Online and digital Home-basedCreativeSide hustle

How to start a print-on-demand store business in Kentucky

Everything you need: what it costs, what you can make, what Kentucky asks for, and every step from your first idea to your tenth customer.

Start this business with PressUp

Checked October 2026 In US dollars 12-minute read

To start$749–1.7kLean to full setup

Per month$900–9kOnce established

Profit margin20–40%After printing, shipping and platform fees

First customer2–12 weeksFrom today

DifficultyEasy to open, harder to stand out

From homeYesOr you go to them

01Is it right for you?

A good fit if you have design ideas and patience to grow a shop

With print-on-demand, you create the designs and run the shop; a print partner makes and ships each item after it sells. There's no stock to buy or store, so you can start small and test ideas cheaply. Most new shops grow slowly, so plan for months, not weeks.

You'll like it if

You have lots of design or slogan ideas
You enjoy testing and tweaking
You want a business with no stock at home
You're happy to grow slowly

Think twice if

You need steady income soon
You don't want to learn about ads and search
You'd rather not deal with customer messages
You want to control printing quality yourself

02What it costs

From $749 to start

Start lean with the essentials and upgrade as customers come, or set up fully from day one.

Total to start$749

What	Cost
LaptopFor designing and running your shop	$630
Product samplesOrder your own products to check quality and take photos	$75
Design appFree plan to start, or a year of the paid plan	$0
Registering your businessThe state's fee to form an LLC in Kentucky	$40
Shop setupYour first listings on a marketplace, or three months of your own store	$4
Insurance, first three monthsGeneral liability with product cover, optional at first	$0
Total	$749

Once you're running: about $45 a month, plus about 65% of what you earn. A store plan and design app each month, plus printing, shipping and marketplace or payment fees on every order.

03What you can make

Work out your own numbers

Move the sliders to match your plans. The chart shows a first year that builds up as word gets around.

Average price per order $25 $9$90

Orders a week 10 1300

Monthly costs $45 $0$180

Typical in Kentucky: $18–$45 per order, 2–40 orders a week once established.

Revenue a month—

Profit a month—

Pays back in—

Your first yearTotal: —

Money inCosts

First six months$0–90

Finding a niche and testing designs

Growing shop$900–2.7k

6–18 months, with designs that sell

Established shop$2.7k–9k

Steady sellers, ads and repeat buyers

04Step by step

11 steps to your first customers

Each step says what it costs and how long it takes. Most owners get through them in a few weeks.

1
Find your niche
1 week Free

Shops that serve one group, such as nurses, dog lovers or a hometown, sell better than shops for everyone. Look at what that group already buys.
- One group of buyers
- Search what sells for them
- 20 design ideas
2
Choose your name
1 day Free

Pick a shop name that fits your niche. Make sure no one in Kentucky has it, and check the domain.
- 3–5 name ideas
- Check no one else uses it
- Check the domain
Get name ideas, then check yours with KentuckyFind a name
3
Form your LLC in Kentucky
1–2 weeks $40 state fee

An LLC keeps your personal savings separate from the business. You file Articles of Organization with the Kentucky Secretary of State.
- Articles of Organization
- A registered agent
- An operating agreement
PressUp can file your LLC with the state for youForm your LLC
4
Get your EIN
Same day Free

The IRS's tax number for your business. You'll need it for a business bank account.
- Apply online with the IRS
- Open a business bank account
Apply for it along with your LLC filingAdd your EIN
5
Sort out sales tax in Kentucky
1–3 days Free

Kentucky's sales tax is 6%. Ask the Kentucky Department of Revenue whether what you sell is taxable.
- Check if your services are taxable
- Register for sales tax if needed
- Set money aside for income tax
6
Get insured
1–2 days Quotes are free

Insurance protects you if something goes wrong on a job. Get quotes from two or three insurers.
- General liability, including product liability
- Business owner's policy, as you grow
7
Make your first designs
1–2 weeks Up to $130

Start with 10 to 20 designs. Use only your own artwork, fonts you're licensed to use, and words no one else owns.
- 10–20 original designs
- Check trademarks before you print
- Mockups for every product
8
Order samples
1–2 weeks $75–230

See and feel what your customers will get, and take your own photos.
- Your best 5 designs
- Check print and fit
- Real photos for listings
9
Open your shop
2–3 days $4–110

Start on a marketplace where buyers already search, or on your own store, and connect your print partner.
- Connect your print partner
- Write clear titles and tags
- Set prices that cover all fees
10
Put your brand online
1 day Included

A site of your own lets you build a brand and an email list, instead of relying only on a marketplace.
- Website with your collections
- Email sign-up
- Links to your shop
Describe your business and PressUp builds your websiteBuild your website
11
Get your first orders
2–12 weeks Free

Share your designs where your niche spends time, and ask early buyers for reviews and photos.
- Post in your niche's groups
- Short videos of your products
- Ask buyers for reviews
Ask your customers for reviews by email with PressUpSee how

05Licenses in KY

What Kentucky asks for

Registering, taxes, and what this business needs. Check the details with each authority: rules change.

Articles of Organization (LLC)

Registers your business with the state.

The Kentucky Secretary of State$40once

Annual report

Keeps your LLC in good standing with the state.

The Kentucky Secretary of State$15a year

Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Your business's tax number, for banking and taxes.

IRSFree

Sales tax registration

Only if what you sell is taxable where you are: ask the state.

The Kentucky Department of RevenueFree

Sales tax on online sales

When a marketplace collects sales tax for you, many states don't need you to register separately. On your own store, you may need to collect it.

Your state's tax agencyVaries

Trademarks and copyright

Print only designs you own or have licensed. Search registered trademarks before you print a phrase or name.

US Patent and Trademark OfficeVaries

06Equipment

What to buy first

Buy the "must haves" to start. Add the rest when customers pay for them.

LaptopEveryday model is enough

$630–$1,100Must have

Design app, a yearFree plan, or paid for more tools

$0–$130Must have

Product samples5 to 15 of your own products

$75–$230Must have

Your own store, a yearOptional: marketplaces have no monthly plan

$0–$420Later

Print partner premium plan, a yearLower product costs once you sell steadily

$0–$270Later

07Pricing

3 packages that sell

Simple choices make it easy to say yes. Most customers pick the middle one.

Mug

$18 per item · Printed and shipped to order

Printed to order
Your design, both sides
Gift-ready

T-shirt

$25 per item · Printed and shipped to order

Printed to order
Unisex sizes
Your best seller

Hoodie

$45 per item · Printed and shipped to order

Printed to order
Higher price, same work
Great for cold-weather seasons

Print-on-demand T-shirt prices in KentuckyTypical: $18–$30

Average $25

$0$10$20$30$40

08First customers

How to get your first customers

You don't need an ad budget. These work for new owners almost everywhere.

Search-friendly listings

Clear titles and tags that match what buyers type bring free traffic from marketplaces.

Free

Your niche's communities

Groups, forums and pages where your buyers already gather are your best audience.

Free

Short videos

Show your products worn and used in real life, and post often.

Free

Email list

Collect buyers' emails and tell them about new designs and seasonal drops.

Repeat income

Reviews and photos

Ask every buyer for a review: new shoppers trust other buyers' photos.

With PressUp Reviews

09Your first 30 days

A month from now, you could be open

Week 1

Set up

Choose your niche
Choose your name
Register your business

Week 2

Create

Make 10–20 designs
Check trademarks
Order samples

Week 3

Go live

Open your shop
Connect your print partner
Launch your website

Week 4

First orders

Share in your niche's groups
Post short videos
Ask for reviews

10Questions

Common questions

Do I need a license to sell print-on-demand products in Kentucky?

Usually there's no special license. You'll register your business and handle your taxes, including sales tax where it applies. Only print designs you own or have the rights to.

How much can I make?

Most new shops earn little in their first months. Shops that find designs that sell can grow over a year or more. Your profit per item is usually small, so volume matters.

Do I need to hold stock?

No. Your print partner makes and ships each item after it's ordered, so you don't buy stock up front. Samples of your own products are still worth ordering.

Marketplace or my own store?

A marketplace brings buyers who are already searching, but takes fees on each sale. Your own store costs a monthly plan and needs you to bring the traffic, but you own the customer. Many sellers do both.

Can I use phrases or characters I see online?

Only if you have the rights. Brand names, team logos, characters and song lyrics belong to their owners. Ask before you use anything you didn't create.

Costs and earnings are estimates from the sources below, checked October 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the authorities named in this guide. This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

Sources