The phone case business has launched its growth even higher as more people look for ways to protect and personalise their smartphones. With new models launching every few months, custom phone cases have become a high-demand online product.
The social media influencing and trending designs are attracting the mobile users and gaining their interest in buying the design as their smartphone cases. Using this interest, many existing brands and new creators are shifting their focus towards creating and selling phone cases both online and offline.
And the biggest advantage is that every aspiring entrepreneur can begin their online store and sell their customised phone cases, with the help of the Print on Demand (POD) platforms, where they help to design, print and sell your products, without holding any inventory, which also lets you focus only on designing and marketing.
If you are inspired to make phone cases and sell online yourself, this guide is for you. You’ll learn how to design phone cases, choose the right niche, set pricing, pick the best print on demand service and eCommerce platforms like Amazon or Etsy and market your products effectively.
Key Takeaways:
- India’s smartphone and accessories market is growing rapidly, creating strong demand for custom phone cases from diverse buyers.
- Print On Demand business models eliminate inventory risks and allow flexible product testing with minimal investment.
- Understanding your niche market and target audience is crucial for choosing the right phone case types and designs.
- Effective marketing blends SEO, social media ads, and collaborations with niche influencers to drive traffic and sales.
Why Start a Phone Case Business in India?
The demand for phone cases continues to grow as smartphones have become a daily essential for everyone at work, entertainment, shopping, social media and for digital quick payments. With every launch of a new phone model, customers seek stylish, protective, personalised and custom printed phone cases.
This creates a new opportunity for entrepreneurs thinking about selling custom-printed products. Today, phone cases are not just for protection; it is a fashion and lifestyle product for people. Similar to buying a new designed outfit, people are eager to see their phone cases carrying their own or favourite art.
People started to change their mobile cases season to season, like adopting their favourite movie, series, festival trend, food, dress, or even quotes representing their personality. This interest has paved the way for every online seller to move into this customised phone case business.
Starting a phone case business is a bigger opportunity in this modern world today, because,
- Market Demand: Smartphones are upgraded frequently, where someone buys a new phone or wants to refresh their current one, a phone case is usually one of the first purchases they make.
- Personalisation Trend: The Gen Z trend has brought custom products into the phone cases industry, with names, quotes, characters, sports, aesthetics, and so much more.
- Repeat Purchase Potential: Unlike many other products, customers often buy more than one phone case, either to match styles or replace old ones, where a satisfied customer can become a repeat buyer.
- Print on Demand: With a print on demand partner, you can create designs, upload them to your store, and start selling instantly. The printing, packing, and delivery are taken care of by the partner, reducing your risk of inventory management.
Why Should You Consider a Print On Demand Phone Case Business?
Thinking about “how to sell phone cases online”?. To answer your doubts and help you with your business fulfilment, the Print on Demand (POD) plays a major role. By choosing a local fulfilment print on demand partner like Qikink, your inventory hassle is not a problem; your order fulfilment will be taken care of.
Print on Demand is one of the most beginner-friendly and low-risk models to start, for selling phone cases. In this model, every phone case is printed only when an order is received, so you, as a seller, do not have to worry about any upfront expenses, and can work on producing the best print on demand phone cases design.
Here’s why phone case print on demand is the smart way to start a business:
- Platforms like Qikink handle every operation after your customer places an order, from production to shipping.
- There are no Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs), signup fees, or additional charges, which makes this a beginner-friendly business model and enables you to launch creative ideas quickly.
- This model lets you instantly add designs for new models without waiting for old stock to sell out or making huge preorders.
- You can offer personalised packaging and branding options without any extra operational complexity, and you are also able to ship regionally and provide international shipping, which is a bigger advantage for every aspiring phone case seller.
Is the Phone Case Business Profitable?
According to market insights, the Indian mobile accessories market is estimated to be worth around ₹271 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to about ₹432 billion by 2032, depicting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.8% from 2025 to 2032.
Selling phone cases online is a profitable business, especially in India, with its steady annual growth rate and demand. The custom-printed mobile cases stand out as the most purchased personalised accessory item, creating a big opportunity for every online seller.
For example, a seller put up a customised glass mobile case priced at ₹400,
- The product cost: ₹150,
- Shipping cost: ₹50,
- Taxes: ₹35,
- Total POD cost: ₹235.
Differentiating the total cost from your store price gives you the profit of ₹165. This profit is for one single order from your store. By scaling with trending designs and marketing, many sellers can easily scale beyond 500 or 1000 orders per month, giving you a huge profit margin.
Top Print on Demand Niches: Best Profitable Ideas to Sell
How to Make a Phone Case: Step-by-Step Guide
Let’s break down ‘how to make phone cases to sell?’ with a step-by-step guide that will inspire you to start your phone case business online.
Step 1: Types of Phone Case Models
Before you start designing and selling phone cases, it’s essential to know the different types of phone cases available in the market. Each model has its own look, feel, and audience. Offering the right variety to the right audience helps you gain sales and more customers.
Here are the most popular phone case types to consider:
1. Hard Case:
Hard polycarbonate cases are lightweight, durable, and ideal for everyday use. They are thin, stylish, and offer good protection with sublimation printing.
2. Glass Case:
Glass cases are known for their lightweight, premium, glossy finish. They look sleek, stylish and have convenient grips.
3. Transparent Case:
The transparent or clear cases keep the original phone colour visible while still offering printed transparent cases, which look modern and clean.
4. Silicone Case:
Soft silicone cases provide an excellent grip and feel comfortable to hold. Printed silicone phone cases are loved for their smooth touch.
5. Tough Phone Case:
Tough cases offer double-layer protection with a stiff back and shock-proof edges. They are ideal for people looking for extra safety for their phones.
6. Glitter Phone Case:
The glitter case offers a stylish, eye-catching design for your phone case and protects your mobile from any scratches and dust.
7. Bumper Case:
The bumper cases are specially made to protect the mobile edges, but also feel lightweight to use.
8. Leather Case:
Leather products always provide that elegant, stylish look, and for leather phone cases, they look classy, durable and give a new identity to the seller’s brand.
9. Hybrid Case:
Hybrid cases are made up of two different materials for the outer and inner lining, which offer excellent protection and easy-to-hold ability.
10. Wallet Case:
Wallet or flip cases come with extra card pockets and full-body protection. These wallet cases are fashionable and convenient for daily use.
If you are in the beginning stage of selling phone cases online, you may start with the sublimation printed hard case, glass case or a tough case. Once your products are noticed in the market, you can adapt every major phone case model one by one, scaling your business.
Step 2: Identify Your Niche Market
The phone case market is vast, and designs are available everywhere. You need to identify a clear niche, a focused design theme or audience segment that connects with your brand. A right niche helps you attract the right customers, build loyalty, and grow faster in this market.
To identify your Niche market,
- Start with your favourite genres, such as anime, football, memes, movies or anything, as your niche, and work on it consistently and test a variety of designs at your initial stages.
- Explore social media, Google trends and marketplaces to identify the trends and what your competitors are trying to succeed. Apply them with your creativity to your brand.
- Analyse the customer’s point of view in other reviews and fill the gaps in what others are lacking, and provide those specifications in your personalisation store.
- While testing your designs, try providing a small batch of personalised phone cases to your customers and gain feedback, and make your niche perfect that resonates with your audience before getting started to sell your products online on a larger scale.
Popular niches such as anime, gamers, gym, aesthetic, sports and others are gaining popularity. Implement your creativity into any of the niche that suits you and your audience, and make it look professional and eco-friendly to encourage repeat purchasers.
Step 3: Identify a Target Audience
Once you choose your niche, the next step is to identify who your target audience is and who will buy your phone cases. A clear target audience helps you design your products that match the customer’s needs and interests, making your brand more appealing and easier to market.
Here are the key elements to define your target audience,
- Age and Gender
- Income Level
- Lifestyle and Interests
- Customer Behaviour
Either youngsters are seeking their favourite pictures on their phone case or working professionals who want to use their mobile as a wallet too, your store should fulfil the customer’s needs to build a loyal customer community and a growing business that fulfils orders seamlessly.
Step 4: Design Your Phone Case
Designing your phone case is where creativity meets business strategy. Your design plays the biggest role in attracting customers and convincing them to buy. Even if you are not a designer, you can still create clean, appealing, and sellable phone case designs with the right approaches. Let’s break down some simpler ways to design your phone case:
1. Choose Your Design:
Start by choosing a style that matches your brand and audience. Whether it is a trendy, artistic, aesthetic, motivational or cultural, pick mixed types of designs and work with complete clarity to be a perfect brand identity.
2. Use Design Tools:
Use graphic design tools like Adobe Photoshop, Canva and incorporate trending colours, fonts, and graphics that appeal to your target audience. Also, you can use mockup generators or the provider’s product preview tools to see how your design looks in the actual case.
3. Prepare for Printing:
Before uploading your design, make sure the image is exported in PNG format, has 300 DPI resolution and uses only copyrighted or properly licensed products. Always check with a mockup preview before publishing, to ensure that you have followed all the templates for printing a mobile case.
4. Hiring a Professional:
As previously stated, even if you are not a designer, you can create your own designs, which means hiring a professional designer for your business. You can research and find freelance designers who can convert your creative ideas into a business.
Designs are what connect your store to the customers, so ensure that you tell a story that is relatable and create a design that is shining in quality.
Step 5: Source a Phone case
Sourcing quality phone cases is a crucial step in a successful phone case business. Since most entrepreneurs don’t invest in expensive printing equipment or keep large inventories, choosing the proper sourcing method can save costs and streamline your operations.
Popular searching options can be,
- Bulk Manufacturing: Bulk buying from manufacturers and local suppliers, who offer a variety of materials and models, but usually require minimum order quantities.
- Dropshipping: Find the best dropshipping suppliers and partner with them to ship the products directly to your customers. However, it tends to limit profit margins and product control.
- Local or Regional Suppliers: Some sellers prefer sourcing unique or eco-friendly phone cases from speciality manufacturers focusing on sustainability or luxury.
Choosing A Print On Demand Service
Print on Demand is the most convenient and risk-free way to start a phone case business. When partnered with India’s best print on demand and dropshipping partner, Qikink, you don’t need machines, stock, or a workspace. You simply design, list the product online, and your POD partner prints and ships it directly to your customer.
With Qikink’s print on demand services, you enjoy advantages like,
- Avoiding the need to buy stock upfront may require only a smaller investment at the start.
- Qikink takes care of production and delivery, while you focus on designing and marketing.
- Upload a larger number of designs without worrying about the stock management or manufacturing.
- Allows you to test a lot of designs and build your business without any hassles.
Always consider the quality, pricing, minimum order quantities, supplier reliability and customising options while sourcing for your products. Balance the costs and quality that fit your business model and your goals.
Step 6: Create Your Brand Name
Your brand name is the first impression that your customers get of your business. It should be simple, catchy and reflect your business style, which helps your brand to stand out in this crowded market. It also helps in the discoverability of your brand at the top, among others.
Tips to be remembered while choosing a brand name are:
- It should be short, simple and easy to remember and add SEO-related keywords that also represent your business.
- The name should reflect your niche, which connects your brand with the audience.
- Check for the decided name’s availability and get verified trademarks to avoid legal issues.
- Get feedback from your customers or friends and make it more creative and unique.
Choose a name that fits both your niche’s present and future growth, depending on your expansion into other accessories or apparel, to stay bigger in the market.
Step 7: Set Your Price
Pricing your phone cases correctly helps you stay profitable while remaining attractive to customers. The goal is to find the balance where your price reflects the quality and value of your cases.
Remember, your selling price should be the addition of the product price and profit margin. Also, don’t overprice the profit; try to always stay competitive with other products by researching other competitors’ pricing strategies.
A profit margin of 20% to 50% is really a good average to achieve. Avoid a sudden increase in price after initial sales, which would affect your brand value. Always include marketing, shipping and services costs when setting prices to ensure profits after all expenses.
Step 8: Create an Online Store to Sell Phone Cases
To start selling, you need a place where customers can view your designs and place orders. It’s where you showcase your products, connect with customers, and finalise sales. There are several eCommerce platforms to start your online store today. The best ways to create your online store are,
- Choose Your Platform: Try the top eCommerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce, which offer various user-friendly options to their sellers, with multiple payment gateways and built-in marketing tools.
- Create and Customise: Pick your proper domain and try the free sign-up stores available, and customise your store dashboard with your logo, colours and fonts.
- Optimise Your Store: List your products and categories and set the pricing and payment methods. Use SEO keywords for listing and provide free shipping and other offers. Ensure your store looks and functions well on smartphones, too.
- Explore Marketplaces: Integrate your stores with a print on demand partner and explore other marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy to spread your brand identity.
For beginners to start up this business easily, try small with your Instagram or WhatsApp. Use social media as the best medium to build your community, from which you can create your own store or build a new brand identity.
Step 9: Market Your Phone Case
Marketing is the key to turning your phone case business from a startup into a brand. Even the best product in the world needs its marketing and word of mouth to reach the people. Some of the effective ways to promote your phone cases can be,
SEO and Google Ads:
As previously discussed, list your product title and descriptions with SEO-related keywords to drive market traffic and organic search rankings. Use Google Ads to target transactional intent keywords related to phone cases. Focusing on these buyer-ready search terms helps drive high-converting traffic eager to make a purchase.
Social Media Marketing:
Leverage social media platforms, such as Facebook Advertising, boosting with ads on Instagram and other social media sites for business ads about your phone products, by directly posting high-quality pictures with links in bio and in the description to drive your audience to your store and turn them into customers.
Also, collaborating with social media influencers and making them promote your phone cases in their videos gets a new set of audience to your store. Offer discounts and coupon codes for customers who are referred to your store from those influencers, which will set you apart from other brands.
Email Marketing:
Build an email list through your website and social channels to send updates about new collections and exclusive offers. Personalised email campaigns about discounts for the next buy and others can increase customer repeat purchases.
Customer Reviews and User-Generated Content:
Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and share photos or videos using your products, and feature that content on your store website and social media, which will build trust and brand loyalty that increases conversion rates.
Where Can I Sell Phone Cases Online?
Selling phone cases online is a flexible option because you can list your products on multiple platforms with your brand name. Each platform has its own audience, benefits, and selling style. Choosing the right platforms to sell is crucial to reaching your target audience effectively.
There are many options to sell your phone case products. The two most popular platforms for selling customised and unique phone cases online are Etsy and Amazon. Both have massive audiences but vary significantly in terms of seller tools, fees, and customer behaviour.
How to Sell Phone Cases on Etsy?
Etsy is best known for handmade, vintage, and personalised products. It’s a favourite marketplace for creative entrepreneurs and artists who are selling custom phone cases. It is also the perfect platform for print on demand sellers to offer customised, unique phone cases and sell online through Etsy.
- Create an Etsy seller account and customise your store with your branding.
- Upload high-quality photos and detailed descriptions, and set a proper price with a structure. Highlight the customisation aspect or story of your mobile cases.
- Utilise Etsy Ads and engage with customers through reviews and social media to drive organic market traffic.
- Provide quick responses and handle custom requests efficiently, as buyers appreciate more seller interaction.
Selling Phone Cases on Amazon
Amazon is the world’s largest online marketplace, offering sellers access to millions of buyers. Selling phone cases online on Amazon can drastically scale your business.
- Register as an individual or professional seller on Amazon Seller Central. Choose any of the two fulfilment methods offered by Amazon, such as Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) and Fulfilment by Merchant (FBM).
- Create detailed listings with optimised titles and descriptions. Use Amazon Keyword Tool or third-party SEO tools to maximise discoverability. Monitor competitors and price your products competitively.
- Leveraging the Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) model simplifies logistics as Amazon handles storage, packing, and shipping, improving delivery speed.
- Invest in Amazon ads, promotions, and deals. Collect reviews and ratings to boost product credibility. Ensure your phone cases meet Amazon’s product policies and local regulations, especially for materials or designs involving trademarks.
By choosing Etsy for custom and creative sales and Amazon for a broader reach and high-volume sales, you can strategically grow your phone case business and build your brand identity in this industry.
Amazon Dropshipping in India: Start, Scale & Succeed with Zero Inventory
Final Thoughts
Starting a phone case business offers tremendous opportunities in this growing demand for customised, stylish accessories. By following the step-by-step guide, from choosing the proper case types and identifying your niche, to designing, sourcing, pricing, selling, and marketing, you can build a profitable phone case-selling brand.
Platforms like Etsy and Amazon allow you to reach millions of potential customers with tailored strategies for each marketplace. While print on demand services like Qikink minimise upfront investment and inventory risks, enabling you to focus on creativity and growth.
Stay updated with market trends, prioritise quality, and engage with your audience to be a trusted brand. With consistency and the best strategies, your phone case business can thrive in India’s expanding eCommerce industry.
Ready to start selling your unique phone case designs? Sign up with Qikink today and get everything you need to launch and grow your brand identity seamlessly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a demand for phone cases?
Yes, the demand for phone cases continues to grow every year. With increasing smartphone usage and frequent model upgrades, customers look for both protection and personalisation. Trend-based designs, aesthetic cases, and customised phone covers are especially popular among Gen Z and young professionals.
Is phone case business profitable in India?
Yes, it is profitable if you pick the right niche and offer unique designs. The phone accessories market in India is expanding quickly, and custom or designer cases often have higher margins. With Print on Demand, you can start with low investment and earn profit per order without holding any stock.
How to start a phone case business from home?
You can start from home with minimal investment by following a few steps:
- Choose a niche and design style.
- Create designs or hire a designer.
- Partner with a Print on Demand provider for production and shipping.
- List your products on platforms like Instagram, Shopify, Amazon, or Etsy.
- Promote your brand through social media and influencer marketing.
What is a good name for a phone case business?
A good brand name should be short, memorable, and reflect your style. You can use words related to cases, covers, mobiles, styles, trends, or your niche. Examples include names like “CaseCraft”, “CoverVibe”, “GripStyle”, or “SnapSkin”. Ensure the name is easy to spell, has social media handle availability, and preferably a matching domain.
How to print your photo on phone case?
To print your photo on a phone case, choose a platform that offers custom printing. Upload your image, adjust the placement, preview the design, and place the order. Print on Demand services like Qikink allow you to personalise the case without a minimum order. Just ensure the photo is high-resolution for a clear print and choose a case model that fits your phone correctly.
