As one of the oldest and most popular print-on-demand services, CafePress is an American company that makes it easy to create and sell your own custom products. Founded in 1999, CafePress is easily considered the pioneer of the POD industry. It’s also a great way to create unique birthday and Christmas gifts.
In this review, we’ll look at the products, pricing, features, and more. The CafePress marketplace is a good place for beginners to start with print-on-demand before investing in a separate ecommerce store.
What Is CafePress
CafePress differs from other POD platforms because you start by creating your shop. CafePress hosts your store for you, so you don’t have to worry about using another ecommerce platform.
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CafePress Pros
CafePress Cons
Once you create your store, it’s as easy as uploading your own custom designs and choosing the products you want to use them on, such as custom shirt. Once you list them in your store, all you have to do is start marketing them.
CafePress offers many different products, including:
- Custom t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, pajamas, leggings, underwear
- Mugs, water bottles, shot glasses, tumblers, coasters, flasks, steins, drinking glasses, cups
- Stickers, including bumper stickers and buttons
- Greeting cards and business cards, stationery, notebooks, invitations, calendars
- Flip-flops, hats, ornaments, magnets
- iPhone cases, laptop cases, tablet covers, mouse pads
- Blankets, pillows, curtains, towels, aprons
- Puzzles, teddy bears, key chains, and more
- Canvas wall artwork
CafePress’s Pricing of Products
CafePress offers two pricing structures. Option A has no upfront fees. With this method, you’ll earn royalties on anything you sell. CafePress will deduct 10%, up to $10 maximum, from those royalties.
Pricing
Option B is the option to pre-pay and save. You can pay $6.95 for one month, $18.45 for three months, $34.95 for six months, or $59.95 for a year (bringing the total cost to $5/month). In exchange for these payments, you do not pay the 10%. It is the better option for stores with high volumes.
Products’ base price: you’ll pay anywhere from $15 to $60 for apparel products. Non-apparel products range from $5 to $70. You’ll only pay for what your customers buy. You set the profit margin on all your products and keep the profit.
CafePress’s shipping costs vary by location, typically ranging from $3 to $6. International shipping starts at $9.95. There are also global and expedited shipping options, including Express shipping, which delivers orders within one business day.
There are no minimum requirements. Once you hit certain sales thresholds, CafePress includes bonuses—your bonus increases based on your monthly sales volume.
CafePress Terms and Refunds
If you are unsatisfied with your CafePress order, you can request a return within 30 days of receiving it. A full refund will be provided based on your original payment method. Note that personalized items cannot be returned unless there’s a defect or error in delivery. Keep an eye on your delivery date and make sure your bank account details are accurate for seamless transactions.
CafePress Features & Services
CafePress offers a mockup generator to visualize your products’ appearance. The design tool is fairly simple to use. If you already have images, you can upload them to your designs.
Features
Unlike some competition, CafePress doesn’t offer design services, warehousing, or personalization options.
You can still create your own product line if you’re not a graphic designer. Hire a professional on a platform like Fiverr or Upwork, then apply the designs to the product of your choice.
CafePress has a marketplace. You can search through all the products in every store. You can buy any product from the platform’s store if you want a unique gift with quality control. TeePublic has a similar approach.
Printing Technologies
CafePress uses multiple printing technologies. As a retailer, you do not choose the printing technology for the product. CafePress will choose the best one for the selected product.
Direct-to-Garment (DTG)
This printing method digitally prints an image onto a piece of clothing. It sprays the ink directly into the fabric, and the image appears when the ink has dried. The clothing withstands frequent washing, and the graphics don’t crack or fade like screen printing.
Sublimation
With sublimation, the design is printed on special paper. Heat transfers the image from the paper to the final product. Sublimation can be used on clothing and other products, such as mugs and drinkware.
Digital Printing
Digital printing creates an image pixel by pixel. It is commonly used with paper products like stationery, posters, banners, and greeting cards.
Embroidery
Embroidery uses thread to add designs to printed T-shirts, hats, and other apparel. For use in CafePress, your files must be digitized in a certain way, specifically for the embroidery machines. CafePress will take care of that for you.
CafePress does not provide engraving services. If you plan on selling products that require engraving, you’ll need to consider using Printful or Printify.
Digital inkjet
Digital inkjet technology is pivotal in the POD industry, offering vibrant, detailed prints. Large-format digital inkjet is ideal for posters and banners, while large-format digital solvent-based inkjet provides durable prints for outdoor use, standing up well against harsh weather conditions.
Thermal wax resin printing
It is known for producing vibrant, durable prints. This technique involves melting colored wax-based resin onto a substrate, creating vivid, high-quality images. It’s trendy for specialty items where color accuracy and longevity are crucial, making it an essential option for high-end print-on-demand products.
Heat Transfer
Heat transfer is another printing method used at Cafepress, which is ideal for vibrant designs. It transfers images onto garments using heat and pressure, ensuring the colors pop. However, the print’s longevity may not match DTG or sublimation methods, especially after multiple washes.
CafePress Customer Support
CafePress company’s customer service team offers its sellers and buyers customer support. In addition to the Help Center, where sellers can find answers, phone support is also available, and responsive customer service is provided. There is no live chat or 24/7 support. The Help Center includes a section for customers who are buying products and a section for those who are creating and selling.
Customer Support
It has been criticized for its poor quality, leaving many users frustrated and feeling overlooked. Customer reviews highlight mixed experiences with customer service. Some report poor customer service, while some users express high customer satisfaction. Others think improvements could be made. Clear communication would enhance overall service.
Scalability
When it comes to scalability, CafePress offers a unique advantage for those looking to grow their POD and custom t-shirt businesses. The platform is designed to handle everything from small, custom orders to large-scale bulk requests, making it ideal whether you’re just starting out or already established.
CafePress supports a broad range of product quality categories, offering flexibility and the potential to diversify your merchandise. That is essential for expanding your brand’s reach and impact.
Products
From quirky phone cases to chic home decor, Cafepress offers a wide range of customizable products that cater to diverse creative needs.
Products
Locations
Cafepress ships worldwide, ensuring your creations reach fans everywhere. Their strategic locations enhance shipping efficiency, especially during peak seasons like Christmas, making international delivery smooth and hassle-free.
Locations
Ecommerce Platform Integrations
Online companies like TeePublic, Zazzle, and CafePress don’t have any ecommerce integrations. It’s meant to function as a standalone storefront. You can open a POD dropshipping t-shirt business, etc, that you can use with something like Shopify or WooCommerce; you’ll need to find an alternative.
Integrations
Marketplace Integrations
CafePress does not integrate with any online marketplaces. You must choose another platform if you want to sell your products on sites like Etsy, eBay, and Amazon.
CafePress Alternatives
Don’t you think CafePress is the right approach for your business? Look at these alternative options.
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Printful
Printful is the best POD service on the market today. Not only do you get access to various apparel and accessories, but you’ll also be able to use branding and design services, store setup services, and warehousing.
If you’re a growing business that needs to have some inventory on hand for faster order fulfillment, Printify is a one-stop solution. Unlike other services, Printful also allows you to include add-ons in your packaging—like thank-you cards and promo codes.
Printify
Printify is one of Printful’s direct competitors. Though it doesn’t offer design services or warehousing like Printful, it’s a great alternative. Because item prices are lower, you’ll have a higher profit margin overall.
Zazzle
Zazzle is a direct CafePress competitor. You create a store that’s hosted on Zazzle. You can’t integrate with ecommerce marketplaces or ecommerce platforms. There’s a marketplace where you can search for products others have created.
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