How to Make Custom Phone Cases to Sell in 20 Minutes?

how to make custom phone cases to sell online

Before launching an online custom phone case business, choosing a profitable phone case model and material along with creating captivating designs hold the key to triumph. Do you find this process lacking clarity? Stay tuned, here is the easy-to-follow guide on how to make custom phone cases to sell online from Teeinblue experts. Wrap it now!

Sell Custom Phone Cases: What to Consider?

When selling made-to-order phone cases, the model types, case materials, and printing techniques are the most important things to think about.

Phone Models to Custom

By anticipating the demand for cases for upcoming phones or identifying the most popular phone models, you can potentially tap into new opportunities. Here are the best-selling brands with models that got the highest search volume:

iPhone: 8, 11-14 series, especially 15 series.
Samsung: Galaxy Fold, S22, S23, A, and Z Flip series.
Xiaomi: Mi 11, Xiaomi 11, 12, 13, and 14.
Oppo: Reno 6, Reno 8t, N64, and x5 pro.
Vivo: V5, V7, Y20, Y22, and V23.

Types of Phone Case Style

Phone cases vary in practicality and visual appeal. Some emphasize protection while others offer a sleek, form-fitting design. Here are the most common mobile cover styles to choose from:

Silicone cases are eye-catching, easy to personalize, soft, and durable despite high temperatures. They are the best-selling custom protective covers.
Slim and gel cases are sleek, slim, eye-catching, and affordability. They enhance grip with a flexible silicone gel material.
Clear cases bring a crystal-clear, flexible, durable design. The impact-resistant, ultra-thin width and the ability to charge wirelessly make it one of the most favorite cases.
Flexi cases are slim, flexible, and lightweight, complementing the phone's design without overwhelming it. The frosty transparent TPU shell provides impact resistance and wireless charging ability.

And here are niche but high-profit ideas:

Bumper cases provide partial coverage, typically for the sides or border of the phone. They are often made of durable and shock-resistant material.
Folio or wallet cases resemble a small notebook and safeguard for the back, border, and screen. Some variants have storage for cards. Despite their leather materials and higher prices, they are favored by most practical consumers.
Tough hard cases prioritize protection over aesthetics, so they have a “muscular” look and heavier weight. They challenge adventurous users, especially men.
Battery cases provide additional battery power holders for practicality and utility. It is possible to sell at a high price, helping you set a higher profit margin.
Biodegradable cases are eco-friendly options crafted from PLA plant polymer and bamboo fibers. These offers can attract consumers who love eco-friendly products.

Choose phone case types to start personalizing

9 best-selling phone case categories to personalize

Which type of phone cases do you want to customize? Note it down and delve into the next criteria.

Case Materials & Printing Techniques

There are various printing methods available to transform ordinary phone cases into unique and eye-catching accessories. Remember to choose a manufacturer offering the right method for your phone case material and design style.

Printing technology	Suitable phone cases	Pros and cons
Screen Printing	Gel/TPU soft rubber, hard plastic, wood, and metal cases.	Ideal for high-volume orders. But limited color options, longer production time, and not suitable for small quantities or printing photographs.
Digital UV Printing	For almost materials of mobile covers.	Fine details, faster production, and eco-friendly option. But support low-volume orders, and fade over time, especially near the edges.
Embossing and Debossing	PU leather and similar leathers.	Create high-detail printings. But not suitable for hard or gel cases and cannot produce photographic images.
Heat Transfer	A wide range of materials.	Bring durable designs, including photographic images. But require long production and not ideal for large quantities.
2D and 3D Sublimation	Hard, gel, and TPU cases	Ensure high detail, lively colors, and durability. But cause high price and limitation in a high-volume quantity.
Water Transfer/ Hydrographic	Plastic, wood, fiberglass, and metal phone cases	For curved and rounded surfaces and a matte or glossy finish. But chip easily by time and not for gel/TPU case.
IMD/IML Printing	Hard plastic and flexible TPU cases	Bring permanent and vibrant designs. But long production and not for small quantities (typically under 250)

How to Make Custom Phone Cases to Sell: 6 Core Steps

Here are 6 core ready-to-practice steps to help you get success in making custom phone cases to sell:

Practice market research
Make a plan to specify business goals
Create custom designs
Partner with phone case dropshipping suppliers
Build an online store with custom options
Launch marketing campaigns

Here you go!

1. Practice Market Research

When you get a phone case type and a model, now it’s time to identify if that combination can help you generate profit. Since you sell custom phone cases online, you can have deep insights with a laptop.

Estimate market size: For example, if you want to sell a custom phone case for iPhone 15 Pro Max, find its volume on Google Keyword Planner or other keyword tools. Or use trend prediction websites like Google Trends or Ahrefs. The higher the volume, the larger the potential market.
Identify target customers: Identify potential customers who are likely to purchase custom phone cases. Clarify their demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, location, hobbies, and lifestyle. Finally, segment them into many groups and choose the best one.
Analyze competitors: Conduct research on popular platforms like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay. Then analyze their best-selling personalized item for a model for things setting them apart. Look for any gaps to offer something unique or fill a need that others are not addressing.

research the market before selling custom phone cases

Research keywords for customized phone cases for iPhone 13 Pro Max (by Keyword Tool)

2. Make a Plan to Specify Business Goals

A plan helps you clarify your strategy, identify potential challenges, determine the resources you'll need, and evaluate the viability of your idea. By answering these questions, you can develop a solid business plan:

Which is the most important goal for this custom phone case?
Which business model do you prefer: follow print-on-demand or invest inventory, factory, and deliver yourself?
Which business types do you want: build your own brand with a website or sell them on a marketplace?
How much will you spend on a custom phone case store?

💡 Tips: Whatever your choice is, remember to choose a unique brand name and logo.

3. Create Custom Designs for Cell Phone Cases

Now, let’s design one-of-a-kind artwork to make your phone case shine in the crowd. Regardless of experience in design or not, you can make it following these steps:

Get inspiration from places for designers like Dribble, Fiverr, Behance, or Pinterest. Or take a look at the best-selling phone case artwork on e-commerce marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon, or eBay.
Design your artwork using Photoshop, Photopea, Canva, or Teeinblue Product Personalizer. Make sure the artwork size matches the fixed print area and the file has a proper format case for smooth production and high-quality printing.
Ask for feedback on your social media sites and forums like Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Discord, or any target channel. Don’t forget your teammates, family, or friends.

Or you can save time on designing by

Outsourcing designers: Work with artists who offer prices and styles matching your goals.
Purchasing designs: Take notice of their licenses allowing commercial or not to avoid legacy troubles.

A customizable mobile phone protective cover with multiple options (Teeinblue POD’s Demo Store)

4. Partner With Phone Case Drop Shipping Suppliers

While you can produce and ship personalized phone case orders yourself, it’s risky and time-consuming. Utilizing drop shipping (or print-on-demand) suppliers for phone cases helps you focus 100% on creating designs and improving your sales. It is crucial to choose a supplier with a low-cost base, fast shipping, and printing technologies.

Here are the top-rated phone accessories dropshipping suppliers for iPhone and Samsung:

Printify offers a wide range of case styles, including tough, slim, magnetic, clear, impact-resistant, flexi, biodegradable, magnetic, and more.
Gelato provides flexi, tough, clear, slim, and bio cases.
Printful provides clear, tough, and snap cases.

💡 You may also like: Dropshipping Personalized Products: Your Ultimate Guide

5. Build an Online Store to Sell Custom Phone Cases

Creating an online store is crucial to showcase your unique custom smartphone cases. Consider one of these two most effective approaches!

Get a stall in a marketplace: With a huge available customer base and user-friendly features, marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon are great to start. However, they provide limited customization options and marketing activities, potentially hampering your growth.
Create your own website: This way gives you more control over your online store, especially your product page. It’s better to select one that focuses on e-commerce features and scalability like Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce.

A store created on Etsy vs one on Shopify

6. Launch Marketing Campaigns

Marketing activities can bring your product to target buyers. Consider the most effective practices below:

Search engine marketing: Use SEO techniques to improve your website's visibility. Consider paid advertising like Google Ads to target specific keywords and reach potential customers searching for custom phone cases.
Facebook advertising: Facebook offers advanced targeting options to reach specific interest groups. Create targeted ads to showcase your phone case designs and attract potential customers.
Instagram marketing: Instagram is ideal for showcasing your phone case designs. Utilize both organic posts and paid advertising on Instagram to engage with your audience and promote your products effectively.
Influencer marketing: Collaborate with influencers who have established audiences in your niche. Partner with micro-celebrities, YouTubers, Instagrammers, or TikTokers to expose your personalized phone cases to a wider audience.

When marketing personalized print-on-demand phone cases, focus on unique selling points like slim design, material quality, water resistance, or drop test results. To start, let’s utilize personal connections. For example, inform your friends, family, and personal relationships about your store. And announce the launch of your shop on social media and ask your friends to help spread.

marketing custom phone cases to generate sales

SEO is a cost-saving strategy with long-term benefits

Finally, when you get orders, remember to recheck the final design and customer information before sending them to your supplier for fulfillment.

💡 Tips: Reviewing your products and sales strategies will help you assess the effectiveness of your current approach, identify room for improvement, and make informed decisions to enhance your offers.

FAQs: Sell Custom Phone Cases Online

Is Selling Custom Phone Cases Profitable?

Selling custom phone cases online can make a profit of around 40%. By 2022, the estimated size of the mobile phone protective cover global market is around $21.89 billion. Furthermore, the annual growth rate (CAGR) can reach 8.3% from 2023 to 2030 (Grand View Research). Despite challenges such as market saturation and production costs, offering unique products that meet high demand while requiring a low initial investment is promising.

How to Maximize Profit When Selling Tailor-made Phone Covers?

Besides a good business plan, these tips can help you maximize profit:

Include phone accessories: wireless charge, headphones, earbuds, stands, etc.
Ensure high-quality prints: choose the suppliers and follow print file guidelines.
Catch the design trends: monogram, 3D, blue color with pets, floral, quotes, etc.
Diversify personalization options: photo upload, text personalization, maps, etc.

Which is the Best Platform to Sell Made-to-order Phone Cases?

There is no perfect e-Commerce platform for all needs. Each one serves certain specific requirements. If you are going to make custom print-on-demand phone cases to sell, consider using a top-rated choice, Shopify. You can control the whole store, sell with global fulfillment suppliers, and add useful apps to boost sales.

the best platform to sell custom phone cases

Own domain and data, and expand products easily for a Shopify store

Which is the Best Custom Phone Case Maker?

Teeinblue Product Personalizer is one of the best custom phone case makers. From designing to fulfilling orders, the app is a one-stop solution for you to make and sell custom phone cases. It enables you to:

Quickly design artwork with professional and easy-to-use tools.
Add best-selling customization options like text, photo upload, clipart, map, and more.
Enable real-time previews for the best customer experience.
Sell unlimited phone cases from any suppliers worldwide.
Manage and fulfill orders right in Teeinblue’s portal.
Receive print-ready files with the highest quality and edit them without re-ordering.

Make and Sell Custom Phone Cases in 20 Minutes with Shopify x Teeinblue

When you have your Shopify store, it takes you only 20 minutes to make a custom phone case to sell. Save a quick process here!

Install Teeinblue Product Personalizer: Visit Teeinblue on Shopify App Store > Login with your Shopify store > Click Install, you will be directed to the Shopify admin page > Click Install to confirm.
Design artwork and add custom options: Create a new one, add and organize layers as a professional with the intuitive Artwork Editor. All features for adding options are available here.
Add white-label cases from your suppliers: Automatically or manually add phone cases of your print-on-demand provider.
Launch your personalized cases: Combine the design with phone cases and you successfully publish a custom case to your Shopify store.
Fulfill personalized orders: Directly send orders to Teeinblue partners within clicks or export orders in custom CSV files.

Discover how Teeinblue helps you sell custom phone cases through this video:

Hope sharing from Teeinblue is helpful to your query “how to make custom phone cases to sell”. From creating custom designs to choosing suppliers and promoting personalized phone cases, it’s best to focus on customer insights to win your goals. Wishing you the best of luck in your online phone cases store!

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