An Introduction To Print On Demand

This series is intended to explain the process and benefits of the Print on Demand business model. When you finish the report you will understand what is involved and have a complete roadmap on how to start your own Print On Demand Business.

This business model started with books and most people would associate it with publishing of some kind but now it has spread to many different types of product. Now, this is where it gets interesting.

The Print On Demand business system that I am going to describe to you is simply to put your own unique design onto any one of hundreds of available products from dozens of suppliers.

The Print On Demand model is ideal for people that don't want to or can't afford to risk any money in starting a business. Many people want their own business but are scared to take the risk. This is a business that minimizes risk. If you don't have any money or don't want to risk borrowing money from the bank, then the Print On Demand business is one that you should seriously consider.

In traditional business models you generally have to invest in stock if you are going to sell any sort of product but in the Print On Demand business you do not need a speculative investment in stock. There is not any danger of investing in the wrong stock as you only pay for items that you have already sold. Many businesses make the mistake of buying badly and their profit sits in a box in the corner. Or they have to sell at a loss.

So, there are no premises to pay for, no staff to pay and no stock to pay for before any item sale. The main expense is your time and possibly money spent on advertising to bring your customers to your sales platform.

Preparation

Firstly, you will need to have a target market. By that I mean an audience to market your products to. You need to find a group of people that have a similar interest and identify where they can be reached. This could be people that like particular animals or have who have a specific job or are getting married. So you might try to get the attention of dog owners, perhaps individual breeds, or nurses for instance. You could try to target your products at firefighters or fishermen. There are plenty of target markets. You can find a free list of Print on Demand and dropshipping niches right here (look under ‘Search Suggestions’).

Secondly, you will need some designs. You can either do this yourself if you feel you have artistic abilities or you can find somebody to do your designs for you. There are plenty of places where you can find graphic artists. There are also plenty of places to find ideas for designs. They are not too expensive and we will cover that in more depth later in the report.

Thirdly you will need a competent business supplier to do the actual physical work of printing, processing and delivering your orders to your customers. You may very well need more than one depending on what type of products you decide to offer.

And finally, you will need at least one sales platform so that your great designs can be seen and purchased by the general public and in particular the people you are targeting.

Types of Products

There are so many different types of products that can be used in this business model that it would be silly to list them all here. I will just list ten that I know can work well.

T shirts

The biggest selling Print On Demand product is the T Shirt. These can be simple slogans or something a bit more elaborate.

Sweatshirts / Hoodies

These provide a good opportunity particularly around Xmas to make a very good profit margin as they are quite high value in comparison to the other items.

Coffee Mugs

There are variations on size and color on this popular product

Necklaces

This product is good for sentimental type messages and the more serious type message. It can earn you a nice profit margin. Super for Valentine’s Day or Anniversaries.

Bracelets

Not quite as popular as necklaces but still a good market with the right message

Pillow Cases / Cushion Covers

These have good possibilities if you get the design right and catch people’s imagination.

Tote Bags

A very popular item with the ladies. Very fashionable at the moment

Phone Cases

These make a great gift. It is an item that most people could use.

Caps

Headwear is something that can be good particularly with sportsmen but can be adopted for special occasions as in this sample.

Canvases

Prints for the wall need to be more artistic than for clothing in general. It is a good market for the more talented artists and designers.

Socks

All over print socks can be very effective. The all over print technique is used on other garments like T shirts and tights too. Some suppliers have better software than others for easy creation of from design. Research the suppliers to see which suits you best.

I hope the above selection has given you some ideas on niches, designs and products. Putting your own combination together can be fun. This is just a small selection of ideas. There are plenty more products to choose from.

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