The Print On Demand business is one of the easiest e-commerce businesses. But, as easy as it is, many beginners, even non-beginners, still make certain mistakes.
Although mistakes are part of the learning process, we should become aware of these mistakes ahead of time to avoid the consequences of these mistakes as much as possible.
Luckily, in this article, we have put together 11 mistakes Print On Demand beginners make and how to avoid them.
Failing To Choose A Niche And Target Audience
Most POD beginners do not have a niche they're based on; they're just here and there in the marketplace.
Before going into any business, it is pertinent to do proper research about the business and choose a niche you want to focus on. It would be best if you also target your audience.
Failure to do these can cause a series of problems in your business, including poor sales.
To be successful in your POD company, you must choose a niche and target your audience.
You can use Google Trends to know the audience in your niche.
Bad And Boring Designs
Most beginners use boring and basic designs that can easily be found anywhere. Your POD store won't stand out if you use common designs. Put good work into finding perfect and unique designs for your POD products. It could be tedious to do so but very beneficial in the long run.
You can get mockup designs from PlaceIt, PremiumPixels, and FreePik.
Failing To Access Quality
Most beginners fail to access the quality of the product before shipping to customers.
Before you sell your POD designs to your customers, you must order the samples to assess the quality and make sure that the color is as vivid as what you advertise in your store.
Using Only One Payment Gateway
Never make the mistake of using only one payment gateway for your business.
If your POD store only uses PayPal, someone without a PayPal account can order from you and will end up opting out. You have lost a customer and many more who don't have PayPal accounts.
It is better to connect your POD store to as many payment gateways as possible. Accept credit and debit cards, Paypal, Apple and Google pay, and others.
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Poor Customer Service
Slow and rude responses to customers can ruin your business. Your customer service plays a role in the success of your business.
Make sure you provide as much information on your FAQ Privacy Policy, Delivery Policy, and Returns & Exchanges Policy as possible to save time and avoid answering the same question over and over again.
Failing To Adopt Influencer Marketing
According to a BigCommerce report, 89% participants say ROI (Return Of Investment) of influencer marketing is better than other marketing methods.
Hire a social media influencer to widen the horizon of your audience.
No Reviews Tab
Reviews say a lot about your brand. Most customers want to check your reviews tab and hear what others think about your brand rather than what you have to say. If there's no review tab, how would that be possible?
Make sure to put a review tab on your website so that customers can leave their reviews and testimonials.
Underrating the power of SEO
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) improves the traffic of your website. SEO is beneficial for your POD store’s search engine visibility as it helps to attract more customers.
The good part of SEO is that you don't have to pay for it.
Using Generic Store Policies
Most POD beginners copy and paste Terms of Service, Privacy and Cookie Policies, and Delivery and Return Policies from other websites.
This is completely wrong. As a business owner; you must put the effort into everything you do.
Take time to write your policies and be concise.
Using Low-Resolution Images
Images may look clear on your computer but appear blurry on a fabric.
Make sure to check for resolution and DPI (Dots Per Inch) before printing. The standard DPI is 300.
You can follow Printful design guide and Printify design guide for perfect print files.
Letting Negative Feedback Get To You
You must keep in mind that not everyone will like what you sell, and some people will always have something bad to say about your brand. Humans are the most insatiable beings on earth. Nothing you do can satisfy them.
Don't let negative feedback bring down your energy. Look for ways to solve their problem so that it won't become an issue again.
Conclusion
So many POD beginners make mistakes that have cost them a lot in their business.
These mistakes can be avoided when you are aware of them.
This article has provided some mistakes to be avoided if you're a beginner or about to venture into the POD industry.