Can I Make Money through Print on Demand?
Can Print-on-Demand Be Profitable? (Posters Edition)
If you’re thinking of starting an Etsy shop selling posters, you’ve probably asked: “Can print-on-demand actually make me money?”
Short answer? Yes—but only if you do it right.
In this post, we’ll break down where your profits come from, where your money goes, and what it actually takes to run a profitable poster shop using print-on-demand.
✅ Yes, Print-on-Demand Can Be Profitable—Especially with Posters
Unlike bulky or expensive-to-ship products, posters are lightweight, low-cost, and globally shippable. That makes them one of the best product types for profitable print-on-demand selling.
With PrintShrimp, you can earn £10–25 profit per sale on larger sizes like A2, A1, 16×24", 18×24", and 24×36"—even after Etsy fees.
For example:
A1 Poster: PrintShrimp cost ~£11.49 (incl. shipping)
Sell for £34.99 → After fees, you could earn £20+ profit on one sale
Zero inventory needed. No packing. No trips to the post office.
That’s the power of poster POD. But profit isn't automatic.
💸 Where Does the Money Go?
To succeed, you need to understand where your profit gets sliced.
-
Print & Fulfillment Costs
Your core expense is the base print cost. With PrintShrimp, this includes the poster itself, protective packaging, and white-label shipping—all at lower rates than Printify, Gelato, or Printful.
👉 See PrintShrimp’s Poster Pricing -
Etsy Fees
- 6.5% transaction fee
- 4% + £0.20 payment processing fee
- £0.16 per listing
- Optional: 15% offsite ads (only charged if Etsy drives a sale)
Total fees usually eat up 10–15% of the sale price—still worth it, but factor it in when setting prices.
-
Etsy Ads
Many new sellers invest in Etsy ads to get traction.
🟡 Warning: Etsy ads take time to work. They’re based on your click-through rate, conversion rate, and performance history.
💡 Tip: Hold off on serious ad spend until you have 100+ live listings and a few proven bestsellers.
🖼️ Why Posters Are the Best Print-on-Demand Product
There’s a reason so many successful POD sellers focus on wall art. Posters tick nearly every box when it comes to scalability, profit margins, and customer demand.
- Low Production Costs: No sizing variations or complex materials—just high-quality prints on premium paper.
- Easy to Ship Worldwide: Lightweight and flat-packed, avoiding many international shipping headaches.
- Huge Variety of Niches: From travel prints to pop culture art, quotes to vintage maps—posters appeal to almost every audience.
- Year-Round Demand: Popular gifts, home upgrades, and seasonal refreshes. Q4 (Oct–Dec) is peak, but sales run strong all year.
- Visual Selling Power: A single high-quality mockup can instantly communicate value and style—ideal for Etsy’s image-driven browsing.
📦 Success Comes from Volume + Quality
Here’s the harsh truth: one poster won’t make you rich. To be profitable, you need to list high-quality designs at scale. We recommend:
- Building to 100+ listings as a solid foundation
- Optimising your mockups to show real home decor appeal
- Writing SEO-friendly titles and tags to rank in search
Every listing is a new fishing line in the water. The more you have, the more sales you’ll make.
⏳ Print-on-Demand Takes Time—But That’s Normal
One of the biggest mistakes new sellers make is expecting instant results. Poster POD is not a get-rich-quick scheme. You’ll likely see:
- Little traction in your first few weeks
- Gradual growth as listings build
- Big momentum around month 3–6
And remember: Etsy is seasonal. Peak sales usually come in Q4 (Oct–Dec). If you lay the groundwork now, your holiday season could be your biggest payday.
🦐 Why PrintShrimp Is the Best POD Supplier for Posters
There are dozens of POD providers—but only one built specifically for poster sellers. Here’s why PrintShrimp is your best partner:
- Lower Prices: We beat Printify, Gelato, Printful, and others on poster pricing—inclusive of shipping.
- Premium Quality: Choose satin, matte, or glossy museum-grade paper at no extra charge.
- Faster Fulfillment: Same- or next-working-day dispatch from UK, EU, US, and Australia.
- Global Coverage: White-label packaging and tracking worldwide.
- No Monthly Fees: No subscriptions, no hidden charges—just pay for what you print.
🚀 Final Thoughts: POD Posters Can Be Profitable—If You Build It Right
If you:
- Use a supplier with low costs (like PrintShrimp)
- Understand your fees and pricing
- Put in the effort to scale with quality
- Give your shop 3–6 months of consistent effort
Then yes—print-on-demand posters on Etsy can be a genuinely profitable business. Unlike physical stock businesses, you don’t need risk inventory or logistics headaches. Focus on creating great designs and marketing them well—we’ll handle the rest.
Ready to start? 👉 Visit PrintShrimp.com and build your dream poster business—one print at a time.