As Canadian entrepreneurs embrace third-party product fulfillment, drop shipping and print-on-demand (POD), the call for domestic fulfillment options has grown louder. Similar to the classic drop shipping model, print-on-demand means that wholesale items are made-to-order at the request of an online merchant, and then delivered directly to their customer.
[DISCLOSURE: We may receive compensation for links to products on this website.]
Printful, one of the biggest custom, on-demand printing and warehousing companies in the world, recognized an opportunity when Canada grew to their second-largest market. That led to the company’s first facility in Ontario, Canada and its seventh worldwide.
Printful customizes and ships products like clothing, accessories, home & living items and pet supplies on behalf of online businesses. They’ve fulfilled more than 18 million items since launching in 2013 and they’re growing quickly.
Building a fulfillment warehouse in Canada removes the biggest barriers in POD drop shipping: Shipping time & cost, Customs headaches, and the volatile Canadian dollar. Add that to the standard benefits of dropshipping (such as no inventory), and you have an ecommerce strategy that’s tough to beat.
With Canada being Printful’s second-largest market after the US, the company wants to improve logistics and the overall experience for Canadian store owners and their customers. The new facility will cut shipping time from nine days to two days in Ontario, and four days in most other provinces. Another benefit is domestic orders will not have to go through customs or incur import duties and brokerage fees.
Customized Products
Printful will start by producing and fulfilling Direct-to-Garment (DTG) products, such as custom printed and embroidered hats and apparel. The product offering in Canada will expand over time to include more of Printful’s 250+ customizable and brandable products.
Now is the time for Canadian online retailers to set up Printful as a dropshipping supplier, so you can easily feed your store with new products as they become available. You’ll be in a position to profit from them before your competitors even know they’re an option.
Canadians can sell many more products through Printful right now, but most will be shipped from American or European fulfillment centres. Import them for the Canadian market or expand your market worldwide!
“With 5 fulfillment centers in North America and Europe, we’ll deliver your orders to Canada and anywhere else in the world,” the Printful website states.
Shipping to Canada from fulfillment centres outside of the country takes 6-10 business days, and includes the following products. More of these products will become available from the Canadian fulfillment centre as time goes on.
Hats
Shirts: T-shirts, polos, tanks, sweatshirts, hoodies
Sweatpants & joggers
Leggings
Dresses
Skirts
Jackets
Swimwear
Tube socks
Sports bras
Flip flops
Face masks
Aprons
Jewelry
Tote bags
Fanny packs
Backpacks
Beach towels
Blankets
Throw pillows
Wall Art: Posters & canvas prints
Mugs
Postcards
Stickers
Phone cases
Laptop cases
Canadian online sellers are using print-on-demand services to improve their selection of unique products, or to easily create their own custom product lines.
The Benefits of POD Drop Shipping in Canada
- The ability to create unique products with little or no competition.
- No production or shipping equipment required.
- No order minimums, since products are fulfilled only when an order is placed.
- Automatic fulfillment
- No inventory or shipping headaches
- Up your branding game with inside labels and create an unboxing experience for your customers with custom packing slips and pack-ins.
- Easily test new products and the market for them, without worrying about unsold inventory.
- Free up your time and money
- Order in Canadian dollars
Using Printful is as Easy as 1-2-3!
Seamlessly connect Printful with the biggest online marketplaces and ecommerce platforms.
- Connect Printful to your store using the ready-made integrations.
- Publish print-on-demand product listings using the Product Push Generator.
- Market your store while they take care of order fulfillment and shipping.
Printful integrates with many ecommerce platforms and online marketplaces, but some are easier to set up and operate than others. Additionally, some are more Canadian-friendly than others.
The top ecommerce platforms for Canadian POD sellers are:
The easiest online marketplace for POD is Etsy. It can be done on Amazon and eBay, but setup and sales are more involved and the fees are higher. You may find it best to launch your store on the easier platforms first, and then pick a few best sellers to stock and sell yourself (fulfillment by merchant) or through Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA).
Printful doesn’t charge any monthly or upfront fees — you’re only charged for product fulfillment once your store receives an order.
Printful Welcomed to Canada
Printful worked closely with Invest in Canada and Toronto Global to help find a fulfillment location and expand their business into Canada. They expect to hire about 50 people over the next three years.
“With one of the most highly skilled and diverse workforces in the world, Mississauga is a top destination for business and talent,” said Mississauga Mayor, Bonnie Crombie. “Printful’s investment is a testament to Mississauga’s strong position on the innovation corridor and the attractiveness of our city to international companies. I’m delighted to welcome Printful to Mississauga’s growing and innovative business community!”
Related Reading
7 Print-on-Demand (POD) Drop Shipping Suppliers for Canadian Sellers
Checklist: How to Start a Profitable Online Business in Canada
Please share your experience or questions in the comments below, or join us in the Online Business Canada Facebook group.
For weekly inspiration, insights, tips, and resources, sign up for the Online Business Canada newsletter!
7 Recession Proof Online Businesses To Start From Home
Expert help to choose, start, and run a successful online business!
“Almost 200 pages of pure gold…”
GET IT ON AMAZON
Or Other Major Ebook Retailers
——————————————
© CanadiansInternet.com – Content on this website may not be used elsewhere without expressed permission. Thank you for respecting the effort that we have put into our original content.
DISCLOSURE: We may receive compensation for links to products on this website. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Our content is provided for informational purposes only and does not guarantee results.
Melody McKinnon is an internet entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in a wide range of online business models, backed by a formal business/marketing education and enhanced by training and mentorship. She has owned or managed both educational and ecommerce websites. Her book, 7 Recession Proof Online Businesses to Start From Home, is available from all major ebook retailers.
Melody has worked with many businesses in a multitude of capacities. She can often be found on CanadianDigitalMedia.com, CanadiansInternet.com, CanadianFamily.net, and AllNaturalPetCare.com, as well as other quality digital publications. Her content has earned reference links from highly-respected websites, magazines and university textbooks.
YES! SO desperately need options fo pod in Canada. Do you know how fast they’ll add more to choose from? Clothing is the one thing we CAN get here already.