Top 15 Best Print on Demand Courses to Learn in 2024

Top 15 Best Print on Demand Courses for Beginners in 2024

best print on demand course

Dreaming of building a POD business? Great decision! But where do you begin? Some might seek advice from experienced owners, while others might prefer to scavenge knowledge on their own and learn from success and failure. Now that you’ve found this article, let’s discuss another potential approach: taking a print on demand course.

Would enrolling in these classes be a good idea? If so, which ones should you take?

Read on and find your answers here!

What is Print on Demand (POD)?

Print on demand is the target of many entrepreneurs who dream of running a business without holding inventory.

Simply put, you’ll design and sell customizable products like t-shirts, mugs, phone covers, and tote bags.

When a customer places an order on your online store, a third-party printing company will print the customized design onto the chosen product. This company also handles the fulfillment process, including packaging and shipping the product directly to your customer. Sounds enticing, right?

This is also why print on demand is a go-to solution for many budding entrepreneurs. Currently, over 220,000 businesses worldwide are working in this field.

print-on-demand-t-shirt

Is POD Profitable in 2024?

Let the figure speak for itself: Experts predict the POD market will reach a staggering $48.4 billion by 2032, growing at around 22.7% each year.

One of the main reasons for this phenomenal boom is consumer’s craving for products that reflect their individuality. Market research shows a whopping 36% of shoppers now expect some level of customization, even if it means waiting a little longer. This is an excellent opportunity for POD businesses with creative designs to stand out.

Besides, setting up an online store is much easier than ever thanks to user-friendly platforms like Shopify. This removes a major hurdle for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to enter the POD market.

Benefits of Taking a Print on Demand Course

Learning through trial and error is a solid way to grasp the basics of POD. However, you can accelerate your learning process by taking a thorough print-on-demand course. If you’re still hesitant to take a course, let the benefits listed below convince you.

Knowing the Ins and Outs of POD

You can definitely find tons of information online, from blog posts to YouTube tutorials. But let’s be honest, piecing together everything from scratch not only costs you a lot of time but also confuses you, giving you no clue where to start or what’s most important to learn next.

That’s where a well-designed print-on-demand course comes in. It takes you on a better learning journey, covering everything from the POD basics to advanced topics like picking your niche, marketing your products, and making sales.

Learning from the Professionals

Enrolling in print-on-demand courses offers a unique opportunity to tap into the expertise of seasoned entrepreneurs who have walked the path before you. These individuals have not only mastered the intricacies of the POD business but have also navigated the challenges and triumphed in the face of adversity. 

By learning from their experiences and insights, you can gain a deeper understanding of the industry, avoid common pitfalls, and capitalize on proven strategies for success. 

Accessing Valuable Resources

When you enroll in a POD course, you can benefit from exclusive resources such as templates and checklists. Some courses even have private communities where you can discuss topics with tutors and connect with other POD sellers who also share valuable experiences and case studies.

Avoiding Costly Mistakes

Thanks to well-structured POD courses, you can tell what’s good and bad for your business. They prevent you from choosing the wrong products or providers, creating low-quality designs that don’t sell, or launching a poor marketing strategy. Ultimately, they save you a significant amount of money and time in the long run.

Best Free Courses to Help You Become a POD Expert in 2024

The growth of the POD sector has resulted in an increase in the number of courses, making it difficult for newcomers to choose the proper one. But fear not! We’ve done the legwork for you, hand-picking the most reliable and effective POD courses in the market. Whatever your budget, we have something for you. Check them out!

Let’s start by learning all POD-related things for free!

Shopify’s Build a POD Empire

Overview: 

  • Platform: Shopify Academy
  • Instructor: Adrian Morrison
  • Pricing: Free
  • Course duration: 2 hours 41 minutes
  • Certificate: No

The Shopify’s Build a POD Empire course is a perfect start if you plan to use Shopify to build your POD store. Adrian Morrison, a seven-figure entrepreneur, will walk you through 19 lessons, from understanding the “what” and “why” of POD to building your Shopify store and generating sales.

A strong point of this course is its focus on product creation. You’ll learn how to identify profitable niches and, more importantly, how to validate your product ideas. This will ensure that your designs have a market appeal before investing a ton of time and resources.

For Shopify users, this course is gold! It dives deep into building a top-notch Shopify store, from setting up your dashboard and choosing a theme to integrate essential apps and adding your products.

POD Online Course by Somewhat Passive Income

POD Course by Somewhat Passive Income

Overview:

  • Platform: Somewhat Passive Income
  • Instructor: Co-instructors
  • Pricing: Free
  • Course duration: 50 minutes
  • Certificate: No

Here’s another budget-friendly option for newcomers to the world of print-on-demand. The POD Online Course is suitable for those who learn best by reading, but be prepared – it’s not a quick read. You’ll need to dedicate some time to it.

Somewhat Passive Income (SPI) divides the course into four comprehensive sections, delving into the essentials of starting a POD business, from identifying profitable niches and creating designs to marketing strategies.

Here’s the kicker: SPI includes video links within written sections, allowing you to access visual explanations for specific topics. So, if you’re feeling a bit burned out from all the reading, take a little break and watch a quick video instead.

Besides, SPI provides summaries to skim through for the most crucial information, perfect for those who can not commit to reading the entire guide at once.

Free Shopify print on demand Course by Ecom King

Overview:

  • Platform: Youtube
  • Instructor: Ecom King
  • Pricing: Free
  • Course duration: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Certificate: No

Spend over three hours watching Ecom King’s YouTube video to learn everything you need to build and manage your POD Shopify business successfully.

This course consists of fifteen sections that cover everything from the basics to more advanced strategies. The first one-third of the video will teach you how to create a winning product, identify the finest suppliers, and set up your Shopify POD store. The rest focuses on particular tactics for increasing your effectiveness on each network, such as Facebook, Email, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

This course is completely free, so it’s all about time investment. Also, though it targets Shopify store owners, you can still apply what you learn to better your Etsy shop.

How to Start a Print on Demand Business for Beginners

POD course by Printful Academy

Overview:

  • Platform: Printful Academy
  • Instructor: Co-instructors
  • Pricing: Free
  • Course duration: 50 minutes
  • Certificate: No

This is one of the best print on demand course that you can find in the Printful Academy.  If you’re not familiar with Printful, it’s a top-tier POD platform that allows you to develop and sell personalized products through your web store while handling fulfillment for you.

Designed with beginners in mind, this course focuses on core principles like identifying profitable niches, designing winning products, optimizing your online store, and crafting effective marketing strategies. It’s an excellent starting point, but for those seeking advanced marketing techniques or in-depth design instruction, this course might not be comprehensive enough.

Additionally, while the course naturally emphasizes using Printful’s fulfillment services, the core business principles covered are widely applicable. If you choose a different POD provider, you might need to make slight adjustments.

Shopify Basic Course by Pixel Cozy

print on demand course by Pixel Cozy

Overview:

  • Platform: Pixel Cozy
  • Instructor: Pixel Cozy
  • Pricing: Free
  • Course duration: 1 hour 55 minutes
  • Certificate: No

This free course is offered by Pixel Cozy (formerly known as POD Frenzy) – a one stop shop for POD solutions like designs, tools, and automations.

It’s well structured with five main modules, covering the topics as following:

  • Finding the right niche
  • Setting up a Shopify store
  • Editting designs
  • Choosing providers and processing orders
  • Conducting marketing campaigns

The course has a detailed section dedicated to building a Shopify store, ideal for those who’ve already chosen Shopify as their platform. However, these fundamental concepts remain relevant for anyone setting up and managing an online store other than Shopify.

Sell Print on Demand on Etsy with Printify - Complete Guide

print on demand Mihai C

Overview:

  • Platform: Skillshare
  • Instructor: Mihai C
  • Pricing: Free
  • Course duration: 1 hour 32 minutes
  • Certificate: No

Mihai C’s course is your ultimate guide to mastering Etsy to be successful in this field, especially if you’re just starting out. It covers everything you need to know, from setting up your shop to optimizing your product listings and understanding Etsy’s seller policies.

Learning how to integrate your online store with a fulfillment service is key for a successful print-on-demand business. In this course, Mihai C walks you through the process of connecting Printify to your Etsy shop, ensuring a smooth flow from design to customer delivery.

What makes this course stand out is its focus on simple SEO strategies to boost your Etsy shop’s visibility in search results. Additionally, you’ll discover easy marketing techniques like leveraging social media and running ads on Etsy.

Available on Skillshare, you can try out this course for free for 30 days. It’s a risk-free opportunity to enhance your Etsy selling skills and take your business to the next level.

Building a Career in Illustration: Explore Print-On-Demand

Overview:

  • Platform: Skillshare
  • Instructor: Cat Coquillette
  • Pricing: Free
  • Course duration: 24 minutes
  • Certificate: No

Here’s another POD course to learn on Skillshare.

Cat Coquillette takes you on her journey with Society6, a leading online POD marketplace. You’ll witness firsthand how Society6 helped Cat to build a thriving creative business, allowing her to focus on her art while the platform handles logistics.

This print on demand course is designed for aspiring artists, particularly those interested in using Society6. Despite its concise format of just seven lessons lasting 24 minutes, the course is packed with valuable tips and tricks. You’ll discover strategies for crafting artwork that consistently sells, optimizing your designs for various POD products, and effectively promoting your work to build a loyal customer base.

Over 64,000 students have enrolled in this course, with a strong showing of satisfaction.  In particular, 54% of students found it met their expectations, whereas a significant 37% reported it exceeded their expectations.

How to Quickly Start a Print on Demand Merchandise Business with Zero Experience

A course by Digital Steve on Skillshare

Overview:

  • Platform: Skillshare
  • Instructor: Digital Steve
  • Pricing: Free
  • Course duration: 3 hours 56 minutes
  • Certificate: No

This is the most detailed POD course that we’ve introduced so far. It’s designed for those with no prior POD experience.

Described as an A-to-Z blueprint, the course equips you with everything you need to know about starting a successful POD business. It comprises 29 step-by-step video courses that cover a wide range of topics, from product research to strategy analysis. With a total runtime of 4 hours, it remains manageable even for busy schedules.

If you’re interested in creating custom t-shirts and mugs, this course is ideal since it has dedicated sections to help you with just that.

Beyond the core content, what sets this course apart is how Digital Steve provides practical advice regarding:

  • Selecting the best marketplaces to sell your products
  • Identifying top-rated POD printing partners
  • Crafting holiday-themed marketing strategies
  • Leveraging coupons and discounts effectively to drive sales

Best Paid Courses to Help You Become a POD Expert in 2024

We’ve just reviewed some free options, let’s delve into paid POD courses and see how they might differ.

Build a Shopify POD Business from Scratch

Shopify POD course by Adam Reed

Overview:

  • Platform: Udemy
  • Instructor: Adam Reeds
  • Pricing: $14.99
  • Course duration: 8 hours
  • Certificate: Yes

Led by Adam Reeds, an established eCommerce and digital marketing expert, this best print on demand course offers a comprehensive guide to launching and operating a POD business using the Shopify platform.

For a very reasonable price of $14.99, you’ll gain access to over 8 hours of video content spread across 115 manageable lessons. This in-depth curriculum delves into the essential aspects, including setting up your store, marketing strategies (think Facebook and email marketing), sourcing high-quality designs for your products, etc.

As of our last check, this course has a total enrollment of 4,756 students and a review score of 4.6 on Udemy.

Many students commend the course for its practical approach, providing the necessary steps to launch a POD business and equipping them with the skills to build effective marketing campaigns.

Others said that while the core focus is on Shopify integration, it offers valuable takeaways applicable to POD businesses regardless of their chosen sales platform.

Ryan’s Method: The Etsy POD

The Etsy POD course by Ryan’s Method

Overview:

  • Platform: Ryan’s Method (Passive Income School)
  • Instructor: Ryan Hogue
  • Pricing: $297
  • Course duration: 8 hours
  • Certificate: No

Ryan Hogue, a 7-figure POD seller and Etsy expert, invented this in-depth course to teach newcomers all they need to know about running their POD business on Etsy.

As you navigate his site, you’ll find an 8-minute preview video that offers a sneak peek at the course content. This helps you determine if the course aligns with your learning goals before committing.

The course is structured into 9 modules, each focusing on a crucial aspect of setting up and optimizing your Etsy shop for POD success. Crucial topics include product listing creation, printful integration, advertisement, and optimization strategies. One of the course’s highlights is the final module, in which Ryan focuses on reviewing real Etsy shops.

To gain all of these valuable insights, you need to pay a hefty price of $297. The good news is that Ryan offers a generous 14-day money-back guarantee. It means that if, within those 14 days, you’ve viewed less than a third of the content and decide it’s not a good fit, Ryan provides a full refund.

With a stellar 4.9-star rating on Trustpilot (based on over 1000 reviews), Ryan Hogue establishes himself as a credible and trustworthy source of POD and Etsy expertise.  Furthermore, you can visit his 176k-subscriber YouTube channel to learn more about his POD business journey and update the latest trends in the industry.

Beginner’s Course in T Shirt Design and POD Using FREE Tools

Overview:

  • Platform: Udemy
  • Instructor: Dane Gore
  • Pricing: $14.99
  • Course duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Certificate: Yes

If you’re specifically interested in creating and selling t-shirts through POD, the “Beginners T-Shirt Design Using FREE Tools” course is tailor-made for you. Dana Gore, an artist and POD expert, will walk you through the entire process of creating a winning t-shirt design, from finding ideas to execution.

The best part is that you don’t need to be a design guru to succeed in this course. Dana highlights the course’s suitability for those with no prior design experience and focuses on using free tools to create designs and mockups. With Dana’s practical tips and insights, you can create the best winning products without being extremely skilled or breaking the bank on fancy software. Dana will also introduce you to Teespring, a popular platform for selling POD products, especially t-shirts.

The course, while paid, is relatively short, lasting about 2.5 hours and including 33 lectures. Before committing to the $69.99 price tag, you can review the course’s curriculum on Udemy to see whether it’s a good fit for you.

The good news is that Udemy often runs sales. Currently, this course is available at a significant 79% discount, priced at just $14.99.

Master Redbubble Print on Demand

Redbubble print on demand course by Ryan Hogue

Overview:

  • Platform: Udemy
  • Instructor: Ryan Hogue
  • Pricing: $14.99
  • Course duration: 6 hours
  • Certificate: Yes

Meet Ryan again in this course on Udemy. This time, he focuses on Redbubble – another popular POD marketplace in the industry.

He’ll lead you through seven sections, lasting nearly six hours, on how to build a profitable print on demand business utilizing the Redbubble platform.

The course covers the entire process, from setting up your shop and understanding Redbubble’s tools to researching profitable niches and designing products that sell. Beyond the fundamentals, Ryan delves into advanced topics like listing optimization and sales-boosting strategies.

Notably, there’s a “secret sauce” module in which Ryan reviews the performance of different stores, similar to what he included in the precious course.

As a bonus, the course includes a section on automation approaches to make your Redbubble business more passive. Ryan also shares valuable tactics that helped him earn an additional $1,000.

At this time of wiring, this $14.99 course has 1,448 students enrolled and 267 positive reviews averaging 4.5 stars, making it a trusted resource for those looking to excel in the world of POD on Redbubble.

Etsy T-Shirt Business 150% Profit Margins

Learning Etsy T-shirt business on Udemy

Overview:

  • Platform: Udemy
  • Instructor: Luke Kelly
  • Pricing: $27.99
  • Course duration: 4 hours
  • Certificate: Yes

Here’s another course that helps you excel at building a POD store on Etsy. Luke Kelly, the instructor who is also an art teacher and an online entrepreneur, says that this course is suitable for any Etsy business startups or eCommerce store creators regardless of their artistic abilities.

There are 19 sections in total, taking you over four hours to fully understand the Etsy print-on-demand business. You’ll receive step-by-step instructions on building your Etsy store and creating host-selling designs, as well as how to connect it to Printful. Luke also covers marketing and optimization tactics to help your store get maximum visibility.

Priced at $27.99, the course has over 2,000 students and a 4.6-star rating.

T-Shirt Design for Beginners Using Canva Pro

t shirt design course

Overview:

  • Platform: Udemy
  • Instructor: Jennifer Price
  • Pricing: $14.99
  • Course duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Certificate: Yes

If you’re looking to break into print-on-demand but lack design experience, this course might be perfect. With 2.5 hours of learning, Jennifer will show you how to leverage Canva Pro, a user-friendly design platform, to create different t-shirt designs (such as image-based tees, event-based tees, typography-based tees, and a combination of image and typography)

Aside from designing, there’s a section that guides you in uploading your tees to popular print-on-demand platforms like Redbubble, Teespring, and Threadless.

This course is precisely that basic. But it has amazingly attracted over 3,000 students to enroll. Most of the students who left a review said that Jenifer makes it inspiring, easy to understand, and extremely helpful.

Priced at $14.99, this course offers a budget-friendly way to unlock your design potential and turn your t-shirt ideas into reality. So, if you’re interested in launching a print-on-demand business with Canva as your design tool,  this course is definitely worth considering.

Here’s a tip: Another option for designing your storefront is by utilizing GemPages. Designed exclusively for Shopify store owners, GemPages offers over 80 templates that you can effortlessly customize to suit your needs. This intuitive page builder also enables you to create a page from scratch using simple drag-and-drop functionality.

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How I Made Six Figures In 12 Weeks With P.O.D Jewelry

Overview:

  • Platform: Udemy
  • Instructor: Dan Daniels
  • Pricing: $14.99
  • Course duration: 9 hours 30 minutes
  • Certificate: Yes

With this final course, we’ll turn our focus away from traditional items such as t-shirts and mugs and instead immerse ourselves in the world of personalized jewelry.

This POD jewelry course features a real-life case study from Dan Daniels, a digital marketer who claims to have made six figures in just 12 weeks with his jewelry POD business.

Dan will share not just his personal success story but also the smart marketing methods that drove his victories. In particular, the course’s curriculum covers from the fundamentals of POD jewelry to advanced topics like Facebook advertising. It goes a step further by showing learners how to integrate thwir shop with Shine On, a leading POD jewelry provider.

This course costs $14.99. It has over 1,700 students already registered and a 4.5-star rating on Udemy.

Wrapping Up

That’s it for an introduction to high-calibre print on demand courses. In short, they set a robust knowledge base when it comes to building a dropshipping business from zero to hero. That said, you need to reassess these courses before committing to any class, making sure it’s worth every second of yours.

Now that you’ve overcome the challenge of acquiring new knowledge, the next big consideration might be selecting a reliable page store builder.

If you rely on Shopify to run your business, you may use GemPages to create a dropshipping empire.

Check out our features, and you’ll see how we’ve helped thousands of merchants thrive. Perhaps you will become one of them one day. Who knows?

FAQs

1. Is print-on-demand good for beginners?

Yes, print-on-demand is a beginner-friendly business model. It has a low startup cost, offers a wide range of products, and lets you sell worldwide. Plus, there’s less risk since the printing company handles everything – materials, equipment, and even the workforce.

2. Where can I learn print-on-demand?

There are various sources to learn about POD. You can access free sources like articles, tutorials, and YouTube channels abound. Additionally, you can take paid online courses on Udemy, Coursera, or Skillshare that offer more in-depth learning or read books for extra valuable insights.

3. How much do print on demand courses cost?

The cost of POD courses is varied. Some are free, while others cost you money. On average, you can expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $500 for a print-on-demand course.

4. Can I run a successful print on demand business without taking a course?

Yes! Taking a print-on-demand course is advantageous, but it is not required for success. However, a good course can save you time and effort by providing a structured learning path and insights from experienced POD entrepreneurs.

About GemPages Academy

GemPages Academy is a knowledge hub for storefront optimization and achieving overall eCommerce success. In collaboration with industry experts and leveraging cutting-edge Shopify applications, GemPages Academy offers a diverse array of content in various formats, including insightful blogs, intuitive tutorials, comprehensive webinars, and educational courses.

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