Thoughts on Print on Demand
P.O.D. has been on my mind for the last few weeks. What is P.O.D.? It stands for Print on Demand. It is a business model where a product (such as t-shirts, home goods, art prints, etc.) is only printed/produced after it has been ordered by the customer. This allows small businesses like mine to either order small quantities (or not at all) and to avoid storing and keeping track of inventory, while still giving clients the options to purchase products with artwork from their favorite artists.
At the moment I have three shops on three different POD sites: Society6, Spoonflower and FineArtAmerica. I do not currently sell anything on my own website, but have chosen instead to sell products that bear my art on these platforms. I find it convenient because these POD sites fulfill the orders (they print and ship directly to the customer). They have a built-in client base (a marketplace), which means that they market to thousands of people I may never be able to reach. They handle customer service such as returns, complaints, and any other problem that might arise from the purchase. Finally, they charge and remit sales taxes. These are all things I do not have to deal with, which makes it seemingly a win-win.
However, in the last few months, I have noticed a change in Society6. They changed the website layout, and it seems to be clunkier and harder to navigate than before. I also have less control over what my “storefront” looks like. It’s no longer branded with my logo and my colors. I thought this change would be temporary while they work out the kinks. But it’s been a couple months now, and things are still clunky. And this is really the least harmful of the changes.
While there is still a “free” subscription option for artists that allows up to 10 art uploads, Society6 has otherwise begun charging artists a monthly subscription in order to sell on this site. There are two paid tiers available: Basic $60/year (capped at 100 uploads) and Pro $155/year (capped at 10,000 uploads). Furthermore, they are now charging the artists a “shipping fee” that is deducted from their earnings for every product they sell. These fees vary depending on the product. Prior to these changes, Society6 paid the artists 10% of the products sold without a subscription fee. The end. Now, the new fees come out of that 10% earnings and they charge a subscription fee. This makes it less profitable for the artist. It’s like the opposite of getting a raise!
So, I figured it was time to move to another POD site like Redbubble or maybe Etsy. Only to discover that these sites also now have similar subscription models and charge fees on the products sold. (OMG, so many fees to sell on Etsy!) I suppose we, the artists, could pass on the cost of the fees to the customer. But, I don’t think that’s a fair solution either. (I’m obviously a horrible capitalist.)
Other options. Then I thought perhaps I should open up my own Shopify store and combine it with a POD drop shipper like Printful or Printify. Shopify is an e-commerce service that helps businesses sell online. Drop shipping is similar to print on demand in that they produce the product only when it’s ordered by a customer, and they ship it directly to the client. The shop owner (on Shopify) partners with (or subscribe to) a POD drop-shipper. This set up gives you more control over your e-commerce shop. But you (the shop owner) are responsible for marketing, customer service and sales taxes. The state and federal laws around sales taxes alone are so complicated that I couldn’t wrap my head around it. I would have to subscribe to another service, like Tax Jar, to help me navigate the sales taxes. So that is already three subscriptions I would have to pay for if I chose the Shopify route… not a viable option for a struggling artist on a budget. 😞 Now, if you are business-savvy and a hot-shot entrepreneur, this might not sound so difficult. But, I was an art major, and while I excelled in art and, yes I even got an A in calculus, I do not have a very sharp business mind. But here I am, with my own business, trying.
FAA. Then I discovered FineArtAmerica (FAA). Long story short, this POD site is similar to Society6 and Redbubble, but it’s independently owned. It doesn’t have as many product options, but it also does NOT have investors like Society 6 or Redbubble do. Because it’s free of investors, the owner is able to run his business independently. Isn’t that what we solo-preneurs strive for? So for now, it seems that treating artists (what I consider to be) fairly is part of their business model. FineArtAmerica has a free subscription with up to 25 art uploads and a paid subscription of $30 per year with unlimited uploads. This already sounds like a better option. Plus they do not charge artists a “shipping fee” for the products they sell. There is an excellent article about FineArtAmerica that you can read for all the finer details of their business model and why it’s so different (yet similar) than the others.
My brain hurts now after explaining all of this. I realize I am new to FineArtAmerica, and I’m sure it’s not perfect nor the answer to everything. But I feel like they have the artist’s interests in mind and heart. I think and feel (because I’m an artist now and feel things 🙄) like it’s a good option for my tiny business. Also, not to be left out, Spoonflower, which primarily sells fabric, still seems to be pro-artist and not fee-happy. To be continued, I’m sure.
Also, don’t ask me why I’m not selling at in-person events. My brain might explode to think of all the logistics involved. I need to think less about business strategies and sketch, doodle and draw more!!! 😃 😆
Ommygoodness! Happy holidays and happy new year!!! I suppose this blog post should’ve been about the holiday season. And all the new holiday designs I’ve created and uploaded onto FineArtAmerica and Spoonflower. Here are some quick product links on FineArtAmerica!
I hope this holiday season is joyful and peaceful for you and those close to you. Thank you always for reading all the way to the bottom! See you next year!! ❤️