Wondering how to sell Amazon Print on Demand products? Then, you’re in the right place.
Amazon is one of the most popular sites for entrepreneurs looking to establish their own ecommerce business. Amazon is a terrific platform for bringing things in front of a huge existing audience because it is simple to use and versatile.
While you can sell your products on Amazon, you can also work with various dropshipping companies and other partners, such as print-on-demand services.
For example, when you use Amazon’s print-on-demand service, you can sell a variety of unique and even customized products to customers without having to invest a lot of money upfront.
So, how do you get started selling POD on Amazon?
What is Print on Demand (POD) Products?
Let’s start with a definition of Print on Demand and what it means for your business. When a customer buys something from your website, Print on Demand products are manufactured to order. You’ll collaborate with a manufacturer, similar to dropshipping, to give clients a variety of things your partner provides.
You don’t have to keep any stock or even ship your things to your consuprimers when you print on demand since the vendor you work with takes care of everything. Instead, you pay for the goods and shipping and charge your buyer enough to cover your costs.
The flexibility to customize your things sets POD apart from traditional dropshipping. You work directly with manufacturers who can add unique designs and photographs to your products when you print on demand. This means you may create a one-of-a-kind design for a T-shirt, mug, or pair of pillows, and your manufacturer will incorporate it into your product.
You can sometimes collaborate with designers to produce customized things for your consumers. This enables your customers to select a particular design or personalize a product. Then, you transmit your request to your manufacturer, who will care for the rest.
The benefit of the POD technique is that it combines the convenience of dropshipping with the freedom of not having to stock or fulfill orders yourself.
You do, however, gain the advantage of being able to make your products stand out. You’re not simply selling the same things as everyone else, as with traditional dropshipping.
How Do You Sell POD Products on Amazon?
Selling POD products on Amazon is a rather straightforward procedure. Of course, you’ll need a few things to get started, including a POD firm that you wish to partner with and an Amazon seller account. However, most of your tasks will be rather straightforward if you have those things.
Begin by creating an Amazon seller account. The first thing you should know is that Amazon has two different types of seller accounts. The “Individual” plan is a free account that allows you to sell a few things every month. On the other hand, a professional plan is required if you want to develop a relatively scalable business on Amazon. There is a monthly price associated with this. However, it may allow you to sell more than a basic seller.
Professional Amazon subscriptions are especially beneficial because they include access to the Amazon Marketplace service. This implies you can connect your Amazon account to other services, such as Print-on-Demand providers.
Using Merch by Amazon for POD
After you’ve set up your Amazon account, you’ll need to set up an account with your print-on-demand provider. There are other solutions available, which we’ll discuss in a moment. If you don’t want to look for an external provider, you can keep things easy by using Amazon’s specialized POD service.
Merch by Amazon was introduced in 2015 to allow small businesses to try out the print-on-demand environment. However, the fact that this service is invite-only is a major drawback. To participate in the Merch by Amazon program, you must first be approved. Once you’ve been permitted to sell, you’ll be able to upload your designs for various products, such as t-shirts and hoodies. You might anticipate selling a few decent things with Amazon’s POD solution because some high-quality items are available.
Merch by Amazon is so popular that it’s used by some of the world’s most well-known businesses. However, the application procedure might take anything from three weeks to a year, which means you’ll have to wait to start your firm. In addition, you must submit your bank account and routing number, as well as your business contact information and tax ID, on the application form.
There’s also a lengthy questionnaire in which you’ll be asked questions about your sector and company. Amazon will only sponsor businesses that they believe will profit them. You’ll only be able to sell 10 different designs when you first start your account, as this helps Amazon see that you’re serious about making money.
You’ll be placed on a tier system once you’ve achieved at least ten sales, and you’ll be able to gradually move to be able to post more designs. It’s a lengthy procedure with a slew of regulations, including:
- Before you upload a design, double-check the copyright and trademark databases.
- You can only use artwork that adheres to Amazon’s size rules.
- Before progressing to the next tier, you must demonstrate your selling capacity.
Prices for Merch by Amazon items are quite normal, and you’ll have the bonus of being able to advertise your things as “Prime eligible,” which means your customers will receive speedier shipping. Another advantage of Amazon’s retail program is that it’s completely free to start, but only if you get approved first.
What About Amazon KDP
If you want to continue with Amazon for your POD bespoke products, Merch by Amazon is the platform to employ. T-shirts and hats, for example, are typically created using this approach. Amazon also provides a third-party service called KDP that offers a slightly different print-on-demand shopping experience.
Amazon KDP is a self-publishing platform that allows you to create and sell your eBooks, hardcovers, and paperbacks. You’ll have immediate access to your book on Amazon, as well as the ability to create product detail pages for it. Thanks to Amazon’s rich network of resources, you can also utilize Kindle Direct Publishing to deliver your eBook to readers right away.
The benefit of KDP is that it provides you with complete control over your eBook, audiobook, and physical designs. Throughout the book publishing process, you’ll be able to preserve your branding and control everything from the cover design to how you want to advertise your product.
You can use the Kindle Unlimited service to publish journals, textbooks, poetry, cookbooks, children’s books, and novels, among other things. You can even choose your list price, allowing you to generate more money by selecting a competitive profit margin.
To sell books this way, you’ll need to create a KDP account, but once you’re up and running, adding new products to your portfolio is simple. If you hold the rights to the material, you can even publish books that have already been published elsewhere. In addition, KDP is significantly easier to use than Amazon’s merch if you want to print book products.
Alternative Options to Merch by Amazon
The sad reality is that becoming associated with Merch by Amazon is exceedingly difficult. So if you want to get started selling print on demand as soon as possible, you’ll need to look at some other options. Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent solutions available.
Options include:
Printful
Printful is a popular print-on-demand service that can be integrated into various sales situations. The Printful business makes all of its products, and it’s known for having a vast selection of great items to choose from. Printful has grown in popularity in recent years due to its incredible high-quality merchandise, fantastic customer service, and convenient mockup generator.
On Printful, you can choose from a variety of attractive-looking products and customize them in a variety of ways, including adding your colors, embellishments, and more. There’s even jewelry with personalized inscriptions. Printful has a larger product selection than Amazon Merch.
Printful connects straight to Amazon in a matter of seconds, making it quick and simple to use. Set up an Amazon account and a Printful account, then design your merch using Printful’s mockup generator. You next link your Printful account to your Amazon account and send your designs to Amazon. You may sell the same designs on Etsy and eBay, among other places. Printful receives the order and fulfills it when a sale is made.
You’ll need to do the following:
- Sign up for the $39.99 / month Professional selling plan.
- On Amazon, use the GTIN exemption.
- Connect your Printful and Amazon accounts.
- Add products to your Amazon store and sync them.
After that, you’ll have access to Printful’s basic graphic design capabilities as well as their excellent quality control. At the same time, you receive the advantage of selling on a reputable platform.
Pros
- A fantastic selection of fantastic things
- Amazon connection is simple to utilize.
- Conveniently generate a mockup
- Excellent client service
Cons
An Amazon Professional Seller account is required.
Teespring
Teespring is another great POD solution with Amazon connectivity. It’s simple to list your Teespring products on Amazon, and there are many wonderful options to pick from when it comes to what you want to sell. More items are being introduced all the time. You may make hoodies, dresses, accessories, and more for your Amazon shop when writing.
To get started with Teespring and Amazon, you’ll need to create a TeeSpring account as well as an Amazon account. Then, make your designs by clicking the “create and sell” button in the upper right corner of Teespring. You can upload your designs using the “Art” page. TeeSpring is great for budgeting because it displays your base price as you work through the mockup generator.
To sell on Amazon, make sure your listing is set to “always accessible.” Then go to your campaign tab and select the globe to set up your Amazon preferences. TeeSpring allows you to add unique descriptions and bullet points to your Amazon page.
One minor drawback is that you are currently ineligible for price matching with Amazon and TeeSpring, but there’s no reason why this won’t change in the future.
Pros
- A wide choice of items is available.
- Mockup generator that is quite informative
- There are numerous design options available.
- Connection to Amazon is simple and convenient.
Cons
- Setting everything up can be difficult.
Shopify / Amazon integration with Teelaunch
Using the Shopify/Amazon connector, the Teelaunch software for Shopify is a slightly more complicated but effective approach to selling things on Amazon using POD. If you want to create your website for selling things while also having an Amazon sales channel, Shopify is a great option. You have a better chance of making money if you sell through various channels.
The Shopify and Amazon integration will cost you some money and time, but it could be well worth it. Teelaunch, Amazon, and Shopify together will allow you to create a considerably more engaging brand than Amazon alone.
Shopify also features a vast app market with dozens of apps to connect to your favorite booksellers, marketplaces, and other services. You can also connect directly to POD solutions like Teelaunch, which provides competitive price alternatives to help you support your business strategy. So again, there is a large selection of things to pick from, and the majority of the base costs are reasonable.
Unfortunately, through the Shopify/Amazon integration, your products will not be eligible for Prime listings. Still, you will be able to drive visitors back to your website, where you can offer whichever type of shipping you choose.
Pros
- It’s ideal for creating a marketable brand.
- Connection to other apps is good.
- Increase the number of sales opportunities available to you.
- A good selection of products is available.
Cons
- It might be costly to get started.
- There is no Prime eligibility.
How to Sell on Amazon Using a Third-Party POD Company
Now that you’ve learned about some of the services that a POD firm may provide, it’s time to learn more about selling on Amazon with a third-party solution. We’ll choose Printful as an example for this tutorial because it’s one of the most popular solutions.
The first thing to realize is that while Merch by Amazon is free, choosing a third-party POD solution will require you to sign up for a professional seller account, which will cost you roughly $39.99 per month. Once you’ve paid your monthly subscription, though, you’ll be able to sell as many things and create as many listings as you like.
To begin, sign up for an Amazon Professional account. If you already have an Amazon account, you can accomplish this via the account settings of your existing Amazon account. If you’re creating an Amazon account for the first time, you’ll be given the option of creating a personal or professional account. Once you’ve created your professional account, you’ll need to do the following:
Sign up for a POD account
The next step is to create an account with your POD solution. We’re looking at Printful in this example because it’s one of the most popular solutions, but many other options exist. Take the time to look into sites like Createspace, gear bubble, and others to ensure you’re keeping your initial fees cheap while maintaining a high level of quality.
One of the advantages of Printful is that you can sell products on your website, eBay, and Amazon, allowing you to generate more passive revenue. The printing costs are also quite affordable. You won’t be charged a monthly fee for an account, but you will be charged for the cost of the item you’re manufacturing for your consumers, as well as the cost of shipping it to Amazon’s distribution hubs.
Create your products
Create the artwork for your design once you have your Print on Demand business account. You can do this with the Printful mockup generator, which is user-friendly and uncomplicated. You drag and drop your design to where you want it to appear. You can also select from various printing options, such as printing or embroidery, outside or inside label, a left or right sleeve, and more.
You’ll be able to upload your design using services such as Canva, Gimp, or Photoshop, but if you don’t have the necessary abilities, you can hire someone to assist you. Upwork and Fiverr, for example, are ideal sites to start your search for freelancers.
Upload your artwork and make your mockup, being sure to take enough photos of how your item will appear in your product listing.
List the product on Amazon.
The next step is to link your Amazon account to your POD account. The method you choose to join the two accounts will be determined by the type of print-on-demand system you use. Printful is very simple to use since it allows you to connect your Amazon account with a single click and quickly sync products to your store.
Before you can link, you’ll need to apply for a GTIN exemption from Amazon. This means you won’t have to buy barcodes for your products from Amazon. It would help if you didn’t have to wait long for an exemption because they usually come promptly.
If you’re utilizing another POD solution with an Amazon interface, you should go to the POD service’s app store and follow the instructions to link the two sites.
Optimize your Amazon listing
Next, make sure your Amazon listing is optimized so that customers can locate it easily. This means you’ll need to improve your product page to make it more appealing to Amazon’s search engines. Potential clients will be more aware of your goods if you use terms that describe them. Keywords should be included in the product name and description.
Make sure your listing has high-quality bullet points that include your key terms and the most important characteristics of your product. You may also use the product description section to provide further information about your products and business.
Engaging with your audience whenever you can help to increase the quality of your listing by collecting many reviews, queries, and replies.
Fulfilling product orders
Now it’s time to sit back and wait for the orders to come in (while doing a little marketing from time to time too). If there isn’t a direct link, you should be able to manually fulfill orders by placing them through the POD website using the information provided by your customer. Printful’s dropship integration tool, on the other hand, will make this process easier.
The integration with Printful means that when an order is placed on Amazon, your Printful team will receive a notification and begin preparing the order. In addition, the Printful team will also submit tracking information to marketplaces on your behalf so that you can provide a more easy experience for your customers.
Making the Most of Print on Demand Selling on Amazon
Notably, success with Print on Demand from Amazon necessitates a well-thought-out strategy. To sell effectively, you must consider everything from the type of things you want to develop for your customers to who you will collaborate with to design those products. The good news is that you can create your t-shirt designs and custom template products to sell on Amazon using various tools.
One of the greatest possibilities is Amazon Merch, but it can be tricky to navigate for newcomers. Please make sure you carefully analyze all of your third-party options, as each has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. When you’ve chosen your preferred POD solution and are ready to begin selling, focus on SEO and Amazon listing optimization to reach as many customers as possible.
You may also think about expanding your business brand by investing in your website, which will provide you with more channels to sell through.
