12 Awesome Ways to Sell Print-On-Demand Gifts Before Christmas
Do you want to sell products but don’t think crafting or traditional dropshipping is for you? You might want to try designing print-on-demand products instead! Get started for free!
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What Is a Print-On-Demand Product?
The idea behind print-on-demand products is pretty simple. You create a simple design in Canva or buy one with a commercial license from a site like Creative Fabrica, and you use a company like Printify or Gearbubble to put your design on different items. Then you sell them on Amazon, Etsy, a Shopify site, or directly through the printing company’s website. You can market them via social media, by running ads, or even by hosting an in-person or online party. The best part is that you don’t have to hold any inventory because your products are only produced once someone orders. The upfront costs are minimal, and you may usually get started for free!
What Can You Make?
Coffee mugs and t-shirts tend to be what people think of when they are considering POD products, but most companies have a wide range of options. You can create stationery, greeting cards, office supplies, blankets, ornaments, and more. It all depends on the POD company you choose to work with.
How Much Does It Cost to Start a Print-On-Demand Business?
Your costs will depend on the company that you choose and where you decide to sell your products. You may have to pay if you want to integrate your products into your Etsy store, Amazon shop, or another site, or you can usually sell directly from the printer’s website free of charge. Amazon also charges a monthly fee to sell on their platform. You may also want to pay for a design program like Canva or buy images. However, these platforms often come with free trials, making it easy to get started for next to nothing! Here is a breakdown of your potential expenses:
- A design program like Canva (one-month free trial)
- Membership to a commercial image website like Creative Fabrica ($1 for the first month)
- Fees for selling on certain platforms like Amazon
- Monthly fees from POD companies (most are free but allow you to upgrade your service)
Not a Designer?
Not a problem. Many popular designs are simply funny or inspirational sayings, though you have to be careful about using quotes. When in doubt, just make up your own!
One Quick Warning!
If you decide to get started with a print-on-demand company, it is essential that you own the image you are using in your design. You can either create them yourself, or you can buy an image someone else created. Be sure that you have purchased a commercial license for any image you plan to use. (That is why Creative Fabrica is a good choice, as all their images come with a commercial license.)
How Do I Choose the Right Print-On-Demand Company for Me?
There are a few things to consider before choosing a POD company. While you don’t need to choose just one, if you want to keep everything in one place, these are some things to consider:
What You Want to Sell
Different companies allow you to create different products. Kindle Direct Publishing only allows you to produce books and notebooks, while companies like CafePress have dozens of options. Mugs, jewelry, t-shirts, and books are all great ideas.
Base Product Costs
Each company charges a different amount to produce your product, so you’ll want to shop around to make sure you are getting the best profit margin. A company like Gearbubble may only charge a few dollars per item, while other companies have higher base costs.
Monthly Fees
Many companies charge a monthly fee to integrate your shop into a selling platform like Amazon or Etsy. Some platforms like Amazon also charge a monthly fee but have millions of customers.
So Who Are These Print-On-Demand Companies?
There are dozens of print-on-demand companies out there, but here are some great options! Some are pretty popular, some you not have heard of, but they all make excellent choices depending on what you want to sell.
General Gifts
ShineOn allows you to create custom message cards for jewelry. Jewelry is one of the best print-on-demand products to try because the base costs are low, but the resale value is high. ShineOn is known for its high-quality products and great support. I actually tried it last year, and found it to be super easy and a lot of fun!
Gearbubble
Gearbubble is known for its low production costs and “Made in America” products. While there is a monthly fee to integrate your shop into Shopify, Etsy, or Amazon, they handle all the fulfillment for you. Mugs are one of their best sellers, but their jewelry is also popular.
Printful
Printful has 270+ options to choose from, including t-shirts, hats, cellphone covers, and more. They allow you to sell on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Shopify, and more, and it is free to get started, though you can upgrade to a paid plan as your store grows.
Printify
Printify is another site that allows you to choose from hundreds of items, including pillows, mugs, t-shirts, and more. Getting started is free, but there are upgraded plans that allow you to do more with your online store. You can also sell on Amazon and other major platforms.
Society6
Society6 is a bit different than Printify and Printful as they pay you a percentage of each sale. This means you have less control over what you earn. However, they have a lot of great options to sell, including a wide range of bedding options.
Zazzle
Zazzle also pays you a percentage of the sales price of your product, though they do allow you to set your price. It has a pretty large customer base and an easy-to-use design platform. Users can also pay a small annual fee for free shipping.
CafePress
CafePress sets a base price for each product and then allows you to set your price. You get to keep the difference. In addition to notebooks, t-shirts, and other popular items, it allows you to create jigsaw puzzles and other great items.
CustomCat
This up-and-coming company is building a reputation as a great alternative to other platforms. It is free to use and allows you to sell on Amazon, Etsy, and more. It has low base product costs and is free to begin. While it doesn’t have quite as many options, it can be an affordable choice for mugs, ornaments, and jewelry.
Teespring
Teespring is a popular platform for selling t-shirts, but it is a bit different from the other platforms. In order for Teespring to print your t-shirts or apparel, you need to collect a certain amount of preorders. However, once you get the hang of it, you can make a great profit margin.
Books & Planners
While many print-on-demand companies offer a wide range of products, some are geared specifically for selling your books and notebooks.
KDP
Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon’s self-publishing platform, is probably the most popular platform for self-published authors. Uploading your book is super easy, and you can even get a free ISBN if you agree to sell exclusively on their website. It’s also completely free.
IngramSpark
IngramSpark is another popular choice for self-published authors, as they have always allowed you to print hardcovers (a newer feature on KDP). They also allow authors to distribute their books widely, though production costs can be higher.
The BookPatch
This is the company I currently use to produce 1000 Ways to WAHM affordable and some notebooks as they allow me to print spiral-bound books. You can also publish fiction, non-fiction, and even picture books. Shipping is a bit slow, but they have great base prices.
So there you have it! 12 great ways to make make money selling Christmas gifts (and other items!) Have you tried any of these print-on-demand companies? Let me know in the comments! Or check out 12 GREAT WAYS TO MAKE EXTRA CASH BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS for even more ideas.
