How to Sell T-Shirts on Amazon – Full Guide (2024)

How to Sell T-Shirts on Amazon – Full Guide (2024)

Selling t-shirts on Amazon is an exciting business endeavor.

The t-shirt market will total $45.5b worldwide in 2024, with an expected growth of 2.6% by 2025, proving that selling t-shirts online is a lucrative way to make money online.

Amazon needs no introduction as the leading retailer in the United States, which had a whopping $143.1b in net sales in Q3 2023. 

Now it’s time for you to get among it. Strap in, as we will walk you through selling t-shirts on Amazon.

From creating an Amazon seller account to designing and sourcing t-shirts with Print on Demand, this article will show you how to sell shirts on Amazon.

1. Register an Amazon Seller Account

Let’s look into the first step when exploring how to make and sell shirts on Amazon. 

First, you need a customer or an Amazon seller account registered with a business email. 

These are the must-haves for creating a seller account:

  • Reside in one of the eligible countries.
  • An Amazon customer account or a business email.
  • International credit card.
  • Government-issued identification.
  • Tax information.
  • Phone number.
  • A bank account to earn royalties.

Go to the seller’s website and create an account. Or, to open an Amazon Merch on Demand account, you can sign in with your customer account at Merch by Amazon (MBA).

A seller account provides more product types and sourcing options

Opt for an MBA account only if you intend to stick with the program for sourcing tees.

A screenshot of the Amazon homepage

Scroll down to familiarize yourself with pricing and account types, or if you’re ready – click Sign Up.

Choose between an individual or professional account:

  • An individual account is enough for a few t-shirt sales, with a maximum of 40 items monthly. Otherwise, there’s a fee of about $0.99 per sale. 
  • A professional seller’s account costs $39.99 monthly, and you can sell over 40 products. You’ll also access eCommerce tools, such as business reports, promotions and coupons, and user accounts. Referral fees vary depending on the product.

2. Connect a Print-On-Demand Provider

The easiest way to start a t-shirt business on Amazon is by using Print on Demand – it’s a hassle-free business model. Find out more through one of these platforms.

Merch by Amazon

Merch by Amazon, or Amazon Merch on Demand, is the platform’s POD service.

The platform is great if you don’t want to hold and manage inventory. It’s intended for people already selling on Amazon and wanting to start a business there. 

Merch by Amazon lets sellers focus on creating t-shirt designs while Amazon handles the logistics.  

Creating a business seller account is free and takes about one to two weeks. Fill in personal, contact, sales tax, and bank information, and await approval.   

In the meantime, create designs and a logo using any graphic editor according to Amazon’s requirements. Take your time and become familiar with the MBA content policies.

You can also use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), which requires sending the merchandise to an Amazon warehouse. After that, Amazon handles order fulfillment.

Printify

Amazon doesn’t officially integrate with Printify, but there are ways to list Printify products on an Amazon store. Let’s check out the options:

  1. Shopify Marketplace Connect (formerly Codisto)

Many apps and plugins allow importing products from Amazon to a Shopify or WooCommerce store, but few options to do it the other way around.

Shopify Marketplace Connect offers multi-channel integration with various marketplaces. Download it at the Shopify or PrestaShop app stores – you’ll see it listed as Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Google marketplaces

Codisto synchronizes several channels and allows managing the store from Shopify or PrestaShop. That way, you can sell products created with Printify on other marketplaces. 

There’s a 14-day trial to use the plugin. After that, you’ll need a Codisto subscription starting from $29 per month.

  • Integrating Codisto with Shopify is easier than with PrestaShop. It has the advantage of exempting orders imported from Printify to Amazon from sales tax. However, there’s the cost of a monthly Shopify plan.
  • PrestaShop is one of the most flexible and customizable eCommerce platforms, giving sellers full ownership of the store. However, it requires some technical knowledge. Consult with a Printify expert for the initial steps in designing a PrestaShop store and setting up an Amazon-Printify connection – that will save you a lot of time and money.

Disclaimer

As of January 2024, only Shopify and PrestaShop integrate Printify and Amazon through Codisto. However, the platform is constantly evolving and updating its integrations. Check their website regularly and consult with Codisto customer support for further information.

Pricing overview:

  • PrestaShop.
    Is free, but requires hosting and a domain name. Themes and plugins may also add other costs.
  • Shopify.
    Plans start from $39 per month or $29 if paid yearly.
  • Shopify Marketplace Connect.
    The first 50 orders are free at the Shopify app store, plus a 1% fee per additional order with a cap of $99 per month. Plans with more integrations, including PrestaShop, start from $29 monthly at the Codisto website.
  1. Wix Stores

Connecting Amazon as a sales channel in a Wix store is one of the easiest ways to sell products made with Printify. It doesn’t require additional subscriptions besides Wix’s plans, and the website builder is one of the easiest to use. 

However, this option is only available for Wix merchants in the US, the United Kingdom, Australia, and India.

To get started, create an Amazon seller account in one of these marketplaces: 

  • Amazon.com
  • Amazon.co.uk
  • Amazon.com.au
  • Amazon.in

Then, log in to your Wix account and add Amazon as a Sales Channel in the Wix Dashboard.

Choose automatically restocking Amazon inventory and define self-fulfillment instead of FBA, as Printify will fulfill your Wix store products.

Your Wix store products will synchronize through Printify’s integration – they can be edited on the Wix store and sold on Amazon. 

Check our tutorial on how to create a Wix store and see more details on setting up Amazon as a Wix sales channel.

  • Wix Business plans.
    Pricing starts from $38 per month or $32 if paid annually.
  1. Squarespace and Trunk

Set up Amazon as a sales channel on Squarespace via Trunk integration. Trunk is a multi-channel service offered by Square. It synchronizes sales channels in Amazon, Squarespace, Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, Faire, eBay, and QuickBooks Online. 

A potentially more expensive option as it requires subscriptions to Squarespace and Trunk. If you already own POD sites within Squarespace, it might be ideal.  

Trunk also works with other website builders and marketplaces and may be an option for Codisto. 

Create a Trunk account at the Square App Marketplace or directly through Trunk.

To integrate a Squarespace store with Trunk, head to Settings, then Extensions. Type trunk in the search bar and click on the extension.

  • Squarespace Business and eCommerce plans.
    From $33 per month or $23 if paid yearly.
  • Trunk prices.
    Start at $35 per month for up to 100 orders – more will increase the costs.

Order Desk is a solution by SparkWeb Interactive that offers hundreds of eCommerce integrations for apps, websites, and services. It integrates Printify with Amazon and many other marketplaces, allowing you to source POD products through Order Desk.

The solution is convenient, time-saving, and comes with dedicated customer support. To get started:

  • Sign up or sign in at Printify.  
  • Head to Order Desk, create an account and log in.
  • Go to Integrations on the left-hand menu and click Manage Integrations. Look for the Print on Demand tab and click on Printify.

Click on Connect to Printify, and Order Desk will redirect you to Printify’s page. Log in to your account and allow access.

Return to Order Desk, and select which Printify store you want to connect. Then, return to the Manage Integrations page and repeat the process to add Amazon.

Type Amazon in the search box, pick the marketplace, and connect to your Amazon Seller account.

In the Settings menu, you can edit store and inventory settings and create rules for what happens when an order is placed in your Amazon storefront. 

  • Pricing ranges from $20 per month plus 25 cents per order.

To list Printify products on Amazon, you will need a GTIN exemption. Learn how to obtain this in our Help Center article.

3. Design Your T-Shirts

Designing a t-shirt, whether at MBA or Printify, is a straightforward process. 

Before learning how to sell shirt designs on Amazon, let’s see how to design custom t-shirts with Printify’s Product Creator: 

  1. Create a t-shirt design using free or paid design software
  2. Set up your Printify account.
  3. Pick a t-shirt from our Catalog. We have over 50 styles for all sizes and shapes, including the best-selling options for POD from Bella Canvas and Gildan. 
  1. Select your favorite t-shirt and select a Print Provider. Then, click on Start designing, which will bring you to our Product Creator.
  2. Upload your design and adjust it to your liking.
  3. Click on Save product. Edit the description and details and choose your mockup images.
  4. Publish it to the online store.

Tip

Learn in detail how to create best-selling t-shirt designs from our blog.

Create Your T-Shirt Store With Printify and Sell Your Brand on Amazon Now

4. Prepare Product Listings and Storefront

It’s time to prepare product listings and make them available on your storefront.  

An Amazon Storefront is available for merchants registered with Amazon’s Brand Registry. This feature allows you to create a website with a unique URL within Amazon, showcasing products and strengthening your brand.  

Amazon listings contain the product’s title, images, description, and key features in bullet points. 

Amazon Seller Central includes specific style guides for listings, including:

  • Title.
    Keep it to 80-200 characters. Include the brand name first, followed by a primary keyword phrase indicating what the product is. 

After that, add secondary keywords containing other characteristics such as dimensions, color, or if it comes in a set.

  • Bullet points.
    Around 200 characters per bullet point, totaling 1,000 for five points.
  • Product descriptions.
    These should be 1,700-2,000 characters long. On mobile devices, 80 characters from the description are displayed before the bullet points.
  • Product images.
    Provide high-quality, non-pixelated images showing key product features – preferably with white backgrounds.

Be aware of prohibited terms by Amazon that may get your listing taken down:

  • Trademarked and brand names other than yours.
  • Forbidden or false claims such as bestsellers and free shipping.
  • Health claims related to curing diseases.
  • Drug products and components.

5. Market Your Products

Let’s put your brand out there. Explore these key elements to develop your marketing strategy and make money by selling shirts.

Amazon SEO

Amazon is an eCommerce platform and a search engine. As such, it has its own algorithm and optimization rules for increasing organic traffic.

Amazon’s engine is named A9 – its algorithm focuses on buyers and has an unpredictable updating schedule. 

Using relevant keywords, optimize listings, including titles, product descriptions, and bullet points. To boost Amazon SEO, think as a buyer while creating your listings

Keep all information up-to-date, relevant, and aligned with search intent. That includes colors, variants, measurements, pictures, and videos.

Customer Reviews

Customer satisfaction must be your priority since most shoppers don’t buy from brands with ratings below 3.3 stars

Reviews are prominent on Amazon’s product pages. The marketplace lets users filter and search reviews – registered users can also ask questions.

Make sure your selling price is fair, engage with Amazon customers, and develop positive relationships. Answer all questions, send thank-you emails, and request feedback.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a huge source of traffic for online businesses and one of the best ways to develop brand awareness.

Contact influencers, blogs, and YouTube channels, and create an affiliate strategy. 

How does it work? The affiliate mentions and publishes your product, while the site receives a small fee per click and product sold.   

Amazon makes this easy by offering a free affiliate program. Make sure to use it to your benefit.

Social Media Marketing

Use social networks to share new products, updates, giveaways, sales, and blog posts. Keep your content interesting with educational and informative posts for brand building, and publish regularly.    

Share your social media pages on the Amazon page and vice-versa.

Also, consider investing in paid advertising. Most social networks have the option to create ads from scratch or transform well-performing posts into advertisements.

Amazon Advertising

In addition to paid advertising on social networks and Google, also consider promoting your listings within the Amazon search with Amazon paid advertisement.

Sell T-Shirts on Amazon With Printify

Make money selling t-shirts – set up your store with Printify and start selling on Amazon now.

Amazon Alternatives

Consider selling shirts in other marketplaces. Printify integrates with three of the most popular eCommerce platforms, making the process easier and seamless than selling t-shirts on Amazon. 

A screenshot of the eBay homepage

The pioneer among online marketplaces and the first auction website, you can sell products for the highest bid or at a fixed price. 

While exploring how to sell t-shirts on Amazon, also consider eBay. Selling them on the platform as an individual is simple, requiring basic registration. 

The marketplace easily integrates with Printify and has an established flow of traffic. 

It also offers paid plans for creating an online store – but initially, every merchant can only sell up to five products. 

eBay’s pricing overview:

  • Insertion fees.
    Listings are generally free up to 250 items per month. Beyond that, it’s $0.35 per listing.
  • Final value fees.
    Vary by category but are usually around 13.25% of sale prices up to $7,500. After that, a portion of the sale is charged a fee of 2.35% – plus $0.30 per order, with some categories having different rates.
  • Store subscriptions.
    They start from $4.95 per month and provide more free insertions and smaller final value fees.
A screenshot of the Etsy homepage

Sell shirts on Amazon or opt for Etsy – an easy-to-use platform and popular marketplace.

Etsy does not charge subscriptions and offers a storefront, with the option to purchase a Pattern subscription at $15 per month to create a standalone, custom website. 

Tip

Check or blog for more information on Etsy fees and Etsy advertising.

  • Etsy charges $0.20 per listing.
A screenshot of the Walmart homepage

The second largest retailer in the US is available to integrate with Printify and can be a viable alternative for selling shirts on Amazon. 

Sellers must pass through a business verification process for selling on Walmart. This includes providing a business tax ID or a business license number, supporting documents, and a proven history of eCommerce success.

Walmart doesn’t charge subscriptions or listing fees – only a referral fee, which ranges from 6%-20% per item sold.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Create an Amazon seller account.
  • Connect to a POD provider to source the t-shirts.
  • Prepare best-selling designs and apply them to Amazon merch.
  • Edit your listings and Amazon storefront. 
  • Market the products on Amazon, social networks, and Google. 

Sign up with a POD provider like Printify or Merch by Amazon to apply your custom design ideas to t-shirts.

  • Create an Amazon seller account.
  • Integrate your Printify account to Wix, Shopify, PrestaShop, Squarespace, or WooCommerce, and create an online store. 
  • Add Amazon as a sales channel to Wix, or connect Amazon to the online store using Shopify Marketplace Connect (formerly Codisto), Trunk, or Order Desk.
  • Select a t-shirt from our Printify Catalog and apply designs with our Product Creator.
  • Publish the t-shirt to your online store. 
  • At the online store, publish the t-shirt on the Amazon storefront and create a listing.
  • Use the website builder resources to market your t-shirt line on Amazon, social networks, and Google. 

Amazon Awaits

Now that you’ve discovered how to sell shirts on Amazon without inventory, it’s time to create a seller account and source products with MBA or Printify. 

Create a compelling storefront, and make sure your marketing game is strong. Craft top-selling shirts with a winning t-shirt design, and get your online t-shirt business off the ground today! 

Make It Happen Today!

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2 comments

  1. Thomas
    April 11

    I have been trying for 5 months to get this done and I am unable to its so frustrating. I have tried every possible combination and nothing. I do not think that it is possible. Please prove me wrong can email anytime.

    1. Florence Kingsley
      April 11

      Hi Thomas,
      We are sorry to hear that. Please reach out to our Merchant Support team here, so they can look into the matter and help you sort it out.

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