How to Sell Print-on-Demand on Shopify

Print-on-demand is one of the best ways to start a Shopify business because the barrier to entry is low:

• The startup costs are minimal (you only have to cover the product costs for items you sell and the Shopify fee)

• You don’t have to deal with any production hassles because your print provider takes care of them for you

If that sounds like something you want to try out, let’s get into the fundamentals of how to sell print-on-demand on Shopify. This article will cover the 9 stages of launching a successful Shopify store with print-on-demand. Each stage has smaller steps and additional information to help you understand the why behind the how.

How to sell print-on-demand products on Shopify: 9 steps

Buckle up, it’s time to get your dream dropshipping business started. Here’s how to dropship on Shopify.

1. Create a Shopify account

Source: Shopify

First things first, create an account on Shopify. You get a 3-day free trial to explore the platform and begin setting up your business with Shopify before committing to a subscription plan. Here are your options:

Source: Shopify

After signing up to Shopify with your email, Facebook, or Google account, Next, you’ll be asked a few questions about your business. Answer these questions to help Shopify tailor your experience, but none of these settings are permanent.

Then, you’ll be taken to your Shopify dashboard. There, you’ll have to choose your print-on-demand store name. This name will form the basis of your Shopify domain, but you can change this later if needed.

A custom domain (e.g., www.yourstorename.com) helps establish credibility and makes it easier for your potential customers to find you. You can buy a domain through Shopify or third-party domain providers, or connect one you already own.

Source: Shopify

Before you can finish setting up your store, you need to choose a print-on-demand service that’ll handle your orders. Let’s discuss how to make the right choice.

2. Choose a print-on-demand company

Having a reputable and trustworthy print-on-demand company means your shoppers will get high-quality products and have a high potential to become repeat customers.

Here are a few tips to help you choose the right print-on-demand partner:

1. Sample products first: Order samples from potential providers to evaluate product quality, printing accuracy, and packaging. Getting samples is a way to step into your customers’ shoes and see what the ordering and tracking process and shipping speed are.

2. Compare shipping rates and times: Note that 68% of online shoppers say fast shipping is the most important factor in their experience. Compare the shipping rates and delivery times of different providers, especially if you want to attract customers internationally.

3. Check for integration with Shopify: Pick a print-on-demand company with a smooth integration with Shopify. This will save you time and hassle in managing your store. Printful’s integration with Shopify, for example, allows automatic order processing and easy product syncing.

4. Read reviews and join communities: Look for reviews, customer feedback, and testimonials from other Shopify store owners. Joining online communities or forums can provide insights into the experiences of others with different print-on-demand companies.

5. Consider product variety: Explore the product catalog’s diversity for different print-on-demand companies. A diverse catalog means more future growth opportunities for your product line. However, you should investigate whether the products are printed by the print-on-demand company or outsourced to third-party vendors, as this can affect the consistency of product quality.

Printful owns the production process and offers a wide range of products, from apparel and shoes to tech accessories, home decor, and drinkware, giving you plenty of options to diversify your store.

Printful’s Catalog. Source: Printful

Once you’ve found a print-on-demand provider, you can move on to the next stage of building your business with Shopify—creating your store.

Valuable read: 12 Emerging Print-on-Demand Business Ideas to Get Started with Right Now

3. Build your own online store

Building your Shopify store starts with selecting a theme that aligns with your brand. Shopify offers both free and paid themes that are mobile-friendly and easy to customize. Explore all the themes in the Shopify Theme Store, filtering by industry and layout style.

Source: Shopify Theme Store

If you’re looking for a low investment, pick one of Shopify’s 13 free themes. Before settling on a theme, check its rating and view the store demo on the desktop and mobile view.

Valuable read: Best Free Shopify Themes

Source: Shopify

Once you’ve chosen a theme, use Shopify’s theme editor to customize the layout, colors, and text. Focus on creating a user-friendly homepage highlighting a few products and clear call-to-action buttons. 

Pro tip: Ensure your store’s navigation is intuitive, with clear categories and a search function for effortless shopping.

Next, install essential apps from the Shopify App Store to have your store running smoothly. For a print-on-demand business, consider these key apps:

1. Printful: For managing products and orders

2. SEO optimization apps: To improve search engine visibility

3. Email marketing tools: To build and engage your target audience

4. Customer review apps: To build trust and social proof

Valuable read: 15+ Inspiring Shopify Store Examples

4. Choose products and create designs

You don’t have to be an expert or a designer to craft beautiful custom products. What you need is an understanding of who you’re designing for.

In the past, we’ve covered what makes a Shopify bestseller, which we highly recommend you read to know how to find products to sell. Here are 5 key characteristics of a product that’s likely to sell well:

1. Clear target audience

2. Strong market demand

3. Low competition or a solid unique selling point (USP)

4. High fulfillment quality and reliability

5. Legal compliance

Valuable read: What to Sell on Shopify: 10 Best-Selling Product Niches And 30+ Product Ideas

Now, once you have your products selected, you have to customize them. And it ain’t hard. Here are 6 steps for creating a print-on-demand start to finish:

1. Research and identify trends

2. Define your niche

3. Sketch or plan your designs

4. Choose your design software

5. Create your designs

6. Optimize your designs for printing

Pro tip: Same as with Shopify theme’s you don’t have to buy paid tools to create gorgeous products. For example, you can use Printful’s Design Maker or Canva for free.

Source: Printful’s Design Maker

Valuable read: How to Create Designs for Print-on-Demand Even If You’re Not a Designer

The main thing to remember about creating designs is to experiment and have fun doing it. Test different designs in your store to see what resonates most with your audience.

5. Add high-quality images

Adding high-quality images to your store is essential for making a strong first impression and driving sales.

1. Use high-resolution images: This gives your store a professional appearance and allows customers to zoom in for detailed views, which is especially important for products with intricate designs.
2. Showcase multiple angles: A comprehensive view of the product will make your customers more confident about what product they’ll receive. Include front, back, and side views, as well as close-ups of important details like stitching or print quality.
3. Include lifestyle photos: In addition to standard product photos, include lifestyle images that show the product in use. These images help customers envision how the product will fit into their lives, increasing the likelihood of purchase.
4. Consistent backgrounds: Use consistent backgrounds across all product images to maintain a cohesive and professional look. A plain white or light-colored background is often best, as it keeps the focus on the product.
5. Optimize for fast loading: Ensure your images are optimized for the web to avoid slow loading times. Use tools to compress images without sacrificing quality, ensuring a smooth and fast user experience.

By following these steps, you’ll create a visually appealing store and build trust with your customers.

To keep the upfront costs at a minimum, you can generate true-to-life product images with the Design Maker. To do it, design a product and save it as a template. Then, go to your Printful Dashboard, find the product you need mockups for, hover over it, and click on the 3 dots in the upper right corner. Select Download mockups, Basic mockups, and the mockups you want for your product listings or social media channels.

Source: Printful

Valuable read: 11 Things You Didn’t Know Printful’s Design Maker Could Do

6. Set competitive pricing for your products

You must balance being affordable for your customers and profitable for your online business. 

Competitive pricing doesn’t automatically mean being the cheapest—it means offering good value relative to the quality and uniqueness of your product.

Valuable read: 25 Best-selling Print-on-Demand Products

To determine your retail price, research your market and understand what similar products are being sold for. Then, calculate your costs, including the base price from your print-on-demand provider, Shopify fees, shipping costs, and any other expenses you have. To that number, add your desired profit margin. A good profit margin for print-on-demand businesses typically ranges from 20% to 40%. 

Finding the optimal price can take some time. Be patient, test different price points, and monitor sales to find your sweet spot.

7. Write compelling product descriptions

Want to turn browsers into buyers? Write detailed, interesting, unique product descriptions. Here’s how:

1. Focus on benefits: Instead of just listing features, highlight how the product benefits the customer. E.g., instead of saying a t-shirt has a crew neckline, you can say, “The simple crew neckline makes it a versatile piece that’s easy to wear for any casual occasion.”

2. Use clear, engaging language: Write in a tone that matches your brand, whether it’s casual and fun or professional and informative.

3. Be specific: Include details like materials, dimensions, and care instructions. Specificity builds trust and helps customers make informed decisions.

4. Incorporate keywords: Use relevant keywords naturally within your descriptions to improve search engine optimization (SEO) and help your products rank higher in search results.

5. Tell a story: If applicable, tell a brief story about the product’s inspiration or creation process. This adds a personal touch and can make the product more memorable.

When you add products to your Shopify store from Printful, you’ll get a pre-written product description.

Source: Printful

You can then spruce it up with Shopify’s AI tool for product descriptions: Shopify Magic.

Source: Shopify

Valuable read: From Bland to Brilliant: T-Shirt Description Examples and Ecommerce Best Practices

8. Test your Shopify store before the launch

Before launching your Shopify store, testing is crucial to ensure everything works smoothly. Here are the key areas to test:

1. Checkout process: Go through the entire checkout process yourself. Test different payment methods (credit card, PayPal, etc.) to ensure they work correctly.

2. Product pages: Check that all product images load properly, descriptions are accurate, and variants (like sizes and colors) are correct.

3. Mobile responsiveness: View your store on multiple devices, including smartphones and tablets, to ensure it looks and works well on all screen sizes.

4. Shipping and taxes: Confirm that shipping rates and tax calculations are applied correctly based on customer locations (do that by changing your VPN).

5. Email notifications: Test order confirmation emails and any automated messages to ensure they’re sent correctly and have accurate information.

6. Loading Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to test your store’s loading times. Fast loading times improve user experience and reduce bounce rates.

Perform these tests to catch any issues before your store goes live.

9. Analyze and refine your sales strategy

Last but not least, you must iterate after your store’s live.

Start by reviewing key metrics: 

• Conversion rates

• Average order value

• Customer acquisition costs

To do it, use Shopify’s built-in analytics and Google Analytics to track traffic sources, popular products, and customer behavior on your site.

Source: Shopify

After you have some data, focus on promoting best-selling products and growing the marketing channels that bring you the most customers.

How much does it cost to set up a Shopify print-on-demand business?

Setting up a Shopify print-on-demand business typically costs between $60 to $200. This includes Shopify’s monthly fee starting at $29, domain registration, and paying your print provider for the products you sell. The costs vary depending on the apps, print-on-demand service, and marketing efforts you choose to invest in.

What print-on-demand companies work with Shopify?

The 9 best print-on-demand services for Shopify:

1. Printful

2. Gooten

3. Lulu

4. Spocket

5. Zendrop

6. Apliqq

7. Gelato

8. Printify

9. ShineOn

If you’re interested in other print-on-demand companies for your Shopify online store, check out the Shopify app store.

How many print-on-demand apps can you use on Shopify?

You can use multiple print-on-demand apps simultaneously when selling on Shopify, although you may run into issues like raising your product costs or confusing your shoppers with multiple tracking numbers. If you choose to use multiple print-on-demand apps, we recommend picking up to 2 companies.

The ball’s in your court now!

Now you know how to start a print-on-demand business on Shopify. Our best advice is to approach this process step-by-step. Thinking about all of the things you must do can quickly overwhelm you. Instead, gradually go through each step we’ve laid out in this article.

Happy selling!

Read next: How To Increase Shopify Sales: 7 Top Tips