What is Print-On-Demand? A Beginner’s Guide to Starting and Earning with POD

Introduction

Print-On-Demand (POD) has become one of the most popular ways for beginners to start a side hustle or online business. Unlike traditional retail where you need to invest in bulk inventory, manage inventory, and have a storefront or warehouse, POD allows you to sell custom-designed products without ever touching a box.

If you’ve ever seen a clever t-shirt design, a personalized coffee mug, or a motivational poster on Etsy or Amazon, chances are it was made with Print-On-Demand. In this guide, we’ll explore exactly what POD is, how it works, what you can realistically earn, and the steps to launch your own POD business.

This hustle is a great opportunity for those with a creative eye and who are quick to pick up tools like Canva to create unique and fun designs that can bring in recurring sales.

What is Print-On-Demand?

At its core, Print-On-Demand is a business model where products are only created when a customer places an order. Instead of stocking inventory, you upload designs to an online platform, and when a purchase is made, the product is printed, packed, and shipped directly to the customer.

Popular POD products include:

T-shirts, hoodies, and tank tops
Tote bags and hats
Coffee mugs and drinkware
Posters, stickers, and wall art
Phone cases and accessories

This “made-to-order” approach makes POD low-risk and accessible, even if you have no experience in e-commerce.

How Does Print-On-Demand Work?

The process is straightforward and beginner-friendly:

1. Create a design – Use graphic design tools like Canva, Photoshop, or hire a freelancer.

2. Upload to a POD platform – Choose platforms like Redbubble, Merch by Amazon, or Printful.

3. Customer orders a product – They find your listing online and make a purchase.

4. POD service prints and ships – The platform handles fulfillment on your behalf.

5. You earn a profit margin – You get paid the difference between the retail price and base cost. Note, that by utilizing the services to do most of the work, you may not be getting a 50% cut, but you get the benefit of not having to lift a finger after your designs are created and uploaded.

How Much Can You Earn with Print-On-Demand?

Earnings from POD vary widely, but here’s a realistic breakdown:

Profit margins per item:
- T-shirts: $3–$10 profit
- Mugs: $2–$5 profit
- Posters: $5–$15 profit
Beginner expectations:
- With a small catalog (10–20 designs), expect $50–$200/month.
- With consistent uploads and niche targeting, $500–$1,000+/month is achievable.
- Successful sellers who build branded stores can scale to $5,000+/month.

Important note: POD isn’t “set it and forget it.” Consistent design uploads, niche research, and marketing are essential to grow earnings. The more designs you create, the the more likely you are to get a sale. Giving customers a large catalog of high-quality designs can bring back repeat customers or encourage customers to buy more than one item.

Pros and Cons of Print-On-Demand

Pros

Very low startup costs (often free to list).
No inventory, packaging, or shipping headaches.
Scalable. More designs = more income potential.
Great for testing ideas before investing in bulk.

Cons

Lower profit margins compared to bulk printing.
Highly competitive market.
Requires marketing effort to stand out.
Designs have to be unique and in demand to make high volume sales.

How to Get Started with Print-On-Demand

Step 1: Choose a Niche

Avoid making generic designs. Instead, focus on niches like pet lovers, fitness enthusiasts, gamers, or teachers. Specific audiences respond better to tailored products. Pick a niche you enjoy and you'll have more fun creating designs.

Step 2: Create or Outsource Designs

DIY tools: Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator. If you are a creative person or feel confident enough to learn new software, Canva is a great starting tool with plenty of free assets. There are countless YouTube videos on how to use Canva as well.
Hire designers: Fiverr, Upwork, or 99designs. Got a great idea, but don't have the skill to make it, hire a designer. Many Fiverr designers have affordable prices for simple designs and can get you results within a week.
Keep designs simple and readable (text-based designs often perform well).

Step 3: Select a Platform

Redbubble & TeeSpring – Beginner-friendly, built-in audience.
Merch by Amazon – Massive traffic from Amazon.
Etsy + Printify – Combines Etsy’s search power with POD fulfillment.
Shopify + Printful – Best for creating a standalone brand.

Tip: Don't be afraid to use more than one platform for the same design. More channels of exposure can drive more sales. Just make sure the platforms of your choice allow it.

Step 4: Upload and Price Your Products

Set competitive prices but leave room for profit. You should spend some time looking up similar designs or niche keywords to see what other sellers are listing at. No point in listing a $50 shirt, if a similar one is listed for $20.
Optimize product titles and descriptions for SEO (keywords matter). Keep an eye out for a future article on SEO and how to find keywords.

Step 5: Promote Your Store

Use social media (Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest) to showcase products. Don't wait for people to find your product on the platform. Share designs you love with communities that share that niche.
Consider influencer partnerships. I'd consider this a Phase 2 action when you are making sales and can justify offering free products or paying influencers to advertise your brand or product.
Optimize for search engines with strong keywords. Having strong keywords can help ensure that your store and products show up on the first few pages of a Google search or other search engines.

Conclusion

Print-On-Demand is one of the easiest and most beginner-friendly ways to start an online side hustle. With no upfront investment in inventory, you can test product ideas, create designs, and build an income stream that grows with time.

While it may not make you rich overnight, POD can realistically bring in a few hundred dollars per month to start, with the potential to scale into a full-time business if you commit to consistent uploads and smart marketing.