How to start a print on the question with $ 0

Do you want to start your own online side, but don’t want to spend money?

I get it.

One of the best things on the internet is that there are now many ways to start a side with little to no money, and print-on-demand is one of my favorite examples. You don’t have to buy an inventory, you don’t need a warehouse and you don’t have to send anything yourself.

If you have a few hours, an internet connection and an idea, you can start your own POD (Print-on-Demand) company this week.

In today’s blog post I will go through you how you can start a POD side with $ 0 step by step and by using popular print-on-demand companies such as Printify and Printful.

Whether you want to sell T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, carrier bags or even phone cases, you can launch a real brand without prior costs. I will also share how you are paid, how you can make designs (even if you are not creative) and how you can mention your products online for free.

How to start a print on the question with $ 0

Below is how you can start a POD business without money.

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Step 1: Understand which print is on request

Print-On-Demand is a business model where you make custom designs, and those designs are only printed on products after a customer has placed an order.

This means:

• No inventory to buy in advance
• No packaging or shipping that you can process
• No warehouse to manage

An external company (such as Printify or Printful) treats everything behind the scenes.

You simply focus on making your products and promoting your store.

Step 2: Register for a free pod platform (print or printed)

You then want to choose a POD platform to work with.

Print-on-Demand platforms are sites with a pressure-on-demand service where you upload your design/illustrations to their platform, and when an item sells, printify or print the product and send it.

Two of the most popular are:

• Print – has low basic costs and a huge selection of products. Here you can learn more information about Printify in my Printify review.
• Print – Including brand functions such as custom packaging and labels. Has high quality printing and rapid fulfillment.

I advise both to try (they are free to participate) to see which meets your needs. You can even connect to your store and test different suppliers and test products.

How payments work with printful and printify:

You will only be charged the production costs when a customer places an order. At the same time, your customer pays the full selling price through your sales channel. Every market for marketplace or payment processing (such as Etsy transaction costs) is deducted from that payment. The difference between the selling price and the production costs (minus costs) is your profit.

Example:

• Customer pays $ 30 for your product.
• Printful/Printify costs you $ 15 for production and shipping (at the time of order).
• Etsy -fees in total $ 3
• Your win = $ 12

Step 3: Choose a niche (this helps you stand out)

Your niche is the specific theme or the audience that you concentrate on. By choosing a niche, your store feels related and helps you attract the right customers.

Examples of popular print-on-demand niches:

• Dogs mothers or cat lovers
• Teachers
• Funny quotes for mothers
• Travel
• Fitness motivation
• Outdoor adventures

You don’t have to stay with it forever, but starting with a targeted niche makes it easier.

If you are not sure what to choose, think of:

• What kind of gifts would you buy personally?
• For whom do you like to make things?
• What kind of designs or sentences do you always see viral?

Even something simple as “funny quotes for teachers” can be a niche to try.

Step 4: Make a free store (Etsy is a great option)

Now it’s time to open your store!

If you want to keep it simple and start with a low amount of money, Etsy is a great place to start. It has:

• Built -in traffic (people are already looking for products!)
• No monthly fee
• A fast installation process

Now Etsy’s listing costs are a fixed amount of $ 0.20 USD per item, charged if you publish or extend a list, regardless of whether it sells.

Just go to Etsy.com, take a seller account and walk through the steps to name your store, write your bio and connect your payment information.

You can also use Shopify or launch your own website later, but Etsy is great for beginners.

Over the years I have bought so many print-on-demand items on Etsy, just by searching for items in their search bar-such as mugs, T-shirts, greeting cards and more, so I know it is a good place to start because I have bought a lot personally!

Step 5: Design your products (even if you are not a designer)

You may think, “But I am not creative … How should I make designs?”

Good news: you don’t have to be an artist to make money with print-on-demand.

Here are a few simple ways to make designs:

• Use Canva to make text -based designs.
• Buy templates from Creative Market or Etsy.
• Rent a designer on Fiverr (this can be done cheaply as soon as you do some sale).
• Use AI design tools for ideas and layout inspiration.

Simple text -based designs are usually bestsellers on Etsy. Think of: “dog mother”, “only good vibes” or “coffee first, degree papers later.”

After you have created your design, upload it to print or print and the platform automatically makes product mockups for you.

This means that you can see what your design looks like on a shirt, hoodie, mug or bag before you even mention it.

Step 6: Make a list of your products for sale

Once your product models are ready, it’s time to publish them to your store!

If you use Etsy, you can connect your print or print account and push your products directly to your Etsy statements.

This is what you have to add:

• Product title – Add keywords that people can search (example: funny coffee shirt from teachers).
• Description – Let people know who it is, format information, healthcare instructions, etc.
• Tags – Use relevant keywords to help people find your offer.
• Price – Factor in the costs of your supplier, Etsy costs and your profit margin.

You can start with just a few entries or add 10-20 designs if you have the time. More entries can help you to be found faster by potential buyers.

Step 7: Promote your products for free

Once your offers are live, it’s time to get traffic to your store. And no, you don’t have to perform advertisements.

Here are free ways to promote your print-on-demand company:

• Pinterest – Make pin with your product mockups.
• Instagram or Tiktok – part behind the scenes of your store or design process.
• Facebook -Groups – Join niche groups and share your store (follow group rules).
• Here to SEO – Use strong keywords in your titles and tags so that people find you.

Even spending only 15-20 minutes a day with promoting your store can make a difference.

Step 8: Learn, improve and keep going

Your first design may not be a bestseller, and that’s okay!

It is important with print-on-demand to treat it as an experiment:

• Try different niches.
• Test different sentences or styles.
• Update product photos or mockups.

The more entries you make, the more you learn what your audience likes. And as your sale grows, you can invest again in more designs or even upgrade your store.

Frequently asked questions

Below are answers to common questions about starting a POD company without money.

How do I start a POD company without money?

You can use free tools such as Printify or print, open an Etsy store and make designs with Canva. You don’t have to pay for anything until you do a sale, which is useful.

How much does it cost to start a print on demand business?

It can cost $ 0 to start. There are later optional upgrades and tools, but you can launch your first product for free.

Do I need a license or company registration to start a print on -demand business?

In most cases no. You can start selling on Etsy without a license.

What if I’m not creative?

Many successful pod vendors use text -based designs, templates or rent freelancers. You don’t have to be a designer!

Can I really earn money with print on request?

Yes! Like any company, it takes time and effort. But many people earn extra income every month with just a few winning designs. That said, the more quality designs you create, the better your chance to earn income with it.

How to start a print on the question with $ 0 – Summary

I hope you enjoyed my article about starting a pressure on printing side with $ 0.

If you wanted to start a company but did not know where to start, Print-On-Demand is a fun, beginner-friendly, low-risk place to start.

If you are interested in this way to earn extra money, I recommend that you start testing only one design. See what you like, and if you like it, you can grow from that. You can now test it by simply printing or printable.

Are you interested in starting the pressure on the side? What would you sell?

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Do you want to learn how to make money by selling print-on-demand products on Etsy? View this free workshop and learn how Emily earned $ 500,000 in just two years.

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