Hi again! Ever thought about how you could use AI to improve or help your print on demand business? In the post-covid year of 2024, the POD landscape is extra competitive, and standing out requires more than just great designs. It demands efficiency, creativity, and smart strategies.
Using AI can greatly improve your business workflow in several aspects. Not just for creating prints with image generators but also organization, social media, content creation and more. Let’s take a look at the options that can aid your AI e-commerce journey.
Using AI for Print-on-Demand
Using AI Image Generators to Create Prints
This might be the most obvious idea when combining print-on-demand and AI. Image generators such as Midjourney and DALL-E can definitely assist you both in creating prints and coming up with ideas.
One thing to note is that the resolution isn’t always high enough for print, so you do need to redraw and/or vectorize it using Photoshop, Illustrator, Affinity or other software. There are also often many tell-tale signs that designs are made with AI that you might want to remove (e.g. disfigured hands, backgrounds, shading, etc.).
Example AI Prompts for Print on Demand
My favorite tool to use for this is Midjourney so that is what I will show here. The style of prompting is usually similar enough across all image generators so just adapt the style to what you are using or have available. Remember to fine tune and make several revisions before landing on your final piece.
/imagine retro-style vector, surfer riding inside a wave, palm trees and a sunset in the background. minimalist. bold lines, nostalgic 1980s vibe. vibrant solid colors, black background. –v 6.0 –no gradients, shading
/imagine retro style print, espresso martini, elegant coupe glass, ice cubes, coffee beans and orange twist, bold lines, one solid color only –no background, gradients –v 6.0
/imagine majestic cat sitting on a crescent moon, surrounded by twinkling stars and nebula clouds, the cat has glowing eyes and an ethereal purple aura, sticker design, black background. –v 6.0
Find more of our Midjourney prompts here
What most people forget here is, as I mentioned earlier, that you need to edit the final image before uploading it to Printful. You’re going to need to either upscale it (2x-4x in MJ) and then fix any errors, fine tune details and add your own text. Or just use the image as inspiration and draw/design your own one next to it.
Get creative and don’t forget to adapt your output to the print-on-demand product you plan on using. Dimensions and aspect rations has to be edited to fit and display differently on a t-shirt versus a coffee mug.
Using AI to Create Mockups
Another great use for image generators in your business workflow is for creating product mockups in a variety of styles. It’s helpful to have some graphic design skills to apply your mockups. Adobe Illustrator’s new Mockup-tool is a great option here.
/imagine stylish woman standing outdoors, sunny, Mediterranean, white buildings, blue skies in the background. short, wavy, light brown hair, round sunglasses. blank white t-shirt , white pants, brown leather belt with gold buckle. bright and summery, casual, chic fashion style –v 6.0
/imagine blank white poster, large, hanging on a white wall, bold black frame. green plants in pots, monstera. warm earthtone colors –v 6.0
/imagine a blank ironed black t-shirt, on a hanger, smooth fabric, bright and warm studio light, Canon RF 85 mm f/2 Macro IS STM –v 6.0
Creating and using your own mockups can also let you have a consistent style across all your photos. Do this by using similar prompts or uploading an image as a style reference (–sref in Midjourney).
Click here to see the full list of AI Image Generators ≫
Using AI for Marketing/Writing
Whether you want to get some help writing product descriptions or full on blog articles for SEO, there’s a plethora of options. ChatGPT is the most famous one to help you, but depending on your needs, its also worth checking out tools like Jasper if you’re focusing on article writing, or Copysmith if you want the best product descriptions. Click here to scroll to the full list of tools.
AI Use Cases for Print-on-Demand Stores
Here are just some of the many ideas and example prompts on how to use ChatGPT or other LLM’s for your webshop:
| Use Case | Example Prompt |
|---|---|
| Creating Product Descriptions | Generate a catchy and detailed product description for a t-shirt featuring a vintage-style print of a sunset over a mountain range. |
| Generating Marketing Copy | Write a promotional email for our new line of eco-friendly tote bags, highlighting their sustainability and stylish designs. |
| Idea Generation for New Designs | What are some trending themes in graphic t-shirt designs for summer 2024? |
| Social Media Content Creation | Create five engaging Instagram captions for our new collection of autumn-themed hoodies. <describe or upload the images to the GPT> |
| Customer Service Automation | How should I respond to a customer asking about the shipping times for international orders? <paste email here> |
| SEO Optimization | Provide a list of keywords for optimizing our blog post about the benefits of using organic cotton in POD products. |
| Creating FAQs | Generate a list of frequently asked questions and answers for our POD store, focusing on product customization and returns. |
| Email Newsletter Content | Write a section for our monthly newsletter announcing a limited-time discount on all personalized mugs. |
Click here to see the full list of AI marketing and writing tools ≫
Using AI to Create Video Content
Many e-commerce owners struggle with creating video content, and the world is moving more and more away from static product photo marketing. Just take a look at how large companies has adapted marketing to fit the TikTok audience as an example.
Creating videos can get tedious, but with some AI tools we can at least make the process faster, easier and better. If you already love making videos, adding AI can take your editing game to the next level effortlessly.
We’re still waiting on access to tools that can generate videos in the same way as images, but for now we’re limited to video editing, manuscripting, and text-to-speech.
Click here to see the full list of AI video tools ≫
Using AI for Design & Photo Editing
Want to use AI for design and photo editing? Tools like Designs.ai can whip up text, videos, logos, mockups, social media posts, and even voiceovers for you. And then there’s LogoMe.ai, that can create unique logos and brand assets with a consistent brand identity.
There are also tools that can create or enhance product photos like from almost nothing. Pebblely and Photoroom is just two AI-based tools that takes your product photos and enhances or adds attractive backgrounds and places them perfectly. If you’re using Shopify, you have access to their AI design and writing straight inside your webshop.
Do I actually need these tools? You might if you are someone who is consistently and regularly editing a lot of photos and designs. Most tools also provide some sort of free or limited plan if you only need a couple of images per month.
Click here to see the full list of AI design tools ≫
Using AI for Social Media
If you feel like you suck at managing social media, using AI can significantly enhance your store’s online presence. AI tools can streamline content creation, automate customer interactions, and provide insights into audience behavior.
For instance, ChatGPT can generate engaging social media posts, make a posting schedule and write compelling product descriptions. Additionally if you want a complete solution, Sprout Social is your tool to manage everything.
Additionally, you can use AI tools to optimize ad targeting and plan campaigns. By analyzing user data and engagement patterns, AI can identify the best times to post, the most effective ad formats, and the right audience segments to target. This leads to more efficient ad spending and higher ROI.
AI-powered social listening tools can also monitor brand mentions and sentiment, allowing businesses to quickly respond to customer feedback and adjust their strategies in real-time.
Click here to see the full list of AI social media tools ≫
List of AI Tools
We’ve focused this list on tools that are useful for entrepreneurs in the print-on-demand and/or e-commerce industry.
While the focus is on AI tools, some on this list are not, but perform a similar enough function to earn a mention. Be sure that you actually need an AI tool before you sign up for any of these, and not just because they fill a cool function.
Image Generators
- Midjourney – A prominent text-to-image model, available via their Discord server or the beta web interface. This is our favorite choice.
- Leonardo.ai – Similar to Midjourney but with a better browser user interface. It is also free.
- Adobe Firefly – Generative AI tool integrated in Adobe products and online. Works well when working with AI inside Photoshop.
- DALL·E 3 – OpenAI’s DALL·E is a powerhouse for turning simple text prompts into intricate designs. You can now use it inside ChatGPT.
- Copilot Image Creator – Now under a new name, this used to be known as “Image Creator from Microsoft Bing powered by Dall-E”. Not as sexy…
- Signature – A complete AI model for your brand to handle all your content, images, text. Focuses on the security and safety of your intellectural property assets.
- Canva AI – Canva’s AI-powered tool that uses DALL-E, Imagen and other image generators.
- NVIDIA Canvas – Super powered AI generator from the GPU giant NVIDIA. Turns your brushstrokes into landscape images live as you paint.
- Runway – A new research company with many powerful tools giving you text-to-image as well as text-to-video.
Image Enlargers
- Upscale – One of the best freemium tools to upscale and enhance images.
- bigjpg – Increases image resolution.
- Let’s Enhance – Automatic editor to increase image resolution.
- Vance.AI – Free online image upscaler.
Marketing & Copywriting
- ChatGPT – One of the best text based language learning models and the most famous one. Handles complex tasks and great for creating content or conducting research.
- Copy.ai – AI content writer for blogs, social media, and newsletters.
- Copysmith – Specializes in producing specific product descriptions, making it perfect for e-commerce and product-focused content.
- Jasper – Fast writer for a wide variety of content writing, with the help of AI.
- Markcopy – AI writer designed to optimize content for SEO, helping improve search engine rankings and visibility.
Design Tools
- Stylized.ai – Integrates with e-commerce platforms to create product imagery.
- Pebblely – AI-based product photography and placement tool.
- Designs.ai – Generates text, video, logos, mockups, social media posts, and voiceovers.
- Magician for Figma – Figma add-on that generates icons, text, and images.
- LogoMe.ai – Complete AI tool for creating your logo and brand
Photo Editing
- Clipdrop – Features text and background removal, image upscaling, and cleanup.
- Facet AI – Provides image refinement, auto-masking, and batch editing.
- Photoroom – Handles tasks like removing and blurring backgrounds and retouching images.
Background Removers
- remove.bg – automatic background remover. Our top choice for this task.
- bgsub – Automatically replaces backgrounds with other images.
- Erase.bg – Free background remover by PixelBin.
- Hama – Erases people or objects from images.
Color Palettes
- ColorGPT – Generates color names from real-world captures.
- Colormind – Color scheme generator using deep learning.
- Khroma – AI tool for designers to find and create color combinations.
- Huemint – Creates unique color schemes using machine learning.
Video Editors
- Descript – Fully AI powered video, podcast and audio editor.
- Invideo – Simplifies video creation with text prompts and templates.
- Lumen5 – Branding and marketing-focused video editor.
- Unscreen – Background remover for videos and GIFs.
- Veed.io – Marketing-focused video production tool.
- Wisecut – Automatic video editor turning long videos into short clips.
Social Media Tools
- Sprout Social – A comprehensive platform for managing social media, scheduling, engagement and analytics monitoring, and social listening.
- Flick – All in one social marketing platform powered by AI. Hashtag tools, post scheduling, analytics and more.
- Ocoya – Uses AI and over 30 social media integrations to write, plan and publish your content.
- ContentStudio – Helps users curate, plan and publish content across multiple social media platforms with the help of automation and AI.
- Upgrow – Offers digital marketing services related so SEO, SEM and content marketing. Focuses on growing your Instagram with AI followers.
- Vista Social – Social media management platform that simplifies publishing, monitoring, and reporting on social media activities, designed to streamline workflows.
- Feedhive – Focuses on automating content scheduling and managing social media posts, enabling users to optimize engagement through analytics and content recycling.
Ethical Use of AI
As you integrate AI into your business, it’s important to consider the ethical implications. Ensure that the AI tools you use are designed and deployed responsibly.
Best Practices
- Transparency: Be open with your customers about the use of AI. E.g. don’t sell an AI image labeled as handmade.
- Copyright: While most AI content is copyright free, make sure you’re not infringing on any similar looking trademarks.
- Bias Mitigation: Regularly review AI outputs to ensure they are fair and unbiased.
- Data Privacy: Protect customer data and use it responsibly. Be public about your usage in your privacy policy.
Staying ethical not only builds trust with your customers but also ensures your business operates with integrity.
Conclusion
Incorporating AI into your print on demand business can definitely be a large improvement for your business. Use it to boost creativity, streamline day-to-day tasks and impress your customers. From powerful design tools like MidJourney and DALL-E to marketing and writing aids like ChatGPT and operational support from AI-driven research and chatbots, the possibilities are endless.
Follow Inky Dollar to stay updated with the latest AI advancements and how to integrate them in your business.
FAQ about Using AI in Print on Demand
How can AI help in creating designs for my POD business?
AI tools like MidJourney and DALL-E can generate high-quality, unique images from simple text prompts, saving you time and enhancing creativity. These tools offer various stylistic effects and easy-to-use interfaces, making design creation effortless.
What are the benefits of using AI for marketing and copywriting?
AI can streamline your marketing efforts by generating engaging product descriptions, social media posts, and marketing emails. Tools like ChatGPT provide quick and effective copywriting assistance, reducing the time and effort required to create compelling content.
How can AI improve my business operations?
AI can assist in market and trend research, providing valuable insights into competitors and consumer behavior. Additionally, AI-powered chatbots can enhance customer support by handling routine inquiries, offering 24/7 service, and improving overall customer satisfaction.
What should I consider when choosing AI tools for my POD business?
When selecting AI tools, evaluate their features, pricing, and compatibility with your existing systems. Choose tools that align with your business needs and provide the functionalities required to enhance your operations.
What are the ethical considerations when using AI in business?
Ensure transparency with customers about AI use, regularly review AI outputs to mitigate bias, and protect customer data. Ethical AI practices build trust and ensure your business operates with integrity.
