With a personalised mug, your customers can carry more than just their favourite beverage. Custom mugs bring a little personality to quiet time, whether that’s a print of a popular show, a quote to live, laugh, love by, or just their mug on a mug. However eclectic or obscure your customers’ tastes, you can design mugs to suit their character.

Design your own personalised mugs to create an incredible product range, using a range of free tools and templates from Adobe Express.

How to create and sell personalised mugs in 7 steps.

Personalised mugs can be a great choice when it comes to merchandise. Whether you’ve got an audience already, or you’ve got a plan for some niche custom designs, print-on-demand mugs are an easy-to-set up business idea.

Before you begin, there are a few things to think about to ensure you can get a good handle on your custom mug enterprise:

1. Do some market research.

Market research can help you discover what’s popular, any gaps in the industry, and what people are buying regarding both trends and styles. For example, perhaps there’s a viral trend you could jump on, or perhaps you think there’d be an appetite for certain pieces from your existing portfolio.

2. Decide on your target audience.

Once you’ve done your research, it’s important to consider your target audience. Are you appealing to fans of a show? Travel addicts? Or maybe you have your own fan base already and you want to sell some brand merch? Whoever your audience is, try to have a clear vision of what they’re interested in so you can determine what to sell.

3. Design your mugs.

There are a lot of ways to design your mugs – you could add memes, logos or personalised artwork, and allow your customers to choose from a variety of templates and colours. Think about what your target audience might want and try to fill any niches.

4. Get your mugs printed and delivered.

Once your designs are in, you can start printing by using a print-on-demand service. If you choose to go with Adobe Express, we can print your products and ship them directly to your customers. Print. Pack. Ship. It’s that easy.

5. Build your website and create product listings.

To sell your custom mugs, you’ll need an online storefront – that means it’s time to build a website. Need assets? Adobe Express can help you design custom website pages. Once you’re done, you’ll be all set to receive and process orders.

6. Advertise your mugs.

Having your mugs sitting on a virtual shelf is great, but you need to get the word out there about your products. Use social media to advertise online – and don’t forget to link to your storefront. You can create a range of content like TikTok videos, Instagram Reels and social media posts. If you want an online presence, don’t forget to regularly schedule posts with new campaign ideas.

If you have an existing audience, you’ll still want to consider advertising – even the most diehard fan won’t know about merch if they’re not told about it.

7. Sell and distribute your products.

Once you’re happy with the designs, you’ll need to distribute. There are a few ways to handle this – you could store your own stock, request a delivery of goods to you, or get a third-party print-on-demand company to handle the distribution. Consider the pros and cons and choose what’s best for you and your customers.

Where to sell your custom mugs online.

Having a range of awesome custom mug designs is a start, but you’ll need somewhere to sell them.

Here’s where to sell your personalised mugs, so they’re not just collecting dust in the cupboard:

Online marketplaces.

Online marketplaces and storefronts like Etsy, Amazon and eBay are convenient, easy to use and well-established. With a regular pool of existing customers, these online marketplaces are a great starting point.

Owned website.

If you want to take things into your own hands, you can always try creating your own website page. Beyond the costs of hosting, there don’t tend to be any additional fees required for hosting an online marketplace. You don’t need to be a professional either, you can easily build your website with Adobe Express.

Just consider that you’ll have less organic traffic on the site as you get started, so you may need to make a bigger effort when marketing.

Pop-up shops.

Prefer giving things a personal touch? Pop-up shops can be a fun and hands-on way to sell your personalised mugs. You can even direct people to your website and use the shop as a way of generating a bit of buzz.

Local markets.

Not everything has to be digital – many cities host local craft markets, where you can set up a stall and sell your wares. This can be especially effective around the festive season or in popular locations, in addition to your online spaces.

The downside, however, is that you need to carry stock rather than making things to order at the point of request.

Social media platforms.

Many social media platforms offer their own online storefronts – think Facebook Marketplace, TikTok Shop and other services. If you have an existing following on those platforms, these apps can be ideal places to sell your products.

How to market your custom mugs.

Creating your custom mug designs is exciting but, to sell them, you’ll need to effectively market your brands. Luckily, there are plenty of options for advertising your custom mugs, both digital and physical, that can be tailored to suit your business.

• Social media. Social media is a tried-and-tested method of modern marketing. Best of all, it’s easily accessible and cheap. You can share your products in campaigns, interact with potential customers, and leverage any existing audiences.
• Local advertising. Flyers in shops, community spaces, or at local events or markets can be another way to sell products. While the outreach may not be as big, you may be able to advertise to people you may not otherwise interact with – and specifically target your local demographic.
• Optimise your product pages. Using keywords in product copy, quality pictures and accurate descriptions can help build authority and trust and push sales.
• Partner with other brands. Brand partnerships can also help accelerate your sales. Think about any good partnership opportunities in your local community. For example, maybe you could make custom mugs for a poetry meetup, book club or sports event based on the name or vibe of the group.
• Host a giveaway. Get some products out there with a free giveaway. Use this as an opportunity to grow your audience on social media and boost user engagement. You can even use Adobe Express to create an Instagram giveaway to get people excited about your brand.

How can Adobe Express help you design and sell your personalised mugs online?

Overflowing with ideas? Get ready, we’re about to spill the secrets on how to get started creating personalised mugs with Adobe Express.

1. Create your custom mug design with Adobe Express.

Get a bit of creative inspiration and give your designs overhaul with free mug design templates from Adobe. Easily edit, design and alter layouts to see what sticks. Once you’re happy, it’s easy to order and print.

2. Add images and edit in one place.

Use our images tools to add photos and collages to your custom mugs. Whether you’re a photography whiz or just catching a moment, give your products that perfect, personal touch. Keep memories fresh and drinks warm with Adobe.

3. Design your brand logo.

Design your brand logo and add it to a range of merch for your office, or as great swag for an upcoming event. Build your brand image with printed logos and consistent colours on a mug and your name will be on everyone’s lips.

4. Create your website.

Get online with a custom website design and create the perfect pipeline to sell your personalised mugs. With Adobe Express, you can design and edit your webpage template – even if you’re a beginner.

5. Create a social media post for your mugs.

Design on point? Share your favourite personalised mugs on social media. Create a consistent content schedule so you’ve got new posts ready to go live throughout the year. It’s a great way to advertise and a fun way to build a portfolio of products.

Jazz up your mug designs with the AI text effect generator.

Want to make your mugs even more personalised? Bring your words to life with the Adobe Express AI text effect generator. A unique font or text effect can make a real difference to your mug design, making your products even more appealing to customers. Experiment with different colours, textures and effects to take your personalised mug designs to a whole new level.

Just sign into your Adobe Express account and you’ll be able to access this innovative tool for free. Then all you need to do is add in your text and describe the effect you want to try. From monograms made out of sequins or gingerbread pieces for a festive mug, to the recipient’s name written in bright and beautiful lettering, take customisation to new heights with Adobe Express’ AI tools.

Try Adobe Express for free now

Good to know.

How much do custom mugs cost to make and sell?

Printing a custom mug isn’t too expensive, but costs can vary depending on the service you use. Learn more about printing on demand with Adobe Express.

Do personalised mugs sell well?

Personalised mugs can sell well if you effectively target a relevant demographic, niche and utilise some intelligent marketing. To make the most out of your mug printing business, try to focus on specific designs rather than generic or commercial ones, invest in high-quality materials, and use an effective promotion and sales strategy.

What makes a good custom mug design?

A good custom mug design is subjective – for example, if you’re using them as advertising for your brand, you want something clear and recognisable. If you’re selling memorabilia, its inspiration needs to be identifiable. To start, try to consider your target audience and what they might want.

Is Adobe Express free?

Yes, our free plan offers many core features including thousands of templates, photo editing and effects, animation, and 5 GB of storage. See our pricing page for details and to compare plans.