His name is Ryan Hogue. Back in 2014, he was pulling in a yearly salary of $85,000 through his role as a full-time web developer. While the income covered his living expenses, he grappled with the sensation of investing an excessive amount of time into his job.
Recognizing the potential for generating passive earnings within the e-commerce realm, Ryan delved into the world of “dropshipping” in 2016 – a business framework that doesn’t necessitate stockpiling products. However, it wasn’t until stumbling upon a Reddit post that he found inspiration to launch a print-on-demand side venture.
Engaging in print-on-demand allowed Ryan to market T-shirts, with all aspects of printing, packaging, and shipping handled by a third-party vendor. By the year 2020, he had garnered ample profits to bid farewell to his conventional job and commit to expanding his side venture into a full-time pursuit.
Now 33 years old, Ryan enjoys an average monthly passive income of $14,600 through his print-on-demand enterprise. The most appealing aspect is that he invests just one hour per day in this endeavor.
How he got started without a design background
His inaugural T-shirt design portrayed a crudely-drawn rendition of the Loch Ness monster. Initially, he attempted to navigate the realm of design through Adobe Photoshop, only to find it overwhelmingly intricate due to the absence of formal training.
Presently, his design process involves leveraging platforms like All Sunsets, Creative Fabrica, and Vexels. These resources prove invaluable for individuals venturing into print-on-demand sales without an extensive graphic design background. They offer the advantage of accessing commercial-use illustrations rather than crafting designs from scratch.
For those interested, All Sunsets extends membership rates commencing at $59 per year, while Creative Fabrica offers packages from $4 per month, and Vexels is accessible at $22 per month.
In the process of conceiving new designs, he engages in keyword research using tools like DS Amazon Quick View and PrettyMerch Chrome extensions, gauging customer preferences. Often, his creative inspiration stems from contemporary pop culture occurrences and imminent events.
How he makes passive income through print-on-demand
Approximately 50% of his passive income stems from his engagement with Amazon Merch on Demand, a platform where he achieves the highest sales volume. This platform holds his favor due to its distinctive feature of not necessitating any upfront investment for inventory.
The process he follows is straightforward:
- Develop a T-shirt design and save it in the PNG format, renowned for its high graphic quality.
- Upload the artwork onto Amazon Merch on Demand.
- Select the product category and furnish a description.
- Amazon generates a lifelike 3D representation of the shirt.
- A product listing is established on Amazon.com, rendering the design available for purchase.
- When customers make purchases, Amazon takes charge of production, shipping, and customer support.
Sellers on Amazon Merch earn royalties ranging from 13% to 37%, contingent upon the product type and listing price. Amazon prescribes predetermined listing prices from which sellers can make selections.
His most successful product is the standard T-shirt, priced at $19.99 per unit. He garners a 26% royalty fee per sale, resulting in a profit of $5.23 per shirt, with Amazon retaining the remainder.
Beyond T-shirts, his designs extend to hoodies, sweatshirts, mugs, hats, as well as accessories such as stickers and phone cases. He ensures each product is listed at a minimum of $5 profit per sale, while larger items like sweatshirts command a $10 profit.
An additional platform in his arsenal is Printful, akin to Amazon Merch on Demand, serving as a cost-effective means to amplify product exposure. Printful undertakes the printing, packaging, and shipping of designs featured on eBay and Etsy. Listing a design on eBay incurs no cost, whereas Etsy entails a $0.20 listing fee.
A little creativity and a lot of drive will take you far
Throughout his work hours, Ryan primarily engages in crafting fresh designs, enlisting products, and acquainting himself with tools geared towards enhancing the automation of his business.
Beyond these activities, he embarked on establishing a presence on YouTube. Furthermore, he curated online courses to disseminate his insights. His aim is to impart the realization that triumph within the print-on-demand domain doesn’t hinge on possessing a graphic design degree. Rather, a sprinkle of creativity combined with resolute determination suffices.
Formerly a web developer and adjunct professor, Ryan Hogue took the bold step of relinquishing both roles to wholly dedicate himself to his e-commerce venture. His YouTube channel functions as an educational platform, guiding individuals in achieving passive income through what he terms “Ryan’s Method.”
Source: cnbc.com