pixnstix

I haven't found much on the Forum as to whether it is effective to use Cafepress or Zazzle from Australia. Can anyone share their experience as to which they have found better or if there's a better alternative?
I understand whichever service you use the benefits will depend on how well and hard you market your designs, but is that effort going to pay off? An Aussie perspective please.

 

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Solmu

Quote: Originally Posted by pixnstix I haven't found much on the Forum as to whether it is effective to use Cafepress or Zazzle from Australia. Can anyone share their experience as to which they have found better or if there's a better alternative?

Personally I wouldn't use a Cafepress or Zazzle style POD fulfilment service, so I have a different (potentially less valuable) perspective on this.

But my recommendation would be to at least take a look at RedBubble, especially if you're focused on Australian customers.

Red Bubble are based in Melbourne, rather than America, Germany, etc. Their focus is more on art prints, cards, etc. than t-shirts (potentially a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your perspective), but they do both.

RedBubble have much more credibility in the design community, meaning you are more likely to be able to get blog and/or media coverage (something that's difficult at best with these sort of third party solutions, and downright impossible in some cases - it's a lot harder to get taken seriously).

Because of the way they're set up they attract a lot more artists than the other sites, so the average quality of their members' work is much much higher. This has helped establish a much more positive reputation for them. It also means they have a pretty solid community of artists.

I don't use them myself, but I have a friend who's been with them pretty much from the start and seems very happy with them (he's spoken positively about them, but we haven't talked sales figures).

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pixnstix

Thanks Lewis, that's still a valuable perspective to me, even though you don't use Zazzle or CP. I will look into RedBubble. Bryan

 

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BigSexyJohn

I don't want to loose my identity by being grouped in with a lot of other people who are as small (insignificant maybe) in the world of T's as I am. Going with a Cafepress or Zazzle seems like a good idea that's easy to do and safe. But ultimately your helping build their brand not your own.

Maybe I am not selling enough. And I am not growing quickly enough. But I am doing it my way. And that puts a smile on my face!

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NTG

I use redbubble for one off shirts, and a Screen printer for larger runs.
I like redbubble, because thier prints last very well. They don't drop ship, but i can work around that.


I tried an other Australian company who did POD and dropship. I drop shipped a shirt to myself, only to find it packed with heaps of their brand inside
Also the print looked 3 years old after one wash.
Tried another drop ship from China- good image but the shipping took way too long.

 

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