Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Ah Hah!! NOW I understand...! Thanks Christina, that solves a huge error of knowledge on my part. This is sort of like an "affiliate" business thing, where you`re not actually producing the basic product---just a different form of the product.

People say "you design something," and I think of desinging a new keyboard, or a new can-opener or a new bullet-proof vest. Not the same meaning to a "graphics designer."

Yeah, unless there`s something I don`t know about CafePress, you don`t actually "design the product" so to speak. You just design the graphics and place them on the products. 

It`s a clever idea - great for small businesses and organizations that want to sell t-shirts with custom designs. You don`t have to order in bulk and hope that you have enough of the right size. Anyone can order at any time of day and it`ll be delivered to them. I`m presently trying to get my local obedience club signed up for a cafe press shop. They sell basic logo-tees and have to order 20 at a time. Where do you keep 20 t-shirts, at an already crowded dog-club? How do you display 20 t-shirts? I told them they should just let people order online.


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Great points Christina.  That is exactly why I signed up for CafePress.  No inventory, low overhead, no minimum orders, and no limit to the number of colors.  Have you seen what a screen printer charges for more than three colors on a t-shirt other than white?  CafePress is on the border of being a better deal.  Personally, I like the direct printing method as opposed to screen printing.  It seems cleaner and with less worry of the print peeling up after too many trips to the washer and dryer.

Right now I am just trying to figure out how to drive people to the site.

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Cabo Loco- Paradise is closer than you think.

Do you have to "buy" the T`s, (I believe this is called overhead?) and then hope someone will buy your designed T, or do you just upload a design, choose witch items you want to have the design printed on and thats that?

Many thanks,
Marcel

You just upload your jpeg of the actual design you want printed on the apparel and merchandise they offer.

They actually do a fantastic job with the printing too. My company uses them as promo items sometimes and also to sell our logo merchandise and apparel.

We utilize the golf shirts with the pocket design logo for our employees. The only real problem is with the limited selection of products to print on. They offer a decent number of items but the cost can sometimes be too much (that`s what we get for ordering onesies). But they have a great shipping method which only costs $5.00.

They have just recently (I believe within the past couple of years moved into colored shirts. But still the selection is limited.

Now, insofar as websites and solutions to online stores. We use an ecommerce provider by the name www.vstore.ca

They are an excellent company who provides free basic stores and premium accounts which opens up the many features for a low price. The thing with these guys are a unique niche.

Where others limit the amount of disk space you use on your store, these guys don`t. Where others may charge you for placing extra products in your store, these guys don`t. Unlimited product listing. Where others may charge you per feature you want to upload into your store, these guys don`t. What features they offer, you get. Plus they have an excellent help community and the members are an excellent source of people who communicate between themselves to help each other sell.

Try them out. You may like what you see.

Dan

That v-store thing is a very interesting link, Dan. Thanks for sharing :-)

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Not a problem Christina. If there are any questions I can answer for you about it, I`d be more than happy to.

Dan