The Best Print on Demand Products and Niches to Sell for in Spring/Early Summer 2024
Well Hello there my fellow creative entrepreneurs!
Now that the slow sales of January are long gone, it is time that we kick into high gear for the exciting months that are upon us! As we head into April, I want you to be prepared and geared up for the next few months because this is my absolute favorite time of the year to sell POD products (besides Christmas)!
I am referring to Q2 (second quarter) and that includes the months of April, May, and June. I LOVE this season! I call it “2nd Christmas” or “The Holiday Trinity Goldmine” because this is when you can make some MAJOR sales in your Etsy (or selling platform of your choice) shop. I bring in six-figure sales in April, May, and June alone check it out 👇👇👇👇
So in this post, I am going to spill all the tea and tell you EXACTLY what you need to be designing for and what trends to be on the lookout for as we head into this exciting time of year!
Before we dive in let me introduce myself!
Hey there, I am Shay Lynn! I am a top 1% Etsy Seller, am the proud owner of a multi-six figure Print on Demand and Etsy Business, and creator of the Print on Demand Playbook. In 2023, I did $250,000 in sales running my very own Print on Demand and Etsy business. Check it out 👇👇👇
I definitely know a thing or 2 about Print on Demand and Etsy Sales and Products 😉 and want to help you grow your own business!
So, without further ado, let’s dive on in and break down what you need to be focusing on in the next couple of months.
THE “HOLIDAY TRINITY GOLDMINE OF Q2” AND WHAT YOU NEED TO BE DESIGNING FOR:
1. MOTHER’S DAY: Alrighty Mother’s Day (or Gifts for Mom) is one of the biggest niches to get into in Spring/Early Summer! For this holiday you want to make sure you are getting ALL of your designs up at least a month before so if you haven’t started do so now.… like right now 😉
Heartwarming messages, personalized gifts, and floral designs do really well in this category so keep that in mind when designing. And don’t forget, people are searching for all types of gifts! Some things that might help you get your creative gears spinning could be:
Gifts for Grandma, Gifts for Dog Moms, Plant Lady Gifts, Mother In Law Gifts, First Mother’s Day Gifts. Think outside the box! Products that I have found to be successful that aren’t shirts/sweaters are: pillows, blankets, wine glasses, bags (makeup, weekender, and tote), candles, phone cases, hats, mugs, baby onsies, matching sets for mom and baby.
2. FATHER’S DAY: This is seriously Dad’s time to shine! Again don’t just think “Father’s Day Gifts” when you are looking for ideas and products, think outside the box and ask yourself what do Dads like?
Fishing gifts, RV camping, hiking gifts, Golfing gifts, Dad joke gag gifts, first-time dad gifts, and racing/auto gifts do really well this time of year! And don’t forget about Grandpa/Pop Pop too!
In my experience, I have found that funny products work better than heartwarming products for these types of gifts. I have found success with the following products: Die cut metal signs (I only suggest more advanced sellers/designers get into this), doormats, pint glasses, shirts/hoodies (hoodies bring in more money than a shirt), hats, blankets, clipboards, coasters, underwear, thermos, aprons, posters, and yard signs.
3. GRADUATION SEASON: Although this niche has a distinct season (people start buying products now in April for May/June Graduations), the graduation niche is also what we in the Print on Demand Business call an “Evergreen” niche. If you are new to Print on Demand or haven’t taken The Print on Demand Playbook course, an “Evergreen” niche means that it can sell year-round as opposed to a specific season or holiday.
So although there is one distinct graduation season, people graduate from colleges, programs, trade schools, and all sorts of things ALL THE TIME!! Don’t just think college and high school graduations are the only things you can make products for. Think police academy, fire academy, military graduation, grad gifts for doctors or nurses, grad gifts for lawyers, ANY type of occupation, grad school, Master’s degree, etc.
The possibilities are absolutely ENDLESS!! The best part is, no matter what your style is, you can design for this!! Masculine, feminine, retro, cute, it doesn’t matter! People are looking for ALL types of gifts in all types of styles! Products that I suggest for this are: Drinkware of all kinds, posters, yard signs, garden flags, banners, notebooks, bags, candles, shirts, sweaters, hoodies, hats, group shirts (or any type of group products) do really well too!
Now that we’ve covered the 3 major holidays to design for in the next couple of months, let me share with you what types of styles/designs are starting to trend this time of year, will be trending, and have sold in the past:
-COTTAGE CORE: Get ready to cozy up to the charm of cottage living! Think floral fantasies, whimsical wonders, mushrooms, frogs, and all things cozy and quaint. If you need some inspiration, think boho meets countryside magic. If you are still a little confused, that is totally ok! Jump onto Canva or Kittl, open up a fresh design, and look in the elements section. You can also hit templates and search “Cottage Core” All sorts of fun stuff will pop on up. These designs do really well during Q2.
-FUN FRUITS AND SUNSHINE: Time to add some fun fruits to your designs! Let your creativity run wild with watermelons, lemons, cherries, strawberries, and any fun and vibrant fruits you can think of! Also, fun sun designs do well as we move into summer! I have sold simple products with just fruits or products that say “Farm Fresh Strawberries” in the past and have made some decent sales with these very simple designs!
-THE GREAT OUTDOORS: As the weather starts to get better and better, people are itching to get outside! Products with Mountains, Rivers, Hiking Trails, RVs, and Boats do really well as we move into Summer.
Conclusion
Phew! I think that covers all the points I wanted to hit. I hope this helps you on your Print on Demand journey! If you are new to print on demand, curious about selling products online, or want to start your very own Etsy business, check out my course The Print On Demand Playbook. I have over 30 videos and 8 hours of Print on Demand video information on there from how to start your very own shop, Keywords/ Etsy SEO, product selection, research validation, design tutorials, content calendars, customer service templates, and so much more! 👇👇👇👇
Happy Designing during Q2 Rock Stars! Talk to you soon,
-Shay Lynn 🌈✨
Hi I’m Shay Lynn!
If you had told me that a few years ago when I was pregnant that I would be running my own multi 6 figure print on demand buisness, I would have outright laughed in your face! And then would have asked, “What the heck is Print on Demand?”
I’m a proud Mom, Etsy shop owner, Print on Demand business owner, and POD educator. I help women (and Mom’s like myself) start their own Print on Demand businesses and gain financial freedom so they can ditch their 9 to 5 grinds! Check out my course and blog to learn more!