What is print-on-demand and why is it such a game-changer for artists?

Print-on-demand means you don’t have to hold inventory or meet minimum order quantities. When an order comes in, you get paid, the printer gets paid, the order gets printed and boxed with your logo, then shipped—all automatically. You don’t drive to the printer, review samples, pick up orders, wait for shipping pickups, send tracking numbers, or deal with damaged shipments. It’s all handled for you. This is especially powerful for merchandise like calendars, where you used to have to order minimums of 100 units for $1,500 and warehouse unsold product. Those days of having a garage full of unsold calendars (essentially expensive kindling) are over. This automation removes the ‘waiter’ role from your restaurant, freeing you to focus on creating and marketing.

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Asked by an artist learning about fulfillment options · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2023-09-29