Starting a Print-on-Demand Business Series: Part 1 - A Fun Journey of Creativity

I have long been curious about the print-on-demand world. As someone who has done a bit of reading on creating passive income streams, creating a print-on-demand (POD) business has consistently been mentioned amongst other business and money bloggers. So, I thought, why not give it a try to see what results a POD business generates and share my experiences (of course!).

So, welcome to the first instalment of my POD business journey!

What is Print-on-Demand Anyway?

Print on demand is like having your cake and eating it too, without the calories! It’s a business model that allows you to create and sell custom products without the hassle of physical inventory. You design your products—think t-shirts, mugs, and tote bags—and when someone orders, the POD service prints and ships it for you. It’s the perfect blend of creativity and convenience!

Getting Started: A Creative Playground

Choosing a Niche

Your niche will guide your designs and help you connect with your audience. Are you a cat lover, a yoga enthusiast, or maybe a coffee addict? Any one of these interests could help inspire you to create your print-on-demand business. I decided to embrace my love of art by creating a series of framed wall art that incorporate very colourful designs. At this point, it is important to keep in mind that while chosing your niche, you will may still want to go through the process of validating your business idea. As this is an experiment, I haven't gone through the full analysis process. However, at a quick glance on Google Trend showed that the term 'wall art' is still commonly searched for.

Google Trends search on 12 July 2025

Select Your POD Partner & Sales Platform

There are many POD platforms out there, like Printful, Teespring, and Redbubble. Do a little research to find the one that fits your needs. Consider factors like product range, shipping times, and, of course, their printing quality. Given my product, I chose to go with Gelato. This POD Partner easily integrates with my chosen sales platform which is Shopify, and also has a vast network of printing partners both here in Australia and worldwide. The platform is easy to use and adding products to my store was a cinch!

Design, Design, Design

Unleash your inner Picasso! You don’t need to be a professional designer. There are plenty of user-friendly tools like Canva and Adobe Spark to help you create eye-catching designs. I had so much fun making my designs and created alot of AI generated images. I recommend keeping it simple and relatable—people love designs that make them smile! To get my business launched, I created 20+ products each with their own variants in size and frame colour.

Launching a Print-On-Demand business can be a fun journey of creativity.

Launching Your Creation

After two days of squinting at my screen and enough coffee to power a small city, I finally whipped up the designs for my store on Gelato and got my Shopify store looking snazzy enough to make me want to slam that GO button with glee! Oh, and while you're busy building your store like a mad scientist in a lab, don't skip the boring-but-important legal mumbo jumbo like Privacy Policies, Shipping Policies, and those T's & C's that nobody reads but everyone needs. I also went ahead and snatched up a business name and a domain too.

Challenges and Helpful Tips

Picking the Right Product: Your Shortcut to Success or Your Ticket to Trouble!

When I first dove into the wild world of product hunting for my POD store, yoga mats caught my eye. I thought, "Hey, these can't be too hard to design!" And I was right—designing them was a breeze. But then came the plot twist: finding suppliers was like searching for a needle in a haystack, and the shipping costs were so high, I considered taking out a second mortgage! Shipping from the US to the rest of the planet turned out to be as financially sound as buying a pet rock. My advice? Go for a product that's as light as a feather and can be made in multiple countries. Your business bottom line will thank you!

Know your Print-On-Demand platforms

Not all POD platforms are created equal—some are as easy to use as a remote with two buttons, while others are like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube blindfolded. And let's not forget the product ranges; some have more options than a buffet, while others are more like a vending machine with two choices. Chances are, you'll need to buddy up with more than one POD provider. That way, if one supplier can't fill your order, you've got a backup ready, like a trusty sidekick with a cape made of inventory!

Get a grip on how your moolah will boogie!

Sure, with POD, you won't have to worry about tripping over piles of unsold inventory in your living room. However, you will need to make sure your wallet isn’t on a diet when it's time to fulfill orders. Once a customer clicks "buy," you'll need to get your POD provider to spring into action before your bank account gets a chance to bulk up. Basically, you’ll need to cough up the fulfillment dough before your account gets its cash injection. So, keep an eye on that cash flow like it's the last donut in the office!

Conclusion: Your Creative Adventure Awaits!

Starting a print on demand business is not just about making money; it’s about expressing yourself and sharing your creativity with the world. So grab your design tool, put on your entrepreneurial hat, and let the fun begin! Who knows? You might just create the next viral t-shirt design that everyone wants to wear. Happy designing!

If you want to feast your eyes on my Print-On-Demand store, mosey on over to Splash & Roll at www.splashroll.shop. And don't touch that dial, because in Part 2 on the POD series, I’ll be trying to teach this little venture to bring home the bacon!