# Opinion - SpreadShirt is # 1



## Foxy (Nov 13, 2005)

in my opinion, SpreadShirt is the # 1 online custom software/program today.

[edit: removed self promotion]

The best place to sell your stuff ? # 1 www.cafepress.com or www.ebay.com .

These are just my opinions.

Do you have an opinion on any others, post here.

mod edit: removed link to poster's site as per our rules on self promotion and link dropping: http://www.t-shirtforums.com/showthread.php?t=1173


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## Bougie (Jul 12, 2005)

I have a spreadshirt shop. Do you think I should also offer some of the same designs on cafe press to increase my sales? Or not?


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## jdr8271 (Jun 16, 2005)

my opinion...
Its best not to use any of the sites listed above (with the exception of ebay). The best way is to print your own shirts, design your own website, and market the shirts on your own. That is the best way to go if you really want to make alot of money anyway. 

Of the print on demand companies, cafepress is definitely the best, particularly becuase of there new black printing technique. What sets cafepress apart from spread shirt is that cafepress stores are much more customizable. For the most part however all spreadshirt stores look the same.


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## sarafina (Jul 27, 2005)

Considering the cost to get started using cafepress/spreadshirt is so low, you may as well use both.

Jdr makes a good point. For every shirt you sell your losing alot in potential profit had you been doing it entirely yourself. I'm going to do it myself for that reason but can definitely see myself using ebay/cafepress/spreadshirt as additional revenues streams.


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## Decal_Designs (Jul 4, 2005)

Many many years ago, I had some club t-shirts on cafepress. At the time, I wasn't thinking about making t-shirts as a business venture, but I just wanted one or two simple designs for my friends in the club. Back in the beginning, you could have cafepress create the shirt at the base price and still make a few bucks for yourself. The shirts were only OK looking. The mugs they had turned out great. However, cafepress started raising the base price on everything so high that you could only add $1 unless you wanted to try to sell shirts for very high prices compared to a store in the mall. Eventually I quit using them altogether. I'm sure that the quality is much better now, but I have never thought about trying them again.

On the other hand, cafepress is still around, and many people are making money using them. They offer many items you may not want to make yourself too.

They have their place I guess, but I'm not going to bother with them.
eBay, if used properly, is a great marketplace. You can sell through eBay and also drive people to your own website for better sales and profits. But you should remember that you are not selling t-shirts. You are selling your designs that happen to be on a t-shirt. Don't be afraid to charge a fair price for yourself. You don't have to be cheaper than the other guy. Be reasonable and if they like your design, they will buy the t-shirt.


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## Chris (Sep 19, 2005)

sarafina said:


> Considering the cost to get started using cafepress/spreadshirt is so low, you may as well use both.
> 
> Jdr makes a good point. For every shirt you sell your losing alot in potential profit had you been doing it entirely yourself. I'm going to do it myself for that reason but can definitely see myself using ebay/cafepress/spreadshirt as additional revenues streams.


The problem with this mindset is that you're leaving the door open for bad word-of-mouth by going for that additional revenue. 

Could you have one "premium" screened line and a lower-cost (separate) CP line promoted on the same site? Possibly, but under no circumstance would I have the same designs on both..


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## monkeylantern (Oct 16, 2005)

Chris said:


> The problem with this mindset is that you're leaving the door open for bad word-of-mouth by going for that additional revenue.
> 
> Could you have one "premium" screened line and a lower-cost (separate) CP line promoted on the same site? Possibly, but under no circumstance would I have the same designs on both..


Entirely agreed.


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## linkmandx (Nov 25, 2005)

I've used Cafepress and Spreadshirt, and I'm more impressed with SS because of the Design Gallery (I can't create vectors for my life), and the Designer (more customization options). If you know HTML, you can create some great shops. There are some better than mine, but you can check mine out in my sig.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

Chris said:


> The problem with this mindset is that you're leaving the door open for bad word-of-mouth by going for that additional revenue.
> 
> Could you have one "premium" screened line and a lower-cost (separate) CP line promoted on the same site? Possibly, but under no circumstance would I have the same designs on both..


I don't agree with that at all. Your majority of customers generally don't care whether the design is in one place or another. They just want it, quick.


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## monkeylantern (Oct 16, 2005)

Rodney said:


> I don't agree with that at all. Your majority of customers generally don't care whether the design is in one place or another. They just want it, quick.


Depends on the demographic. You're right for many sorts of shirts (such as political slogans, or those which appeal to the "Middle America kitsch" style), but for threadless sorts of shirts, more arty design-focused, those customers tend to be more aware of what exactly "CafePress" is and, rightly or wrongly, to avoid it (and judge things tainted by it...imagine if threadless started a CafePress line....there'd be bemused and disgusted outrage)


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

monkeylantern said:


> Depends on the demographic.


I agree 100% there. The demographic is everything


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