The print-on-demand market has become increasingly competitive, giving a significant challenge, especially for newcomers. As more merchants join, standing out and preserving strong profit margins becomes harder. Nevertheless, the market is expanding rapidly, providing more opportunities for growth.
Success lies in choosing a profitable niche, using high-converting designs, partnering with a reliable print-on-demand provider, and employing effective marketing strategies.
The global print-on-demand market size was valued at USD 6.18 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.8% from 2023 to 2030. The rising demand for customized and personalized apparel, home décor, accessories, and drinkware, among others, due to changing consumer preferences and increasing interest in gifting custom-made products for special occasions, have bolstered the growth of the market.
Picture this: what could’ve started as a hobby for you, coming up with awesome designs and printing them on products, soon blossomed from an idea to an integral part of your everyday life. As your sales increase and clients come by the dozen, you realize there’s an actual business model behind it all. At this point, it’s only fair to ask: is print-on-demand profitable? The short answer is: Yes!
Here’s What You’ll Find! 🔎
- Is Print on Demand Worth It? 🤔
- A Few Reasons to Start Your POD Business in 2025
- Why Is Print on Demand So Popular? 🤩
- How to Make Money With Print on Demand? 💸
- Is Print-On-Demand Profitable? Let’s Wrap It Up! ✨
Is Print on Demand Worth It? 🤔
Print-on-demand is a huge part of the eCommerce industry. It’s just perfect for anyone who loves designing and selling merch. 👕 But, is print-on-demand profitable? Well, in the most recent years, the POD industry has grown exponentially. In fact, this market is projected to be valued at 67.59 billion USD by 2032. Talk about numbers! 🌟
But that’s not the end of it. We’re just beginning to unravel the million-dollar question: “Is print-on-demand profitable?”. First, let’s take a quick peek at why POD might be your go-to path as an entrepreneur. 😉
💡 Learn how to scale your business with a Printify store!
A Few Reasons to Start Your POD Business in 2025
- The trend toward personalized gifts is growing rapidly.
- Stores that simply copy competitors or offer low-quality products and poor service won’t last long. Now is your chance to stand out with high-quality products and unique designs.
- By analyzing reviews, pricing, shipping, and return policies of other print-on-demand businesses, you can uncover competitors’ weak points.
Why Is Print on Demand So Popular? 🤩
Low Starting Costs 💸
Just like in a dropshipping business, you will only be investing your money once you make an actual sale. Moreover, you don’t have to pay any storage or warehousing fees since you only act as the intermediary between your customers and a third party that supplies products and manages shipping.
So, when asking yourself, “Is print-on-demand profitable?” consider this business model to allow you to operate with minimal costs. P.S. More on this in the next pointer! For now, let’s say that with a low-risk investment of your time and money, POD is a great option if you’re dipping your toes into entrepreneurship or even considering it as a side hustle. ✅
🌟🚀🤑 Skyrocket your online store with Placeit’s incredible print-on-demand templates! Our ever-growing collection has everything a top-notch POD seller like you needs—and more!
No Inventory Needed 📦
Compared to a traditional business, the great thing about print-on-demand is that you don’t need an inventory or a commercial chain to make it work. Most POD markets handle your order fulfillment, shipments, and customer service. You only need to worry about designing, promoting, and getting those numbers rising! 😌
All in all, this allows you to focus your attention and resources on the creative aspect of your business. But wait, what if designing is not your strong suit? No worries! That’s where we come in. With Placeit by Envato, you can access tons of print-on-demand designs, mockups, and assets to boost your brand without hassle.
Wide Product Range 👕
Starting your print-on-demand business allows you to cater all your products specifically to your client’s needs, market trends, and seasonal preferences. While apparel continues to lead the way among these goodies, there’s a window of opportunity to explore! 😃
From everyday items such as tote bags, mugs, and drinkware to artsy decor like wall art, POD thrives on offering personalized products that swiftly adapt to customer preferences. Combined with awesome designs crafted by professionals (like Placeit’s!), you’re ready for those orders to start rolling in. 🤑
Unlock the Top 10 Do’s and Don’ts of the Print-On-Demand World and level up your business game! 🚀👕📈
Customization Perfection ✨
When you get into the POD market, not only are you tapping into a wide variety of products, but you also unlock the opportunity to personalize each item to your client’s unique preferences. Say, for example, you’ve found the perfect design for your seasonal sales. You can tailor every aspect, like font pairing, color palette, size, style variation, graphics, and illustrations. 🎨
Now, while the idea of customization may make it seem like your business should cater to every type of customer out there, the truth is you need a strategic approach. That’s where choosing a niche comes in! Overall, picking a particular market segment will allow you to direct all your sales efforts to a specific group of clients most likely to engage with your brand. 😃
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Scaling With Ease 📈
While more traditional ventures would have you worrying about underselling products and overstocking your storage, POD works on a whole different level. Think of it this way: you only sell items as they are ordered, thus eliminating the need for large stockpiles and reducing operational costs.
As a business model, POD adapts to your business growth and increasing demand. Along with the benefits we’ve mentioned, this makes it a great venture to explore if you’re looking for a cost-effective, flexible, efficient, and profitable venture. 😌
Earning revenue from print-on-demand relies on paying attention to four essential areas: product, design, POD providers, and effective marketing strategies.
How to Make Money With Print on Demand? 💸
There are many profitable factors to consider when you’re first starting on this path. Take a look at these expert tips to make money with your print-on-demand business:
1. Market Research
A strong understanding of the market is essential for a profitable print-on-demand business. By identifying customer preferences and emerging trends, you can align your products to meet demand effectively. Focus on understanding their buying behaviors, and staying informed on industry trends and forecasts.
2. Choose Your Products Wisely
Select items that resonate with your target audience, offering both popular and unique choices that meet demand. Prioritize products with strong sales potential within your niche and those with high-profit margins.
Know the best print-on-demand products for your business. Here are some tools you can use to conduct your research:
✏️ Ahrefs
🔍 Semrush
📈Google Trends
📌 Additionally, you can head to social media and dive into the search bar of platforms like Pinterest and TikTok to know what’s currently trending among users
Most Profitable Print-on-Demand Products for 2025
Looking to succeed in 2025? Consider offering eco-friendly items, basic apparel, athleisure, artwork, and home decor.
Eco-Friendly Products
With rising interest in sustainability, eco-friendly products are becoming a go-to choice. Capture this trend with compostable phone cases, wooden tech accessories, organic cotton t-shirts, and vegan leather options like hemp and cork.
🍀 Go Green With 6 Eco-Friendly Print-On-Demand Sites
Basic Apparel
T-shirts, hoodies, polo shirts, and leggings are high-margin products in basic apparel.
Don’t overlook athleisure wear; as more people adopt fitness-focused lifestyles, comfortable, stylish workout wear can be a lucrative addition.
Art & Printings
Popular options include personalized wall art with photo and text options, custom maps, canvas prints, and clipart customizations.
Non-clothing products tend to have a higher profit margin than apparel. The average profit margin for top-selling products is 40-50%. For apparel, 40% is the go-to, while mugs, candles, and paper products can have 45%, 60%, and even up to 76% markups.
Home Decor
Consider adding Christmas ornaments, mugs, posters, doormats, pillows, blankets, baskets, drinkware, and acrylic decor gifts.
Finally, remember that simplicity sells.
Diversify What You Sell 🏷
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket! No matter your niche, diversifying the items you offer increases the opportunity to attract a larger audience by catering to their needs, interests, and preferences. Moreover, it also allows you to choose which products sell better, so don’t forget to monitor your metrics. 🔎
So, when reflecting upon the question, “Is print-on-demand profitable?” consider that your product variety and strategy play an important role. Wondering which items and goodies you can introduce to your customers? Say no more!
☕️ Drinkware
🕯 Candles
🥶 Hoodies
🧥 Jackets
🤾🏻 Sportswear
💡 Learn how to add your designs to many products in your POD platform of choice! And, if you opt for Printful, be sure to check out our eye-catching mockup collection.
3. Use Popular Designs 🔎
Focus on creating designs that resonate with your target audience. Build a varied collection to appeal to different tastes, and test designs for market response.
💡A well-chosen, concise color palette not only adds style but also attracts customer attention, making purchasing decisions easier.
Experiment with new designs and brainstorm, this can lead to your next big success! Take into account:
🎯 Special niches
😜 Viral memes
🎉 Special occasions
🎄Holidays & festivities
📆 Current events
🪧 Social causes
Needless to say, POD thrives on trendy, creative, and top-tier designs. After all, they transform everyday products into unique and personalized treasures that resonate with what’s close to your audience’s heart. Now, depending on your skills, plus the time and budget you’re willing to spend, there are different options you can go for. Let’s take a closer look at them:
🧑🏻💻️ Making Your Own Designs
No worries, there’s no need to start from scratch! Placeit has tons of design templates made by professionals to match your brand’s unique vision. Once you’ve selected your template, you can customize it by changing the font pairing, color palette, and graphics until you’re satisfied with the results. Here are a few examples you might want to take a peek at to get started! 🤩
💻 Using Design Software
Consider managing paid design software if you have advanced skills and creative expertise. These programs offer different tools for drawing, editing, coloring, and designing layouts. Thus, it is a great option if you’re familiar with art and visual communication. 🪄
👩🏻 Hiring a Freelance Designer
If it fits your budget, you can also pay a professional designer to create all your visual assets. Freelancing sites like Fiverr even let you connect with creative professionals who adjust to different pricing options and are ready to take on your assigned tasks. 😀
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4. Choose the Best Platform for Your Brand
Optimize your listings to improve search visibility and boost conversion rates. Publish frequently on sites like Etsy and eBay for an extra edge in competition. More listings create more chances for sales.
🔥 Quiz: Choose the Best Print on Demand Sites for You!
Expand your product variety, set strategic prices, and watch your online store flourish!
On average, top sellers publish ten new listings every week. You should aim to do the same, even if it’s just a slight tweak to a design or putting a design on a different product.
Printify
Your chosen POD platform will essentially handle the printing, managing, and shipping of all the awesome goodies and products you’ll promote. Needless to say, this is a crucial decision for your business, so take your time to compare POD platforms. 🤔
➡️ You can use the following questions as quick pointers to value all the cons and pros of the top print-on-demand companies:
👕 Product range
- Does the platform regularly introduce new items to keep your business fresh and appealing?
- Are there any exclusive or unique products the platform offers that can set your store apart from competitors within your niche?
- Does the company provide insights on which products are currently trending in the market?
🖨 Quality of printing
- What are the printing technology and materials used to ensure the durability and visual appeal of the products?
- Are there customer reviews specifically mentioning the print quality? Do they consistently meet expectations?
- How does the POD platform handle quality control to ensure that the final product matches the design specifications accurately?
💵 Pricing structure
- Does the platform offer a clear breakdown of costs (production, shipping, additional fees) to help you accurately budget and calculate your profits?
- Are there volume discounts that could benefit you as your POD business grows?
- Does the platform offer incentives or discounts for long-term customers?
📦 Shipping & fulfillment
- What shipping carriers does the platform work with?
- What options does the platform offer for international shipping?
- How transparent is the platform about shipping times? Can you provide an estimated delivery date to your clients?
📌 Quick Note: If your platform of choice is Spring, use this guide to make your shop stand out!
Choose the Best Provider
Selecting the right provider is essential to delivering high-quality products and dependable fulfillment, both key to building a strong brand and earning customer trust.
Look for providers with positive reviews and reliable support to ensure smooth operations. Make sure the provider’s capabilities match your product requirements to prevent any service inconsistencies.
5. Plan Out Your Marketing Strategy ✅
It’s super important that you create a brand around your POD shop. Brands are essential to differentiate your products from the competition. Think of it as the heart and soul of your business and what it stands for its goals, projection, image, message, and identity. ✨
So, consider what you will use in your marketing mix to promote your shop—social media, ads, promotion, influencer marketing, collaborations, etc. Already planning your strategy? Great! Here are 3 aspects you should keep an eye on:
Social Media Landing 📲
You may not have considered this, but having a big following on social media can make a great difference. If you are popular in your community, an influencer even, people will buy your merch gladly. This is why POD businesses are a great passive income for influencers, musicians, gamers, YouTubers, podcasters, and more.
⭐️ Pro Tip: Use high-quality images on visual social media platforms to show off your merch.
Visual Branding ✨
In short, visual branding conveys what your business’s identity communicates as a whole. From your logo to all your social media posts, this image should work cohesively to set up a differentiator, leave a long-lasting impression, and connect with your audience. Want a deeper dive into this topic? We’ve got you covered! Don’t miss out on:
🌟 8 Branding Tips for Developing a Strong and Iconic Brand
✅ How to Get Your Business Branding Right
💻 8 Essentials to Branding Your Business Online
Successful Networking 💬
Collaborating with other brands, popular content creators, and fellow business owners can give you amazing results. On the one hand, it’s an opportunity to share insider tips and information from people who work within your same industry, thus spotting new trends. Moreover, networking forges valuable connections, opening the door for potential collaborations and partnerships.
⭐️ Savvy Insight: Be proactive! Regularly attend events and meetups, and use your social media to connect with people who bring something to the table.
👕 Check out how these t-shirt size chart templates for your shop!
Master Your SEO ✏️
SEO is one of the most important aspects of building your store’s online presence. From increasing organic traffic to specifically targeting customers who are most likely to buy your products, there are plenty of strategies you can use. Here are our go-to tips:
🔎 Use SEO tools and workflows to find popular search queries within your niche. As a quick advice, aim for high-volume, low-competition keywords to increase your likelihood of ranking higher on search engines.
✍️Never neglect product titles and detailed descriptions. Besides helping you sell more, they are the perfect opportunity to boost your content by including your target keywords.
📸 Don’t forget about images! Optimize your visuals by adding descriptive file names, alt tags, and captions to make them easily discoverable.
Want more tips? Explore further with:
Invest in Ads 📢
Since ranking for your top keywords can take time, ads are crucial to growing your business. For starters, they play a huge role in promoting your products and goodies. Moreover, it’s a way of targeting new customers, thus building brand awareness and creating a sense of familiarity and recognition among your clients. Needless to say, it’s a must for every business! ⭐️
This means you should have a decent budget for your advertising. But wait, here are the good news! At Placeit by Envato, you can find free ad templates, so you don’t have to spend a fortune on professional ad designs. To make sure you’re really making the most out of them, consider the following advice:
📱 To ensure your ads work, target the right audience and niche. For example, know what platforms your clients are most active on, tailor your messages to their needs, and communicate in a way that resonates with them.
🤑 Offering special deals, like bulk product discounts, can help you encourage customers to buy more than one item from your shop. Besides driving sales, this incentive enhances customer loyalty and satisfaction by fostering a sense of exclusivity.
📸 A picture is worth a thousand words! Aim for powerful visual imagery, attractive colors, and captivating designs that make your customers remember your business. Not a designer? Not a problem! Browse through Placeit’s library to find top-tier ads, mockups, and designs to display your products.
6. Focus On Your Niche 🎯
Finding a profitable niche can be a challenge. On the one hand, targeting popular segmented markets means competing against brands that have been in the game for a while. On the other hand, less popular niches might not give you the profit you want. 🧐
😌 Hint for good profits: Your traffic and your niche should be in the same group of people.
So, what to do now? Here are a few tips to get you started on finding the right niche for your POD business:
🔎 Use SEO tools like Ahrefs, Google Trends, Semrush, and Google Adwords to spot popular niches.
💖 Target a niche you’re passionate about so you apply expertise, skills, and connection to your brand.
✔️ Understand your audience’s needs to focus your store and products on what’ll work best for your niche.
🚀 Want to skyrocket your sales? Check out the Best Print-On-Demand Niches to Get Your Numbers Rising!
7. Join Affiliate Programs 🤩
In short, an affiliate program pays you to promote different products or services online. This means you do not need to drive your sales through a direct inventory. Instead, you’ll earn money based on a percentage from your referrals, AKA, the people who buy those goodies because of your recommendations!
So, when you become an affiliate of a POD site, you get special deals by sharing your discount codes. All in all, affiliate programs serve as cost-effective and low-risk opportunities, which result in a great form of smart passive income.
🔥 Want to get the best affiliate marketing tips? Find out more with our blog: How to Get Started With Affiliate Marketing: Guide Decoded. Also, check out this guide on how to price your t-shirts!
Is Print-On-Demand Profitable? Let’s Wrap It Up! ✨
Well, is print-on-demand profitable for 2025? There you have it! POD businesses are pretty popular because it is easy for anyone to start their own shops and get their numbers going. While competition is high, it’s still very possible to make it a great source of income if you play your cards right. 🃏😉
As we’ve seen, there are some determining factors to making a profit when selling merchandise online. Let’s do a quick recap:
🤯 Pay close attention to the POD platform’s fees, read carefully the terms and conditions, and choose the ones that seem more appropriate for your store.
🎯 Selecting a niche increases your chances of driving your sales by targeting the right audience and offering products specifically catered to their interests, needs, and preferences.
🌟 Low starting costs allow anyone to start a print-on-demand business. This is why differentiating your brand from the competition is super important. You can achieve this by creating a solid brand identity and developing a great marketing mix to promote!
🤩 Keep up with what is trendy in your market! If you enjoyed this post and getting the full scoop on “Is print-on-demand-profitable?”, you might also like our Future of Print on Demand Business and our Best T-shirt Brand Styles posts. Would you like to learn more about POD? Let us know in the comments!
