Posters?

[heathhughes]

I want to create motivational posters that can be printed up on demand. Cafe press does posters, but Idon't think you can add an inspirational qupte. Any advice?

Thank you!

[Marcie]

I have a cafepress store, I don't have anything with an image and text together on a poster but I do have posters with just text - it's all still one image - see example here: http://www.cafepress.com/kewlpeopletees/2792942 - you just need to add the text onto the image (or at the bottom of it or whatever) in a photoshop-type application. Feel free to send me a message if you need more info...

[heathhughes]

Hi Marci,

Thanks so much for the link. I'll think through my quesions and get back to you. Thanks for offering.

How are you doing on your cafe press shop? Do you pay extra to have a shop front? Also, just curious what the pretzles joke is about.

Thanks,

Heather

[Marcie]

Yes I think I pay $6 a month or something for a premium shop. I am currently making $100-$200/month with two shops - I am a graphic designer by trade so it takes me no time to come up with an image or images once I come up with an idea.

The pretzels thing is a quote from Seinfeld, I actually sold one of those t-shirts just the other day :)

[heathhughes]

Thanks for the reply.

Wow, good job on selling out. I guess I don't watch enough Seinfeld :) !

I want an image and several quotes that can be sold on the various items. I'm thinking of combining a vintage photo with quotes.

Have you sold many other items beside the shirts? By the way did you start your shop before reading the book or after?

Thanks so much for you help.


Heather

[Marcie]

Mostly I sell shirts. If you google anything about tshirts their ads come up so I get a lot of traffic that way, the other items, I add as they are applicable, for example I have an autism graphic and I have sold a poster for that. Also, some items as gifts for members of wedding parties, and bibs for babies :)

I actually started a basic store a couple years ago with one design I made for a friend, and forgot about it for several months. When I logged back in, I had sold about 5 more by doing nothing, and thought 'aha' - if I multiply the number of designs I have here, I can multiply this income :)

[heathhughes]

Hi Marcie,

Thanks for the info!!!

Couple of questions. I'm interested in buying a gettyimages photo to put on a t shirt, but it 's rather expensive. They offered me 20% off which brings the image down to about $350. I want to combine that image with an inspirational quote and then put that on lots of different items on cafe press. Any thoughts on that? Have you ever purchased the rights to a photo to use for this kind of thing?

I could also try to find an illustrator to do a simple line drawing, but this is a vintage image which has lots of charm.

Also, is it you who started the mother's/4 hour work week forum?

Thanks for your input!

Heather

[cheez avenger]

Yes I think I pay $6 a month or something for a premium shop. I am currently making $100-$200/month with two shops - I am a graphic designer by trade so it takes me no time to come up with an image or images once I come up with an idea.

The pretzels thing is a quote from Seinfeld, I actually sold one of those t-shirts just the other day :)



Hi Marcie,


in order to make 100-200 how much merchandise gets sold?

I took a peek at the site, which is really cool.


My only concern is the licensing aspect part of it. If I come up with that "breakthrough" image, or tag line and use it with them I'm entitled to no royalties, or licensing fees--even if it sells really well.


Yes, I understand if I came up with something "revolutionary" I would not want to put it on cafepress either. Just illustrating a point. :o

I'm thinking you have to sell tons of stuff in order to get the check.

You say it's effortless, with the exception of uploading images, text, right?


I guess it does count as a passive stream of income.



-cheez avenger

[Marcie]

You can control the markup (how much you make on each sale)- but as you can imagine people will only pay so much for a t-shirt! I have a $5 markup on everything and I average about one sale/day right now. Yeah, it's not exactly a muse but it helps with the bills. There are some shopkeepers (they say) who make six figures!

Heather - I have not ever purchased an image that expensive, and all my designs are pretty simple like the pretzels one you saw. I would think it would take quite awhile before you could recoup that cost. Have you looked at http://www.istockphoto.com/ - it's a lot cheaper, there are some other places too.

Yes I started the mom's group :)

[heathhughes]

Marcie,

Thanks so much. I just found a great picture that will do just as well ( and is about 349.00 cheaper) and now I'm on my way to trying my first t-shirt design. (Unless of course you can recomemend a reasonably priced graphic designer! )

If you're ever in need of any filmmaking advice maybe I can return the favor one day.

Best,

Heather