Philip, 1.5 years in POD, earned €41k in 2021: “The more you put in, the more you get out”

How much can you really earn doing POD, and how much time do you need to invest to get there? Who are the merchants behind the Print on Demand (POD) business? In our brand new SPOD Insider series, we talk to people from all walks of life about how they run their online shops. They share their stories, approaches, and their best advice for running a successful print-on-demand business. 

Meet Philip, 23, owner of egendesign.com

Philip uses Shopify to run his shop and sells exclusively within his home country of Sweden using SPOD EU. Egendesign.com is his side hustle next to his day job working in a factory, in between after-work gym sessions and spending time with his girlfriend and family. He puts about 28 hours per week into his print-on-demand business, though he says it was a bigger time investment in the beginning. He uses the Shopify App to make sure he’s always available for his customers. His online shop offers customization on blank products, rather than selling products featuring original designs.

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Let's talk business

Philip started his business in mid-2020, wanting to start a side project for himself. He invested a larger sum into the business to get it off the ground, which was a risk he says he was prepared to take. He started out with low retail prices. It took about 5 months for sales to start rolling in, and he’s been able to raise his prices over time. 

“I wouldn’t say my store has taken off yet. I’m preparing for a lot more [business] and [recently] hired a team to work on SEO for my store.” 

Before this, Philip did everything from customer support to SEO and ad creation (mostly Google and Facebook ads) himself. Since his shop sells blank products available for customization, he hasn’t had to invest time into creating his own designs. Philip says he has “always appreciated all kinds of work because it increases the value of my store. I’ve always believed that the more you put in, the more you get out.”

On the books 

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Philip x SPOD

Philip’s top priorities when choosing a print on demand and dropshipping provider for egendesign.com were:

1. Profitable products and shipping costs
2. Product assortment
3. Fast production and delivery

In choosing a provider, it was also important to him to have customer service and transparent communication. With this, he can rest assured that his orders are in good hands and know that he can reach out for support when needed. 

What’s working well with SPOD? Philip values the fast shipping times to Sweden, the large product assortment, and the print quality.
His favorite feature? SPOD’s Customizer, because that’s what his shop is based on. 

Nuggets of wisdom

For those getting started in POD, Philip’s advice is: “Don’t rush things and do your research before starting out. When you find your own niche and audience, you’re ready. Remember, if your niche is super unique, it will get easier. Getting started is very easy, but to become successful, you have to put in a lot of hard work and time.” 

Final words of wisdom from Philip: Always put the customer in front of yourself. In the long run, they could be a customer for many years.”



Feeling inspired? Anyone can run a POD business with SPOD. Sign up to get started today.

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