All Frequently Asked Questions

When a customer places an order... we print and ship directly to your customer. No inventory required.

Correct—no setup fees or inventory. You're charged after you make a sale.

All orders are produced and shipped from our Los Angeles facility.

Most items produce in 24–72 business hours; US delivery 2–5 business days after production.

Earnings vary by niche, pricing, traffic source, and conversion rate. Your profit per item is your retail price minus the base cost, shipping, and marketplace fees. Example: a $35 tee with a $12.49 base cost, about $6 of US shipping, and an 8% marketplace fee (~$2.80) leaves about $13.70 before ads, discounts, and taxes. Building consistent sales takes time; your results will depend on product-market fit and marketing.

More than 80 live products, including apparel (t-shirts), accessories (totes, keychains, ornaments, notebooks, jewelry boxes), drinkware (mugs, tumblers), candles, greeting cards, and curated gift sets. We add new products and colorways regularly so you can expand without retooling.

Yes, we ship worldwide to 200+ destinations. Rates and delivery estimates vary by destination, product type, and chosen carrier service. Duties/VAT may apply depending on local regulations.

Yes. You can order samples at cost to review print quality, colors, and packaging before you launch or run ads. Sampling is strongly recommended for new designs or new product types.

For misprints, defects, or items damaged in transit, report the issue within 7 days of delivery with photos and we’ll reprint, replace, or credit it. Because items are made to order, we generally don’t accept returns for buyer’s remorse (wrong size, changed mind), but you can set your own customer-facing policy and we’ll support eligible quality-related claims.

We integrate directly with Etsy, Shopify, and WooCommerce. TikTok Shop is coming soon.

Yes. Agents should use our hosted MCP server at platform.printonic.com — any Printonic account can create a free seller key in Dashboard → Agent Access. HTTP integrators can use the Partner REST API at /api-docs.

You set retail prices in your storefront. When an order is placed, you’re billed the base + print + shipping through a wallet system, or a card you leave on file. Your storefront or marketplace pays you the customer’s payment according to its payout schedule. If you sell on your own site, your payment processor handles the customer funds.

You control your retail pricing and are responsible for configuring taxes in your storefront. For certain regions, carriers may collect duties/VAT upon delivery. Where legally required, we’ll assess, collect, and remit taxes on the production/fulfillment side.

You do. You must upload only content you have the rights to use. We prohibit infringing, hateful, or illegal content. Rights owners can submit takedown requests which we promptly review.

Yes. For non-POD bulk runs (events, corporate, wholesale), we can quote based on quantities and timelines. Large monthly volumes may qualify for tiered pricing—talk to us orders@printonic.com

You own the customer relationship. We provide tracking, order status, and documentation to help you reply quickly. For print defects or damage, we’ll replace according to policy once you submit clear photos and details.

Cut-off dates are published ahead of time. Lead times can extend due to carrier capacity. Launch earlier, set expectations on product pages, and consider upgrading shipping speeds for time-sensitive gifts.

Yes, with Printonic Pro on Etsy listings. Buyers add names, dates, messages, or photos, and their answers flow to us so we can render and print automatically. For photo products, use high-resolution images for best results.

Absolutely. You can import SKUs via CSV or API, map them to our products, and keep your existing listings live while you switch fulfillment routes gradually to avoid downtime, for help, reach us migration@printonic.com

We follow modern security practices and use encrypted connections for order data, assets, and payment processing. Access is limited to authorized personnel to fulfill your orders.

Yes. We prohibit content that infringes third-party rights, promotes violence or hate, or violates local laws. Licensed content requires proof of authorization. Repeated violations may result in account restrictions.

Yes. From the Branding page you can set a custom return address and add a custom 6x4 insert card ($0.25 an order) or a 2x2 sticker ($0.40 an order) with your own design. Orders ship without supplier pricing in the box.

We don’t process payments for you. Your customers pay you directly when they place an order. We then charge you separately for production and shipping.

There’s no minimum order. We produce and ship single orders with the same care and standards as bulk orders.

Yes! You can apply your designs to any compatible product in our catalog—t-shirts, mugs, candles, and more.

We accept PNG and JPG (JPEG). For best print quality, we recommend PNG files at 300 DPI.

Open Dashboard > Orders and click the order. The order page shows its stage (Ready to submit, Submitted, In production, Shipped, Delivered) with timestamps, the expected ship-by date while it is in production, and the tracking number with a tracking link once it ships. Direct orders (placed through a Printonic-hosted checkout) live under Orders > Direct and show the same stage tracker. An order that is taking longer than usual is flagged automatically and our ops team is notified; you do not need to do anything.

For a store order (imported from a connected store or created in the dashboard), open the order under Dashboard > Orders and click Report an issue. For a direct order, open it under Dashboard > Orders > Direct and use Report a problem on that page; direct orders do not have the Report an issue button on the Orders list. You get a decision within 48 hours and can follow it under Orders > Requests.

Ready to submit: the order has not been sent to production yet. Submitted: we received it and production has not started. In production: it is being printed and packed. Shipped: it is with the carrier and has a tracking number. Delivered: the carrier confirmed delivery. Rejected: we could not accept it as submitted; the order page explains why and how to fix it. Canceled: it will not be produced.

Ask for a person and a member of the Printonic team takes over the conversation. Any reprint or refund request that has been open for more than two days is also routed to a person automatically, and every issue request is due a decision within 48 hours of filing.

A hosted Model Context Protocol server so Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT, or any MCP client can search the Printonic catalog, manage your listings, and (with the right scopes) create drafts. Canonical URL: https://platform.printonic.com/mcp.

No. Every account can create a free seller API key. Pro raises rate limits and mockup quota and unlocks publish, product-write, and order scopes.

Sign in, open Dashboard → Agent Access, create a key, and paste it into your MCP client as Authorization: Bearer psa_live_…

It depends on your designs, marketing, and pricing. You pay the base cost and shipping only after a sale.

No—everything is printed on demand after a sale.

You set the retail price. Your margin is that price minus the base cost, shipping, and marketplace fees.

It depends on your listings and marketing. Strong photos, clear titles, and occasion keywords help new listings get found.

Trend relevance, niche targeting, humor, and emotional resonance drive conversions.

Sublimated mugs are dishwasher-safe with long-lasting color under normal use.

Quotes, professions, pets, camping/outdoors, and corporate gifts perform well.

Sublimation mugs are both; engraved/UV items are hand-wash recommended.

Yes, with Printonic Pro on Etsy listings. Buyers add names, dates, and photos on eligible products.

Yes. Laser engraving is one of our print methods. Each product page lists the methods it supports.

You set the retail price. Your cost is the mug's base price plus shipping, both shown before you list.

Yes—sizes, colors, and styles (for example 11oz and 15oz mugs) can be listed as variations.

Most orders ship within 1–3 business days, and US delivery takes 2–5 business days after that. Tracking provided on every order.

Rare, but covered. Report it within 7 days of delivery with photos and we'll reprint, replace, or credit it.

Yes. Printonic for Teams handles company gifting, including one send to many addresses.

You set the retail price. Your cost is the base price plus shipping, shown on every catalog page, so you know your margin before you list.

Q4 holidays, weddings, and housewarmings are prime seasons.

Use luxe labels, occasion keywords, and consider curated sets to lift perceived value and AOV.

Yes, with the gift set builder in Printonic Pro. Or start from a curated set and customize the artwork per item.

Your brand on packing slip and return address; no supplier pricing inside.

Products ship in protective packaging with optional custom branding stickers.

Sets inherit variations from their components (e.g., color, size, scent). Where supported, these variants sync to your listings.

Start from the set's full cost (base price, shipping, and marketplace fees) and price it as a complete gift. A set can still look like a better deal than buying its items separately.

Lifestyle shots showing the complete set together, how it arrives, and close-ups of each item.

DTF for all apparel, sublimation for mugs and other hard goods, inkjet for candle labels and cards, and UV printing and engraving for specialty items.

Flat rate per order or first-item plus reduced additional item rates depending on product.

Yes. Laser engraving is one of our print methods. Each product page lists the methods it supports.

Screens vary; minor variance is normal. For the closest match to print: use sRGB color space at 300 DPI, and ensure your print workflow uses the correct paper profile (e.g. High Glossy Quality BK on Epson C8000). We recommend sRGB for all uploads so the printer can convert consistently.

Holiday ornaments, leather keychains, and photo gifts convert consistently.

You set the retail price. Your cost is the base price plus shipping, shown on every catalog page.

Bundle with apparel, run seasonal promos, use gift guides.

In our catalog we UV print faux leather jewelry boxes, the top and bottom panels of our folding mirrors, and white ceramic ornaments. Each product page lists its print technology and print area.

UV prints maintain color vibrancy for 5+ years outdoors and 10+ years indoors without noticeable fading.

You set the retail price. Start from the base cost and shipping shown on each product page, add your marketplace fees, then the margin you want. Durable, weather-resistant prints can support a higher price.