Watches have evolved from simple timepieces into powerful fashion statements and smart accessories, making them an exciting product category in the print on demand world. With the growing popularity of customization and wearable tech, selling custom-designed watches and smartwatch bands presents a unique opportunity for creatives, entrepreneurs, and niche brands. Whether you’re looking to create bold, artistic designs or branded accessories for your audience, On-demand printing makes it possible without upfront inventory or manufacturing hassle.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to start selling custom and smartwatch bands using print on demand. From design tips and product ideas to choosing the right suppliers and setting up your online store, you’ll gain a clear roadmap for turning your ideas into a thriving eCommerce business.
What are Print on Demand Watches?
Print on demand watches are timepieces that are customized and sold through a print on demand service, which means the product is only manufactured when a customer places an order. This model allows sellers to design and sell custom watch faces, bands, or smartwatch straps without holding any inventory or managing fulfillment.
POD suppliers handle the production, packaging, and shipping of each order, making it a low-risk and scalable way to offer unique watch designs. These can include anything from branded analog watches to personalized Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch bands with printed patterns, logos, or artwork.
Are watches in demand?
According to the above article, watches both classic and smart are still in high demand across the globe. With all the buzz around personalization and tech upgrades, chances are you’re wearing one too, aren’t you?”
Traditional Watches: A Timeless Market
Traditional watches continue to hold strong market value, especially in the fashion, luxury, and gift sectors. Despite the rise of digital devices, many consumers still view watches as style statements and symbols of status or professionalism. Fashion-forward audiences and collectors appreciate unique designs, craftsmanship, and heritage, keeping the demand for analog and designer watches alive.
According to industry data, the global watch market was valued at approximately USD 103 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to USD 158.19 billion by 2033, at a CAGR of 4.8%. This growth reflects the steady consumer interest in both affordable and high-end timepieces.
Smartwatches: A Rapidly Growing Sector
Smartwatches have exploded in popularity over the past decade due to their multifunctional use combining fitness tracking, health monitoring, connectivity, and convenience into one device. Although the global smartwatch market saw a rare dip of 7% in 2024, the trend quickly reversed in Q2 of the same year, with a 4% recovery, according to TechInsights and Counterpoint Research.
The market is forecast to grow from USD 42.5 billion in 2025 to USD 92 billion by 2034, at a CAGR of 9%, showing strong long-term potential. This growth is driven by demand for wearables, especially among health-conscious consumers, tech enthusiasts, and younger demographics.
Print on Demand Opportunity: Custom Watches & Smartwatch Bands
This sustained and growing interest in watches has created exciting opportunities in the print on demand space particularly for entrepreneurs and creatives.
Print-on-demand services now allow sellers to offer:
- Custom analog watches with branded or artistic designs on the dial.
- Smartwatch bands for popular models like Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit customized with graphics, patterns, or slogans.
Because these items are printed and shipped only after a customer places an order, Print on demand eliminates the need for inventory, warehousing, or upfront costs. It also appeals to consumers looking for personalized, limited-edition, or niche designs they can’t find in stores.
Custom Printed Watches
Custom printed watches are timepieces featuring unique, personalized designs on their dials, bands, or faces. Instead of mass-produced, generic styles, these watches are printed with artwork, branding, patterns, or messages tailored to specific customer tastes or business needs.
These watches are typically manufactured using print-on-demand services and sold online. They are produced only after an order is received, allowing sellers to avoid holding inventory, making upfront investments, or committing to bulk production.
What Can Be Customized in Print on Demand Watches?
When you sell custom watches through print-on-demand platforms, the extent of customization depends on the supplier. Some offer basic dial printing, while others allow full personalization including straps, packaging, and more. Here’s a detailed look at the key areas you can customize:
1. Watch Face (Dial)
The dial is the most commonly customizable part of a watch in the Print on demand model. It’s where your primary design appears and is visible at all times.
You can customize with:
- Artwork or illustrations: Perfect for artists and designers showcasing original work.
- Brand logos or text: Great for corporate watches or influencer merchandise.
- Monograms or initials: Popular for gifting (birthdays, weddings, anniversaries).
- Quotes, dates, or coordinates: Adds a personal or emotional touch.
Why it matters:
The face is the focal point of the watch, offering strong visual impact and branding potential.
2. Watch Band (Strap)
Some print on demand providers offer strap customization in addition to the dial.
Customizable features include:
- Printed straps: Design full-wrap patterns or images across leather, faux leather, or silicone straps.
- Color choices: Select from a range of solid color straps to match your dial.
- Textures & materials: Offer various finishes like leather grain, smooth, or rubberized straps.
Print on demand Apple Watch Bands:
Personalize your style with custom Apple Watch bands through print-on-demand! Choose from a range of colors, patterns, and even add your name or artwork. It’s the perfect way to make your smartwatch uniquely yours. No minimum order – designed by you, made on demand!
Why it matters:
A custom strap adds extra uniqueness and can turn a simple watch into a bold fashion accessory.
3. Watch Packaging
Higher-end Print on demand suppliers may also allow customization of the packaging box, which enhances the unboxing experience.
What you can customize:
- Branded boxes: Add your logo, slogan, or pattern.
- Personalized message inserts: Include a custom printed note or thank-you card.
- Design themes: Match the packaging design to the watch style (e.g., luxury, minimal, festive).
Why it matters:
Custom packaging improves perceived value and is especially important for gift purchases or premium branding.
4. Color & Material Options
Most Print on demand watch suppliers let you choose from a selection of case and strap materials and colors even if they’re not printed.
Examples include:
- Watch case finishes: Choose between polished silver, matte black, rose gold, etc.
- Strap materials: Faux leather, genuine leather, nylon, or silicone.
- Hardware styles: Mix and match case style, buckle finishes, and crown designs.
Why it matters:
Offering these choices lets customers feel like they’re designing their own watch, enhancing personalization without printing every component.
Selling custom watches through Print on Demand
Selling custom watches through Print on Demand is an efficient and flexible business model for entrepreneurs who want to create and sell personalized products without managing inventory, production, or shipping themselves. Here’s a detailed, step-by-step breakdown of the process:
1. Design Creation
What you do:
The first step in selling custom watches through on-demand printing is to create a unique design that you want to feature on the watch. This could be anything from a logo, artwork, pattern, or any graphic that resonates with your target audience.
Creating the Design:
You can create the design yourself using graphic design software like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or Canva. These tools allow you to craft detailed and high-quality visuals for your watches. Alternatively, if you’re not comfortable with designing, you can hire a professional designer to create the artwork for you.
Considerations for Design:
Since the design will be printed on a small, curved surface (the watch face), it’s important to ensure that the design fits well within the available space and looks good when scaled down.
Uploading to the Print on demand Platform:
After your design is finalized, you need to upload it to the print on demand platform of your choice. Many platforms such as Contrado, or InkedJoy allow easy uploads of digital artwork. These platforms provide templates or mockups for different watch styles (analog, digital, with varying bands) that you can use to visualize how your design will look on the product.
2. Product Listing
What you do:
Once your design is applied to a watch template, the next step is to list it for sale in your online store.
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Choosing a Watch Template:
Print on demand platforms typically offer a range of watch styles to choose from, including different types of watch faces, bands (e.g., leather, metal, silicone), and features (e.g., waterproof or digital). You can select the template that best suits your design and brand style.
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Creating the Listing:
After applying the design, you create a product listing in your online store using platforms like Shopify, Etsy, Wix, or any other eCommerce platform. The product listing includes:
- A title and description of the watch.
- Pricing (you set this yourself).
- Images of the watch: You can use product mockups provided by the POD platform, which show your design on a realistic-looking watch.
Your product listing should include key details, like:
- Watch features (e.g., stainless steel band, water resistance).
- Size or fit details
- Shipping and delivery time estimates.
- Return and warranty policies.
3. Order Placement
What happens:
After your store is live and customers start browsing, the next step is the order placement when a customer decides to buy your custom watch.
Customer Purchases:
When a customer clicks “Buy Now” on your store’s product page, they’re prompted to complete their purchase by entering payment details. The Print on demand provider is notified about the new order and begins the fulfillment process automatically.Pricing and Profit Structure:
- You, as the seller, set the retail price for the custom watch.
- The base cost is the price that the Print on demand provider charges you for producing and shipping the watch. This varies depending on the watch model, materials, and features.
- The profit margin is the difference between your selling price and the Print on Demand provider’s base cost. For example, if the base cost is ₹1,500 and you sell the watch for ₹3,500, your profit would be ₹2,000.”
Custom printed T-shirts for your online Store with Qikink
4. Automatic Fulfillment
What the provider does:
Once an order is placed, the Print on demand platform handles the entire production and shipping process. You don’t need to handle anything manually, making it a hands-off business model.
Print on demand Provider Handles Production:
The On-demand printing platform prints your design on the watch, assembles the components (e.g., attaching the watch face to the band), and ensures the functionality of the watch. This is where the customization happens- your design is applied to the product.
Shipping:
Once the watch is ready, the Print on demand provider ships it directly to your customer. This means you don’t have to manage inventory or handle packaging. The platform takes care of packaging the watch securely for delivery.
Order Tracking:
Many Print on demand providers also offer tracking numbers for each order, which can be shared with your customer. This ensures transparency, as both you and your customer can track the progress of the shipment from the Print on demand supplier to the customer’s address.
5. You Earn Profit
How you make money:
For prepaid orders, customers make payments directly to the seller, who then settles the product cost with the service provider. In the case of Cash on Delivery (COD) orders, the seller advances the product cost upfront to enable order processing and shipping. Upon delivery, the shipping partner collects the COD payment from the customer and transfers the full amount to the service provider, who subsequently forwards the entire sum to the seller without any deductions.
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Profit from Markup:
The amount you make per sale is the markup between what you sell the watch for and the Print on demand provider’s base cost. For example:
- Base cost of watch (POD provider): ₹1,700
- Retail price (customer pays): ₹4,200
- Your profit: ₹2,500 per watch sold
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Marketing & Promotion:
To maximize your sales, you need to promote your custom watches with marketing strategies. This can include:- Running social media ads on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
- Creating content (e.g., blog posts, YouTube videos, influencer collaborations) that highlights your watches.
- Offering discounts or promotions to attract more customers.
- Building an email list and sending targeted campaigns to your audience to increase repeat purchases.
Advantages of selling custom Print on demand watches
Selling custom watches through Print on Demand comes with several compelling advantages that make it an attractive business model especially for new entrepreneurs, creatives, and small brands looking to enter the eCommerce space with minimal risk. Here’s a detailed explanation of each key benefit:
1. Low Startup Costs
You don’t need to invest in bulk inventory, expensive equipment, or storage space. You only pay for products after a customer places an order. This drastically reduces the financial risk, making it easier to start your business without large upfront costs.
2. No Inventory Management
You don’t have to worry about storing, tracking, or managing stock. The Print on demand provider handles production, inventory, and shipping, so you can focus solely on selling. This saves you time and money by eliminating the need to maintain physical inventory.
3. Global Reach
Print on demand platforms work with production and shipping partners around the world, allowing you to sell to international markets. You don’t need to worry about global logistics or customs – your POD provider manages everything, making it easy to reach customers anywhere.
4. Easy to Scale
As your business grows, you can easily add more custom designs or expand into other products without worrying about increasing overhead. Print on demand providers handle the extra workload, making it simple to scale your business while keeping costs predictable.
5. Customization
Print on demand allows you to create highly personalized products, such as custom watch faces or engraved messages. This appeals to customers looking for unique, one-of-a-kind items, like gifts for special occasions, which can help you carve out a niche in the market.
6. Low Risk
Since you don’t have to buy products in bulk, there’s little financial risk in selling custom watches. If a design isn’t selling well, you can easily remove it from your store without any wasted investment in unsold inventory.
7. No Shipping or Customer Service
POD providers handle all aspects of fulfillment, from printing to packaging and shipping. This means you don’t need to manage logistics or deal with customer service issues like returns or shipping problems, allowing you to focus on growing your brand.
8. Eco-Friendly Options
Many POD platforms offer eco-friendly products and sustainable packaging, which helps you cater to environmentally conscious customers. If sustainability is a core value of your brand, you can choose providers who align with your eco-friendly goals.
9. Easy Integration with Online Stores
POD platforms integrate smoothly with popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce. This makes setting up and managing your online store effortless, while automatically syncing product listings and fulfilling orders for you.
Top Print on Demand Platforms for Custom Watches
Looking to launch a custom watch brand without managing production or inventory? This following content the top print on demand platforms for creating and selling personalized watches. Ideal for entrepreneurs, artists, and fashion-forward creators ready to build a unique timepiece line with ease.
1. Contrado
Contrado is a UK-based premium POD platform known for its high-quality, handmade products. It specializes in custom fashion and accessories, including luxury watches with detailed personalization options and white label branding. Perfect for brands seeking top-tier quality and unique packaging.
Watch Options:
- Premium leather strap watches with stainless steel or metal casing.
- Waterproof designs.
- Customizable face design, case color, and band.
Pros:
- Exceptional product quality with artisanal craftsmanship.
- Fast production and worldwide shipping.
- Fully customizable and brandable (packaging, labels, etc.).
Cons:
- Higher base costs than other POD platforms.
- Limited integration (mostly manual order management or via API).
2. InkedJoy
InkedJoy is a fast-growing POD service that caters to creative entrepreneurs looking for budget-friendly options. It provides a range of trendy custom products like watches, with a focus on simple design tools and quick fulfillment and Integration with Shopify and WooCommerce. Great for beginners and fast-paced fashion niches.
Watch Options:
- Casual-style watches with silicone or PU leather bands.
- Color options for dials and straps.
- Easy-to-use design editor.
Pros:
- User-friendly design interface.
- Fast production turnaround time.
- Budget-friendly pricing, good for entry-level sellers.
Cons:
- More limited in terms of watch quality and customization.
- Brand perception is mid-tier compared to Contrado or premium providers.
3. ShineOn
ShineOn is a niche POD platform that specializes in jewelry and timepieces designed for gifting with direct integrations with Shopify and Etsy. It offers customized watches with emotional message cards and elegant packaging, perfect for holidays, birthdays, or special occasions. Best suited for sentimental and high-margin product lines.
Watch Options:
- Watches customized with message cards (great for gifting).
- Elegant styles with stainless steel and leather bands.
- Comes with gift-ready packaging.
Pros:
- Excellent for gift-based sales (Mother’s Day, birthdays, etc.).
- Higher perceived value = better margins.
- Fast delivery within the U.S. and EU.
Cons:
- More focused on sentimental/niche markets than general fashion.
- Less control over design elements (e.g., fixed watch templates).
4. Gooten
Gooten is a global print-on-demand platform that connects you with trusted manufacturers for easy order fulfillment. It offers products like home decor, apparel, accessories—and even custom watches. With strong backend tools and integration options like Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce, it’s great for growing and managing an online store.
Watch Options:
- Casual and modern-style watches with customizable faces.
- Various strap materials (leather, silicone, metal) depending on manufacturer.
- Basic packaging included; branding options may vary by vendor.
Pros:
- Strong backend for order tracking, analytics, and inventory sync.
- Ideal for scaling and managing large product catalogs.
- Global production network ensures flexible shipping options.
Cons:
- Watch selection is more basic and less luxury/gift-oriented.
- Branding and customization options depend on the selected manufacturing partner.
Who buys custom printed watches
Custom printed watches are more than just timepieces—they’re a stylish expression of personality and purpose. Whether for personal use, gifting, or branding, these unique accessories attract a wide range of buyers. Their blend of functionality and customization makes them appealing to both individuals and businesses. Here’s a quick look at who’s buying them and why.
Gift Buyers
Custom printed watches make meaningful, one-of-a-kind gifts. Whether it’s a watch with a couple’s photo for an anniversary, a monogrammed dial for a birthday, or a personalized timepiece for a wedding party, gift buyers are drawn to the emotional value and uniqueness. The ability to add names, dates, or personal messages makes them ideal for commemorating special occasions.
Fans of Niche or Novelty Designs
There’s a massive market for watches that tap into specific interests – think movie references, fandoms, inside jokes, or internet memes. These customers are looking for something fun, expressive, and different from what’s in mainstream stores. Custom watches serve as wearable fan merch, perfect for creators targeting Gen Z, collectors, or followers of specific subcultures.
Ideal Niches for Custom Watches
- Pet lovers (e.g., custom pet portraits)
- Travel and adventure themes
- Sports teams or fan gear
- Luxury-inspired minimal designs
- Motivational quotes or spiritual affirmations
- Pop culture and fandom art
Corporate or Team Merchandise
Companies and organizations often purchase custom printed watches as branded merchandise, employee recognition gifts, or event giveaways. A custom dial with a logo or slogan helps reinforce brand identity and makes for a premium, practical keepsake. Similarly, school sports teams or clubs may order watches with mascots or mottos for team bonding and fundraising.
Artists and Brands Selling Limited-Edition
Independent artists, designers, and boutique brands use custom printed watches to showcase their artwork in a wearable format. By launching limited-edition designs, they create a sense of exclusivity and urgency, encouraging fans and collectors to purchase. Watches become both art and accessory, opening a new revenue stream for creative entrepreneurs without needing inventory.
Personalized Fashion for Trendy Shoppers
Some customers simply want to stand out with accessories that reflect their individual style. Custom watches with minimalist designs, name initials, color-matched straps, or aesthetic quotes appeal to trend-savvy buyers who value personalization. This group often includes influencers, students, and professionals looking for stylish, one-of-a-kind timepieces.
Conclusion: Time to Tap into the Watch Market
Print on demand watches and custom smartwatch bands offer a stylish, profitable way to enter the eCommerce world without upfront inventory or production headaches. From pet lovers and fandom communities to fashionistas and corporate clients, the demand for personalized timepieces spans multiple niches and occasions. With the right design, platform, and marketing strategy, you can turn your ideas into wearable art that customers proudly showcase on their wrists.
Whether you’re an artist, brand, or entrepreneur, POD watches allow you to sell timeless products with modern ease making every second count.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do watches sell well online?
Yes, watches can sell very well online, especially if you target niche markets such as luxury, smartwatches, or fashion watches. Online sales offer global reach, and platforms like Amazon, eBay, and niche websites for watch collectors provide a steady demand for different styles and price points.
2. Is there still money to be made in print-on-demand?
Yes, there is still money to be made in print-on-demand, especially with increasing demand for unique, personalized, and custom-made products. POD allows businesses to start with low investment and scale without worrying about inventory. With the right marketing and a niche audience, POD remains a profitable business model.
3. What is the future of print-on-demand?
The future of POD looks promising, with continued growth driven by advances in technology (like 3D printing), increasing consumer demand for personalization, and the rise of eco-conscious shopping. The market is expected to expand into new product categories (like furniture and home decor) and evolve with new printing technologies to offer even more customization and faster production times.
