How to Start an Online Store Without Inventory In Squarespace
The dream of running an online store often feels tied to warehouses full of stock, boxes in your garage, or endless trips to the post office. But here’s the good news: you can absolutely launch an ecommerce business without ever storing a single product. Thanks to print-on-demand and dropshipping services, small business owners, creatives, and service-based entrepreneurs can sell merchandise, art prints, and custom products while keeping overhead costs low.
In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to start an online store without inventory, how platforms like Squarespace and Printful work together, and even share real-life examples from my own design studio and clients. Whether you’re a wellness coach wanting to launch branded merch or an artist looking to sell prints, you’ll leave with a clear roadmap for starting your own store—no stockpile required.
Why Start an Online Store Without Inventory?
The appeal of starting an online store without having to manage inventory is simple: flexibility and freedom. Traditional retail requires upfront investment in stock, plus the space to store and ship it. For many small online business owners, that’s not realistic. Using this method makes it as easy as it would be selling digital products in your store. Here’s why the no-inventory management approach is such a game-changer:
Lower startup costs – No need to buy physical products in bulk.
Less risk – Test products without the fear of losing money if they don’t sell.
Time saved – Order fulfillment and shipping are handled by a third-party.
Scalability – Easily expand your product catalog without worrying about warehouse space.
Guides from platforms like Amazon, Printify, and even Printful itself often talk about the benefits of selling without inventory management—but what they don’t emphasize is how important branding and a professional storefront are. That’s where Squarespace really shines: you can pair it with a print-on-demand partner to create an ecommerce store that looks custom, aligns with your brand, and feels like a true extension of your business.
How Squarespace and Printful Work Together
If you’re wondering how to actually make this happen, the best combo I’ve found is Squarespace and Printful. Here’s why:
Squarespace gives you a professional, beautifully designed website with built-in e-commerce features so you can start selling products.
Printful is a print-on-demand supplier that syncs directly with Squarespace, handling everything from printing to shipping.
Here’s how it works step by step:
Set up your Squarespace online storefront. Choose an e-commerce plan that allows product sales.
Connect Printful to your Squarespace store. This integration is seamless and only takes a few clicks.
Design your products. Upload your graphics, logos, or artwork into Printful’s mockup generator. Be sure to order discounted samples of the product so you can make sure everything prints as it should and you’re happy with the quality of the product.
Publish products to Squarespace. Your store updates automatically with images, descriptions, and pricing.
Let Printful handle fulfillment. When someone places an order, Printful prints, packs, and ships the item directly to your customer.
This setup makes it incredibly easy to sell branded merchandise, apparel, or accessories without holding stock yourself. And since Squarespace allows full customization, your store design can perfectly match your brand identity.
Extra Benefit: Branded Email Marketing with Squarespace
Another huge advantage of using Squarespace for your online store is its integrated email marketing platform. With Squarespace Email Campaigns, you can design newsletters and announcements that perfectly match your website and product branding.
This means when you launch a new product line or run a special promotion, you don’t need a separate email service or complicated integration. Everything—your store, your website, and your email marketing—lives in one place.
For small business owners, this is a game-changer. You can keep your audience engaged with consistent, on-brand communication while driving traffic back to your shop.
Product Ideas for No-Inventory Stores
One of the best parts about running a no-inventory store is the freedom to experiment with different products. With print-on-demand, you can easily add or remove items, test designs, and adapt to what your audience actually wants. Here are some ideas based on the types of businesses I often work with:
Wellness coaches & yoga instructors – branded crop tops, water bottles, yoga mats, tote bags, and affirmation journals.
Artists & designers – art prints, posters, framed canvas pieces, phone cases, and home goods like pillows or mugs.
Hospitality brands – branded tote bags, drinkware, embroidered hats, or even custom aprons.
Interior designers – stylish branded notebooks, mood board kits, or decorative prints that reflect their design style.
Lifestyle entrepreneurs – hoodies, stickers, weekend bags, or even seasonal items like beanies.
Since you don’t have to pre-purchase inventory, you can launch with a variety of options, see what sells, and refine your product lineup over time. It’s the perfect way to test new ideas without risk.
Real-Life Example – Selling Branded Merch with Squarespace
To make this more tangible, let’s look at a client story. Recently, I worked with Breathe2Flow, a yoga event brand, to expand their website with a branded merch shop.
The owner, Lindsay, wanted to create high-quality, on-brand products her community would love, but without the stress of physical inventory. We created a custom package where I designed five unique products: a crop top, a weekender bag, a sweatshirt, and embroidered hats. We ordered samples, refined the product photography, and integrated everything directly into her Squarespace shop.
The best part? Within the first two days of launching, she sold three items. Plus, she promotes her store at in-person yoga events using QR code cards on her event tables—blending the online and offline experience seamlessly.
You can see her merch shop here: Breathe2Flow Merch.
This project is a great example of how Squarespace custom merch can boost both brand visibility and revenue, without needing to store or ship a single product yourself.
My Experience – Selling Art Prints on Squarespace with Printful as your supplier
Beyond client work, I also use this approach in my own business. As an artist and designer, I wanted to sell my art printswithout the hassle of printing, packaging, and mailing every order.
Using Squarespace and Printful, I’m able to offer multiple sizes of my artwork. When a customer places an order, Printful takes care of printing and dropshipping. I don’t have to worry about inventory, and my customers receive high-quality prints delivered straight to their door.
If you’d like to see an example, you can browse my own shop here: Patrice Horvath Art Prints.
If you’re an artist, illustrator, or creative, this method is perfect. You can test which prints resonate most with your audience, offer different variations, and expand your shop over time. This is exactly how to sell art prints on Squarespace without managing the logistics yourself.
Marketing Strategies for Your Online Store
Launching your store is just the first step—the real growth comes from getting people to discover and fall in love with your products. Luckily, there are a variety of low-cost marketing strategies that work beautifully with Squarespace:
Social Media Marketing – Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are perfect for showcasing product mockups and lifestyle photos. Create posts that show your products “in action” rather than just flat designs.
Email Campaigns – With Squarespace Email Campaigns, you can send branded newsletters when you launch new products, share customer reviews, or run a limited-time promotion. Because the emails are styled to match your website, your brand feels seamless.
Event Marketing – If you host workshops, classes, or live events, bring your store offline with QR code cards that link directly to your shop. My client Breathe2Flow has seen great success with this simple approach.
Content Marketing – Writing blog posts (just like this one!) helps bring in organic traffic from Google. A blog tied to your shop can answer customer questions, show behind-the-scenes design inspiration, or highlight seasonal collections.
When your store and marketing tools are all in one place, it’s easier to stay consistent and on-brand while building momentum.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Starting a No-Inventory Store
While building your online store without inventory is low-risk, there are a few pitfalls to watch out for:
Skipping product samples – Always order samples before launching. You want to confirm print quality, colors, and sizing.
Using generic mockups – If your product photos look too “template-y,” they won’t stand out. Take time to customize mockups or photograph real samples.
Launching with too many products – It’s tempting to offer everything at once, but starting small helps you focus on marketing and customer feedback before expanding.
Ignoring your brand design – A strong brand is what makes your store memorable. Make sure your product images, descriptions, and overall site design reflect your business identity.
Avoiding these mistakes will help your store feel polished, professional, and trustworthy right from the start.
Pros and Cons of Starting an Online Store Without Holding Inventory
Like any business model, there are pros and cons to consider.
Pros:
Minimal upfront investment
Flexibility to try different products
Professional production and shipping handled for you
Scalability without storage headaches
Cons:
Lower profit margins compared to buying in bulk
Less control over shipping times and packaging
Sample costs can add up when testing products
The key is to weigh these factors against your goals. For many small business owners and creatives, the benefits far outweigh the limitations—especially when starting out.
Squarespace vs. Shopify store – Which is Better for Selling Without Inventory?
If you’ve been researching how to start an online store without inventory, you’ve probably seen Shopify mentioned alongside Squarespace. Both platforms integrate with Printful for print-on-demand products, but they serve slightly different audiences.
Squarespace is ideal if:
You want a beautifully designed website that combines your services, portfolio, and online store in one place.
You’re a small business owner, creative, or service provider who values branding and storytelling.
You prefer an all-in-one platform that’s easy to manage without technical expertise.
Shopify is better suited if:
Your main focus is purely e-commerce and scaling a product-based business.
You want advanced inventory, shipping, and sales features (though many require paid apps).
You don’t need a portfolio or blog as part of your site’s core experience.
For many of my clients—yoga instructors, wellness coaches, interior designers, and artists—Squarespace is the best choice because it creates a branded hub where your online store seamlessly fits into your overall business presence. You’re not just selling products; you’re building a brand.
FAQ – How to Start an Online Store Without Inventory
How to start an online store with no inventory?
The easiest way is by using a website platform like Squarespace paired with a print-on-demand service such as Printful. You design the products, list them in your store, and Printful fulfills orders directly.
What is the easiest stuff to sell online?
The simplest items to sell are branded merch like t-shirts, tote bags, hats, and mugs. These are popular, affordable, and easy to customize. Art prints are also a great option for creatives.
How much money do I need to open an online store?
At minimum, you’ll need a Squarespace e-commerce plan (starting around $30/month) and the cost of ordering a few product samples. You don’t need to buy stock upfront, which keeps costs low.
How to start an online store without using Shopify?
Squarespace is a great alternative to Shopify, especially for service-based businesses and creatives. With Printful integration, you get all the benefits of print-on-demand while keeping full design control of your site.
Conclusion – Is an Online Store Without Inventory Right for You?
Starting an online business without inventory is not only possible—it’s one of the smartest ways to build an e-commerce side hustle or revenue stream for your small business. By using platforms like Squarespace and Printful fulfillment centers, you can sell custom merch, art prints, or branded products with minimal upfront investment.
From my own art prints to my client Breathe2Flow’s branded yoga merch, I’ve seen firsthand how this approach can grow income and expand brand reach.
Ready to explore your own online store? I’d love to help. Book a discovery call with me at Patrice Horvath Design and let’s create a beautiful, strategic Squarespace shop that works for your brand.
