The dropshipping business model is a model that allows the online store owner to display and sell products that are listed on sites such as Amazon, Alibaba, and similar online marketplaces. More often than not, these products are already manufactured and displayed beforehand. Similar to the dropshipping business model, the print-on-delivery model, in one sense is a variant of the former. 

In this particular business model, the seller designs the product and displays it on his e-commerce store, and the product is manufactured only when an order is placed. The print on demand services platform will connect sellers to manufacturers as well as shipping and fulfillment centers, who will manufacture the product, and deliver it when orders are placed. Furthermore, product customization is also an available option to make things more interesting. 

There are quite a few players in the game like Printful, [Printify](https://instasell.io/blog/printify-reviews), and Gelato! 

In this Gelato print on demand review, we’ll take a look at how Gelato POD works and how you can use it to start your own e-commerce store.  

Gelato is a print-on-demand service platform that acts as a network and connects sellers with manufacturers across the world. They, in fact, have the largest printing network in the world with more than 100 manufacturers in over 30 countries. 

If you’re planning on starting your own online e-commerce store, then Gelato would be a wise choice. There are of course a ton of other options out there, it depends on the needs of your business, which is why choosing the right POD platform is quite important as it could be the difference between your online store performing well or not!

To do that, you must understand your customer base first, and understand what they require! Here are a few factors you should bear in mind when choosing print-on-demand services platforms:

• Price - Take a look at the pricing options, in terms of how much they charge for printing and delivering on your behalf. Also, take a look at the subscription models and what their free plans have to offer. 

• Products - before choosing a POD platform, try to think “What products would your customer base prefer the most”

• Features - one of the most important factors, you need to be aware of what features you will have access to and what you can do with them.

• Customer Care - Research the internet on how reliable a POD platform’s customer support is.

• Ease of Use  - you also consider the fact that the platform you use must be easy to navigate through.

Understanding Gelato Print-on-Demand

Gelato is a POD network that you can use to sell products with custom product printing by connecting you to manufacturers and fulfillment centers all around the world. 

Before we go any further, you should also know the difference between a POD company and a POD network. A POD company usually manufactures the products and takes care of the entire process by themselves, on the other hand, POD networks connect sellers to manufacturers all around the world. 

There are of course a lot of big names in the field and Gelato print on demand is one of them. Among the list of reasons that separate it from most of its competitors is the fact that Gelato is quite reasonably priced and has a vast network that spans over 30 countries, whereas, Printful, the top player in this field has only 13 fulfillment centers around the world. 

How Does Gelato Print on Demand Work?

Gelato print on demand acts as a middleman between a printing company and a seller. It allows the seller to set up an online store, add/design products, market, and sell them by connecting to the printer for the production of the product. 

Starting with Gelato POD requires no upfront costs as the product will only be manufactured and delivered when there is an order for it. Plus they have a plethora of features and integrations to help make the process more streamlined and smooth. 

Gelato is among those print on demand services which is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in this business and for excellent reason, they have a huge network of printing partners. They have more than 130 printing partners located in 32 countries and they ship globally. 

The Pros and Cons of Gelato Print on Demand

Pros

• Automatic Order Routing - the best part about Gelato print on demand services is that when an order is placed, the order gets routed to the nearest printing partner in your region or location. This helps in improving delivery times and also brings the cost of shipping down. 
• [Eco-Friendly](https://instasell.io/blog/thrift-shops-india%22,) Approach - they use eco-friendly printing materials for the production of goods and also use carbon-neutral shipping options. 
• Zero Upfront Costs - with Gelato’s POD business model, there is no need for sellers to keep their products manufactured in bulk and ready for shipping. The product will be manufactured only when an order is placed. 
• [Customization](https://instasell.io/blog/shopify-theme-customisation) - Gelato offers a wide variety of product customization as well as designing options to create unique products for your e-commerce store and your customers.
• Scalable - e-commerce scaling with POD is yet another advantage, as it can always help you grow your business. 

Cons

• Printing Options are Limited - Of course, Gelato offers a lot of printing options but it also lacks a lot of them. For instance, Gelato does not offer embroidery, screen printing, or sublimation options.
• No [Subscription](https://instasell.io/blog/cancel-shopify-subscription) Package for Stock Images - If you want to use Gelato’s design options, then you will have to pay for them individually, there is no subscription available as yet to counteract this drawback. 
• Longer Shipping Times Depending on Region - Although Gelato print on Demand has a global shipping network, shipping times can vary depending on the region and sometimes it may take longer than necessary. 
• Limited Control on Quality - Since Gelato does not have its own manufacturing facility and hence it’s delegated to other printing companies around the world, this means that they have no direct control over the quality of products or the quality of the print. 

Product Range and Customization Options

Gelato has a wide range of products that you can choose from:

• Customized Wall Art
• [Apparel](https://instasell.io/blog/top-10-instagram-saree-stores-in-india-2022-cl0s2z57t26271lo3bgk8wnbf)
• Customized Phone Cases
• Postcards
• Greeting Cards
• Photo Books 
• Stationary
• Drinkware
• Calendars

Furthermore, Gelato print on demand also offers custom product printing where your customers can have the design or the product customization done as per their requirements. 

If you’re using [Shopify](https://instasell.io/blog/shopify-vs-shopify-plus) as your e-commerce platform, there are two ways to do it:

• Manual Order Approval Workflow - Where the design for the product is added as per the customer’s need after the order has been placed. This means the seller will have to add the custom design of choice and then send it for printing and delivery. 
• In-Store Editor - By using this feature, your customers will be able to personalize their products themselves. 

This is if you’re using Shopify or Etsy. 

If you aren’t using either of these print on demand services platforms, then with a Gelato+ subscription as well as the Product Personalization app, you can create a number of custom product printing options for your customers. 

In this scenario, when the customer selects the product, they’ll also receive an email to help them further customize the product after which, the order will be sent back to Gelato and they will route it to the best printing company near you. 

Gelato Print-on-Demand Pricing Structure 

Gelato offers three plans:

• Free Plan: This plan does not cost anything and you’ll get access to e-commerce platform integration, and Gelato’s Intuitive Design Editor.
• Gelato+: The Gelato+ subscription will cost you roughly $14.99 per month and you get 30% off on every standard shipping, premium mockup designs, premium fonts, and much more. 
• Gelato+ Gold: The Gelato+ Gold subscription plan will cost you $99.00 per month but it does entail some really good benefits, you can set your own profit margin, and once you’ve completed 50 orders in a month, then you are eligible to get 50% off on deliveries for the rest of the month. 

Let’s compare Gelato to Printful and Printify and see where this POD service stands in terms of pricing structure. 

Printful’s and Printify’s monthly subscription will cost you roughly  $24.99 and the Business plan’s price depends on your requirements. 

Quality and Reliability

As far as quality goes, Gelato print on demand does not try to cut any corners. Gelato has a reputation for offering top-tier printing quality and long with a range of personalization options. Furthermore, Gelato only works with the top printing companies in the game and they always make sure your customers get the best quality product. Gelato has rolled out a printing setting called the “Gelato Standard” to ensure consistently good quality products. To ensure good quality at all times, Gelato requires you to follow these design requirements, here are some of them. 

• Export the files as PDF/X-4 which can support sRGB and CMYK objects, and set output intent to GRACoL 2006.

  • Use sRGB images for non-paper products and posters
  • Use CMYK images for small-format prints (brochures) 

• Embed your fonts or convert them into outlines. Use a 7-point font for the best results. 

• Single fold as well as multipages must be exported separately.

• For grey and black tones, make use of solid colors 

• While using layers remove hidden or unwanted layers for best results. 

Integration and Ease of Use

Gelato has integrations with six e-commerce platform integration available:

• Shopify 
• Etsy
• WooCommerce 
• Wix
• Bigcommerce
• SqaureSpace

They of course, plan on having a lot more integration options. 

[Marketing](https://instasell.io/blog/ecommerce-branding-guide%22.) and Sales Strategies with Gelato

Here are some effective marketing and sales strategies;

• Know your niche, it’s the most important thing out there! This will give you an understanding of your customer base and their needs. 
• Use social media platforms, by using social media platforms effectively you can boost your visibility as well as sales. 
• Collaborate with content creators and brands 
• Add captivating descriptions. 

There are several people who use Gelato print on demand to boost their business, one of them being Maikel, the founder of The Art of Photographs uses Gelato to run his business in a smooth and efficient manner. 

Environmental Impact and Sustainability

As mentioned earlier, Gelato is a POD network that is going carbon-neutral and they do that by using carbon-neutral means for transport for the delivery of products/goods. They also use sustainable and eco-friendly printing materials to manufacture their products. By choosing them you will also play a role in making the environment slightly greener. 

Gelato Alternatives: A Comparative Analysis

Let’s compare Gelato with other POD networks.

Printful and Printify are two of the leading names in this business and Gelato is right up there. But there are a few differences that set them apart from each other.

Although Gelato has high-quality products and delivers the same on a consistent basis they don’t have as many options as Printful or Printify. But in terms of cost, Gelato has a slight edge over the two. Printify and Gelato are POD networks and don’t have a warehouse of their own but Printify on the other hand, does have its own warehouse, at the same time, Gelato is known to collaborate only with the best names in the printing business, and thus ensures good quality all the time and they often choose a printing company close to the region where it is to be delivered to reduce delivery time. 

Teelaunch is a user-friendly alternative and offers a diverse product range at affordable prices. While it’s free to use, some users have reported slow customer service responses. It is best suited for those looking for an affordable, easy-to-use platform, despite some limitations in design flexibility and customer service responsiveness​.

Contrado is known for offering unique, high-quality niche products. It stands out for its extensive customization options and is positioned as a premium, boutique POD service. Contrado caters to a specific segment of the market that values specialty products and detailed customization, often at a higher price point due to its specialized nature.

How to Get Started with Gelato

If you’re on the verge of starting your own online store, then starting with the Gelato print on demand platform by your side would do you a great deal of help, let’s get started:

Create an Account

Similar to any other online platform, to start you online store with the Gelato POD platform, you must first create an account! Signing up to use Gelato will cost you nothing, and all you need is your name and email ID. 

Link E-Commerce Platforms

After you’ve registered to use Gelato, you should choose an [E-commerce](https://instasell.io/blog/unlocking-ecommerce-potential) platform integration, an online platform to link it with. Even if you don’t already use one, it’s not a problem! Choose a platform out of the given options and you’re ready for the next step. 

Here are some of the E-commerce platform integration platforms that Gelato print on demand offers:

• WooCommerce 
• Wix
• Shopify
• Etsy

Add Products

Now you can choose from the hundreds of unique products that Gelato has, such as:

• T-Shirts
• Cards
• Mugs
• Hoodies, and much more

Design 

Now you can continue to design your products, you can use the design templates provided by Gelato or conversely, you can also upload your own custom designs. Additionally, Gelato supports a number of file formats such as PDF, JPEG, PNG, and more. 

Marketing Your Store

Once you have your products ready for display, you can advertise your store on your social media platforms and Gelato also has integration and features to help you with the same. 

Order and Delivery

For this part of the process, you’ve got to sit back and relax. That’s because when a customer places an order, the order requirement is directly sent to the manufacturer, who then will manufacture the product as per interaction and Gelato print on demand has a global shipping network that will make sure the product is delivered to its rightful owner. 

To get the best results, make sure you know who your customer is and what he/she’d like. Furthermore, conduct market research to understand how your competitors are doing. When you start your business, make sure you market it in the right manner and collaborate with influencers, use paid promotion on social media. 

Growing Your Business with Gelato: Advanced Tips

Here are tips for businesses looking to expand:

• Invest in automation

• Use SEO marketing to your advantage 

• Make sure your online store is easy to navigate through 

• Offer good customer support, people value it. 

• Always keep refining your online store

• Use social media marketing tools to boost the visibility of your business

• Always use customer reviews to improve your business, they are your customers who pay and if you want to retain them, you will have to listen to them and if needed, modify your products/designs. 

Conclusion

Gelato print on demand, without a doubt, is one of the best ways to start an online store. It is affordable, it is simple to use, and can offer its users helpful features and integrations to further boost the online store. They will link sellers up with the best possible printer for them and have their products not only manufactured but delivered as well and all you have to do is add/design products for your customers to buy. If you're even more curious, then you can go ahead and check out the Gelato POD review left by various online stores and see how it helped them improve and scale their businesses. 

Gelato’s business model is one of the best out there, especially for small brands, artists, content creators, and other similar businesses. One of the main reasons for that is because this business model requires no upfront costs and there is minimal risk involved. This business model can work equally well for big businesses as well!

FAQs

1- What are product catalogs?

A- It is a list of all the products Gelato has to offer

2- Does Gelato Offer Limited Edition Prints?

A- No, Gelato unfortunately does not offer Limited Edition Prints.

3- What are the frames made of?

A- The wooden frames from natural pine wood and the metal ones are made from aluminum. 

4- Does Gelato offer foil printing?

A- No, Gelato does not offer foil printing. 

5- Does Gelato use sustainable materials?

A- Yes, Gelato makes use of sustainable and eco-friendly printing materials that are sourced responsibly.