[steve4]

Has anyone tried these types of sites to sell their shirts? What advice does anyone have on this subject?

 

[Rickerwear]

Cafepress has very good to me. The products ship fast and the customer service is good. The quality is about as good as it can be with the print-on-demand process. Most of all the commission checks keep on coming. I would reccomend tham.

 

[steve4]

Cafepress has very good to me. The products ship fast and the customer service is good. The quality is about as good as it can be with the print-on-demand process. Most of all the commission checks keep on coming. I would reccomend tham.

Thanks for your comment. I will give them another look.

 

[Davenget]

I think Cafepress is excellent. My products have shipped fast and the customer service is wonderful. I personally think its a great deal for starting out or experimenting.

 

[BurnTees]

agree...CafePress has been quite good to me. I also looked into printmojo but they don't print on demand so you have the upfront cost.

 

[Ken Styles]

what about spreadshirt?

 

[Rodney]

what about spreadshirt?

What about them, specifically?

 

[DFras]

Hello Steve,
We have a member that operates a site called, printfection.com. You may want to give them a look. They are a fairly new operation which use DTG printing.

Darrell

 

[funtimesx]

I think these kind of POD services are great if you are either in America, or selling to America.

If you're not, the exchange rate + shipping rates can kind of kill you...

 

[Rodney]

If you're not, the exchange rate + shipping rates can kind of kill you...

There are similar services available internationally (like spreadshirt).

I've made sales all over the world with my cafepress shops. International shipping is always going to be more than in country shipping (whether it is USA -> International or International -> USA), I haven't seen prices that are way above what I've seen elsewhere.

 

[funtimesx]

Sorry, I didn't meant to imply that CP charges heaps more than anyone else or that they are unreasonable.

All I was getting at was that at a semi-decent markup, the women's T is $15.99 USD. Add $7USD shipping, convert to AUD and at current exchange rates, you're looking at about $30AUD for the shirt. I'm not saying people won't pay that, but they would want to REALLY like the shirt. I don't know, perhaps I am just miserly. I think, though, at least in this country and the market I'm dealing with, it won't fly too well - you're talking about a more "premium" priced t-shirt, plus the fact that it's from overseas so if they want to return it, it may be a hassle (again, not saying it WILL be, but the consumer may be worried that it will be, which is just as bad), and it leaves me thinking that CP may not be the best choice for an Australian audience.

This equation may work out differently in a different country or for a different demographic.

 

[Solmu]

All I was getting at was that at a semi-decent markup, the women's T is $15.99 USD. Add $7USD shipping, convert to AUD and at current exchange rates, you're looking at about $30AUD for the shirt.

...which is still significantly less than the average price of a t-shirt bought locally on the Australian market.

I think, though, at least in this country and the market I'm dealing with, it won't fly too well - you're talking about a more "premium" priced t-shirt [...] and it leaves me thinking that CP may not be the best choice for an Australian audience.

It's true that the Australian market mostly expects a quality product that CP can't provide.

I've never really seen anyone much going the low-quality-but-cheap route here (except things like junk import shops), and I'm not sure our market would really support it. It's similar in the UK.

Maybe that's an untapped niche, but I definitely won't be the one to test that.

 

[RAHchills]

...which is still significantly less than the average price of a t-shirt bought locally on the Australian market.

out of curiosity, what is the average t-shirt cost in the Austrailian market, in AUD?

 

[Solmu]

out of curiosity, what is the average t-shirt cost in the Austrailian market, in AUD?

I haven't done any hard research, so the figures are certainly up for debate, but I'd say the normal price is $38-45. It's certainly not unusual to see prices of $50-60. It is unusual to see prices below $30.

 

[Rodney]

Outside the US, I think Australia is the country that I've personally sold the most t-shirts to (probably tied or close with Canada).

I don't think it's necessarily a "fulfillment" or POD issue, but more of the normal cost of international commerce. It costs me about $7-9 to ship a t-shirt to Australia maybe less if I want it to take a long time. That's just how much the postal costs are.

As Lewis pointed out, people do pay that price and more for t-shirts in AU. If you're selling something that a person can't get anywhere else in the world, then that just adds more incentive for the person to buy.

 

[funtimesx]

OMG, OK I am miserly! I don't think I have ever paid more than $30AUD for a shirt. Usually mine are in the $15 - $25 range.

Obviously, I'm rather out of touch. We are still quite new to the game in terms of doing our own, but I had thought some of the Hanes and Gildan t-shirts were not very into the "low-quality-but-cheap" category as a lot of people seem to use them, and it seems to me that even after shipping from the US, doing the transfers, etc. you could sell those for $20 and still make a decent profit? Am I wrong - what do you consider a good quality blank?

 

[Rodney]

OMG, OK I am miserly! I don't think I have ever paid more than $30AUD for a shirt. Usually mine are in the $15 - $25 range.

One common misconception with new merchants (especially with artwork and t-shirts) is the incorrect assumption that your customers are as miserly as you

Although you may not pay 30 AUD for a cool t-shirt, there is a VERY large demographic of buyers that will

but I had thought some of the Hanes and Gildan t-shirts were not very into the "low-quality-but-cheap" category as a lot of people seem to use them

It's all relative I think Hanes blanks are generally good blanks. The Hanes Beefy is a very high quality tee by most standards. With a general audience, I don't think you can go wrong with a Hanes blank.

Some would say the same for Gildan.

Now there are other demographics/customers that prefer other type blanks that fit differently. Some bigger like proclub, shaka, some slimmer like americanapparel, alternativeapparel.

and it seems to me that even after shipping from the US, doing the transfers, etc. you could sell those for $20 and still make a decent profit?

A t-shirt priced at $13 USD plus $7-$8 USD for international shipping is definitely possible. You could sell for even higher without worry.

Am I wrong - what do you consider a good quality blank?

You could probably get 50 different answers to that question. The key is finding a blank that you like and that you think your customers will wear with comfort/style. For some, that's a Gildan, for other's that's an AmericanApparel blank, for others that's a proclub or royalapparel tall t-shirt.

 

[RAHchills]

I haven't done any hard research, so the figures are certainly up for debate, but I'd say the normal price is $38-45. It's certainly not unusual to see prices of $50-60. It is unusual to see prices below $30.

Holy cow, that's great news. Thanks.

 

[steve4]

Thanks. I will check it out

 

[funtimesx]

OK, I have just got back from KMart and I have indeed been living in a miserly bubble. Prices for nice, printed shirts ranged from $20 (on special) to $49.95...