An artist must be puzzled and stressed when choosing how to sell their canvas wall decor prints – through print-on-demand (POD) or traditional drop-shipping. Both ways, you can sell decorative canvas wall decor for customers online without having to do any inventory personally, yet each method has pros and cons.
Learning the method that works best for each of these categories can go a long way in ensuring growth in the art business.
Print-on-Demand: Freedom of Concepts at Low Exposure
A canvas wall décor print that is produced only upon payment receipt is referred to as print on demand. It offers a unique possibility to spare every artist since there is no need to invest in stock beforehand. No wonder it is a decisive advantage for artists specializing in custom canvas wall décor. Offering designs that are personalized based on your customer’s customers’ preferences is easy.
Statist a revealed that the global print-on-demand market reached $4.91 billion in 2022 and will increase by 26.1% from 2023 to 2030. This trend means more people, entrepreneurs, and artists are turning to POD because it’s more convenient and does not require many risks.
Moreover, POD services handle production processes, such as packaging and mailing products. This service removes the need to worry about fulfilling orders and enables you to put your energy into making fantastic canvas painting wall décor art instead. On the other hand, the profit per unit tends to be lower due to the high cost of production per unit. These costs can add up if you’re selling a high volume of canvases.
Traditional Drop-shipping: Lower Costs, Higher Profit Margins
In traditional drop-shipping methods, your supplier has the stock and dispatches the order for your customers, handling all shipping management. Usually, it has lower costs than POD when considered in terms of frequency, hence higher margins. For instance, when you sell canvas wall décor, which has a large volume, this is an advantage.
Based on research undertaken by Grand View Research, the global drop-shipping market was worth US$225.99 billion in 2022 and is expected to develop at a CAGR of 27.1% from 2023 to 2030. The drop-shipping market has good growth potential because it is a business model whose time is today and the future.
However, traditional drop-shipping has its constraints in requiring large orders, which means high upfront investments. Not to mention, further compromise on the quality of the products being shipped is possible. It is also so that, unlike print on demand, where unique and personalization of the products is done on the spot, there needs to be more room for personalizing goods ordered through drop shipping. It can be a downside for an artist focusing on canvas wall art for the customers.
Which Model is Best for Artists?
The answer can be print-on-demand or drop shipping when considering the preferable delivery method. Looking at it as an artist, it would be a matter of what your intentions are, such as if you are an artist who appreciates more creative autonomy and the ability to pivot, offering canvas wall décor on a custom basis with no financial exposure. It seems logical POD is the way forward. It allows you to play with many designs, respond to customers’ input, and grow your business without fearing having goods that do not sell.
In contrast, classical drop-shipping may be appropriate if you aim to grow the business faster with higher profits and invest in stock. This model is beneficial if you are selling a constant amount of canvas for wall decoration and are sure the supplier can sustain this quality.
To sum up, each of the two strategies has its own merits. The most important thing is to make the right choice regarding your plan, creativity, and finances.