What should I check about a print-on-demand store’s seasonal product launches?

Start with the calendar. When were designs created, tested and published for each occasion, and how far in advance? Ask for weekly sales around each launch and compare them with ordinary weeks. Find out which designs worked, which did not and what was learned.

Then look at the supply side. Print-on-demand shops rely on printers that can slow down at busy times. Ask about late orders, quality problems and reprints during peak weeks, and how the seller dealt with them. Check whether products are made by one printer or several, and whether the buyer can use the same accounts.

Next, check who does the creative work. Are the designs original, licensed, or bought from freelancers? Ask for written proof of the rights to each design, since a seasonal hit may rest on content the seller cannot pass on. Have your lawyer review it. Finally, ask about advertising: how much was spent, how much stock-free risk the shop carries, and whether the best campaigns can be rebuilt without the seller. Ask to see the planning notes for next season. Ask what would have been launched next, and whether artwork or advertising is already prepared, so you know what you inherit.

Key takeaways

• Compare weekly sales around each launch with ordinary weeks.
• Ask how printers coped with busy periods and what went wrong.
• Get proof of rights to the seasonal designs and the notes for next season.
• Ask what work for the next season is already prepared.