How do you sell your prints/products online??

Question

I'm going crazy because I want to start an online merchandise store for my artwork, but when I do my research all I'm able to find is ways that I can make websites and put my stuff on it to sell. That is all fine and dandy, but I REALLY JUST NEED SOMEONE TO TELL ME HOW THEY GET THEIR STUFF PRINTED ON THE MERCH. That and where do they get the mugs/bags/phone cases that they print their stuff on??? How do they get them in bulk? When a customer wants to order something, do you pack the item and ship it yourself? HOW DOES IT ALL WORK?

Please please help. I feel so dumb because I feel as if everyone else thinks this information is totally obvious. I've been dreaming about starting an online store forever and it is time to take action. I have procrastinated too much due to not knowing how to go about it.

Thank you to anyone who helps me!

Answer

It's very simple. The artists don't have to do ANY of those things, nor would most be able to do so by themselves anyway.
There are some businesses, eg zazzle, which specialize in online merchandising. All the artist must do is sign up and upload the artwork, and they take care of everything else:
- Create digitally altered images of the product (shirts, mugs etc) with the image on them.
- Promote the items on search engines (although to generate real interest beyond friends & family, you'd probably need to do some promotion yourself, eg through a deviantart account, which also has commissions for people who don't care anent merch).
- An online store for customers to browse items and purchase via any of a number of methods (paypal, credit card).
- Manufacturing - they own the printing machines and either robots or hired staff to operate them.
- Shipping to the client.
- Accounting - taxes and various related profanities you don't wanna know.

And in the end, they send you a percentage of the profits.

You don't have to do anything but register, draw well and garner a following.

How do you sell your prints/products online??

Answers (1)