ImageKind

ImageKind is where I first dipped my toe into the POD waters.  I was looking for an online business to frame a digital painting I had created.  I opened a free account with them and uploaded a sampling of my work.  I purchased one of my own paintings and it’s hanging on my living room wall.  It turned out great.  Their printing and framing services are top-notch.  However, I never sold a single piece of artwork there - I only had a dozen or so files uploaded on my free account, and never put much effort into to it, so it’s no wonder.  I found that I was better suited for a different kind of POD.

CafePress

CafePress is where I have found myself for the past year and a half.  I began with a basic shop but quickly upgraded to premium.  I soon found myself addicted because I was having fun designing and even more fun selling.  Making a little money here and there is always a nice incentive for any artist, though true to my artistic nature, I would stick with my art, whether it sold or not!  However, what really turned me on to CafePress were the community forums, where I met several other artists and designers, just like me, from all over the country and world - some much more successful than me, and others who kept believing, kept designing, and kept the faith, no matter what.

I experienced my first bit of success in the POD world at CafePress.  Though, not enough money to retire on, it was enough to keep me interested and hopeful.  However, recently, CafePress announced that beginning in June 2009,  designs purchased through their vast marketplace will only receive a 10% commission.  Before this announcement, shopkeepers could markup products however much they wanted to.  The 10% commission means a 50%-80% cut in designers and artists’ profits.  Needless to say, many shopkeepers are planning to opt out of the marketplace and only sell through their shop, where they can still control the markups on their products.    Few have found substantial success in trying to drive traffic to their own shops, so many are now considering whether to accept the 10% commission from the marketplace (where most sales are made), or try to brand and build up their own shops better.  The remaining options, and smaller profits, leave something to be desired by most.

Zazzle

Now I find myself at Zazzle.  I’m feverishly adding new designs, putting them on products and learning the ropes at a new POD.  The funny thing is, Zazzle used to only offer a 10% commission like CafePress is proposing now, which turned many artists and designers off.  Now they allow artists to set their own royalty rates on each product and/or design.

A big plus for me, and customers of Zazzle, are their more sophisticated customization tools.  Users can add their own text, choose background colors for certain products and resize designs to their liking.  Artist decide whether to allow customization or not on each product they make.   Zazzle also offers framing for prints on several forms of  media from basic poster to canvas.  They also have hundreds of frame choices.  I’ll keep you updated with my experiences with Zazzle.

RedBubble

I haven’t done a whole lot with my RedBubble account but I really like the setup.  I find it more useful for serious artwork.  I really like the professional look to the site and the galleries artists can set up.  This is another one I’ll have to keep you updated on!

All in all, the POD world can be a great place for artists to sell their work, and just as importantly, meet other artists online.  I’ve found all of the POD communities to be very friendly and helpful.  At any rate, having a shop on any POD is a great kick in the arse for any artist to keep with their work.  If nothing else, you’ll improve your skills and meet some very interesting people.