How To Start An Print On Demand T-shirt Business For Newbie

In the world of fashion, trends come and go, but t-shirts remain. These can be dressed up, dressed down, and express the wearer’s unique personality also. There’s widespread demand for printed t-shirts, and starting a t-shirt business is easier than you think. In the evolution of eCommerce business platforms and print-on-demand companies, it is simple to get started selling unique, one-of-a-kind t-shirts. The biggest strength is probably starting with low investment costs. That is why so many beginner entrepreneurs start t-shirt companies as side hustles. 

1. The overview of T-shirts, is it profitable to run a business? 

T-shirts were first introduced in the United States sometime around the Spanish World War. They were given to members of the U.S. Navy to be worn as undergarments beneath their uniforms. Soon enough, t-shirts were gaining in popularity, and Hollywood saw potential with this emerging garment. Up to date, do you agree with us that you have at least 5 t-shirts with many styles and colors? According to a report from Statista, in 2021, the global custom t-shirt printing market will be almost 2.0 billion. It is also forecasted to reach a value of 3.1 billion U.S. dollars by 2025.

If you have a question: “Is the t-shirt business profitable?” The answer is absolute YES as the growing demand and popularity of a t-shirt. Furthermore, to make more profit, you need to reduce the cost of the t-shirt by buying the product in bulk or seeking the best suppliers or fulfillment company. 

2. Thing to do before starting up

Although you just started an online business, you need to have a clear business plan and direction to avoid unnecessary risks and motivate you and your business. Don’t ignore the following points before you start building your own online store to optimize the process and profit. 

First, orient your business; you should think about your scale, key product, the Unique Selling Point (USP), how many sales you want to have for a month. This plan will help you overview and make the right decisions. 

Next, calculator startup cost, as the quote you heard, “It takes money to make money”. To the owner of a general business, the amount of money you need to start and operate your business will vary according to your business model. For example, if you have a small online shop, your funding needs won’t be as great as operating an actual store. Even if you have startup costs covered, there may come a time when you need additional capital for emergencies or operating expenses. 

Finally, creating your brand name makes your consumer immediately recognize your product and your brand. Building your brand will enhance relationships with customers and other key audiences. Sometimes your brand’s key visuals may break the trend in one day. 

3. Step by step start an online T-shirt business 

• Target market & audience: 

If you’re selling online, choose a specific market by envisioning your ideal customer by age, gender, occupation or hobby, such as young female engineers or retired golf enthusiasts. Defining the platform or marketplace you sell your product is necessary. For example, if you sell T-shirts locally, you may do well with designs that feature local landmarks, which could appeal to tourists and those that live in your area alike.

• Find a niche for your business

Choosing a profitable niche for your store is the most important challenge you have to do before turning into your eCommerce journey.  It usually involves performing a job or offering a product and it’s something that aligns well with your personality and talents. Normally in niches, competitive advantages are the unique and quality of the products, not the price. If you find a good niche, you can increase your revenue as well. 

Where should you start looking for that profitable niche idea? 

Google Trends is a very useful tool that can quickly help you assess what people are saying regarding your niche and so can Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Reddit. Also, a good niche can be found on our eCommerce blogs since we have already done the work of collecting from many sites for you!

Take time to make a tour on common marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay or Etsy to find out whether your chosen idea is already being sold. If yes, don’t fret it! It could be a sign that it’s a profitable product to sell.

• Design your artwork

Creating unique design ideas is key to launching a successful online t-shirt business. If you have a great t-shirt design, you’re already a step ahead of the game. As you refine your design, focus on the practical aspects of your t-shirts. Create a high-quality, high-resolution design that works in various sizes. Images that look great on your computer may look different on cloth, so consider hiring a designer who is familiar with these issues. By the way, if you can design, it’s not a big deal at all. Highly noted the art dimension and file type requested for printing to ensure the quality of your shirt. After designing your artwork, create the mockup; it helps your customer to take a look at the final product. 

• Get your design printed

You have to keep in mind that the most important is your design’s quality. There are various options available to print your designs. Many print providers can fulfill customized T-shirts; you should qualify their product before becoming a long-term partner. One of the most popular and easier ways is print-on-demand fulfillment companies. 

Let’s take a look at Gearment, a fulfillment company that produces printed products, t-shirts, mugs, posters, pet bowls, and many others. They will do everything such as stock, pick, pack, and ship directly to your customers, and you don’t need to do anything. Gearment gives credence to customers to provide a good quality product with the mission that all sellers and end-users are happy doing business with Gearment

• Start selling your product:

The next step is deciding on the eCommerce platform for your store. Amazon, Etsy, eBay, Shopify, and Woocommerce are well-known platforms where you can sell your customized T-shirts. Simple to register an account, you can integrate your store directly with your fulfillment partner. Using these services will allow you to print and ship t-shirts to your customers in real-time without purchasing or holding any inventory upfront.

By going this far, you are now fully equipped to launch and market your online T-shirt business. Your next step is to build buzz and drive traffic into your store. You can use social media like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter to increase brand awareness and social presence. Or you plan to run advertising campaigns on your store platform. 

Get started 

The T-shirt business will always be lucrative. With enough creativity and the right tools, you can have a booming business soon. The demand for printed T-shirts is increasing and can satisfy customers, which makes it a good idea for new entrepreneurs. What are you waiting for? Do it now!