Is Print-on-demand Still Profitable In 2024? Latest Update

The incredible growth of print-on-demand in recent years raises suspicions about “Is print-on-demand still profitable in 2024 and upcoming years?” or “Does it reach the highest development and gradually level off?”. If you cannot find convincing answers to the above questions, this article is for you.

Is Print-on-demand Still Profitable in 2024?

Print-on-demand is still definitely profitable to new and experienced sellers in 2024. It can be a lucrative venture when coupled with the right on-demand company, distinctive and top-notch designs, and effective marketing tactics.

From Teeinblue statistics and survey, the average print-on-demand profit falls between 15% and 60%, with the majority favoring the 25% to 50% range. It's crucial to acknowledge that the money you can make with print-on-demand varies based on niches, provider selection, and marketing effectiveness.

Is Print-on-demand Saturated Soon?

Print-on-demand is NOT saturated soon due to increasing demands and advancements in technology that cater to customers' expectations.

The Future of Print-on-demand

According to this Print On Demand Market report, in the 2024-2032 period, the market will witness a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.7% and value at $48.4 billion. This future of print-on-demand is promising, making it a good business to make money. The increase in income, internet coverage, smartphone usage, and interest in fashion, especially personalized products will boost the growth of print-on-demand.

The global print-on-demand market keeps growing fast (Source: imarc)

However, that bright future isn’t the whole picture. You should research the present niche markets to know “Is there any chance to join and open new print-on-demand stores in 2024?”

Should You Start a Print-on-demand Business in 2024?

To decide if starting a print-on-demand business in 2024 is viable, it's essential to evaluate the profit potential and whether there are market gaps. The fact is that print-on-demand is still profitable but high-competitive because existing merchants are taking up the majority of the market. However, 2024 still offers opportunities for entrepreneurs!

• The rising of personalized gifts: Projections indicate a CAGR of 6.7% from 2022 to 2031. A report from Salesforce also shows that 65% of customers prefer customized items to normal products. Among Gen Z, this rate is even 74%, making it a worthy investment.
• Emerging trends: The number of niche ideas will continuously increase each year, along with the development of the economy. Besides, not every POD business sells the same products in the same niche. In 2024, you can start with sustainable high-quality items to lead the trend.
• Market’s natural elimination: People now have more concerns about quality. Shops that copy from competitors or have poor products and bad service will disappear quickly. It’s your turn to join with superior items and an excellent customer care policy.
• No perfect POD business: It is the truth that nothing is perfect in the world. When reading reviews, pricing, shipping, or return policies of a POD business, you will find the competitors' weaknesses. Then, you can find ways to improve and make them to your advantage.

Find a new print-on-demand niche and become the first seller

💡 You may also like: Best-selling Niches and Designs for Print-on-demand Merchants in 2024

How to Make Your Print-on-demand Store Profitable in 2024?

Achieving high revenue in selling print-on-demand products hinges on mastering the selection of four key factors: products, designs, print-on-demand (POD) providers, and marketing strategies.

Every start is hard and challenging. Print-on-demand cannot make you a millionaire or bring you profits without creativity, meticulousness, and great patience. Don’t rush and expect that the print-on-demand store will give you a high profit after a short time. You may encounter troubles when setting up your store or launching the first campaign. But don’t worry, the second try will go smoother.

Scroll to get more successful insights!

Research Market

Understanding the market is the cornerstone of a profitable print-on-demand business. By identifying customer preferences and emerging trends, you can strategically position your products to meet demand effectively. This knowledge leads to:

• Identify target demographics and their buying habits.
• Analyze competitors to find market gaps.
• Stay updated with industry trends and forecasts.

Choose Winning Products

Selecting products that resonate with your audience can significantly increase sales. It’s about offering what’s in demand and unique, which can set your brand apart. To achieve this, you should:

• Curate a list of popular items within your niche, which are more likely to sell.
• Determine products with high-profit margins, to ensure financial viability.
• Select items that are feasible for print-on-demand, balancing creativity with practicality.

Select the Best-fit Provider

The right provider ensures quality products, reliable fulfillment, and customer satisfaction. This step is crucial for building a reputable brand and fostering trust with your customers. In selecting a provider, aim to:

• Evaluate providers based on quality, cost, and delivery times, to maintain customer satisfaction.
• Choose a provider with positive reviews and a robust support system, to ensure a smooth operation.
• Ensure the provider’s capabilities align with your product needs, to avoid any service discrepancies.

Create Converting Design

Attractive and unique designs can be the difference between a browse and a purchase. Good design captures attention and communicates brand values, making it a key driver of sales. With design in mind, strive to:

• Develop designs that appeal to your target market.
• Create a diverse library of designs to cater to various tastes.
• Test designs for market response before full-scale printing.

An example of a simple but profitable design for print-on-demand

Sell on a Profitable Platform

Selling on the right platform can maximize visibility and profits. It’s best to focus on platforms favored by your audience to boost product traffic. Besides, remember to weigh each platform’s cost against its benefits for optimal profit, and fine-tune your listings for better search presence and conversion rates.

Shopify provides everything you need for an e-commerce website. It allows you to design, customize, manage, and advertise your store. It is easy to use and affordable for every merchant. Don’t worry if you are a beginner, their team will enthusiastically support you from the first step.

Conduct Effective Marketing Campaigns

Marketing drives traffic and converts interest into sales. It’s essential for brand growth and customer acquisition, acting as the voice that communicates your brand’s value to the world.

There are always free choices for marketing to maximize your margin. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can bring great organic traffic to your website. Or you can share your product on social media such as Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, etc.

Start a print-on-demand business with a professional logo

Utilize POD Tools

Leveraging tools can streamline operations, reduce errors, and save time. Automation allows you to focus on scaling your business, rather than getting bogged down in day-to-day tasks. Design, management, and analytics tools are essential for print-on-demand.

Among these categories, product customization apps will help you catch the trends of product personalization. Now, Teeinblue is one of the best choices to help you sell POD with 50% effort:

• Design and add custom options for your customers to choose from.
• Add unlimited product bases (white label) from any POD provider.
• Combine the design with the product base to launch a campaign and sell on Shopify.
• Send orders automatically to fulfillment companies that integrate API with Teeinblue.

Most Profitable Print-on-demand Products for 2024

What ideas will bring you success in 2024? Offering eco-friendly items, basic apparel and athleisure, art, and home decor as gifts is the easiest way to tap into the print-on-demand market and earn first sales.

Eco-friendly Products

More and more people choose eco-friendly products for their lives. A PwC survey in 2021 says that 50% of global consumers have lived greener. This number in 2019 is just around 40%.

You can catch the going sustainable trend with compostable phone cases, clean generators, wooden tech accessories, hemp and cork-based vegan leather for pets, self-watering planters, etc.

Recycle phone case is a great idea

Basic Apparel

The need for clothes to wear from home to the street seems not to stop. Basic apparel is the favorite item of busy and simple people because it is not only tasteful but also comfortable. Top high-margin print-on-demand basic apparel are T-shirts, hoodies, polo shirts, and leggings.

Don’t forget to add athleisure to your print-on-demand store. With the growing trend of people embracing a fitness-oriented lifestyle, offering comfortable and stylish workout athleisure can be a lucrative addition to your product lineup.

Tips: The advice is to choose one product at the beginning and update seasonal trends.

Art & Printings

It is cheap and fast to buy an art print instead of drawing or taking a photo. Print-on-demand art is also beautiful, high-resolution, long-lasting, and easy to personalize. That’s why these products are becoming more and more popular.

It’s worth trying the below trends:

• Simplistic and timeless pictures and photos
• Minimalistic arts
• Realism fine arts
• Nature pictures and paintings
• Black-and-white canvases

Personalized art for couples is a great niche

Home Decor

Home decor items are never outdated because people always want to keep their house new and worth living in. Therefore, selling print-on-demand these product will still be profitable in 2024.

Here are the hottest niches for home decoration in 2024: Christmas ornaments, mugs, posters, doormats, pillows, blankets, baskets, drinkware, acrylic decor gifts, etc.

Most Profitable Print-on-demand Sites to Learn From

You’ve got the answer to “Is Print-on-demand Still Profitable?” and a basic guide to making a profit. Walk around the successful stores below to get inspiration.

• GearBunch stands out with its custom leggings and activewear, targeting women who love sports. They make their mark with handcrafted, all-over-print leggings, made to order. Their success hinges on offering high-quality, limited-edition items and prioritizing customer satisfaction.
• iLikeMaps specializes in personalized maps, featuring cartographic designs of over 700 cities. They distinguish themselves with a custom map creator that allows customers to personalize any location. Their high-quality prints and top-notch customer service drive their success.
• Sharp Shirter captures attention with quirky designs on tees and wallpapers, known for their sharp all-over print tees and unusual designs. They connect with a wide audience through bold and humorous designs and contribute to environmental conservation by donating a portion of their profits.
• House Of Chingasos resonates with the Latino community by combining humor and cultural pride in their custom apparel and accessories. They engage their audience with Latino-centric designs and effectively use social media advertising to reach their market.

In conclusion, making a profit from a new print-on-demand store is absolutely possible. The keys to success are choosing the right niche, creating high-quality designs, choosing the best POD companies, and launching effective marketing strategies. Still wondering about “Is print-on-demand still profitable in 2024?”, don’t hesitate to join Teeinblue Global Community for POD Personalization to have further discussion.

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