16 Best Places to Develop Print-on-Demand Business Online (2024)
The online world appeals to newbie entrepreneurs looking to dive into fresh and innovative ideas. One of these attractions includes “print on demand (POD).” POD is a profitable new booming area for creators, artists, and anyone wanting to create and sell custom products without inventory management hassle.
The global print-on-demand market is projected to reach approximately USD 43.07 billion by 2033. That’s because POD doesn’t require pre-printing or storing large quantities of products, making it one of the business ideas that requires a much lower startup cost.
Whether you’re a business owner aiming to expand your product line or an artist looking to monetize, here’s your guide to help navigate and find the best platform to sell print-on-demand.
What is the Difference between Print on Demand Platforms and Print on Demand Marketplaces?
Print-on-Demand Platforms:
Print-on-demand platforms allow businesses and individuals to create and sell custom-designed products without investing in or holding large inventories. These platforms handle everything for you, from printing to shipping, leaving sellers room to focus more on designing and marketing the products. Users can integrate these platforms with their existing eCommerce stores to further streamline their selling process.
Key Features
- Integration with the best ecommerce platform for print-on-demand: Print-on-demand platforms make it easy to manage products and orders by integrating with popular eCommerce sites such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Etsy.
- Product Customization: Users can create various custom products using intuitive design tools provided by the platforms, from apparel to home decor.
- Automated Fulfillment: From printing to shipping, these platforms handle the entire order fulfillment process while ensuring timely delivery to customers without the seller needing to manage logistics.
Primary Users
The ideal users of print on demand site are small businesses, entrepreneurs, designers, and artists who want to sell custom products online without the complexities of inventory management. It provides ease of setting up an online store and offering a wide range of products without significant investments.
Print-on-Demand Marketplaces:
Online markets, known as print-on-demand marketplaces, allow creative professionals to post their creations for printing on various items. These online markets offer a readily available customer base and manage the complete manufacturing and distribution cycle. The platform’s existing client base helps sellers actively look for exclusive and personalized goods.
Key Features
- Built-in Customer Base: These eight well-known print-on-demand marketplaces have developed an established audience. It gives designers access to potential buyers.
- Marketing and SEO Tools: Most print-on-demand marketplaces suggest marketing and SEO tools, helping sellers optimize their listings. It also allows them to influence more customers through these specific search engines.
- Community Support: Marketplaces often have a community of artists and designers, providing opportunities for networking, collaboration, and shared learning.
Primary Users
Designers, artists, and hobbyists are among the primary users of print-on-demand marketplaces. These individuals wish to display their work to a larger audience without having to maintain their eCommerce website. These platforms offer various advantages to these users. They profit from the platform’s current customer base and advertising efforts, which helps them gain prominence in the market and increase sales.
8 Best Print-on-Demand Platforms to Improve Your Store
1. Inkedjoy
Inkedjoy provides individuals with a mockup generator that enables users to envisage their designs on the products they wish to sell.
It has a vast product catalog and various items that can be adjusted to their liking. The platform also backs all-in-one integration with the top eCommerce sites, allowing efficient order management.
Moreover, Inkedjoy doesn’t have a minimum order quantity (MOQ) limit, which makes it available to all types of businesses.
If you have a brand, Inkedjoy will help fulfill all your orders, guaranteeing a reliable customer experience.
Pricing
The type of product and customization options you choose affect the overall pricing for an individual. However, it is essential to remember that there are no upfront fees, which makes it an economical option for all types of businesses. Moreover, Inkedjoy is free to use.
Who Uses It?
Everyone from small businesses to designers, artists, and entrepreneurs uses Inkedjoy. Those looking to sell their personalized products without inventory issues should opt for Injkedjoy.
2. Printful
From clothing items to home deco, Printful provides individuals with various products to choose from. It also offers intuitive design tools.
The platform helps support a white-label service, and safeguarding your brand is emphasized.
Moreover, Printful provides warehousing services for a brand’s inventory. It makes managing products simpler.
Pricing
This platform works on a pay-per-order basis with no upfront fees. It makes it reachable for all types of businesses.
Who Uses It?
For designers, small business owners, and entrepreneurs, Printful is an ideal platform for all. Anyone willing to sell a wide range of personalized products with hopes of the most minor overhead costs should use Printful.
3. Merch By Amazon
The best part about working with Merch By Amazon is that it merges instantly with the Amazon marketplace, which helps provide a doorway to an extensive customer base.
One benefit is that they take no upfront costs, and the platform allows a worldwide audience. Sellers can offer their products to all.
It is one of the best platforms to sell print-on-demand products.
Pricing
Merch By Amazon will charge you per sale, with no initial costs. Thus, this platform is a low-risk option for sellers to opt for.
Who Uses It?
Merch By Amazon is ideal for small businesses, sole designers, and brands looking to make the most of Amazon’s broad customer base to sell customized apparel.
4. Prodigi
This print on demand site is famous for its easy interface, premium printing services, and brilliant customer support. Its interface makes it easy to design and sell customized products.
Pricing
Prodigi’s pricing is highly competitive, and the platform considers your products and services. It has no upfront fees, which makes it great for all types of businesses.
Who Uses It?
Since the platform prioritizes premium prints and provides first-rate customer service, artists, small businesses, and photographers utilize Prodigi.
5. Displate
Displate offers unique 3D-printed metal posters, a one-of-a-kind product. It also cultivates a strong community of collectors and artists that help enhance user experience.
Pricing
Displate charges users per item sold with prices reflecting the premium quality of their products.
Who Uses It?
Displate is a print on demand service ideal for artists, collectors, and designers who appreciate high-quality, unique wall art and want to reach a niche market of art enthusiasts.
6. HugePOD
HugePOD is one of the print-on-demand platforms that offers global shipping, helping reach customers worldwide. Their reliable quality and competitive pricing attract customers and artists since it’s an ideal cost-effective solution for custom product fulfillment.
Pricing
HugePOD charges competitive pricing per order based on the product and customization options with no upfront fees.
Who Uses It?
HugePOD is ideal for businesses, artists, and entrepreneurs looking for a cost-effective and reliable print-on-demand solution with a global reach.
7. Lulu
Lulu is an ideal print on demand site that integrates seamlessly with major eCommerce booking printing platforms. Its order import tool helps simplify build order processing, catering perfectly to publishers and authors.
Pricing
Lulu’s pricing varies based on the printing options and type of book chosen. However, there are no upfront costs, making it accessible for self-published authors.
Who Uses It?
Lulu is used primarily by educational institutions, authors, and publishers looking to print and distribute high-quality books.
8. CustomCat
CustomCat offers high-quality products with a user-friendly interface. It integrates seamlessly with major eCommerce platforms while offering high product margins for sellers.
Pricing
CustomCat offers competitive pricing designed to maximize seller profits by charging on a pay-per-order basis.
Who Uses It?
CustomCat is used by small businesses, entrepreneurs, and designers wishing to sell custom products with high quality and good profit margins while leveraging easy integrations with their online stores.
8 Best Print-on-Demand Marketplaces to Sell Your Products
1. Redbubble
Redbubble is an ideal print-on-demand site for those aiming to sell unique and quirky designs while being a meaningful art piece. They offer fair compensation to artists by ensuring each purchase supports them directly.
Redbubble prioritizes sustainability and ethical manufacturing, committing to socially responsible production practices.
Site Traffic
Redbubble attracts millions of monthly organic visitors by offering artists a large and engaged audience to showcase and sell their artwork. It makes it the best platform for print-on-demand sale products.
Who Uses It?
Redbubble is used by designers, individual artists, and creators who produce bizarre and unique artwork. It’s ideal for those wanting to reach a global audience while being a part of a community that values originality and creativity.
2. Society6
Society6 is famous for showcasing up-and-coming artists and their works. This print-on-demand platform features curated collections that make it easy for customers to discover new and popular art. They allow users to shop by artists, providing a personalized shopping experience.
Site Traffic
Society6 enjoys millions of monthly organic visitors looking for lifestyle products, unique home decor, and art prints.
Who Uses It?
Society6 is popular among artists, illustrators, and designers who want to earn through their unique artwork. It’s especially famous among those creating trendy, contemporary designs and wishes to reach a broad audience interested in home decor and lifestyle products.
3. Etsy
Etsy is known globally for its strong community of creators and buyers. Etsy offers customizable shops to help sellers personalize their storefronts. This print-on-demand platform also provides robust marketing and SEO tools to help sellers optimize their listings and reach a larger audience.
Site Traffic
Etsy attracts millions worldwide users searching for handmade, vintage, and unique custom products.
Who Uses It?
Etsy ranked among the most popular online marketplaces in the United States in May 2022. Etsy is used by small businesses, individual artisans, and crafters looking to sell handmade, vintage, and custom products. It’s ideal for those wanting to connect with a community that values premium craftsmanship and originality.
4. Design By Humans
Design By Humans nurtures an artist-focused community emphasizing high-quality printing techniques to ensure superior product quality. Their global fulfillment allows the artist to deliver their artwork worldwide. The platform is mainly known for its vibrant, comic-style artwork.
Site Traffic
Design By Humans sees significant site traffic since its dedicated user base is interested in artistic and unique apparel and accessories.
Who Uses It?
Design By Humans is used by individual artists, designers, and illustrators who specialize in bold, comic-style artwork. It’s an excellent platform for anyone wanting to join a community of like-minded creators while reaching a global audience through their distinctive designs.
5. Shopify
Shopify one of the best print-on-demand marketplaces to sell your products, provides an extensive range of custom apps to increase functionality. It simplifies the setup, monitoring, and management of online stores for users.
It offers excellent customer management tools and 24/7 support. It also certifies sellers all the necessary resources required to succeed, making it one of the best platforms to sell print-on-demand.
Site Traffic
Shopify is one of the best eCommerce platforms for print-on-demand. It draws millions of monthly visitors looking to make or purchase from online stores.
Who Uses It?
With monthly downloads of 2.4 million, Shopify is used by entrepreneurs, small to medium-sized businesses, and established brands looking to create professional online stores. It’s ideal for those seeking an adaptable platform with wide-ranging personalized options and first-rate customer support.
6. Threadless
This print-on-demand marketplace provides broad marketing resources to benefit artists in promoting their high-quality designs. The platform offers artists competitive commissions with a guarantee of always being fairly compensated. Community voting is a unique feature, allowing users to vote on designs and influence what gets produced and sold.
Site Traffic
This platform gets ample site traffic and has a list of users who value exclusive and creative clothing and accessories.
Who Uses It?
Threadless is used by designers, illustrators, and independent artists wishing to capture an engaged community. It’s especially appealing to those who appreciate the community-driven approach and want their work displayed and sold based on popular vote.
7. Woocommerce
WooCommerce effortlessly incorporates WordPress, enabling users to turn their WordPress sites into fully functional online stores. It provides them with a customizable storefront, which helps sellers design their desired shops.
Moreover, this platform helps multiple payment gateways, which makes it easy for customers to complete their purchases.
Site Traffic
With millions of active installs globally, WooCommerce is one of the most well-known WordPress plugins that profit from the high volume of WordPress websites’ traffic.
Who Uses It?
Many businesses, from sole proprietorships to multinational corporations, use WooCommerce to utilize WordPress’s versatility and strength for their e-commerce requirements. It’s perfect for those looking for a highly configurable and scalable solution.
8. Fine Art America
Artists have significant influence over this platform, including licensing and price. It is a sizable virtual marketplace with many art categories, including paintings, photos, and digital art. Artists can collaborate with various people interested in different kinds of art.
Site Traffic
It is one of the top print-on-demand eCommerce sites. It allows artists to display and market their work to global art fans, drawing millions of visitors each month.
Who Uses It?
Professional illustrators, photographers, and artists who wish to sell their work to a worldwide audience utilize this platform. It’s perfect for people who want to keep creative control while profiting from the recognition that an established internet marketplace offers.
How to Pick the Right Print-on-Demand Partners?
Choosing the right print-on-demand partner is crucial to make or break your POD business. Here are some factors that you MUST consider before making the final choice for your unique needs:
Figure Out Your Niche
Step one is always figuring out your niche. How can you do that? Decide what you’ll be focusing on; will it be a T-shirt? Home decor? Or custom stationery? Knowing your niche helps define your target audience while allowing you to choose a partner specializing in the product your audience will love.
For instance, a platform like Fine Art America might be ideal if you’re targeting art enthusiasts. However, if you’re into trendy apparel, then Merch By Amazon or Threadless might be a better fit.
Recognize Product Range
Different print-on-demand services offer other product ranges, which means not every POD platform might be the right one for you. You must research each platform’s offerings based on your niche and verify how well it aligns with your product ideas.
Platforms like Printful and CustomCat offer various products, from clothing to accessories, allowing you to scale as your business and finances grow.
Check Customization Options
The print-on-demand industry is all about customization; the more options you offer, the happier your audience will be while providing an edge over the competitors. You must ensure that your print-on-demand platform partner offers robust customization tools to meet your print on demand business ideas.
For example, Inkedjoy and Prodigi allow artists to create unique products tailored perfectly to your brand’s aesthetics through their excellent design tools and customization options.
Choose Multiple Shipping Options
The influence of shipping on customer satisfaction can prove significant. If you want to reach a worldwide audience, look for platforms offering a variety of delivery choices, including international shipping.
Platforms such as WooCommerce and HugePOD provide a wide range of shipping choices, ensuring that your items reach buyers promptly and effectively.
Estimate Pricing Cost
Pricing is an essential consideration when choosing a print-on-demand site. Make sure that the expenses correspond with your profit margins and company strategy. Examine the product’s base price, delivery charges, and other costs, such as setup or design fees.
CustomCat and Printify are two platforms that are well-known for offering competitive prices. They enable you to maintain client product affordability while optimizing your profit margins.
Conclusion
The success of your business depends on the print-on-demand platforms you choose. You may recognize the best eCommerce platform for print-on-demand by picking your specialty, assessing the product range, reviewing customization choices, selecting numerous delivery alternatives, and calculating pricing.
Making the right platform choice for print-on-demand sales will enable you to increase sales and reach a wider audience while ensuring your goods stand apart in a crowded market. Join us to begin your print-on-demand adventure. Check out this website to start a successful, simple, and easy print-on-demand company!