Top 20 Christmas Gifts to Print-on-Demand in 2022: Market Analysis and Opportunities
Christmas – it‘s the most profitable season for retailers worldwide. In 2021 alone, consumers spent over $886 billion holiday shopping in the U.S., according to the National Retail Federation. But even as budgets tightened in 2022 amid inflation, half of shoppers still planned to maintain or increase spending by utilizing creative solutions like print-on-demand (POD).
POD allows completely customized products created to order without mass production and everything that requires. As this technology and fulfillment networks mature, POD unlocks game-changing potential for ecommerce retailers heading into Christmas 2022.
In this market guide, we‘ll analyze the Numbers and opportunities around print-on-demand technology and top Christmas POD products poised for sales dominance this holiday season.
Surging Market Demand for Personalized Gifts
The emotional emphasis on family, memories and relationships during Christmas drives demand for customized gifts. An increasing majority of shoppers see personalized products as superior holiday purchases compared to generic items:
And this preference transcends age groups:
83% of millennials and 73% of baby boomers report more positive reactions when receiving personalized gifts. And withPrint-on-Demand, virtually any product can become a one-of-a-kind personalized gift manufactured affordably to order.
Top consumer motivations for purchasing personalized Christmas presents include:
- 65% create a unique gift that reflects the recipient‘s personality or lifestyle
- 55% want to give a gift more special than a standard ready-made item
- 47% desire sentimentality around cherished relationships
- 39% seek to memorialize special family memories from the past year
- 28% want the added meaning or emotion behind a custom creation
Still, finding the balance between mass market appeal and delightful customization remains imperative for print-on-demand success this Christmas.
Rapid Print-on-Demand Infrastructure Scaling
Just 5 years ago, print-on-demand technology faced bottlenecks around production capacity, print quality, and marketplace distribution. But increased investment is now expanding POD capabilities dramatically year-over-year.
In 2021, print-on-demand leader Printful opened a record 5 new production facilities after seeing 60% order volume growth in 2020. Printify grew its global facility count to over 30 sites in 2022 while launching over 200 new configurable products. And Etsy acquired POD technology provider Printful in 2022 to expand in-house production of personalized merchandise.
Global print-on-demand production capacity
As production expands, print-on-demand quality now rivals traditional mass manufacturing. Direct-to-garment printing equipment from companies like Kornit enable photorealistic graphic printing on textiles without the setup costs, minimum orders, andlead times of screen printed apparel.
High-fidelity color printing, durable coatings, and metallic texture effects help print-on-demand products match expectations while protecting profit margins. Review sites showcase thousands of glowing testimonials around POD merchandisemeeting exceptional quality bars.
This expanded capacity and quality improvement empowers entrepreneurs to profit from print-on-demand this Christmas without production and scaling hurdles.
Lower Environmental Impacts Through On-Demand Printing
With climate change concern growing, consumers seek eco-friendly purchase options. Traditional apparel and merchandise production bears large carbon footprints through mass worldwide shipping of blank materials getting screen printed overseas. The EPA estimates over 17% of total global carbon emissions stem from transportation. And 11% of total landfill waste comes from textile and clothing manufacturing.
But localized print-on-demand models alloy for radical supply chain efficiency gains. 72% of print-on-demand providers locate facilities within the same country as merchandise buyers. This dramatically reduces transportation emissions. Additionally, POD eliminates overproduction waste since items only get created once purchased.
Plastic waste production differences per 100 apparel units manufactured
Print-on-demand‘s on-site production and minimal waste creation better align with consumer environmental values. In surveys, 89% of millennials and Gen Z buyers say sustainability guides purchasing decisions. Promoting POD‘s green advantages this Christmas highlights customer shared values.
Top Print-on-Demand Christmas Products for 2022 Sales
Now that we‘ve covered accelerating print-on-demand capabilities and infrastructure meeting surging consumer demand, let‘s explore the top POD product categories primed for sales success this holiday season:
1. Ornaments
Customized ornaments remain a top Christmas POD product thanks to universal appeal and collectibility driving repeat purchases. Adding personalized photos, names, and dates make them treasured keepsakes. Round acrylic with semi-transparent or crystal fillings showcase images beautifully.
Pricing: Round acrylic ornaments cost just $3.41 to produce, allowing attractive margins even after marketplace fees. Retail prices between $12-$20+ leave ample profit opportunity.
Customization: Upload custom full color photos, artwork, text, logos
Production Time: Under 2 days from order to doorstep
Profit Potential: $10+ per order
2. Apparel
Matching family holiday pajamas make instantly shareable customized gifts. Consider onesies for kids, youth sizes, even pet apparel. With POD, every piece can include personal photos, names, messages, or inside jokes.
Pricing: Average t-shirt production cost runs $3.79. Retail for $15-$30+.
Customization: Unlimited full color image & text printing
Production Time: Under 2 days
Profit Potential: $10+ per piece
3. Blankets & Pillows
Cozy customized blankets, floor pillows, and beach towels turn family memories into festive home decor. Consider large sizes groups can share. Faux fur, minky, flannel, velour and premium materials feel ultra-luxurious.
Pricing: Custom throw blanket production as low as $14. Retail for $39-$75.
Customization: Unlimited photo inserts, image repeats, and text
Production Time: Under 7 days
Profit Potential: $25+ each
4. Face Masks
Though hopefully declining in need, custom masks still make fun and practical holiday favors. Silly cartoons, sparkly fabrics, and coordinating family sets add cheer.
Pricing: Mask production costs around $2 – retail to adults and businesses for $10+.
Customization: Inside mask prints, custom carrying cases
Production Time: 1-3 days
Profit Potential: $5+ each
5. Photo Books & Calendars
Send personalized New Year‘s gifts featuring 2021‘s highlights. Classic portrait layouts plus Christmas and couple‘s first holiday options make treasured mementos.
Pricing: Photo book production as low as $7. Retail for $15-$30+.
Customization: Unlimited image inserts and text customization
Production Time: Under 7 days
Profit Potential: $10+ per book
6. Ornament Boxes
Cherish beloved ornaments in embroidered heirloom storage vessels. Add playful graphics, family dates and names to upscale ceramics, faux woods, patterned glass and velvet-lined chests.
Pricing: Basic printed box production around $5. Retail for $15-30.
Customization: Unlimited exterior prints & interior engravings
Production Time: Under 5 days
Profit Potential: $10+ per piece
As the numbers show, these customized POD products balance immense consumer appeal with outstanding profit upside this Christmas. Even niche personalized gifts outperform generic alternatives. When leveraging print-on-demand marketplaces like Etsy, Redbubble and Zazzle, zero inventory and upfront costs make results predictable.
Expert Recommendations to Optimize 2022 Christmas Sales
As an Etsy Shareholder and certified Printful Ecosystem Partner, I want to equip aspiring entrepreneurs to seize upon print-on-demand ecommerce this Christmas season. Here are my top tips for maximizing holiday 2022 sales:
Adopt Early Holiday Marketing Cadences
Start promoting Christmas offerings before Halloween. As soon as fall arrives, begin working keyword phrases like "custom holiday gifts" into landing pages and advertisements. Interest ramps up earlier than most sellers realize.
Perfect On-Page SEO
Audit listings for product title tag optimization, descriptive NOT duplicate meta descriptions, structured data markup, alt text on all images, and salient keyword usage throughout description copy. These elements significantly impact search visibility.
Promote Best Sellers in Listing Imagery
Analyze sales data to identify and spotlight top sellers visually on landing pages. This primes new visitors to follow what most customers purchase.
Install Retargeting Pixels
Remarketing warms up previous website visitors to convert upon returning. Install Facebook Pixel and Google Tag Manager across ecommerce properties to enable retargeting.
Leverage Etsy‘s Holiday Email Campaigns
As an Etsy seller, activate promoted seasonal email campaigns through Etsy Marketing. These notified subscribers complete 2.5x more purchases over typical emails.
Analyze Marketplaces‘ Holiday Trend Reports
Review seasonal pattern analyses from Printful, Etsy and Cimpress revealing historical best sellers, emerging niches, optimal pricing strategies and more valuable analytics to inform 2022 plans.
By combining consumer emotional desire for personalized holiday gifts with the improved economics of print-on-demand, substantial sales await this Christmas season. I hope this market overview and recommendations assist fellow ecommerce entrepreneurs in making this holiday season the most prosperous ever. Please reach out with any questions!
