Think you need weeks, hundreds of dollars, or a giant catalog of products to start a print-on-demand business? You don’t. Here’s how to start a POD shop in one day, even if you’re a complete beginner. Proven Steps to Open a New Print on Demand Shop
Starting a print-on-demand shop can feel incredibly overwhelming.
You have to choose a niche.
Then figure out what to sell.
After that create designs.
Next find a print-on-demand supplier.
Then open your Etsy shop.
After that you’ll write product listings.
then create mockups.
and lastly figure out pricing.
And somehow you’re supposed to know what you’re doing before you’ve even made your first sale.
I know that feeling.
But you don’t need to have everything figured out before you start, you just need a plan…
And if you focus on getting the minimum viable version of your shop live instead of trying to build the “perfect” POD business, you can absolutely get a basic print-on-demand shop up and running in a single day.
In this guide, I’m walking you through 10 Proven Steps to Open a New Print on Demand Shop, including what to sell, how to choose your niche, how to create your first products, how to use a print-on-demand company like Gelato, and how to get your first listings live.
And because I don’t want you trying to remember everything in this blog post while you’re building your shop, I’ve also created a FREE POD Starter Kit you can use alongside this tutorial.
Want the exact resources to help you start?
It’s designed for beginners who want to stop researching and actually start building.
Inside, you’ll get resources to help you choose your niche, then brainstorm products, organize your launch, and start taking action without feeling completely lost.
[DOWNLOAD THE FREE POD STARTER KIT]
And if you want me to take this process a LOT further, keep reading until the end because I’ll also show you my $7 POD Launch Blueprint, basically the “I’m sitting next to you while you build your shop” version of this process 🙂 Proven Steps to Open a New Print on Demand Shop
Let’s get started.
1. Choose a POD Niche You Can Actually Build a Shop Around
The first step is choosing your niche.
PLEASE don’t automatically run to etsy, or pinterest and start coping the first trendy shop you see
Your goal on Day One isn’t to discover the most profitable niche that has ever existed, You need to choose a specific audience with a specific interest, identity, occasion, problem, or lifestyle that you can create products for.
Some examples include:
- Dog moms
- New moms
- Teachers
- Brides
- Newlyweds
- Book lovers
- Campers
- Homeschool families
- Nurses
- Grandparents
- Faith-based audiences
- Specific professions
- Specific hobbies
- Specific holidays and occasions
The more specific you can get, then the easier it becomes to figure out what products and designs make sense. I actually created a Niche Brainstorming Sheet JUST FOR THIS, you can grab it for FREE HERE!
For example, “women” is an incredibly broad audience, and not REALLY a niche, more like a characteristic of an audience type…
“Dog moms” is more specific.
“Golden Retriever moms” is even more specific.
And “Golden Retriever moms who love camping” gives you an incredibly clear direction for product ideas.
A simple niche formula:
Audience + Interest/Identity + Product/Occasion
For example:
Dog moms + Camping + sweatshirts
or
Brides + wedding gifts + personalized tumblers
or
Teachers + classroom humor + mugs
You don’t need to marry your niche forever, either.
Your first shop is an experiment.
Start somewhere.
then learn.
Create.
Sell.
Then you adjust.
2. Choose ONE to THREE Products to Start With
I PROMISE you, you do NOT need 100+ products to launch your shop. Hello burn out before you even start! and 100 products, girl that takes a lot of time, and where is your data that each product you list is gonna get a sale let alone clicked?!?
Instead, choose one to three product types to start.
For example:
- T-shirts
- Sweatshirts
- Mugs
Or:
- Tumblers
- Tote bags
- Sweatshirts
Or, if you’re in a personalized gift niche:
- Mugs
- Ornaments
- Jewelry
Ultimately, the exact products will depend on your niche.
Think about what your customer would actually want to buy (research helps A LOT HERE)
If you’re creating a shop for dog lovers, a mug, sweatshirt, tote bag, or personalized pet product might make sense.
A wedding gift shop, personalized products could be a much better fit.
Or if you’re targeting a seasonal audience, consider products that naturally fit the occasion, like an embroidered sweatshirt for winter months, or an embroidered hat for the summer.
You don’t need a giant catalog… just a bit of focus, 3 products max is good to start, you can ALWAYS add more variety later!
Proven Steps to Open a New Print on Demand Shop
3. Pick Your Print-on-Demand Supplier
Now you need a company that will actually manufacture and ship your products.
This is where print on demand becomes so appealing.
Instead of purchasing 100 shirts upfront, storing them in your house, and shipping every order yourself, a POD company can produce the item after someone purchases it. I’ve tried printing and shipping myself, the first order I had, I was sent the WRONG sized blank, then that shop was out of stock, so I had to order from a different more expensive brand that had a minimum order quanity of 10 shirts at a time.
Then when I FINALLY got my shirt, I ironed on the design, held it up and realized I had also ironed on a paint stain from my table onto the back of the shirt. and girl have you ever tried to use a Cricut and heat press vinyl, figuring out what side of the vinyl to cut my design on is and of itself a huge headache!
One of the POD companies I use and recommend looking into is Gelato.
Gelato offers a wide variety of products and integrates with platforms such as Etsy and Shopify ( gumroad too if you are on a SUPER tight budget), which makes it useful when you’re trying to build a POD business without handling inventory yourself.
I also like using Gelato when creating content because I can test different products, create samples, and build product ideas without needing to purchase bulk inventory, When you create a new account, you’ll get 30% off your first sample order! (I may or may not create a new email just to get that sample discount ever once in awhile 🙂 )
When choosing a POD supplier, look at:
- Product selection
- Base costs
- Shipping costs
- Production times
- Shipping destinations
- Print quality
- Personalization options
- Integrations
- Mockup options
- Customer support
Don’t choose a supplier just because someone on TikTok told you it’s the “best.” even if that someone is me! There are a LOT of suppliers out there offering super cool products, and built in tools. My decision is based off of samples, and products that best fit my niche, Gelato is one of the suppliers I use for my own shop.
Look at the actual numbers for the products you’re planning to sell, do your due diligence, and then ORDER A SAMPLE!
4. Create Your First POD Designs
Now to the fun part.
Designing.
You don’t need to become a professional graphic designer to start a POD shop. (My first designs were ROUGH, but I SOLD them! because I did my research, ordered samples and used those samples for my mockup images, or it was by God’s grace that I sold anything, my first designs were honestly really bad lol)
You can use tools like Canva, Kittl, or other design software to create your own artwork.
But there’s an important distinction:
A design isn’t automatically a good POD product just because it looks cute.
You have to think about the customer. PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU START DESIGNING
Then Ask:
- Who is this for?
- Why would they want it?
- What makes this design different?
- Would someone be excited to wear/use/gift this?
- Does it fit the niche?
- Does it communicate an identity, joke, interest, or emotion?
- Is it on trend?
- Does it feature copyrighted elements or characters?
For example, instead of designing a random floral sweatshirt, you could create something specifically for:
“Camp Poppy EST. 2026, with a personalized image of your customers dog, in a camp setting, embroidered on a sweatshirt”
Now you have an audience.
You have a personality and a reason someone might buy it.
Start with 3–5 designs.
That’s it.
5. Create Product Mockups
Once your designs are ready, you need to show potential customers what the finished product looks like.
Your customer can’t physically hold the shirt.
They can’t pick up the mug.
They can’t try on the sweatshirt.
Your product photos have to do that job for you, and a good first impression matters!
Use realistic mockups that show:
- The product clearly
- The design at an appropriate size
- Different angles when useful
- The product being used
- The product in a lifestyle setting
- Close-ups when necessary
- Sizing or product care details
Don’t make every mockup look exactly the same, because if your entire shop consists of 20 products sitting on the same blank background, it becomes much harder for shoppers to imagine themselves buying them.
Think:
“What would this look like in my customer’s life?”
That’s the image you want to create. A POD hill I will die on…BUY SAMPLES!!! you can obviously see the quality, and wear them yourself, but they are GREAT for marketing, mockups and MORE!
6. Open Your Etsy Shop
Etsy is pretty straightforward when you are first setting up your shop, follow the prompts, plug in your info, pay your shop fee, and that’s it.
You’ll also want to establish your basic shop branding.
Don’t spend six hours designing a logo, because your logo isn’t going to make or break your first sale.
Focus on:
- Shop name
- Shop banner
- Profile image/logo
- About section
- Shop policies
- Branding
- Product listings
You can improve the branding later.
Your first goal is to get open.
Not perfect.
Open.
7. Create Your First Etsy Listing
Then take your first product and turn it into a listing…
Most importantly SEO
Your listing needs to help Etsy understand:
What is this product?
Who is it for?
What would someone search to find it?
Let’s say you’re selling a funny dog mom sweatshirt.
Instead of relying on a vague title like:
Cute Dog Sweatshirt
you want to think about the actual phrases your customer might search.
For example:
Personalized Camping Dog Mom Embroidered Sweatshirt, Custom Dogs Name, Gift for Camper, Pet Parent Sweatshirts
Your title, description, tags, attributes, and product information all work together to communicate what your product is.
Your listing should include:
- Strong SEO-focused title
- High-quality product photos
- Clear product description
- Relevant tags
- Appropriate attributes
- Sizing information
- Processing/shipping information
- Personalization instructions if applicable
And please don’t copy and paste the exact same description onto every listing.
Give each product its own relevant language, my go-to is bullet point, bite-sized info, you don’t need a paragraph describing your customers feelings…
Proven Steps to Open a New Print on Demand Shop
8. Price Your Products BEFORE You Publish Them
Please don’t wait until after you’ve created your listings to figure out whether you’re actually going to make money.
You need to understand your numbers. (research we did in step 1 helps here too!)
Your basic calculation looks something like:
Retail Price – Product Cost – Shipping – Marketplace Fees – Other Costs = Potential Profit
For example, if your sweatshirt sells for $39.99, you don’t make $39.99.
Your POD supplier takes the product/fulfillment cost.
The marketplace may take transaction and other applicable fees.
You may have advertising costs.
And depending on your setup, shipping may also affect your margins.
That’s why profit margin matters much more than simply looking at your selling price.
Before publishing your listing, know:
How much do I actually stand to make when this sells?
9. Publish Your First 3–10 Listings
Publish what you have.
If you have three good products, publish three.
If you can get ten listings live, even better.
But don’t spend the next three weeks creating products that may never sell.
Your first listings are going to teach you these 7 things.
- Which products get views
- Which designs get clicks
- Which keywords bring traffic
- Which products people favorite
- Which listings need better photos
- Which products aren’t getting attention
- What customers actually respond to
Your first shop is data collection.
You’re not supposed to know everything on Day One. (my favorite Adventure Time quote, “Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step towards being sorta good at something.” — Jake the Dog)
10. Actually LAUNCH Your Shop
This sounds obvious.
But launching is different from publishing.
Once your shop is live, you need to start putting it in front of people.
This can include:
Create pins for your products and link them directly to your Etsy listings.
Pinterest can be especially useful for niches involving:
- Weddings
- Gifts
- Home
- Fashion
- Holidays
- Crafts
- Parenting
- Hobbies
- Seasonal products
Show:
- Your design process
- New products
- Behind-the-scenes content
- Product videos
- Packaging
- Your POD workflow
- Niche research
- “I made this” content
TikTok
Short-form content can be a great way to show your products and the process behind creating them. (another great use for your samples you’re ordering!!!)
If you’re building a long-term business then build an email list
You don’t need to be everywhere.
Choose one or two traffic sources and actually use them. (pinterest is my suggestion for beginners, it’s not a social platform and pins have a SUPER long shelf life!)
And That’s How You Start a POD Shop in One Day
But that was a lot so let’s recap…
Here’s your one-day POD launch checklist: (you can grab my FREE POD starter kit, it walks you through everything!)
Morning: Build the foundation
1. Choose your niche
Pick a specific audience you understand. if you have NO CLUE, start with an evergreen niche
2. Choose your products
Start with one to three product types.
3. Choose your POD supplier
Research your options and connect your shop, Gelato is great for creating personalized products.
4. Create your first designs
Make 3–5 designs that actually speak to your niche.
Afternoon: Build the shop
5. Create your mockups
Make your products look desirable.
6. Open your Etsy shop
Get your basic branding and shop information set up, you’ll also want to connect your Etsy shop to your POD supplier
7. Create your listings
Optimize your titles, descriptions, tags, photos, and attributes.
8. Price your products
Know your costs and potential profit.
Evening: Launch
9. Publish your listings
Aim for your first 3–10 products.
10. Start marketing
Create your first Pinterest pins, social posts, or videos.
And then…
You’re officially a POD seller.
Not “thinking about becoming a POD seller.”
You’re not “researching POD.”
and you’re not “watching another YouTube video about POD.”
You’re actually in the game.
But What If You Don’t Know WHAT to Sell?
What should I sell?
& what niche should I choose?
or what products should I make?
What designs should I create?
How do I know if an idea is actually worth testing?
That’s exactly why I created my FREE POD Starter Kit.
Get My FREE POD Starter Kit
If you’re starting from scratch, don’t try to keep all of this information in your head.
I’ve created a free starter kit specifically to help you get moving.
It’s for the person who keeps saying:
“I want to start a POD shop, but I have absolutely no idea where to start.”
Inside, you’ll have practical resources to help you go from “I want to start a POD business” to actually taking those first steps.
Proven Steps to Open a New Print on Demand Shop
Grab the FREE POD Starter Kit here:
[GET THE FREE POD STARTER KIT]
Use it while you’re working through this one-day launch plan.
Want Me to Basically Sit There and Build Your POD Shop With You?
I’m shamelessly gonna tell you about my POD Launch Blueprint.
Because the free Starter Kit is designed to help you get started.
The Blueprint is for when you want:
“Okay, Sara. I downloaded the free stuff. Now tell me exactly what to DO.”
That’s what the POD Launch Blueprint is for.
And it’s only $7.
Yes.
Seven dollars.
That’s literally less than my 7 Brew order.
And unlike my coffee, you can actually reuse this thing. (if only I could have unlimited iced blondies…)
The POD Launch Blueprint is WAY more detailed than this blog post.
Think of it as me sitting beside you while you’re building your shop and saying:
“Okay, here’s what we’re doing next.”
Instead of:
Step 1: Choose a niche.
I’m getting much more specific about how to actually do it.
Instead of:
Create some products.
I’m walking you through the process of deciding what products to create and why.
Instead of:
Optimize your Etsy listing.
I’m breaking down what you’re actually looking at and what you should be doing.
It’s designed to take you through the process of launching your POD shop instead of leaving you with a bunch of information and no idea what to do next.
The Free Starter Kit gets you started.
The $7 POD Launch Blueprint gets you moving.
And if you’re serious about actually launching, $7 is a pretty low-risk way to get a much more detailed roadmap.
[GET THE $7 POD LAUNCH BLUEPRINT]
You Don’t Need to Know Everything to Start
No need to become an expert before you start your POD shop.
You don’t need:
- 100 designs
- 50 products
- A huge social media following
- A professional graphic design degree
- A warehouse
- Thousands of dollars
- A perfect website
- A massive email list
- The “perfect” niche
You need a good enough idea, a good enough product, and the willingness to test it.
And learn the rest as you go.
Because yes, you can absolutely start building your POD shop today. SERISOUSLY RIGHT NOW GO…
Open your laptop.
Make yourself a coffee.
Download the FREE POD Starter Kit.
Pick a niche.
Create your first product.
And get the shop moving.
Ready to Start?
Start here:
FREE POD Starter Kit
Your beginner-friendly resources for getting your POD shop off the ground.
[GET THE FREE POD STARTER KIT →]
Want the step-by-step version?
POD Launch Blueprint — Just $7
A much more detailed, hands-on roadmap designed to walk you through actually building and launching your POD shop.
[GET THE $7 POD LAUNCH BLUEPRINT →]
God Bless!