The Dark Side of Print-on-Demand: How the Industry is Undermining Artist Royalties
The rise of online print-on-demand (POD) platforms promised to democratize the art world—allowing independent artists to sell their work globally without the cost and complexity of managing production, inventory, or shipping. At first glance, it seemed like a revolution.
But now, years in, the shine is wearing off. Beneath the surface of these platforms lies a troubling reality: the print-on-demand industry is quietly becoming a scam, and at the heart of that scam are the exploited royalties of artists and designers.
A Broken Promise
From sites like Redbubble, Society6, Teespring, Zazzle, and others, the pitch is always the same:
“Upload your art, we’ll handle the rest, and you earn royalties on every sale.”
In practice, these royalties are often insultingly low—sometimes as little as 5% to 10% of the final sale price. On a $25 t-shirt, an artist might receive $1.50 or less. Worse yet, some platforms use default margins that are easily overlooked, locking artists into micropayments unless they manually increase their pricing (often making their products unaffordable in a competitive marketplace).
Meanwhile, the platforms themselves collect the lion’s share—often 80% or more—without ever having created a single piece of content.
The War on Royalties
Recently, platforms like Redbubble have taken this exploitation even further. In 2023, Redbubble introduced a tiered account system, reducing or eliminating royalties for creators who don’t meet a vague set of performance metrics—such as sales volume, traffic generation, or community engagement.
This shift moves the goalposts entirely. It no longer matters how strong your portfolio is or how much work you’ve uploaded. If you don’t constantly drive traffic and market their site—for free—you risk losing your royalties entirely.
It’s a deeply flawed model that preys on the ambition of emerging artists, effectively turning creators into unpaid laborers in a content mill they don’t control.
POD Platforms Are Not Neutral
Many of these companies market themselves as artist-friendly, claiming to empower creatives and support the arts. But when you look closely, it becomes clear: they are tech companies, not art companies.
Their priority is scale, volume, and margin—not integrity, transparency, or sustainability. Artists are just the content providers in a race to flood the internet with searchable designs that convert into cheap merchandise.
And with AI-generated art now flooding POD marketplaces, the exploitation has escalated. Platforms rarely vet for originality or ownership. Your work can be buried under a wave of algorithm-generated knockoffs—some of which may even mimic your style.
Who Actually Profits?
Let’s be blunt: POD platforms are extracting far more value from artists than they return.
They profit from:
- Free user-generated content
- Massive SEO benefits from thousands of new uploads daily
- Markups on every product they print and ship
- Data tracking and ad revenue from artists’ promotional efforts
And the artist? They’re left with pennies.
What Can Artists Do?
- Raise Awareness
Start conversations in your community. Many emerging artists don’t realize how exploitative the system is until they’re deep into it. - Set Your Own Prices
If the platform allows it, increase your markup—even if it means fewer sales. It’s better to be paid fairly than underpaid frequently. - Build Your Own Storefront
Use platforms like Shopify, Big Cartel, or Squarespace to control your brand and pricing. Partner with ethical, independent POD services that allow for better margins and transparency. - License Intelligently
Consider offering high-quality digital downloads directly from your website, cutting out the middleman entirely. - Advocate for Change
Join artist coalitions or collectives pushing for fairer terms. Public pressure can change policies, but only if artists are unified and vocal.
Final Thoughts: POD Is Not Passive Income
The dream of passive income through print-on-demand has become a trap for many creatives. The infrastructure may be automated, but the system is built on human creativity, emotional labor, and unpaid marketing work.
If platforms continue to exploit artists while automating them out of visibility, the future of authentic, independent art online is at risk.
Artists deserve better. They deserve ownership, agency, and a fair share of the value they create.
Until then, beware the dream that prints money while your royalties disappear.
