Internet-making-things

[theinevitable]

So, I am writing my final paper for this class on the internet. Specifically, I am talking about how certain social theories apply to the economics of sharing things/selling things/etc on the internet...
my main example is stuff like CafePress, which allow you to make a product and sell it without needing to invest any money up front. Depending on how much stuff I find about that, I may also discuss the way people create things on the internet and give them away for free. I am bad at knowing how much content it takes to fill a paper.

Anyway, I am interested in people's thoughts on this. Have you used things like CafePress to distribute t-shirts?

I am trying to think of more questions but everything I type ends up being a leading question. I will post more questions when I have thought a bit more about this. Regardless, I am interested in hearing about your experiences with CafePress or similar services.

Um, I may end up quoting you in my paper, I will ask you specifically if I want to quote something you say, you will be anonymous, etc.

[bluemoon72]

Hey, Inev!  I've used both CafePress and Zazzle to make products for myself and to sell.  I am an early adopter for quite a few of those kinds of things; I've been using CafePress since it only offered t-shirts and nothing else.  (~2004?)  It's become so much easier to use over the past couple of years, and much more enjoyable--back in the day, a seller would have to add their artwork to each product individually, then add each individual product to their shop, in order to sell it.  So a lot of people would be lazy (because it was really time-consuming to add a product to the shop) and only sell the basic men's t-shirt.  When CP streamlined the product selling process, it really opened up the realm of what was available.  I've made far more things for myself to wear/show/laugh at than I have sold to others, and I have done quite a bit of buying other people's stuff too.  I have chihuahua-themed magnets in my cubicle, science-based bumper stickers, music-based t-shirts, and a funky design on a journal, all designed by strangers and chosen by me.  I have always thought that CafePress charges too much for their base product, though, and I've definitely bought less and less over the years as more indie design places have sprung up, and then of course Etsy made the handmade unique product niche so easy and cheap for buyers.  I haven't bought or sold anything on CP now for probably two years?  The things I created that sold the most were a Cheshire Cat t-shirt and then some items that featured a pro-remission-from-cancer statement,  "Thinking positive, staying negative," that I designed for my sister when she was in remission from leukemia.  It was a cool design and I sold quite a few t-shirts and bumper stickers with that phrase, and I donated all of the proceeds to the American Cancer Society.  Feel free to email me at info-at-jennifernagel-dot-com and I'll be happy to discuss more if needed.