Start your Print-on-demand business with Qikink
Start your online print-on-demand and dropshipping business with Qikink. From designing and custom printing to delivery, we handle all.
t-shirt selling business by print on demand qikink
Start your Print-on-demand business with Qikink
Start your online print-on-demand and dropshipping business with Qikink. From designing and custom printing to delivery, we handle all.
t-shirt selling business by print on demand qikink

Design and Sell T Shirts Online: A Comprehensive Guide for 2023

Design and Sell T Shirts Online A Comprehensive Guide for 2023
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June 19, 2023

A complete guide to learn how to design and sell T-Shirts online with Print on Demand and Dropshipping options. Sell and scale profitably without Inventory.

T-shirts offer intense personal expression, from comedy to art, motivational messages, corporate swag, fan stuff, and more. T-shirts are blank canvases for artists. 

 Regardless of the many t-shirt designs available, there is always room for originality and creativity. Some T-shirts have even survived as vintage treasures.

T-shirts are a must-have item in everyone’s wardrobe. Besides that, by 2025, the global market for customised T-shirt printing is predicted to exceed $10 billion.

 

design-and-sell-t-shirts-online-market-share

Because of the success of this product, entrepreneurs have started designing and selling t-shirts online. Establishing an online T-shirt business is a popular choice for new and experienced e-commerce entrepreneurs equally.

T-shirts are inexpensive to source as an online company, have broad appeal, and are reasonably simple to modify.

If you want to design and sell t-shirts online, you should be aware that it’s a competitive industry in e-commerce. 

If you want to be successful, you must ensure that your brand stands out from the crowd. You must find high-quality products, create your T-shirt designs to sell, and learn how to promote them.

It has always been challenging to start an online business. It’s simple to use, and the only limitation is your creativity. It may appear to be an intimidating procedure, especially if this is your first time launching an e-commerce business, but don’t fear – we’re here to help.

Today, we’ll review everything you need about designing and selling t-shirts online. You’ll be able to get started with your online t-shirt business by the end of this article. 

Let’s begin!

 

What is an online t-shirt business?

An online t-shirt business is one in which you build your e-commerce website for your apparel brand and sell directly to customers rather than creating a traditional retail store.

Anybody can design and sell t-shirts online in India as it is inexpensive and easy to start. Building your online store is simple since everyone can create unique, high-quality items.

Over a regular retail business, an online t-shirt business has the following advantages:

  • It does not restrict your clients to our store’s location.
  • You may start an online t-shirt business with no money down.
  • The risk is relatively minimal, and the potential payoff is enormous.
  • There are no fees for rent, power, maintenance, or employees.

 

Scope of selling t shirts online

mens-t-shirt-market-share-in-america-for-design-and-sell-t-shirts-online

The global t-shirt market is rising significantly, expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.0% throughout the forecast period from 2019 to 2027, starting from US$ 206.12 Bn in 2018.

The growing popularity of t-shirts as a branding tool and the increasing demand for custom t-shirts with the printed movie, game, and TV series slogans or logos are vital drivers driving the t-shirt printing market expansion.

The T-shirt business is profitable because of the industry’s ongoing value growth. The worldwide custom T-shirt printing industry was estimated to be worth $3.64 billion in 2022. According to the same report, it will expand at a compound annual rate of 9.7% from 2021 to 2028.

One of the critical reasons for their popularity among teenagers is that t-shirts appeal to the creative part of every youngster. Youngsters own most of the t-shirt market. 

Teens may customise every aspect of their t-shirt, including colour, design, fabric, logo, and so on, enabling their imagination to run wild as they construct a t-shirt that reflects their personality, style, and attitude. 

As a result, every savvy entrepreneur today understands that shoppers buy things that reflect their sense of style, humour, and personality.

 

Is selling t shirts online profitable?

Because of the ever-growing worldwide market, selling T-shirts online is one of the most successful business ideas.

A single T-shirt business may also target diverse demographics, making the firm customisable. If you know how to sell online, you may start a T-shirt business selling various designs, ranging from amusing slogans and pop culture references to shirts designed as company products.

growth-of-t-shirt-industry-growth-in-online-selling-qikink

The Indian T-Shirt market is to exceed Rs. 21,000 crores this year. Whilst men’s t-shirts provide the most significant chunk of this revenue, women’s t-shirts are quickly catching up and rising.

As a result, if you want to establish a t-shirt printing business in India, now is the time to do it.

Make necessary efforts to locate, design, and promote a higher-quality printed t-shirt. Moreover, the four areas of concentration for each t-shirt printing firm are designs, reliability, pricing, and marketing and sales.

Additionally, the purchasing tendency is changing more online than offline because of the variety of design possibilities available.

Furthermore, an online business can be low-risk and cost-effective because there is no requirement for an actual brick-and-mortar store.

 

Want to design t shirts to sell online in India?

Before we get into the details, let’s take a step back and look at the broad picture. The cost of designing and selling t-shirts online is relatively inexpensive. In general, you will require three elements if you want to design t-shirts and sell online; they are

  • Unique t-shirt designs,
  • A reliable source for getting your designs printed on t-shirts,
  • A platform to sell your t-shirts.

There are websites and e-commerce systems that will simplify each process in exchange for a percentage of your revenues. In a later section, we’ll talk about whether those are worthwhile.

 

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What is print on demand?

A print-on-demand business is one in which you collaborate with a provider of white-label products to customise and sell them per order under your brand and with your designs.

With print-on-demand, you only pay for the product once you’ve sold it, so there’s no need to buy in bulk or keep inventory on hand. As a result, it has become a popular business model in e-commerce.

Furthermore, with print-on-demand services, everything after the sale is handled, from digital printing to order fulfilment and delivery by the supplier or manufacturer.

The print-on-demand (POD) sector will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.1% through 2030.

 

How will print on demand work for your t-shirt business?

With print-on-demand services, you can design and sell t-shirts online without managing inventory. 

Here’s how print-on-demand will work for your online t-shirt business

  1. Create product mockups of your designs and add them to your online store
  2. Your customer purchases your store 
  3. You send the order details to your manufacturer or supplier 
  4. Manufacturer or supplier prints, packs and ships your order to your customer under your brand name.

 

What is the minimum cost to design and sell t-shirts online?

As discussed earlier, starting a t-shirt business is cost-effective and straightforward. You can design and sell t-shirts online without spending a dime by selling them on social media and using print-on-demand services to avoid inventory and shipping costs. 

However, to start a branded and professional online business, consider creating and promoting a website. 

Depending on the platform you choose to build your website on and the type of business, the cost may vary from Rs. 0 to Rs. 15000 on average. You can check out our blog on Shopify vs WooCommerce- The best platforms to create your online store. 

You will also have to consider the marketing costs for your online business. However, designing and selling t-shirts online is the best business model to start and operate from anywhere in the world without losing money.

 

Design and sell t shirts online in 7 steps

 

1. Build a business strategy and choose a profitable niche

Knowing your target market is crucial before you launch your online T-shirt business. To succeed in the oversaturated T-shirt industry, you must establish clear goals for your business.

Analyse the market and select a niche before starting an online t-shirt business. Consider your target demographic and the types of designs they would prefer.

Although offering the most popular things might be an excellent plan for starting an online t-shirt brand, distinguishing out is more vital.

Selecting a particular market will increase your chances of generating money online. The audience in a specific niche may be smaller, but conversions are generally higher.

But remember that favourable data analysis does not ensure that your T-shirts will sell. Instead, utilise the material to develop a business plan, a thorough proposal that can assist you in establishing your small business.

By directing your future actions, a strong strategy may help your business grow and develop. It will also boost your brand’s reputation, allowing you to seek investment or resources and add personnel. People want to know you know what you’re doing before they become involved.

Consider including the following components in your online T-shirt business plan:

Niche – This is the precise industry segment. You are aiming for.

Mission, history, and objectives of the business –  Consider why you’ve decided to launch your online T-shirt business and what you intend to accomplish.

Market dynamics – Utilize analytics to determine who you want to promote the T-shirts.

Competitor analysis – Research your fellow competitors and learn from them.

Product description – Choose the type of T-shirt you will make, such as graphic, business, or customised.

Marketing plan –  Determine your marketing budget and list the advertising strategies you want to utilise.

Business accounting – Set a method for tracking your money, including the balance, cash flows, income, profits, and losses.

Business structure –  Develop a systematic format for your company to help with management, oversight, and decision-making.

Legal papers – Compile the essential documentation to legalise your small business and secure the relevant licences and permissions. 

Find a problem that your product can solve. Some T-shirts are “simply for fun.” Others have a clear goal: to remove a pain point that customers may be experiencing.

 

2. Find a supplier and test the quality of the products

Your print provider will be the one to bring your items to life. When comparing different print services, keep the following in mind:

 

  • High quality goods

Let me tell you the truth: No matter how beautiful your designs are, it may make no difference if the products fall apart within a week.

As a result, it’s advisable to narrow down your vendors and then purchase a few test samples from them. This way, you can see and feel the quality of the items for yourself.

Regarding printed materials, looking at how easily the ink rubs off is vital.

And look at the things you want to start selling later; try to obtain a sense of the quality of everything on the market. You never know when you want to increase your product range.

  • Quick shipment times

Customers these days expect quick shipping times when purchasing online, thanks to programs like Amazon Prime.

So, if delivery takes a long time or things need to be on time, developing a positive brand reputation and gaining repeat business from delighted consumers will be difficult.

As a result, while selecting a supplier, it’s critical to examine the usual shipment time. Customers should receive their items within one week of making an order.

  • Fair product prices and delivery charges

Quality and speed are essential to a successful business, but expenses may be even more critical.

Selecting a vendor with high product and delivery prices may result in lower margins—less profit per sale. It can harm your business’s growth since you’ll have less money to invest in things like Facebook advertising.

  • Possibilities for customisation and printing

Customisation possibilities are frequently available from print-on-demand companies. Based on your requirements, you may want a lot of customisation and printing choices or only a few.

Do you intend to sell items with simple logos? Or do you want to use a variety of designs to showcase your artistic abilities? It’s also worth considering what unique packaging alternatives each company offers.

Make sure the supplier you pick meets your design and branding requirements.

 

3. Design t-shirts to sell online

Before printing, you need designs that match the objective of your brand. If you plan to start a T-shirt business featuring your artwork or designs, save them in the correct digital format for your chosen printing service.

If you create intricate patterns, you should conduct test printing to ensure everything prints clearly on the shirts. If you’re starting with design, several free Adobe Photoshop and Canva tutorials are available.

There are also dozens of fantastic artists whose work you may commission through companies such as Creative Market, Fiverr, and Upwork.

When you locate an artist, you can buy their work outright, but if you have a solid relationship with the artist and want to continue working with them, a profit-sharing partnership may be more viable in the long run.

If you need help with ideas, you may gain inspiration for new designs by looking at T-shirt sales data on Etsy or utilising the programme Jungle Scout (which shows you how many units a product has sold on Amazon).

A Google trends search of numerous slogans you wish to develop for your shirts will also show you which are the most popular and likely to sell.

If you need help developing design ideas, you can find inspiration by checking T-shirt sales data on Etsy or using Jungle Scout. This program displays the number of units a product has sold on Amazon. A Google trends search of numerous slogans you wish to develop for your shirts will also show you which are the most popular and likely to sell.

 

4. Create mockups with your designs

Customers will want to see how the T-shirts appear on actual persons once the designs are complete.

A mockup is a model or copy of a product prepared for design review before the production of the actual item.

In the case of T-shirts, the mockup is a photo of a blank T-shirt onto which you overlay the desired design using photo editing software. You could even show a model wearing the T-shirt mockup to show buyers how it would appear on them.

Don’t be concerned if you lack photo editing skills. Many T-shirt mockup generators are available for creating T-shirt mockups.

Placeit is a simple service that provides a collection of images of blank T-shirt goods onto which you may print your designs. You may also check stock picture packages with images of people wearing various outfits.

 

5. Create a website to sell custom t shirts online 

Now that you have your t-shirt designs and mockups, it’s time to launch your shop. As noted in the validation section, getting started with Shopify is quick and straightforward, and you may begin with a free trial.

A few t-shirt print-on-demand platforms like Qikink integrate directly with your Shopify store, allowing you to start accepting orders immediately. Every time you get an order, Qikink will print and ship your t-shirts to your customers on your behalf. 

It is an excellent way to get started because there is no need to purchase or keep any inventory upfront. Most of all, you may use your design on additional printable products such as mugs and tote bags.

If you currently have a WordPress website, using WooCommerce to handle eCommerce is more convenient. WooCommerce is a fantastic platform for selling various things (physical, digital, or downloadable). 

You may use the platform to establish a subscription-based business or essential bookings. People pick this platform because of its unmatched customisation choices and access to free WordPress features.

It would be best to advertise your merchandise on social media. A substantial chunk of your audience accesses your online businesses directly from social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and others. 

Utilise targeted advertising and relevant links to bring your followers to the official merch website. You may attract individuals from various accounts by utilising appropriate hashtags.

You are, moreover, collaborating with bloggers who have hundreds or millions of followers so that you may attract new clients. Look for exciting partnerships, giveaways, and other engagement activities.

 

6. Register your business online

Register your new business as a sole proprietorship or an LLC, depending on whether you want to make it a full-time venture or a side gig. Your business will receive extra tax advantages if you register as an LLC.

Registering your T-shirt firm is essential, just like any other business. It helps prevent legal complications and shows potential customers that you are professional and serious about running a company.

Also, it will be easy to obtain any financial assistance or resources.

It is a quick guide to registering a business online:

Domain name: Iserify the business name’s availability in your location. 

Make a legal entity out of your business. It is best to begin with a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC). However, other forms, such as a corporation or partnership with investors, are also available.

Go to in.godaddy.com and search for a brand name combination. Several online tools can help you choose a good domain name.

These days, there are also several extensions. Choose one and registering your domain name .com is an excellent choice if you want to reach a worldwide audience today or in the future.

Apply for a resale certificate, copyright protection, and the relevant licences, such as state and local businesses. Permits for safety are also required.

Create a new bank account and credit card; keep your personal and business finances apart.

Begin documenting and analysing accurate financial accounting.

Register your brand’s trademark as soon as possible. 

You can apply through online service providers or a trademark consultant lawyer in each city.

 

7. Promote your custom t-shirt store online

After everything is in place and the website is up, it’s time to implement one of the most powerful digital marketing strategies: social media marketing. Being present on numerous social media sites and publishing material frequently is vital.

Make the most of Instagram, especially if your target demographic is young. Display the shirt designs with relevant hashtags.

Use social media comments, articles, live broadcasts, and IGTV to interact with potential consumers. Remember to include a link to your online store in your profile’s bio area.

Get possibilities to communicate with influencers and other T-shirt businesses as well. You can get product placements or endorsement partnerships that would increase brand recognition.

You may use advertisements to increase traffic and sales in addition to using social media accounts to produce organic content.

Use Facebook Advertising as well. Not only does the social networking platform have about 3 billion active monthly users, but it is also popular across various demographic categories.

It enables users to target their potential clients based on their hobbies, career, gender, and geography.

You can track Facebook advertising in real-time to obtain information at any time. If you are dissatisfied with the effectiveness of your online T-shirt business’s digital marketing plan, you may immediately make modifications.

After people visit your online business, remember to develop an email list and update consumers whenever new designs are released.

Google Adwords is an excellent location for your online T-shirt business to develop advertising campaigns. But keep in mind that the site is keyword-focused, so you must first analyse the search volume of phrases connected to your company.

The technology allows users to target clients based on various factors, including their device and location. It also features a retargeting tool for recapturing the attention of consumers who have previously interacted with your business.

 

How to design and sell t-shirts online using Qikink?

Qikink is India’s largest print-on-demand company, offering your customers the broadest range of products and colours. Qikink also offers a mockup generator to ease your business. 

Here’s how Qikink works:

         A. Design and sell t-shirts online in India using Qikink’s print on demand service.

Once you’ve signed up for Qikink’s services, you can create product mockups and list them on your website. They also easily integrate with platforms like Shopify and Woocommerce to push products to your online store and auto fulfil your orders. 

         B. Your customers purchase on your website.

After listing products, your customer purchases on your website. The customer makes the order payment to your bank account directly. 

         C. Qikink prints, packs and ships your orders to your customer.

Once you receive the order on your website, you push the order to Qikink for fulfilment, where Qikink prints, packs and ships your order directly to your customer under your brand name. Qikink has a Dashboard to manage all your demands under one tab. You can live track your order fulfilment and shipping on Qikink’s Dashboard.

 

Final thoughts

Whether running or growing your online T-shirt business, regardless of whether you’re simply a startup or extending an established brand, it’s crucial to keep your enthusiasm and creativity alive. 

The benefit of a T-shirt business is that you may continue to introduce new product lines and uncover new client groups worldwide.

The T-shirt sector is large, so there is plenty of room for new products to enter the market. Maintaining open lines of communication with your customers, influencer partners, and fans is essential to success.

Building a business that keeps customers close to heart requires a solid e-commerce foundation.

 

Read more

Frequently Asked Questions

The print-on-demand eCommerce business model allows you to sell online without any inventory. It’s a great option to start an online T-shirt business as it has little to no upfront expenses and saves time. With the print-on-demand business model, there is no need to stock or create your T-shirts.

All you need is a computer and an internet connection to make a few designs and list them on a print-on-demand website.

The budget needed to launch a T-shirt business mainly depends on its intended scale. The three significant expenses are labour, blank T-shirts, and equipment. If you have a small budget, consider adopting print-on-demand. Using this concept, you can quickly sell T-shirts online.

You can use Print-on-demand services to:

  1. Test a business concept or new product line for a current company without the risks of purchasing inventory. It’s also a terrific side hustle.
  2. Monetise your existing audience (print on demand is a terrific choice if you’re a YouTuber or cartoonist who prefers to spend time creating rather than completing orders).
  3. Develop unique items for a specific consumer base. E.g., t-shirts for people who are super passionate about long-distance running.
  4. Produce one-of-a-kind or small-batch print-on-demand t-shirts, books, shoes, bags, wall art, phone covers, clocks, laptop skins, mugs, and other merchandise.
  5. Test the Ad creativity: Print-on-demand does not need the upfront payment for the cost of products.

You can design and sell t-shirts online in India and earn a steady income of Rs. 5000 to Rs. 50000 monthly. However, it would help if you had the right strategies to make this profitable. However, there is no limit to selling t-shirts and earning money in India. You also do not require any specific skills to start this business. 

Here’s how to calculate profits: 

Your t-shirt cost, including shipping, would be Rs. 300, and your selling price is Rs. 549. 

Rs. 249 is the profit that you earn by selling one T-shirt. You can sell good quality T-shirts at a premium price to generate more profits.

You can design and sell t-shirts online in India on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. You may sell t-shirts in India on eCommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, and custom websites. You may also sell t-shirts on marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Meesho etc.

Designs that are humorous, dark, or inspired by current events are the most popular. Best sellers are those based on current events since they are the most timely.

The finest t-shirt designs are also related to what users choose to wear. Nobody wants to miss out on an excellent fashion chance. You may make money by selling customised T-shirts. Casual clothing, sports lover, corporate names, slogans, strong graphics, and so on have always been the biggest sellers if you are a user.

Designs that are amusing, ironic, or inspiring sell well in general. Moreover, designs that depict a significant event or person tend to do better.

You can use print-on-demand services like Qikink to design and sell t-shirts online without money. They print and ship your orders directly to your customers only when your customer purchases on your website. 

Print-on-demand helps you scale your business as you only have to concentrate on marketing your products and customer support, and the print-on-demand supplier will take care of the rest.

Yes, you can brand your t-shirt and sell them online using custom branding services like neck labels, hangtags and cards. Print-on-demand companies also provide these services to help you raise brand awareness and create a premium brand.

Based on the quality, pricing, printing techniques and customer services, the best print-on-demand companies are Printful, Printify, Qikink, Vendorboad, Owl Prints etc. You can check out the complete list of the best print-on-demand companies here.

There are multiple ways to design t-shirts to sell online. Here’s how you can do it: 

  • Canva: You can easily create designs using Canva. It has both free and paid services
  • AI tools like Midjourney: You can use AI tools to design graphics for your print-on-demand online business. 
  • Hire a professional designer: You can hire a designer to create designs for your online t-shirt business. 
  • Purchase designs online: You can also purchase designs from websites like Fiverr.

The best print-on-demand platforms to sell t-shirts online are Shopify and Woocommerce. They are the E-commerce giants and integrate seamlessly with various print-on-demand companies to automate order processing.

Here are 5 key points to consider when choosing the right t-shirt supplier

  • Order a sample to check the quality of the product and get hands-on experience with their services. 
  • Check if the quality of the products aligns with your brand 
  • Note their fulfilment time to ensure customer satisfaction
  • Talk to their customer support to understand how it works
  • Read their terms and conditions and returns and replacement policies

No, you need not have an inventory of t-shirts to sell them online in 2023. You can use print-on-demand dropshipping services to design and sell t-shirts online without managing inventory and shipping hassles.

Here are different ways to promote and market your t-shirt store 

  • Use social media marketing tools like Facebook ads and Instagram
  • Generate organic leads by optimising your product listings
  • A/B testing for best results
  • Sell, analyse and refine your marketing strategies.
Sivaraman S

With over 10+ years of experience in the industry, Our founder has dedicated his career to helping brands achieve exponential growth through innovative print-on-demand solutions.

About the author

With over 10+ years of experience in the industry, Our founder has dedicated his career to helping brands achieve exponential growth through innovative print-on-demand solutions.
With over 10+ years of experience in the industry, Our founder has dedicated his career to helping brands achieve exponential growth through innovative print-on-demand solutions.

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