Key takeaways
- Print-on-demand avoids holding bulk stock, but not risks involving quality, delivery, returns, rights or upfront funding.
- The supplier prints and ships per order.
- Compare total costs and risks for each supplier; lower initial investment does not guarantee profit.
- Strong designs and a recognizable brand make the difference.
- Print-on-demand fits well with a clothing webshop or art webshop.
With print on demand, a product carrying your design is made after an order is placed. Choose a supplier, order samples and check the print, material and delivery before publishing the range. Include production, shipping and potential returns in your pricing to understand the margin on each variant.
What exactly is print-on-demand?
With print-on-demand, a supplier produces and ships your design after an order. You do not need to hold bulk stock. The difference between the sale price and supplier price is not profit: include VAT, payments, shipping, returns, marketing and labour, and check when payment to the supplier is due.
It's related to dropshipping, with one big difference: with print-on-demand you sell your own design, so you build a real brand instead of reselling existing products.
What can you sell with it?
Most print suppliers offer a wide range:
- clothing — T-shirts, hoodies, sweaters, bags;
- homeware — posters, pillows, mugs, blankets;
- accessories — phone cases, stickers, notebooks.
You can focus on one product type (just posters for example) or a few products with the same style. For those who want to work specifically with clothing, there is also starting your own clothing line.
How do you start? In steps
- Think of a concept and target group. Just like with any brand: who are you designing for, and what makes your style recognizable? See building a brand.
- Create your designs. By yourself, or with an affordable designer. Make sure they are in good quality (high resolution), otherwise it will print poorly.
- Choose a print supplier that offers the products and quality you are looking for, and ships to the Netherlands/EU at a reasonable price and delivery time.
- Always order a sample copy. This is crucial: assess the print and product quality yourself before you sell it. What is beautiful on the screen is sometimes disappointing on fabric.
- Show the delivered product with your own photos and accurate information. Use supplier images only with permission and check that they show your exact version.
- Sell and promote — build your brand through social and your email list.
Note the margin
Compare cost per saleable item including printing, VAT treatment, shipping, payments, returns, acquisition and your time. The supplier price at low quantities may exceed bulk purchasing, but final margin depends on the full cost picture. Use quotes and the same assumptions for both routes.
Advantages and disadvantages at a glance
| Advantage | Disadvantage |
|---|---|
| No bulk stock of your own; samples and advance funding may still be needed | Production costs may reduce your margin; calculate with a current quote |
| Your own design and brand | Less control over production and delivery time |
| Test new designs without bulk production | Dependence on your print supplier |
| Less risk from holding stock; other business risks remain | Quality varies by supplier — testing is a must |
Print-on-demand is one of the ways to start without stock, with the big advantage that you build your own brand.
Common mistakes
- Don't order a sample copy and be faced with quality surprises.
- Submitting designs in low quality, causing the print to be disappointing.
- Failing to calculate production costs together with other order costs.
- Choose a supplier with long delivery times to the Netherlands.
- Only use the standard sample images instead of your own selling photos.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between print-on-demand and dropshipping?
With dropshipping you sell existing products from a supplier; With print-on-demand you sell your own design on a product that is only made when an order is placed. This way you build your own brand.
Do I need inventory or start-up capital?
You do not need bulk stock, but you do need a budget for samples, platform, domain, marketing, returns and potentially supplier payments before your payment provider pays out. Check payment terms and use only designs you have rights to.
How do I know if the quality is good?
Order the exact product using your artwork, colour and size. Check print position, sharpness, material and packaging; photograph its arrival. Test care according to the stated instructions and record differences. Sample another supplier or version separately, even if the mock-up looks identical.
Isn't the margin too low?
That depends on your selling price and all costs, not just the supplier’s base price. Compare contribution per order and stock risk with alternatives; more volume does not automatically make a loss-making order profitable.
Should I be able to design myself?
You can hire a designer. Agree print formats, resolution, colour settings, source files and commercial usage rights before commissioning. Check licences for fonts and images too. Have the file sample-printed on the chosen product before selling it.
Get started
Determine your concept and target group, create a few strong designs in good quality, and choose a print supplier that delivers to the EU. Order a sample copy, assess it critically, and then place your products in your webshop with your own photos. If you are starting from scratch, also read starting an online store without stock.
