What should I look for in a print-on-demand shop’s trending-design dependence?
Group the shop’s sales by theme and by how each design was found, then see how much came from fads, news events or seasonal hooks and how quickly each faded. Ask what sells in quiet periods, and what the seller’s process is for finding the next winners.
Begin with a list of the top designs and a short note on why each sold. Some come from evergreen interests, like a hobby or a profession. Others ride a viral phrase, a sporting event or a holiday. Mark each as steady or trend-led, then add up how much each group contributes to the shop.
Look at the life of each trend-led design. Plot weekly sales from launch and see how fast they climbed and fell. If revenue needs a steady supply of new hits, the shop is on a treadmill, and your results depend on the seller’s eye for what is next. Ask for the quiet-period sales as a baseline.
Then examine how new designs are found. Is there a written process, a tool, a designer or a person whose judgment drives it? Ask how many launches failed and how quickly the seller moves on. Check whether a trending theme belongs to someone else, which can lead to complaints, and raise it with your lawyer. Ask if the seller will help during the handover. Ask finally how the shop would cope if a major sales channel changed its rules or its search results shifted. A shop built on trends has little time to react, so find out how fast the seller can adjust.
Key takeaways
- Mark each top design as evergreen or trend-led.
- Plot weekly sales from launch to see how fast each one fades.
- Use quiet-period sales as your baseline.
- Ask who finds the next winners and how.
Related reading
14 pages on the same subject, grouped by topic.
Due diligence
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Selling
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- Expert answerWhat should I say to print shop customers who place standing orders?
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentAfter buying a business, what is the next step?
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