Is selling printed shirts on Shopify paying off?

[LaraJean]

I have never done drop shipping before in my life and it seems like an interesting method to make money. I am not looking to become the next empire, to run a successful website who sells printed t-shirts through Printful and makes around $1,000 a month. Is it possible and not that hard?

Because I know the t-shirts competition is extremely high, and I'm curious about how much should I sell the t-shirts for?

 

[Grinch]

Everything is hard and nothing is simple, remember that.

But, dropshipping tee shirts / merch is not that difficult. Set up Shopify, install a third-party POD provider, outsource deigns with full commercial property and set up an automated fulfillment funnel via amazon.

Might sound a little complicated at first but once everything is set up you’ll just have to update designs and market it.

 

[LaraJean]

Everything is hard and nothing is simple, remember that.

But, dropshipping tee shirts / merch is not that difficult. Set up Shopify, install a third-party POD provider, outsource deigns with full commercial property and set up an automated fulfillment funnel via amazon.

Might sound a little complicated at first but once everything is set up you’ll just have to update designs and market it.

But do people buy? I mean there are so many t-shirts stores, my question is if there's still audience to target, are there still buyers too found or I'm really late to the party.

And one step I didn't understand; "and set up an automated fulfilment funnel via Amazon." - what does it mean?

 

[Grinch]

As long as you’re targeting the correct audience there will always be buyers.

Do some testing :

Get a 60 day free trial for Shopify.
Set up POD through your chosen provider.
Grab some images off google and alter them with effects and filters until they look like your own original work.
(Based on your images) Advertise to you’re specific market.
See what sells and doesnt sell and work from there.

Best of luck.

 

[maruan]

It sounds like a very good business, I used to do some kind of drop-shipping but just with phones.

 

[BeerMoneySwagger]

Set up POD through your chosen provider.

What is POD

 

[Grinch]

Print on demand.

Basically a service that already has the distribution set up, all you have to do is upload your logo and they will literally print it on the product and ship to the client, hense Print on Demand.

 

[Rockefeller666]

As long as you’re targeting the correct audience there will always be buyers.

Do some testing :

Get a 60 day free trial for Shopify.
Set up POD through your chosen provider.
Grab some images off google and alter them with effects and filters until they look like your own original work.
(Based on your images) Advertise to you’re specific market.
See what sells and doesnt sell and work from there.

Best of luck.

Does the 60 day free trial still exist? If so can you give the link?

 

[ind1g0]

Here's what I've learned so far in dabbling with Shopify and dropshipping shirts:

1.) You have to have some cool things. If you don't have cool designs or a specific niche or category you target, it's going to be hard. Selling shirts like Walmart with pricing that doesn't match it is a hard sell.

2.) Having a purpose behind selling a shirt can certainly boost sales. Invoke emotion, find something that is meaningful. For instance, I have a shirt that I sell that I specifically donate $5 per shirt to Riley Children's hospital.

3.) It takes a long time to start making money. Shopify is 30 a month. I spend more than that on food in a day if I'm not careful. Building a business isn't some mystical thing - you are finding something to sell and finding people who want to buy it. (I would suggest finding a target audience first, then find something they want/need)

4.) If you're simply wanting a hands-off approach, this can work. But I fear it would take a lot of money. Unless you can afford ads or have someone who is good at marketing, ads can be hard. Read up in this forum (as I have been).

If you really do want to start an apparel brand, testing ideas with a POD service is great. I picked up a good deal for a screen press and when I find winning t-shirts my expenses will go from 9-13 dollars per shirt plus shipping to bulk ordering shirts for 1-3 dollars and using a few cents in chemicals... plus shipping.

I'm not making a killing, I haven't put a lot of time in it, but it's viable if you find a target audience and provide them with something they like.

Sorry for a long-winded reply, I'm anxious and putting my 2 cents in helps calm me down.

 

[ilovetobun69]

Here's what I've learned so far in dabbling with Shopify and dropshipping shirts:

1.) You have to have some cool things. If you don't have cool designs or a specific niche or category you target, it's going to be hard. Selling shirts like Walmart with pricing that doesn't match it is a hard sell.

2.) Having a purpose behind selling a shirt can certainly boost sales. Invoke emotion, find something that is meaningful. For instance, I have a shirt that I sell that I specifically donate $5 per shirt to Riley Children's hospital.

3.) It takes a long time to start making money. Shopify is 30 a month. I spend more than that on food in a day if I'm not careful. Building a business isn't some mystical thing - you are finding something to sell and finding people who want to buy it. (I would suggest finding a target audience first, then find something they want/need)

4.) If you're simply wanting a hands-off approach, this can work. But I fear it would take a lot of money. Unless you can afford ads or have someone who is good at marketing, ads can be hard. Read up in this forum (as I have been).

If you really do want to start an apparel brand, testing ideas with a POD service is great. I picked up a good deal for a screen press and when I find winning t-shirts my expenses will go from 9-13 dollars per shirt plus shipping to bulk ordering shirts for 1-3 dollars and using a few cents in chemicals... plus shipping.

I'm not making a killing, I haven't put a lot of time in it, but it's viable if you find a target audience and provide them with something they like.

Sorry for a long-winded reply, I'm anxious and putting my 2 cents in helps calm me down.

so i should get a tshirt press and do it my self? I was looking into it, but most "custom" shirt printing cost almost as much as i can sell them for. After fees i loose a dollar or two.

I mean i could use it for a certain product ,if it does not work out anyways .

 

[YoungArt]

OP why don't you try teespring instead of dropshipping?

 

[deedee1whoa]

OP why don't you try teespring instead of dropshipping?

What's the difference and, why do you think it's better?

 

[red333]

I have never done drop shipping before in my life and it seems like an interesting method to make money. I am not looking to become the next empire, to run a successful website who sells printed t-shirts through Printful and makes around $1,000 a month. Is it possible and not that hard?

Because I know the t-shirts competition is extremely high, and I'm curious about how much should I sell the t-shirts for?

No, Print on Demand is not good, unless you got a fan niche / an unsaturated niche or you´re a good designer & make your own stylish designs.

Otherwise it´s a waste of time and energy.
+ you have running costs, don´t forget advertising; shopify cost; paypal/checkout fees in general; any other app that cost monthly; the print on demand costs smth (low margin in general).

 

[YoungArt]

What's the difference and, why do you think it's better?

As far as I'm concerned teespring can print any design you want. Also I'm sure their shipping period is faster than with dropshipping. However I haven't tried it yet but definitely will in the future as soon as I've got a bigger budget.

 

[ind1g0]

so i should get a tshirt press and do it my self? I was looking into it, but most "custom" shirt printing cost almost as much as i can sell them for. After fees i loose a dollar or two.

I mean i could use it for a certain product ,if it does not work out anyways .

The cost is dramatically lower, however, you will have to then invest money in shirts and materials needed to make the shirts. So you'll have less in them per product, but you need to have a design people want to buy. If you were to buy a screen press or a heatpress, you could learn how to create and then find people who need shirts made.

As far as I'm concerned teespring can print any design you want. Also I'm sure their shipping period is faster than with dropshipping. However I haven't tried it yet but definitely will in the future as soon as I've got a bigger budget.

POD (print on demand) is a dropshipping service. You sign up to one (I use printful), I link my shopify store to it so it automatically places orders. The company then prints your product on demand and ships the product. Generally 1-5 days for the company to print, pack, and send the product out to your customer all while looking like you did it all.

Dropshipping is simply having a supplier send it to your customer, but it looks like it comes from you (your business). I know you're thinking of dropshipping cheap products from aliexpress and china, but you can have a viable business dropshipping anything.

At least, that's how I see it

 

[ilovetobun69]

The cost is dramatically lower, however, you will have to then invest money in shirts and materials needed to make the shirts. So you'll have less in them per product, but you need to have a design people want to buy. If you were to buy a screen press or a heatpress, you could learn how to create and then find people who need shirts made.



POD (print on demand) is a dropshipping service. You sign up to one (I use printful), I link my shopify store to it so it automatically places orders. The company then prints your product on demand and ships the product. Generally 1-5 days for the company to print, pack, and send the product out to your customer all while looking like you did it all.

Dropshipping is simply having a supplier send it to your customer, but it looks like it comes from you (your business). I know you're thinking of dropshipping cheap products from aliexpress and china, but you can have a viable business dropshipping anything.

At least, that's how I see it

eh the way i see it, dropshipping is for people who are trying out a new product. It would be stupid not to buy bulk overtime.