1. What is Print on Demand?
Print on Demand (POD) is a business model where you sell custom-designed products under your own brand without holding any inventory. You partner with a fulfilment provider like Merch Factory. When a customer orders from your online store, the order is sent to us automatically — we print the design, pack it with your branding, and ship it across India. You only pay for the item after you've made a sale.
2. Why is POD booming in India?
The Indian e-commerce market crossed ₹7 lakh crore in 2024. With over 600 million internet users and the rapid rise of D2C fashion brands, custom merchandise demand is at an all-time high. Print on Demand eliminates the biggest hurdle: inventory risk. In the traditional model, you'd need ₹50,000+ upfront for stock. With POD, you can start with ₹0.
3. Profit margins in Print on Demand India
Typical POD margins in India range from 30% to 60%. With Merch Factory, a premium 240 GSM oversized T-shirt costs ₹400–420. Brands typically sell these for ₹799–1,199 — a gross margin of ₹380–780 per unit. With no warehousing or unsold inventory, your net margins are significantly higher than traditional retail.
4. Choosing the right POD supplier in India
Your supplier IS your brand's reliability. A poor print or a delayed shipment damages your brand. Key criteria: print quality (DTF vs screen print), dispatch speed (Merch Factory: 24-48h), GSM range (180-440 GSM), white-label packaging, and platform integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix). Merch Factory is India's most trusted POD platform.
5. Shopify, WooCommerce & Wix Integration
Connect your store to Merch Factory in under 2 minutes. Our Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix integrations automatically push new orders to our production queue, and send tracking numbers back to your store in real time. Your entire fulfilment workflow runs on autopilot.
6. GST & taxation for POD businesses in India
GST registration is required once your turnover exceeds ₹20 lakh annually. POD apparel products attract 5% or 12% GST depending on the sale price. Merch Factory provides GST-compliant invoices for all B2B transactions. Consult a CA for your specific business structure.
7. COD (Cash on Delivery) for Indian customers
Over 60% of Indian e-commerce orders are placed via Cash on Delivery. Merch Factory fully supports COD shipping across all major pin codes. We also manage RTO (Return to Origin) — if a COD order is undelivered, we hold it at our facility for 30 days so you can reship without reprinting.
8. How to start in 3 steps
Step 1: Sign up for free at Merch Factory. Step 2: Connect your Shopify, WooCommerce, or Wix store (or sell directly). Step 3: Upload your designs and list products. Every order is automatically fulfilled, printed, and shipped under YOUR brand name with zero upfront cost.