# The Deco Network Conversation



## Ziptac (Jun 25, 2015)

Hi Guys,

I'm a decorator and marketer, not a printer. I am currently using Wordpress and Woocommerce and am finding the system to be quite lacking in what I need. I've been searching for a new solution (including bigcommerce, cartel, shopify, inksoft, and Deconetwork). At this point I've shot down shopify, bigcommerce, cartel and inksoft for various reasons. And now on to DecoNetwork.

I just spend a few moments over the phone with Deco network and was not impressed. I'm hoping that the gaps can be filled through T-shirts forums thoughts:

1. Why do their monthly costs show $89 when other's on these forums are saying $40-50?

2. What kind of stupid rip off is this 500 orders and then you pay $1 per order over 500!? Are they trying to be like Cafepress? (Sorry a little venting)

3. Has anybody done the following: create a product page where a design is a product. When a customer clicks on the design they are taken to a page that shows a default of the design on a TEE but also allows them to pick swatch colors - AND, allows them to switch to a totally different garment (like a tank or baby onsie)? Is this possible with Deco? Any referrals to websites that are currently doing this?

4. Anyone successfully doing SEO with the products on Deco and do they allow full control over product descriptions, tags, and so forth?

5. Has anyone successfully used the mass product upload and is it just an Excel type of import?

6. Anyone successful with the API and using their own payment gateway? I personally have a better gateway with lower costs (CDG commerce and Quantum gateway) that I'd like to use.

7. With the API and integration, does it at any time require customers to leave your site for deco-net?


Now for some feedback to Deco. Please understand that when I call I have questions. I find it insulting when people talk over my questions and then launch into their sales script. I truly wasn't listened to and she was trying to sell me on functions that I don't want or need. If you want me to get excited about your services then I suggest listening to what I tell you.


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## brenden (Dec 11, 2008)

Hi,

Thanks for your post and I'm sorry you had a poor call experience. I will certainly pass your feedback on to the team.

I'll try to answer each of your questions in full below. If you need anything clarified let me know.

1. Over the years there have been various DecoNetwork plans available ranging in price. Some of the forum posts may refer to some of these older plans. The current plans available start at $89. Full plans and pricing can be found at Pricing + Sign-up | DecoNetwork


2. Some companies charge a transaction fee, storage fee, number of products limit or traffic fee. We decided not to use those barriers so you don't pay an extra until you get more than 500 orders. You'll be looking at $37,500+ a month in orders before you start paying any additional charges based on an average order value of $75 and then it is 


3. In DecoNetwork you can start with a design and when selected it will show you that design on various products. You can select the product and customise the design, change product color, or select a new product. You can see MDC11 - DecoNetwork Demo Store as an example.


4. The best example I can give you is a direct Google search result. I'm in Australia so my results are for Australian clients. Browse to: https://www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=custom t shirt

This is for the generic Google search term "custom t shirt" at google.com.au

Results #1 Printlocker.com.au is DecoNetwork as is result #3 Tee Junction. Also on there in position 8 is The Print Bar, also Deco.

We give you the control to set your page title, meta tags (though this is useless in today's SEO world) and on-page content to help you rank your site but ultimately the ranking depends on your content and how good your site is.


5. The mass import process is a combination of CSV import and files. It's an import wizard which prompts you to upload the CSV file plus add a zip file of all your product images. With those images referenced in the CSV columns they are matched up and imported.

The tools we provide for you to make your own catalog is the same tool our team uses to make the catalogs within DecoNetwork.


6. The external checkout API is used by a number of clients.

Customize a Sleeve or Case for tablet, smartphone and laptop - EGOsketch for example is one who uses the API to integrate with Magento. They also sell the Magento plugin I believe. 

API docs can be found at Integration and APIs


7. It's up to you how you want to do it. You could have them leave the site to a subdomain like designer.yoursite.com or you can embed the designer on your page as an iframe for example.


Hope this helps and let me know if you need anything clarified.

Cheers,
Brenden


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## Ziptac (Jun 25, 2015)

Brendan,

Thanks for the reply. I suspected you would post something. I do appreciate how thorough you were in your answers. It probably took you a while.

1. The cost is prohibitive for me as a designer/marketer. I don't use all the bells and whistles; for just getting started I needed something simple.

2. My average order value is around $20 with reasonable margins (considering overhead, outsourced printing, design costs, and marketing costs). Your pricing schedule doesn't play too well with my current plans.

3. Thanks for the demo site. I do see the capabilities.

4. Thanks for the referrals, I checked them all out as well as each referral in your showcase. The problem is that no one is using you guys the way I would. It just looks like a slight mis-match for a designer/marketer.

5. Good. Just that it exists is enough.

6. Again it is good to see that it is possible.

7. I hope the integration is DIY friendly.

Thanks again Brendan. But I do feel the need to ask if anyone in the community is using Deco-Net in the way I want to.


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## brenden (Dec 11, 2008)

No problem.

Perhaps you can write up a short description on how you would like to use it might help.

We have over 30,000 website on the platform now so hopefully something matches what you are after. But then again, we're not for everyone 



Cheers,
Brenden


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