Hey everyone,
Lately I’ve been getting excited about print on demand. Living here in Cádiz, the surf culture is everywhere and I feel like some of that could work well as products - simple T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, maybe even prints with local sayings or designs inspired by the coastal culture here.
My background is in social media so one thing I keep coming back to is how POD could pair with my content. I can imagine short videos or reels showing the surf vibe and then sliding in the products naturally. I have relationships with local businesses where I think it could also work.
List building too, since I already use freebies and guides to grow my list. Products could become another hook to bring people in.
But I do have some serious doubts. The marketplaces all look packed with generic designs. It makes me wonder if a smaller, niche angle can still cut through or if POD is too saturated unless you’re already a big name.
Has anyone tried it? What was your toughest challenge in the beginning?
Gracias! Luis
@luismoves Ahh Cádiz .... happy memories! Been there a couple of times and absolutely loved it. Walking along La Caleta at sunset is still one of my favorite travel memories.
Annnnyway, I don’t have direct POD experience myself but my sister has been doing it for a few years now. She treats it more like a side hustle than a full-time thing and it actually works out pretty well for her. The biggest lesson I’ve seen from her is that it’s not instant. She had to put in a lot of time up front testing designs and figuring out what people actually buy. Once she found a groove, it turned into a steady little stream of income.
From the outside it looks like consistency and patience are what make the difference. She didn’t give up after a few weeks when sales were slow. Now it brings in a nice bit of extra money each month, but it definitely took work to get there.
But your surf angle sounds like a really fun niche and could definitely help you stand out. Maybe some QR codes strategically placed in local surf shops might go well?
@luismoves One thing I’ve learned from my eco-friendly side hustle is that people don’t just buy the product, they buy into the lifestyle that comes with it. For example, I once sold a simple bamboo kitchen tool. On its own it was nothing fancy, but the way I framed it - part of a sustainable home, a little daily step toward less plastic - made all the difference. Customers told me they felt good about making a small eco-friendly choice, and that’s what really connected.
I think POD works the same way. A T-shirt isn’t just a T-shirt if it carries a story. With your surf idea, it could be about more than a nice design. It could represent the Cádiz lifestyle, those warm evenings chillin' on the beach, or the community around the waves. If you can wrap that feeling into your products and content, it helps them stand out in a crowded marketplace.
My sister has also been doing POD for a while (snap, Olivia!) alongside her longer term eBay and Amazon selling. She even bought a machine to print the mugs! She makes a half-decent bit of money from it, but watching her has taught me what really holds most people back. The issue isn’t the designs, it’s traffic.
Too many people just throw stuff on Etsy or Redbubble and sit there waiting. Nine times out of ten, nothing happens. My sister has made it work by treating POD like a niche site project. Choose a tight angle and then build content around it so people can actually find you.
Search traffic is slower to build but once it’s there, it’s your 24hr shop window.
Take your surf culture idea in Cádiz. A small blog or site covering things like:
Best surf spots in Cádiz
What to pack for a surf trip in Andalusia
Local surf slang explained
That sort of content draws in the right crowd. Then you funnel them towards your products. Combine that with the reels you already do and you’ve got more than one route for people to land on your stuff.
End of the day, a T-shirt with a nice design won’t shift if no one sees it. Marketplaces are rammed. But if you’re clever about pulling in traffic and build a bit of a story around your brand, that’s when POD stops being a punt and starts working.
Just my tuppence worth!
You have some great responses here already Luis and without wanting to put you off, let me weigh in with my take! I have some first-hand experience with POD.
So, it's definitely a great little niche. Surf culture is visual and that always helps with products. But one thing to keep in mind is margins.
Compared to FBA or bulk orders, POD margins are thin. By the time you factor in the base cost, printing, and shipping, there isn’t much room left unless you price higher and build a brand people want to pay extra for.
That doesn’t mean it can’t work, just that you need to be clear on the role POD plays. For a lot of sellers it’s best as a way to test designs and build proof of demand without big upfront costs.
Once you see what actually sells, you can look at moving those designs into bulk production where the margins make more sense.
With your surf angle I could see POD being a solid entry point. Use your content and email list to drive early traffic and see which designs stick. If a certain theme keeps moving, then it’s worth thinking about building it into a proper product line with better margins.
POD works, but in my experience, more as a stepping stone than a final destination. Your mileage may vary!
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