A front and back print costs more than a front-only print because the garment gets a second print placement, and Etsy's percentage fees then apply to the higher price you charge for it. Set it up as its own listing or as a print-location option with its own price, and photograph each side separately so the buyer knows exactly what arrives.
This guide is for print-on-demand sellers adding a back design to shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies: a small chest logo paired with a large back print, a name list on the back of a reunion shirt, a name and number for a team. Two-sided products give you more to sell, but they are also easy to underprice and easy to photograph in a way that leaves the buyer guessing.
Why a second print location costs more
Every print location is a separate job, with its own file, its own print, its own placement and its own check before the order ships. With DTF (direct-to-film), the method our catalog uses for apparel, a back print means a second transfer pressed onto the shirt, which you can read about in how DTF printing works.
Production partners usually charge for that second placement on top of the base item price. The amount depends on the provider and the product, so read the two-sided price before you set yours.
The fees grow with the price too. Etsy's transaction fee is 6.5% of the total order amount, shipping included when you charge for it. Payment processing is a set rate plus a percentage that depends on the country of your bank account: 3% plus $0.25 in the United States, 6.5% plus 14 TRY in Türkiye. So when you add the back print to your price, a slice of that increase goes to fees. Price the back print above its cost, not at it.
A simple way to price the two-sided version
Start from the item cost of the front and back version and the shipping you pay.
Add the profit you want to keep on each sale.
Work out the price that leaves that profit after Etsy's percentage fees, as shown in the margin math for print on demand.
Compare the result with your front-only price. The gap is what the buyer pays for the back, so it should feel fair for the extra design.
One listing or two: three ways to set it up
A separate listing for the two-sided version. The front and back shirt gets its own title, tags, photos and price. Search and photos stay simple, because every image in the listing shows the product the buyer receives. The cost is one more listing fee: Etsy charges $0.20 per listing, and a listing expires after 4 months unless it renews.
One listing with a print-location option. Etsy lets you add variations for up to 3 item attributes, so size, colour and a third option such as Front only or Front and back fit in a single listing, each with its own price. Etsy allows unique prices, SKUs and quantities for up to 400 option combinations: 6 sizes, 10 colours and 2 print options make 120, well inside that limit. If you are new to this, start with what a variation is on Etsy.
Two-sided only. When the design only makes sense as a pair, such as a small front logo that points to a story on the back, do not offer a front-only version at all. One product, one price, no choice to explain.
A separate listing is the clearest for the buyer. The variation route keeps reviews and favourites in one place, but the photos have to make both versions obvious.
Photographing a two-sided listing
Etsy lets you add up to 20 photos and 2 videos to each listing, so there is room for both sides. The order matters more than the count.
First photo: one product, one side. Etsy's search visibility checks include a primary photo showing one finished product, with no collages, so do not squeeze the front and back into one image. Lead with the side that carries the main design.
Second photo: the other side, on the same garment colour, so the buyer sees the pair as one shirt.
Third photo: a close-up of the larger print, so the details read.
Then: a worn or lifestyle shot, the colour options and your size chart.
Etsy asks that the first photo be horizontal or square and that your subject stays clear in all 3 thumbnail views, so leave space around the shirt. In the description, say it in the first sentence: printed on the front and the back. Etsy's own advice is to describe the item clearly in the first sentence.
Designing the back so the pair works
Front and back should read as one design. Use the same palette and type family on both sides, and keep the front quieter when the back carries the main artwork. A small front mark that repeats a detail from the back ties the two together.
Placement differs by side. A back print usually sits a little below the collar, and the measurements are covered in T-shirt print areas. On a hoodie the back is often the strongest spot, since the front has the pouch pocket that the Gildan 18500 spec sheet lists among its features.
Each side needs its own print-ready file at its own size, and both deserve a check before the first order.
Front only or front and back at a glance
| What changes | Front only | Front and back |
|---|---|---|
| Print files | One file | Two files, one sized for each area |
| Item cost | Base item price | Base price plus the second placement |
| Your price | Covers one print | Covers both prints and the extra fees |
| Etsy transaction fee | 6.5% of the order total | Same rate on a higher total |
| First photo | The printed side | One side only, the one that sells |
| Listing setup | Size and colour | Size, colour and possibly a print option |
| Order check | One placement | Both placements and their alignment |
How Alomations handles a two-sided product
In Alomations you build a template once: product and category, price, sizes and colours, materials, SKUs, and the shipping, return and processing profiles. For a two-sided version, a template of its own with the higher price means every run that uses it lists at the right price, and you can arrange prices across sizes in the same place. The full setup is in building your first listing template.
Smart mockups render the design onto product photos with real fabric folds, shading and light, and on a paid plan you can preview every colour and every side before the run starts, so the front and back images match. A front mockup can carry its own chest-logo spot for the small front mark. The run then writes the title, all 13 tags and the description, applies the template and publishes to Etsy live or as a draft. When an order comes in, the orders screen shows the item cost and shipping separately before you pay, so you see what each two-sided order really costs. The steps are on how it works.
Frequently asked questions
Does a back print change Etsy's fees?
The rates stay the same, but the 6.5% transaction fee and the payment processing fee apply to a higher total, so the two-sided version carries slightly higher fees.
Should the first photo show the front or the back?
Show the side with the main design, and show only that side. Put the other side in the second photo, on the same garment colour.
Can front only and front and back share one listing?
Yes. Add a print-location option as one of your variations and let its price vary. Etsy supports up to 3 variation types, with unique prices for up to 400 combinations.
Do I need two print files?
Yes, one for each location, each sized for its print area. A back file is usually much larger than a small front mark, so check the resolution of both before the first order.
You can build a two-sided template and list your first shirts on the free plan, with 40 credits a month once your Etsy shop is connected, and no card needed.