Print on demand built into your store

What is print on demand?

Print on demand (POD) is a way to sell custom products without holding inventory. You upload a design and list the product in your store. Nothing is produced until a customer orders: then the item is printed, packed and shipped directly to them.

Because you never buy blank products in bulk, a design that doesn't sell costs you nothing. That makes print on demand one of the safest ways to launch merch, test a niche or turn artwork into products.

Built in, nothing to connect

On most platforms, print on demand means installing an app, opening an account with a print supplier and keeping a balance with them. On Cartva it is part of the store. You pick a product from the catalog inside your dashboard, place your design and publish. There is no supplier account to open, no API key to paste and no extra subscription.

Payment works the same way. Cartva is the Merchant of Record, so card payments are collected by Cartva, and the production cost of each order is taken from that sale. You never prepay a supplier, and you don't need a company to start, as explained in selling without a company.

Products you can sell

• T-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts and hoodies
• Hats and caps
• Mugs
• Tote bags
• Posters and canvas prints

The catalog shows the base cost of each product, with the colors and sizes available, so you can see your margin before you publish anything.

How it works

1. Choose a product from the print-on-demand catalog in your dashboard.
2. Upload your design and position it on the mockup. A high-resolution PNG with a transparent background works best on apparel.
3. Set your retail price above the base cost shown in the editor.
4. Publish. The product appears in your store next to the rest of your catalog.
5. Get paid, and let production run. When a customer pays by card, the order goes to production automatically. It is printed, packed and shipped to your customer, and the tracking number is saved on the order.

Pricing your products

Your margin is your retail price, minus the base cost of the product, minus shipping if you don't charge it to the customer, minus the Cartva fee per sale. That fee already includes card processing: 9% on Solo, 7% on Grow and 6% on Enterprise.

For example, a t-shirt with a $12 base cost sold at $29 on the Solo plan leaves about $14.39 after the $2.61 fee, with shipping paid by the customer. Base costs vary by product, size and color, so always check the number shown in the editor. All plans are on the pricing page.

Combine it with dropshipping

Print on demand works well next to other product types. You can add products from CJ Dropshipping and Doba with dropshipping, or your own stock, and sell everything in the same store with one checkout. Each product follows its own fulfillment path after the sale.

Tips before you launch

• Order a sample of your best design to check print quality and colors.
• Keep important elements inside the printable area shown in the editor.
• Pick a niche. A design for a specific audience sells better than a design for everyone.
• Show real mockups on your product pages, and price for profit, not for the lowest price.

New to the model? Read how to start print on demand in 2026. Your store is free for 30 days without a card, and print on demand unlocks with any plan for $1 the first month.

Frequently asked questions