Print on Demand thoughts: Redbubble

 


Who here has a Print on Demand store?  I only have one that am properly active in, so far, which is Redbubble.  I am a member of a few services but I don't do a lot on those accounts and am looking to change that over the next few months.  I've been wanting to do it for years to be honest but life and other priorities or distractions tend to get in the way.  Who else here has been on that same boat and then just couldn't be bothered after a while?  

Anyhow, I've decided to just focus on Redbubble right now.  I've been a member on that the longest, (since 2006) and receive sporadic amounts of money from them every month.  It is mostly small change but considering that I don't upload regularly or promote as much as I should, I think it's a lovely monthly surprise.

Here are some things I have noticed with Redbubble based on personal experience:

  • Upload new designs regularly.

A common advice but definitely worth mentioning. The more regularly I uploaded, the more sales I made.  I've even made a sale on a new illustration only an hour after uploading it.  I've been trying to either upload or edit an old piece (prioritizing the best sellers) and updating it on Redbubble at least once a week.  The Rainbow Nudibranch design is one of the latest ones I have uploaded.

 

Rainbow Nudibranchs Shirt

Rainbow Nudibranchs Cat Mat

  • Update your work.

I don't have a lot of designs uploaded at the moment, despite being around since 2006.  The reason would be is that I actually deleted a lot of my old work.  Illustrations that I no longer felt represented myself and my style.  Also, back in the day, I wasn't as familiar with resolutions and a lot of my really old work cannot be applied to a majority of products because the resolution is too low.  That said, if there are pieces up in your shop that sells well, update them so that they are available on all products. I've been going through some of my old work and changing the illustration into patterns.  The Bunnies Galore! design has been around since 2015 and I just turned it into a pattern 7 years later and updated it on my shop.  The shirt is a bit different to the tapestry for instance.

  • Buy your own products. 

 First, it's tax deductible like any business expense, imagine being able to claim tax on a new wardrobe that you designed! Second, you can check the quality. Third, advertising.  I don't know about you, but I personally love getting complimented on my top and then telling people I designed it myself.  If anything, am thinking that I should start carrying business cards specifically for my Redbubble store. It couldn't hurt, right?


  • Edit work to suit different products.

Okay , so I haven't actually tried any of the services that claim to upload onto different POD stores at the same on all products, but to be honest, am not sure how that is possible.  What looks good on a puzzle template, won't necessarily look good on a t-shirt or a pair of leggings.  I find that I've had to go back to Photoshop several times and edit an art work just so it does look better on specific products, so am really not too sure how it would work.  If anyone out there would like to enlighten me, the advice would certainly be appreciated.  The racerback Tank Top is a different design compared to the Graphic T-shirt dress.

Clownfish and Blue Tangs Friendship Racerback tank top

Clownfish and Blue Tangs Friendship Graphic T-shirt Dress

  • Maybe focus on a niche?

I've seen a lot of you tube videos propose this and maybe you would make more sales doing that, especially if you find a niche that is trending or is super popular at the time.  Myself, I'm on the mindset of creating work that makes me happy on a personal level and what I would like to wear myself. I think I ended up with a niche anyway, simply with what am interested in which is mostly nature illustrations, skulls and whimsical characters.  I am considering opening up some other stores that just focuses on one thing or another in the future, just to see if there is a major difference, but I am currently happy having several subject matters on my Redbubble store at the moment.

  • Try and have your design active on all products.

 Like most social media algorithms, the new thing tends to get prioritized,  At the time of writing, Redbubble just released pet mats, blankets and bandannas.

 

  • Promoting on any or all your social media channels.

It really does help with getting your work seen and making sales.  I promote on my Instagram, blog, Facebook and twitter.  I plan to create a Pinterest account too.  So many!  Am not great at it admittedly.  My posting is too sporadic and all social media algorithms would prefer that you post regularly and I suck at that when I have a lot of work on.  I should try things like "Later" and "Hootsuite" to help I suppose.

I am currently on vacation and one of my goals is to upload as much as I can up on my Redbubble store, a 100 designs if possible by end of the year and to update as much as the old work as I can to make them suitable to all products.

I will be writing more about my experiences on this blog!  Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on how to improve the Redbubble experience?  Let me know in the comments!


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