Print on demand

Print on demand, often shortened to POD, is a fulfilment model for custom-designed products. The store uploads designs, a print partner holds blank stock, and each item is printed and shipped only when someone orders it. As with dropshipping, the store holds no inventory.

The products are usually apparel, mugs, posters, phone cases, tote bags and home decor. Because the blanks are the same for everyone, the design and the audience are what set a store apart. Successful POD stores tend to target a tight niche, such as a hobby, a profession or a fandom, and release many designs to find the few that sell.

When you research POD competitors, look at:

• which designs sit at the top of their best-selling collection
• how often they add new designs, which you can see in their sitemap or catalogue
• the ads they run, since a design that keeps running in ads is likely profitable

Margins are lower than private label and shipping times depend on the print partner's location, so many POD stores sell in the countries where their partner prints locally.