Happy printing and selling!