Overview

Amazon Merch on Demand is a print‑on‑demand platform that lets creators list custom apparel and accessories without ever holding inventory. The service prints, ships, and handles customer service automatically, allowing sellers to concentrate on design and promotion. For Amazon sellers, the model offers a low‑risk way to add a passive income stream to an existing catalog.

Key Points

• No upfront stock — Designs are printed only after a buyer orders, so sellers avoid the capital tied up in bulk blanks.
• Transparent royalty math — Amazon publishes a base manufacturing cost (e.g., $11.50 for a standard unisex tee); the seller sets the retail price and keeps the difference as profit.
• Worldwide reach — Items are produced and delivered from Amazon’s fulfillment network across all Amazon marketplaces, giving creators exposure in the U.S., Europe, Japan and more without extra logistics.
• Design‑level analytics — The dashboard reports sales volume, royalty per sale, conversion rates and keyword performance for each SKU, enabling data‑driven tweaks.
• Open to all, tiered by performance — After moving from invitation‑only in 2022, any seller can apply, but higher‑volume tiers unlock only after meeting sales‑and‑account‑health thresholds.

How Amazon Merch on Demand Works

1. Request access through Seller Central — A seller logs into their Amazon Seller Central account, navigates to the Merch on Demand portal, and completes an application that includes tax information and a bank account. For instance, freelance illustrator Maya submitted the form, received approval in roughly two business days, and immediately gained the ability to upload designs.
2. Build a brand profile — The seller adds a brand logo, crafts a short brand narrative, and selects the product categories they intend to offer (t‑shirts, hoodies, phone cases, mugs, etc.). Maya entered “Urban Art” as her brand name and uploaded a skyline‑styled logo, which later appeared on every product listing under her brand.
3. Upload a design file — Using Amazon’s built‑in canvas or an external editor, the creator uploads a PNG with a transparent background that meets the required resolution (minimum 300 dpi, typically 3000 × 3000 pixels). Maya uploaded a 3000 × 3000‑pixel illustration of a sneaker, naming the file “SneakerVibe.”