What Print on Demand Gurus Don't Tell You... 

Have you joined the free Print-on-demand community yet? It's really awesome! --> www.skool.com/podexperts/about

That graphic with the 115 dots - that was a HUGE eye opener! Been thinking something’s wrong because I listed so many designs that fell flat. But that graphic made me so happy!! This is normal ! I took a screenshot , gonna print it and place it by my computer as encouragement. No lie! Thank you ❤

You speak the truth. I have been doing pod for about 5 years and it really took me 2 yrs to start making good money. I have had a ton of failed designs but I do have some winners. What helped me was selling other products like mugs, blankets poster etc where the profit margin is better than T-shirts. That's why a lot of people quit it takes a year or more to start making good money. Thanks for the great video.

This is why you’re the best. You’re very realistic and tell it like it is. Print on demand is the process. Can you imagine what it was like back in the day when you had to test designs by buying the inventory and hoping it takes off? 😮

Lie number 371 - print on demand is more profitable and easier than making videos about print on demand 🤣

Thank you for this post. I started a POD business about 4 months ago and have found EVERYTHING you were talking about to be true. I've had one sale so far but am determined to turn my business into a profitable one. Thank you for solidifying what I have been finding out to be true on my own.

I created my shop thanks to your videos, and my approach is to create while having fun, if I manage to make sales so much the better, I try to create while improving myself and always with the idea of having fun. If one day it brings me an additional income, thank you to your videos

New follower! You're telling it like it is. I love this. Taking off the rose colored glasses dished out from other POD RU-vidrs is the best thing for anyone looking to delve into the world of POD. 2 thumbs up!

So glad to finally hear someone say this!!! POD is NOT Passive! If you treat it as passive, you can't expect much out of it at all.

Subscribed! Mainly for the honest, no BS approach... also fantastic public-schoolboy accent. I haven't actually started my venture into POD yet, but this was definitely an eye-opening intro. I also liked the dot matrix, which puts the success or failure rate into perspective, and shows how much perseverance you need to get through the initial knock-backs.

I have been feeling very discouraged in my POD journey and am excited to have found your channel. Thanks for the practical advice.

I’m always glad when people are honest about what it takes and what it looks like realistically. I started in mid 2021 and this year I might finally be in the six figure profit range but it took a lot to get here and it’s continued effort. It is not passive. While I have a completely flexible schedule, I also treat this like a job. If I did not, I don’t think I’d be making anywhere near as much. In the beginning you have to be willing to work for nothing for a while.

HEY SHIMMY !! EACH AND EVERY POINT STATED IN THIS VIDEO IS TRUE AND PRACTICAL . YOU WERE SPEAKING MY MIND..I'VE BEEN IN THIS BIZ FOR AN YEAR AND A HALF NOW WITH NOT MUCH SUCCESS BECAUSE I FOLLOWED WHAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE BUT I DON'T BLAME ANYONE FOR THAT AS THE IDEA OF FINANCIAL FREEDOM (" PASSIVE INCOME") IS EXTREMELY TEMPTING FOR EVERYONE. MOST OF US HAVE TAKEN THE PLUNGE WITHOUT MUCH RESEARCH AND ARE CONFUSED OR DISAPPOINTED NOW. THE PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE AND CORRECT INFORMATION IS SO MUCH SCATTERED ON RU-vid. PLUS, WE ARE SO DRIVEN BY NUMBERS THAT WE OFTEN IGNORE THE TREASURE TROVES ONLY BCZ THERE ARE NOT MUCH VIEWS AND SUBSCRIBERS ETC. YOU DESERVE MORE SUBSCRIBERS AND HERE IS YOUR NEW ONE.

Thank you for being honest ! You nailed it , no one really talks about reality. No one had actually made any video on step by step how to actually how to start. Like really STEP by STEP. Would love to you do one. Appreciate sharing your experience.

I’m not a print on demand dude, and don’t know anything about it, but I’m glad I saw this video, because you are an authentic, realistic and practical RU-vidr. There aren’t enough of you!!! Thank you.

I really appreciate your transparency. Thank You 🙏

Great summary of a lot of common misinformation floating around in the pod space. Good job Shimmy!

I'm so glad I found your channel. I put off POD for years but finally my friend got sick of me talking about it & said "JUST DO IT!" So I did last November. I think my designs are unique & original (all hand drawn) but my sales have been slow. I keep trying everything. You've definitely given me encouragement & good advice! Thanks so much! I'm going to subscribe & share this video with my friend that encouraged me. LMK if you want my link to my shop to give me an honest opinion on my creations. 😉

Thanks. Three years into my own struggling stores. Lots of failure. But my persistence is greater. I keep learning, and trying again. Tons of mistakes, but all of them are different, so I count the process as a Win.

6:23 totally agree! no such thing as passive income... even property requires work. even if it were selling a book, creating it takes tremendous effort, and then you have to keep up the correspondence with the fans... so anything requires effort to create and maintain

You have no idea how much you helped me... just subscribed. Finally a sane channel on this niche

Yes its always lot of work putting up a net shop and crap when people say on RU-vid “ little work and passive” LOT to know and find out.

“You just aren’t working hard enough!! “ 😂😂- great video! Thanks for the reality check-

Thank you for this. I actually created my POD store, haven't had any sales because I haven't had money to pay for ads. I was thinking of adding some more designs but was feeling discouraged. Your video has reminded me that its a long game. So I'll try again

Hi 👋 Shim, I’m your latest Subscriber! Well said mate! 👏👊

Thank you, what you said in this video is the absolute truth, I experienced it myself, the only thing is if you have help and someone helps you, then you can upload designs on many platforms and it brings profit, but if you work alone, then yes, you are not a robot and cannot embrace the immensity!

Refreshing to hear someone tell the truth!!! Thank you.

Less than 2 minutes in and you've earned a Subscribe, thanks for your honesty. The harsh truth most people don't like to face is that 98% of what you do is a lesson in what doesn't work. Something that venture capitalists know only too well. Test, test, test, test, test, learn, test more, learn more, win.

Excellent video Shimmy! Thanks!🧡

I absolutely LOVE your content and watch most of your videos. I would like to see a video where you explain how you start a POD store from start to finish. Including paid traffic, how much you pay and how / where you market. If you have such a video, please will you direct me? How do you get your shops to be so successful so early? How do you stay ahead of the competition?

Thank you for this video!

I've been on Zazzle since 2009 and I probably sell the same 20 designs over and over. When I sell a design that's never been sold before, it's just weirdly exciting.

Like i said before, You're probably one of the only youtubers who is sincere and honest about the print on demand business. 👍

I love this level-setting video. It's so much better to approach this or any business with a realistic attitude. It's gonna be a slog until you get enough experience by working hard at it. I don't actually know of any "easy" business. Everything will test you.

Print on demand is so difficult because hundreds of thousands of people are doing it now. And youtubers told them to make a thousand listings flooding the marketplace with junk, and diluting any chance for new shop sales to be found. Absolutley do not go make hundreds of designs it's ruining it and it doesn't work.

Thanks for telling the truth. I run 3 shops and it is a 50-60 hrs a week job. Yes, you can make figures, but it takes a shit load of work.

Thank you Jimmy

The truth is empowering. Thanks for the video!

Could you walk us through how you advertise (paid) and whether you use broad or targeted ads?

Finally, someone who spoke the truth! Thank you!

I've been hearing that POD mugs is a bad way to go. Any thoughts? Just started watching and I agree, you're videos are good stuff.

Do you also sell accent on demand? I could use it 😊. On another more serious note, thank you for the video 👍

Tip so robbers think twice when stealing design is add your logo and brand name on a design that is hard to edit they can just save file and put on shirt

Love your videos! Yes, my sales won’t be buying me a house, but all my ‘spinning plates’ of many other creative activities add up to enough to make it worth doing, and it is fun designing and concocting ideas. I advise people to study guerrilla marketing, copywriting, sales psychology, product photography so you don’t end up with outdated techniques and stock photos that look the same as other sellers

Great video dude. lol crazy how many designs I have up or have taken down from Merch over the years. Thousandsssssss. And majority of sales are only the smallest percentage of what I’ve uploaded. Different for everyone. But yea, majority of what you put up will not sell

Thank you soo much shimmy for such valuable videos. I wanted to make good designs but I was confused on one thing that are simple text graphic designs are more sellable or high graphic & template designs are better? and should I continue with free tools like canva or should I go for paid design tools as I want to level up the game? Can you please advice me !

Thankyou! It's good to know my own independent brain is lining up with what you're saying here.

Thanks for being honest

Great insights on the real hustle behind print-on-demand success! 🚀 Emphasizing the importance of experimentation and resilience in design selection truly underscores what it takes to thrive in this dynamic market.

Another great video. This time, busting the myths around POD. I'm about to launch my store ans you have been an inspiration to me while getting started. As a UK-based seller, I'm struggling with how best to sell internationally, especially to the US. Fulfill from the UK and ship internationally (bad customer experience with customs fees, etc?), or use a US-based print provider and work out how to handle taxes, etc. Might make a good subject for a future video?

Thank you for this.

Hello Shimmy Great video . Could you show us how do you make your own templates for your shopify store. Thank you

Thanks for uploading. V helpful 🙌🏽.

When you do ads for your Shopify store how do you get "marketing experts" to stop messaging you and wasting your time? Also what social media platform is best to drive traffic to a Shopify Store?

I heard you briefly mentioned that shopify is safer than etsy...do you have a video on why this is? Is it more to do with having you own platform (so WordPress incl)?

Is SPRING any good?

Thank you! 👏👍❤️

I wanna be like you shimmy 🙂, U are really my inspiration

I think that having a store makes it much easier for people to copy from you. All your designs are right there in one easy place to copy from.

Regarding the "designs stealing" - water mark can't solve this issue?

Got a question for you ! If you have 2 creatives in an Ad that are not performing and you are going to switch one off. One has 10k impressions and no clicks and the other has 500 impressions and no clicks. Which one do you switch off and why ? Both have been running for the same amount of time.

Hey Shimmy, can you do a video on how to do pod (or other ways to make money) in the US as a UK seller? What r the pitfalls … how to avoid them, how to practically set it up, how to get paid etc……??? 🙏🏼❣️

You're awesome. Don't listen to the haters.

Good info here. I noticed that you used the term "failed designs" a few times. and it got me wondering. Do you mean complete failures", like not even one sale ever? Or are you talking about designs that never get popular, but maybe make a sale or two here or there? I would love to know what the stats generally are on your "failed designs". THANKS

Great Advice

Truth bombs being dropped here... I'm working between 11pm and 1am, possibly 2am, it is hard graft.

Couple of questions about the Shopify store: 1) Did you or are you doing SEO? I've read that most don't which surprised me. I know it's a long term investment, but it seems worth it. 2) Do you have as much problems with design theft on Shopify? I know all the platforms have tools that show the trending designs which is basically a shopping cart for design thieves. My guess is it's not as bad but I could be wrong. (ok you just answered it while I was typing this!) :P Thanks for the video!

How do you deal with negative comments on FB ads when you’ve just started?

What kind of money should I be spending on ads? Because a few hundred bucks a month has gotten me nothing.

Thank you for video. There is lack of truth on youtube. Most of the money was made during pandemic. We are in a new world now. Discernment will dominate the landscape for next few years. Be selective on videos your clicking on.

Starting today, for the energy, time, money involved, what makes more sense: print on demand or affiliate marketing?

Please make a Facebook ad tutorial

I can't sync Etsy and Printful

Possibly my favorite video from you. Many of the lies mentioned here are the ones continually being parroted by Greg Gottfried and I'm glad you debunked them.

If you look at all these designer companies ....a lot of print on demand its unreal

why can you not sue the people who steal your designs

I've made 1000 designs in the last 2 years and sold nothing

Finally someone telling the real truth!

Who will print and ship them to customers ?

biggest problem I see is ripoff artists steal my design and sell way more than me

The ONLY thing I don’t like about this wonderful video is the thumbnail image. The text in the image is a bit clickbaity. But the rest of it is perfect.

Wel...... There is no such thing as "passive income" even if you are a millionaire you will have to work somehow. The term "passive income" is used as a hook for losers. They will never achieve glory with that mentality. Excellent video as always!

Shimmy, Right now as a beginner to sell say one merch shirt or a couple merch shirts of just inspiration sayings on my RU-vid channel.. who would you use T-Spring ect.. My channel is fitness/ Crohn’s disease but want to sale just a couple of my sayings. Thank you for your time💪🥰

Let me guess you have a course to sell

So print on demand is like musicians, in order to be a quick overnight success there has to be a great deal of hard work, thought, learning the business, followed by more hard work and then, tadaa, overnight success 😂

Have you seen your designs copied on Walmart website? It’s a thing. Overseas peeps are getting approval to be sellers on Walmart and just stealing every design on Amazon and pasting it onto Walmarts website for $10.99 of course it ships from overseas. I’ve seen a lot of my top sellers on it.

How do you protect your design from being stolen?

thank y0u for y0ur h0nesty shimmy

❤

Where can I find your products for sale?

what?... are you not telling us (I hope that you are THE guru!!!)

Better to go flip fries in reality than have hopes on these pipe dreams,( easy money) is never easy.

Wait what? i thought the whole time i could make 1 design and get a millionaire instantly? now you destroyed my hopes xD

Actually, 95 percent of tenants are absolutely dreadful.

Not to mention tenants from Hell.

Aren’t all fake gurus talking about pod and how many they’re making there and no one sharing their e-shops? 😂

Either you’re trying to stifle competition or you’re not putting the work in.

Not dead just over saturated

Don't expose *everything* 😉🤣

Bro i made a company to make auto print on demand with ai, you upload designs and jt makes quto products fast. Do you thibk my buisness is okay or safe? 😢😢 Im worried i invested millions