Some of my art designs just cry out for being on a notebook cover, or on a mug, or a phone case.
So I've found a printer I like, allowing me to offer you fun gifty treasures.
Notebook sample from my website, on my Etsy store, and in my physical studio.
Mug sample on my website, on my Etsy store, and in my physical studio.
iPhone case sample on my website, on my Etsy store, and in my physical studio.
I have a question for you ::
Do you ever buy mugs, notebooks, phone cases, pillows, or items like that, online, without being able to hold and touch them in person first?
Here's why I ask.
Print On Demand as a concept was sold to us artists as, "the customer benefits, because they can buy just one, we'll make just one for them, and we'll ship it to them", and "you, the artist, never need to buy or store or ship any inventory".
But it hasn't played that way for me and my clients at all.
So far, all my sales of these items have come from people who bought them in person, in my studio showroom, after being able to handle the ones I brought in for samples.
So yes, the customer benefits, because the notebook they buy from me is great quality, printed by a skilled, experienced printer, who prints my artwork beautifully on the cover, and the prices are reasonable.
And I think there are so many benefits of Print On Demand for the artist ::
• a workable back-of-house platform that makes it super easy to get the technical design specs right (instead of hoping we've set up right on our own)
• access to great quality base products for our designs (instead of only what our local printer happens to have)
• access to great print shops (instead of only our local one - which might be GREAT at printing, but not have any idea what sublimation printing is, might never have printed on a mug or fabric and certainly doesn't have phone cases)
• tech that connects automatically to our Etsy and websites so we spend more time painting (and less time doing annoying tech work) and
• we can buy 1 or 2 pieces at a time at a reasonable cost and then offer them in person (and not have 100 in backstock inventory)
Print On Demand means you get so many more art choices on gifts now, because artists can now actually offer the mug, the blanket, the water bottle.
But - here's the wrinkle.
I'm so curious how it goes for you --
Is it hard to get excited about something without handling it first?
Does that help you decide on the quality of the mug or phone case? To know if you trust that it's worth the money?
Here's what I might learn holding something, that I can't learn from an online picture ::
• How heavy is it?
• How solid is it?
• How sturdy is it?
• Does it feel like a good, substantial gift for the money?
• Does it have a smell?
• How good is the print job with the colors?
• How does the handle feel?
• Do the pages lay open?
• Is it clean?
• Is it protected?
• What kind of finish do I want - matte or glossy?
Also, does the individual shipping cost make you pause when buying items like this online?
Have you bought mugs, notebooks, pillows, etc online without hesitation?
What barrier can I remove for you, that would make it so you want to bring this art home, or to someone you love?