Ever wanted to sell your own line of t-shirts, mugs, or tote bags — without the hassle of printing, storing, or shipping them yourself?

That’s where print on demand (POD) comes in.

With POD, you can design custom products, sell them through your own online store, and have everything fulfilled automatically by a third-party supplier — from printing to delivery. No inventory. No upfront stock. No warehouse.

And best of all? Getting started is easier than you might think.

Below, I’ll walk you through how to start a print on demand business step by step — from finding your niche to choosing the right supplier, pricing your products, and marketing your store.

Let’s get into it.

What is Print on Demand?

Print on demand (POD) is a business model where you customize white-label products — think t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, posters, and bags — with your own designs, and sell them online.

When someone places an order, your POD supplier prints the item and ships it directly to the customer.

You never have to touch the product yourself.

And because the items are printed only when someone buys them, you’re not paying for bulk inventory or warehouse space.

You’re only charged after you make a sale — which makes POD one of the most beginner-friendly ways to start an online business.

Why Start a Print on Demand Business?

There are a lot of reasons people get into print on demand.

It’s one of the most accessible ways to launch an online business, especially if you’re looking for something with low overhead, minimal risk, and room to grow.

Instead of buying stock upfront or handling logistics, you can focus entirely on the creative and marketing side — while a supplier handles the rest.

Here’s why it works:

• Zero inventory risk – You only pay for products after they’re sold. There’s no need to invest in bulk orders or worry about unsold items.
• Scalable – As orders grow, the fulfillment process stays the same. Your supplier prints and ships each item automatically.
• Creative freedom – You can design products that reflect your style, values, humor, or niche — and test new ideas without big upfront costs.
• Flexible product range – From mugs and hoodies to canvas prints and tote bags, there are dozens of customizable options to sell.

Many sellers start with just a few t-shirt or mug designs uploaded to Etsy or connected to a Shopify store.

As long as there’s a clear niche and the products speak to a specific audience, there’s real potential to build something profitable — without dealing with traditional business headaches like inventory, warehousing, or shipping.

The 8 Steps to Starting a Print on Demand Business

1. Pick a Niche

Your niche is the specific market you’re targeting — the audience you want to serve, and the type of products they’re likely to buy.

Choosing a niche helps your store stand out and gives your designs a clear direction.

Ask yourself:

• What topics or communities do I care about?
• Are there passionate audiences I can connect with?
• Are there existing products I can improve on or put a fresh spin on?

Popular POD niches include:

• Mental health and mindfulness
• Pet lovers (especially cats and dogs)
• Hobbies (fishing, gardening, gaming, etc.)
• Fitness and gym culture
• Humor and internet memes
• Professions (teachers, nurses, engineers)
• LGBTQ+ pride
• Book lovers and introverts

Let’s say you’re into hiking. Instead of a broad outdoorsy theme, narrow it down to hiking for women, or even dog owners who hike.

The more focused your niche, the easier it’ll be to create products that speak directly to that audience.

2. Define Your Audience

Once you’ve got your niche, it’s time to understand who you’re selling to.

Your audience is the group of people most likely to resonate with your designs, messaging, and products.

And the more clearly you define them, the more targeted your marketing can be.

Build a profile of your ideal customer:

• Age range
• Gender
• Location
• Interests and hobbies
• What kind of humor, aesthetics, or values they connect with
• Where they spend time online (TikTok? Reddit? Instagram?)

Here’s a simple table you can use to outline your target audience:

This helps you decide everything from product design to ad targeting later down the road.

3. Choose Your Products

The beauty of POD is that you can design on a huge range of items. But it’s important not to go overboard at the start.

Start with a handful of products that fit your niche and audience. That way, you can focus on quality and testing before you scale.

Common POD products:

• T-shirts
• Hoodies
• Mugs
• Tote bags
• Phone cases
• Posters and canvas prints
• Stickers
• Hats
• Notebooks
• Water bottles

My advice?

• Start with 3–5 core products
• Make sure they work well with your designs (some graphics don’t translate well to small items like phone cases)
• Order samples before going live to check quality

I started with unisex tees and mugs. Easy to design, always in demand, and great for testing product ideas.

4. Choose a POD Supplier

Your supplier will be handling everything from printing to shipping. So this step matters.

Here are a few trusted POD platforms to consider:

Things to consider when choosing:

• Base product prices
• Shipping times and locations
• Quality of products
• Integrations with your store (Shopify, Etsy, etc.)
• Customer support

Before committing to a supplier, it’s a good idea to order samples from a few different platforms.

This lets you compare print quality, color accuracy, packaging, and shipping times — so you know exactly what your customers will receive.

5. Decide Where to Sell

You’ve got a few options for selling your POD products — each with pros and cons.

Option 1: Your Own Website (e.g. Shopify or WooCommerce)

Pros: Full control, no marketplace fees, better for long-term branding
Cons: You need to bring your own traffic

Option 2: Online Marketplaces (Etsy, Amazon, eBay)

Pros: Built-in audience, fast setup
Cons: Competitive, limited branding control, fees per sale

Option 3: Social Media

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow direct checkout, but they work best when paired with a store or marketplace presence.

A common approach is to start on Etsy to test your niche.

Once you’ve validated your products and started generating consistent traffic, you can transition to a Shopify store. That gives you more control over branding, customer experience, and profit margins.

6. Set Up Your Store

Now comes the fun part — building your storefront.

Whether you’re using Shopify, WooCommerce, or Etsy, your goal is to make it simple, trustworthy, and appealing.

Must-have pages:

• Homepage with featured products
• Product pages with strong titles, clear descriptions, and mockups
• About page to share your story or brand message
• FAQ and shipping info to set expectations
• Contact page with a working email or form

Pro tip: Use high-quality mockups. Tools like Placeit or Smartmockups let you add your designs to lifestyle images without needing a photo shoot.

I also recommend writing product descriptions that speak directly to your audience — don’t just list features, explain how it fits into their life.

7. Create a Pricing Strategy

Pricing is one of the most important steps — and one of the trickiest.

You want to cover your costs, remain competitive, and leave enough room to profit.

Here’s a simple pricing formula:

Retail Price = Base Cost + Markup + Transaction Fees

For example:

• T-shirt base cost: $9
• Your markup: $11
• Transaction fees (approx.): $2

Final price = $22

Most POD sellers aim for 30%–50% profit margins. That allows you to remain profitable while covering advertising, fees, and refunds.

Things to consider:

• Check competitors’ pricing
• Test different prices over time
• Consider bundle pricing or limited offers to increase average order value

8. Market Your Store

Now that your store is live, it’s time to drive traffic — and that means marketing.

Start with free strategies while your budget is tight, then scale into paid advertising once you’re profitable.

Organic marketing ideas:

• TikTok videos: Show your design process, package orders, or post funny niche-related content
• Pinterest: Create pins for your products with niche-specific keywords
• Instagram Reels: Behind-the-scenes and lifestyle product showcases
• Email marketing: Build a list and promote new products or discounts

Paid marketing options:

Start small — $5–$10 per day — and test which creatives work best. Track results and double down on winners.

Final Thoughts: Is POD Still Worth It?

Print on demand is still one of the most accessible online businesses out there. The startup costs are low, the risk is minimal, and the scalability is real.

But it does take effort. You’ll need:

• A strong niche
• Good designs
• A reliable supplier
• A plan for marketing

Once those things are in place, you can start small and grow consistently.