Why Print on Demand Didn’t Work for Me: The Reality Behind the Hype
When I first started my journey as an entrepreneur, one of the business models that seemed most appealing was print on demand (POD). The idea was simple and sounded like a dream come true: create designs, upload them to a platform like Etsy, and let the product sales roll in. Unfortunately, the reality was far from the quick success I had imagined. In this post, I’ll share why print on demand didn’t work for me, the challenges I faced with Etsy, and what I learned along the way.
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Not as Expected
False Expectations of Quick Sales
Before starting any business, I always do some research before going full throttle, as I expect any other entrepreneur to do. What popped up the most when trying to figure out what I wanted to do was print on demand (POD). Watching all these influencers convinced me that POD was the way to go, claiming that POD was a way to earn passive income with little effort. I had false expectations and thought I could quickly make sales within a week. Unfortunately, reality slapped me in the face. Print-on-Demand is a long-term game, not a quick cash grab. The hype surrounding it created unrealistic expectations, and I quickly learned it took much more effort, time, and strategy than what was portrayed. Don’t get me wrong, it was probably quick for them since they got in when no one was doing it, but now it is a different story.
Overhyped Popularity
The popularity of Print-on-Demand also led me to believe it was the “perfect business model.” While it’s definitely a way to get started in e-commerce, I now realize that it’s more competitive than originally thought. There are tons of competition, and many sellers have already mastered the game, making it difficult for newcomers to stand out.
Not as instant
One of the biggest takeaways from this whole experience is that it is not as instant as I thought it would be. It was portrayed to be one of those things that you could easily make money in a short amount of time. All the success stories were of people painting it to be something you would get overnight sales in. But after a month of hard work, I was still waiting on my first sale—and that was a wake-up call for me.
The Difficulty of Learning AI Prompts
In the attempt to create unique eye-catching designs, I decided to use AI tools like MidJourney. At first, I thought this would be a game changer that would help me produce high quality designs quickly. However, this came with its own set of problems. Learning how to write effective prompts for MidJourney was harder than I anticipated. The AI didn’t always produce the designs I was envisioning, and it took time to figure out how to fix those prompts for better results. As a beginner, there was a steep learning curve, and I felt overwhelmed at times trying to master it.
Deciding to Use Etsy
I chose Etsy as my platform because of its massive user base and reputation for selling unique, creative products without putting thousands into marketing. Since I am not much of a content creator this seemed like a win-win. However, what I didn’t fully understand at the time was how Etsy’s algorithm worked and the effort it required to be successful amongst a whole bunch of other factors.
The Etsy Algorithm: Struggling to Get Seen
One of the first things I faced was understanding how to be visible on Etsy. Simply having a shop with a few products in your store doesn’t make the cut. Without enough listings it’s hard to even get noticed. I needed to post as many products as possible to to get noticed.
At first you think, “yea I can crank out designs! no problem!” until its time to do it. Even though I was creating multiple designs a day, it wasn’t enough to generate consistent sales. Etsy customers want variety, but they also want high-quality designs that resonate with them. The pressure to do that is enormously stressful especially when you start to have creator’s block.
The other thing I didn’t realize was that with Etsy, it’s crucial to stick to one product before diversifying. So I am cranking out all these signs on mugs, shirts, tote bags, and hoodies to not make the cut. Etsy rewards consistency. If I had focused on just one type of product and built up my store that way, I would have had a better chance at success. Spreading myself thin with too many product types too early on worked against me.
To put the cherry on top, Etsy ads became a necessary investment to push products to customers. This meant that Print-on-demand turned from being a free business to start quickly to not so free in addition to having to pay for MidJourney. I was not fully prepared for this financially, especially when you needed Etsy ads to keep you from being buried under the thousands of other items even with the help of analytic platforms like EverBee.
Competing With Established Sellers
Competing with established sellers who already had reviews and a loyal customer base was another challenge in itself. New shops like mine struggled to break through the noise, especially when my shop was new and didn’t have the trust signals (like positive reviews) that buyers are looking for. Despite my excitement, no one seemed interested in the AI-generated designs I was creating. While some people loved the idea of AI-generated artwork, it didn’t seem to resonate with my target audience. It was discouraging, to say the least, but it taught me an important lesson: just because something is new and exciting doesn’t mean it will automatically attract customers.
If I Wanted to Go Back and Be Successful:
Stick with one product: I would focus on just one product (like t-shirts or mugs) until I got enough sales and reviews to expand my product line. Trying to diversify too quickly was a mistake.
Budget for ads: To gain visibility on Etsy, I would budget for ads from the start. The ad spend is relatively low—only 20 cents per listing—but it does add up over time. However, without ads, it’s hard to get noticed.
Master AI and MidJourney: I would dedicate more time to learning how to create high-quality prompts and use MidJourney effectively. Finding a course or guide would definitely help streamline the process.
Change My Mindset: One of the biggest lessons I learned is the importance of patience and persistence. Print-on-demand isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme, and I needed to shift my mindset from expecting fast results to understanding the work and consistency required for long-term success.
Conclusion
In the end, print-on-demand was not the quick and easy business model I was hoping for. While it’s great option for many entrepreneurs, I found that it requires a lot effort, time, and money to make it work. The hype around it was overblown, and I had to the reality of it all.
Despite the setback, I learned valuable lessons from this experience. If I decide to give it another shooting in the future, I now know exactly what to do to be successful. I know what you're thinking. Why not just try again? Honestly because this actually led to the businesses that I enjoy today that I am trying to breakthrough in. My advice to you all who are considering print-on-demand business make sure you are prepared for the hard work it takes—and don’t expect instant results. Be patient, stay consistent, and always be willing to adapt.
