Launching a dropship business that sells print on demand products is as easy as uploading images and opening an online shop, but this process may seem difficult for new entrepreneurs.
In 2024, the US total sales of on -demand printing items such as apparel and posters reached an estimated $ 2.3 billion. According to what is reported, the drop -off of print on demand has increased more than 10 times over the next 10 years, reaching $ 26 billion in 2034.
Let’s consider two examples. (I) A simple wall art design added to (II) Prodigi uploaded to the printed matter.
Procurement of artwork
Regardless of whether the shop sells T -shirts, postcards, or wall art, the design is a product. Shoppers are Buy art。 Where do entrepreneurs find art? What is the agreement to resell it?
One of the following examples is an image generated in AI. The other is only a simple textbook of Adobe Photoshop. But more broadly, there are at least seven ways to procure artwork for print on demand products.
- Create it. Artists and designers can create art from CANVA and Photoshop and sell them in their online shops. You do not need a license.
- Hire a freelance designer. Entrepreneurs can delegate custom artwork from freelance designers on platforms such as FIVERR and Upwork. Some companies have successfully hired local art students.
- Cooperate with the artist. Find an artist in BEHANCE or ArtStation and sign a contract. Collaboration can be a license fee, revenue distribution, or a combination. Art Licensing International and MHS licenses are also information sources.
- Buy a stock image. license Stock image From sites such as ShutterStock and Adobe Stock, it is useful as a foundation for design, and the E -commerce shop has the right to use images commercially.
- Use the ready -made design. Many print on demand companies have design.
- Use public domain art. Public domain artwork can be used for print on demand products. For example, the National Museum has more than 50,000 public domain images.
- Have AI generate. Finally, create artwork using artificial intelligence models such as Midjoury.
In 2023, Kevin Stecko of 80Stees.com is explained in “”.E -commerce conversation “episode The way his company licensing artwork is added that Disney, Star Wars, or Marvel Comic characters require permission.
Printful
Let’s create and publish printed materials. In this example, it is assumed that the seller has an integrated printed product account. Shopify store Use the app.
The product is a printed “template”. Merchants can add new products after creating the collection.
Creating a new product starts with selecting items to be sold. Printed materials provide wall art, telephone cases, etc., but this example is a T -shirt. Merchants can choose the color and size.
Print full walk can be online sellers through the setup process, and often update the selection of colors and sizes on multiple screens.
Uploading a T -shirt design generated from my prompt to AI is the same as an Internet file.
Design uploading is simple and fast. This 14.8 MB AI image was loaded in less than 1 second.
Merchants can apply logo or other artwork to T -shirts sleeves, backs, or labels.
By using printed materials, merchants can add graphics to some T -shirts.
Merchants can immediately add a newly designed T -shirt to her integrated SHOPIFY SHOP.
First, she can choose a mockup. Printful offers a lot of things, but keeping simple is often optimal.
The printed matter creates a mock -up for merchants. This is a great feature.
Next, Printful all can named the product and customize the explanation before moving to Shopify. Merchants need to select the SHOPIFY collection where the product lives and set the benefits of each item.
PRINTFUL automatically pushes T -shirts into SHOPIFY by price setting and explanation, and does not require or update the platform.
Prodigi
Prodigi is another print on demand provider. In this example, the Prodigi account was connected to Squarespace shop。 First, I created a product with Squarespace and configured a Prodigi.
Prodigi needs to know the type of product. In the integration of Prodigi and Squarespace, the merchant needs to work on both platforms to complete the process.
The small process starts when the seller selects one or more items and becomes a variation of Squarespace products. This item is “Box frame, EMA 200GSM Fine Art Print, Mount / Mat, Perspex Graze, 30x30cm / 12×2”.
Prodigi editors allow arrangement and alignment.
Finally, the seller completes the final finish, such as mock -up and explanation of the product.
Merchants add product descriptions and artwork to Squarespace, but Prodigi automatically satisfies orders.
Print on demand
Procedures -Source art, selected products, upload art -almost all similar to all Print on demand service。 There are many other suppliers beyond printed matter and Prodigi. Examples include Gooten, Gelato, and Sellfy.
Each supplier has an integration of the strengths and weaknesses with the specific e -commerce platform. For example, PRODIGI’s full -filling is integrated with Squarespace, but not necessarily for other platforms.
