Print on demand customized t shirt is one of the long lasting online business that have thrived for a very long period of time. Almost everybody uses t shirts either for fashion, adverts, passing a message or as a unique way of creating identity and awareness in the midst of crowds. It is one thing to customize tshirts or design a t shirt, then another thing to print out the customized designs on the t-shirt. In our previous article on this blog, we already discussed what you should know about custom t shirt designs and sales. Here we shall discuss another interesting topic on the POD business. First, what is print on demand or POD? If this frequently asked, Question comes to your mind at the mention of this topic, then relax. I will take you through the basics on what you need to know about custom print on demand t shirts business.
Print on demand custom shirt are shirts that come in the client’s specification. That is, it has their desired inscription, writings, quotations, pictures, logo or badge printed on them. Since we are trying to establish a common ground, we will be answering most of your FAQs in this article. Here I know you might probably be wondering if “print on demand still profitable”? I confidently tell you YES it is. Print on demand customized t-shirts are the new cool business you can easily make steady income. Not everyone likes to wear his or her traditional attire or three-piece suit all the time. Most people with a good fashion sense wants a unique touch of pride when going out with their customized branded t-shirts and jeans trousers.
You also find answers to the question is t shirt business profitable by reading the article.
Hence, the demand for t-shirts to be customized the way you want it. T-shirts are generally one of the most worn type of clothes; it comfort ability makes it a high demand product across the world, with the styling it can be worn as a corporate or casual outfit. Print on demand shirts are an expression of the consumers, it is an art that gives them a “board” and “oil on canvas” to paint their expressions. If you are contemplating what print on demand products to sell, it is easy. There are a lot of print on demand products out there. Print on demand is not limited to shirts; bed sheets, pillow cases, mugs, table mats, doormats, laptop covers, smartphone case etc are also print on demand products.
Print on demand products are a new trend, that is why people like to have their faces on their pillows or their expression inscribed on their mugs, this works perfectly for gift items on any occasion and has received a high demand over time especially from developed countries.
Print on Demand Business and How it Works
This business involves a manufacturer or supplier that has plain products where a client demands supply of it in a particular specification; the products are customized to the specification of the client before delivery is made. In other cases, the manufacturer or supplier might have a MOQ (minimum order quantity) that is the least number of products they are willing to sell per order. This happens mostly with large quantity producers and the client must meet the demand of the supplier before business is done. A client can also demand for specific print on demand custom products of different types in large quantity and resell. Although this does not connote that print on demand can only be done in large quantity. It can also be done in small quantities with the ultimate goal of designing to suit the needs of the consumers.
Below are things to note in Print on Demand Custom Made t-shirt Business.
1. Finding a Niche: Finding a good niche that is profitable is one of the best things to consider when starting a print on demand business. There are many niches in the business but finding a particular one to venture into will gain you more profit and visibility than selecting a bunch of niches to start with. You can either go for tees, mugs, caps, apparels, backpack, handbag, hoodies, stickers, iPhone case etc. Just make sure you select one or a few in other to succeed in the POD business.
2. Get your Store: Having a store ready either online or offline is one of the prerequisite for running a POD business. As a merchant or a promoter, you surely need to own a store for your POD business to thrive. You can rent an offline shop or create an eCommerce merchant website on wordpress or even a store from shopify.
3. Get Reliable Suppliers: As a POD merchant, you need a good and reliable supplier to run your business comfortably. What happens when you get t-shirts orders but your supplier failed to supply these shirts on time? It results to late deliveries to your customers, which is not good for your business as a merch. If you have competitors who delivers in time, they are surely going to kick you out of business.
4. Promotion: Every business needs promotion to gain more exposure and audience. If you don’t promote your business or services, no one knows you exist. Both offline and online promotions works well for your business exposure.
5. On Time Delivery: This is key in print on demand t-shirt business, it is worthy of note that some of the demands serve a need other than fashion. It is in many cases needed for different types of occasions like birthday parties, pre-wedding photo shoots, burials, NGOs, awareness rallies, anniversaries, political rallies etc since this occasions have a date to it, it is best to deliver on the agreed date otherwise the aim is defeated and note also that a happy client equals more referrals.
6. Due Diligence: This is a very important virtue in print on demand t-shirt business. Getting the client’s exact request is as important as printing same. This virtue is lacking in many business owners today, that is why you see terrible pictures of “What i ordered VS What i got” on the internet. Attention to details cannot be overemphasized in print on demand custom business as every details needs to be put on check before printing commence.
3. Capital: Print on demand t-shirt business does not necessarily demand huge capital, this largely depends on what scale you want to start, Small or Large scale. Print on demand business is one of the most satisfactory business if done rightly, it is aimed at satisfying the consumer in which case is a win-win both seller and consumer are satisfied. However, every business has its risk and challenges and here are a few challenges to note.
Challenges you Can Experience in Print on Demand Business.
1. Increased cost of materials: We all know the present state of prices in the market, this unusual inflation has not spared any item and this includes print on demand T-shirt materials.
2. Handling and Bad Roads: Distance is no longer a challenge in the present day business as more logistics companies are springing up by the day to bridge the gap, however fragile print on demand products like ceramic mugs and plates can be quite challenging conveying to long distances in one piece if not properly handled. In other cases, it would be handled with care but the state of our roads might pose a challenge to the safe arrival of these fragile products due to bumpy rides in case of other products. Wherever in the case of custom-made T-shirts this challenge is minimal as shirts are not fragile products.
Also Read: How you can make sales with creepypasta meme characters designed on t shirts.
3. Short Deadlines: Clients are the core of print on demand custom business. However, some clients can pose as a challenge because, they do not understand the gravity of work put into customizing products or the processes involved in delivering a perfect job they tend to give unrealistic deadlines thereby putting pressure on the business owners. In most cases, the client places the order close to the needed date due to circumstances beyond their control but these results to sleepless nights or overtime on the part of the business owners in which case some clients do not acknowledge or pay extra for it.
In conclusion, print on demand or POD customized t-shirt business is a worthwhile opportunity to create steady income. Although, this article might not capture all the intricacies of the business, it encapsulate how the business works and the basic ideas to know as well. No business has its client needs more prioritized than print on demand custom business, it gives the client a say, it gives them the opportunity to decide the specification of their wears, and for a client nothing feels better than this. One thing we need to understand about POD business is that, it has come to stay and you can venture into this business either as a merchant or as an affiliate and make some money.
All you need to do is finding a profitable niche, build an audience for your niche and advertise good designs to them, then watch the sales coming in numbers. In our subsequent articles here on jloprint.com, we shall be exposing some of the tips you need to excel in print on demand customized t shirt business. Thanks for reading.
