TeePublic is one of many print-on-demand businesses. Founded in 2013 by Adam Schwartz and Josh Abramson – the guys behind CollegeHumor – it’s known as the world’s largest site for independent tee shirt creators. In this TeePublic review, we’ll look at the products and services they offer, and how they stack up to the competition.
What Is TeePublic?
TeePublic is a POD company with an online marketplace twist. Independent artists can upload their custom t-shirt designs (plus other products), and whenever someone purchases one of those products the artist gets a cut. It’s that easy!
Company
TeePublic’s unique on-demand printing model makes selling custom t-shirts (and other products) accessible to anyone. While some might prefer more control, their straightforward concept has carved out a niche in the competitive market. Putting your designs on products has never been easier!
TeePublic Pros
TeePublic Cons
TeePublic offers a wide range of products, such as:
- Tees (including V-Neck, long sleeve t-shirts, baseball t-shirts, kids t-shirts, tank tops, and more)
- Crewneck sweatshirts, hoodies, and other apparel products
- Mugs
- Stickers
- Canvas prints
- Face masks
- Phone cases and laptop cases
- Bags and totes
- Notebooks
- Pins
- Wall art and tapestries
- Pillows
- Onesies
TeePublic has an A+ rating on their BBB business profile. Many competitors do not have a good standing with their BBB business profiles, which helps TeePublic stand out as a leading print-on-demand service with a dedicated customer care team. Their customer review rating is over 4.5 stars!
That said, no company is free of customer complaints entirely. TeePublic isn’t known for having the most excellent customer service, but with such a wide customer base, customer complaints are uncommon. This is thanks in part to the simplicity of the process that doesn’t have customers jumping through many hoops. On the whole, customer feedback is very positive, but one thing to look out for is an unclear shipping process.
Another noteworthy mention is intellectual property. TeePublic takes copyright infringement seriously. Their legal team reviews intellectual property violations and repeat offenders will be banned.
It costs nothing to use TeePublic. You can open up a shop and list as many products as you want for sale. Product pricing is determined by TeePublic, based on pricing per product category and processing time. Note there are other services that leave you in charge of product pricing, but it’s often a double-edged sword as it requires more work on your end.
Store owners receive a flat rate for each item they sell, usually about 20% of product pricing. You’re paid monthly and payment options include PayPal or Payoneer. The rate you earn depends on what the item is, and whether they purchased it at the regular price or a sale price.
Considering TeePublic does all the heavy lifting, this can be a great way for independent artists to reach a wider audience. The simplicity of it all makes TeePublic a popular platform for artists who want to make sales from designs they might otherwise not have an easy way to monetize. There are no hidden costs for sellers and you can have hundreds of designs for sale.
Pricing
On the other hand, some sellers prefer to set their own prices. Many POD companies offer custom margins that put the seller in control of what their products cost. If you are worried about limited profit margins, TeePublic may not be an ideal fit.
TeePublic’s focus is on providing artists with a platform to sell their custom t-shirt designs. As a result, the feature list may seem lacking, but in reality the streamlined process has a lot of benefits.
Features
For one thing, anyone can use TeePublic without the need for an online store. Since customers will place orders directly on the TeePublic website, designers don’t need to go through the hassle of building their own storefront (though you could promote your products on one if you wanted to).
One notable drawback for some designers is the lack of a mockup generator. For sellers used to this type of software, or those brand new to the POD space, a tool provided by the POD company can eliminate a lot of guesswork when it comes to options and spacing.
On the other hand, TeePublic has a unique program for connecting creatives who have an idea with artists who can bring those ideas to life. Just visit the Hire an Artist page, scroll through the contacts, and reach out to artists who match your needs. TeePublic really makes designing your own products available to anyone!
Printing Technologies
TeePublic uses direct-to-garment printing, sublimation, and digital printing to produce their products. This includes not only clothing, but a wide selection of products like decor items, mugs, and other souvenirs.
Generally, graphic tees made with the DTG method last longer than screen-printed products. With DTG printing, ink is sprayed directly onto the fabric and absorbs into it. It isn’t merely stamped on top, which means the image lasts longer, even after multiple washes.
Sublimation is also an option for some products. This printing method prints the design onto special paper. The paper is transferred to the product, then heat transfers the design from the paper to the product.
TeePublic chooses the printing method that’s most appropriate for each product.
The TeePublic customer support team is limited to email, an online help center, and live chat. You do not get access to a dedicated account manager. There is no phone number for general support. Live chat is not available 24/7.
Customer Support
There’s also an FAQ section for artists and customers. In most cases, these resources are sufficient to help you overcome any issues you may run into. If you still can’t find the answer to your question, you can submit a support ticket to the customer service team, email them, or reach out on live chat during open hours.
Customers that make a mistake, such as ordering the wrong size, color, or making an error on their shipping address, can make corrections to their order within two hours via the Change Order page. After that time has passed, orders are processed and go into the printing queue. If you notice an error after that, you’ll have to reach out to customer service with the contact form. There may or may not be any recourse at that time.
Products
As you can imagine, TeePublic hosts a massive collection of art prints and custom items from a wide designer base. Anyone can add cool designs to products creating new options for shoppers. It is a great way for artists and creatives to reach a large online audience on a reliable platform.
Products
Locations
TeePublic prints its products from facilities in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. The print-on-demand platform ships to the following countries:
Locations
Ecommerce Integrations
Because TeePublic is a standalone marketplace, it does not boast extensive integration options with any of the major ecommerce platforms.
Integrations
If you’re not convinced TeePublic is the right choice for your POD business, consider these alternative print on demand companies:
Company
Printful
If you want to offer a variety of products and be in control of the pricing, then Printful could be the answer you’re looking for. Printful has more branding features than anyone else on the market, which is great if you want to start your own clothing line. It also offers warehousing and storage should you decide you want to keep extras of your most popular physical products on hand for faster fulfillment. Many satisfied customers have used Printful and turnaround time is down to only 3-5 business days in most cases.
Printify
Printify is a platform similar to Printful. The main difference is that Printify items rarely cost as much as Printful. This means you’ll get to put more money in your pocket when you sell your customized products. Printify doesn’t have as many branding features, but still lots of happy customers thanks to its lower base price.
Spri.ng (TeeSpring)
Spri.ng, formerly known as Teespring, is like TeePublic. Though it doesn’t have a platform for artists, it integrates with some of the most well-known third-party websites to get your high-quality products in front of as many people as possible. These are all good options for on demand printing platforms with fair prices that can help you earn extra income.
Leave Your Review
If you’ve got any first-hand experience with TeePublic or other on demand printing websites, we’d love to hear from you. Our reviews help countless readers who are starting their own ecommerce businesses. Your thoughts add value and insight to help them make purchasing decisions.
