Everything You Need to Know About Starting a Print-on-Demand Shop With Printful & Printify
One of the coolest things we can do with our surface pattern designs is get them printed on actual products. Calendars, blankets, notebooks, and even someone's wallpaper or clothing halfway across the world. If this sounds like something you want to do, then print-on-demand might be just what you need.
Getting your patterns on products used to feel like a dream. Something only possible if you had the right contacts or got licensed by a big company. But now? The only thing standing in your way is choosing where to start.
Services offered by Printful and Printify make it possible for artists to transform their artwork into physical products. All without needing to invest in stock, worry about shipping, or rent space to store inventory.
It’s one of the most accessible and creative ways to start selling your art online.
Of course, there’s more to it than just uploading a few JPEGs and hoping for the best. Let’s look at how to actually make it work.
In this post, I’m sharing:
- The different types of print-on-demand
- How Printful and Printify work
- What makes POD so exciting (and full of potential)
- How to know if this is the right next step for you
Whether you're just starting out or have a portfolio full of designs you're itching to monetise, I've made this guide just for you. Here, you're going to learn how to build a shop that puts your art into the world. And I'm not going to sugarcoat it, so you go into it knowing exactly what to expect and set you up for success.
What Is Print-on-Demand (and Why It’s So Powerful for Artists)?
Print-on-demand (POD) is an online service that allows you to sell your artwork on physical products. It’s designed to handle the technical side of selling your art so you can stay focused on being creative. They do everything from printing and manufacturing to delivering to your customer.
But what type of POD service you choose is the most important decision you'll make when you go down this path. And it all comes down to one crucial choice: Do you want to build your own physical product brand, or simply sell on someone else's platform?
When artists first learn about POD, many encounter the Marketplace Model. Massive marketplaces like Redbubble, Spoonflower, or T-public. All you have to do is upload your designs, and they handle everything else. And at the end of the month, you get a commission on the sales they made.
If you're someone like me, whose main income stream comes from other sources, POD Marketplaces can be a great side income! But there is a big trade-off to relying solely on income from them.
When you join them, you become one of tens of thousands of artists, which makes it a challenge to stand out from the crowd. On top of that, you have no control over branding or access to your customers. And as a result, you're ultimately building their business, not your own.
But if you dream of having your own product line and plan to make this your primary business, there's a much more powerful path: the Fulfilment Model. This is how you build a scalable product-oriented business using Printful as an example:
You upload your artwork to Printful.
You choose which products you want your designs to appear on.
You integrate your Printful account with your own online store (like Squarespace or Shopify).
When a customer visits your website and places an order, Printful automatically prints, packages, and ships the product, all under your brand. You keep the profit, without ever touching a printer, box, or shipping label.
For you, this means:
No inventory to manage
No upfront manufacturing costs
No shipping or fulfilment stress
This is how you can be working on your next design while someone across the world orders from your shop, and it ships without you lifting a finger. And that’s not even the best part….
The Real Benefits Of Fulfilment POD For Artists
Fulfilment POD comes with some benefits that you might not have thought about. That truly sets it apart from marketplaces. These three benefits are what make it such a powerful model, not just technically, but also creatively and strategically.
1. It Makes Your Art Easier to Sell
I know from experience that selling and promoting your artwork can feel awkward. It can even feel intimidating, especially if you are just starting out as a new artist. But something shifts when your art becomes a physical product.
It’s no longer just a digital image or pattern on a screen. It’s something you can hold, use, photograph, and talk about with confidence. That makes it easier for you to believe in what you’re offering, and easier for your customers to connect with it.
For example, it’s much more natural to share how you use a notebook with your design. You can share why you chose the size, the colours, and the layout.
Products also give your designs purpose, which can translate into more sales. People are more likely to buy something they feel they “need” or can use, rather than just something they like the look of.
This is especially true for surface pattern designers or anyone creating commercial artwork. Everyday products like desk mats, calendars, or sketchbooks give your designs a real-world use. They give customers a clear reason to say yes.
And the best part? You don’t have to guess what products to start with. Platforms like Printful show you which products are already bestsellers. So you can begin with something that’s proven to be popular and has great reviews, and start building from there.
2. It Lets You Test and Learn as You Grow
One of the biggest advantages of using a fulfilment POD service is when it is paired with your own e-commerce platform (e.g. Squarespace, Shopify). This makes this business model very scalable, allowing you to start small and gradually grow.
Most e-commerce platforms offer free trials and affordable starter plans. So you can get started quickly by opening a simple online store. Shopify even has an affordable option that allows you to sell on social media. Allowing you to test the waters before you invest the time in building your storefront.
By starting with a trial or one of the starter plans, you have a great opportunity to learn:
Which products fit your art best, and what people want
What kind of mockups and visuals help your designs stand out
How customers respond to your ideas
You don’t need to get it perfect right away. You just need a place to start, and this lets you do that without the pressure of a big financial commitment.
3. You Can Build a Brand That’s Uniquely Yours
One of the biggest differences between fulfilment POD and marketplace selling is this:
With fulfilment, you’re building your own space. Your own website. Your own visual style. Your own rules.
You're not sharing a storefront with tens of thousands of other artists. You're not competing to be seen on a crowded search results page. When someone visits your shop, they’re only seeing you, your designs, your pricing, and your products.
And most importantly? You're in control.
After years of selling on platforms that could change overnight, I learned this the hard way. I once went from earning thousands per month on Etsy to owing them money, simply because of a change in their ad system. It took just one change to wipe out my shop’s income.
That experience taught me something valuable: If you're building on someone else's platform, you're building their business.
When you connect Printful to a shop you fully control, you’re building your own.
That means:
You decide how your shop looks and feels.
You control your pricing and profit margins.
You’re not forced to compete in a race to the bottom just to stay visible.
You can connect directly with your audience — and even grow your email list, so you’re never relying on algorithms to be seen.
This is how you create something sustainable.
Not just a listing. Not just a product. But a brand that grows with you. A creative space you own. A foundation you can build on, expand, and evolve, no matter how the rest of the internet changes.
Choose the right POD service for your Shop (Printful vs Printify)
If you’ve made it this far and feel fired up and ready to start your own store, the next step is choosing the right tools to bring it to life.
Your print-on-demand provider plays a big role in which products you can print. It will affect how your customers experience your brand. And how smoothly your shop runs day to day. So, it's really worth taking a moment to choose the option that fits your goals and brand.
While Printful and Printify are both based on the same dropshipping model, they work in slightly different ways. Depending on what you’re building, one may suit you better than the other.
Printful operates mostly with in-house production facilities. This often means more consistent print quality with repeat orders. This is great since we need consistent colors and quality between prints.
Printful also has fantastic branding options. They offer features like custom neck labels, branded packaging inserts, and personalised packing slips. With these, you can create a premium unboxing experience that reinforces your brand identity. Their mockup generator is also easy to use and has lots of options with a pattern uploader.
- Consistent Quality: Operates with in-house manufacturing
- Worldwide Shipping: Manufacturing around Europe and America
- Branding Options: Create a better unboxing experience
- Pattern Uploader: Perfect for selling patterns
Printify - Best For Produt Variety & Cost Optimization. Printify is different as it works with a network of print providers instead of in-house manufacturing. This grants access to a larger and more diverse product catalog you can print your patterns on. (e.g., specialized home goods, specific pet accessories, etc.).
While quality can vary between providers, they do provide different prices for production and delivery which can lead to lower costs. Potentially you can expect to see higher profit margins and more sales with Printify the larger selection of products you can print.
- Lower Costs: Select from a network of print providers with different prices
- Large Catalogue of Products: Different print providers means a large selection of products you can print on
- Worldwide Shipping: Find different printers in a large selection of countries.
What Most Artists Don’t Expect (and Why It Matters)
This part is important because while starting your own POD shop is exciting, it’s also a real business. And there are a few things many artists don’t think about when they’re just getting started.
Let’s go through them one by one, and how fulfilment services can help you handle them from the beginning.
1. Ordering Samples
When you’re using a fulfilment partner like Printful or Printify, you’re trusting them with your brand. And even though they do the printing and shipping for you, you’re still the face of the shop.
This means you want to make sure that the product your customer receives meets your standards. Not just in design, but also in quality, packaging, and experience.
That’s why, before launching any product in your store, it’s a great idea to order samples.
Here’s why:
✅ To check the print quality and colour accuracy
✅ To make sure the design is placed correctly, patterns repeat smoothly and looks as you imagined
✅ To experience the unboxing exactly like your customer would
It matters because:
First impressions count
Positive reviews are everything, especially when you're new
Repeat customers and word-of-mouth can grow your shop faster than any ad
If someone’s first order feels thoughtful, polished, and high-quality, they’re more likely to come back for more and recommend your shop to others.
Both Printful and Printify make it easy to order samples of your products before launch. You can even get sample discounts (especially with Printful), which means you can test your items in a more affordable way. And if you’re ordering multiple similar products, like different patterns on the same pillow, you can get an even bigger discount by bulk ordering. Which brings us to the next point…
2. You’ll Want to Create Your Own Mockups & Branded Photos
If you have ordered a few samples, you can put them to good use and use them to make your own product images. Real-life photos feel authentic, build trust, and help your shop look polished and professional. They perform better because they feel real and tangible rather than digitally created images. They show what your product really looks like and help people imagine it in their own lives.
You don’t have to overthink it. To take product images, all you need is your phone and a nice-looking corner in your home. (Remember, no one can see the mess off camera!)
But getting good product photos takes time, space, and tools, and all of that costs money. And, if you’re just starting out and you don’t have a big budget, that can feel out of reach.
That’s why mockups are such an important tool when you’re beginning.
The mockup generators from Printful and Printify are perfect for launching quickly. They give you clean, ready-to-use product images that are great to start building your store.
But once you're ready to step things up, creating your own mockups (or customizing the ones provided) can make a huge difference. It helps you:
Match your visual style and branding
Stand out from other shops using the same default images
Give customers a clearer idea of what they’re getting
And you don’t need a studio or a fancy camera to do this.
How to create better mockups on a budget:
- Use Printful’s mockup generator to get lifestyle photos, flat lays, or transparent PNGs.
- Download product images from Printify and adjust them to suit your shop’s vibe.
- Use Canva or Adobe Express to add backgrounds, props, or branding elements (just make sure the mockup still reflects what the customer will receive)
- Keep it simple: clean, clear, consistent visuals are more important than full-on "Instagram aesthetic"
Over time, you can order samples of your bestsellers and gradually build a photo library you love. But until then, mockups will absolutely get you through the early stages, and help you get those first few sales.
3. You’ll Need to Share Your Work (Even If That Feels Weird)
Here’s the truth: your shop isn’t a “set it and forget it” project.
Even if your designs are amazing, they won’t sell themselves. People need to see your work, understand what makes it special, and feel a connection to you as the artist behind it.
That doesn’t mean you have to become a marketing expert overnight or do awkward sales pitches online.
You don’t need to be loud or pushy. You just need to share your journey.
Talk about your creative process. Share what inspired a design. Show what your products look like in real life. It’s less about “selling” and more about storytelling, inviting people into your world.
Here are a few content ideas that feel authentic and don’t require you to turn into an influencer:
Content ideas to promote your shop (without being salesy):
- Behind the scenes: Sketches, work-in-progress designs, mood boards
- Design process: From idea to final product, what inspired it, what tools you used
- Day in the life: Your creative routine, setting up your shop, celebrating your wins and sharing your struggles
- First sample unboxing: Your honest reaction to seeing your product in real life
- Product highlights: Show off one product at a time, what it is, why you love it
- Styling tips: How you use or wear your own products in daily life
- Customer shoutouts: When someone buys or shares your work, repost it and thank them
- Packaging previews: If you’ve ordered samples, show how your product arrives
- Shop updates: Let people know when you’ve added something new or improved a design
Even 1–2 of these per week can help keep your shop visible and your audience engaged. So many people shop from small businesses because they want to support other creatives. That's why sharing your journey is so important. It helps them feel like they are part of it.
Start small. Share consistently. Over time, you’ll learn what kind of content resonates with your audience, and it’ll feel more natural, too.
4. It Takes Time to Grow
This part is easy to underestimate, and just as easy to feel discouraged by.
Your first month might not be full of sales. In fact, you might open your shop, promote it a few times, and see… a couple of views. A click. Maybe a like on Instagram.
It can feel disheartening, especially when you've poured so much energy into your products.
When I first started selling online, I remember refreshing my shop constantly, watching the views trickle in… but no sales. It was incredibly discouraging, and I thought my products weren't good enough.
But I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I just didn’t understand how online shops grow.
Here’s what I learned:
Sales don’t come before visibility.
Most shops don’t start making consistent sales until they’ve built up traffic, trust, and a bit of social proof. People need to see your work a few times before they buy.
Conversion rates are a thing.
In e-commerce, even a great shop converts around 2–3% of visitors. That means if 100 people visit your shop, only 2 or 3 might make a purchase. So, if you’ve had 20 views and no sales? That’s completely normal.
If 100 views feel unachievable right now, don't worry. If you start sharing your process like we saw on point 3 you will get results. You just need to allow yourself time to build a routine and learn the skills you need to market your product. If you keep that up, 100 views will fly past in no time at all.
The 80/20 rule matters.
As someone with dyslexia and dyscalculia, math makes me deeply uncomfortable. BUT there's a rule I love that saved me so much mental strife in my years selling and licensing my designs:
80% of your results will come from 20% of your products.
That means it takes time (and testing) to figure out which designs and shop layouts turn in that 20%. Don’t judge your shop based on the first week or even the first month. Experiment and find your 20%.
How to prepare for slow-but-steady growth:
- ✅ Set small, realistic goals at first: focus on actions, not numbers
- ✅ Keep track of what gets views and clicks, it teaches you what’s working and what designs need more attention
- ✅ Don’t change everything after a quiet week; give it time to gather data
- ✅ Keep adding new quality designs to increase your chances of hitting that “20%” winner
- ✅ Stay consistent with sharing and promoting (see previous section!)
And most importantly: remember that this is a long game. POD is a business model that rewards consistency, not overnight success.
You’re not doing it wrong if it takes time. You’re doing it right if you stick with it and keep learning.
5. Knowing the Business Side Helps You Stay Creative (and Protects Your Energy)
When you first start selling your art on products, it’s easy to get excited about the fun parts. Designing your store, selling your work on real items, and making an income. But there’s another side to this: the behind-the-scenes stuff that makes your shop actually run.
And here’s what I’ve learned: Knowing what to expect on the business side won’t take the magic away; it helps you protect it.
The more you understand things like fixed costs, refunds, and admin, the less likely you are to feel overwhelmed, take things personally, or get discouraged when something doesn’t go perfectly.
Here are a few things that helped me stay grounded:
Understanding your monthly costs. Instead of feeling caught off guard by subscriptions or expenses, plan for them. Some basics to expect:
Some basics expenses to expect:
- A storefront plan (after the free trial) — for example, Shopify with an approx $39/month for a full website or $5 for a social shop. A custom domain & email — around $10–$45/year. Optional tools like Canva Pro, mockup bundles, and an email provider.
- The cost of ordering samples (which double as marketing tools).
- Advertising budget from $0+ depending on whether you create social media content or run ads.
Once I started budgeting for my monthly costs properly, I felt less overwhelmed. I was more confident about how much I needed to make to keep my shop profitable.
Knowing refunds will happen (and it’s not your fault)
The first time I got a refund request, I felt awful. I assumed my product wasn’t good enough or that I had done something wrong.
But the good news is that refunds are completely normal, and you can actually plan for them.
For small POD e-commerce businesses, refund rates are usually relatively low.
On average, most small online shops see 5–10% of orders refunded or returned. But with POD, it’s often lower, around 2–6%, especially if you focus on quality printing and clear product information.
Why might someone request a refund? Common reasons include:
- Sizing issues (mainly with clothing)
- Color looks different than expected (that's why proofing is important!)
- A misprint or manufacturing issue
- Shipping delays or damaged packaging
It’s smart to be prepared. Refunds are just part of running a real, profitable business. Knowing how to handle them professionally can actually build trust with your customers.
With Printful and Printify, both platforms offer support for these kinds of issues. If the item is being refunded because it’s their fault (like a damaged product or misprint), they usually cover the cost or reprint it at no charge to you.
But since your customers are buying from your shop, they’ll reach out to you. That means you’ll be the one managing the customer service, and then passing the issue to the print provider if needed.
How to make refunds less likely:
- Order samples before listing a product, so you know exactly what your customer is getting
- Take photos or use mockups that reflect the real product (especially for colour, size, and placement)
- Be clear about sizing, especially for clothing, use charts and explain fits (e.g., “runs small”)
- Set expectations early in your product descriptions, especially around shipping time
- Have a visible TOS and refund/return policy on your site so it's easy for customers to get information or contact you.
The reality? You’ll probably get a refund request here and there, and that’s okay. When you handle it kindly and quickly, it becomes a positive part of your brand, not a problem.
Both Printful and Printify have help articles, live chat support, and built-in order tracking to help you stay on top. You’re not doing this alone; the tools are there to support you.
How Shipping Is Part Of Your Pricing Strategy
Shipping is one of those behind-the-scenes details that’s easy to overlook. But it plays a big role in customer satisfaction and your profits.
The good news? Printful and Printify handle the actual printing and shipping for you. You don’t need to pack boxes or figure out couriers. But, you do need to set up your shop to clearly communicate shipping costs and delivery times.
Here's what to keep in mind:
- You choose how to price shipping in your storefront (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.). You can charge a flat rate, set region-based shipping, or offer free shipping by building the cost into your product price.
- Both Printful and Printify offer shipping rate calculators and delivery estimates. Use these to set accurate expectations.
- Be clear about processing and shipping time in your product descriptions and FAQs, so customers know what to expect.
Pro tip: Offering “free” shipping by adjusting your product price slightly often leads to more sales. It just feels better psychologically for customers not to have to 'add' more costs in the cart.
Learning about taxes early (so they don’t sneak up on you)
I know the idea of paying taxes can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re just starting out. But here’s a helpful way to reframe it: If you’re paying taxes, it means your shop is making money. And that’s a good thing. It means your business is growing, and you're doing something right.
The key is simply knowing that taxes will become part of the process, so they don’t catch you off guard later.
Here’s a snapshot of what every new shop owner should know, no matter where you are in the world.
1. You'll Likely Have a "Tax Threshold"
You probably don't need to pay tax on your very first sale. Most countries have a "sales tax threshold," which is a specific amount of money you must earn in sales before you're required to register and pay tax (It's your responsibility to know the threshold in your country).
2. You'll have to collect Sales Tax
E-commerce platforms have built-in tax settings. These tools are designed to help you collect the correct sales tax (like VAT or GST, depending on your country) from your customers based on their location.
3. Keep Track of Your Money
From day one, get into the habit of tracking your money. A simple spreadsheet is perfect for this. But there are many apps that streamline this and make it super easy to track. All you need to do is keep hold of:
Income: Every sale you make.
Expenses: Costs like supplier charges, platform fees, and marketing.
This simple step of tracking your money helps prepare you for when you do have to pay tax.
4. When in Doubt, Ask a Professional
Tax rules vary significantly from country to country and can be complex. The single best step you can take is to speak with an accountant or tax professional in your area. They can give you clear, accurate advice for your specific situation.
Pro tip: It's helpful to always set aside a percentage of your income for taxes. That means you don’t have to worry about not having enough for an eventual tax bill. Some business accounts can even do this automatically, so you don’t have to worry about calculating it every time a sale comes in. So, always keep a 'tax' bucket ready for when those bills come in.
This might feel like a lot, but if you know what to expect and take it one small step at a time, the “business side” doesn’t have to be scary.
When you enter this prepared, you give yourself the space to stay focused on creating, experimenting, and growing. You’re not getting thrown off every time something unexpected pops up — you’ve already accounted for it.
Knowing what to expect is one of the biggest gifts you can give yourself. It will help you separate your self-worth from the numbers and help you see things from a healthier perspective. You’ll be able to look at the data with a clear mind and use it to help you grow every day.
Starting a print-on-demand shop isn’t just about selling products—it’s about creating something that’s fully yours. A space where your creativity, your ideas, and your art can live away from algorithms and other people's whims.
Yes, there’s a learning curve. Yes, there will be small hiccups along the way. But that’s all part of building something real and sustainable—and it gets easier with each step.
Whether you start with just one product or a full collection, the key is to simply start. So,I encourage you to create a test product with Printful or Printify—upload one of your designs, order a sample, and see how it feels to bring your art into the world.
Ready to take the first step?
Start by picking the POD platform that fits your goals best — and launch your first product.
Try
Try
Disclaimer: Please remember, this information is for educational purposes only and is not financial or tax advice. I am not a financial advisor. Be sure to consult with a qualified professional for advice tailored to your own circumstances.
Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services I genuinely use or believe will help you build your creative business.