10 Print on Demand Business Ideas that Made Millions

a caption printed on t-shirt by customised printing company

Changing world has brought a lot of revolution in consumer demand and how businesses fulfil it. Print on Demand is another such business idea that has become not only very popular but also very successful.

What is Print on Demand Business?

In this type of business, you print out things as per the demand of the customer for every order made. The prints are mostly customised based on the requirements of the customer. Unlike the old process where you as a business would choose the colour and theme of the printed product, here the customer will choose and order and you will print as per the demand.

In the last few years, such methods in the printing business have seen a rise where people find it better to get things printed for themselves. Common printing demands generally remain in clothes, random usable items like pens, articles, mugs, laptop cover, jewellery, bags, etc. 

The global customised printing business is close to 3.4 billion dollars as of 2020 and is expected to grow by 9.7% in the next one decade. The growth rate clearly indicates the trend and one can conclude that the market has lots of scope for those interested.

The customised printing demand is mainly occupied by two types of printing work. One is for the t-shirt industry that occupies 56% of the market in customised printing while 38% of the market share goes with graphic and artwork prints.

Customised Printing Trends and Market

Customized printing has been in trend and fashion for a decade or more. The market has evolved over the years with new methods of printing including the latest 3D print technology.

The target market has always been the youth especially the school and college going youngsters. Though it cannot be denied that the customized printing market is also preferred by people above 40 of age.

Most of these prints have been for T-shirts, and the rest have been for accessories mostly used as gifts. Though there are also other businesses that use this customized printing option for various purposes. 

Gradually, there’s much more than prints for casual usage and this is rising with every passing day.

List of print on demand businesses you might consider

1. Start T-Shirt Printing

Most of us would have once worn a T-shirt that is custom printed with attractive and bold statements and designs. It has continued to remain in trend over the years and youngsters found it irresistible to avoid this.

Though tee printing is just not limited to customised tee for fashion purpose. It is also used for various other purposes. The most common use is printing jerseys used for sports purposes. Apart from that, many organisations, institutions and public groups order customised tees for their regular usage.

Most common of them are the schools that have their logo printed along with different colours. Colleges too have their own printed tees especially for their staff members.

Similarly, other organisations like restaurants, cafes, delivery services, charitable organizations, political parties, companies, etc. print their customised tees which are distributed among members.

Many of them use this method not only as a gift or uniform for their employees but also for advertising purposes. There’s much scope in this market with the advent of the latest printing technology.

T-shirts printing business market size is growing rapidly. You should create a business plan and start your business in this growing sector.

2. Customised Pen Prints is on Rise

Organisations and institutes also use customised print pens with their organisation name engraved on them. This is mostly for employees and clients as a gift purpose, for office usage and obviously as a way to advertise their business.

Print pens are very easy to print with not much complications. There are five common methods used for printing pens. They are:

  • Engraved Printing
  • Digital Printing
  • Pad Printing
  • Foil Printing and
  • Screen Printing

Most common and easy of them all is digital printing. Engraving through laser rays is another such common method for printing. Using gold or silver foil to print has also remained very relevant a few years back but it is now very less in use.

Pad printing is also quite common especially for narrow or curved pens. There is no loss of quality while printing and you can have four colours of print from the PMS scale.

3. Start Mug Printing

Everyone of us uses a mug for having a cup of tea or coffee. We use it everyday and therefore it is important to have something special about the mug. A customized mug gives you a feeling of belonging, style and comfort. 

It is not only limited to personal usage but such mugs are also distributed as prizes, gifts and for advertisement purposes. It is a style statement for many of us. Most organisations use it for distribution among employees and clients. 

It is also very cheap and is mostly in demand. You have to determine the right type of mug and its varieties like ceramic, bone China, Pottery, etc. It will determine the price of your mug.

Most of the printing methods are easy and affordable. Try to choose a method through which you can also print other items apart from the mug. Direct screen method is a common printing method apart from dye printing. There is also litho printing.

4. Customised Mask Print is Trending

Masks have become a part of our life since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic that originated in China in 2019. Since then, we all are now accustomed to wearing masks on regular basis.

Which was earlier limited to medical purposes, today masks have become so mainstream that it has also become a fashion statement. Especially among women, there are now a range of masks with matching dresses, in different designs, logos and colour.

Also, many companies and organizations are also using customized masks for their employees, clients and for distribution purposes. Having the logo or name of the organization is a common way of having customized print masks. 

There’s nothing much to do in mask printing. Just using a simple printing method on a neutral mask. You don’t necessarily need to stitch masks on your own. You can buy it in bulk from a mask manufacturing company.

The choice of material and colour of mask will also be yours. When you are customizing a mask print, you should have a mask that is durable, washable, and comfortable for use. 

5. Start Tote Bags Printing

Customized printed bags are also very fashionable and in regular use. Not just for personal use but also for mass distribution in organizations and other such charity work. Many commercial businesses use such customized printed bags as an add on or complimentary gift for those who are purchasing from that business.

Most common prints are random designs, logos of organization or business, name and address. 

6. Posters and Wall Hangings

Mostly loved by youngsters who love to put such posters on their walls as a style statement or source of motivation and decorative purpose. Such posters are cheap to get instead of other articles like wall hangings.

For those who can spend much, a wall hanging is also a good option. Printing posters are way too easy. Generally, customers prefer trending and catchy phrases, quotes, pictures of celebs and icons, religious figures, etc.

You only need a poster page, some styling, artistic skills and your job is done. Each poster is sold at $2-$10.

7. Souvenir and Gift Cards

Some common souvenir items include mugs, photo albums, keychain, bracelet, chain, etc. Most of these items are sold as souvenirs mostly for gifting purpose to your loved ones. These are cheap articles afforded easily by most people.

Printing and designing it with artistic touch enhances its worth making it an ideal gift. Gift cards though have become old fashioned are still a major attraction. With beautiful designs, pictures and artistic work, it still has a lot to offer as a gift.

New trends have added personal photographs in the gift card along with a printed message. Customized touch has made the worth of a card much more than its original form.

8. Photographs

Trends of physical form of photography have faded over the advent of digital photos and smartphones yet there are many who love to have a photo album. The much more popular demand for printed photos lies mostly with those who want to use it as a gift. 

In this, photos are printed on a hardcover like wood, plastic, glass, canvas and obviously the photo paper. For gifting purposes, a hard base is preferable, especially canvas and glass on which a photo is printed and can be wrapped in a gift cover and can be gifted.

Most of these methods are cheap and affordable by almost all.

9. Food Box with Prints

This world of e-commerce where people generally tend to buy online has boosted the market of food box manufacturers. Major processed food items cooked in a restaurant are delivered online mostly in boxes. 

These food boxes are of various sizes mostly of plastic and cardboard with a plastic cover. Most of the restaurants who deliver food tend to use such opportunities to advertise as well. What could be better than printing the name and logo of the restaurant on the boxes. 

Bulk orders are cheaper to print and are the best ways to advertise.

10. Printing Product Covers

Many of the products we buy have a cover box in which they come. These cover boxes serve various purposes like protecting the product inside. Most of these covers are made of cardboard which is mostly made from wood pulp.

Printing on such covers is easy and cheap as well. There’s a big market for such printing in which one can try their hands. You can target new businesses in the market with whom you can tie up. It is easy and profitable as a business.

FAQs

1. What are common demand business ideas that have made millions?

Popular demand business ideas that have made millions include online retail, web development, blogging, online course creation, social media marketing, online tutoring, app development, software engineering, and Dropshipping.

2. How do I get started with a demand business idea?

To get started with a demand business idea, you will need to define the type of business you want to start, research potential markets and competitors, and develop a comprehensive business plan.

3. What are the advantages of starting a business based on demand?

Benefits of starting a demand business include having a ready-made, in-demand customer base, increased flexibility and scalability, access to capital and resources, and potential for long-term growth and profitability.

4. How can I generate demand for my business?

To generate demand for your business, you can use a combination of marketing and advertising strategies, create content that speaks to your target customer, optimize organic search results, and build relationships with influencers and industry experts.

5. What type of demand business should I focus on?

When deciding on the type of demand business to focus on, consider factors such as your passions, interests, geographical location, and resources. Additionally, research emerging and growing trends to gain an advantage over your competitors.

6. What are the biggest challenges to operating a demand business?

The biggest challenges to operating a demand business include competition, pricing, customer acquisition, meeting customer expectations, and scalability.

7. How can I make sure my business is meeting demand?

To ensure your business is meeting customer demand, you should regularly assess customer feedback, analyze data from sales and search trends, and use A/B testing to optimize product features. Additionally, focus on customer retention and loyalty programs.

8. What resources are available to help me launch my demand business?

Helpful resources available for launching a demand business include mentoring programs, venture capital firms, small business lenders, education programs, and government resources.

9. What are some tips for managing a successful demand business?

Tips for managing a successful demand business include staying flexible and agile in response to market trends, investing in customer insight, creating an exceptional customer experience, and leveraging marketing automation and AI.

10. What are the most important metrics for assessing the success of a demand business?

The most important metrics to assess the success of a demand business include lead acquisition costs, user acquisition costs, customer lifetime value, customer retention rate, customer satisfaction score, and customer engagement rate.

Similar Posts