On Demand Products

What Are On Demand Products?

In a nut shell they are products that are left in their rawest required component stages, until someone is ready for them to be finished. Think of these products as if they were blank canvases, just waiting for the artist to start painting. Except that the artist is waiting for the client to decide what they want painted on that canvas. Once decided these products are then completed, providing you with your requested fully painted canvas.

	How does this benefit the end consumer? When you go into any convenient store, such as Walmart or Target for example, you are restricted to what they have in stock. Sometimes what is available is not appealing, out of stock, or they don't have the right size. On demand allows you the freedom to get whatever you want, and to customize it. This is great for general every day goods, holidays, events, trade shows, special occasions, gifts, and so much more.
	How does this benefit a business reseller? You get to personalize inventory according to your brand, and what your clients will purchase. It also allows you to purchase smaller quantities of an item, especially if you can't meet the required MOQ from a large supplier. Another perk is if you run out of stock, you can simply make an order with a much shorter turn around time in most cases.
	What about the artwork? This all depends on the resources you have, and who you are buying your products from. Some places will have designers on hand, software you can use, or require print ready art upfront. Don't be discouraged if you need print ready art and don't have the skills, or have software to make it. There are plenty of designers out there for hire that can help with this (myself included), software options, and other resources.
	Other benefits? Aside from awesome customization options, it also helps in minimizing waste and static inventory. If you think about all of the products out there that are pre-designed and shelf ready, that adds up to a lot right? Now think about all of the inventory with over projected quantities, or product that didn't sell for other reasons. With lower quantity options and shipping turn around times, you get to have more control as a consumer or a reseller when you use on demand options.
	What does turnaround look like? There are a lot of things to consider when needing something with a specific in hands date. In general it is always best to plan ahead if possible, and allow yourself at least 10 business days from completed artwork for orders to get shipped and delivered. There are a lot of factors to take into account when ordering custom items, such as the following. Quantity needed, supplier work load, supplier location, errors during processing, and if the supplier outsources or not. Peak seasons and holidays are especially important to keep in mind, as delays can happen due to the volume of orders drastically increasing and needing to be fulfilled by both the supplier and the shipping companies.