Author | Marlyn Pereira

Amazon print on demand: How to create and sell Print on Demand Merch on Amazon

What is Merch by Amazon? 

Amazon is the easiest, quickest way to start your business online. With a retail marketplace base that huge, Amazon has the tools and the eCommerce knowledge to equip and empower your online store. If you’re looking to independently sell your designs through print on demand, amazon print on demand can help your business immensely. 

Merch by Amazon is an on-demand t-shirt printing service that allows sellers to create and list their custom t-shirt designs on Amazon. Merch by Amazon pays you royalties when a customer buys your shirt. Simply create your design, upload, and set a price. Then let print on demand for amazon do its job.

How to join Merch by Amazon?

To start selling your print on demand products on Merch by Amazon, you need to first get approved by Amazon. You fill out a form after Amazon prompts you to sign up, and wait for approval. This process can take between three weeks to three months. 

Once you have gotten the approval, Amazon will ask you for some basic information to get you started. To begin with, the amount of Amazon print on demand t-shirts you can upload and sell depends on which Tier you’re on. All new accounts start with Tier 10 and can only sell up to 10 t-shirts a month.

merch by amazon tier distribution

How to create & sell custom prints via print on demand through Amazon?

– Create your seller account with Merch by Amazon

You have two options with Amazon. There’s a free individual account and the professional seller account. You should go for the latter if you’re serious about print on demand through Amazon. Seller account holders can list more products than basic sellers, and they can get access to the Amazon marketplace web service. This makes it easier to integrate your account with a POD supplier.

Create your design

There are a lot of options to choose from when it comes to Print on demand websites/service providers. You can try companies like Printiful, Printify, Teelaunch, etc. You can also read about modern merch ideas on our blog to get started with the merch design.

Also Read: Top 5 Print on Demand Companies in 2022 and How to Pick One

Next, create your design for the print on demand product. You can use software like Photoshop to create your design. Some handy alternatives to Photoshop are Pixlr or Gimp. Make sure you create a high-quality design so that when it’s on the t-shirt it isn’t stretched or pixelated. 

Your design should fit within the printable area of the product (15 x 18 inches) and 300dpi is a good place to start for a good image to maintain amazon print on demand quality. 

merch by amazon template

Amazon also has preset templates that you can download for free for your t-shirt designs, that you can check out.

– In case you don’t want to create your design yourself

You also have the option to choose designs from websites like Teedesigns that give you ready-made designs to purchase and sell on POD websites like Merch by Amazon. If you want some tips on starting with the merch design process, you can also read our blog on the same.

If you don’t want to go through the trouble of designing something yourself, you can take a look at Design Shifu’s on-demand graphic design services. With Design Shifu, you can work with designers that have the experience of working with individual sellers on POD websites and the skills to materialize your idea into a creative design that you envisioned and at flat-rate pricing.  

– Upload your designs and set your price

Once done, you can upload it on your POD website and start creating products through the mockup generators that come with the websites. Use the product mockup from the print on demand website as your product image on Amazon. Optimize your product name and description by using the right keywords to boost visibility. 

And you’re done!

Invest time in marketing your product and your designs on social media, and create newer, creative designs for your store so that you can keep the inflow of customers steady.

The Amazon print on demand process

  • Upload your design as per Amazon’s design specifications 
  • Set your price 
  • Amazon will create a product listing for you 
  • Customers order your custom designed shirt
  • Amazon prints it, packs it, and ships it to them for you

Amazon print on demand tips

  • Use tools like Merch Research to up your research game. Researching phrases for your print on demand products can prove to be very helpful for your print on demand products. 
  • Use Google Trends to learn about various keywords that potential customers are looking for, or for upcoming or recent trends that you can monetize. 
  • Avoid copyright infringement. If you use a copyrighted term, phrase, quote, or image you risk having your entire account being shut down without a warning on Merch by Amazon. 
  • Find a niche. Generalizing your content is not the way to go when it comes to print on demand. Your target audience is always looking for something very specific. Create your designs catering to that specificity and cater to your target audience. 
  • Promote your store or your designs by using the social media promotions section in your Merch by Amazon store. 

Earn Monthly Royalties with Amazon print on demand

Merch by Amazon allows you to earn royalties. The royalty amount you earn is directly affected by the price you set for your product, minus the tax and Amazon’s production cost. 

Amazon print on demand costs factors in the following factors: 

  • Material and production 
  • Packing and shipping at an Amazon fulfillment center
  • Handling returns and exchanges
  • Fraud protection

And that’s it. You’re good to go with Merch by Amazon


How to get your design for print-on-demand t-shirts?

T-shirts are a staple of every wardrobe, and the t-shirts we choose to wear often show our personalities, interests, and our style. Some people like to pick up custom t-shirts based on their favorite fandom superhero, or some witty catchy line that they liked. There is a wide range of options that one can choose from when it comes to t-shirts, etc due to the popularity of such custom t-shirts on demand. This is why selling print on demand t-shirts online has become a popular business. 

Needless to say, the market is competitive for something this popular, but we are here to help you understand how to build your brand for your specific audience so that you can sell t-shirts online successfully. 

In this blog, we will walk you through the process of getting your designs for print on demand t-shirts, but also some other factors that you should consider if you want to take your print on demand t-shirt business to the next level. 

But first, let’s talk about print on demand. 

How print on demand typically works

Print on demand is an e-commerce business model that allows you to sell your custom-made products online, but your merchandise only goes into production when an order has been placed by the buyer. 

Companies like Merch by Amazon, Redbubble, Printify, etc offer to print designs on physical products for a fee for the cost of production, as they handle the production, shipping, and delivery of your customized product. 

A lot of people have based their online stores on this model and have succeeded in building their brand of customized products online. The customized t-shirt market is booming and if you’re looking to sell custom shirts on demand, let us take you through the basics of getting started. 

Find your niche

One of the most important things in the graphic design industry and specially print on demand t-shirts is to stand out, which is where your niche comes in. The more specific you are, the better. Catering to a specific group or a target audience allows you to attract the audience that is interested in your product/design 

Generalizing your design might seem like a good idea if you’re going by the logic that the more generic your design, the more people it will attract because well, it’s generic right? We assure you, it’s quite the opposite. Don’t you think people would rather google “t-shirts with Darth Vader dialogues” instead of “Star wars t-shirt”?

There are different ways of deciding your niche. Look at the popular trends on social media, the budding interests around your niche. Go through subreddits of the particular communities you want to build your niche around and check the level of engagement. A little bit of scouring through can help you decide, and build up your groundwork.

Design your t-shirt

Here’s the actual work. You begin designing for your t-shirt. Keep in mind, your design does not need to be complex. It can be something simple and minimalistic if you choose to go down that path. What’s more important is that your custom design needs to be unique. 

Don’t forget the technical bits. A design that is meant to be printed will generally at least need to be 300 DPI, will need to have a transparent background, and be large enough to cover the area of the t-shirt. 

Validate your design 

It’s always great to have feedback. You can check with platforms like Reddit where discussions take place amongst designers, or communities looking to build similar business models. It is vital that you receive unbiased feedback in order to make significant improvements in your designs. 

Source your products 

It is very important that you maintain a standard of quality for your brand when you’re selling print-on-demand t-shirts. No one wants to buy from a seller whose t-shirt prints chips off after a few washes, or whose t-shirt cloth material is very poor quality. 

Read about your print on demand service providers quality of t-shirts, and even order a sample t-shirt to check the quality yourself. Your product quality is a major factor in the decision-making process of a buyer. You also have to consider the method of printing that your print on demand company chooses. Whether it is heat transfer, screen printing, or DTG, you have to ensure you are not only aware of these technicalities but how they bode for your design.

Print your designs

Like we said before, quality is of utmost importance. Getting your t-shirt designs printed is a process that is full of trial and error if you’re working with local printing businesses. However, with print on demand service providers, the risk here is reduced, as you can almost always order a sample of your printed t-shirt and cross-check the quality, and even research the printing quality of the t-shirts with people who have used the service before. 

There are various print on demand companies that offer their services, along with other features like integrations of different apps on one e-commerce platform, etc. We came up with a list of the top 10 print on demand companies for 2021, you can check it out here. 

Setup your online presence

Once you’ve charted out the pros and cons of your print on demand company of choice and made your final decision, it is time to set-up your online presence. Starting a business online is a tricky business, but if you have your bases covered, you’re good to go. Research your market, your audience, as well as your competition. This will ensure that you are present on the right platforms to target your desired audience. 

Setup your store 

Now that you have your designs created, and validated, and you have an idea of the market and your competition, it’s time to set up your store. Create your store on the print on demand site that you choose. There is a wide range of service providers like Redbubble, Printiful, Printify. 

Customers often want to see how the final product will look rather than just a design. Create mockups of your print on demand t-shirt designs, set your profit margin, and you’re good to go. Some print-on-demand service providers allow you to create your mockup on the site itself. If Photoshop is not your best friend, you can use some of the following web-based software.

E-commerce platforms like Shopify also make it easily accessible to directly integrate your print on demand apps with their platform. These services will print and ship your t-shirts to the buyer on your behalf every time you receive an order. You get to avoid the hassle of shipping and inventory and the problem of excess stock. If you want to use your t-shirt designs on other printable products such as mugs, phone covers, etc, you can try that too. If you’re interested, check out how to sell print on demand products on Shopify

If you’re looking for someone to handle the design bit of your t-shirt printing business idea, we can be the brawn and you can be the brain. Design Shifu has worked with various independent print on demand t-shirt sellers and creators who work with Merch by Amazon, Printiful, Shopify, etc to help them materialize their ideas into printable designs that they require. If you’re interested, take a look at our portfolio for our previous work, and our pricing page. 


Introducing Custom Illustrations – Design Shifu

Custom illustrations are more than just visuals—they’re a powerful way to express your brand’s unique personality. At Design Shifu, our custom illustration service helps businesses stand out with artwork that’s tailor-made to captivate, communicate, and convert.

Graphic Design is not just the visual appearance of your brand over social media platforms, ad spaces, your website, etc. It has the power to present your brand personality and your value to your prospects, which is why it always has to be on point.

In a competitive marketplace, brands are heavily dependent on presenting themselves right to their targeted audience. But in a visually saturated marketplace, how can your brand stand out?

By using Custom Illustrations.

Introducing Custom Illustrations

Design Shifu has launched a subscription plan named Monthly Unlimited PLUS which offers custom illustration as one of the design services to help you take your branding game to the next level. With these Illustrations you can put out content that is not only eye-catching and creative but also unique to your brand.

Having your own custom illustrations allows your brand to have an edge in a highly visually saturated market, as the illustrations you would like to put out aren’t readily available on any vector stock websites.

What are Custom Illustrations? 

Custom Illustrations are a great way to communicate your brand personality to your audience. They can set the tone of your brand, making your brand identity more apparent in the marketplace. 

These illustrations are vivid visual presentations of ideas, tones, brand personality, and mainly specific messaging. They can be used online, on social networking platforms, or can be used for materials such as magazines, books, or even on merch, etc. 

Types of Custom Illustrations

There is a lot more with which you can incorporate custom illustrations. Here are some options 

  • Brand Mascot 
  • Custom Merch Illustrations 
  • Custom Brand Illustrations 
  • Storybook Illustrations 
  • Custom Line Art 
  • Product Illustrations, etc

How Design Shifu can help you get Custom Illustrations

Go one step ahead from graphic design and have the creative and unique elements of your brand composed from scratch with Custom Illustrations. Our creative team of seasoned designers are well-equipped to craft your illustrations just the way you envision them. 

What is our scope of work?

Portraits

An illustrated version of a face or a front profile is much more interesting than a simple photo. You can animate the person the way you want to, even give them a few accentuated features or customize them into the kind of superhero they’d want to be. The scope is endless. 

portrait illustration

Abstract concepts

Sometimes an abstract concept says a lot more than a straightforward idea. Explore and get creative with your abstract illustrations.

abstract concept illustration  by design shifu

Illustrated or Cartoon style logos

Logos can be fun when they’re styled as cartoons. It makes your brand look more welcoming, fun, and playful.

cartoon styled Custom Illustrations - by Design Shifu

Mascots

A cartoon-style illustration that symbolizes and humanizes your brand.

Mascot Custom Illustrations -Design Shifu

You can also get 

  • Caricatures 
  • Photo to Vector Conversions 
  • Geometric or Realistic Illustrations and much more.

Here are some more samples of Illustrations created by team Design Shifu

Introducing Custom Illustrations - Design Shifu
abstract Custom Illustrations - Design Shifu
portrait illustration

Along with Custom Illustrations, you can also get Logos, GIFs, Presentation decks, landing pages, and much more designed with Design Shifu’s recently launched Monthly Unlimited PLUS plan. The Unlimited PLUS Plan is inclusive of these options.

This plan also gives you the option to submit unlimited design requests and unlimited revisions, your very own designated designer, a 24-48 hour turnaround time, and a 14-day money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the service. Take a look at Design Shifu’s pricing page to know more. 


How to sell Print on Demand products on Shopify

Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows anyone to set up an online store and sell their products. Here, you can start your own business and build an online store for your products and services that you want to sell. Being a multinational e-commerce website, Shopify offers online retailers and businesses a suite of services including payments, marketing, shipping, and customer engagement tools. One such business that can benefit from Shopify’s platform is Print on Demand. But before we get into Shopify print on demand, let us take a look at what is print on demand. 

What is Print on Demand?

If you’ve ever thought of putting your creative ideas on physical products, print on demand is the thing for you. Whether you’re an artist, designer, or entrepreneur, you can monetize your creativity, your wit, and your ideas by creating your custom products and merchandise and selling it online. 

Sometimes referred to as “on-demand printing” Print on Demand or POD is an eCommerce model that allows you to sell your custom designed merchandise online, but it is a model where your merchandise goes into production only after an order has been placed. You can read all about how to get started with POD here.

Pros and Cons of Print on Demand

Like all things good, there are two sides to every coin. While setting up a print on demand service is a great idea for designers, entrepreneurs that want to create customized merchandise and sell it online, it isn’t as much of a cakewalk as it sounds. There is more to consider than the immediate business of putting your designs on a physical product. 

You also have to understand factors influencing shipping, cost of shipping, cost of the service, the product quality, etc. We have charted out some of the pros and cons of print on demand here, which you might want to take a look at and cover bases before we move onto the next part.

How to set up Shopify Print on Demand?

Shopify is a cloud-based, software as a service online selling solution. A monthly fee provides access to the admin panel where your store’s data can be entered like adding products, and process orders.

Shopify harbors businesses of all sizes. Although Shopify does not directly provide print on demand services, all of the apps that work with Shopify are developed by third parties. This means that you need to set up your print on demand store on a different print on demand app, and then sync it with Shopify. The process in short is as follows:

  • Install an app and set up your store with Shopify 

Print on demand websites have their own costs, and policies so make sure you are well aware of all the pointers before you choose one. You can view a list of print on demand apps available for Shopify here and head onto the next step. 

There are three ways in which you can install an app on Shopify

Through Shopify app store

  • Log in to the Shopify App store
  • Find an app that you want to install
  • Click Add app on the listing page 
  • In your Shopify admin, authorize the use of the app, click Install app

Through a third party link 

  • Get the app install link from the developer’s site, and then click the link.
  • In your Shopify admin, to authorize the use of the app, click Install app.

You will receive a warning that the app you are installing is not from the Shopify App store, this is just to inform you that the app has not been verified and approved by Shopify.

Through a custom app on Shopify 

If you wish to build a custom app for your Shopify store, then you have to hire a developer who will provide you with an installation link

Steps:

  • Get the app install link from the developer, and then click the link.
  • In your Shopify admin, to authorize the use of the app, click Install app.

Create your account and add your billing information, upload your designs & set your price for it. Sync the product that you have created with Shopify. This will ensure that the product appears as a product in the Shopify admin. 

Sync and Customise your Shopify Print on Demand store 

Once you’ve set up a print on demand app and synced your products with Shopify, you can customize your store and bring in your brand identity through colors, images, etc. You can also set up your custom domain and organize your products in menus. 

Add your policies for your Shopify Print on Demand store 

Make sure you are aware of the fulfillment processes and the shipping costs by the print on demand service you choose before you open your store on Shopify. When you add your store policies, make sure that your shipping policy takes into account the expectations set by the print on demand service you are using. 

After you add your store policies, you can also test transactions to see what the checkout experience is like and customize it accordingly. When you’re ready to open, remove your online store password and you can start promoting your store to your customers. 

Benefits of Shopify Print on Demand

  • With Shopify print on demand, you can get benefits beyond just an online e-commerce platform. Shopify has features present to help people build their own, flexible, online selling store with a wide variety of remarkable built-in features, and tons of apps to choose from. Store owners can sell products directly on the website, and across numerous marketplaces and social channels. 
  • Shopify also offers you SEO optimization, so that when someone uses a search engine like Google or Bing, they come across your online store on Shopify. When you are new to selling online, it can be difficult to do much about the organic traffic, the authority of the website, etc, It takes time to build a reputation for your brand and get other sites to link to yours. Shopify has built-in SEO features that can help with the optimization of content. Shopify also provides auto-generated canonical tags, sitemaps, etc so that your print on demand store can get the reach it needs. 

Some Print on Demand companies for Shopify:

Some of the best print on demand Shopify apps that you can try are listed below:


If you don’t have an existing store on Shopify then you can get started by setting up on Shopify using their free trial account. You can click here to register for a free trial on Shopify.

Some Print on Demand Shopify store examples

Credit: Stomastoma
Credit: Iconspeak

If your mind is bursting full of ideas that you can turn into physical products like merchandise, apparel, book covers, phone covers, and more, but you can’t seem to design it right, you can try Design Shifu’s on demand design service.

Design Shifu works with various print on demand business owners that sell customized products across print on demand companies like Redbubble, Merch by Amazon, etc. and also with owners with POD stores on Shopify. If you want your idea turned into a design, you can check out Design Shifu’s pricing page, and also take a look at some of our previous work on our portfolio.

Top 5 Print on Demand Companies in 2023 and How to Pick One

Creating your own store on a Print on demand site is mostly a cakewalk. The real task is choosing a Print on demand service provider. There is a plethora of POD companies and sites to choose from. Which one suits your needs the best? Let’s take a look. Here are the top 5 print on demand companies in 2021, and how you can pick the right one to create your own merchandise. 

But if you’re yet unfamiliar with what Print on Demand is or what the service entails, don’t worry, we have you covered. Read about it, and learn how to get started with your own POD business here.

Now that we have established the basics, let’s compare some Print on demand companies, the product catalog, the features they offer, and more. We have put together these basic parameters so that it can help give you a starting point while deciding which POD service to choose from.

1. Redbubble

Redbubble is a very well known Print on demand company that offers you the option to have your designs printed on products and delivered to the end consumer or the buyer. Redbubble uses third party printers throughout the globe and fulfills orders at locations closest to the purchaser’s location.

Product Catalog:

  • Clothing 
  • Masks 
  • Stickers 
  • Stationery 
  • Wall Art 
  • Diaries 
  • Notebooks 
  • Postcards and more 

Here are some advantages to choosing Redbubble as your POD service provider

Pros

  • Your designs can end up on Google searches because of Redbubbles huge organic reach and with the right keyword tags that you add to your product. 
  • You can maintain your brand on Redbubble. Redbubble allows you to showcase your social media profiles, contact information such as emails, etc so that you can stay connected with your customers. It is more brand-centric as compared to, say for eg – Merch by Amazon. More on this ahead. 
  • You can set your profit margin with each of your products while Redbubble only takes a base price and the  shipping cost is based on the method of shipping and the location 

Cons

  • You cannot integrate your Redbubble store with other website platforms.
  • The process of uploading your designs is not as smooth as it should be. Redbubble delivers high-quality products and designs but it means that you need to take some time to get used to the wee bit cumbersome upload process. 
  • This is not exclusive to Redbubble and is a problem on almost every POD site, but Redbubble does not have an automatic system to alert you of similar designs or plagiarism. 

2. Merch by Amazon

Merch by Amazon has been a Print on demand service provider since 2015, with their focus specifically on clothes. When you use Merch by Amazon, you’re taking your designs and selling them through the Amazon website where they’ll put them on t-shirts and sweatshirts for Amazon shoppers to buy.

Product catalog:

  • Offer short-sleeve shirts, 
  • long-sleeve shirts, 
  • hoodies, sweatshirts, and 
  • PopSockets

With Merch by Amazon, you get the following set of advantages and disadvantages 

Pros:

  • You get access to millions of customers via Amazon. Without a doubt, Amazon is the world’s biggest online store, and the consistent organic traffic it brings would be a great start to sell your products. 
  • Amazon prioritizes its sellers and ships their products via “prime.” Your customers get faster shipping with Merch by Amazon. 
  • You can set the royalty to every sale, and you also get bonuses from Amazon for every product you sell.

Cons:

  • You can’t sign up and start selling right away. Merch by Amazon works on an invitation-only basis, that is, Invitations will be sent once space is available for new content creators, although one can request an invitation from Merch by Amazon. However, there is no time frame as for how long they will take to get back to you
  • The products on Merch by Amazon are limited as compared to other POD sites.
  • Your designs are prone to copycats. Given how huge Amazon’s seller base is, it is hard to identify the copycats. However, you can always report the copyright infringement report with Amazon. 
  • Amazon does not have a public profile system like Redbubble. It does not allow your social media links or even a header image. 
  • Merch by Amazon does not allow you integration options

3. Printify

With over 500 thousand merchants, Printify is your All-In-One Print-On-Demand Drop Shipping service in the Shopify app store. You can sync with your online Shopify or Etsy store, process orders, and ship your products directly to your customers.  eCommerce businesses can sell products on their own sites, without the hassle of going through other online marketplaces, through Printify.

Product catalog:

  • Accessories
  • Mugs
  • T-shirts
  • Phone cases
  • Hoodies
  • And other personalized products

Pros:

  • A large variety of products
  • Their printing partners are in over 90 locations, such as the USA, UK Australia, China, and Germany
  • Printify allows you to integrate your Etsy and WooCommerce store automatically 
  • Profit margins and product prices are up to you, and Printify charges a small fee. 
  • The Printify fee schedule is easy to understand and straight-forward. You have transparency about how much you will be paying upfront.
  • Printify also gives you a help center with articles on important topics like integrations, troubleshooting, products, payments, and mockup designs.

Cons: 

  • Shipping solutions on Printify take longer to deliver international orders since they have fewer fulfillment centers. Printify is not as optimized for international orders.
  • Printify is not transparent about how long it takes to manufacture the product, however, Printify offers a faster solution for merchants using the Advanced Shopify plan.
  • Does not offer free samples 

4. Printiful

Printiful is an on-demand service that allows you to access everything you need to start selling custom items and accessories online. Printful offers printing, order fulfillment, and shipping for your online store. 

You can also gain access to helpful videos and tutorials on how it works, and other resources that can help you get started. It also has a mockup generator to put your designs on everything from phone cases to hats and t-shirts, to see how they look. 

Product catalog:

  • Swimwear 
  • Leggings 
  • Clothing
  • Mugs
  • Posters
  • Backpacks
  • Blankets
  • Jewelry
  • Stickers, and more

Printiful allows you to integrate eCommerce platforms such as: 

  • Squarespace
  • BigCommerce
  • Weebly
  • Ecwid
  • PrestaShop
  • Big Cartel
  • Gumroad
  • Magneto
  • 3rdcart
  • Launch Cart.
  • Wix

And marketplaces such as:

  • Etsy
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • Wish
  • Storenvy
  • Inktale
  • Your personal shopping website

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of Printiful 

Pros:

  • Printiful has fulfillment centers in LA, California, Mexico, North Carolina, Barcelona, Tijuana, etc
  • There are no subscription costs and you can get a 20% discount on your samples
  • Printiful has a dedicated page that gives full disclosure on the whole shipping and fulfillment process. 

Cons: 

  • It can take between 2-7 business days to make apparel products and 2-5 business days for non-apparel products.
  • On average, Printful suggests that it might take about 4 business days, as the speed depends on the location where the product is to be shipped. 

5. TeeSpring

TeeSpring is another such eCommerce platform that allows people to create and sell custom apparel. All of Teespring’s products are produced on demand, which means you don’t have to source inventory upfront. One of the cool things about TeeSpring is its easy-to-use design feature that even beginner designers or artists can use to make products to sell.

Product catalog:

  • Mugs
  • Accessories
  • Tote bags
  • Home decor
  • Socks and much more

Some of the advantages and disadvantages you get with TeeSpring are:

Pros:

  • Teespring’s Boosted Network can get your products into major retailers like Walmart, eBay, Wish, Amazon, Etsy, and more. You might be required to meet a few requirements, and maintain a good score, which is assigned to each account after the first sale. Your designs must also comply with TeeSpring’s design policies. 
  • TeeSpring also allows you to integrate with YouTube Merch Shelf and Google Shopping. Twitch.

Cons:

  • You are going to be required to drive sales and create unique content.  Teespring prioritizes products based on sales history. If you can generate sales on your product(s), then they will prioritize them and get them into the Boosted Network much faster.

So, there it is, the top 5 print on demand companies that you can choose from in 2021. It is important to understand that while all of these seem like good deals, there are always pros and cons of print on demand that need to be weighed. 

There are many other factors that will help you determine which POD company to choose for your custom merchandise, but we hope the pointers mentioned above are a good starting point for comparison, and we hope this helps. 

Stay tuned for more detailed articles on print on demand.

While we’re talking about customized designs and merch, Design Shifu is a design service that works with various individual sellers trying to sell customized products on Merch by Amazon, Redbubble, etc, helping transform their creative ideas into designs. If you have a cool idea that you would want to turn into a design, you can get in touch with Design Shifu. To know more, write to us support@designshifu.com  or take a look at our by clicking here.

Top 5 Pros and Cons of Print on Demand

What is Print on Demand?

Print on demand is a service that allows you to customize white-label products, with your own designs, to sell them on a per-order basis.

It is an alternative way to save time and investment as well as avoid the tedious process of inventory management. So you can channel your creativity and simply sell your custom products at a fraction of the cost.

If you want to know about how print on demand works, how to set it up, etc click here.

There are essential pointers that one needs to evaluate before signing up for a print on demand service. In this article, we are going to talk about the pros and cons of Print on demand, for designers looking to set up their own store on POD services.

Pros of POD:

1. It’s easy to set up

The majority of POD platforms are incredibly easy to use. It is mostly a simple process of signing up, creating a profile, and uploading your designs or products. This can be done in minutes. 

While some of the sites offer a free setup, some charge a registration fee. On the other hand, sites like Merch by Amazon need you to get accepted into the POD program to begin selling your products. 

2. Minimal inventory, no packaging or shipping trouble

One of the biggest pros of print on demand service is that the model gets rid of the biggest downside of inventory-based troubles such as stock costs, expenses, etc. It also eliminates the possibility of getting stuck with extra merchandise that you’re unable to sell or stock-outs because the merchandise goes into production after an order is placed.

3. Allows you to focus on what you’re good at 

Since most of the technical, logistics and production bits are handled for you by the print-on-demand service, you can have the freedom to focus on what you’re good at and spend your time producing more designs, and products that you want to sell. 

4. It’s easy to establish your brand

Print-on-demand services are white-labeled, which means you can customize your products and packaging with your branding so that when your customers receive their orders, there’s no sign of the third party service. 

5. No machinery needed. No excess or less stock

The fact that a third party handles the production for your designs, eliminates the need to have your own machinery needed to print your own stock. The technical part of the printing process is handled directly by your POD partner.

Cons of POD

1. Lower profit margins. 

The cost of goods for an on-demand printing service will be higher as compared to buying wholesale. This means that your profit margins will be lower.

Because the print on demand companies handle the whole of the shipping, packaging, and selling, they are going to take a larger percentage of the profit, and pay you a commission for the product being sold. 

Artists can either be paid through a percentage on each sale, that is through royalties, or markup from the bottom line cost of the product, where the artist can choose to finalize the retail price. Hence, depending on the product, the profit margin can be quite low. 

2. Limited Data

While these print on demand companies handle the selling for you, they are following the market carefully and capturing buyer information, so they can market to them again and hopefully make more sales.

Because you’re selling on their site, you won’t ever get to know who loved your work and bought it. You won’t get their information so you can make more sales unless they somehow reach out to you.

You might also miss the chance to stage your brand. Odds are, big POD companies package and ship products with their logo attached to them, not yours. 

So while it may be helpful to you that they are facilitating the sale and delivery of the products, it is important to know the limitations of the service as well.

3. Quality and product types

While you create your art, your designs, and your products, make sure the print on demand service you are investing in holds quality as a priority. Some print on demand companies care about the bottom line and in the process, the quality is lost. This can reflect badly on your art business and affect your sales.

Do your research to see which companies have the highest quality printing. Check into the quality of their website and customer service department, too. 

On the other hand, if you’re a seller looking for extremely customized and specific products to sell, some print on demand companies might not have the option for you. Mainstream apparel or merchandise like T-shirts etc won’t be an issue since they are common products. 

However, if you wish to sell, for example, products only of a specific fabric, then you might find it difficult to sell through a print on demand service.

4. You depend on your printing partner for products and their availability.

POD companies work with different suppliers to source products or product materials, for example, fabric. This means there are a lot of moving parts, and sometimes products may go out of stock or become unavailable. 

5. Order fulfillment takes longer.

Since every product is printed on-demand, it takes longer to fulfill orders than it would if you already had your products available in stock. While this may not be a con for the designer, it may be a con for the customer ordering your product. 

Having said this…

… it is important to understand that there are challenges with the convenience that print on demand services offer. However, a deeper understanding and evaluation of the crucial elements of the POD company such as the quality of the product, the delivery time, your profit percentage of the sale, etc, can help you make the right decision for your artwork business. 

So whether you decide to go ahead with a Print on Demand service or just sell your custom designed merchandise on your own e-commerce website or store, Design Shifu can create your designs for you. Design Shifu is an on-demand graphic design agency that designs merchandise and much more with a 24 to 48 hour turnaround time, for a flat monthly fee! Check out our portfolio and our pricing page. 




7 Tips to Prepare for a Successful Holiday Marketing Campaign

The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year and it comes with opportunities that should not be missed. Marketers! It’s your time to shine. Bring out those marketing campaigns if you want to make the most out of this holiday season. Here are 7 tips to prepare for a successful holiday marketing campaign

Did you know that 22% of people plan to start their holiday shopping in the month of October itself? Customers are really craving some normalcy this year as the pandemic has caused a lot of disorientation. We’ve all missed going out, meeting our relatives and loved ones over occasions, and marketers need to be prepared to target the right audience at the right time. 

Let’s get started! 

1. Go beyond the niche holidays, as well as the mainstream ones.

Yes, Thanksgiving and Christmas are major holidays but there are also other holidays and occasions you can base your campaign on. 

Thanksgiving – November 26th 

Black Friday – November 27th

Small Business Saturday – November 28th 

Cyber Monday – November 30th 

Hanukkah – December 10th to 18th 

Free Shipping Day – December 14th

Kwanzaa – December 16th 

Christmas! Of course. – December 25th 

New Years

When you base your marketing campaigns around these holidays, it is important to also know the type of shoppers that you’re going to be targeting. The goal of your holiday campaign should be to attract your target audience’s attention and turn that attention into a sale. It is also a matter of significance that shoppers are going to flock online this year. 

2. Let your design and your copy do the talking!

Minute elements like a good copy and clean, professional-looking designs based on the holiday spirit can do wonders for your ad.

The sooner you start marketing to the early birds who choose to prepare well in time for their holiday shopping, the more sales you will generate. On the other hand, there is also the traditionalist, a rooted customer into age-old customers. Seeing holiday colors in your design for your campaign, and the vibe of the holidays in your crisp copy would attract them. 

Consider different age groups, genders, and intricate details as such that you can use to come up with a buyer persona. For instance, that 30 something guy who is on a vacation for the holidays? Your ad copy can be tailored well to encourage him to indulge in some self-love and treat himself this holiday season. 

3. Use Content to your advantage

We’re talking videos, posts, stories, with great copy and beautiful designs to keep putting the word out for your brand’s holiday sale. You can get creative with social media and utilize it to run contests, quizzes, and organize giveaways themed around the holiday of your marketing team’s choice. Make sure your content is holiday focused and offer-focused. Don’t lose sight of the goal. 

4. Email Marketing

Stuff your leads and your customers with offers you come up with, or the news about the upcoming contest you are organizing on social media this holiday season! Design a beautiful holiday season-themed newsletter, and come up with copy and subject lines that will immediately want your customers and prospects go “I want that”.

Repurposing your content through your emails and don’t forget to add catchy CTAs to your emailer. It is all about the right amount of nudging. Don’t forget to segment your customers. Tailoring your emailers specifically for targeted audiences works wonders. It does not come off as generic and is attention-grabbing due to its personalized style.

5. Types of offers you can send out

  • Early bird discounts!

If you offer a discount for early purchase, this will get your brand in the limelight. Provide an attractive and urgent deal so that your potential customers get the feeling that they don’t want to miss out. 

  • Exclusive Discounts or Pricing 

Remember the segments you made for your email marketing? Understand the type of target you want to go with as a marketer, and offer them exclusive pricing for online purchases, or purchases on a certain bill amount, etc. This will tap into the possibility of the customer wanting to buy a product. 

  • Last Chances or Urgencies 

It is important to nudge your last-minute shoppers. Offer them a “Last Change for Any Online Order” type of deal or a “Two days to go” type of deal. This makes your brand their end-moment-savior and while they get their orders in for their loved ones to receive them in time for the holidays, you have already provided them with a reason to remember your brand.

6. Get your website ready for the holidays

Add small but significant elements to your website based on the holidays you’re targeting. Design attractive ad banners and be sure to add the date and the offer on your website prominently. 

If that seems to be time-consuming for your team, you can always get a themed landing page designed. Exuberate the feeling of the holiday season you choose to target and give your audience options to sign up for your newsletter. You can customize the design for your CTA in the shape of a bell or a Christmas star for the feels. 

While you’re at it, don’t forget to make your website responsive to cater to mobile devices. 40% of all online sales will likely be made on mobile devices.

7. Social media promotions

Get creative! Create posts around a theme in the month of December or around the holiday you intend to target. You can also run really fun contests and challenges themed around the holiday. For example, “a gingerbread man hunt” or a “Selfie in a Christmas hat” challenge, where a random winner gets a discount code.

  • Bonus tip

Sending in a personalized message to a customer for the holidays will not only establish a sense of warmth with your brand, it will also help them remember your brand through the gesture. Don’t be afraid to spread the cheer

We know getting creatives designed for holiday campaigns is difficult and often time-consuming, especially if you need creatives designed at the end moment. Design Shifu offers unlimited design requests and unlimited revisions with a turn around time of 24-48 hours. So don’t worry about the end moment rush. We got you. Check out our portfolio and our pricing page to know more.

How to Tell if Subscription-Based Graphic Design is the Best Fit For You

Graphic Design is an essential part of marketing and branding. If you think about it, it is through graphic design that your brand gets its identity, and becomes recognizable. So finding the right designer for your graphics is pretty important. But there are multiple ways to find yourself a designer. So how to choose among them? What’s best for you, subscription-based graphic design services, design agencies, freelancers, or in-house designers? 

Here’s some insight into each situation to figure out what is the best option to go ahead with for your brand’s design needs. 

Understand your options well

Consider this 

1) You hire an in-house Graphic Designer 

You decide to hire a graphic designer. Now to find the right fit for your brand, you have to scour through chunks of portfolios, choose one applicant, interview them, offer them a competitive fixed salary, no matter how many graphics you get from them. You also have to offer them added benefits and hope they don’t leave soon. 

2) You choose to work with a Design Agency 

Agencies on the other hand work on a per-project model. This is usually billed by the hour. While this does sort out your budget problem, it leaves you to the timetable that is feasible to the agency, rather than your schedule. If you need graphics with a tight turnaround, you might also have to pay your agency more. Design agencies usually mandate long-term commitment by way of fixed-term contracts, which can make it difficult for you to withdraw if your requirements are over or you are not satisfied with their services.

3) You choose to work with a Freelancer

Working with freelancers comes with its own set of challenges. You can either hire a graphic designer through a marketplace or individually. However, freelancers tend to work at their own pace given that they have so many clients. You probably have to sign a contract with the freelancer, depending on whether or not you have connected with them over a platform, or according to their individual preferences. Turnaround time for the graphics that you need, would depend on the freelancer’s availability. 

While a marketplace will help you connect with independent graphic designers and can help reduce the friction inherent in hiring freelancers, marketplaces also have their limitations. 

Freelancers who use marketplaces want to accept as many projects as they can because they are charged high fees.  Someone with more design experience will be more expensive in the marketplace, while somebody with less experience would probably not deliver the quality you need. There is no guarantee of the overall quality of the graphics delivered since they might be in a hurry to complete their projects at hand. 

You can go through this hassle or you can avoid these complications and simply choose a Subscription-Based Graphic Design Service.

What is a Subscription-Based Graphic Design Service 

A Subscription-Based Graphic Design Service is a service that caters to your daily design requirements. You choose a subscription plan, which usually is a flat monthly fee and you can get your graphics within a quick turnaround time that suits your goals. Subscription-Based models like Design Shifu offer you a combination of the perks of in-house designers, at a reasonable price, with a turnaround time that suits your needs. 

Benefits of a Subscription-Based Graphic Design Service 

You can work with experienced designers

With a Subscription-Based Graphic Design Service, you get to work with experienced designers who work for you as your in-house designers would, at a flat rate. This not only saves your budget but also allows you to get your graphics more efficiently since you don’t have to go looking for designers by yourself. 

At Design Shifu, our designers function like your in-house team and are available for your daily design needs. But remember, the more specific and detailed the brief is, the clearer the communication between you and our designers. 

No long term commitment 

As this is a subscription-based model, there is no added pressure of contracts, and other bindings. You can simply choose a plan that fits your needs and start adding requests to the so that the designers can start working on them for you. It is a hassle-free service in comparison to the commitment with an agency or with a freelancer. 

Quick turnaround time 

You don’t have to wait for long. Subscription-Based models work around your schedule, therefore the turnaround time for your graphics is relatively quicker than freelancers, or design agencies. Such a prompt solution for your design needs is also dependent on how detailed your brief is. It is as simple as laying out a clear idea for the designers to work around so that they can deliver your designs quickly and efficiently. 

Get your source files 

You own the designs most Subscription-Based Graphic Design Services create for you! For example, with Design Shifu, you can get the editable Adobe +, JPG, PNG, PDF image file formats and are sent to you along with the designs, should you feel the need to refer to them or make any changes in the future accordingly. 

We know the struggles that businesses undergo in the process of finding the right designers for their daily design requirements, and we hope this article helps you make an informed choice. If you’re looking for a Subscription-Based Graphic Design Service, Design Shifu is a one-stop-shop for all your design needs. Design Shifu offers unlimited design requests and unlimited revisions for a flat monthly rate. You can check out our portfolio and our pricing page to know more about our service. 

What is Print on Demand and How to Get Started with your POD business?

As an artist, writer, designer, or entrepreneur, have you ever wanted to put your original spin on products and sell them online? Does the idea of monetizing on customized products seem like the perfect outlet for your creativity? If yes, Print on Demand is just the right fit for you. 

From t-shirts to posters, backpacks to books, you can put your original touch on everyday products and sell them online, through Print on Demand services. 

What is print on demand (POD)?

Sometimes referred to as “on-demand printing” Print on Demand or POD is an eCommerce model that allows you to sell your custom designed merchandise online, but your merchandise goes into production only after an order has been placed. 

Print on demand is a service in which the merchant doesn’t have to deal with inventory and shipping. These components are handled by a third party. Hence the seller does not incur stock holding costs, because they’re not charged for the cost of goods until someone places an order. 

Print on demand services offer an alternative way to save time and investment as well as avoid the risk associated with inventory management, allowing you to channel your creativity and simply sell your custom products at a fraction of the cost.

For what can you use Print on demand?

You can use print on demand services to:

  • Create original products once you find your niche. For example, apparel or custom merchandise for people who are passionate about gaming.
  • Create products or custom-designed return gifts, caps, decor, etc for a themed birthday party
  • Test a business idea without the risk of inventory management and stock expenses
  • Monetize on an audience that you have built around your Youtube channel or social media. If you are a cartoonist, a social media influencer, or a YouTuber, you can create content while also creating your merchandise.
  • Print items like t-shirts, books, wall art, shoes, bags, mugs, etc. You can either make them for yourself or your team or send them as gifts.

Top 5 common Print on demand products

Apparel or Merchandise

Clothing Accessories

Tech Accessories

Wall art

Custom Homeware

Two important terminologies that are quite common with POD services are POD fulfillment services and POD marketplace. 

POD fulfillment services Vs POD marketplaces

It is important to understand that POD fulfillment services and POD marketplaces are two different things. POD fulfillment services serve as your backend fulfillment partner and act as your production cum warehouse facility. POD fulfillment also enables you to connect your eCommerce site to their platform. Whenever someone buys from your site, that order is sent to your POD fulfillment service provider for printing. 

POD marketplaces, on the other hand, handle both the front and backend of the process. You can simply upload your artwork to the site and the company will market and sell those items for you. This means you license your designs to be placed on physical products rather than selling them yourself.

How does POD work?

The first step to getting your on-demand printing business running is to 

Set up your store

Depending on the POD platform you choose you can either 

  1. Integrate your existing online store to the POD platform of choice and start selling from there. For example, Printify or Printiful can connect to eCommerce platforms like Etsy and Shopify, etc 
  2. Or You can choose a POD platform that has an existing marketplace. For example, sites like Redbubble allow you to create a profile on their platform, while they sell and fulfill products on your behalf.

Not every print on demand service is free, for example, while Teespring might let you set up your store for free, you have to get accepted into the program for Amazon Merch. 

We will explore this more in the upcoming blogs. You can check them out here

Once your store is up, you got to do the following:

Upload your designs and select the type of products to sell 

Once you have selected the print on demand service, and have set up your profile, the next thing to do is add different products and designs to your store. If you’re using a POD fulfillment service, the choices of which item types to sell are completely up to you. You can choose from merchandise like T-shirts, mugs, or even canvases, etc.

Sell your products

At this stage, you’re all set! Your shop is open to the world and your products are ready for printing. If you’re using a fulfillment service, you can start marketing your products and bring more traffic to your site. If you’re using a print on demand service, you can promote your work by sharing your profile or product links to your customers, while your provider will do most of the sales and marketing for you. 

When someone places an order your POD platform will print, package, and ship the item to the customer. Once the purchase has cleared, you get paid! 

Payment policies vary according to different Print on demand companies. 

We will elaborate on these payment policies and bring more in-depth information about different Print on demand companies such as Amazon Merch, Redbubble, Printify, etc. Stay tuned! 

Simple isn’t it? 

However, having said this…

… it is important to understand that there are challenges with the convenience that print on demand services offer. It is important to pay attention to the quality of the product, the delivery time, your profit percentage of the sale, etc, which can help you make the right decision for your artwork business. Stay tuned for more blogs on how to overcome these challenges, and evaluate your best options with regard to Print on demand sites. 

If you think Print on demand is not for you but you still want to turn your creative ideas into your own merchandise we can get it designed for you. Design Shifu is an on-demand graphic design agency that designs merchandise and much more with a 24 to 48 hour turnaround time, for a flat monthly fee! Check out our portfolio and our pricing page. 



Top 5 Print Design Mistakes and How to Avoid them

Did you ever create the perfect design but then you printed it, and it was something completely different? Your text was cut on the edges, your colors were all wrong or it just turned out blurry? You probably made one of these amateur print design mistakes.

Don’t worry. It’s fixable! In this blog, we will talk about the top 5 print design mistakes one is likely to make, and how to avoid them. 

Print Design Mistake #1. Bleed Margins 

In printing, bleed is the area or the edge of the sheet that is going to be trimmed off. While thinking out of the box is a great way to go about with designing, you have to make sure that your design remains inside a box so that it doesn’t get cut off while printing. The trick is margins!

Print design mistake - Bleed margins

Without set margins, you may end up putting your text or other elements of your design, too close to your document’s edge. 3mm of bleed on all sides is usually good enough to avoid losing parts of your design while printing. 

Print Design Mistake #2. Low Resolution

Resolution can be described as tiny dots of color that make up a digital image. Resolution is commonly measured in pixels per inch or PPI, but for print, you need to look at DPI. 

DPI means dots per inch. If your printed images are turning out to be blurry, you probably need a higher DPI. A higher DPI means high pixel density in an image which will result in sharper print.

Print design mistake - Low Resolution

300 DPI is the usual standard for printing. However, it is important to note that dots per inch count alone won’t cut it. The resolution has to go hand in hand with the correct size.

Print Design Mistake #3. Wrong Color Profile

The first thing to look at when you’re creating a design is where it is going to be used. 

If your design is going to appear on a digital screen it should be created in RGB color mode. RGB stands for red, green, and blue – the colors of light screens use to display a range of colors.

If the design is going to be printed, use CYMK color mode.

Wrong Color Profile - Print Design Mistake

Printers use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) inks to render images. When you design in CYMK color mode, you are already seeing what is going to be printed. This way, you can avoid unwanted surprises like getting different colors printed by mistake.

Print Design Mistake #4. Crowding with Font and Text

Often print design mistakes are layout mistakes. Sometimes when you print a design, it simply looks shabby and illegible. Some things to avoid to make your design more readable.

Don’t use more than two fonts. Overcrowding your design with different typefaces and fonts will only make it illegible and annoying to read. 

Crowding with Font and Text - Print Design Mistake

Kern your text. Kerning is the space between text characters. When kerning is not done right your text becomes different to understand. 

Print Design Mistake - Bad

Don’t overload your design with text. Less is more. Be concise and crisp.

Print Design Mistake #5. Saving the Right Format

There are a lot of image file formats that you could save your design image in, but which one should you choose for a design that you want to print?

Think about whether or not the image needs to be in a raster or vector format. Raster images are made up of pixels while vectors are made up of geometric lines and curves, which means they can be scaled to any size while keeping their shape. 

Raster and Vector Format

If you are worried about your design getting pixelated, always make your design bigger than it has to be. You can always reduce resolution, but you can never increase it.

Pro tip – Proofread 

Always proofread the text on your design before you finalize it. Even though you aren’t the writer, before giving out the design, one glance at the text can save a lot of time that could go into re-editing.

One grammatical error one misplaced comma can change the meaning of a text entirely. Spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, etc make your brand look unprofessional and customers don’t take it kindly. 

Print design mistake - proofreading

We hope the tips provided in this article to avoid print design mistakes come in handy the next time you plan to create a print design.

If you still feel that you would like to avoid the hassle of going through this then you could always ask Design Shifu to help you create the perfect printable designs for your brand in just 24- 48 hours. Check out our portfolio and our pricing page to know more.