13 Print on Demand Mistakes

We’ve seen too many merch sellers make the same print on demand mistakes time and time again.

Common print on demand (POD) mistakes prevent a lot of sellers from meeting their merch goals. Understanding and addressing these issues is crucial for any POD seller to achieve long-term success.

Print on demand merch gives anyone the power to sell custom merchandise and earn a profit with extra hassles like inventory management, production and shipping. All you have to do is customize your products (300+!) and effectively market to your audience.

The path to becoming a profitable print on demand shop owner isn’t without its potential challenges, though. It takes a lot more effort then simply uploading designs

In this blog, we’ll take a deep dive into the top 13 print on demand mistakes people make when designing and marketing their custom apparel. We’ll also offer solutions and tools to help you achieve long-term success!

1. Designing for “Everyone” Instead of Finding a Niche

Many sellers make the print on demand mistake of trying to cater and appeal to everyone. In a saturated e-commerce market, specificity is your best friend. It’s important to find a niche you’re passionate about and allows you to carve out a unique space online. This makes it easier for you to engage with your target audience and build a sustainable side hustle.

What to do instead: Identify your passions and interests; could be anything. We’ve seen all types of POD sellers thrive with different niches, no matter how small – funny cat content, bushcraft survival tips, plant parent apparel.

The list is endless and untapped. And if a niche doesn’t turn into real merch sales like you hoped, you won’t have lost any money on inventory or production equipment. Don’t know where to start? We’ve compiled a list of profitable print-on-demand niches with design tips and marketing tools.

Once you’ve picked a niche for your merch, do some market research to craft a brand identity that resonates with your target demographic. This includes your brand’s tone of voice, visual style and overall messaging. It’s easy to build a brand kit with design tools like Canva. Store all your logos, icons and brand color scheme all in one place!

This streamlines the merch design process and allows you to create engaging socials that are on theme with your niche and the brand you’ve built around it.

2. Ignoring Social Selling (TikTok Shop, Reels, Shorts)

Short-form video has radically changed how content creators and small businesses sell online. More customers discover and buy merch through TikTok Shop, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts than traditional search. If you only rely on your print on demand shop domain to get sales, you’re likely missing your biggest and most active audience.

Creators today want merch that integrates directly into their content  – not something their followers have to hunt for. That’s why social commerce is such a powerful tool for POD sellers.

If you don’t want to go the traditional merch shop route, Spreadconnect is our merch plugin tool that allows users to sell their products directly to their audience. With Spreadconnect, you can seamlessly connect your store to TikTok Shop, Squarespace, Shopify or your own website with our customizable API.

When you go directly to your customer with tailored content and links to your merch shop, the path to purchasing your merch becomes much easier. Which dramatically increases your chances of monetizing your content.

Selling through TikTok Shop is especially valuable because followers can purchase your merch without ever leaving the app. Spreadconnect handles the printing, packing and shipping, so all you have to do is post consistently and keep engaging your audience.

Want to set up TikTok Shop the right way?

Selling successfully with TikTok Shop can be tricky. That’s why we’ve created a step-by-step selling guide to walk you through the setup process and break down account requirements so you don’t lose access to content monetization opportunities. We also provide you with insights on how to list your products for maximum visibility.

3. Not Ordering Samples Before Launching

Samples are an often overlooked aspect when it comes to print on demand success. Creators think making designs and customizing products is all it takes, but how are you going to successfully promote your merch without seeing it in-person?

Sharing stock model images and screenshots from your shop is an easy out, but it can come off as detached and inauthentic. Making your merch tangible to potential customers is key to driving sales. They want to see how your merch looks like in real life, and integrating that into your content and marketing strategy is key.

Ordering merch samples also allows you to check print quality, color accuracy and fit. Get feedback from people in your circle to see if they’re happy with the print and feel of the product before it goes LIVE.

How to order merch samples with Spreadshop:

• Preview your Spreadshop in your dashboard and click the “order product samples” button
• Add your items to your cart
• Place your order and buy your samples at base price

4. Using Overcrowded or Low-Contrast Designs

One of the simplest ways to tell a strong merch design from a weak one is how easy it is to understand at first glance. Since most customers will find your merch shop from their phones, small text, crowded graphics and muddy colors can make your design look confusing.

And when a design is loud and hard to understand, shoppers move on quickly.

Print on demand products sell best with designs that have clean lines, bold shapes and colors that stand out. Here are some design tips to help you avoid this common print on demand mistake.

Prioritize clarity over complexity: Your design should communicate its message in one second. Use fewer elements and make the main visual or phrase the focus. Don’t overcomplicate it.

Pick strong, contrasting colors: High-contrast combinations – like black on cream, white on forest green, or red on tan – print beautifully and are readable from a distance. Avoid pairing colors that are too similar, such as navy on black or yellow on white.

Use clean, readable typography: Bold fonts, retro lettering and simple script styles perform best. Thin or overly decorative fonts often disappear when printed and are more difficult to read.

Need help designing? We’ve got you covered.

You don’t need expensive software or a professional design background to make great merch designs. Spreadshop has compiled some beginner-friendly design tools and tips to help you create print-ready artwork fast.

Download our Ultimate Merch Design Guide to learn more about file requirements, recommended image sizes and best practices for top-selling print-on-demand shops.

And check out our full blog ranking the Best Merch Design Tools (including Canva, Kittl, Vectr and more) to find the right tool for your merch needs. We break down key features, pros/cons and pricing for each tool!

4. Not Aware of Design File Requirements

Blurry designs, fuzzy edges and pixelated prints are some of the most common issues new merch designers run into. And they almost always come from uploading images that aren’t the right size or format. Even if your artwork looks sharp on your computer screen, it may not print clearly on fabric unless the file meets certain quality standards.

The good news? File quality is one of the easiest print on demand mistakes to fix.

Use PNG format with a transparent background: PNGs are the preferred file type for apparel because they support transparency. This prevents unwanted white boxes or backgrounds from appearing behind your design.

Make sure your design is at least 300 DPI: DPI (dots per inch) affects printing clarity. At 300 DPI, your artwork will look crisp and professional on hoodies, tees, totes and more. If you design at a lower DPI and try to scale up, the image will become blurry.

Export your file at the right dimensions: Larger designs require larger files. For a standard front print, aim for at least:

• 4,000 px wide for apparel, like hoodies or t-shirts.

• 2,500 px wide for smaller items, like mugs or stickers.

Avoid screenshots or images grabbed from social media: Seems like a quick way to get merch designs, but these images are heavily compressed and rarely meet print standards.

Need more info? Check out our help center page for print file requirements.

6. One and Done Posts Promoting Merch

One of the biggest misconceptions about selling merch is thinking that one announcement is enough. Many creators post about their shop once, don’t see immediate sales and assume their merch “isn’t working.” But in reality, even your most loyal followers need multiple reminders before they click and shop.

Think about your own habits: You often need to see a product several times before you even think about purchasing it. And your audience is the same.

Promote your merch consistently and naturally: Instead of a single announcement post, build steady content that keeps your merch top-of-mind.

Remind your audience during peak purchasing moments: Holiday gifting, back-to-school, game days – these are natural opportunities to reshare merch, especially with themed designs and niche-specific products.

7. Don’t Offer Bundles and Upsell Product

One of the simplest ways to increase your sales – especially during busy shopping seasons – is by offering giftable product bundles. Bundles make decision-making easier for your customers and help you increase your average order value (AOV) without needing additional designs.

Shoppers love when creators curate items that naturally go together. Instead of choosing between a hoodie or a beanie, they get both. Instead of scrolling through a shop trying to piece together a gift, the bundle does the work for them. It’s faster, easier, and feels more valuable.

Here are simple bundles that work well for print on demand sellers:

Cozy Holiday Bundle: Hoodie + Beanie

Perfect for winter gifting, holiday vibes and seasonal promotions. Cozy apparel always sells well, and bundling makes it feel premium. Market larger bundles that have throw pillows and blankets, as well.

Everyday Gift Bundle: Tote + Mug

Shoppers looking for last-minute gifts? Teachers, co-workers, parents and students love practical bundles. Tote bags and coffee mags are functional and affordable. Get creative with designs that play on themes and personalities.

Explore our gift bundle guide featuring stocking stuffer sets and cozy bundles for more inspo.

8. Not Updating Shop Homepage

Your merch shop homepage is the very first impression shoppers get of your products. And it only takes a couple of seconds for them to decide whether they want to keep browsing. If your homepage looks empty, outdated or unorganized, shoppers may leave before they even get to your best designs.

Here are a some quick updates that can improve your shop’s look and performance:

• Create an engaging shop banner: Your banner is the largest visual element customers see. Updating it for seasonal design drop or new collections helps make your shop feel active and curated. Dimensions for Spreadshop banner: 1400x250px.
• Highlight bestsellers: Every shop has a few designs that perform well, so make sure they’re featured on your homepage. If you’re just getting started, feature seasonal designs that are in-demand.
• Group designs into collections: Collections make it easier for shoppers to browse and navigate your shop. Great collection ideas include holiday designs, pet designs and gifts under $30. Learn how to organize your Spreadshop into collections by watching our video tutorial.

9. Pricing Too Low – Or Too High

If your prices are too low, you cut into your profit margin. But if your prices are too high, shoppers may be hesitant to purchase.

A simple pricing structure helps you stay competitive without guessing. Most creators see success using ranges like $20–$28 for tees and $38–$55 for hoodies, depending on style and design.

But how does pricing work with Spreadshop? What’s the catch? Basically, we earn when you earn.

You see, each product you sell has a base price (the cost of the product before retail). That’s what we take home, along with a small printing fee. Anything you set beyond that goes directly in your product.

Your Base Price: Prefixed price of a product before you sell it (what we make).

Your Margin: Anything you set beyond that price (what you earn).

Your Retail Price: Base price + margin (what your customer pays).

10. Rely Only on Trending Designs

Making designs for the moment based on what’s trending in pop culture is a great way to drive sales. But that only works for so long.

It’s important to sell a mix of evergreen favorites, seasonal styles and quick-turn trend pieces so your shop stays consistent year-round. This allows you to remain adaptable to trends but still carter to shoppers looking for typical apparel and accessories.

11. Ignore Customer Feedback

Customer feedback is an invaluable resource for any business, yet many POD sellers fail to capitalize on it. Whether positive or negative, feedback provides direct insights into your customers’ experiences, preferences and pain points.

What to do instead: Actively seek out and encourage customer feedback through surveys, reviews, and social media engagement. Monitor and analyze this feedback to identify common themes and areas for improvement.

Show your customers that their opinions are valued by acknowledging and responding to their feedback. Implement changes based on customer insights to refine your products.

12. Not Having a Proper Merch Drop Strategy

A successful merch drop is not only dependent on you being authentic to your brand. It’s about knowing how to market to your audience.

Make designs the meet the moment. Post authentically on socials.

Here are some tips to have a successful merch drop:

1. Tease out your merch drop with little sneak peeks. Utilize the countdown feature on your Instagram stories or post about it on your other social media channels.
2. If you make videos or livestream on platforms like TikTok, wear your merch. This will get people interested and excited about your upcoming drop.
3. Do a giveaway leading up to your merch drop. This will help generate interest and get people talking about your brand.

13. Giving Up Too Early

A lot of sellers assume their merch isn’t working when they don’t see instant results, but print-on-demand success doesn’t happen overnight.

Promote!: Get the word out once your Spreadshop is up and running and stocked with products.

Use your keyword research to your advantage and include those keywords as text in your videos, titles and hashtags. Give your marketing added visibility by using trending songs.

Take Advantage of Exclusive Promotions: As a shop owner, you get access to exclusive promotions every month. Access them in the backend of your shop. We recommend adding new designs and hyping up seasonal products, like Christmas sweaters.

Most importantly, keep promoting your merch. Growth builds over time, and every creator who succeeds in print on demand gets there by staying committed and giving their merch shop space to evolve.

Ready to turn your ideas into income? Create your free Spreadshop today and start building the merch line your community will love.