Printify Optimisation: 7 Tips for Better Margins

The Margin Problem in POD

Print-on-Demand is a great business model, but margins are often tight. Here are 7 practical tips to optimise your Printify costs:

1. Premium vs. Standard Printers

Standard printers are cheaper, but:

• Longer production times (5–7 days)
• Less consistent quality
• Higher return rates

Premium printers cost more, but:

• Faster production (2–3 days)
• Better quality
• Fewer returns
• Higher customer satisfaction

Recommendation: Start with premium for your bestsellers, standard for testing.

2. Product Selection by Margin

Not all products have the same margin:

High margins (40–60%):

• T-shirts (basic designs)
• Mugs
• Posters
• Stickers

Low margins (20–30%):

• Hoodies
• Sweatshirts
• All-over print products

Tip: Focus on high-margin products for better ROI.

3. Bulk Production for Bestsellers

Once a design performs well:

• Order in bulk (10+ units)
• Use Printify's Express Pricing
• Save 15–20% per unit

Caution: Only for validated bestsellers!

4. Multi-Print-Provider Strategy

Test different print providers for the same product:

• Prices can vary by 20–30%
• Quality differs
• Delivery times vary

Experimenting with providers is worth the time invested.

5. Shipping Optimisation

Shipping costs eat into margins:

Strategy 1: Free shipping above a threshold

• Increase product price by shipping cost
• Appears more attractive to customers

Strategy 2: Flat rate shipping

• £4.99 / €4.99 for everything
• Simple to communicate

Strategy 3: Regional fulfilment

• Use local printers
• Save on international shipping costs

6. Bundle Offers

Increase average order value:

• "3 T-shirts for €50" (instead of €20 each)
• "T-shirt + mug" bundle
• Save on shipping per item

Example:

• Individual price: 3 × €20 = €60
• Bundle: €50 (€10 saving for customer)
• You save: 2 × shipping costs

7. Automate Product Uploads

Manual uploads cost time = money:

Without automation:

• 30 min per product
• 50 products = 25 hours
• At €30/h = €750 in time costs

With automation (koyvu):

• 0 minutes of manual work
• Cost: €59–€149/month
• Saving: €600–€700/month

Bonus: Quality Check Process

Poor quality = returns = losses.

Set up a QA process:

1. Order samples from new providers
2. Check print quality
3. Test material and fit
4. Only then add to the shop

ROI: Preventing 5–10% returns = major margin improvement

Conclusion

Margin optimisation isn't a one-time job. Continuously:

• Test new providers
• Optimise product mix
• Automate processes
• Monitor quality

With these 7 tips you can increase your margins by 20–40%!