Print on Demand Guide For Dropshipping

In other words, your supplier will customize and ship all of your orders, so you won’t have to keep any stock. Your supplier will only make something when a customer orders it.

Just like with regular dropshipping, you will keep a certain percentage of each sale as profit. But, as with any POD business, the catch is that you can only sell customized printed items.

one of the most common ways to make money online.

They are used by both experienced business owners and people who are just starting out in eCommerce.

Because they are both good, it can be hard to decide which one to pick.

But what if we told you that you could start a print-on-demand dropshipping business and get the best of both worlds?

How does POD dropshipping work, and what are its pros and cons?

Read on to learn more about all of this and much more!

Dropshipping or Print-on-Demand?

Is Print on Demand Dropshipping the Same as Dropshipping?

The main difference between POD dropshipping and regular dropshipping is that POD dropshipping only involves custom-printed items, while regular dropshipping lets you sell almost any product that has already been made.

If you want to sell customized products as a normal dropshipper, you would need to find a supplier who offers private labeling services.

POD dropshipping, on the other hand, makes it much easier to start your own brand, and it only requires a small amount of money.

The Pros of Print on Demand Dropshipping

Now that you know how POD dropshipping works, let’s talk about what makes it a good business model:

Easy to Start

One of the easiest ways to start an online business is through POD dropshipping. You only need to pick a niche, set up an online store, and find a supplier to start selling.

Minimal Investment

Since you don’t have to keep products in stock, you can start a POD dropshipping business with little to no money.

Low Risk

Print-on-demand dropshipping isn’t as risky as some other online businesses because it doesn’t need a lot of money up front.

If you know how to use technology well enough, you can make a store by watching a tutorial online. The only cost you’ll have to worry about is marketing.

Hassle-Free Shipment

One of the hardest parts of running an online store is taking care of logistics. But POD dropshipping makes it easy because your supplier takes care of everything.

Building a Brand

Every online business owner’s main goal is to build a brand, which is easier to do with POD dropshipping. All you have to do is find a reliable supplier, make a good-looking website, and market like crazy.

Time and Freedom

It’s not as hard to run a POD dropshipping business as it is to run other eCommerce businesses. Basically, all you have to do is send the order information to your supplier. You can also do this with the help of an automation tool.

As long as you have a stable internet connection, you can run your business from anywhere.

The Cons of Print on Demand Dropshipping

POD dropshipping has its flaws, just like every other eCommerce business does. So let’s talk about some of its problems:

Lack of Control

One of the worst things about POD dropshipping is that it is so easy to use. Your supplier is in charge of everything in your business, so you don’t have much say over it.

If your supplier can’t fill the orders for some reason, you could get bad feedback from your customers, which could hurt the reputation of your business.

Quality Issues

Because you don’t have the products in your hands, it can be hard to keep an eye on their quality when you run a POD dropshipping business.

You can only place a test order, which is also only a short-term solution. So take your time to find a supplier who can give you prints of good quality.

Longer Production Time

Because POD dropshipping products are made when someone orders them, the time it takes to ship them may be longer than usual.

That’s why it’s important to talk to the supplier in a clear way. Make sure that you and your partner agree on the lead times for each product.

Dealing with Complaints

Since POD dropshipping doesn’t give you much control over quality, it can be hard to handle customer complaints. Talk to the supplier at least about the return and refund policy so you know what to do if a customer isn’t happy.

Low Profit Margin

It’s possible that POD dropshipping won’t make as much money as regular dropshipping. Because you mostly sell everyday things like printed t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and so on.

Since none of these products are expensive, you won’t make enough money unless you sell a lot of them each month.

What Are Print on Demand Dropshipping Companies

A print-on-demand service Dropshipping company is just another name for the company you’ll be working with. The company will be in charge of printing the custom design, putting the product in packaging, and sending it to your customers.

Types of Print on Demand Companies

Most people think that if you have a print on demand business, you can only sell T-shirts and coffee mugs.

Depending on what kind of POD Company you choose, you can sell a wide range of products, such as:

Phone cases, stickers, and posters
Tote bags
Socks Notebooks
Also, if you want to start a jewelry business, there are many POD jewelry companies that can help you get going.

Best Print on Demand Dropshipping Companies

You want to start an online business and are looking for reputable POD dropshipping companies. Here is a list of some of the best places to start:

Printify

Printify is a well-known name in the print-on-demand business. They have sellers from all over the world, which lets them serve a wide range of customers with different tastes and needs.

But that’s also Printify’s biggest weakness. Since they work with many different suppliers, the quality of the prints can vary.

But their low prices make up for that, so POD dropshipping businesses can keep a higher profit margin.

Printful

Many people think that Printful is the best print-on-demand site in the world. This is because the prints they give their customers are so good.

They also have a catalog with more than 200 items, such as phones, cases, hats, t-shirts, leggings, and much more. If that wasn’t enough, Printful also lets you choose from different ways to print, such as cut-and-sew, sublimation, and embroidery.

Customers can also see and change designs before they place an order with their mockup generator, which is easy to add to your Shopify store.

Custom Cat

Custom Cat is another large POD dropshipping business that can handle both small and large orders with ease.

This company would work best for companies that want to sell a wide range of printed goods.

Custom Cat has more than 550 items that can be changed, and there are many ways to print on them, like sublimation, 3D dye diffusion, and more.

Custom Cat’s only problem is that its design tool isn’t as good as those of its competitors, like Printful. But don’t get it wrong. It can still do the job.

CJDropshipping

CJDropshipping is a dropshipping company that is based in China and has warehouses in many different places around the world.

This lets CJDropshipping cut not only costs but also the time it takes for their products to get to their customers.

Go to their website and click on the Print on Demand icon to use their POD services.

You’ll be taken to a page where you can choose the product you want and customize it to your liking.

If you turn on the POD button, your customers will also be able to use your site to get to the mockup generator.

Overall, CJDropshipping has a better supply chain than the other POD dropshipping companies on this list because it looks at the whole picture.

The only problem is that it can take some time to get used to their POD design process.

CJDropshipping

SPOD

SPOD is another POD platform that makes shirts, aprons, tank tops, baseball caps, and a lot of other things.

In addition to letting you make your own designs, they also have more than 50,000 designs already made and ready to go.

In terms of printing methods, they offer special flex printing, digital and laser transfers, and digital direct printing, among others.

SPOD also fills 95% of its orders within 48 hours, so there aren’t many chances that shipments will be late. But you should remember that they only have warehouses in Europe and the United States.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Print on Demand Dropshipping Company

It can be hard to find the right Print on Demand dropshipping company because there are so many to choose from. So, here are some important things to remember:

Print Quality

Your whole business is based on selling printed items that can be personalized.

So it’s clear that even if the print quality isn’t great, it shouldn’t be terrible either.

You have to be especially careful with things that can be cleaned.

The last thing your customers want is for the print on their t-shirt to disappear after just one wash.

Always check a supplier’s print quality before you start sending it to your customers.

Shipping Time

Shipping time is a very important part of any online business.

To avoid shipping delays, you have to make sure you send the order details on the same day and that your supplier makes the design right away.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you should choose suppliers with warehouses close to, if not in, the country you do business in. This will cut down on the time it takes to ship the goods.

In short, you and your supplier should agree on the shipping time so that there aren’t any extra delays.

Mockup Generator

A mockup generator is a tool that lets customers see how their custom design would look on the finished product.

Most of the popular POD dropshipping companies have a mockup generator that can at least be integrated with Shopify or WooCommerce stores.

Having a mockup generator on your site is important because it lets customers see what their order will look like. Because of this, there are less likely to be misunderstandings.

Product Variety

There is no one way to choose products that works for everyone. Even if one business is doing well with a certain product, that doesn’t mean you will too, and the same goes for the other way around.

So, if you want to offer POD dropshipping services, you should choose a supplier with a good selection of customizable products.

This will give you the chance to try out different things and see what works best for your business. It will also help you find the right niche.

Product Choice

Print as Needed A Tell All Guide to Dropshipping 2

Customer Service

Last but not least, good customer service is the most important thing to look for in a POD dropshipping company.

You will depend on your supplier for everything, so you want to work with someone who can talk to you.

Your POD provider should ideally offer shipment tracking and a refund/return policy in case anything goes wrong.

Customization Options

The whole point of a POD business is to let customers make products that are unique to them. So it would be a big plus if you could find a supplier who gives you a lot of ways to change the product.

For example, customers can change the shape and size of the product as well as its color and design.

Most Popular POD Dropshipping Products

Can’t decide what to sell in your POD dropshipping business? Here are the six most-bought items:

T-Shirts

T-shirts are one of the most common POD products, but that doesn’t mean people don’t still like them.

They can be worn as underwear in the winter and on their own in the summer. Basically, if you sell good-quality t-shirts, you might be able to make money all year long.

But keep in mind that “high-quality” is the key word here, because, let’s be honest, no one wants to pay for a printed t-shirt that starts to fade after the first wash.

So, if you’re dropshipping T-shirts, make sure to work with a POD supplier that not only gives you a choice of colors but also gives you high-quality printing.

Face Masks

You probably didn’t expect to see face masks on this list, but it shouldn’t be a surprise since most people have to wear them every time they go outside.

In fact, printed face masks have become more popular, especially among people who still want to look good during the pandemic.

Don’t believe us? Just go to a few well-known clothing stores, and you’re sure to find at least a few printed face masks that go with the clothes.

That’s why it would be a good idea to add face masks in different colors and styles to your POD dropshipping store. But don’t just focus on how they look. Give them the features they’re meant to have, like antimicrobial ones.

Printed Hoodies

It’s hard to find the right clothes for winter, but that’s where hoodies come in. Even though hoodies are only sold during certain times of the year, they sell like hotcakes as soon as the weather turns cold.

But the best way to sell more hoodies is to make them easier to personalize. What are we saying? Well, instead of just letting customers change the color and design, add more types like zippered and pull-over.

Also, try out different materials like cotton and polyester, and think about getting an all-over print. You can raise the price of the hoodies if you add all of these customizations.

Mugs

Most of us have our own mugs that we use when we pour hot tea or coffee into them. Even though we don’t recommend dropshipping fragile items, we will make an exception for printed mugs since they sell all year long.

People like printed mugs, but companies also buy them in bulk to promote their brand and give them as gifts to their employees.

The key to selling printed mugs is to think about how different people like to drink. So make sure to cover small, medium, large, and extra-large sizes.

Find a POD dropshipping company that lets customers choose the type of material if you want to be fancier. You don’t have to stick to the same old cylindrical-shaped mugs. You can also try different shapes.

Overall, you can do a lot of different things when you sell mugs. Find a reliable supplier who packs them well so they don’t get broken on the way to the customer.

Phone Cases

Some people might think that there are already too many of these things on the market. But most of the stores sell generic cases, so believe it or not, you can still sell custom printed phone cases.

But you do have to be a bit more creative when it comes to making changes. Give your customers a choice of materials, such as leather, rubber, metal, silicone, or plastic.

In the same way, let them choose whether the cover should be filled with pictures or just words. Adding matching items like custom-printed pouches and phone straps is one way to sell even more phone cases.

Posters

Not everyone has hundreds or even thousands of dollars to spend on paintings and frames. People have started putting up posters on their walls as a cheap way to make them more interesting.

But if you do sell posters, remember that people may put them up both inside and outside. So, don’t forget to choose a material that won’t get wet when you’re customizing.

Also, you need to make sure that your customers can choose from different sizes.

We like the idea of dropshipping posters because they are light and can be easily sent all over the world without getting broken.

FAQs about Print on Demand Dropshipping

Is Print on Demand More Profitable than Dropshipping?

Unless you’re making a crazy number of sales every day, Print on Demand isn’t usually more profitable than dropshipping. This is because most POD items are sold for a low price.

On the other hand, dropshipping lets you choose your products more freely, and you can sell expensive items to make more money from each sale.

How Much Does an Average Person Make with Print on Demand?

How much money you can make from a Print on Demand business usually depends on how you market it, who you’re trying to sell to, and what you’re selling.

But if you sell an average of 4 printed T-shirts per day and make $5 profit on each sale, you can make $600 per month on average.

Print as Needed A Tell All Guide to Dropshipping

What Print on Demand Companies Pay the Most?

Most of the time, the cheapest products are sold by Yoycol and Printify, so these are the companies that pay the most, or allow you to make the most money on each sale.