Print on demand (POD) is a side hustle where you create designs, upload them to a platform, and the platform handles printing, fulfilment, and shipping when customers order. You pay nothing upfront and earn a royalty on each sale.
How It Works on Amazon
Amazon's Merch on Demand lets you create designs for t-shirts, hoodies, phone cases, tote bags, and other products. You upload your design, set a price, and write a product listing. When a customer buys, Amazon prints the item and ships it. You earn the difference between your set price and Amazon's base cost.
There is no inventory to buy, no shipping to manage, and no upfront cost beyond the time to create designs. If a design does not sell, you have lost nothing except the time spent creating it.
The Reality of POD Income
Royalties per sale are modest — typically £2–£5 per item depending on the product and your pricing. To generate meaningful income, you need either a large catalogue of designs (some sellers have hundreds or thousands) or a few designs that go semi-viral and sell consistently.
The vast majority of POD designs sell very little. Success comes from understanding niches, trending topics, and what people actually want to wear or display. Research is as important in POD as product research is in FBA.
Beyond Amazon
Other POD platforms include Redbubble, Teespring (now Spring), Society6, and Printful (which integrates with your own website or eBay shop). Many POD sellers upload designs to multiple platforms simultaneously, maximising their exposure.
Complementing Your FBA Business
POD is genuinely passive once designs are uploaded — it requires no ongoing management. For an FBA seller, it provides a completely different income stream with zero inventory risk. The skills do not overlap much (POD requires design skills or the ability to outsource them), but the diversification is valuable.
Getting Started
You do not need to be a designer. Tools like Canva and free design resources let you create simple, clean designs. Start with niche topics you understand — hobby communities, occupations, local humour — where you can create designs that resonate with specific audiences.
POD will not replace your FBA income, but it can provide a steady trickle of passive revenue that compounds as your design catalogue grows.