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Selling on print-on-demand marketplaces vs. having your own WooCommerce print shop

By STAGGS

Apr 2, 2025

Imagine turning your creative business idea into a thriving online store—one where customers purchase your custom print products every day. But the big question is: How do you get started?

In this post:

Many beginners jump onto print-on-demand (POD) marketplaces like Etsy or Redbubble because they seem easy. While these platforms help you sell quickly, they also come with high fees, tough competition, and limited control.

If you’re serious about building a long-term business, creating your own WooCommerce print shop gives you full ownership, higher profits, and unlimited growth potential. The WooCommerce product designer plugin integrates seamlessly into your existing WooCommerce store, offering a smooth and efficient user experience.

Print-on-demand marketplaces vs. WooCommerce print shop

Let’s compare both options so you can decide the best way to start and scale your print store.

1. Control over your business

When you start a business, the ability to make decisions freely is crucial. How much control do you really have in each model?

POD Marketplaces
WooCommerce Print Shop
Limited control. You must follow marketplace rules, policies, and fees.
Full control over pricing, branding, and customer relationships.
Your POD store can get suspended or shut down at any time.
No risk of sudden bans—you own your Woocommerce print store.
The platform controls search rankings and visibility.
You decide how to market your printing business and reach customers.

Winner: WooCommerce print shop—because owning your business beats renting space on a marketplace.

2. Profit margins: who keeps more?

Your earnings depend on how much of the final sale price you actually keep.

POD Marketplaces
WooCommerce Print Shop
Marketplaces take a cut from every sale, reducing your earnings.
You keep 100% of your profits (minus payment processing and hosting).
Additional listing fees, transaction fees, and commission charges.
No third-party commissions, so pricing is in your hands.
Prices are often forced low due to competition.
You can charge premium prices and offer custom bundles.

Winner: WooCommerce print shop—higher profits, fewer fees.

3. Branding & customer loyalty

Branding isn’t just about a logo—it’s about how customers remember you and return to buy more.

POD Marketplaces
WooCommerce Print Shop
Customers remember the marketplace, not your brand.
Your brand is front and center, helping build customer loyalty.
You can’t customize packaging, emails, or customer experience.
Full customization—logo, packaging, email marketing, and more.
Repeat buyers may purchase from another seller instead.
You can own your customer list and retarget buyers.

Winner: WooCommerce print shop—because brand loyalty = repeat sales.

4. Marketing & growth potential

Your business’s growth potential depends on how much control you have over attracting and retaining customers.

POD Marketplaces
WooCommerce Print Shop
Built-in traffic, but fierce competition with thousands of sellers.
You control your marketing—SEO, email, and paid ads.
Hard to stand out—your listings are just one of many.
You create a unique shopping experience and customer journey.
Even if you run ads, you’re still promoting their platform.
Every marketing dollar builds your business, not someone else’s.

Winner: WooCommerce print shop—more growth, better visibility.

5. Product & pricing flexibility

What you sell and how much you charge directly impact your success.

POD Marketplaces
WooCommerce Print Shop
Limited product selection—must sell what the platform allows.
Sell any print product, customize prices, and offer bundles or discounts.
Pricing is often dictated by marketplace trends.
You set your own pricing strategy for better profits.
Cannot run unique promotions or subscription models.
Offer memberships, discounts, and upsells to boost revenue.

Winner: WooCommerce print shop—because flexibility = more sales opportunities.

6. Product customization

Staggs Product Configurator

Your ability to customize products depends on the platform you choose.

POD Marketplaces
WooCommerce Print Shop
Limited customization options—mainly text and color changes.
Full control over advanced customization with a WooCommerce product customizer for real-time previews.
Restrictions on offering truly unique or niche designs.
Offer made-to-order products with unlimited design variations.
Customers can only personalize what the marketplace allows.
Customers can modify designs, add text, and preview changes in real-time.

Winner: WooCommerce print shop—unmatched customization and creative freedom.

7. Features & store functionality

The features and flexibility of your store impact how you manage products, orders, and customer experience.

POD Marketplaces
WooCommerce Print Shop
Limited features—must use what the marketplace provides.
Full control over store functionality with plugins and custom features..
No ability to integrate third-party tools or add-ons.
Easily integrate payment gateways, shipping solutions, and marketing tools.
Restricted store design—same layout as other sellers.
Fully customizable web to print storefront design with unique branding and customer experience.

Winner: WooCommerce print shop—better control, customization, and advanced features.

8. Independent multi stores

Expanding your business across multiple stores can increase revenue and reach different customer segments.

POD Marketplaces
WooCommerce Print Shop
Restricted to one storefront under the marketplace’s platform.
Ability to create multiple independent stores for different niches or markets.
Cannot customize stores individually—must follow marketplace rules.
Full control over each store’s branding, pricing, and product catalog.
Limited scalability—marketplaces dictate growth potential.
Scale on your terms with WooCommerce’s flexibility and multi-store management.

Winner: WooCommerce print shop—greater scalability, niche targeting, and full control over multiple stores.

9. Approve/reject requests & role-based access

Managing user roles and permissions is essential for smooth operations, especially for growing businesses.

POD Marketplaces
WooCommerce Print Shop
No control over user roles—marketplace sets permissions.
Assign specific roles to team members, such as admin, designer, or customer support.
Cannot approve or reject seller requests—marketplace handles all decisions.
Use woocommerce web to print to control order approvals and workflows.
Limited access to customer data and order management tools.
Full access to customer information, order tracking, and role-based permissions for better security.

Winner: WooCommerce print shop—better control over user roles, order approvals, and business operations.

Final verdict: which one is right for you?

Selling on POD marketplaces might seem like the easiest route, but it comes at a cost—limited control, fierce competition, and capped profit potential. Your brand becomes just another name in a crowded marketplace.

But imagine a different future. A WooCommerce print shop puts you in the driver’s seat. You control the pricing, branding, and customer experience. You decide the rules, from using a WooCommerce product customizer for seamless customization to launching multiple independent stores under your brand.

Go with POD Marketplaces if…
Choose WooCommerce if…
You want a quick, low-risk way to start.
You want long-term growth and full control over your business.
You don’t mind low margins and marketplace fees.
You want to maximize profits without giving away a cut..
You prefer built-in traffic and don’t want to handle marketing.
You want to own your brand and control customer relationships.

It’s not just about selling products—it’s about building a business that’s truly yours. If you want freedom, scalability, and bigger profits, the choice is clear. Take charge, build your WooCommerce print empire, and turn your vision into reality.

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