How To Sell Custom Products Without Inventory

Welcome to my Gelato Review! Are you thinking about starting a print-on-demand business and wondering if Gelato is the right platform to use?

Gelato is a print-on-demand company where you can create and sell custom products like T-shirts, wall art, mugs, cards, calendars, photo books, and more without keeping inventory in your home.

Whether you want to make extra money with a side hustle or start a full-time online business, print-on-demand can be a way to start selling products online.

You can connect Gelato with popular e-commerce platforms, like Etsy and Shopify, which makes it easier to start selling products without having to print or ship them yourself.

Gelato also has a global production network, which means your products may be made closer to your customer when possible. This can be helpful if you want to sell to customers in different countries.

In this Gelato review, I’ll explain what Gelato is, how it works, what you can sell, how much it costs, whether Gelato is worth it, and more.

You can learn more about Gelato by clicking here. Gelato is currently offering 30% off your first order if you place it within two days of signing up, which can be a nice way to test the platform and order a sample product for less.

Gelato Review

Quick Gelato Review summary: Yes, Gelato is a real print-on-demand company, and is a good option if you want to sell custom products online without buying inventory upfront. Gelato helps sellers create products like wall art, apparel, cards, calendars, photo books, mugs, and gifts, then helps with printing and shipping through its production network.

Below is my full Gelato review.

What is Gelato?

Gelato is a print-on-demand platform that lets you create custom products and sell them online.

With Gelato, you can make products like T-shirts, posters, canvases, mugs, photo books, greeting cards, calendars, and more. You upload your design, place it on a product, and then sell that product in your online store.

When a customer buys from you, Gelato does the work of printing and shipping the order.

This means you don’t have to keep inventory, buy a printer, pack boxes, or stand in line at the post office.

For example, let’s say you want to sell a poster with a travel quote on it. You can upload the design to Gelato, add it to a poster, connect Gelato to your Etsy shop, and list it for sale. When someone buys the poster, Gelato will print and ship it for you.

This is why print-on-demand is so popular. You can start a product-based business without having to buy hundreds of products first.

Gelato is used by online sellers, artists, photographers, bloggers, creators, and small business owners who want to sell products without handling fulfillment themselves.

One thing that makes Gelato different is its focus on making and printing the products around the world – Gelato has production partners in many countries, so products may be printed closer to your customer when possible. This can help with delivery times and may make it easier to sell to customers around the world.

Wondering what other people think of Gelato? Gelato has a 4.8 out of 5-star rating on Shopify and a 4.4 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot.

What is print-on-demand?

Print-on-demand, also called POD, is a way to sell products that are only made after a customer places an order.

So, instead of buying 200 shirts ahead of time and hoping they sell, you create the shirt design first. Then, when someone buys the shirt, the print-on-demand company prints it and ships it.

This can be a good business model for beginners because you don’t need a lot of money to start.

Here’s how print-on-demand usually works:

1. You create a design.
2. You place the design on a product.
3. You list the product in your online store.
4. A customer buys it.
5. The POD company (like Gelato) prints and ships it.
6. You keep the profit after costs.

Many people buy print-on-demand products all the time and may not even realize it. A funny T-shirt from Etsy, a custom mug, a canvas print, a phone case with a design, or a personalized card may all be made through print-on-demand.

I personally buy print-on-demand all the time because I like how custom the products can be. For example, I can find a card that is specifically for pre-k teachers or a shirt with fruit trees on it for my husband (he loves tropical fruit trees!).

I also like that POD can make it easier for creative people to start selling online. You don’t need a warehouse or a big budget, which means you can start with a few ideas and test them.

But, print-on-demand is still a business. You still need to create products people want, write good listings, price your items correctly, and get people to your online store.

How Gelato works

Gelato makes it easy to start selling custom products online without handling inventory or shipping.

Here’s how Gelato works:

1. Sign up for a Gelato account. You can create an account and look through the products that are available.
2. Pick the product you want to sell. This could be a T-shirt, poster, canvas, mug, card, calendar, photo book, or another item.
3. Upload your design. You can use your own artwork, photos, text-based designs, or designs that you create with other tools.
4. Connect your store. Gelato can connect with e-commerce sites such as Etsy, Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, and more.
5. List your product for sale. Once your product is ready, you can add it to your online store.
6. A customer places an order. When someone buys from your store, the order can go to Gelato.
7. Gelato prints and ships the item. Gelato handles fulfillment, and you don’t have to ship the order yourself.

One thing I think is important for beginners to understand is that Gelato is the fulfillment partner, but you are still running the business.

That means you choose the products, make the designs, set your prices, write your product descriptions, and help your customers if they have questions.

Gelato can make the printing and shipping side easier, but it does not mean sales will happen automatically.

What can you sell through Gelato?

With Gelato, you can sell many different custom products.

Popular products include T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, posters, canvases, framed prints, mugs, greeting cards, calendars, photo books, stationery, and other gifts.

I think this is one of the fun parts of print-on-demand, because you can take one idea and turn it into different products.

For example, if you create a cute hiking design or quote, you could put it on:

• A T-shirt
• A sweatshirt
• A poster
• A mug
• A tote bag
• A calendar

I recommend thinking about what your customer would want to buy. If you are selling to moms, maybe mugs, shirts, and calendars make sense. If you are selling to people decorating their homes, posters and canvases may be better. If you are selling to photographers, photo books and wall art could be a good fit.

You can also create products for holidays, birthdays, weddings, teachers, pet owners, travelers, small business owners, and many other groups.

The more specific you can be, the better. This is because being specific helps the right people find your products.

For example, “funny dog mom mug” is much clearer than “cute mug.” “Colorado mountain wall art” is much clearer than “nature poster.”

How is the quality of Gelato’s products?

With any print-on-demand company, product quality is important.

Your customer is buying from your store, so even though Gelato prints and ships the product, your customer will still see it as your product.

This is why I always recommend ordering samples before you sell a lot of something.

A sample order can help you see:

• What the product looks like in person
• How the colors print
• How the packaging looks
• How long shipping takes
• Whether you feel good selling it
• What the customer experience may be like

This is especially important for products like apparel and wall art. A T-shirt may look one way on a mockup but feel different in person. A poster may look great online, but you may want to check the paper quality and colors before selling it.

Ordering samples and test products can also help you write better product descriptions. For example, if you order a sweatshirt and it feels soft, you can mention that in your listing.

I know samples cost money, but I think they are worth it if you want to build a real shop and not just throw products online.

How much does Gelato cost?

Gelato is free to sign up for, which is nice if you are just starting out.

There are no huge upfront inventory costs because products are made after someone orders. This is one of the main reasons people like print-on-demand.

But that does not mean everything is free.

When a customer places an order, you will pay for the product and shipping. Your customer pays you through your online store, and then Gelato charges you for fulfillment.

For example, if you sell a poster in your Etsy shop, the customer pays you through Etsy. Then, Gelato charges you for the cost of printing and shipping the poster.

You keep what is left after product costs, shipping, marketplace fees, payment processing fees, taxes, ads, and any other expenses.

Gelato also has paid plans that may include extra features or discounts. If you are brand new, you may want to start with the free plan first and test things out. Then, if you start making regular sales, you can decide whether a paid plan makes sense.

Here are some costs to think about when starting a Gelato business:

• Product cost
• Shipping cost
• Etsy or Shopify fees
• Payment processing fees
• Design tools
• Sample orders
• Ads, if you choose to use them
• Taxes
• Your time

I recommend looking at the full cost before setting your prices, because you don’t want to sell a product and then realize you only made $1 after fees.

How do you make money with Gelato?

You make money with Gelato by selling a product for more than it costs to make and ship (and any of your other expenses, of course).

Here’s an easy-to-understand example:

• You sell a poster for $30.
• The product and shipping cost $15.
• Your marketplace fees are $3.
• You make $12 before any other expenses.

This is just an example, and your actual profit may be different.

Your profit depends on what you sell, how much you charge, shipping costs, platform fees, and whether you pay for ads.

To make money with Gelato, you will want to:

• Pick a good niche
• Create designs people want
• Use strong product photos or mockups
• Write clear product titles and descriptions
• Price your items correctly
• Promote your products
• Test what works
• Keep improving your online store

A lot of beginners think that making money with POD is just about uploading designs. But the sellers who do best usually spend time learning what people want to buy.

You can research product ideas by looking at Etsy, Pinterest, TikTok, and Google. You can look for trends, common gift ideas, seasonal products, and questions people are asking.

Of course, you should not copy other people’s designs, but you can use research to understand what buyers are looking for.

For example, if you notice that teacher gifts are popular, you could create your own unique teacher mug, classroom poster, or personalized notebook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are answers to common questions about Gelato.

Is Gelato free to use?

Yes, Gelato is free to sign up for. You will pay for the product and shipping when an order is placed. There are also paid plan options if you want more features.

Can you make money with Gelato?

Yes, you can make money with Gelato if your products sell for more than your costs. Your earnings depend on your product prices, costs, shipping, fees, and marketing.

Does Gelato automatically fulfill orders?

If Gelato is connected to your online store, orders can be sent to Gelato for fulfillment. This can make the process much easier because you don’t have to manually place every order for printing and shipping.

Do I need to keep inventory?

No, you do not need to keep inventory with Gelato because products are made after a customer orders.

What products can I sell with Gelato?

You can sell products like T-shirts, hoodies, posters, canvases, mugs, cards, calendars, photo books, and more.

Does Gelato work with Etsy?

Yes, Gelato can connect with Etsy, which may be helpful if you want to sell print-on-demand products in a marketplace.

Does Gelato work with Shopify?

Yes, Gelato can connect with Shopify, which may be a good option if you want your own online store.

Is Gelato good for beginners?

Gelato can be good for beginners because you don’t need to buy inventory upfront. You can start small, test products, and learn as you go. I made a few of my own products on Gelato to test the process, and I actually found it much easier than I thought it would be! I made a mug, t-shirts, a hat, and a tote bag, and all were surprisingly easy to do!

Do I need to be a designer?

No, you don’t have to be a professional designer, but having good ideas helps. You can create easy designs yourself, use design tools, or hire a designer. I’m definitely not a designer, and I was able to think of a few good ideas to place on products.

Who pays for shipping with Gelato?

The seller (you) pays Gelato for shipping, but you can charge your customer for shipping through your online store. You’ll want to set your shipping rates correctly so that you don’t lose money.

Gelato Review – Summary

I hope you enjoyed my Gelato review.

Gelato is a print-on-demand platform where you can create and sell custom products without keeping inventory. You can make products like T-shirts, wall art, mugs, cards, calendars, photo books, and more.

When a customer buys from your online store, Gelato can print and ship the product automatically.

One thing I like about Gelato is that it is free to start, so you can test it out without buying inventory upfront. I also like that Gelato has printing locations around the world, which may be helpful if you want to sell to customers in different countries.

Print-on-demand can be a good way to start an online business, but it is not automatic money. You still need good designs, good listings, fair pricing, and a way to get views on the items you are selling.

People buy print-on-demand products all the time, and I personally love buying unique products from small businesses, especially when the design is fun, helpful, or something I wouldn’t find in a regular store.

You can learn more about Gelato by clicking here. Gelato is currently giving 30% off your first order if you place it within two days of signing up, which can be a nice way to test the platform and order a sample product for less.

What do you want to sell in your online store? What other questions do you have for my Gelato review?

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