CafePress.com

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 17:43 -0700

Has anyone heard of this website? You can upload your own artwork and have it printed on mugs, tshirts, stickers, etc. You can open your own store for free and they will print on demand, then send you a cut of the fee.

I opened a store for my stuff. It is:

www.cafepress.com/walestales

I am posting the info with the thought in mind that some of you other artists might be interested in opening your own store. I bet Usagi stuff would sell like hotcakes, Stan.

Blambot · Post by **Blambot** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 7:18 -0700

Cafe press is decent, but the quality isn't fantastic. Essentially you end up getting apparel that has had your image "ironed on" you'd get almost the same quality buying some iron-on sheets from your local office supply store and doing it yourself.

~N

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 9:39 -0700

Really? Thanks for the info. I was actually more interested in the mugs, etc. at this point.

What I thought was appealing about their method is: they take the orders, do the shipping, etc. If I were to try to make tshirts of my own it would be a real headache making them, boxing them up. Plus, I don't have the capacity to take credit card orders myself.

Do you know of a similar place with better quality?

Blambot · Post by **Blambot** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 9:51 -0700

Not off hand. I have used Cafepress for both my Blambot business (a few years back) and for merchandise for my novel, DEAD ENDS. And was never 100% satisfied with the quality, or the profit returned on sales. (a couple of bucks per item at most).

If you really want well crafted, store-quality stuff, then there's not much else to do but go to a professional print shop that specializes in apparel, etc. It is more expensive, but if you have an audience that will buy your wwares, you'll make more profitt than Cafepress. The botom line is how much money are you willing to front to get the wheels moving?

I'll most likely be doing that for San Diego Con this year for my booth merhcandise. Shirts probably.

~N

ZenMondo · Post by **ZenMondo** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 13:44 -0700

I have a few Cafe Press Shoppes, and have been very pleased with them. With very little work, and no initial spending of funds, We've made More than $170 with the shops since I opened them. Better than a poke in the eye.

The transfers are OK, not the best that can be done, but adequate. The advantage is not having any stock to hold. These are on-demand products.

When I do work to promote the shops, they do pretty well, but just sitting there without active promotion I see sales here and there.

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 18:55 -0700

So I guess they are not perfect, but for those of us who don't really have the money to invest up front, it seems like the only way to go. That's great that your shops are going well.