How to Start a Print-on-Demand Tech Accessories Brand (Phone Cases & More)

Print on demand (POD) isn’t only for apparel. Tech accessories, like phone cases and AirPods cases, can be a strong category because they’re practical, giftable, and often support healthier price points than basic tees.

This guide walks through the real steps: picking products that sell, designing files correctly, setting margins, and understanding shipping + returns, so you can launch without guesswork.

Why tech accessories are a solid POD category

Tech accessories are “high-perceived-value” products. Customers expect to pay more for a phone case than for a sticker, and the product is used daily, so design and quality matter.

They’re also great for:

• Niche branding (fitness, gaming, pets, travel, local pride)
• Collections (matching phone case + AirPods case + laptop sleeve)
• Gift seasons (especially Q4)

If you’re starting from zero, this category gives you a clearer path: fewer SKUs than apparel, more focused creative direction, and simpler sizing issues.

Pick the right products (start small, expand later)

A common mistake is launching with too many SKUs. Start with 1 to 2 hero products, then expand once you see what sells.

Good starting points:

• Tough phone cases (your “default” case for most buyers)
• Clear cases / snap cases (price tiering)
• AirPods cases (easy cross-sell)

Then expand into:

• Laptop sleeves / laptop cases
• iPad / tablet cases
• Desk mats / mouse pads
• Drinkware and wall art (if you want a broader catalog)

We focus on tech accessories, and our catalog includes 300+ customizable items, built to support sellers who want to go beyond apparel.

Simple margin math (so you don’t underprice)

Before you design anything, decide on a pricing model.

A practical pricing approach:

1. Choose a target retail price (what your customer will pay)
2. Subtract product cost + shipping + platform fees
3. Make sure you still have room for discounts + ads

Example (illustrative)

If a tough case costs around €9.95 to produce, and you price it at €29.99, your gross margin can look healthy, but shipping and platform fees matter.

Use a profit calculator and sanity-check:

• What happens if you offer free shipping?
• What happens if you run a 15% discount?
• What happens if you spend €5 to €10 per customer in ads?

If your numbers only work in the “perfect” scenario, you’re priced too low.

Design files: what “good” actually means

Tech accessories are unforgiving: buyers see them close-up every day. Your designs need to be crisp.

Baseline requirements (safe defaults):

• 300 DPI files
• RGB color profile
• Use product templates (so camera cutouts and safe areas are correct)
• Avoid ultra-thin lines and low-contrast details

We provide a design guide and product templates (often as PSD files). Use them, even if you think you can eyeball it. Most print issues come from mismatched cutouts or unsafe bleed.

Quick design workflow

1. Pick the product + model (e.g., iPhone model)
2. Download the template
3. Place your design as a smart object / layer
4. Keep important elements inside the safe area
5. Export at high quality
6. Preview in a mockup generator

Store setup: Shopify (and why it’s the default)

If you’re building a brand (not just testing designs), Shopify is usually the cleanest starting point.

A typical Shopify POD flow:

1. Create your store
2. Connect Podbase
3. Create products (apply your design)
4. Publish to Shopify
5. When orders come in, fulfillment + shipping is handled for you

Our Shopify integration is designed to connect in minutes, with fast fulfillment and no fulfillment fees, which helps you keep operations simple.

Fulfillment + shipping: set expectations early

Customers care about delivery time more than most first-time sellers realize.

We aim to manufacture and dispatch orders within 24 to 48 hours. Shipping time depends on destination and delivery method.

Typical ranges (economy vs express):

• Europe (incl. UK): 3 to 10 business days (economy), 1 to 3 business days (express)
• United States: 8 to 14 business days (economy), 2 to 3 business days (express)
• Oceania: 8 to 16 business days (economy), 3 to 4 business days (express)
• Worldwide: 8 to 14 business days (economy), 2 to 5 business days (express)

Couriers vary by region (examples include DHL in Europe, FedEx/USPS in the US).

Best practice: show shipping clearly

• Put shipping estimates in product pages
• Repeat them in order confirmation emails
• Don’t promise “2 to 3 day delivery” unless you’re using express

Tracking + customer support basics

Your customer will ask: “Where is my order?” Be ready.

We provide tracking numbers once an order is fulfilled and shipped. You can find them on the order status page.

A simple support playbook:

• Respond within 24 hours
• Ask for order number + email
• Confirm whether it’s still in production or already shipped
• Provide tracking once available

Returns, refunds, and damage claims

Print-on-demand is made to order, so the default rule is:

• No refunds for buyer’s remorse / change of mind

But quality and shipping errors are handled differently.

Our policy pages cover:

• Claims for quality/shipping issues (timing is policy-based; check the current rule)
• If something arrives damaged: provide photos/video; after confirmation, replacements may be sent or a partial refund offered
• Returns are sent back to us. After a return is received, we may ask what you want to do next (often with reshipping fees)

Important: Set this expectation on your store’s policy pages so customers aren’t surprised.

What to do in your first 7 days (simple launch plan)

Here’s a lean plan that works in practice:

Day 1 to 2: Pick a niche + hero product

• One clear niche (don’t try to appeal to everyone)
• One hero product (tough case)

Day 3 to 4: Create 10 to 20 strong designs

• One style, one audience
• Build a consistent collection

Day 5: Build your store basics

• Homepage
• Collection page
• Product page with clear shipping info
• Policies

Day 6: Order samples

• You’ll sell better once you can speak from experience

Day 7: Launch and start posting content

• Short videos, behind-the-scenes, “design process,” niche memes
• Aim for consistency over polish

Next step

If you want a clean way to launch a tech accessories POD store, start by picking one hero product and a niche, then build a small collection and test it.

When you’re ready to fulfill orders, Podbase lets you connect to your store, upload designs, and ship products without holding inventory, so you can focus on brand and marketing instead of operations.