What is merch? Discover how to start merch sales online

Popular product categories for custom merchandise

Now that you’ve got the merch types down, let’s dive into some trending products that customers love to buy, wear, and post pictures of. From classic clothing to quirky hobby gear, these are the stars of most merch shops today.

Apparel and accessories

If merch had a main character, it would be clothing and accessories. Tees, hoodies, joggers, tote bags, socks, and hats are merch royalty because they’re wearable, shareable, and seriously versatile. 

They give your brand instant visibility every time someone walks down the street, hops on a stream, or shows up to events in your gear.

Apparel works for everyone – from a band on tour to a startup doing giveaways. Add your logo, match your color scheme, and boom – you’ve got swag that people actually want to wear.

Home and living

Want your brand to live rent-free in someone’s home? This is how you do it. Mugs, candles, posters, and pillows turn ordinary spaces into tiny merch museums.

These products work great as gifts, giveaways, or lifestyle merch drops. They’re fun to customize, fit any vibe or message, and customers love them because they use them daily. That’s not just branding, it’s long-term advertising – right on someone’s couch or coffee table.

Hobby items and niche-specific products

This category is where your merch gets personal. Got a gaming audience? Sell mousepads or controller skins. A pet brand? Try dog bandanas or custom bowls. Into wellness? Go for yoga mats. The point is: if they love it, you can create merch around it.

These products work wonders for connecting with smaller, passionate communities. They’re also a great way to stand out from bigger businesses and create valuable, thoughtful, and perfectly on-brand swag.

Pro tip: Merch that matches your niche equals higher profit and happier customers.

Why is selling merch with Print-on-Demand smart?

Let’s be real: the present day moves fast. Tastes change, trends flip, and your audience wants fresh merch that means something. That’s where print-on-demand (POD) comes in – a smarter way to sell merchandise without stress, waste, or piles of unsold water bottles in your garage.

Here’s why POD is an excellent way to grow your merch game:

1. No inventory – no waste

Traditional merchandise models rely on mass production, meaning you’re guessing how much to manufacture. POD lets you create products only when a customer orders – cutting down on waste, costs, and the environmental footprint. It’s a win for your brand and the planet.

2. Customization without chaos

Want a tote in your exact color scheme, or a hoodie with three logo options? POD platforms like Printful make creating merch super flexible. Tailor designs to your audience and keep your brand recognition strong without wrangling with multiple manufacturers.

3. Test, expand, repeat

POD is made for experimentation. Try mugs one month, water bottles the next, and maybe dog bandanas after that. If something flops – no worries. You haven’t spent upfront money or stocked a warehouse.

4. Global reach, no extra effort

Printful handles fulfillment and delivery worldwide, so your customers can use your merch from Tokyo to Toronto. That’s serious reach, no logistics degree required.

5. More time for what matters

Since Printful manages production, shipping, and even website integrations, you can focus on design, content, and connecting with your community. Less admin, more creativity – and more profit.

Bonus stat: POD is projected to grow to $103 billion by 2034. That’s not just a trend – it’s a movement.

How to start selling merch online in 4 steps with Printful

Ready to go from idea to income? Creating and selling merch online doesn’t require a warehouse, team of manufacturers, or piles of blank hoodies. With Printful, build your brand, launch your shop, and deliver high-quality merch to your audience in just a few clicks.

1. Choose your niche

Before designing, you need to know who you’re selling to – and what they want to buy. Your niche is your merchandise’s personality. It could be chaotic cat moms, retro gaming fans, mental health advocates, or urban gardeners who love snarky mugs.

If you already have a community – like a podcast audience or small business – you’re halfway there. But you can still zoom in.

• What topics do they care about? 

• What’s their aesthetic? 

• Which part of your brand, cause, or content do they like the most? Is it catchphrases, logos, or other elements?

Use tools like Google Trends, Semrush, or Instagram hashtags to see what’s trending and refine your focus.

2. Decide what merch to sell

Printful offers hundreds of customizable products. What you pick should match your niche and brand identity.

If you’re designing for artists, think notebooks or posters. For outdoor lovers? Water bottles or hiking hats. Want to build a color scheme-driven fashion line? Start with blank tees, hoodies, and socks in your palette.

Explore our:

Brainstorm different merch ideas, pick what resonates with most people in your niche, and enjoy the benefits of POD, scaling merchandise for a community.

3. Design your merch

This is where your brand comes alive. You don’t need to be a designer to make something people want to buy – just have a clear idea and a little creativity.

Use inside jokes, funny slogans, or bold logos to connect with your audience. Think of merch as visual storytelling. Most people don’t buy a mug – they buy a vibe, a message, a laugh they’ll share with friends.

Not sure where to start?

Mix your logo, colors, and message to create merch that screams YOU. Bonus tip: Add pictures of your audience using it for instant social proof.

Valuable read: 11 Things You Didn’t Know Printful’s Design Maker Could Do

4. Sell online

Once your designs look amazing, it’s go time. Choose where to sell merch – your own website, Etsy, Shopify, or even TikTok Shop. Then connect it to Printful, set your prices, and let the magic happen.

You don’t need to handle inventory, pack orders, or deal with shipping. Printful does all that for you while you focus on promotion, creating content, and building relationships with your community.

The best part? You keep the difference between your cost and the retail price. That’s pure profit – without ever touching a box.

Valuable read: How to make merch that sells, with practical steps, examples, and ways to bump up brand recognition.