Selling Merch Without Inventory: POD vs Pre-Order
The traditional merch model — guess quantities, pay upfront for inventory, hope it sells — is risky. You either run out of best-sellers or sit on boxes of unsold stock. But two alternative models eliminate this risk entirely: print-on-demand (POD) and pre-order campaigns.
At French Press Custom, we help brands run both models. Here is how each works and which is right for your situation.
Print-on-Demand (POD)
How It Works
- You upload your designs to a POD platform
- Customers order through your store
- Each order is printed individually and shipped directly to the customer
- You never touch the product
Popular POD Platforms
- Printful — integrates with Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce
- Printify — wide product range, competitive pricing
- Gooten — reliable fulfillment network
- Gelato — global production and shipping
- Spring (formerly Teespring) — built-in marketplace
POD Advantages
- Zero upfront cost — no inventory investment
- Zero risk — you only pay when a sale is made
- Unlimited designs — list 100 designs with no production commitment
- Automated fulfillment — the platform handles printing, packing, and shipping
- Passive income potential — once listed, products sell without your involvement
- No storage needed — no boxes of shirts in your garage
POD Disadvantages
- Low profit margins — POD prices are high because each item is printed individually
- No quality control — you do not see or inspect the product before it ships
- Limited customization — most POD services offer DTG only with limited blank options
- Generic blanks — usually low-quality Gildan or similar
- No custom packaging — ships in a plain poly bag with no branding
- Slow shipping — 5-10 business days production + shipping time
- No brand experience — the customer gets a generic package, not a branded one
POD Profit Math
| Item | Amount |
|------|--------|
| Customer pays | $28.00 |
| POD production cost | $14.00 |
| POD shipping | $5.00 |
| Platform/payment fees | $2.50 |
| Your profit | $6.50 (23%) |
Best For
- Testing new designs before investing in bulk production
- Side hustles and passive income ventures
- Artists and designers with many design variations
- People who want zero involvement in fulfillment
- Niche audiences where volume is unpredictable
Pre-Order Campaigns
How It Works
- You design your merch and create product mockups
- You open a pre-order window (typically 1-3 weeks)
- Customers order and pay during the window
- When the window closes, you know exactly how many to print
- You send the order to your printer (like French Press Custom)
- We print and ship — to you for distribution or directly to customers
Pre-Order Advantages
- Zero inventory risk — print exactly what is ordered
- Higher profit margins — bulk screen printing costs $5-8/shirt vs $14+ for POD
- Quality control — you choose the blank, method, and packaging
- Custom branding — labels, hang tags, custom packaging
- Premium blanks — Bella+Canvas, Comfort Colors, Independent Trading
- Multiple print methods — screen printing, embroidery, DTF
- Community building — pre-orders create buzz and anticipation
Pre-Order Disadvantages
- Upfront work — you manage the store, marketing, and customer communication
- Delayed fulfillment — customers wait 2-4 weeks after the window closes
- Marketing required — you need to drive traffic to your pre-order page
- Minimum quantities — screen printing typically requires 24+ per design
- Design commitment — once the window closes, the design is locked
Pre-Order Profit Math
| Item | Amount |
|------|--------|
| Customer pays | $28.00 |
| Blank garment (Bella+Canvas) | $5.00 |
| Screen printing (at 100 pcs) | $4.00 |
| Packaging (polybag + label) | $1.50 |
| Shipping to customer | $5.00 |
| Platform/payment fees | $2.00 |
| Your profit | $10.50 (37.5%) |
At higher volumes (250+), that per-unit cost drops further, pushing margins above 45%.
Best For
- Established brands with an engaged audience
- Bands, creators, and influencers with followings
- Seasonal collections and limited drops
- Schools, teams, and organizations
- Anyone who wants quality control and premium branding
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Factor | Print-on-Demand | Pre-Order |
|--------|----------------|-----------|
| Upfront cost | $0 | $0 (paid from pre-order revenue) |
| Profit margin | 15-25% | 35-50% |
| Quality control | None | Full control |
| Blank options | Limited (Gildan, generic) | Any blank available |
| Print methods | DTG only (usually) | Screen, DTG, DTF, embroidery |
| Branding/packaging | None | Full custom |
| Fulfillment speed | 5-10 days per order | 2-4 weeks after window closes |
| Effort required | Minimal | Moderate |
| Best for testing | Yes | For proven designs |
| Scalability | Automatic | Requires planning |
The Hybrid Strategy
Smart brands use both models together:
Phase 1: Test with POD
- Upload new designs to a POD store
- Market them to your audience
- Track which designs sell and which do not
- Investment: $0
Phase 2: Validate Winners
- Designs that sell 20+ units on POD are proven winners
- These are candidates for pre-order campaigns
- You now know there is demand before investing in production
Phase 3: Scale with Pre-Orders
- Run pre-order campaigns for your best designs
- Use screen printing for higher quality and margins
- Add premium blanks, custom labels, and branded packaging
- Your per-unit profit jumps from $6 to $12+
Phase 4: Managed Fulfillment
- Once a design consistently sells 50+ per month, move to inventory
- Partner with French Press Custom for ongoing production and fulfillment
- We stock your bestsellers and ship on demand from our facility
- You focus on design and marketing
Running a Successful Pre-Order Campaign
Before the Campaign
- Create professional mockups (we can generate these for you)
- Set up your store page (Shopify, WooCommerce, or a simple landing page)
- Build an email list and social following
- Tease the designs 1-2 weeks before opening
During the Campaign
- Open the window for 2-3 weeks maximum
- Post daily on social media (behind-the-scenes, countdown timers)
- Send 3 emails: launch, midway reminder, last chance
- Offer early-bird pricing or bundle deals
- Show real-time order count to create social proof
After the Campaign
- Close orders on deadline (no exceptions — this builds trust for future campaigns)
- Send production to your printer
- Communicate estimated delivery dates to customers
- Ship and follow up with a thank you message
French Press Custom Pre-Order Support
We support pre-order brands with:
- Product mockup generation
- Shopify store setup and management
- Production on your timeline
- Direct-to-customer shipping
- Inventory storage for repeat sellers
Contact us at (562) 758-5110 or through our quote form to discuss your merch strategy.