How to Dropship Custom Socks & Best Suppliers to Source Custom Socks

Looking to start a business with high demand and low risk? Custom socks might just be the perfect opportunity for you. From daily wear to personalized gifts, socks are a staple in everyone’s wardrobe, making them an evergreen product with constant demand. Whether it’s quirky designs for fashion lovers or personalized socks for special occasions, the potential is vast.

Even better, with print on demand, you can dive into this lucrative market without hefty upfront costs or inventory worries. Curious to learn more about why selling custom socks could be a smart move? Let’s dig into the benefits.

What are Custom Socks and How to sell them?

Custom socks are basically socks that you design yourself—or let your customers design—to stand out from the usual plain or mass-produced options. Think of them as a blank canvas for creativity: you can slap on unique patterns, logos, funny slogans, or even someone’s face (yep, photo socks are a thing!).

Custom socks are low-cost, high-margin products with evergreen demand. Plus, they’re lightweight and easy to ship, which keeps your logistics headaches minimal.

But the question is: How you can create and sell a custom sock with dropshipping? As you might know, dropshipping can only provide you with a list of pre-made products, meaning there is no choice to customize the product design. But don’t worry. Print on demand can help you with that.

With print on demand, you can create your own designs and sell them on your own website and e-commerce platform without buying the inventory. Print on demand suppliers only print and ship your products when orders arrive.

At Merchize, you can create your own custom socks and sell seamlessly across different platforms with

Why should you sell custom socks?

Evergreen constant demand

Socks are essential items that we wear every day, regardless of weather, season, or occasion. This creates huge and consistent demand around the year. The global socks market hit $42.1 billion in 2022 and is set to grow at a 6.2% CAGR through 2030.

And here’s the best part for us in the POD game: Personalization is booming! A 2023 report shows 36% of buyers are all about custom products, with custom apparel like socks jumping 15% in demand year-over-year. That’s a golden opportunity to boost your sales with unique designs that let your customers show off their style.

Diverse interested customer base

Socks are exclusive to any particular customer group. In fact, there is always a demand for this essential accessory in any demographic—from individuals looking for unique designs to sports teams, corporate clients, and gift-givers.

Besides, you can also make themed custom socks to cater to niche customers with specific interests, from pets, animals, arts, sports, etc. The possibilities are endless!

Easy to build customer loyalty

People tend to keep buying new socks as an inexpensive way to refresh their daily outfits. If you can deliver good quality and good service on the first purchases, customers are likely to consider making repeat purchases from your stores.

Suitable for holiday sales

Besides the evergreen niches, socks are also perfect for the holiday seasons like Christmas, Halloween, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc. On these occasions, socks are usually bought for gift-giving purposes, which makes sense to add a touch of personalization to create meaningful and sentimental gifts.

Don’t let these opportunities slide; make the most of these sales surges by offering holiday-themed custom socks during these special occasions.

Higher order value

Socks are must-have, inexpensive accessories, so customers won’t mind buying multiple pairs at once. The more socks on your catalog, the better chance your customers end up buying more from your store than they originally intended to.

With print on demand, it is much easier to expand your catalog without adding costs to your expenses. You can add as many designs as you want and cater to as many customers as you wish. Merchize won’t charge you anything until the purchase occurs.

Low production cost and low shipping cost

One of the key factors that make up the appeal of socks is the lower production cost. In addition, socks are lightweight, which significantly lowers the cost of shipping. While it costs more to produce custom socks, the uniqueness and personalization can justify the higher price tag.

Easy to promote online

Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are popular platforms where influencers show their fashions. Fashionistas love to play with their socks to add subtle nuances or, sometimes, playful focal points to their outfits. This means more opportunities for leveraging the power of influencer marketing and promoting your custom socks to a wider audience.

How to dropship custom socks?

1. Research Niches

Before getting started, it’s better to know where you are heading. The first thing to consider when starting your custom socks business is to identify that you will be your customers. Think about it: Who’s wearing your socks? Would it be quirky millennials, eco-conscious shoppers, or even charismatic fashion enthusiasts? What are their special interests? What makes them excited and eager to buy?

These questions will help you narrow down your customer audience and create designs that can win their hearts. Focusing on a niche helps you avoid getting lost in a sea of generic offerings.

2. Find Dropshipping/Print on Demand Suppliers

Once you’ve got your niche, it’s time to find a supplier who will print your custom designs and ship them directly to your customers.

Take a close look at what each supplier offers. Do they have the type of socks you want? Do they print with good quality? What about the material quality? A diverse catalog with different sock styles and consistent quality is the backbone of a successful sock business in the long term.

Don’t forget to check their shipping times—no one likes waiting forever for new socks. Fast, reliable shipping keeps customers happy and coming back for more.

At Merchize, you can find the perfect canvas for your custom sock design, allowing you to provide an extensive catalog for customers to select from.

3. Create sock designs

Every sock says something about the person wearing it. It’s your job to create sock designs that speak to your customers.

When designing your custom socks, think about what images, patterns, or styles your customers love. Keep your niche in mind!

Not a designer? No problem. You can hire freelancers or use design platforms like Canva to create something fun and unique.

4. Set Up Your Online Store and Start Listings

Now that you’ve got designs, it’s time to put them on the shelves.

Let’s start with opening your online store. You can choose either to create your own store on your own domain with platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, Bigcommerce, or open a new store on e-commerce retailer websites like Etsy, Amazon, and eBay.

Once you have your own store, it’s time to set up your fulfillment system. Most print on demand suppliers offer integration to popular e-commerce platforms and retailer websites. Follow the instructions given by your suppliers to streamline your business and fulfillment process.

Lastly, add your designs to your store, and you can start selling. Product listings generally require basic information like product images, product descriptions, product names, etc. Still, what makes the difference is how you can optimize each aspect for better conversion. For example, take high-quality photos of your products and write convincing descriptions that highlight the products’ benefits.

When creating listings, keep them short and snappy. Answer any questions the customer might have—without boring them. You’ve got about 8 seconds to capture someone’s attention online. So, make it count.

5. Market Your Custom Socks

Your socks are live. Now, it’s time to sell them. Marketing is where most people struggle, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Where do your customers hang out online? If your socks are quirky and fashionable, maybe it’s Instagram or TikTok. If they’re for the more mature audience, maybe you’re better off running targeted Facebook ads.

Besides running ads, you can also cultivate relationships with customers organically by posting photos of people rocking your socks, sharing funny or interesting stories behind the designs, or even throwing in some behind-the-scenes content. People love a sneak peek into the process. And don’t forget influencer marketing. Find micro-influencers who align with your niche—they can help you reach an engaged audience without breaking the bank.

How to choose the best socks for dropshipping

Material first

With socks, comfort and quality are very important. No one wants socks that feel too rough on their skin. That’s why selecting the right materials matters.

With dropshipping or print on demand, you can’t try on the products to know if they are comfortable. But don’t worry. The material composition breakdown might give you some clue about how the materials feel in reality.

Cotton, polyester, and spandex blends are common, but each offers a unique advantage. Cotton breathes, polyester endures, and spandex stretches like a dream. The choice and balance of these materials can greatly decide how the fabric feels.

Socks options

Socks come in different styles and materials. Depending on the niches and audiences you are aiming at, you can choose a sock style that fits your targeted demographics. Here are some popular socks options that you can find in the market:

• Differentiated by length: crew socks, ankle socks, no-show socks, knee-high socks, etc.
• Differentiated by functions or usage: Athletic socks, compression socks, dress socks, toe socks, etc.

Customization options

Here’s where it gets fun. Custom socks let you create something unique— canvases on foot for your creativity. Print-on-demand services can slap your designs all over these bad boys, top to toe. Depending on the supplier and sock options, there might be various customization options to choose from.

• All-Over Print: This allows you to print designs over the entire sock, making it ideal for bold patterns or artistic designs.
• Multiple Printing Areas: Some suppliers allow printing on different sections, like the foot or cuff, giving you more creative freedom.
• Embroidery: Adds a touch of luxury, especially if your socks are higher-end.

Price

Let’s talk numbers—because at the end of the day, the goal is profit. Sock pricing can vary depending on the material, customization, and your supplier’s fees. When choosing your supplier, expand your research to find suppliers that provide competitive prices with decent quality. This is the key to getting strategic pricing for your products and broadening your profit margins.

At Merchize, we provide quality print on demand socks at a good price. Moreover, we also provide tier pricing that allows sellers to get better pricing with larger order volumes.

Production and shipping time

Speed matters. No one likes waiting, especially during the gift-giving season. It is even harder for custom dropshipping or print on demand to fast-track their delivery process as orders need to be produced before handling to shipping.

When selecting your supplier, check their production time—how fast can they print and ship? And what about shipping? Find a supplier that can provide fast and consistent delivery. It will help you avoid upsetting customers with late-arrived orders and dealing with customer complaints.

Best dropshipping suppliers for custom socks

Here is the list of the best suppliers who can handle custom sock orders:

Merchize

Merchize will give you the best budget-friendly offerings without sacrificing customization quality. With two distinct sock styles, Merchize is perfect for entrepreneurs looking to maximize creativity while keeping costs low. Let’s dive into why Merchize stands out in the print-on-demand space.

Pros:
Merchize offers two distinct sock styles: All-over Print Socks and Fit Socks, giving you flexibility in design. With competitive pricing starting at just $3.50 (excluding shipping), it’s an affordable option for custom sock fulfillment.

The platform allows for full customization on the All-over Print Socks version, which opens the door to endless creative possibilities. Fit Socks, on the other hand, are fully customizable except for the toes and heels. But Fit Socks are designed for better comfort with spandex blend materials and cushioned toes and heels.

And the best part? Merchize ships worldwide, meaning your products can reach customers wherever they are.

Cons:
A slight drawback is the longer shipping times, so plan ahead if you’re targeting time-sensitive markets.

Printify

Next, we have Printify, a platform that thrives on variety. With a wide range of sock styles and materials sourced from multiple suppliers, it offers flexibility. Whether you’re focused on speed or customer reach, Printify’s multiple fulfillment centers provide some unique advantages. Here’s a closer look at what Printify has to offer and how it could benefit your business.

Pros:
Printify stands out with its variety. They offer socks in different materials and styles sourced from multiple suppliers. The platform’s ability to ship worldwide from multiple fulfillment centers across the US, UK, and Australia ensures faster delivery. Another bonus is the short production time, keeping things efficient. With prices ranging from $8.05 to $16.53 (excluding shipping), there are options for different budgets.

Cons:
Printify’s reliance on different suppliers can lead to inconsistent quality. Additionally, they don’t offer all-over print options, limiting the scope for creative design. And while there are budget-friendly choices, the higher-end pricing might deter some sellers.

Printful

If you prioritize consistency and reliability, Printful may catch your attention. While its customization options are more limited, Printful delivers quality results, time after time. Let’s see what makes Printful a steady choice for entrepreneurs seeking dependability in production and shipping.

Pros:
As one of the leading print-on-demand companies, Printful shines with its consistent production and shipping. You can rely on them to deliver quality and stick to their timelines.

Cons:
However, their sock offerings are limited. They only offer one sock style, and it’s not fully customizable—you can only design on the top. It will put a huge restraint on your creativity. Moreover, the dual-tone socks like this might not be to everyone’s liking. Plus, the price is on the higher side, starting at $10.25 (excluding shipping). It is much pricer than other print on demand socks options out there (and they are fully customizable!)

Contrado

Lastly, Contrado targets the premium market with high-quality cotton socks and fast shipping. Known for its superior material and attention to detail, it’s the go-to choice for businesses aiming to provide a luxury feel. Let’s take a closer look at why Contrado’s high price might be worth the investment for certain sellers.

Pros:

Contrado offers 100% cotton socks, making them a top pick for those seeking breathable, moisture-wicking material. Their printing quality is excellent, and they ship worldwide within 1-2 days, offering a speedy service.

Cons:
At $22.95 (excluding shipping), Contrado’s socks are pricey. Moreover, besides the non-customizable toes and heels, they also have another printing limitation – the prints are not seamless across the socks. There will be a visible print line along the back and the sole of your custom-printed socks.

Conclusion

Custom socks offer a unique and profitable opportunity in the world of eCommerce. With consistent demand, low production costs, and endless design possibilities, it’s an ideal product to start selling today. By partnering with the right print-on-demand suppliers, you can create and ship personalized socks without hassle, allowing you to focus on growing your business.

Don’t wait—tap into this growing market and start building your custom sock business now. With the right strategy, the potential for success is right at your feet!