It's easy to understand the appeal of starting a print-on-demand (POD) shop on Etsy. Many online stories make it seem like a simple way to make money, suggesting that a basic Canva design and some Etsy SEO knowledge are all you need to earn thousands per month.
Let's be very clear: this is not a guide that sugarcoats how easy it is to open and run a print-on-demand shop on Etsy. If you're looking for a quick fairytale, this isn't it. Instead, I'm here to give you a realistic look at what selling POD products on Etsy in 2025 is really like and if it’s still a good idea.
For a while now, some Etsy 'gurus' have suggested that using Etsy SEO tools (that they are affiliated with) to research the best product niches, creating simple graphics + fonts on Canva, and voila, the sales comes in automatically. With the huge amount of competition on Etsy today, that just doesn't work anymore.
In this guide, I'll walk you through the current POD landscape on Etsy, its pros and cons, the best POD providers, and, most importantly, strategies I recommend to give you the best chance of succeeding as an Etsy POD seller in 2025.
Let's get started.
First, What Exactly is Print-On-Demand?
Print-on-demand is a business setup where you, the seller, create designs for products listed in your Etsy shop. When a customer buys something, that order automatically goes to a third-party POD company. This company then prints your design on the product (like a t-shirt or mug), packs it, and ships it straight to your customer. You don’t keep any products in stock yourself, which makes it an attractive option for many people starting out.
The 2025 Landscape for POD on Etsy: Crowded and Changing
The print-on-demand world on Etsy in 2025 is very different from its early days. It's a busy and often tough market.
Intense Competition in Many POD Niches
Almost every POD niche you can think of is packed with sellers, and new ones are joining all the time, especially due to the economic downturn. It's not enough to just be there; you need to offer something truly different to get noticed.
The Problem of "Sameness"
A big issue in the POD market is how similar many shops look. Because it's easy to start, the market is flooded with simple, often low-quality designs. Many sellers offer slight variations of the same popular phrases or graphics, making it hard for buyers to find unique brands.
The Impact of AI on POD
AI has its upsides and downsides. Etsy generally allows AI-generated art if you tell customers it's AI-made. While AI can help with brainstorming or writing product descriptions, using it for your actual designs often leads to generic-looking products that customers don't connect with. Buyers are getting good at spotting AI designs that lack a human touch, which can mean fewer sales.
New Print-On-Demand Methods
While standard printing is still common, newer techniques like 3D printing POD, embroidery, and textured printing are becoming more available. These can help your products look different, but you'll need to find good POD providers that offer them.
It's important to remember that POD is just a way to get your products made and shipped. It's not the product itself. Many sellers who try POD and don't succeed make the mistake of focusing too much on POD as their identity. POD is a tool for designers and artists to get their creations onto products without needing to buy their own printers or handle shipping.
Is Print-On-Demand Still a Good Option on Etsy in 2025?
Even with the challenges, selling POD on Etsy has its benefits:
Pros
- Easy to Get Started: Setting up a shop and listing products doesn't require you to buy inventory upfront.
- Low Starting Investment: Besides possible Etsy listing fees and design software costs (many have free options), you don't need a lot of money to begin. You only pay for the product when a customer orders it.
- No Inventory to Manage: You don't have to worry about storing products or having unsold items.
- Fulfilment and Shipping Handled by Others: The POD company takes care of printing, packing, and shipping, giving you more time for design and marketing.
Cons
- Small Profit Margins: After the POD provider's costs and Etsy fees, the money you make on each item can be small. This means you need to sell a lot to earn a good income.
- Huge Competition: The market is very crowded, making it hard to get noticed.
- Less Control Over Quality and Shipping: You depend on your POD partner for product quality and how quickly items are shipped. A bad provider can lead to unhappy customers and hurt your brand.
- Harder to Build a Loyal Following: Since you don't handle the products yourself, it’s more difficult to create a special unboxing experience or add personal touches that encourage customers to come back.
So, is POD on Etsy still a good path? I believe it can be, but expect to put in a lot of work. Success depends on your designs, your understanding of the market, and how much effort you put into building a real brand. It’s less about "easy money" and more about smart, creative work.
Choosing Your Print-On-Demand Partner
Picking the right POD provider is vital for your shop's success. Here’s a brief look at three well-known options:
Printful
Printful is a popular choice, known for a good range of products and generally consistent quality. They offer different printing methods like direct-to-garment (DTG), embroidery, and sublimation, and they connect easily with Etsy. They also have fulfilment centres in several countries.
- Pros: Sellers love Printful for being easy to use, having reliable print quality, and offering good customer service. They also provide branding options like custom labels, which helps create a more professional look. They tend to offer a wider range of higher-quality items.
- Cons: Printful's products can be more expensive than some other options, which can affect your profit. Production times might also be longer, especially during busy periods.
Printify
Printify works a bit differently by connecting you to a network of print providers worldwide. This means you can often find better prices and a wider variety of items. You select the specific print provider for each product.
- Pros: The main benefit of Printify is often the cost; their network can mean lower product prices, potentially increasing your profit. Having a choice of different providers also means you might find printers for very specific or niche products. They have a larger catalog of items.
- Cons: Quality and reliability can differ a lot between Printify's various print providers. This means you need to do your homework and order samples to check them out. Customer service and packaging can also vary.
Gelato
Gelato is another global POD provider that focuses on sustainable and local production through its network of print partners in over 30 countries. They aim to reduce shipping distances by making products closer to your customer.
- Pros: Gelato’s main strengths are its worldwide reach and focus on local production, which can mean faster and cheaper shipping for international orders. They also emphasise their commitment to sustainability. Their platform is generally user-friendly.
- Cons: Their product selection might not be as large as Printful's or offer as many unique items as you could find through Printify. While prices can be good, always compare specific products and shipping. As with any network, quality can vary, so ordering samples is a must.
(and I found this link that gives you 50% off your first order!)
Other POD providers that integrate with Etsy include Gooten, Art of Where, and Teelaunch. No matter who you choose, I always recommend ordering samples of your products before you list them. This way, you can check the print, the material, packaging, and the overall quality yourself.
Popular Print-On-Demand Products on Etsy in 2025
While trends can change, some product types consistently do well on Etsy for POD sellers. Often, success comes from finding a unique angle within these popular areas. For any product you choose, it's key to really understand what your target customers like and want.
Apparel (T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, Hoodies)
This is still a very popular category for POD. Customers are looking for more than just a basic graphic on a shirt. They want unique, artistic designs, clever sayings that connect with specific groups or interests, and good-quality, comfortable clothing. Personalised items, like adding names or dates, are also very popular. Shoppers are also paying more attention to fabric quality.
Drinkware (Mugs, Tumblers)
Mugs are always big sellers, especially as gifts. Customers want designs that are funny, inspiring, personalied, or related to specific hobbies and jobs. Tumblers are also popular because they're useful. It's important that the printing can survive dishwashing. Unique mug shapes can also help.
Home Decor (Wall Art, Pillows, Candles)
POD wall art, like posters and canvas prints, lets customers easily personalise their homes. They look for original art, eye-catching photos, or designs that fit certain decor styles (like modern farmhouse or minimalist). For pillows and blankets, unique patterns and cozy designs that create a certain feeling are popular.
Tote Bags & Accessories
Reusable tote bags are useful and a way to show personality. Customers like artistic designs, funny slogans, or graphics that represent their interests or favourite causes. Good quality printing and durable bags are important.
Stationery & Stickers
Personalised notebooks, journals, and unique sticker designs are very popular, especially with younger people and those who enjoy journaling or crafting. Customers look for bright, high-quality printing and designs that are cute, quirky, or motivational.
Leveraging AI Tools Wisely in Your Etsy POD Business
AI tools can be helpful for your Etsy POD shop, but it's important to use them in the right way. Don't think of AI as your designer; think of it as an assistant. You can use tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to help brainstorm ideas for target customers and what they might be looking for, or to help you write product descriptions more quickly. This can save you time on tedious tasks.
However, I've seen that relying on AI for the actual designs often leads to products that look generic and don't really connect with Etsy buyers. Customers usually appreciate a human touch and unique creativity, which AI designs often lack. These AI-generated designs can sometimes stand out for the wrong reasons and might not sell well.
There's also some buzz about using AI for product photography, like putting your design on a model. While new tools are coming out for this, I'd advise caution. On Etsy, authenticity is really important. If you use AI mockups, make sure they look realistic and truly show what your product is like. The best approach in my opinion is to use AI to speed up research and writing, but keep your own creativity at the heart of your designs and product presentation.
How to Stand Out and Win for Etsy POD Sellers
With so much competition, doing well as an Etsy POD seller in 2025 means you need to be smart and strategic. Here are some approaches that I've seen work well for my students and that I'd recommend:
Stay on Top of Trending Products & Move Exceptionally Quickly
- Why it has a good chance of working: Trends can create a sudden rush of demand.If you're one of the first to offer a quality product that fits a new trend, you can make a lot of sales before that niche gets too crowded.
- How to achieve it: I recommend regularly checking what's popular on TikTok and Instagram. When you see a trend that might fit your shop, quickly research it, create a high-quality and original design for it, and list it fast with good SEO. Speed is important, but never sacrifice quality or your unique touch.
Consider New and Niche POD Options
- Why it has a good chance of working: Looking beyond the usual t-shirts and mugs can help you find markets with fewer sellers. Offering unique items like embroidered products, all-over-print clothing, or even exploring 3D printed POD can make your shop different.
- How to achieve it: I suggest researching POD providers that offer these less common options. Understand what they offer, the quality, prices, and how they connect with Etsy. For example, if you’re interested in embroidery, look for providers known for good stitching. 3D printing is still quite new for POD, so finding great partners might take more digging, but the uniqueness could really pay off.
Cultivate a Strong Social Media Presence
- Why it has a good chance of working: Just relying on Etsy search often isn't enough to get seen, especially with the large amount of sellers. Building an audience on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest can bring targeted visitors straight to your shop. A good social media presence also helps build your brand.
- How to achieve it: First, figuring out where their ideal customers spend time online. Then, create content that shows off your products, tells your brand’s story, and is interesting to your followers. You don't need millions of followers; a smaller, very engaged group can be powerful. Think about collaborations and post consistently with your authentic voice. You’ll likely need to get your content seen by a good number of people in your niche (be at least semi-viral) to drive enough traffic.
Really Niche Down and Create Something Unique That Resonates
- Why it has a good chance of working: Trying to sell to everyone often means you don't really connect with anyone. Focusing on a specific niche lets you understand your target customers very well – what they like, what they need, and how they talk. This allows you to create products and messages that they’ll truly care about.
- How to achieve it: I always tell sellers to go deeper than broad categories. Instead of "t-shirts," think "funny t-shirts for cat-loving moms." Research groups with specific passions, hobbies, or jobs that might not have many products made for them yet. Create designs that speak their language. Your product descriptions should also show this deep understanding.
Go 100% Authentic: Invest in Your Brand's Uniqueness
- Why it has a good chance of working: In a world of generic mockups, being real stands out. Customers like honesty and a genuine brand story. Using your own photos and a clear brand voice can make you different from shops that all use the same mockup images.
- How to achieve it: I can't stress this enough: always order samples of your products. Once you have them, take your own photos – they could be lifestyle shots or simple flat lays. They don't need to be super polished; sometimes a more "real" photo builds more trust. Develop a brand voice that is consistently you (or your defined brand personality) across your shop, descriptions, and social media. Let your unique style shine through.
So Is Etsy POD Still a Good Path in 2025?
So, is print-on-demand on Etsy still worth doing in 2025? Yes, I believe it can be, but it requires a different mindset than it did a few years ago. The idea of quickly listing simple designs and making easy money is completely gone.
Success today depends on your ability to build a real brand, market effectively, and create truly unique, high-quality designs that connect with a specific group of people. You need to be ready for the hard work of making your shop stand out, actively promoting it, and giving your customers great service.
If you’re willing to put in the effort to build a genuine brand, really understand your customers, and use POD as a smart tool for fulfilment (not as your whole business identity), then Etsy can still be a great place for your creative business. However, if you're looking for a low-effort way to make money online, the reality of Etsy POD today will likely be disappointing.
