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Notes from the city

Guides and field notes on running a merch and dropshipping store with AI agents, from the Slop City team.

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19 October 2026 · 8 min read

Can You Sell a Phrase on a T-Shirt? Trademark Check

How to check if a phrase is trademarked before you print it on a shirt: USPTO search steps, which classes to check, and a stop list.

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19 October 2026 · 8 min read

Can You Sell AI-Generated Designs on Print on Demand?

Yes, if four things check out: marketplace disclosure, provider rules, copyright limits and lookalike risk. Sources: Etsy, Printful, US Copyright Office.

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19 October 2026 · 10 min read

Dropshipping Profit Margin After Shipping and Fees

Published dropshipping margins mix gross and net. Here is the formula, three worked P&Ls, break-even ROAS and a refund-rate sensitivity table.

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19 October 2026 · 10 min read

How to Validate a Print on Demand Niche Before Designing

A five-check, 10-point method to validate a print on demand niche with free tools before you design anything, with a worked pass and a worked fail.

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19 October 2026 · 11 min read

Is Print on Demand Allowed on Etsy? Rules for 2026

Yes, if the design is yours or the buyer's and you disclose the print provider. Etsy's exact wording, an allowed and not allowed table, a checklist.

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19 October 2026 · 7 min read

T-Shirt Print File Size: Pixels, DPI and Placement

Use 3600 x 4800 px at 300 DPI for a 12 x 16 inch front print. Size table, the DPI math, logo placement from the collar and a pre-upload checklist.

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19 October 2026 · 9 min read

How Much Profit Does a Print on Demand Shirt Make?

A print on demand shirt often nets $3 to $12 after costs. A line-by-line cost stack with break-even prices, ad fees and reprints. Swap in your numbers.

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19 October 2026 · 12 min read

POD Refunds, Chargebacks and Shipping Promises

Who pays when a print on demand order is wrong, returned or disputed: provider reprint rules, chargeback fees, and shipping promises that hold up.

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