What is Print on Demand?
People ask me all the time, “Leslie, what the heck is POD?”
POD, or print on demand, is one of the business models I use to diversify my income streams. With POD, I earn an average of $3500 in passive income revenue each month.
Print-on-demand is a process where products are only printed and shipped once an order has been placed, hence “demand.” You don't store large inventory or invest in upfront production costs. Instead, you upload your designs and product information to a POD platform which then fulfills customers' orders.
You can create and sell a ton of products through POD, including t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and more. Many POD platforms also offer a range of customization options, like adding text or changing a product’s color.
Advantages of POD
POD has become very popular in recent years due to the rise of e-commerce and how easy it is to sell customized products online. It's a great option for businesses, small startups, large enterprises, and especially solopreneurs.
Since new products and designs can be tested easily, there is a low risk of being stuck with unsold inventory. This is a huge benefit of POD, as it helps reduce costs since there's no need to invest in physical materials or storage space.
It also helps you focus on other areas to grow your business, like marketing and customer service, instead of worrying about order fulfillment and inventory management.
Another advantage of POD is it lets you easily scale up your business fast. If a product becomes popular, you can increase the quantity of that product being printed and shipped. On the other hand, if a product is not selling well, you can simply remove it from your online shop.
Disadvantages of POD
A potential drawback of POD is that it can be more expensive than traditional manufacturing methods because POD products are typically produced in smaller quantities, so the cost of production is spread across fewer units. However, the convenience and flexibility of POD often outweigh these additional costs.
POD platforms
Several POD platforms are available, each with different features and pricing. You must carefully consider your options and choose the platform that best fits your needs. Some popular platforms include Printful, Redbubble, and Teespring. My personal favorite, though, is Printify.
Key takeaways
If you’re looking to get creative and sell custom products online, print-on-demand is a great way to go! Not only does it make increasing what items you offer easy, but it also lets you test different ideas quickly - with no large upfront costs or storing inventory. The POD business model continues to be one of the most popular choices for businesses, small and large, seeking innovative solutions.
