What do you think about CafePress.com? - Page 2

st@rsky · 05-10-06, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Altec

Thank you for the quick responses. Ed and Starsky, when you say poor quality, what do you mean? The shirt was too thin, it was coming unstitched, the print was offcentered or unreadable?

To be perfectly honest, its unwearable. The only place I can probably wear it is in Bed.

Its too big to wear normally, the quality is appalling, its too thin, its uncomfortable to wear, and it soon degrades after its first wash.

Look elsewhere imho..

BurnTees · 05-10-06, 09:58 AM

I'm a CafePress shopkeeper and I just wanted to jump in with my opinion....and that is...you get what you paid for.

Personally, I only buy and wear the organic tee and the fitted tee. They're a little more expensive but they are american apparel shirts and they are the best quality shirts around. If you spent about $12 on the value tee, you really can't expect the quality to be amazing...if you bought a $12 shirt in the store, what kind of expectations would you really have?

Next concern..print quality. CafePress recently upgraded their printing methods and I can assure you that the quality is pretty darn good.

In regards to the original question...how much money can and do shops make? It's like any business...it depends on what kind of time and money you put into it. But lets just say that if you take it seriously and put the time into it, you can definitely make a good amount of money. In regards to the top 10 shops listed? those aren't actually the top 10 shops...i'm not really sure where CafePress comes up with that list.

scarebaby · 05-10-06, 10:17 AM

I'm a CafePress shopkeeper too, and I would like to add to what BurnTees said. It's important to remember that CafePress offers a 30-day money back guarantee -- if a person is unhappy with their product, they can get their money back no questions asked. That's quite valuable.

Very few shopkeepers use CafePress as their sole source of income. For many, it's a creative outlet. For some, a political soapbox. For a few, financial freedom. But I wouldn't recommend going into it thinking you can quit your day job.

And yes, you get what you pay for (in terms of quality). The "value tee", at $12, is a thin, summerweight item. But where else on the internet can one get a 100% cotton t-shirt that says "Property of Brewster Jennings"?

Super Mod · 05-10-06, 10:36 AM

Is CafePress the most reputable of the businesses that distribute t-shirts in this fashion? Are there other companies that people might want to consider? I was just wondering if anyone has come across anyone else that we could compare CafePress to.

BurnTees · 05-10-06, 10:38 AM

yes, there are others, and trust me, i checked them all out before starting my shop. there are sites like zazzle, spreadshirt, and printmojo. each site has its pros and cons but i thought that CP had more to offer than the other shops. spreadshirt offers more colored shirts, but no marketplace, shops aren't as nice, and not as user friendly. with print mojo, you have to buy your inventory upfront...since CP is print on demand, there's no inventory to purchase. zazzle, i really don't remember. but yes, there are choices and different sites work better for different people.

SmartAssProducts.com · 05-10-06, 01:45 PM

I'm also a CP shop owner, and I have nothing but positive things to say about them. I'm really quite puzzled by some of the negative comments about the quality of their products, as I've never seen anything but very high quality.

As with most purchases, the buyer needs to pay attention to the details before they order; if they do, they most likely will not be disappointed. For example, if you're ordering a shirt, you really need to read the sizing and thickness charts for the shirts you're considering. Some are thicker than others, some fit tighter/looser, etc.

In my experience even the lowest priced shirt, the value tee, is of acceptable quality and thickness to be worn as an outer shirt. Obviously, not everyone has the same taste when it comes to thickness, so some might not see it that way--but if you're worried about thickness, buy a heavier shirt. Again, check the charts before you order.

As some of my fellow shopkeepers have already said, CP has a 30-day satisfaction guarantee--and they really do mean it! If you're unhappy with your purchase for any reason, simply return it. CafePress is excellent when it comes to customer service/customer satisfaction and will work with you to make sure the problem is resolved to your liking, whether that means a refund or replacement.

In terms of money-making potential, it's like any other business: You get what you're willing to put into it. My shop does quite well and I'm very pleased with its success thus far.

st@rsky · 05-10-06, 03:34 PM

Each one to their own, Just stating my experience with them.

RE:Printing Presses: I bought my items a few weeks back, unless they have upgraded in the last couple of weeks what I said about the printing methods still stands. (imo of course

)

SmartAssProducts.com · 05-10-06, 05:57 PM

In my opinion, a very good gauge of customer satisfaction with CP's products is the return rate, and mine is so small I've never even bothered calculating its percentage. I've had a handful of returns (less than 15) over the past 2+ years, versus several thousand items sold. Therefore, I assume that my customers have been pleased with the products they received.

evanmit · 05-10-06, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spencer

Is CafePress the most reputable of the businesses that distribute t-shirts in this fashion? Are there other companies that people might want to consider? I was just wondering if anyone has come across anyone else that we could compare CafePress to.

As I mentioned in my post at the bottom of page 1, spreadshirt.com also offer print on demand however using different processes. This means that a 1 or 2 colour design is printed using the same methods a store-bought shirt would use. THe quality is great, and about the same price as CP. Havent tried their full color digital prints yet though.

stephjmort · 05-11-06, 11:39 AM

I would just like to jump in for a moment.

I am one of the shopkeepers with a shop in this weeks top ten at CAFEPRESS. My shop is America's Tees, which is on the original list on pg. one of this thread.

I believe that I made the top ten list this week because a particular design of mine recently sold a very large amount. I would imagine that this was noticed on a sales report somewhere, which would be why my shop was featured. It is new shop for me that I recently up-graded from several free shops that previously held only one design each.

My main concentration is a photography shop that I also have at Cafepress. I have not had time to update it recently, or even add any newness in quite awhile, however it continues to generate revenue despite the fact that I have not had the time to devote to it.

I have ordered t-shirts from cafepress, in fact 2 of the same heather grey shirt... one printed the old method, and one the new. I like the new method better, however the old one continues to look good after several wears & washes. I also have some other apparel, zip jackets, baby tees... that I have been very pleased with.

I have had only 2 returns in about 2 years, and they were not t-shirts. I have been pleased with Cafepress.

I also have a gallery at a competitor, Zazzle. Again, it is a photography based shop. This shop generates a lot of sales for me as well, however at Zazzle, you cannot control your pricing (mark-up). I do not have experience with their t-shirt quality, however the quality of their prints is OUTSTANDING. Their user interface is better than Cafepress, and I have had excellent experience with their customer service.

Hope this can help people here clarify some decisions about whether or not CP is worth the effort.