How to Create a New Non Apparel Product for Customization

DecoNetwork makes it possible to create custom products that aren’t part of the built-in supplier catalogs—such as banners, yard signs, and paper products like business cards or flyers. These products are typically simple shapes (rectangles, circles, squares) that customers can upload artwork to, or that you can configure as pre-decorated offerings in Business Hub.

Watch the video below for a full walkthrough:

In this article

• Prerequisites
• Why create custom products
• Step 1: Set up a decoration process
• Step 2: Configure suppliers and product groups
• Step 3: Add custom fields
• Step 4: Create a custom product
• Step 5: Clone and modify products
• Step 6: Enable custom fields on the product
• Best-practice tips
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs
• Additional Resources

Prerequisites

Why create custom products

DecoNetwork doesn’t limit you to apparel and standard supplier catalogs. With a few configuration steps, you can support products like banners, signs, or printed flyers. The benefits include:

• Expanding your product range to include signage and paper products.
• Offering all-inclusive pricing structures (no separate blank + decoration costs).
• Flexibility to outsource production to trade partners or handle in-house.
• Ability to configure custom finishing options (grommets, paper weight, gloss/matte, etc.).

Step 1: Set up a decoration process

1. Go to Admin → Decoration Processes.
2. Choose an unused process (e.g., Sublimation) and rename it to something generic like Digital Printing.
3. Create a price table:
   • For banners, set an all-inclusive price (decoration = $0, included in the blank price).
   • For double-sided products (e.g., business cards), create pricing for first vs. additional sides.

Step 2: Configure suppliers and product groups

1. Go to Admin → Products → Suppliers and add a new supplier (e.g., your wholesale print partner).
2. Create a new Product Group (e.g., Banners, Business Cards).
   • Assign only the Digital Printing decoration process.
   • Apply the relevant price table.
   • Set production times, purchase order rules, and availability.

Step 3: Add custom fields

1. Navigate to Admin → Products → Custom Fields.
2. Create fields for additional options such as:
   • Banner grommeting (none, every 2 feet, all corners).
   • Banner weight (9oz mesh, 13oz vinyl, 15oz vinyl).
   • Paper type (matte, gloss, heavy stock).
3. Configure price adjustments per option (fixed amounts or percentage).
4. Assign these fields to the relevant product group.

Step 4: Create a custom product

1. Go to Admin → Products and click Add Custom Product.
2. Assign it to the correct Product Group (e.g., Banners).
3. Upload an image to represent the shape and ratio (e.g., 3x6 rectangle).
4. Set product details:
   • Name, code, and description (optimize for SEO).
   • Views and decoration areas (define width/height in inches).
   • Pricing (flat, tiered, or volume discounts).
   • Shipping dimensions and weight (important for cost calculation).
   • Assign supplier and category.

Step 5: Clone and modify products

Once you’ve set up your first custom product, you can save time by copying it to create variations:

• Change dimensions (e.g., 3x6 → 4x8 banner).
• Swap orientations (portrait vs. landscape).
• Update custom field pricing per size.
• Create double-sided versions (for business cards, yard signs, flyers).

Step 6: Enable custom fields on the product

1. Open the product’s Custom Fields section.
2. Toggle on the fields you created (e.g., Grommeting, Banner Weight).
3. (Optional) Set fields to Required if the customer must choose an option.
4. (Optional) Use Specify custom fields to override group-level prices for this specific size.
5. Save and preview the product to confirm price changes when options are selected.

Best-practice tips

• Use pre-decorated products or Business Hub quotes for signage—it avoids confusion in the online design tool.
• Keep product images realistic by uploading printed examples, not blank rectangles.
• Always set accurate shipping weights and dimensions.
• When outsourcing, ensure your supplier’s turnaround times are reflected in your production settings.

Troubleshooting

• Custom field prices aren’t updating: Double-check that values are saved at both product group and product levels.
• Wrong decoration pricing applied: Confirm the product group uses the correct price table for all price levels.
• Customer confused by orientation: Consider offering portrait and landscape as separate pre-decorated products.

FAQs

• Can I use one product for multiple shapes? Not recommended—create separate products for clarity.
• Do custom fields support availability by website? No, custom fields apply globally across all sites.
• Should I outsource or print in-house? Many licensees find outsourcing cheaper for signage and paper goods.

Additional Resources

• Configuring Custom Fields
• Creating Product Groups
• Decoration Pricing Setup