Print on demand automation, Upload automation, Design automation or Print on demand research tools. Have you heard of any of these? Let me ask you some questions that may ignite your imagination:
- What would you do if you could have 100 designs after working on just one design?
- What would you do if you could upload 100 designs to more than 5 different platforms at the same time, without even being near your computer?
- How much time do you waste on researching and gathering data on new niches? Would you like to reduce that amount of time?
- Have you ever thought about designing specific types of designs that have sold more, simply because they are more likely to be bought in bulk?
The section below will help you improve your efficiency and increase your sales scale. The purpose of this section is to take your passive income potential to the next level.
This is also the last full section of this free print on demand course 🙂anindefinite article, “an” is use before a vowel sound, “a” otherwiseMore (Definitions, Synonyms, Translation)
Table of Contents
How to automate your entire Print on Demand process – save hours of your time
The print on demand process can be a long one. You need to do the research, create the designs, upload your designs to various platforms and adjust your product definitions specifically to each platform.
This can cost you a lot of time. If you wish to increase the likelihood of finding a good design, of people finding your designs you need to scale your designs.
Watch Ryan’s extreme print on demand automation and scale process to show you how far someone can go with automation. He can do in a single day what would take us the whole month and more.
Video owner: Ryan Hogue Passive Income
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- Some of the tools require csv files. The video shows Microsoft excel however you can use Google spreadsheet which is a free tool.
- You can use the OVC – One Video Control chrome extension to be able to speed up the video and save some time
- Video length: 15:11 minutes out of 18:12
- Start time: 1:58
- End time: 17:09
Related links from the video:
Check your understanding:
- You can automate the design process using AutomatePOD
- You can automate the conversion process of your designs to different sizes to suit different products
- You automate the upload process to many different platforms
Key takeaways:
With just a little extra effort of setting up an automation process, you can multiply your profit potential by 10x with the same amount of work you already do for one design. This is a great way to scale your passive income potential. See below for more info about each specific tool.
Full upload automation for print on demand designs – Merch by Amazon, Redbubble, Teespring, Teepublic, Society6, Zazzle and more..
Let’s start with an overview of 4 print on demand automation tools you can use in order to automate your upload process.
Video owner: Ryan Hogue Passive Income
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- You don’t have to use all of the tools below. You can basically do with just one and if needed, after a while, add the one that will complete any missing platform you need.
- Specific overview and tutorials for each one will follow this video.
- Video length: 16:14 minutes out of 19:00
- Start time: 1:51
- End time: 18:05
Related links from the video:
** POD Connect is developed by Merch Informer. You can get it as a separate tool, in the link above, or as part of the full Merch Informer Pro plan, you’ll see they call it “Single Upload Interface Automation” instead of POD Connect
Check your understanding:
- Been around long
- High level of platform specific customization
- Supports Amazon Merch and all Merch markets & products
- Optimizes your designs automatically for Hoodies and PopSockets
- More info here – Merch Titans
- Highly configurable
- Browser based (no download needed)
- Includes category based product info templates
- Supports Gearbubble and Amazon FBM POD via Seller Central
- More info here – PODTurbo
- Free trial available
- Affordable price
- Flexible spreadsheets
- Supports Printify & Gooten
- Less intrusive during upload process
- Compliant with each platform
- More info here – Pod Connect
- You can get POD Connect as part of the Merch Informer Pro subscription
- Free tier available
- Supports Displate, Shirtee, Fineartamerica and Threadless
- Built in keyword finder
- More info here – Flying Upload
Key takeaways:
There are 4 great tools that can help you automate your upload process. You simply need to choose the one that you feel more comfortable with 🙂
Merch Titans Automation
This video is a bit old, but shows you exactly how the upload process works which is what you need to understand and know. Once you register you have a full video tutorial on how to use the platform each step of the way.
Video owner: Curtis Blackmore
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- The video shows Redbubble automation, however the process is similar to all platforms
- At the end he mentions this is in closed beta (meaning still in testing), this is obviously not relevant anymore. It’s only because the video is a bit older.
- Video length: 7:30 minutes out of 8:55
- Start time: 0:00
- End time: 7:30
Related links from the video:
Flying Upload
Flying Upload is not only an upload automation software, but also a powerful research tool for your POD business. If spreadsheets and excel seem too much for you, Flying Upload is offering a different upload process. Obviously, if you like CSV files you can still use them 🙂
The video below offers a walkthrough of the Flying Upload auto upload process.
Video owner: Graphic Design How To
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- By the end of the video you’ll find a summary of pros and cons.
- Video length: 12:56 minutes out of 14:21
- Start time: 1:05
- End time: 14:01
Related links from the video:
POD Connect
The video below is an official tutorial for POD Connect.
POD connect is actually a tool developed by Merch Informer – so if you wish to have this tool and all of the other Merch informer tools (Product research, Keyword research, Built-in designer, Trademark checker and exclusive webinars and trainings) you can get them all by signing up to the Merch Informer Pro subscription.
If you wish to review the rest of Merch Informer’s tools, you’ll find a dedicated video about it in the niche research tools part, further down this section.
Video owner: POD Connect
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- This is an official tutorial so it’s a bit long. It covers all the supported platforms.
- If you want to skip the software install process, you can jump to minute 2:00
- Video length: 26:17 minutes out of 26:17
- Start time: 0:00
- End time: 26:17
Related links from the video:
PODTurbo – full Gearbubble automation
PODTurbo is automating upload to all of Gearbubble supported integrations. There’s nothing you need to install, it runs in the cloud and therefore saves you a lot of “computer power”.
Video owner: Ryan Hogue Passive Income
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- Video length: 11:29 minutes out of 15:10
- Start time: 2:13
- End time: 13:42
Related links from the video:
From one POD design to hundreds of designs on autopilot
By now you are probably wondering, how on earth are we going to create so many designs that will justify using the upload automation tools we just learned about?
Well, there’s print on demand automation for creating new designs as well. And it’s awesome. Checkout how you can create hundreds of designs based on a single template using one of these tool:
- Merch Informer (with their built-in designer)
- AutomatePOD (with Canva or Photopea)
POD Design automation with one click in Merch Informer designer
Merch Informer’s built-in designer offers a unique capability of adding a variable text box and automatically switching different phrases in your design and saving each variation. This make’s Merch Informer POD tools a very unique set that can actually save you money if you decide to use more than one paid tool.
With research tools (in later video), automatic upload tool (as seen in POD Connect video), built-in design (Canva like designer for POD) and with automatic designs variations creation, this is a very tempting all-in-one service.
Here is how the design variations option works.
Video owner: Merch Informer
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- This video is focused on the ability to automatically create many design variations from a single design. There’s a separate tutorial on how to use Merch Informer’s built-in design tool
- Video length: 4:42 minutes out of 4:58
- Start time: 0:06
- End time: 4:48
Related links from the video:
Check your understanding:
- You would need to create a design that has a separated text box located where you wish to have different text variations, select it and click on “text variants”
- You would need to prepare a CSV or TXT file with as many options as you would like to have
Key takeaways:
With Merch Informer’s built-in designer you do not need to additionally pay for any external tool to allow you to scale a single design to many. You can use Merch Informers’ own designer for that.
Automate print on demand designs with AutomatePOD and Canva
How can you use Canva to create multiple designs based on a single design? The video below will show you how to use AutomatePOD to create 500 designs from a single template.
Video owner: Ryan Hogue Passive Income
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- This method uses Canva Pro. If you prefer not to pay anything for Canva, check out the next video about using Photopea with AutomatePOD
- Video length: 6:22 minutes out of 7:00
- Start time: 00:07
- End time: 6:29
Related links from the video:
Check your understanding:
- You would need to create a design that has a place for a variable and call it VAR1
- You would need to prepare a CSV file with as many options to replace VAR1 as you would like
- Test your design with a long variation and with two lines variation to see how the design will look with the longer variables
Key takeaways:
AutomadePOD can easily help you scale a single design to hundreds of designs. If you have Canva Pro all you need to do is to get automatePOD and start scaling your designs.
Print on Demand Design Automation Using Photopea and AutomatePOD
Photopea is a free online tool that is basically a replica of Photoshop. In case you do not have Canva Pro and wish to use a free tool instead, AutomatePOD can work with Photopea as well. Here is a how it looks:
Video owner: Ryan Hogue Passive Income
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- Part of the design is based on All American Graphics which is a service by AllSunsets. See both links below the video.
- Video length: 8:03 minutes out of 10:32
- Start time: 1:39
- End time: 9:42
Related links from the video:
Streamline your research – Print on Demand niche research tools
Why would you need a research tool that costs extra money? Well, you don’t really have to. But, a research tool can save you a lot of trial and error and especially a lot of time.
Check the videos below to learn more about print on demand research tools that can help you scale your income faster.
Merch Informer vs KWFinder
Do you remember what POD niche research is? It is basically finding keywords that people search for when they look for products with designs. You want to find a searched keyword that has many searches, but not so many competing designs.
The short video below will remind you what to look for when checking which research tool you wish to use.
Video owner: Greg Gottfried
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- The video talks about two research tools, but you can do the same comparison with any research tool.
- Video length: 8:28 minutes out of 9:34
- Start time: 0:48
- End time: 9:16
Related links from the video:
Check your understanding:
- POD can be slow to start. With Niche research tool you can speed up the process
- Niche selection is important to your success. It can be the difference between earning extra income and wasting a lot of time
- Research tools can help you find low competition niches
- The data source they rely on.
Merch Informer is based on POD specific data from Merch by Amazon.
KWFinder is based on general search data and not POD specific.
Key takeaways:
When building a Print on Demand type of income, it is better to use a tool that is based on print on demand specific data, like Merch Informer.
Merch Informer research tools tutorial
This is a very extensive tool for Print on demand. Merch Informer claims it’s your all-in-one tool for selling Merch on Amazon.
Video owner: Ecom Dominators
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- Quite long, but shows you all the different features you’ll get if you choose to use this tool. And there are many!
- Video length: 29:12 minutes out of 29:52
- Start time: 0:00
- End time: 29:12
Related links from the video:
Check your understanding:
- Product research
- Keyword research
- Upload automation (see POD connect video above)
- Built-in designer
- Trademark checker
- Private and exclusive webinars and training
- Historic data archives (check what designs sold prior to specific annual holidays a special days)
- Listing optimization
- Social hunter – data from Etsy and Pinterest
- Graphic packs
Key takeaways:
With all of the above, upload automation included and built in designer with text automation, this can probably be an all-in-one tool for print on demand sellers.
Merch titans product research
Merch Titans is another packful service with many tools to help any POD seller.
Product and brand research, Keyword research, suggestions and autocomplete, SEO analyzer and trademark alerts. The video below will go over the product research tool.
Video owner: Curtis Blackmore
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- Video length: 5:24 minutes out of 10:28
- Start time: 0:30
- End time: 5:54
Related links from the video:
Earn more from your POD designs by planning your designs for bulk orders
By selling more of the same design in one sale you can drastically increase your profits. Can you think of ideas when people are more likely to buy in bulk?
Video owner: Strad
* Somewhat Passive Income does not endorse nor is endorsed by the video owner.
Tips before you watch:
- There are many ideas for bulk designs. You will still need to validate the amount of competition. Remember, it doesn’t matter if you design for bulk orders if no one can find your designs..
- Video length: 6:20 minutes out of 8:22
- Start time: 0:58
- End time: 7:18
Related links from the video:
Check your understanding:
- Think of occasions when people buy more of the same. Usually when groups are getting together for something very specific. Like birthday parties, baby shower decorations, sports teams etc..
Key takeaways:
Increasing your profit does not only link to increasing the amount of designs you can create and upload. It can also happen if you make your designs relevant for bulk orders thus increasing your sales without adding more designs.
Interesting thought 💡, can you think of a potential bulk order design that can also be automatically scaled using text variations automation?
Summary – Print on demand automation – How to increase your profit from print on demand
- What would you do if you could have 100 designs after working on just one design?
- What would you do if you could upload 100 designs to more than 5 different platforms at the same time, without even being near your computer?
- How much time do you waste on researching and gathering data on new niches? Would you like to reduce that amount of time?
Can you now successfully imagine how implementing what you’ve learned in this section will save you hundreds of hours and increase your profit potential by 10x, 20x or even 100x?!
The best outcome of implementing these strategies is that they can get you much faster to reaching the stage of earning a truly passive income. This is because they take a very good method for earning a passive income and take it to the next level.
With so many good designs in good niches, uploaded to so many marketplaces, there’s a good possibility you’ll reach the level of income that will allow you to step aside and watch your income come in regularly without any additional work 😎
Print on demand is an exceptional passive income opportunity. I hope you’ve managed to get a good idea of how to build your own POD income stream. You can always come back and review this course. For even more info, you can check the tools and resources section as well.
If you managed to get here without taking any action, what are you waiting for?! Go ahead and take your first step. Remember, the only step you need to take is the next step..
Good luck!
