Dropshipping is good, Printify is better

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Here’s what people say about us

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4.8
Based on 4000+ reviews on and
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What is dropshipping?

A dropshipping business sells goods without holding inventory. You list items in your online store, and when a customer places an order, your dropshipping supplier ships it directly to them. 

Source products from wholesale marketplaces and manufacturers. By leaving logistics to dropshipping suppliers, you spend more time on marketing, new products, and growing your business.

How does dropshipping work?

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    1. Partner with a dropshipping supplier

    Find reliable dropshipping suppliers that offer the product quality your customers expect.

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    2. List products online

    Add them to your dropshipping store or eCommerce business.

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    3. Customer purchases

    Once a customer places an order, your supplier handles order fulfillment and shipping on your behalf.

Dropshipping pros and cons

Dropshipping has its advantages and challenges. Here’s what to expect if you want to start a dropshipping business:

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    Pros

    • Easy to start with minimal upfront investment
    • Wide range of dropshipping products and product categories
    • No need for storage space or complex inventory management
    • Ability to test trending products quickly without financial risk

     

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    Cons

    • Lower profit margins compared to other models
    • Limited control over shipping, packaging, and product quality
    • Harder to build customer loyalty since suppliers manage most fulfillment steps
    • High competition with many other sellers offering similar products

     

For sellers who want higher quality products, better branding, and more control, Print on Demand is the smarter path.

Partner with Printify and make those profits happen

Printify makes it simple to open an online store and connect directly with popular selling platforms. Publish product listings fast with our automated integrations and start selling without technical setup or guesswork. 

With easy setup and powerful tools, growing your print-on-demand business has never been easier. This is the dropshipping alternative that gives you more control over product quality, profit margins, and customer experience.

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Print on Demand: Your profitable dropshipping alternative

Print on Demand is a lower-risk, higher-margin sister of dropshipping – you sell products with your own designs. Here’s how Printify works:

Pick from more than 1,300 custom products, including t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, and more. Test different categories easily and find what sells best for your audience.

Use the Product Creator to add or create your artwork, adjust placement, and preview products in real time. Generate mockups to showcase items professionally in your store without extra design work.

Use Printify’s integrations with Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, and social platforms like TikTok to publish listings. Once synced, your products are ready for worldwide eCommerce sales with automated order processing.

When a customer orders, it’s automatically sent to a Print Provider in our fulfillment network. Your design is printed, packed, and shipped directly to the customer, saving you time and effort.

This way, you control the creative side while leaving logistics to us.

Benefits of Print on Demand

Printify gives you the tools to build a successful print-on-demand brand:

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    1. Simple customization

    Easily create unique products with our Product Creator. Use built-in fonts, graphics, and our AI Image Generator to make professional designs fast. Once you’re done, generate high-quality mockups to use in your store listings.

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    2. Quality you can rely on

    Work with trusted Print Providers offering durable materials, consistent print results, and reliable shipping. From soft cotton tees to premium home decor, every item is made to meet customer expectations and keep returns low.

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    3. Custom branding

    Advance your customer experience with custom branding. Add neck labels and packaging inserts to every order to boost recognition and repeat purchases.

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    4. Max profit margins

    Printify’s low base pricing helps sellers reach 40%+ profit margins while staying competitive in every niche.

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    5. Reach a wider audience

    Stand out in crowded markets by offering personalized products. Niche designs and custom options let you connect with specific audiences, reduce competition, and expand globally.

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    6. Largest product catalog in POD

    Choose from over 1,300, spanning apparel, home decor, accessories, and lifestyle items. Test trending and evergreen products to build a winning lineup.

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    7. No order minimums

    Every item is printed after purchase, so you don’t need to stock or pre-buy inventory. Order one item or a hundred – and if you want to buy in bulk, you can cut down your own shipping costs while keeping fulfillment simple.

Dropshipping business compared to Print on Demand

Here’s how Print on Demand offers more control, stronger margins, and a better customer experience than dropshipping services.

Inventory
Supplier holds stock and ships; you must request product samples to check for quality issues
No stock, no waste – every item is made after a customer orders
Startup costs
Zero upfront costs, but very limited control
Low startup costs, no need to buy in bulk
Risk
Low risk, but heavily depends on the dropshipping supplier
Low risk, every sale is made to order
Flexibility
Low flexibility; products are generic and not customizable
Easy to discover winning products and switch designs any time
Control
Supplier controls product quality and shipping
You manage designs and branding
Scalability
Growth depends on the supplier’s capacity and consistency
Scales automatically with demand through Printify’s fulfillment network
Profit margins
Lower profit margins due to additional supplier fees
Stronger margins thanks to competitive base prices
Time management
Supplier-controlled experience, weaker customer loyalty
Branded unboxing, unique products, better loyalty

Dropshipping FAQ

Dropshipping profitability depends on various factors: market demand, product quality, and how well you market your store. But most traditional dropshippers face lower profit margins because they sell the same dropshipping products as others and have limited control over quality and customer experience.

Print on Demand gives you a stronger path to profitability with unique designs, trending products, and higher perceived value.

Dropshipping is a business model where you sell products directly from a supplier without holding inventory. The supplier ships items to your customers after each sale. 

Print on Demand works the same way but with a twist – instead of selling pre-made items, you sell custom products made only after a customer orders them. This allows you to build a brand around unique designs, personalized offers, and trending products without worrying about unsold stock.

If you want a profitable dropshipping business, POD is usually the smarter route. Traditional dropshipping is often a race to the bottom with generic products and tight margins. POD gives you personalized items, a clearer brand identity, and higher perceived value

That means fewer direct competitors and a better chance to stand out in almost any dropshipping niche. You also avoid the headache of returns on poor-quality products, since you choose Print Providers with consistent standards.

The best place to start with a POD business model is with Printify. Unlike dropshipping, where you rely on random suppliers and compete with thousands of identical listings, Printify gives you direct access to high-quality products you can customize and brand as your own.

Many start with a Shopify store because it connects smoothly with Printify and gives you full control over design, payments, and customer experience. From there, you can expand into other marketing channels like Etsy, TikTok Shop, or Amazon to reach more buyers.

So why start dropshipping if POD is right there? With Printify, you get all the benefits of a dropshipping business – no inventory, no shipping headaches – but with far better control over your brand and margins.

Yes, dropshipping is legal as long as you follow local business rules.

If you sell to customers in the US, you’ll most likely encounter sales tax. Each state governs this individually – check out our blog on understanding sales tax to gain more insights.

Many store owners also apply for a business license as they grow. Check out our advice on how to get a business license before learning how to start dropshipping.

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Printify + POD = Profits

Design amazing products and reach your business goals with a model better than dropshipping.