How to Start a Mug Printing Business? Gear Up For Success

Thanks for paying attention to our guide on How to start a mug printing business! 

One thing I would say MUG business is VERY UNDERRATED. Just imagine billions of SALES annually. According to Data Bridge research, Mug printing had a MARKET SIZE of 21 billion USD. It will double up by 2029.

Isn’t it a HUGE opportunity? I have TRIED my luck. Guess what? I got GLOWING reviews and appreciation from my consumers. 

Our Leeline Sourcing experts have 10+ years of experience on this LINE. We grab you the BEST quality CUSTOM mugs. The result? IGNITE the FUEL to get unlimited sales. UNLEASH the potential of custom business. 

Do you want to know how exactly you should start it? 

Don’t worry, I’ll help you OUT! In this guide, tell you TYPES, steps, and tips to sell mugs. 

Let’s start! 

How to Start a Mug Printing Business

What Is A Mug Printing Business?

What is a Mug Printing Business

Mug printing has caught FIRE in recent YEARS. All thanks to emerging printing technologies. And an ease for the CONSUMERS to have something interesting in their DEN. 

So, what is mug printing? And what is its business? 

The mug printing business refers to the selling of personalized mugs. Let me TELL you with one SIMPLE EXAMPLE. 

Case

I bought a coffee mug and want to PRINT my name or image. The printing machines will get the DESIGN and prepare the prototype. After launching in the market, I will sell it. 

Looking for the Best China Sourcing Agent?

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8 Types Of Mugs For Your Business

Types of mugs for your business

Mug business is BOOMING. Try your luck. But wait, I have some TYPES to tell you. (The most Demanded one!)

Take a look! 

1. Coffee Mugs

Whether you are STARTING a new business or extending an old INVENTORY, don’t shirk COFFEE mugs. Commonly USED mugs with RAPID fire for your business reputation. I get MORE SALES when selling coffee mugs in my online store. 

HIGH demands. Excellent look that enchants customers. DAILY use for COFFEE! 

2. Ceramic Mug

Another TYPE of mug with IMPRESSIVE features is the Ceramic mug. Total DURABLE! High resistance to temperature DAMAGES! It is used for DAILY use for pouring COFFEE or tea. It can be a HUGE SOURCE of repo for your business. 

Ceramic MUGS are famous for their DURABILITY. I have USED them for extended periods. Easy HANDLING makes them CUSTOMER’S favorite. 

3. Transparent Mug

An INNOVATION that has REVOLUTIONIZED the market. Why? Because of its TRANSPARENT printed design. Plenty of space KEEPS your business logo on top. Cool and stylish looks give a PUMP to your business growth. Don’t miss this one. (Personal Opinion)

Do you know why I have gotten so many sales for transparent mugs? It is an external LOOK that gets embellished with PRINTING. Customers find it an exciting product. 

4. Pottery Mug 

Let’s SUPPOSE your customers love eco-friendly MUGS! Then, the pottery mug is NEVER going anywhere except their HEARTS. Eco-design and trendy LOOK will draw in their ATTENTION. Plus, printing is EASIER on such mugs. All you get will be UNLIMITED deals and more money. 

My consumers fall for the POTTERY Mugs. Do you know why? Eco-friendly PRODUCTION and NATURAL designs.

5. Sport Mug

Sports mugs

Don’t just RELY on the DAILY use but also KEEP athletes under your RADAR. Their daily DOSE of coffee or chocolate will PROMOTE your business as well. Sports mugs are PROMOTIONAL products used in every sports complex. I harness it FACILITIES to print MORE money for my own mug printing business. 

The popularity of the SPORT mug is among the ATHLETES. It holds hot beverages for them. It eases them up! 

6. Travel Mug 

Most sellers have TRAVELER as their PRIMARY target audience. For those, travel mugs are an IDEAL choice. Excellent design. Unique APPROACH. Business reaches from one location to ANOTHER. Get MORE consumers rushing your own ONLINE store. 

Travelers hold up their COFFEE or drinks on the TRAVEL. Aesthetic look combined with a PERFECT job gets a MATCHLESS experience. Encourage consumers to APPRECIATE the efforts. 

7. Stainless Steel Mug

A more POWER TOOL— Stainless Steel Mug. It has a high resistance to the harsh weather. And help KEEP the hot or cold beverages around. Your POTENTIAL customers will get IMPRESSED. Pledge to SKYROCKET your business. 

The base Behind IMMENSE favor is DURABLE steel with corrosion resistance. Customers enjoy it FOR extended DURATIONS. 

8. Magic Mugs

The name is all for the MAGIC mugs. The thermochromic ink helps CHANGE the color like Chameleon. It is a COOL ADDITION to your inventory. And a source for amplified business promotion. 

Consumers are GOING to love it because of the UNIQUE style. Excellent COLOR changing facilities. Use magic mugs to ATTRACT potential customers. POLISH your brand effectively. 

4 Printing Methods You Must Know

Printing methods

Commencing the MUG printing business? I would RECOMMEND knowing the printing PROCESS and tools. 

Here are four KEY methods to know about printing. 

Direct screen printing is one of the COOLEST methods ever. Let me tell you why. It has a SCREEN to print the design. It applies stencil with the HOLES in it. Ink passes through it and generates the DESIRED shape on the mugs or paper. 

I have tried this PRINTING method for simple designs. (It is a specialist for simplicity) Plus, the budget is low. 

Want a VINTAGE method of designing? Let the LITHO PRINTING breeze come inside your door. It has a traditional printing method. 

In this method, printers PRINT the design on a specialized paper. The paper is applied to the mug to imprint the DESIGN you wanted. I have used it when I have MANY colors to print. 

Let’s make it UP with the latest technology. I have found it a fast and efficient method. Moreover, I fancied its LOW COST that brings in higher profits. 

In this METHOD, the design is printed on the PAPER. Printed paper is most often fastened to the mugs. That is all you have to do. Your printed mug is ready to sell. 

Dye sublimation printing uses the HEAT TRANSFER to print the image on the mugs. It looks cool and provides a RANGE of colors. I have DEPLOYED all the colors. It was an AMAZING experience. 

Its shiny look is IMPRESSIVE. Plus, vibrant color print allows more DIVERSITY in color. High-resolution PRINTING brings up better results. 

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Why Should You Start A Mug Printing Business? 

start a mug printing business

One more THING. Why even a COFFEE mug business? Why not other small businesses? 

Those questions made me LIST all the benefits. Take a quick LOOK! 

Inventory under control

I decide on all the FACTORS like Mugs type, suppliers, design, and customization. So, decision-making counts on me, empowering me with FULL control of products. All customization OPTIONS will pass through your eyes. You’ll know what you are SELLING. 

Better control over the INVENTORY will give you POTENTIAL to grow a mug business. Shoot up business development in a BETTER WAY. 

Better promotion

A print-on-demand SERVICE furnishes promotional products. Customize the products as per your BUSINESS needs. Attach a BUSINESS logo on the top. 

Wherever your COFFEE mug will go, it will get the ATTENTION. Free advertising of your BUSINESS lies at such a point. 

High profits. 

Profits DEPEND on the margins between BUYING and selling prices. Custom DESIGNS give uniqueness to your BUSINESS. 

Selling unique DESIGNS helps me differentiate myself from other sellers. Set up my DESIRED profitable prices. Make more BUCKS with every sale to support my BUSINESS. 

Step By Step Guide To Mug Printing Business

A successful MUG printing business has to go through the VARIOUS phases of STRUGGLE. Don’t jump into it for QUICK success. 

So, you want to start the BUSINESS. 

I have LISTED some key mug printing steps. 

Step 1: Define your niche

Define your niche

Niche is the CARGEORY of the mug printing business! Let me give you some tips. 

  • What are your INTERESTS? Your hobbies? 
  • How many sales do you want to get? 
  • Do you have the necessary budget for the given category? 

Customizable MUGS have different demands. For example, a COFFEE mug might have higher sales than a travel mug. 

Do you know why? Because of HOME uses! Therefore, I have TARGETED the coffee mugs more than others. 

Always consider the following factors: 

  • Sales
  • Budget
  • Competition 

Market research will get you DETAILED data on this aspect. Go through the MARKET. Choose a category favorable to your business. 

Step 2: Uncover a PRINT ON DEMAND service 

Uncover a PRINT ON DEMAND service

There are two OPTIONS left at this point. One is: 

  • Buy the mug printing EQUIPMENT and set up your own mug printing business. 
  • Find a POD supplier. 

I often PREFER working with a POD supplier. There are many benefits of doing that. 

  • I do not have to INVEST more money. 
  • There is NO RISK for failure 
  • Mug printing equipment and setup rely on the SUPPLIER. 

Whenever you are FINDING a supplier, make sure: 

  • Supplier provides quality MUGS. 
  • Print resolution for custom mugs is high. 
  • Many shipping options are available by the SUPPLIER. 

The business is SMOOTH. No hardships. Easy to do. So, find the RIGHT print-on-demand provider. Rock in an ONLINE business. 

Step 3: Choose your mugs 

Choose your mugs

A CRUCIAL part — choose hour CUSTOMIZABLE mugs. I think deeply about MARKET RESEARCH. And know what Trending is. 

There are SO MANY types of mugs. For instance, if I target the ATHLETES. Travel or sports mugs are my TOP CHOICES. If I am targeting other PEOPLE, I change my choices accordingly. 

One more SPICY ADDITION is the suppliers’ collection. Take a look at what designs your supplier has in his COLLECTION. If these match your interests, the right time to ROCK N ROLL

Make sure your SUPPLIER has all the additional equipment. Offer the print mugs you choose specifically. It will RELIEVE your business BURDEN. 

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Do not hesitate to contact Leeline Sourcing at any time regarding your shipments from China.

Step 4: Prepare your mug design

Prepare your mug design

The FUN PART — create designs. Suppose you have CHOSEN the coffee mug. It is time to BLEND the colors. Mingle them in the machine. And prepare your OWN DESIGNS that are customer favorites. 

MANY tools help you prepare the PROTOTYPE design. These can be: 

  • Adobe Illustrator
  • CorelCorel Draw
  • Photoshop 

Don’t know how to WORK on these tools? Don’t worry, I have something MORE to show you. 

Work with the FREELANCE graphic designers. Tell them your DREAM mug designs. Get the OPTIMIZED mug designs tailored to your mug business. Customized PRINTED mugs have different shapes and STYLES. Whatever design you prepare, ensure it MATCHES your business. 

Step 5: Turn heads to a sales channel

Turn heads to a sales channel

Design. Design. Design. That is not all, believe me. 

You have tons of WORK to do. One of the BEST things is to choose the SALES channel. 

For example— CHOOSE: where will I sell? Two options come to my mind here: 

  • Offline brick-and-mortar store
  • Online store

What do you prefer? Smart PEOPLE start selling MUGS in both types of stores. And MULTIPLY their sales levels. 

If you are thinking about an online customized MUGS business, the best sites can be: 

  • Amazon.
  • Shopify
  • eBay

Head over to these WEBSITES. Go for the PRODUCT LISTING. And start selling custom-printed mugs. 

Step 6: Organize mug business

Organize mug business

Starting a STORE is not just the END! It is the beginning because you have to SET many things right. For instance, I do the following things. 

  • Store design. Make an excellent DESIGN. Shopify gives a better design. 
  • Titles. It will highlight your store. 
  • Custom Domain. Domain name is the link to your store. 
  • List products. List all the custom mug products you want to sell. 
  • Payment options. How do you want to get PAID? Payment options will include that. So, you should add it. 
  • Return and refund policy. Return policy highlights how you’ll accept REFUNDS. 
  • Shipping Policy. How will you ship? All about shipping is present in the shipping policy. 

Make every single Policy CRYSTAL clear for the consumers. Make sure prices are Up-to-date. 

Step 7: Hit advertising

Hit advertising

Let the TARGETED marketing campaigns pour into your custom MUGS. 

As a beginner, it is hard to get RECOGNITION. As there are many sellers already in the market. A marketing campaign is a TOTAL BLOCKBUSTER scenario, isn’t it? 

So, how will you do it? I have TRIED two CASES personally. 

  • Social MEDIA. Social media is a premium CHOICE because of the 5 billion PEOPLE on it. You’ll get MORE repos and a BETTER chance to generate sales. 
  • Store ads on the website. Amazon allows PPC ads. You can harness them, too. 

Even, I use email marketing TO land your Business in customers’ inboxes. Get a DIRECT entry into their hearts. 

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People Also Ask about How to Start a Mug Printing Business

1. Is a mug printing business a good e-commerce business?

Absolutely. It is an EXCELLENT business driving higher SALES. Plus, it is a profitable deal. You’ll get faster progress in the mug business. 

2. How do I start a mug printing business?

To start a mug business, you must have a STORE to sell. Get the POD suppliers from China because they are cheaper. And list products to start selling without any issues. 

3. Is the Mug printing business profitable? 

Yes. You can save up to 50% or more per mug sale. That means if you make $10K worth of sales, you’ll make $5K OR MORE. Margin depends on the PRODUCTS you sell. Overall, this business is profitable. 

4. What are the latest trends in mug printing, and how can businesses stay ahead by incorporating them?

Customization is on TRENDING. AI helps create better designs. While the print-on-demand gives a BOOSTER dose in this process. You must focus on: 
· New designs
· Uniqueness of the designs
· Quality 
· Eco-friendly material 
· Photos printing

5. What is the best company to print mugs on demand?

There are many companies such as: 
· Printify
· Printful
· Gelato
· Gooten
· SPOD
Our experts can evaluate the POD suppliers based on your demands. And find the best match for your business. 

What’s Next

Whenever you are THINKING about the mug business, think about the POTENTIAL. Do marketing to GRAB as many customers as you can. And sell quality. It will ESTABLISH your brand reputation. 

Do you want the POD mugs? 

Contact Leeline Sourcing. We have experts with a DECADE of experience in sourcing mugs. You get AFFORDABLE printed mug deals. Raise your profit margins. BONUS tips to CLIMB up to MOUNT EVEREST! No limits to GROW your business. 

Call us to get the FREE QUOTE for your business! 

Do you want a successful import business?

sharline

Hey, I’m Sharline, co-founder of  LeelineSourcing. We’ve helped 2000+ customers import from China.

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Sharline

Article by:

Sharline Shaw

Hey I'm Sharline, the founder of Leeline Sourcing. With 10 years of experience in the field of sourcing in China, we help 2000+ clients import from China,Alibaba,1688 to Amazon FBA or shopify. If you have any questions about sourcing , pls feel free to contact us.