Print on demand (POD) has transformed the way businesses approach product creation and sales. Unlike the traditional bulk order model, where you invest upfront in large quantities of inventory, POD allows you to print items only as customers order them. While POD tends to be more expensive per-item and have less product variety than bulk runs, this strategy offers several key advantages:
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- Cost-Efficiency: POD eliminates the need for large upfront investments, allowing business to begin without initial capital, and reducing the financial risk associated with unsold inventory.
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- Inventory Management: Products are produced and shipped automatically by the fulfillment partner, freeing you from the logistical challenges (and storage cost) of managing stock.
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- Product Testing: POD provides an excellent platform for testing new designs and products before committing to bulk orders. This way, you can gauge customer interest and fine-tune your offerings based on real-time sales data.
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- Fully Automated Process: Seamless integration between your online store and fulfillment partners ensures that orders are automatically processed, leaving you with more time to focus on customer engagement and marketing.
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- Sustainable by Default: because it limits overproduction, POD is naturally less wasteful than bulk runs in general.
So! You’ve decided to add Print on Demand items to your store. Which POD fulfillment company should you choose? Let’s discuss the benefits and drawbacks of two of my personal favorites; Printful and TPOP.

Pros:
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- Wide Distribution Network: With production locations globally, Printful ensures that orders are produced and shipped from the nearest facility to the buyer, reducing shipping time and environmental impact.
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- Extensive Product Catalog: Printful boasts a diverse range of products, including apparel, accessories, and home goods, offering various decoration methods for each.
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- Seamless Extensive Integration: Printful integrates seamlessly with many ecommerce platforms, managing real-time inventory updates and out-of-stock notifications effortlessly.
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- Flexible Branding Options: Printful is a white label company, using shipping labels and other packaging customized with your store logo. The ability to include “pack-ins” like business cards or thank you notes enhances the unboxing experience for customers, and some products are available with tags customized with your logo.
Cons:
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- Varied Fulfillment Times: Not all products are available at every location, leading to longer wait times for certain items.
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- Sustainability: Printful offers some products made of sustainable materials, however this is not the main focus of the company, and research into each product is required if sustainability is important to you. Printful is making strides toward using less plastic in their packaging, however as of this posting they have not completely removed it.

Pros:
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- Sustainability Pioneers: TPOP’s commitment to sustainable practices and anti-plastic stance sets them apart, making them an ideal choice for eco-conscious businesses.
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- Their product offerings are entirely made from organic cotton, post-consumer recycled polyester, and transitional “cotton in conversion” (helping farmers transition fields from conventional to organic).
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- They use only water-based inks, which are “100% eco-certified by OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT and by the very serious GOTS 5.0 label, and are vegan”.
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- Their packaging is 100% plastic free!
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- For more details on TPOP’s sustainability, check out their environmental commitments page: LINK
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- Sustainability Pioneers: TPOP’s commitment to sustainable practices and anti-plastic stance sets them apart, making them an ideal choice for eco-conscious businesses.
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- Dedicated White Labeling: With no manufacturer labels in any of their products, all tags are fully customized with your brand. All packaging is also customized with your logo, and some pack-in options are available.
Cons:
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- Single Warehouse Location: All TPOP products ship from France, which can result in longer shipping times to the US, and slightly higher shipping costs.
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- Limited Catalog: Because TPOP’s catalog is intentionally curated for quality and sustainability, it doesn’t offer as many options as other POD companies. For stores which want a lot of variety of products, this may be a drawback for you.
The choice is yours!
The world of print on demand offers an innovative and flexible approach to e-commerce, empowering businesses to adapt, experiment, and thrive in the digital age. Whether you opt for the extensive catalog and global reach of Printful or the sustainability-focused offerings of TPOP, your choice of fulfillment partner should align with your brand’s values, target audience, and product line.
Remember, the decision doesn’t have to be binary – a strategic blend of both Printful and TPOP could provide a comprehensive range of products that cater to diverse customer preferences. As you embark on your print on demand journey, make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals and ethos, and watch as your online store flourishes in the dynamic world of e-commerce.
Interested in an online store?
Kwindie can set up and manage
your store quickly and easily.
Want to set up a store yourself? Click this affiliate link to sign up with Printful (thank you for your support), and this link to sign up for TPOP (not an affiliate link).