Print on Demand in Australia: How It Works and What You'll Make
How print on demand works in Australia: marketplaces vs your own store, realistic income, the ABN and GST side, and an honest look at whether it is worth it.
By Timothy Hirou GaschereauPublished 11 min read
Print on demand is genuinely appealing: you design something, upload it, and the platform prints and ships each item only when a customer orders. No warehouse, no minimum order, no upfront spend on stock that might never sell. For Australians wanting a creative side business, that is hard to ignore.
Here is the honest version, though: the low barrier to entry means fierce competition, and most sellers earn next to nothing in year one. That does not mean it is not worth doing, but you need to go in with clear eyes and treat it as a business, not a lottery ticket.
🎯 The essential: With print on demand (POD) you design products (t-shirts, mugs, posters) and a third party prints and ships each one only when it sells, so you hold no stock. Two models: marketplaces (Redbubble, Amazon Merch, TeePublic) that bring the traffic but pay thin royalties, or your own store (Shopify plus Printful or Printify) where you keep more margin but must drive all your own traffic. Realistically, most beginners earn very little; success comes from niche, design volume and marketing. POD income is assessable, you likely need an ABN once it is a genuine business, and GST applies at $75,000 turnover.
What is print on demand?
POD is a fulfilment model where products are printed individually, only after a customer orders. You supply the design; the print provider supplies the blank product, the printing, packaging and shipping. The range is broad (apparel, mugs, wall art, phone cases, stationery), and the economics are simple: every product has a base cost set by the provider, and your earnings are whatever the customer pays above that. You never touch stock or pre-purchase inventory, so a design that never sells costs you nothing but the time you spent making it.
Marketplace vs your own store
Two fundamentally different ways to run POD in Australia:
| Marketplace (Redbubble) | Own store (Shopify + Printful) | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Free to list | ~$40 to $105/mo + app fees |
| Effort to start | Low | High |
| Margin per sale | Low (10-30%) | Higher (you set the price) |
| Traffic | Platform provides it | You must generate it |
| Brand control | Minimal | Full |
| Best for | Beginners testing designs | Creators with an audience |
If you are new and just want to test whether your designs resonate, start on a marketplace: low barrier, and you learn what sells without spending on ads. If you already have an audience, an own-store model gives better returns. Redbubble (Australian-founded) and TeePublic are easy entry points; Printful and Printify are print providers you plug into your own store.
What you'll actually make (honestly)
Most POD content online oversells this. Here is the realistic picture:
A worked example: a t-shirt on Redbubble at $25 with a 20% margin earns you $5 a sale, so $1,000 a month needs 200 sales, which is hard on a marketplace where millions of designs compete. Income is driven by niche selection (specific beats generic), design volume (200+ designs, not 10), platform SEO (titles, tags, descriptions), and, for own-store sellers, real marketing investment. It is not passive: algorithms change and trends fade, so ongoing optimisation is part of the job.
The Australian tax and ABN side
This is what most POD guides skip. POD income is assessable income in Australia, even from overseas platforms, so you declare it in your Australian tax return. The key question is hobby vs business: if you are actively uploading, researching niches and trying to make money, the ATO is likely to treat it as a business, which means the income is assessable and you can claim legitimate expenses (design software, Shopify and app fees, advertising, a portion of home office).
Once you are carrying on a business you should register for an ABN (free), and GST registration is required at $75,000 turnover, though most sellers will not hit that early. Keep records for five years, and set aside part of your income for tax. If you are unsure which side of the hobby-or-business line you sit on, our ABN guide and the sole trader tax guide cover the essentials.
Shipping and delivery to Australian customers
Shipping is a real pain point. Most major print providers fulfil from the US and Europe, so standard shipping to Australia takes 10 to 20 business days, a genuine disadvantage against local retailers. What helps: Printful has Australian fulfilment via partner facilities (Melbourne, Brisbane), Printify has Australian print partners (The Print Bar, QTCO and others), and Redbubble prints locally for some products, any of which can cut delivery to 3 to 7 business days. If your main market is Australian, prioritise providers with local fulfilment and be transparent about delivery times in your store policy.
How to start, realistically
- Pick your model: marketplace to test cheaply, or own store if you already have an audience.
- Choose a specific niche. "Australian native bird watercolour art" beats "cool t-shirts".
- Create original designs at 300 DPI (Canva, Illustrator, Affinity). Never copy protected logos, characters or brands.
- Set up your account and upload, or connect a print provider app to Shopify.
- Optimise listings: titles, tags and descriptions are how buyers find you.
- Price to cover base cost plus a real margin; underpricing kills profitability.
- Market it: platform SEO and Pinterest for marketplaces; paid ads and email for own stores.
- Track, test and iterate, doubling down on what sells.
- Sort your ABN, records and tax set-aside from day one.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an ABN to sell on Redbubble or other POD platforms in Australia?
+
Not necessarily for a hobby, but yes if you are carrying on a business. If you are actively uploading designs, optimising listings and trying to generate income, the ATO is likely to treat it as a business, and you should register for an ABN (free at abr.gov.au). Some platforms and payment processors also ask for it.
Is print on demand income taxable in Australia?
+
Yes. Income from POD, including royalties from overseas platforms like Redbubble and Amazon Merch on Demand, is assessable income under Australian tax law and must be declared in your Australian tax return. The fact that the platform is based overseas does not change that.
How much can you realistically make from print on demand?
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Most beginners earn $0 to $50 a month in their first year. A committed seller with 200 to 500 designs and 12 to 24 months of consistent effort might earn $200 to $800 a month. A small minority earn full-time income, usually after years. It depends heavily on niche, design quality and volume, platform SEO, and marketing.
What is the best POD platform for Australians?
+
It depends on your goals. Redbubble is the most accessible starting point (Australian-founded, free, wide product range). Amazon Merch on Demand offers huge reach but needs an application. For your own store, Shopify with Printful or Printify gives the most control and best margins but you must drive your own traffic. For faster local delivery, check Printful's and Printify's Australian fulfilment options.
Do I need to register for GST to sell POD products?
+
Only once your GST turnover reaches $75,000 in a 12-month period, which most new sellers will not hit early on. Track your turnover as you grow. Note that if you sell through overseas platforms, the platform may collect and remit GST on your behalf under Australia's digital services rules, so check each platform's terms.
How long does POD shipping take to Australian customers?
+
If fulfilled from the US or Europe, expect 10 to 20 business days. If fulfilled from an Australian facility (via Printful's local partners or Printify's Australian print partners, or Redbubble's local printing), delivery can be 3 to 7 business days. Always check current fulfilment options directly with the platform before promising delivery times.
Can I run a POD business from Australia selling to overseas customers?
+
Yes, and many do. Selling to US, UK and European customers via Redbubble or Amazon Merch on Demand is common, and using a print provider with fulfilment centres in those regions means faster delivery there. The income is still Australian assessable income regardless of where your customers are.
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Sources
- ATO, are you in business?
- business.gov.au, business vs hobby
- ATO, registering for GST
- ABR, register for an ABN
General information only, not financial or tax advice. It does not take your circumstances into account. Platform fees, fulfilment options and tax thresholds change, so verify current details with each provider and the ATO before relying on them.
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General information only. This article is educational and does not constitute personal financial advice. It does not account for your circumstances. Consider your own situation and seek advice from a licensed adviser before acting. Read our full disclaimer.
Timothy Hirou Gaschereau
Founder of Snowball Invest, not a financial adviser.
I write about what I'm learning myself, because nobody ever taught us how to take control of our own money. It's a skill, not a mystery, and it's never too late to learn it. The best day to start was yesterday, the second best is today.
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