Shopify Print on Demand: Start a Custom Products Business

Print on demand has revolutionized how entrepreneurs start product businesses. Instead of investing thousands in inventory, ordering minimum quantities, and hoping products sell, POD lets you sell custom products with zero upfront inventory costs.

Shopify has become the leading platform for print on demand businesses, offering seamless integration with major POD providers, professional storefronts, and the tools needed to build a real brand. Whether you want to sell custom t-shirts, create an art print business, or launch a full merchandise line, this guide covers everything you need to start and scale a profitable POD operation.

What Is Print on Demand?

Print on demand is a fulfillment model where products are manufactured only after a customer places an order. You create designs, list products on your store, and when someone buys, a third-party printer produces and ships the item directly to the customer.

How Print on Demand Works

The POD process follows a simple flow:

1. Design creation: You create artwork for products (t-shirts, mugs, posters, etc.)
2. Product listing: Upload designs to your store with pricing and descriptions
3. Customer purchase: Someone buys from your store and pays retail price
4. Order routing: Your POD app automatically sends the order to the printer
5. Production: The printer manufactures the product with your design
6. Shipping: The product ships directly to your customer with your branding
7. Profit capture: You keep the difference between retail price and production cost

Traditional Retail vs. Print on Demand

The trade-off is clear: traditional retail offers higher margins but requires significant capital and carries inventory risk. Print on demand eliminates risk and capital requirements but yields lower per-item profit. For most new entrepreneurs, POD's lower barrier makes it the smarter starting point.

What Products Can You Sell?

Modern POD providers offer extensive product catalogs:

Apparel:

• T-shirts, tank tops, long sleeves
• Hoodies and sweatshirts
• Leggings and athletic wear
• Dresses and skirts
• Hats and beanies

Home and Living:

• Posters and canvas prints
• Throw pillows and blankets
• Mugs and drinkware
• Wall clocks and tapestries
• Shower curtains and bath mats

Accessories:

• Phone cases
• Tote bags and backpacks
• Jewelry (some providers)
• Face masks
• Socks

Stationery:

• Notebooks and journals
• Stickers and magnets
• Greeting cards
• Calendars

Specialty Items:

• Pet products (beds, bowls, bandanas)
• Baby clothing
• All-over print items
• Embroidered products

The product selection continues expanding, with providers adding new items regularly.

Why Shopify for Print on Demand?

While POD businesses can run on various platforms, Shopify offers distinct advantages that make it the preferred choice for serious POD entrepreneurs.

Platform Advantages

Professional Storefronts: Shopify themes create polished, trustworthy stores that convert visitors to customers. Unlike marketplace listings that blend together, your Shopify store represents your unique brand.

POD App Ecosystem: Shopify's app store includes every major POD provider, all offering one-click installation and automatic order routing. Switching or testing providers requires minimal effort.

Payment Processing: Shopify Payments handles transactions smoothly, with support for multiple currencies, buy-now-pay-later options, and fraud protection.

Marketing Tools: Built-in SEO features, email marketing integrations, social selling capabilities, and analytics help you grow without stitching together separate tools.

Scalability: Shopify handles traffic spikes, Black Friday rushes, and viral moments without crashing. The platform scales with your business from first sale to millions in revenue.

Ownership and Control: Unlike Etsy or Amazon where you're subject to algorithm changes and policy shifts, your Shopify store is your asset. You control pricing, branding, customer data, and marketing.

Shopify Plans for POD

Most POD businesses start with Basic and upgrade as revenue grows. The transaction fee savings at higher tiers make sense once you're processing $10,000+ monthly.

Best Print on Demand Apps for Shopify

Choosing the right POD provider significantly impacts your business. Here's a detailed comparison of the top options.

Printful

Overview: The industry leader known for quality, reliability, and brand-building features. Printful operates its own fulfillment centers rather than using third-party printers.

Strengths:

• Superior print quality and color accuracy
• US and European fulfillment centers
• Excellent branding options (custom labels, pack-ins, branded packaging)
• Built-in mockup generator
• Warehousing for non-POD products
• Strong Shopify integration

Considerations:

• Higher base costs than some competitors
• Longer production times during peak seasons
• Premium features add to costs

Best For: Brands prioritizing quality and willing to pay slightly higher base costs for better products and branding.

Sample Pricing:

• Unisex t-shirt: $12.95 base cost
• Hoodie: $25.50 base cost
• Poster (18x24): $8.50 base cost
• Mug (11oz): $7.95 base cost

Printify

Overview: A print provider network connecting you to 80+ printing facilities worldwide. This model offers competitive pricing and the widest product selection in the industry.

Strengths:

• Lowest base costs in many categories
• Largest product catalog (900+ products)
• Multiple print providers per product
• Global fulfillment network
• Free and premium plans available
• Fast shipping from nearby facilities

Considerations:

• Quality varies between print providers
• Less control over consistency
• Branding options more limited than Printful
• Need to research and select providers carefully

Best For: Price-competitive businesses, sellers wanting maximum product variety, or those targeting international markets.

Sample Pricing (varies by provider):

• Unisex t-shirt: $8.50-$13.00 base cost
• Hoodie: $20.00-$27.00 base cost
• Poster (18x24): $5.50-$9.00 base cost
• Mug (11oz): $5.00-$8.00 base cost

Premium Plan: $29/month for 20% discount on all products (pays for itself at ~$150/month in orders)

Gooten

Overview: A curated network of vetted print partners with strong quality control and competitive international shipping.

Strengths:

• Rigorous partner vetting process
• Consistent quality across network
• Competitive international shipping
• Good customer service
• Unique product offerings
• Strong API for custom integrations

Considerations:

• Smaller product catalog than Printify
• Less brand recognition
• Fewer branding customization options

Best For: Businesses with international customers, those wanting Printify's network model with better quality control.

Sample Pricing:

• Unisex t-shirt: $9.00-$12.00 base cost
• Hoodie: $22.00-$26.00 base cost
• Canvas (16x20): $12.00 base cost
• Mug (11oz): $5.50-$7.50 base cost

Other Notable POD Apps

SPOD (Spreadshirt): Known for fast production (48-hour average), good for time-sensitive products.

CustomCat: Competitive pricing on apparel, strong embroidery options.

Gelato: 100+ production partners in 32 countries, excellent for global reach.

Prodigi: Premium fine art printing, high-end wall art focus.

Apliiq: Cut-and-sew custom apparel for brands wanting truly unique products.

Choosing Your POD Provider

Consider these factors when selecting:

Recommendation: Start with Printful for quality or Printify for variety and pricing. Order samples from multiple providers before committing. Many successful stores use multiple providers, routing orders to whoever best serves each product category.

Product Selection Strategy

Choosing the right products determines profitability and marketing effectiveness. Random product selection leads to scattered stores that confuse customers and complicate marketing.

The Niche-Down Approach

Successful POD stores focus on specific audiences rather than trying to appeal to everyone.

Too Broad: "T-shirts for everyone" Better: "T-shirts for dog lovers" Best: "T-shirts for French Bulldog owners"

Niche focus provides:

• Clearer marketing targeting
• Stronger customer connection
• Higher conversion rates
• Better word-of-mouth
• Easier SEO and social media strategy
• Premium pricing justification

Product Selection Criteria

Margin Potential: Calculate profit margin before adding products.

Aim for 50%+ margins after base cost (before advertising). Products with margins under 40% become unprofitable when you factor in customer acquisition costs.

Shipping Cost Impact: Some products have disproportionately high shipping costs:

• All-over print items often cost more to ship
• Heavy items (mugs, blankets) add shipping expense
• Oversized items (large posters) increase costs
• Multiple-item orders may not save as much as expected

Return Rate Consideration: Certain products see higher returns:

• Apparel (sizing issues) - 5-15% return rate
• Phone cases (compatibility issues) - 3-8% return rate
• Home decor (color/size expectations) - 2-5% return rate
• Posters/prints (minimal issues) - 1-3% return rate

Repeat Purchase Potential: Some products generate repeat customers:

• Stickers (consumable, collectible) - high repeat rate
• Apparel (customers want multiple designs) - medium repeat rate
• Home decor (one purchase per item type) - low repeat rate

Winning Product Categories

T-Shirts: The POD staple. High demand, understood sizing, reasonable margins. Competition is fierce, so designs must stand out.

Hoodies: Higher price point means bigger absolute profit per sale. Seasonal (stronger fall/winter sales) but consistently popular.

Posters and Art Prints: Low base cost, high margins, easy shipping. Great for artists and designers. No sizing issues.

Mugs: Everyday use product, gift-friendly, good margins. Breakage in shipping is a consideration.

Phone Cases: Fashion accessory with good margins. Requires staying current with phone models.

Tote Bags: Eco-conscious appeal, practical use, good canvas for designs. Lower price point but consistent seller.

Products to Approach Carefully

All-Over Print Apparel: Higher base costs, complex design requirements, potential alignment issues. Margins tighter, quality control harder.

Jewelry: Premium positioning possible but quality concerns, higher return rates, complex size/material requirements.

Large Canvas Prints: High shipping costs can eat margins unless pricing reflects this.

Embroidered Products: Higher quality perception but significantly higher base costs and longer production times.

Design Tips for POD Success

Your designs are your product. In a world where anyone can start a POD store, design quality becomes the primary differentiator.

Design Fundamentals

Understand Print Limitations:

• Most POD uses DTG (direct-to-garment) printing for apparel
• Colors may appear slightly different than on screen
• Fine details can get lost in printing
• Text smaller than 8pt becomes illegible
• Gradients may show banding

Design for the Medium:

• Bold, simple designs often outperform complex ones
• High contrast improves visibility
• Consider the product color when designing
• Account for print areas and safe zones
• Test designs on multiple product colors

File Requirements:

• 300 DPI for print quality
• PNG format with transparent background (usually)
• RGB color mode
• File size within provider limits
• Proper dimensions for each product

What Sells: Design Trends

Evergreen Categories:

• Funny/humorous designs
• Hobby and passion identifiers
• Profession pride
• Family roles (mom, dad, grandma)
• Pet-related designs
• Location/hometown pride

Current Trends:

• Minimalist line art
• Retro/vintage aesthetics
• Hand-lettered typography
• Nature and botanical
• Abstract and artistic
• Statement pieces with personality

Holiday and Seasonal:

• Christmas (plan designs by October)
• Halloween (August preparation)
• Valentine's Day (January launch)
• Mother's/Father's Day
• Back to school
• Summer and vacation themes

Design Creation Options

DIY with Design Tools:

• Canva (free/paid) - great for beginners
• Adobe Illustrator - professional vector work
• Procreate (iPad) - hand-drawn designs
• Photoshop - photo manipulation and complex designs
• Affinity Designer - affordable professional alternative

Hiring Designers:

• Fiverr: $5-$100 per design, wide quality range
• Upwork: $20-$200+ per design, vetted professionals
• 99designs: Contest-based, more expensive but curated
• Design Pickle: Subscription model, unlimited requests

Purchasing Designs:

• Creative Market: Quality designs, check licenses carefully
• Design Bundles: Bundle deals on graphics
• Vexels: POD-specific marketplace

AI Design Tools:

• Midjourney: Generates unique artwork from prompts
• DALL-E: Creates original images
• Adobe Firefly: Integrated with Creative Cloud

Important: Always verify you have commercial rights for any designs you use. This includes fonts, graphics, illustrations, and photographs. Using unlicensed content can result in legal issues and account termination.

Design Testing Strategy

Don't invest heavily in untested designs:

1. Create multiple variations of promising concepts
2. Start with mockups to gauge reaction (social media, focus groups)
3. Launch with minimal investment (one or two products per design)
4. Track performance closely for 2-4 weeks
5. Double down on winners, retire losers
6. Iterate on successful themes with variations

Pricing Strategy and Profit Margins

Pricing determines profitability and market positioning. Get this wrong and you'll either price yourself out of the market or work for minimal profit.

Understanding POD Economics

Your profit equation:

Profit = Retail Price - (Base Cost + Shipping to Customer + Transaction Fees + Marketing Costs)

Example calculation:

This illustrates why efficient marketing is crucial. A $15 customer acquisition cost eliminates profit on many products.

Pricing Strategies

Cost-Plus Pricing: Calculate base cost, add target margin, set price.

• Simple to implement
• Ensures minimum profitability
• May not reflect market value

Market-Based Pricing: Research competitor pricing, position accordingly.

• Competitive alignment
• May sacrifice margin
• Requires ongoing monitoring

Value-Based Pricing: Price based on perceived value to customer.

• Higher margins possible
• Requires strong branding
• Needs perceived differentiation

Recommended Approach: Combine all three. Know your costs (cost-plus), understand the market (market-based), and position your brand to command premium pricing (value-based).

Margin Targets by Product

Shipping Pricing Models

Free Shipping (Built Into Price)

• Increases conversion rates
• Simplifies decision making
• Higher perceived value
• You absorb cost variability

Flat Rate Shipping

• Predictable for customers
• Easier to calculate margins
• May overcharge or undercharge some orders

Calculated Shipping

• Most accurate
• Can reduce cart abandonment from sticker shock
• More complex for customers

Recommendation: Offer free shipping with prices that account for average shipping costs. "Free shipping on orders over $50" encourages larger orders while protecting margins.

Discount Strategy

Discounts drive sales but erode margins. Use strategically:

Effective Discount Uses:

• Email list building (10% for signup)
• Cart abandonment recovery (10-15%)
• First-time buyer conversion (10-15%)
• Holiday promotions (20-30% limited time)
• Loyalty rewards (exclusive offers)

Avoid:

• Constant sales that train customers to wait
• Deep discounts that eliminate margins
• Discounts without strategic purpose
• Competing on price alone

Setting Up Your Shopify POD Store

With strategy established, here's how to execute the technical setup.

Store Setup Checklist

Create Your Shopify Account

1. Basic Setup:

   • Choose store name (can change later)
   • Set up Shopify Payments
   • Configure tax settings
   • Set shipping zones

2. Install POD App:

   • Choose your primary provider (Printful, Printify, or Gooten)
   • Connect to your store
   • Sync product catalog
   • Configure auto-fulfill settings

3. Theme Selection:

   • Choose a theme that showcases products well
   • Ensure mobile responsiveness
   • Optimize for fast loading
   • Popular free themes: Dawn, Refresh, Taste

4. Essential Pages:

   • Homepage with clear value proposition
   • Product pages with quality images and descriptions
   • About page with brand story
   • Contact page
   • FAQ page
   • Shipping policy
   • Return policy
   • Privacy policy

5. Product Creation:

   • Upload designs to POD app
   • Select products for each design
   • Set pricing
   • Write descriptions
   • Publish to Shopify

Optimizing Product Pages

Strong product pages convert browsers to buyers:

Product Images:

• Multiple angles and views
• Lifestyle/context images
• Size and fit references
• Design detail close-ups
• Mobile-optimized sizes

Product Descriptions:

• Lead with benefits, not features
• Address the target customer directly
• Include materials, care instructions
• Add size guide reference
• Inject brand personality

Social Proof:

• Product reviews (once you have them)
• Customer photos
• Trust badges
• Sales indicators

Store Optimization Priorities

Speed: Slow sites kill conversions. Use compressed images, minimal apps, and fast themes.

Mobile: 70%+ of traffic is mobile. Every element must work perfectly on phones.

Navigation: Clear categories, easy search, logical product organization.

Checkout: Minimal friction, multiple payment options, clear security indicators.

Trust: Professional design, clear policies, accessible contact information.

Marketing Your POD Business

A beautiful store with great products means nothing without traffic. Marketing drives the entire business.

Organic Marketing Channels

Social Media:

• Instagram: Visual showcase, lifestyle content, stories and reels
• Pinterest: Design inspiration, product pins, boards for niches
• TikTok: Behind-the-scenes, trend participation, design process
• Facebook: Groups, community building, older demographics

Content Marketing:

• Blog posts about your niche
• Design inspiration content
• Gift guides
• How-to content related to products

SEO:

• Optimize product titles and descriptions
• Category page optimization
• Blog content for informational queries
• Technical SEO basics

Email Marketing:

• Welcome series for new subscribers
• Abandoned cart recovery
• New product announcements
• Exclusive offers

Paid Advertising

Facebook/Instagram Ads:

• Start with $10-20/day testing
• Use lifestyle images over mockups
• Target interests related to your niche
• Retarget website visitors

Pinterest Ads:

• Strong for visual products
• Often lower CPCs than Facebook
• Long pin lifespan extends value

Google Ads:

• Shopping campaigns for product visibility
• Search ads for brand terms
• Remarketing for visitors

TikTok Ads:

• Rapidly growing platform
• Younger demographics
• Native-feeling content performs best

Marketing Budget Allocation

For a new POD store with $500/month marketing budget:

Adjust based on what performs. If Facebook drives profitable sales, shift more budget there. If Pinterest outperforms, reallocate accordingly.

Scaling Your POD Business

Once you have a working business model, scaling amplifies success.

When to Scale

Scale when you have:

• Consistent profitable sales
• Positive ROAS on advertising
• Operational capacity for more orders
• Customer acquisition costs figured out
• Product-market fit confirmed

Scaling Strategies

Expand Product Lines:

• Add complementary products
• New designs in winning themes
• Different product types with proven designs
• Seasonal collections

Increase Marketing Spend:

• Scale winning ad campaigns
• Expand to new platforms
• Increase content production
• Influencer partnerships

Improve Conversion:

• A/B test product pages
• Optimize checkout flow
• Enhance email sequences
• Add upsells and cross-sells

Expand Markets:

• International shipping
• Currency localization
• Market-specific designs
• Local fulfillment partners

Building a Real Brand

Long-term POD success requires transitioning from "store selling stuff" to "brand customers love":

Brand Elements:

• Consistent visual identity
• Clear brand voice and personality
• Community building
• Customer loyalty programs
• Quality and consistency

Beyond POD:

• Consider stocking bestsellers for better margins
• Explore cut-and-sew manufacturing for truly unique products
• Build wholesale relationships
• License designs to other products

Common POD Mistakes to Avoid

Learn from others' failures:

Starting Too Broad: Trying to sell everything to everyone. Niche down first, expand later.

Ignoring Product Quality: Not ordering samples. Selling products you've never touched.

Underpricing: Racing to the bottom on price. Competing with margins that can't support marketing.

Overcomplicating Early: Too many products, too many designs, too many marketing channels at once.

Neglecting Customer Service: Every complaint is an opportunity. Poor service kills repeat business and reviews.

Copying Designs: Using unlicensed artwork. Trademark infringement. This can result in legal action and permanent bans.

Inconsistent Branding: Different styles, no cohesive look, confusing customer experience.

Ignoring Data: Not tracking what sells, what converts, what ad spend returns.

Key Takeaways

1. Print on demand eliminates inventory risk - Start a product business without upfront inventory investment, testing designs and products without financial risk.

2. Platform choice matters - Shopify provides the infrastructure, POD apps provide fulfillment, and your job is building the brand and marketing.

3. Choose POD providers strategically - Printful for quality and branding, Printify for variety and pricing, Gooten for international reach. Test before committing.

4. Niche positioning wins - Focus on specific audiences rather than trying to appeal to everyone. Depth beats breadth.

5. Design quality is the differentiator - In a crowded market, unique, quality designs stand out. Invest in design whether you create yourself or hire professionals.

6. Pricing protects profitability - Understand your full cost structure including marketing. Price to maintain margins that allow for customer acquisition costs.

7. Marketing drives everything - The best products don't sell themselves. Budget for and prioritize marketing from day one.

Ready to start your print on demand business? Launch your Shopify store and connect with Printful, Printify, or Gooten to start selling custom products today.

Further Reading

• AI Visibility for Print on Demand Stores
• How to Get Recommended by ChatGPT
• Product Descriptions for AI Optimization
• DTC Brand AI Visibility Playbook