Pivot, Pivot, Pivot
Society6 sent out an email on February 3rd that they are now focusing on a small group of artists for their POD site and will no longer be doing business with newer, smaller entrepreneurs. That includes me. I was going to launch my site on March first. I was very upset and heartbroken because I really liked the products Society6 had to offer for my artwork and I had spent months uploading designs and ordering samples to get everything just right. So I had to pivot and find another brand to work with. After much research, I’ve decided to go with a company that I already worked with in the past. They’ve recently merged with another brand so that they can have more products to offer their customers, which actually works out to be similar to what Society6 was offering. That company is Printful. They are another POD site and I can link my website directly to theirs so the buying experience should be seamless.
Printful is a popular print-on-demand service that allows artists, designers, and entrepreneurs to upload their artwork and sell it on a variety of products. They handle everything from printing to fulfillment and shipping. You can use Printful to create custom products such as t-shirts, hoodies, posters, phone cases, mugs, and more, all featuring your designs.
Here’s how Printful works for artwork:
Create an Account: Sign up on Printful and connect it to your online store (Shopify, Etsy, Squarespace - which is what I use).
Upload Your Artwork: Once you're logged in, upload your designs to Printful’s platform. You can upload designs for specific products, adjusting the size and placement as needed.
Choose Products: Printful offers a wide range of customizable products. You can select the items you want to offer your customers, and Printful will print your artwork onto those items.
Set Your Pricing: You set the retail price, and Printful provides the base cost (which includes printing, packaging, and shipping). The difference is your profit.
Sales and Fulfillment: When someone buys a product with your design, Printful handles everything from printing to shipping directly to your customer.
Printful also has integrations with several e-commerce platforms and offers tools to help you design and create mockups for your products.
If you're looking to start selling artwork through print-on-demand, Printful is a good choice. You can get started by visiting their site: Printful.
What I’ve learned from this experience is that you have to keep going and pivot. When one door closes, another door opens. So I will be using Printful and starting off with a smaller product line, then gradually increase my offerings. The products I’ve found are awesome so stay tuned! You’ll be the first to know when they’re available for sale.
Stay inspired and keep creating.