When I stumbled into the world of print-on-demand t-shirts, I had so much fun learning, creating my products, and setting up my store.
But after awhile, it no longer fit what I wanted in an online business. The constant product creation process and customer service issues were not what I looked forward to.
Then I took some time to ask myself what I wanted my online business to look like. Digital info products was what came to mind.
It is the complete opposite of POD products but has been a much more peaceful way to earn income online. If you’re an introvert seeking a way to make online income, this may be an ideal option for you.
How I Started My POD T-Shirt Business
I don’t remember how I went down the print-on-demand t-shirt rabbit hole, but I became completely fascinated by it.
There is so much information available for free on how to get started. My first step was to learn how to design t-shirts.
I found a really good channel called Detour Shirts on YouTube and followed several tutorial videos.
Before I knew it, I had designed close to 100 t-shirts. I was enjoying the creative process.
At the same time, I learned how to launch a Shopify store to sell my shirts. I connected my Shopify store to Printify–the company that handles the printing and shipping of shirts to your customers.
It was a smooth process and easy to set up. What was challenging was the paid advertising and making sales (more on that below.)
Why I Had to Quit Doing Print-On-Demand
The short answer is that the paid advertising was costing more than the sales I was making.
It wasn’t sustainable. Paying for Meta ads was expensive. I enjoyed making the sales that I made but they were not consistent.
There is a learning curve for using any type of paid advertising. I simply didn’t have the budget to experiment and figure it out.
It could have also been my t-shirt designs. Some sold well and others didn’t at all.
Having success with print-on-demand t-shirts depends a lot on the niche you choose and the designs of your shirts.
It’s also important to have a budget for spending money on ads.
Using organic traffic is a slower process but it is possible to make sales.
Customer Service Issues with Print-On-Demand
Luckily, I didn’t run into many customer service issues selling my t-shirts. There was one issue in which the customer received a shirt with a blurry design.
It was a simple enough fix but it took a lot of back-and-forth trying to get a response from the customer.
I simply didn’t want to deal with those issues on a regular basis.
Shutting Down My POD Store
I eventually shut down my print-on-demand t-shirt store with Shopify and Printify. It was pointless to continue paying for either platform when I was no longer paying for ads.
It was a fun learning experience and I still enjoy designing t-shirts. I place my designs up for sale on Teepublic. They handles the printing, sales, and customer service issues.
Designers receive a portion of every sale that is made. It’s a great way to do print-on-demand without any added expense.
Digital Products Have Many Advantages
Switching over to selling digital information products was one of the best decisions.
In comparison to selling physical products, it is a lot simpler and low-maintenance.
I don’t have to keep on top of creating new products, there is no shipping of anything, and little to no customer service issues.
Here are some of my favorite advantages of digital products versus selling physical products:
- No inventory to manage
- You create and own your own product
- Never anything to ship
- The sales process can be automated
- Very little customer service
- Work from anywhere
- An introvert-friendly business
How I Create My Digital Products
It begins with choosing a topic. Everyone has something that they know that can help other people out.
Your info product doesn’t have to be groundbreaking. The information needs to help solve an issue or save time.
Here are some examples:
- Meal prep for busy parents
- Manifestation for skeptics
- How to pack for minimalist travelers
- How to live full-time on a cruise ship
When you have your topic, it is a matter of typing it up using Google Docs or another word processor of your choice.
Then export your document as a PDF file.
Selling Your PDF Files Online
Next, it’s time to choose your sales platform. There are many platforms to choose from.
Some have a monthly fee and others don’t. The ones that do not take a small percentage of each sale that you make.
I recommend the free platforms for beginners. A couple of good options include Payhip and Gumroad.
If you want a full sales funnel like I use, I recommend Systeme.io. It is an all-in-one marketing funnel.
I’m able to sell my digital product as well as build and grow an email list in one place.
What is Next?
Has selling digital information products piqued your interest? It is an ideal online business not only for introverts but for anyone seeking to create a new income stream without a lot of hassle.
This type of business can work quietly in the background 24/7. When I make a sale, my sales funnel handles the payment and delivery of my product without any input from me.
The next step from here is to learn more about how selling PDF files works.
You can launch your own digital product quickly and easily.