So you’re a fan artist, you have some work that’s making waves on Tumblr/DeviantArt/your mom’s Facebook and you’d like to try to monetize your work?
We’re here to help. This is part one in an occasional series for artists who are looking to do more with their art.
The two major print-on-demand sites are Society6 and Redbubble. Both allow artists to upload and sell their art on a variety of items like t-shirts, phone cases, tote bags, and more. Artists make a commission off each sale, and the site handles all printing, shipping, and customer service.
Many artists wonder which site is best. Take a look at some of the differences:
The biggest difference between Society6 and Redbubble is the pricing systems. With Redbubble, you decide your own price above the base price and you pocket the difference. With Society6, prices are pre-determined by the site and you make 10% of each sale (with the exception of art prints, which the artist prices). Depending on how you price your products, you could make more or less money using Redbubble over Society6. It’s up to you.
The only site with analytics is Redbubble. This can be an important tool for artists, especially newer sellers who need to know where their traffic comes from.
Sellers in a hurry may find Redbubble’s auto-sizing feature convenient. You only need to upload your design once, and it automatically resizes it to fit each product. On the other hand, with Society6, you need to do the resizing yourself, but you can customize how you want the design to look on each product.
The ease and simplicity of Redbubble’s site, plus the analytics and larger traffic numbers means it’s the best choice to start with.
Once you have established yourself and your shop, consider opening another shop at Society6 and tapping into the additional market.
Design by Humans is another option that works similarly to Society6 and Redbubble, but their items are curated, so you must pass through an application process. Sellers make a flat fee for each sale — slightly better than Society6, but not by much.
Have you sold items through Society6 or Redbubble? Leave us a comment and let us know your experiences, then tweet me about it at @brittashipsit.
Special thanks to fan artists Consulting Cannibal and Frying Sausage for their contributions to this piece.