As eCommerce keeps thriving, starting a print-on-demand business is a dream for many. Without a doubt, the appeal of Print on Demand is strong – no up-front costs, inventory management, or logistical woes.
While all of that is true, successful print-on-demand stores have more to them than meets the eye. They’ve carefully studied their target audience, earned their trust with powerful marketing, and creatively tailored products to their liking.
To build a profitable business, learning from other successful stores is key.
In this article, we’ll look at successful print-on-demand stores, discover what makes them great, and how they draw the attention of their potential customers. With this information, you’ll be able to gain valuable insights and build or take your store to the next level.
What exactly is Print on Demand?
It’s an order fulfillment method where print-on-demand companies create your designs on white-label products only after a customer makes a purchase. Once the design is printed, they package and ship the final product directly to your customer’s doorstep.
This way, merchants avoid up-front investments, storage management, or logistical worries.
What’s more, anyone can customize the products they sell, easily reaching the hearts and minds of their audience.
12 Examples of successful print-on-demand stores (2023)
In eCommerce, opportunities abound – anyone can start a print-on-demand store, but not everyone succeeds. While every mistake is a lesson, it’s better to learn from other successful sellers to avoid mistakes altogether.
It’s not always easy to find successful print-on-demand stores, so we’ve done the research for you. After diving into these examples, you’ll gain insight into how design, features, and marketing contribute to their success, so you can build – or spruce up – your online store.
Wander Prints
Wander Prints is a décor and gifts brand dedicated to beautifying every space. They provide buyers unique designs that reflect their interests, hobbies, and passions.
They sell household accessories, outdoor décor, classic dad and mom gifts, and other custom products.
What makes this print-on-demand store great
- Social proof. Wisely using social media, Wander Prints has gathered a loyal fan base. The store features an embedded Instagram feed, where customers showcase their products in real life.
- Neat design. In eCommerce, design is everything. This store has a well-thought-out layout and navigational structure, leaving a professional impression.
- Customizable products. Different products have different customization options, allowing the shopper to change various features and create their own designs.
With its easy navigation, orderly design, and beautiful photos, Wander Prints provides a great customer experience. While many more good things could be said, it’s simply one of the best print-on-demand Shopify store examples.
Start your own print-on-demand store today!
The Happy Givers
The Happy Givers is a non-profit store that supports The Happy NPO, which helps build homes for people in Puerto Rico.
They sell apparel and accessories – t-shirts, sweatshirts, pillows, posters, pin buttons, and more.
What makes this store great
- High-quality imagery and videos. With high-quality mockups, the Happy Givers leave a professional impression. Additionally, their store features a hero video highlighting the good work they do in the community, attracting the attention of potential customers.
- Ambassador program. Using an ambassador program, they increase their following and sales and spread the word about their store and organization. Their ambassadors earn 10% on everything sold via their link.
- Various discounts. Most products have discounts, offering customers a better deal when they buy more than a single item.
The Happy Givers is a great example of how Print on Demand can be used to benefit the greater good, helping communities in need.
FerrisBuilt
After losing her corporate event production business, Lindsey Ferris became an eCommerce entrepreneur and launched an Etsy store – FerrisBuilt – which quickly became a success.
FerrisBuilt sells t-shirts, hoodies, stickers, and other print-on-demand products with inspiring and empowering messages.
What makes this store great
- Trending designs. The store follows current events, trends, and fashion, creating one-of-a-kind products that speak to many.
- Excellent customer service. By answering customer inquiries quickly and politely, the store fosters relationships, encourages them to return, and provides a pleasant shopping experience.
- Informative product descriptions. As a way to build confidence in their products and store, FerrisBuilt provides thorough descriptions for each product, informing the customer about its features, processing and shipping time, and return policy.
If you enjoy success stories, our interview with Lindsey Ferris – the owner of FerrisBuilt – is an inspiring read, providing valuable insight into the journey she took to build her unique brand.
Family Loves
Family Loves is a store that offers US Veteran commemorative products, celebrating the patriotism of those who served their country.
In addition to veteran jackets, they sell t-shirts, sweatshirts, shoes, and various accessories.
What makes this store great
- Social proof. With a dedicated section for customer reviews, it’s clear that the company stands by the quality of its products, inspiring trust in prospective customers.
- Sticky navigation. As you scroll down, the menu remains fixed, allowing quick and easy access to any collection.
- Customizable products. Shoppers can personalize their products by adding a name, division, year of the service, and more.
In addition to selling unique products, Family Loves offers free US shipping on all orders above $100, easy 30-day returns, and an international warranty, allowing customers to purchase confidently.
Afro Unicorn
April Showers built her own brand – Afro Unicorn – that quickly became popular and developed a strong community around it. Just recently, the brand’s success skyrocketed as she achieved a partnership with Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States.
Afro Unicorn sells t-shirts, sweatshirts, and accessories like water bottles, candles, and notebooks.
What makes this store great
- Minimalistic yet powerful. The store welcomes its visitors with a simple and clutter-free design, providing a smooth browsing experience.
- Social proof. By featuring a Testimonials and Reviews section, it’s clear that social proof is hardly a problem for Afro Unicorn.
- Easy navigation. With a search bar at the top and a drop-down menu on the left, anyone can quickly find what they’re looking for.
While Afro Unicorn is one of the most successful print-on-demand Shopify stores, it’s also a great example of how quickly an eCommerce store can take off and expand beyond the internet.
Start your own print-on-demand store today!
Classic Dad
Classic Dad is a t-shirt store that shows the importance of picking a niche, which they’ve done with great success – specializing in designs that capture the humor of dads everywhere.
The company focuses solely on selling t-shirts and tanks.
What makes this store great
- Neatly arranged. With ample white space, their Shopify store avoids clutter, focusing exclusively on their products.
- Customer reviews under products. Showcasing customer reviews directly under each product increases customers’ confidence, helping to convert browsers into buyers.
- Sign-up discounts. By signing up for their newsletter, anyone can get a 30% discount on their next order. A simple yet effective strategy encouraging customers to make a purchase.
With its uncluttered design, clear navigation, and consistent theme, their storefront makes shopping a smooth, simple, and enjoyable experience.
Shadawear
Shadawear is a community-driven brand created by musician Kaysha to share a positive outlook on life with trendy designs.
They sell numerous products – t-shirts, hats, leggings, phone cases, and much more – with powerful messages and stylish designs.
What makes this store great
- User-generated marketing. Shadawear asks their customers to share a photo of their new clothes, rewarding them with a shoutout or a discount code, thus engaging with their audience and building social proof.
- Easy navigation. With a neatly laid-out design, their store welcomes visitors with featured products, new arrivals, and bestsellers, allowing customers to quickly see what the store offers.
- Cohesive designs. While not all, many of their products feature cohesive designs that match the overall aesthetics of the store, creating a consistent and harmonious shopping experience.
With carefully-designed products, easy navigation, and professional product pages, their store creates a visually appealing atmosphere that’s inviting and engaging.
Sharp Shirter
Sharp Shirter is an eCommerce store with a great business idea. Instead of selling their art only on canvas, they create one-of-a-kind home décor and apparel, applying their artwork to various products.
The company sells uniquely-designed t-shirts, wallpaper, tapestries, art prints, and other daily household items.
What makes this store great
- High-quality images. When building a store, high-quality images are essential. They are the first thing customers notice. In this, the company excels, leaving a great first impression.
- Social proof. By featuring customer photos and reviews under their products, the store shows that their business is trustworthy.
- Great product descriptions. The company provides precise product information for most products, inspiring customer confidence.
As one of the best Shopify print-on-demand store examples, Sharp Shirter is a great source of inspiration for anyone – especially artists – dreaming of starting their own business.
Outbound
Outbound is a store with travel at the heart of everything they do, striving to create designs that spark conversations anywhere in the world.
While they mostly sell t-shirts, they offer a few accessories – bags, hats, and stickers – as well.
What makes this store great
- Simple yet effective. With plenty of white space and minimalistic design, they avoid clutter and allow their products to shine.
- Sticky navigation. Their store features a clear layout and sticky navigation, allowing customers to seamlessly find their next favorite t-shirt.
- Original designs. While they don’t have a lot of designs, they’re all thoughtfully done, perfectly pinning down their niche – travel.
As soon as the storefront loads, it instantly speaks to those who enjoy travel, leaving no doubt that they’ve found the right store for them.
La Moda Merch
La Moda Merch is an Etsy shop that keeps things simple, selling designs with pop culture references. The owner – Diana True Knox – went viral on TikTok and became an overnight success. If you enjoy success stories, you’ll love our interview with her.
The store exclusively sells shirts, sweatshirts, and hats.
What makes this store great
- Pop culture designs. The owner follows the life of celebrities and current trends, designing one-of-a-kind products nobody else does.
- TikTok marketing. With the help of TikTok, Diana found success with zero marketing budget and a modest follower count. In addition, she emphasizes that interacting with your followers is key.
- Great customer service. She fosters relationships and provides a pleasant shopping experience by quickly answering customer inquiries.
As a way to make money from current trends, this store’s a great example, proving that a less-is-more attitude can succeed.
House of Chingasos
House of Chingasos is a playful brand that creates colorful designs with big images that capture the attention from the very first glimpse.
They sell shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, jackets, beanies, and mugs.
What makes this store great
- Social proof. With reviews under each product, mostly of happy customers proudly wearing their purchase, the company gains shoppers’ trust easily.
- A wealth of designs. Their store features various designs, making it easy to find something that perfectly matches one’s personal style.
- Easy to navigate. With its simple design, their store only prioritizes things that truly matter – their apparel.
House of Chingasos is one of the best print-on-demand store examples, proving that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel for your store to succeed.
MotivatHER
MotivatHER is a personal development and education company that provides leadership training to women and empowers them to excel.
Besides various courses, the company sells shirts, sneakers, sweatshirts, and notebooks.
What makes this store great
- Minimalistic design. With ample white space, the store is elegant in its simplicity, allowing customers to focus on shopping instead of getting distracted by excess.
- Products alongside services. Primarily offering courses and training, this store sets a good example of how adding a few custom products can diversify a business’s income streams.
- Easy navigation. With its clutter-free layout, visitors can smoothly browse through different sections.
What sets this one apart from other POD stores we’ve explored is that selling custom products isn’t their primary goal – instead, it serves as an additional source of revenue, adding to the value they bring to customers.
Start your own print-on-demand store today!
Start a print-on-demand store with Printify
With Printify’s POD services, anyone can start a business without upfront investments, minimum order quantity, or logistical risks. This way, marketing and design work is the only concern.
In our Catalog, you’ll find over 900 high-quality products to customize to your heart’s content with our intuitive Product Creator (previously known as Mockup Generator) – creating custom designs in minutes.
Additionally, we offer seamless integrations with all major sales channels, so you can choose the right one for you.
When you start making sales, we do everything for you – printing, packaging, and shipping directly to your customers.
Key features of a successful POD store
When building a successful POD store, attention to detail is essential – design, navigation, images, functionality, and marketing all play an important role. With the help of the print-on-demand store examples explored above, building your own won’t be hard.
That said, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Easy setup
Try to create the navigation as seamless as possible – don’t overcomplicate it. Your customers should be able to quickly and easily find everything they need with just a few clicks.
High-quality images
In online shopping, customers expect beautiful high-quality images that allow them to inspect the product they consider buying. Use high-quality images that accurately reflect the product they’ll receive.
Great customer service
If you’re just starting out, providing great customer service isn’t difficult, and it can make a world of difference. Answer your customers’ inquiries quickly and politely, providing them with the information they seek.
Powerful marketing strategy
As we saw in the La Moda Merch example, marketing doesn’t have to be costly to create a huge demand. With a bit of creativity, social media platforms can be a true blessing, bringing both profit and fame.
Whether you choose content, email, influencer, or social media marketing, it’s a great way to speak directly to like-minded people, winning over their hearts, minds, and dollars.
To join the ranks of other successful businesses, find an approach that works for you, implementing various elements of other professional stores and adding your personal touch.
A few closing thoughts
We hope these successful POD businesses inspire you to build your own store that will someday serve as a shining example – empowering others to do the same.
With the rise of eCommerce and print-on-demand sites, it’s never been easier to design and sell products to people worldwide. Today, anyone can create a profitable store that provides an engaging browsing experience, inspires confidence, and encourages customers to purchase.
Whether it’s approached wholeheartedly as a full-time job or sparingly for a bit of additional income, Print on Demand welcomes everyone with open arms, allowing them to join the world of business confidently.
