What is Print-on-Demand (POD) and How Can You Make $500/Month?

 

1. Introduction – What is Print-on-Demand (POD) and How Can You Make $500/Month?

Imagine you have a magic shop.
In this shop, you don’t keep any products ready — instead, when someone buys a t-shirt, mug, or bag from you, a special company makes (manufactures) it only after they place their order.

That’s what Print-on-Demand means —
You design it → The customer buys it → The company prints it → The company sends it to the customer.
You don’t have to make, store, or send anything yourself.

2. Benefits of POD -

• No big money needed to start — You don’t need to buy 100 t-shirts in advance.

• Low risk — You only make a product when someone has already paid for it.

• Fun and creative — You can put your own funny quotes, pictures, or ideas on products.

• Easy- It's easy to start POD.

3. Setting a $500/Month Goal – Breaking Down the Numbers

Let’s do some easy math.

• Suppose you earn $5 profit from each product you sell.

• To make $500 in a month, you need to sell:

         500 ÷ 5 = 100 products per month

$$$$

That means:

• 100 products/month

• About 25 products/week

• Around 3–4 products/day

It’s like selling 3-4 items every day.

4. Start POD journey

If you want to start selling through POD. You have to follow this process 👇🏼.

    Choose Your Niche → Make Designs → Find POD Partner → Set up Store/Website → Marketing.

(I) Choose Your Niche- 

 First, you have to shortlist a niche. There are some examples  👇🏼

• Pets → Funny dog quotes, cute cat art, etc.

• Hobbies → Gaming, gardening, painting, etc.

• Sports → Gym lovers, cricket fans, football fans, etc.

• Lifestyle → Coffee addicts, travelers, book lovers, etc.

• Trends → Viral memes, movie quotes, trending jokes, etc.

(II) Make Designs-

After selecting a niche. Now make designs around it. 

Tools for making designs👇🏼

• You can use free tools like Canva, Photopea, or Kittle
• Paid tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.

If you want to hire a freelancer for that, go to Fiverr or Upwork.

(III) Find POD Partner-

 Now you have to find your POD Partner. There are many websites where you can find different POD suppliers at one place. 

Top Print-on-Demand Companies 👇🏼.

1. Printful

   • Very popular and beginner-friendly

   • High-quality products (t-shirts, mugs, hoodies, posters, etc.)

   • Connects easily with Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce

2. Printify

   • Huge product catalog (500+ items)

   • You can choose from many suppliers (different prices & quality)

   • Works with Shopify, Etsy, and more

3. Teespring (now Spring)

   • Free to start, no upfront cost

   • Good for creators and influencers

   • Connects with YouTube & social media

4. Redbubble

   • Marketplace POD site (you don’t need your own website)

   • Lots of traffic from people already searching for designs

   • Good for artists and beginners

5. Zazzle

   • Wide range of customizable products (stationery, gifts, clothes, etc.)

   • Works like a marketplace (similar to Redbubble)

6. TeePublic

   • Easy to upload and sell designs

   • Good exposure for t-shirts and apparel

   • Lower profits, but beginner-friendly

7. Gelato

   • Ships globally from local printing centers

   • Fast delivery worldwide

   • Works with Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy

   (IV)  Set up Store/Website - There are two ways.

 Option 1: Selling on a Marketplace (Etsy + Printful/Printify)

👉 This is best for beginners because you don’t need to bring your own traffic.

Step 1: Make an Etsy Account

• Go to Etsy.com

• Click on “Sell on Etsy” and sign up

Step 2: Connect with a POD Company

• Create a free account on Printful or Printify

• Link your Etsy shop with Printful/Printify (they have a simple connect button)

Step 3: Upload Your Designs

• Choose a product (t-shirt, mug, hoodie, etc.)

• Add your design using Printful/Printify’s mockup generator

• Publish it directly to your Etsy shop

Step 4: Set Pricing

• Example: T-shirt costs you $12, you sell it for $20 → Profit = $8

• Make sure you keep at least $5 profit per product

Step 5: Go Live

• When a customer buys from Etsy → Printful/Printify prints & ships automatically

• You keep the profit, and Etsy + Printful/Printify handle the rest

Option 2: Selling on Your Own Website (Shopify + Printful/Printify)

👉 This is for people who want to build a brand and scale beyond $500/month.

Step 1: Create a Shopify Store

• Go to Shopify.com

• Sign up for the free trial and choose a store name

Step 2: Install a POD App

• Go to Shopify App Store

• Install Printful or Printify app

• Connect your POD account to Shopify

Step 3: Add Products

• Upload your designs on t-shirts, mugs, or hoodies inside the POD app

• Push them to your Shopify store

Step 4: Customize Your Website

• Add logo, colors, and banners to make it look like a real brand

• Write clear product descriptions with keywords (SEO)

Step 5: Set Pricing

• Same as Etsy → Example: Printify charges $12, you sell for $20, profit = $8

Step 6: Marketing (Most Important)

• Share your products on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest

• Run Facebook or Instagram ads to reach your target audience

• Build an email list so customers come back

When someone orders → Shopify notifies Printful/Printify → They print & ship → You get the profit.

(V) Marketing- 

Here are some tips & tricks for marketing.

1. Social Media – Post designs on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest with trending hashtags.

2. Niche Focus – Share products in Facebook groups & pages related to your niche.

3. Seasonal Products – Create designs for holidays like Christmas, Valentine’s, and Halloween.

4. Discounts & Urgency – Use offers like “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” or “20% Off Today Only.”

5. SEO Keywords – Use specific titles like “Funny Dog Mom T-Shirt” instead of “Cool T-Shirt.”

6. Email Marketing – Collect emails with discounts & send new product updates.

7. Short Videos – Use TikTok & Reels to make fun, viral-style product videos.

8. Cheap Ads – Run $5–10/day Facebook or Instagram ads to test designs.

9. Customer Sharing – Ask buyers to share photos of themselves wearing/using your product.

10. Keep Adding Designs – Upload 2–3 new designs weekly to increase chances of sales.

_______________________________Thanks for Reading__________________________________

If you have any Doubts & questions. Please ask me.