Print-on-demand (POD) is a fulfilment model where garments are printed individually after a customer places an order, rather than being bulk-printed and held in inventory. The printer ships direct to the customer. You never touch a shirt.
How the POD workflow works
- You create a design and upload it to a POD platform (Printful, Printify, Gelato, etc.)
- You connect your store (Etsy, Shopify, TikTok Shop, WooCommerce)
- A customer places an order on your store at your retail price
- The POD platform receives the order automatically, prints the tee, and ships direct to the customer
- The platform charges you the fulfilment cost (blank + print + handling)
- You keep the difference between your retail price and the fulfilment cost
The margin reality
On a $25 retail Etsy tee (Bella+Canvas 3001, 4-colour DTG):
| Platform | Fulfilment cost | Etsy fee (6.5%) | Net margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printful | $13.42 | $1.63 | $9.95 |
| Printify (Monster Digital) | $11.20 | $1.63 | $12.17 |
Typical month-1 for an Etsy POD store with one design listed, executed seriously: $0–$300 in sales. About 85% of stores never break $1,000/mo. This is not a reason not to start — it’s a reason to set the right expectations before you pick a platform on the margin math.
POD vs inventory printing
| Factor | POD | Inventory (bulk screen) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $0 (no inventory) | $800–$3,000 (100-unit run) |
| Per-unit cost | $11–$18 | $5–$9 at 100 units |
| MOQ | None (quantity 1) | 12–50 units minimum |
| Design changes | Instant (upload new file) | Requires a new print run |
| Fulfilment time | 2–7 days | Immediate (from your stock) |
| Quality variance | Platform-dependent | Consistent (your stock) |
| Returns risk | None (no unsold inventory) | Deadstock risk |
When to choose POD
- New Etsy/Shopify sellers testing whether a design sells before committing to inventory
- Design-led brands with many designs and unpredictable demand per SKU
- Creators who want a passive income stream without logistics overhead
- Gift/personalisation sellers where every order is unique
When to choose bulk inventory printing
- Known demand: you’ve proven the design sells and you need 100+ units/month consistently
- Event tees: you know you need 200 shirts for a specific event date — bulk screen printing at $5–$8/tee vs POD at $13+/tee
- Premium brand positioning: holding physical inventory enables custom packaging, quality control, and faster shipping from your own location
Related pages
- Printful review — the flagship POD platform
- Printify review — the lower-cost POD alternative
- Etsy vs Shopify vs TikTok Shop for POD — where to sell
- POD margin calculator — run the actual math
- How to start a t-shirt business — the full starter guide