[Swing Easy]

1. What is the deal with Cafe Press's current printing setup? If you are printing in full color, do the colors become altered when printing on colored shirts?

2. Just how dark do the shirts get before the special white ink process is required. For instance, would navy blue or deep maroon require the white ink??

3. Are one-sided printing prices the same no matter what, or would they change if, for example, you're design was just black?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Rodney]

1. What is the deal with Cafe Press's current printing setup? If you are printing in full color, do the colors become altered when printing on colored shirts?

What color shirts?

On the black shirts, they are using direct to garment printing. The colors are slightly muted on black t-shirts and the design should have a transparent background.

2. Just how dark do the shirts get before the special white ink process is required. For instance, would navy blue or deep maroon require the white ink??

Yes, navy blue or deep maroon would require the direct to garment printing (with white inks).

Their white/ash t-shirts are printed using heat press OR direct garment printing. You get the choice. With the heat press printing, they can't print white ink.

3. Are one-sided printing prices the same no matter what, or would they change if, for example, you're design was just black?

Since they aren't screen printing or using a printing method that needs a color consideration (like vinyl or plastisol printing), it won't matter if your design has 1 color on one side or 10 colors on 2 sides. The base pricing is the same.

 

[Swing Easy]

Thanks for the extremely helpful replies, Rodney. Your patience for beginners is remarkable.

Just a couple of follow ups...

What color shirts?

Yes, navy blue or deep maroon would require the direct to garment printing (with white inks).

Their white/ash t-shirts are printed using heat press OR direct garment printing. You get the choice. With the heat press printing, they can't print white ink.

OK, what about, say, pink or baby blue shirts?

it won't matter if your design has 1 color on one side or 10 colors on 2 sides. The base pricing is the same.

Surely a two-sided print job costs more than a one-sided one...doesn't it?

Thanks.

-Harley

 

[Rodney]

OK, what about, say, pink or baby blue shirts?

The pink t-shirts at cafepress are printed with heat press (as far as I can remember). They won't print white ink on them.

So a design where there is white, it will show pink through. I don't think they have baby blue t-shirts, but the same principle would apply.

Here's an example:
http://www.cafepress.com/buy/pirate..._7504625/fpt___________________H/opt_/c_0/pg_

Surely a two-sided print job costs more than a one-sided one...doesn't it?

Nope They don't charge you for the extra tranfer paper that it would take to print a two sided design. It's all covered in their "base prices".

They do have a "value" t-shirt that has a lower base price (I think $8.99) and it's a lighter weight t-shirt with only a one sided print allowed.

All the other products are the same price whether it is one sided or two sided. One color or 20 colors

 

[Swing Easy]

Thanks for all of this info Rodney, you have no idea how helpful it is. I'm trying to sort out so many things at once, since I'm doing all the legal stuff, planning adveretising and all, designing the stuff myself, and funding it from my own savings.

So a design where there is white, it will show pink through. I don't think they have baby blue t-shirts, but the same principle would apply.

So, there is no need to deal with any tranparencies on such a shirt, because the white will not be printed (or not show up)?

Nope They don't charge you for the extra tranfer paper that it would take to print a two sided design. It's all covered in their "base prices".

Any idea what the "base price" is?

Thanks

 

[Rodney]

So, there is no need to deal with any tranparencies on such a shirt, because the white will not be printed (or not show up)?

Yes, for that particular color shirt (and white shirts), there is no need to deal with transparencies, since white won't show up.

Any idea what the "base price" is?

All the information is on the CafePress website

Just click on which product type you are interested in and you'll see all the base prices:
http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/sell/products/

For example, here's a list of their base pricing on apparel:
http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/sell/products/apparel

 

[Swing Easy]

Thank you yet again, Rodney. Links were very helpful.

The one thing I don't really understand is why Cafe Press don't have any dark colored shirts if they can now print on black. I'd imagine that that's the next thing to expect

Have A Nice Day.

 

[Rodney]

The one thing I don't really understand is why Cafe Press don't have any dark colored shirts if they can now print on black. I'd imagine that that's the next thing to expect

Probably because their blank printing is still in "Beta" and being tested. As they work out the kinks, I'm sure they'll add more colors.

It took them 6 years to start printing on black, so I'm sure as their process improves, they'll add more colors. I know they mentioned adding a couple of colors in the next couple of months:
http://forums.cafepress.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/802104/m/45210968

 

[Despotte]

They just anounce CRANBERRY RED shirts to start early next quarter also a Blue and Red Shirt with maybe a baby blue shirt to follow the Black Beta Process is helping them learn how to do these shirts.

 

[Swing Easy]

Good news! Thanks, Brian.

 

[taurusndixie]

Unless I missed something on the CafePress site, the prices are so high there is no room for a profit margin for the reseller.

 

[Swing Easy]

Are you referring to ALL of the CP stuff, or just the dark shirts? I mean, really, it's all pretty dang expensive, but the black shirts are $18.99 or so. The consumer will have to be willing to pay more for those dark colors, which at least SOME of them will. Maybe the answer is to give the consumer the option of having a similar/same design on a light shirt for less, and on a dark shirt for more. Let THEM decide if it's worth it, then you won't have to.

 

[Rodney]

Unless I missed something on the CafePress site, the prices are so high there is no room for a profit margin for the reseller.

There's plenty of room for profit for the resellers I can personally attest to making profits on cafepress every day.

As Harley said, the customer will decide if the shirt you're selling is worth the price. You can make $5-$10 profit on most products at cafepress with no problem.

 

[rare-e-tees]

The prices do seem high when compared to other tshirt wholesalers, but you have to consider that they handle all customer relations, including credit card processing, shipping and (oh no!) returns.

They also offer specials, like currently "$5 flat-rate shipping" and "$10 off $50 purchase" that doesn't come out of your profits.

Compare it to how much markup you would make if you were to get your products into a physical store and its more reasonable.

 

[taurusndixie]

Hope everyone gets rich selling Cafe press items. Glad it works for so many people.
However, Cafe Press is out of our price range for our market. Buying a shirt for 15 - 18 bucks when that is all I can sell it for in my store makes this a non option for us. Being a artist gives me options that so far has worked well for us. Maybe if our market changes we will once again look at cafe press. For others, I wish much success.

 

[T3Design]

I have not had a problem with colors being altered. Maybe a little muted, but certainly not altered IMO