Now I have heard emporium style unbranded stores don't do very well. I just think its a matter of getting found. Google has rewritten search rankings so much to favor bigger stores, that if you don't have outside linkbacks and reviews on top websites, your products won't show up for individual queries. I think this is done to avoid taking away from the big box stores and stem the tide of listings from some of the marketplaces. Whatever the case, as you may be asking, am I successful yet, well not in my store, but I am creating awareness of my art on my other sites. Its a great ad tool for your print on demand career as you can showcase your designs on all manner of products and maybe get a sale on another site by showing your one unique shopify product. Also, all is not lost. All my time is not wasted. Several of the print on demand companies used by shopify, allow you to create a product that also is set to sale on that company's website and marketplace. These are my favorite. because if I don't sell it myself, it still has a chance on the print on demand market place from the company of origin. These marketplaces also have a place usually where you can link back to at least one website. I usually choose my link tree site, which is a site that allows you to publish a weblist of your sites. They recently implemented a look see area for shopify with a little pull down product integration. it is fantastic. I have mine on business cards.
There is a lot out there for shopify in print on demand. I would like to see emporium style stores catch on so they become more trusted as artists home bases and thereby increase sales. So here is my review of the best apps to have for an artist store. and by the way.. shopify is only about 30$ a month which is what you'd pay for a website anywhere and this one comes with selling capabilities!
Here is my review of the apps I deem usable for a big artist store like I have here. I will show three main considerations. One: design tool usability. Two : do they have an outside marketplace to sell on so you are not just designing into your own little unpromoted black void. Three: Are they in the app store, or off site in order to add the app integration to your shopify store. I will also tell of my dealings with any of them that I have, but mind you I have had three sales in the year I have been open, so not much volume to speak of.
In no particular order:
1: Aplique Dropship: Design tool - clunky, Marketplace - yes, App store-yes. Customer service was fast to respond to my questions but I have not placed an order with them. They sell premade clothing with patches of your designs.
2: Art Of Where: Design Tool - slick, Marketplace - yes, App store - yes. I have sold items, and placed several orders. company out of canada with great ship times. Their commission payout for marketplace is one week as well.
3: Artists Shops Print on Demand (threadless): Design tool - time consuming, Marketplace - you get your own storefront but they have to invite you into their marketplace and I have not been added yet, App store - no. application process is on Threadless. I have ordered all over print t-shirts. great plus sizes. makes a variety handful of print on demand all over print products. Homegoods and then shoes, t-shirts and socks.
4: Arts Add Product importer: Design tool - medium slick but time saving, Marketplace - yes, App store - no. Company using a production facility in China that I have ordered from through another company, Interestprint which may or may not be affiliated with them. Sites are nearly identical but interest print has no marketplace. I figured we have a worl economy and china artists need jobs too, so why not try. here is the shoes
5: Candleify Candle Dropshipping; Design tool - simple, Marketplace - no, Appstore - yes. only allows adding candle labels. It's the only product.
6: Contrado: Design tool - slick, Marketplace yes, Appstore - yes but its is complicated to get the app hooked up to your contrado account if you are a member of their sister store bags of love. Their tech team solved my problems great. I have not ordered from them, but years ago about 2012 i was in another incarnation of artists store with print on demand and an executive from Contrado called me because they wanted to interview artists for their newly planned marketplace. i was designing products on bags of love at the time. They were wonderful and earnestly wanted their artists to be the happiest in print on demand. Company out of London. They sent me a scarf with one of my kaleidoscopes on it as a thank you. I still have it.
7: Custom Cat: Design tool - clunky, Marketplace - no, app store: yes. Product shots on the 3d interpolations leave something to be desired.
8: Digital Downloads: this is an app from the app store that will email your file and provide a link to it upon check out if you want to sell digital image downloads. Works great I tested it out once. be sure to mark your products as not keeping track of inventory and no physical product. Then in the pull down menu at the top on the product details page you can add the digital download file. storage is free.
9: DropshipCN print on demand: Design tool- medium slick, Marketplace - no, App store- yes. This company appears to be identical to cow cow, but i have seen no affiliation. I just purchased some leggings from them and as an update, the company charged as Poy Trading, which I believe is the same as cow cow; which would be great since I have already ordered a dress and skirt from cow cow and they turned out magnificently. They may just use the same china production facility. Cow cow, I have ordered from and their clothing is great. I designed the same exact dresses on this site's app. Had to contact their customer service a couple time with technical issues and they were resolved quite fast. they have a huge catalog of beautiful all over print clothing and a bulk design tool that if you knew how to use on cow cow, you will find it works the same.
10: Erprolo: Design tool - medium, marketplace - no, app store - yes
11: Gear Launch: Design tool - medium, marketplace - no, app store - yes
12: Gelato Print on Demand: Design tool - medium, marketplace - no, app store - yes
13. Gooten Print on Demand: Design tool - medium slick, marketplace - no, app store yes. These guys have a lot of all over print goods. Unfortunately some of the cooler ones don't have product shot 3d interpolations yet. I have ordered from them and they did a good couple week turn around. Good customer service response time as well. Enticing, but no product shot, no sale. They are always changing though check back every few months and see whats been updated.
14. Inkpod: design tool - medium slick, marketplace - no, app store yes.
15. Interest Print Products Import: design tool - medium but time saving, marketplace - no, app store - no. I have three pairs of shoes shipped from china in about two and half weeks. their website is a bit glitchy.
16: Jetprint: Design tool- slick, marketplace - no, app store - yes. Fun to design with this app.
17.Kin Custom: Design tool - slick but time consuming, marketplace - yes, app store - yes. I have sold in their marketplace, but not on my site. Company out of Hawaii. Great product shots. best on the market actually.
18. Live Heroes dropshipping: This is an app i found by emailing customer service at live heroes and asking if they had a shopify integration. at this time it only allows the import of four products. hoodies though. sounds good. marketplace - yes. I have sold several on their marketplace. Long production time. company out of Poland. 21 days for a pair of leggings. If you warn your customers you are print on demand and cutting sewing and printing the item takes time, you might get away with it, but three weeks is long time to wait for a pair of leggings. that being said I ordered one of their hats and it took three weeks, but it was so cute. nice quality stuff.
19: Pixels: pixels is also fine art america, so if you are on either of those, get the membership for 30$ a year and you can use this app store app to import all your pixels products. I sold something from them and it was my first sale. went real smooth. great customer service. you design on their site, the app is for product importing.
20: Plixpod: hoplix. design tool - clunky, marketplace yes but its in Italy, app store yes. missing the great 3d product shot interpolations. Great customer service though. Imports the products in italian titles so spice up your store a bit.
21: Printful: design tool - slick, marketplace - no, app store yes. good customer service but i have not ordered from them and the few times i have designed it said i met the limit for designing that that day. Nice selection of all over print clothing though.
22: Print Holo: Design tool - slick, marketplace - no, app store - yes.
23: Printify: Design tool - slicker than most, marketplace - no, app store - yes. I have ordered several coffee mugs from them and a few other things like boots. The boots were coming from another company with an app at the time so the same products are everywhere. great mugs amazing boots. I designed many after I received them. All over print stuff has a huge catalog right now. i am addicted to this place.
24: Printy 6: design tool- medium slick, marketplace no, app store - yes.
25: Prodigi: design tool- clunky but time saving, marketplace - no, app store yes. My only complaint is when you add an image it autocreates a collection that is not an automatic collection with your image. great but i wasn't doing that. nice selection of fine art prints though.
26; product reviews: an app that allows your store to have customers add reviews and displays them on the product page. free and easy to use.
27: Promo.com video maker: uses images from your catalog lets you design quick template videos . free. limited templates. only a couple product images at a time. its something if you dont know where to start with video promotion.
28: Subliminator: Design tool - slick, marketplace - no, app store - yes. neat all over print clothing and home goods. great product shots.
29: Teelaunch: design tool - just updated. better, marketplace - no, app store - yes. great product shots and good techie selection. Just ordered my beebop headphones and they are fantastic for the price and the print is so slick fast turnaround.
30. This New: design tool - medium slick, marketplace - no, app store - no. newer company. product shots are grainy. customer service was quick to respond though. wide variety of pod clothing. nice customer service response time with technical questions.
31: Through 6: design tool - slick, marketplace - no, app store- no, I ordered from these guys. they make my bucket hats and i got a skirt the hats are great. the skirt was awesome plus sized. The only complaint i have was they dont have 3 d interpolations of all their products yet so no image no sell. hard to sell an image with a pattern cut out shot. The hats are slick though. They may be my favorite pod item i have ver ordered.
32: Two fifteen: design tool - clunky, marketplace- unsure.. they are europe based, app store, yes. The only place to get a few pod home goods. unique items. good customer service.
33: Viral Style Fufillment: design tool - medium clunky - medium slick, marketplace - no, app store - yes. Good customer service when I had questions about something.
34: WC Fufillment print on Demand: design tool- medium slick and time consuming, you have to make an image a specific size for each product, marketplace - no, app store - yes. I ordered a cloak from here. fast like week or two turn around and the cloak was magnificent.
35: Yoycol: design tool - slick, marketplace - no, app store - yes. I dont know much about them really but they have a HUGE apparel all over print catalog and my luck has been so good so far. will be ordering a dress in the spring.