Website T-shirts and other products

Mrs.T

Mrs.T

Active member
My users have requested we open some type of "store" where they can buy things like mousepads, t-shirts, coffee mugs and other merchandise with our sites logo on it.

I have looked at a few different options and not sure what is the best way to go.

Has anyone done this with their website or does anyone know of a company that is reputable and has an option to integrate a "store" into a website where customers can order and pay directly without me having to be involved.
 
Definitely Cafe Press. This allows you to sell the products without having to go through the headaches of setting up your own e-store and the hassles of protecting user's data.
 
I never integrated it, just link to it. You can upload your logo there, name it, choose from a few basic templates. Not worth going all nuts trying to match it up IMO.
 
Normally, you just provide a link to your Cafe Press "store" and Cafe Press handles the ordering, payment, and shipment.

You design your own shirts, mugs, etc. On Cafe Press with your own images.

It isn't necessary to really "integrate" it into your site.

You choose the products and the prices for the products. The cost of the products are a little high in my opinion, but each is individually made per order, so there isn't any inventory to keep.
 
Been using spreadshirt which seems ok enough.

One general comment though was my members asked for all sorts of Tee shirts and mugs. So I spent loads of time organising it, and then no one was interested when launched! I think the issue is that the cost of using Zazzle, spreadshirt etc is that the products end up quite expensive for what they are.

One of our moderators bought a proper tee shirt press, and vinyl cutter and now does some of it for us. We sell them either through a thread on the forum, or through our ecommerce plugin on the WordPress front end.

For example he is selling a high quality tee shirt with site logo on the front and another graphic on the back for £15 + postage. £5 goes to the forum kitty (fund not kitteh ;) ). To put that kind of markup on spreadshirt would mean they would be a stupid price. The result is the first order was for three from the same member.

I have also looked in to some small independent hobby crafters who will produce and drop ship merchandise. This may work out more cost effective for items like mugs. Send them the design and payment and then they produce and send direct. They dont want the markups like most big companies do. Will try a few sample runs in the coming months.
 
Gazhyde said:
One of our moderators bought a proper tee shirt press, and vinyl cutter and now does some of it for us. We sell them either through a thread on the forum, or through our ecommerce plugin on the WordPress front end.
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Do you know how much the setup cost?
 
0ptima said:
Do you know how much the setup cost?
Click to expand...

Not sure exactly, but I do know you need a lot of bits and pieces. Next time I speak to him I'll see if he will give me a ball park figure. If you want to know how to do it properly google "dye sublimation printing". It's not like the inkjet printable iron on transfers, it's big business.

Once you can print it, with the correct hardware you can pretty much apply it to anything. Mugs, t shirts, phone cases and so on.
 
I created custom t-shirts for my website, and it was quite expensive. Most of the money went to design the t-shirts and buy extended license to the pictures we've used (and they are limited to #X of sales). We did about 8 designs though, without our logo (all custom design. Each t-shirts is different).

There is no benefit from selling t-shirts or other items in the short run, but I guess there is a benefit in the long run, especially in terms of advertising your website. I was lucky to get connected with a local t-shirt store that has a website, and I'm doing nothing except taking about 30% revenue on each t-shirt (it's going to take quite a while to get even with the expenses).
All the customer service, shipping, and t-shirt purchasing is done through this local company. We are selling t-shirts/tank tops for about $16 including shipping or $20 for double sided print (can combine different designs).

Overall, it really depends on the local market, so things might be different for others.
 
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RickM said:
Zazzle is another - all are very expensive for what they are. If its going to be regular purchases you can get a bulk of 100 T'shirts done for half the sale price that places like Cafepress charge.
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I agree. Cafe Press and Zazzle would be good to have set up but if you have a lot of members that all want shirts it would be better to just order a yourself. I think a shirt goes for $30 or so for a one off at Cafe Press. If you buy them in bulk (you don't have to do 100) you can get a better deal You could be looking at about $10 per shirt, your cost, with one color print with only 12 shirts. You could offer a discount to get a bulk buy.

James
 
If you can come up with your own design you will increase your profits. I know of sites that will have a design for shirts and hats. They ask if anyone wants to do a run and they just tell them that they need at least 15 to make it cheap enough to make it worth it. Members sign up and then when the number is high enough they set a end date. Most are done pre paid.

There are websites like 99designs that you can post your idea and (some you even set your price. Higher the price, the more designers that will try to work for you) designers post up designs. You get rid of what isn't close. You make suggestions for the ones that are. Then you pick the one you like the best. Most start at $180 and you own the design. I plan on trying it at some point.

James
 
Basically I have a small community of dedicated posters that just want something with our logo on it. I have found this place www.mylocker.com their merchandise is a little pricey but it seems to be better quality then some of the others I have looked at. Not looking to make money on these just trying to fill a user need. I doubt very much I would have need for bulk purchasing I would end up with a bunch of t-shirts sitting in a box somewhere lol.

Café press has some cool items that I would like to offer my users but the issue I have run into is my logo is a pixel image and it will not transfer well and being the nOOb that I am I have no idea how to change it to what it needs to be. I made an attempt and murdered my logo.

Thank you all for your help I really appreciate it and saw quite a few things that I hope to use in the future.
 
Beantownbully said:
Basically I have a small community of dedicated posters that just want something with our logo on it. I have found this place www.mylocker.com their merchandise is a little pricey but it seems to be better quality then some of the others I have looked at. Not looking to make money on these just trying to fill a user need. I doubt very much I would have need for bulk purchasing I would end up with a bunch of t-shirts sitting in a box somewhere lol.

Café press has some cool items that I would like to offer my users but the issue I have run into is my logo is a pixel image and it will not transfer well and being the nOOb that I am I have no idea how to change it to what it needs to be. I made an attempt and murdered my logo.

Thank you all for your help I really appreciate it and saw quite a few things that I hope to use in the future.
Click to expand...
 

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