Tinker Place

You name or Shopid *	Tinker Place
Which PODs do you work with? (in no particular order *	cafepress zazzle 3drose spreadshirt redbubble
How long have you been working with PODs? *	8+years
What is the best thing about working with PODs *	Getting paid first and foremost is the reason I do this. I like seeing the results, love it when a art piece comes out better than I thought. Apprecate the help from friends I have come to know through working with these POD's. I think it is a great opportunity for people who are stay at home moms, disabeled, even young adults learning how to make it in business today. It can be a start or a finish to your career or even a part time job. If its not fun for me it is not worth it, its still fun so I will stick around for a bit more. Thanks
How many hours do you spend on your POD(s) - including designing, adding & promoting - on average *	40-50 hours per week
what would you say to another POD artist who is struggling and in need of motivation? *
If you are expecting instant gratification don't waste your time. It can take years to start making money that is notible. With the thousands of new stores and artists you have to find something people want and do it better than anyone else. Take your time and do not add a design to everything just because you can. Pick what fits your design the best. Check every designs for clarity by blowing it up to the actual size. Be patient and read whatever you can about those who make it. Check out their stores and learn by them , be polite and reciprocate with blogs, networks promoting others. It is a way to get your work out there, and meet great people. Learn as much as you can about promoting your work as said previously, the market is huge nowadays with these kinds of stores.. Thanks for the opportunity to share me experiences with you. Tink JMHO
Do you have any formal training or education in POD related fields? *	Yes, Formal - Graphic Arts Yes, Formal - Art Yes, Formal - computer related services
If I won the super jackpot lottery tomorrow I would... *	close all my POD shops
My zazzle stores are:	http://www.zazzle.com/tinkerm http://www.zazzle.com/justincase http://www.zazzle.com/homeandbeyond http://www.zazzle.com/turnitover http://www.zazzle.com/spiritualgifts http://www.zazzle.com/lifeisabeach

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GetYerGoat UTeezSF

You name or Shopid *	GetYerGoat UTeezSF
Which PODs do you work with? (in no particular order *	cafepress zazzle other not listed
How long have you been working with PODs? *	8+years
What is the best thing about working with PODs *
The best thing about working with Print on Demand companies is Being able to work from home on my own time and offers me to be creative with no restrictions on what to create or what day to create them - in addition gives me satisfaction that someone somewhere enjoys my art enough to purchase it for themselves or as a gift. I can explore many topics and styles of art when in the creative mood to do so. I have been fortunate to sell enough product to completely support myself and my household, including caring for my animals. While I technically do not make even minimum wage, the freedom it provides me to work at home is a great trade off.
How many hours do you spend on your POD(s) - including designing, adding & promoting - on average *	60+hours per week
what would you say to another POD artist who is struggling and in need of motivation? *
Do not give up , find a niche to create designs for (something you are familiar with or have a passion for) and promote promote promote. There is money to be made and people are making a good income form PODs - but you need to have quality art and make sure when it is placed on products it fits well - use good key words and write good descriptions. Use your blogs, and any type of networking avenues you can use - twitter, facebook, squidoo, stumbleupon, pinterest - you get the idea. Make pages for your products at Facebook and talk about the topic. When you get a mental block on what to create, think about what holiday is coming up in the next few months and design for that. Usually artists design for Holidays seasons before they come due, to give them time to get spidered by google - so while you may not feel like Christmas in July, it is a pretty good time to design for it. Most of all do not get discouraged.
Do you have any formal training or education in POD related fields? *	No - I am self taught
If I won the super jackpot lottery tomorrow I would... *	Keep working my POD's for fun
My zazzle stores are:	http://www.zazzle.com/UTeezSF http://www.zazzle.com/GetYerGoat http://www.zazzle.com/JustCards http://www.zazzle.com/PetsandVets http://www.zazzle.com/LittleOneCoyote http://www.zazzle.com/Off_theWall http://www.zazzle.com/Generikah http://www.zazzle.com/Fantasy_Gifts http://www.zazzle.com/Ancestry http://www.zazzle.com/Custom_Clocks http://www.zazzle.com/KitchenGifts http://www.zazzle.com/BeMyValentine

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addmorecolor

You name or Shopid *	addmorecolor
Which PODs do you work with? (in no particular order *	zazzle 3drose
How long have you been working with PODs? *	2-3 years
What is the best thing about working with PODs *
I dont have to maintain inventory at home and get to make countless number of products right from my home. Working with POD means no need to worry about printers, delivery, suppliers and so on. That is all taken care of. You just design, get access to numerous products from wall art to flip flips and your designs can reach a wider market this way. POD is a great place to start for those of us who wont know the first idea how to get our images onto products for the market to enjoy. Not everyone knows how to get your images on an item at Target or IKEA...so this is a great start. You can sell your designs easily with the right POD, some time and effort.
How many hours do you spend on your POD(s) - including designing, adding & promoting - on average *	5-10 hours per week
what would you say to another POD artist who is struggling and in need of motivation? *
Keep going at it! POD is a numbers game..make more products, promote with a blog and social media..give it time..and it all would pan out. POD isnt a get rich quick thing. Just like all other businesses it takes time and effort to establish a brand, create awareness and eventually sell. You need to create a nice set of products to start off with. Have a nice website or blog to promote them on.. Share them with fellow POD artists and on your own fanpage. Promote via social media..Keep at it and there is light at the end of that tunnel. It does take time. But atleast you get to focus on designing and not worry if your suppliers are still there, delivering ot the customer, dealing with returns etc... our dear POD providers help us with all that. With POD you get to focus on design and marketing. Also the POD stores are established so their reputation can help your designs spread their wings as well.
Do you have any formal training or education in POD related fields? *	No - I am self taught
If I won the super jackpot lottery tomorrow I would... *	Keep working my POD's for fun
My zazzle stores are:	http://www.zazzle.com/addmorecolor

blessedwedding

You name or Shopid *	blessedwedding
Which PODs do you work with? (in no particular order *	cafepress zazzle greeting card universe
How long have you been working with PODs? *	4-6 years
What is the best thing about working with PODs *	Stay at home and earn money even while you are sleeping. I am able to support my family. This has open up new doors for me I get custom orders for custom designing other than zazzle products. I have made lots of friends, sincere friends with whom I share everything. I have something to look forward to every day I wake up , this has added so much color in my life. I am now exploring new ventures through working with POD , like opening up new sites, blogs, and so much more. Truth is I can't imagine my life without it anymore . I feel worthy, useful and special!
How many hours do you spend on your POD(s) - including designing, adding & promoting - on average *	60+hours per week
what would you say to another POD artist who is struggling and in need of motivation? *
Don't give up. Keep on making new stuff while marketing and promoting. Don't hesitate to ask questions. When I first started in march 2008 I was a mess, my stores were too, I was not motivated at all , just a few products in my store, like 5 or something , and I wasn't even sure this worked but then 1 day i sold 2 postcards , my first ever sale! I was so excited and thought I should try some more, made a few stuff, no sales for 2 months again I lost motivation , then one day I sold 40 postcards and that was it! I knew it then, that this has potential, I worked day and night , and now I have 20 K + products in my wedding shop alone, I am a gold pro and moving towards platinum, I have a name in my niche market and am successfully earning a steady healthy income every month! during this struggle I had 3 kids, we were in financial crisis, could not afford baby sitting , but I worked real hard, worked 20 hrs out of 24, my back hurt, my fingers too , but I kept on working and 5 years later I am glad I did! I don't have that much work to do now, so I can spent more time promoting and marketing so yeah! don't give up! you can DEFINITELY do it!
Do you have any formal training or education in POD related fields? *	No - I am self taught
If I won the super jackpot lottery tomorrow I would... *	Keep working my POD's for fun
My zazzle stores are:
http://www.zazzle.com/blessedwedding http://www.zazzle.com/invitationboutique http://www.zazzle.com/mg_businesscards http://www.zazzle.com/customcrockery http://www.zazzle.com/colorfulbinders http://www.zazzle.com/gadgetgoodies http://www.zazzle.com/blessedme http://www.zazzle.com/necktie http://www.zazzle.com/tastytees http://www.zazzle.com/cute4kids http://www.zazzle.com/interiordecoration http://www.zazzle.com/mobilephonecases http://www.zazzle.com/xmasmall http://www.zazzle.com/zazzleiphone http://www.zazzle.com/zazzlecoasters http://www.zazzle.com/yourphotocards http://www.zazzle.com/uniqueornaments http://www.zazzle.com/tastytees http://www.zazzle.com/spootakular http://www.zazzle.com/minispeakers http://www.zazzle.com/mgbusiness http://www.zazzle.com/funkyflorals http://www.zazzle.com/fantasyfractals http://www.zazzle.com/customwallart http://www.zazzle.com/customletterheads

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rbpahl

You name or Shopid *	rbpahl
Which PODs do you work with? (in no particular order *	zazzle other not listed
How long have you been working with PODs? *	6-8 years
What is the best thing about working with PODs *	It seems to be the only venue where I can sell my art, photos and cartoons. For many months, I did nothing to my site. Then in 2010 I added two stores, which didn't do much. In 2011, I crossed $100 in sales. In 2012 I added another 175.00 or so in sales. In early 2013, I am a few bucks away from $300.00 total gross sales and bonuses. Now, I have a dozen stores, and I hope to have them all fully stocked before summer. I am able to add to my products by coming up with "sayings" that primarily were uttered by my wife.
How many hours do you spend on your POD(s) - including designing, adding & promoting - on average *	10-15 hours per week
what would you say to another POD artist who is struggling and in need of motivation? *
I would begin by saying, " This is not a way to try to earn significant income. This is only a fun way to earn extra bucks. "There are over hundreds of thousands of 'store owners/keepers' in Zazzle alone. All of us hope to carve out a significant share of sales, but this won't happen if you give up. "Some SKs (Store Keepers) are pretty successful, now, but they had to struggle. Think about your keywords and titles. These can do a lot to get your products within the first two or three pages of the marketplace search engine. "Learn who the truly successful SKs are. Look at their products, and the keywords posted for these. (You can find the keywords near the bottom of the product page.) Do they make sense? If you were looking in the marketplace for a product like the one you're looking at, what words would you use to find it? Now apply this to your product. "For example, I have a cartoon about a Texas-sized mosquito oil-field driller. Because of the punchline, I can use energy-production, oil-production, entomology, and medical laboratories. "Finally think about the product name. Here's my secret: I keep the name fairly short. I use the same name for the same design on every product. And I put the 'prime keyword' in the title. The title has a lot to do with getting on the first two or three pages in the marketplace. "This isn't rocket science. It's t-shirts and mousepads. There are millions of SKs in the internet, all trying to get the attention of the buyers. In the beginning, be happy if you attract any attention at all."
Do you have any formal training or education in POD related fields? *	Yes, Formal - Graphic Arts No - I am self taught
If I won the super jackpot lottery tomorrow I would... *	Keep working my POD's for fun
My zazzle stores are:	http://www.zazzle.com/Barrelracing http://www.zazzle.com/thecartoonstore http://www.zazzle.com/Energyproduction http://www.zazzle.com/Medical_Humor http://www.zazzle.com/punsandgags http://www.zazzle.com/therodeostore http://www.zazzle.com/roundthebuoys http://www.zazzle.com/theseniorsstore http://www.zazzle.com/westernridersstore http://www.zazzle.com/wisecracks_unlimited http://www.zazzle.com/bluecollarstore http://www.zazzle.com/rbpahl

itsallgoodamandarain

You name or Shopid *	itsallgoodamandarain
Which PODs do you work with? (in no particular order *	cafepress zazzle photo4me estoremonster imagekind skreened inktastic wordans
How long have you been working with PODs? *	6-8 years
What is the best thing about working with PODs *
I can work my own hours and see my creations come to life on a variety of products. If I sell something I get a huge buzz knowing that somewhere out in the real world somebody is wearing or using a product with my designs or art on it. That is what keeps me going ,and as my shops and websites grow so does it's value as a domain.. Being completely self taught though is the biggest buzz for me,besides being a qualified commercial artist and sign writer with a 30 year background in photography.. I knew absolutely nothing about computers or graphics programs when I started this venture which I stumbled upon quite by accident while in an extremely abusive relationship.of which I was to scared to go to sleep at night for fear of being bashed or shot (which in the end almost happened)... Podding was my escape and my online friends became my saviors.. Seven years later here I am still learning, and still loving it
How many hours do you spend on your POD(s) - including designing, adding & promoting - on average *	60+hours per week
what would you say to another POD artist who is struggling and in need of motivation? *
Not to worry to much about being successful, just do what you love to do ,and that is create art !Try not to stress out over problems to do with Pods ,there is always some sort of issue or balls up going on.I used to pull my hair out if something technical went wrong .. thank God I have overcome that..If I am not motivated to create any art or make products I try to spend time promoting .Try to manage your time wisely. Lots of people make lists of what they need to do but I find this very overwhelming and feel like a failure if I don't finish the list each day or week..because I am to damn organized usually.. So I try to promote in the mornings ( while the coffee is kicking in) work for a bit in the shops during the day and create at night.It doesn't always work out like that though. but the trick is don't sweat it if it doesn't . as long as you love what your doing . some days I don't work at all and this can be for months at a time but that is just the way I flow these days ..remember there is life outside the home and away from the comp and pods . it is all about balance!
Do you have any formal training or education in POD related fields? *	No - I am self taught
If I won the super jackpot lottery tomorrow I would... *	Keep working my POD's for fun
My zazzle stores are:	http://www.zazzle.com/amandarainlapaglia http://www.zazzle.com/itsallamanda http://www.zazzle.com/itsallgoodamandarain http://www.zazzle.com/amandarain http://www.zazzle.com/itsallgoodrain http://www.zazzle.com/rainonme http://www.zazzle.com/itsallgoodamanda

Awesome Palette

You name or Shopid *	Awesome Palette
Which PODs do you work with? (in no particular order *	cafepress zazzle imagekind greeting card universe redbubble society6 fine art america
How long have you been working with PODs? *	1-2 years
What is the best thing about working with PODs *
It's a distraction from life's other issues and gives me the opportunity to be in touch with other PODers. Exchanging ideas and receiving valuable feedback along with solutions to problems has been an extremely positive experience. Belonging to several POD groups on Face Book has enabled me to stay in touch with the POD "gurus" who freely offer their advice and services and maintain a friendly community for all participants. Although it has been frustrating to this point I keep on "trucking" in the hopes that one day someone will actually like my designs and buy something. That's when I will cheer!
How many hours do you spend on your POD(s) - including designing, adding & promoting - on average *	20-30 hours per week
what would you say to another POD artist who is struggling and in need of motivation? *
No words immediately come to mind as I find myself in that "struggling" position and in need of motivation to keep me from throwing in the towel all together. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to address the topic of motivation particularly if one finds oneself in a situation where self motivation is at an all time low and discouragement sets in to cloud the issue. I like to think that I possess a fairly high degree of self motivation and I guess that in the long run, when I think I'm at the bottom of the pit and feel I'm getting no where, I suddenly get inspired and begin to turn things around and climb out of the pit. That's when I disappear from sight (and the POD boards) and get cracking on creating new designs, resizing images, and uploading to the various shops I have online. And that's when I say to myself: Maybe this new design or image will have a positive impact and get noticed. So I'm off on a new tack! But... then there's the promotion factor, and that's another story! Everything takes a lot of time and effort.
Do you have any formal training or education in POD related fields? *	No - I am self taught No - I have no clue how I stumble through
If I won the super jackpot lottery tomorrow I would... *	Keep working my POD's for fun
My zazzle stores are:	http://www.zazzle.com/activepalette http://www.zazzle.com/digigraphics

Tulsa Tees

You name or Shopid *	Tulsa Tees
Which PODs do you work with? (in no particular order *	cafepress zazzle
How long have you been working with PODs? *	6-8 years
What is the best thing about working with PODs *
Being able to focus on creative processes rather than the mechanics of inventory and production allows more time to develop new skills and ideas for quality designs. That's not to say, of course, that every design I produce is a Rembrandt! LOL But that only underscores another advantage of working with PODs: you aren't limited to only uploading the designs you know are awesome; you can also post the stuff that you're not too sure about, since a) chances are that someone may find it to be just what they are looking for, and b) the additional designs don't require you to stock any more physical inventory than you do for your best-sellers -- which is... none!
How many hours do you spend on your POD(s) - including designing, adding & promoting - on average *	5-10 hours per week
what would you say to another POD artist who is struggling and in need of motivation? *
Do. Not. Give. Up. Sales grow slowly. Be persistent. While waiting for your first sale, or your first hundred sales, keep adding new designs, since the more products you have, the more chances a shopper will have to run into you in their search results. And keep refining your tags and descriptions for keywords that fit. As you expand your and improve your shop, ask yourself a few questions: 1) What are the search terms (keywords) that I imagine shoppers were using if my shop/product appeared in their results and it was exactly what they had hoped to find? 2) Can I improve the appearance of designs by getting rid of pixelated or jagged edges, or by re-sizing or rotating designs to make them fit better? 3) Do my designs work on dark fabrics, or are there gradients and fuzzy edges where the white "base coat" layer is going to show through? Should I maybe make a second version of some designs for specific use on dark fabrics and upload it, too? 4) Are my descriptions too short and, well... non-descriptive? Can I embellish my descriptions so they engage the shopper, describe why a shopper would like the products, and especially so that as many of my tags/keywords as possible are incorporated into the description? 5) Are there any new products that I need to go back and put my designs on? 6) Am I charging too much for some products? If I look around the marketplace, are my products higher than the average price for similar products? 7) Should I always be positive and never give up? While the answers to Questions 1-6 are dependent on your individual designs and storefront, the answer to Question 7 is most obviously a resounding Yes! For POD people, there is always work to be done! Good luck.
Do you have any formal training or education in POD related fields? *	Yes, Formal - computer related services
If I won the super jackpot lottery tomorrow I would... *	Keep working my POD's for fun
My zazzle stores are:	http://www.zazzle.com/tulsatees http://www.zazzle.com/deepflux http://www.zazzle.com/metime

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Diane Clancy's Fractals

You name or Shopid *	Diane Clancy's Fractals
Which PODs do you work with? (in no particular order *	cafepress zazzle imagekind greeting card universe redbubble inktastic fine art america
How long have you been working with PODs? *	4-6 years
What is the best thing about working with PODs *
I love seeing my art on merchandise!! When I first envisioned being in business back in the 1990s my goal was to have my art available to people in their everyday life. Last year I realized that I had accomplished my dreams by working with PODs - that puts my Art into everyday life! I am so very excited that 100s of people see me through products - I love that!! The other part I really enjoy about working with PODs is the connection with other shopkeepers!! I have been helped so much by the generosity of other folks who do PODs. There are many kind and helpful people. And of course the other wonderful thing is to be having money come to me through my art!! I would love to be able to really increase my ability to get my work out .. which means an increase in sales.
How many hours do you spend on your POD(s) - including designing, adding & promoting - on average *	40-50 hours per week
what would you say to another POD artist who is struggling and in need of motivation? *
When I first started online marketing (Etsy), I was told to network with other shopkeepers. Of course, I went it alone. I did have one sale. Once I started to network, I began to sell. Then I moved to CafePress and did not network. I sold some stuff but not a lot. Once I went to Zazzle, I had sales of one card sold several times to the same customer. After I began networking with other shopkeepers in FaceBook, I learned a whole lot more about PODs, selling and marketing! I would really recommend networking with others who are selling! They understand the struggles - and successes - and are an incredible resource. It is so amazing to work with others from around the world. One is going to sleep as another wakes up ... almost always someone is around to ask questions and bounce ideas off of. I give this advice that I haven't followed - choose where you want to focus (especially to start), instead of spreading yourself too thin. Look and decide where to start and then put your toe in :) Big tip!! You never know who will like what - so don't throw your product away ... it just might sell! Tagging is a really big deal. Luckily there is a lot of information out there - that I am still trying to digest. Tagging (besides marketing) is a lot of how your products are found. Enjoy looking at your work!! Most of all - Have Fun!!
Do you have any formal training or education in POD related fields? *	Yes, Formal - Art No - I am self taught
If I won the super jackpot lottery tomorrow I would... *	Keep working my POD's for fun
My zazzle stores are:	http://www.zazzle.com/DianeClancy http://www.zazzle.com/DianeClancyAnimals http://www.zazzle.com/DianeClancyArt http://www.zazzle.com/DianeClancyBubbles http://www.zazzle.com/DianeClancyFractals http://www.zazzle.com/DianeClancyGoddess http://www.zazzle.com/DianeClancyHolidays http://www.zazzle.com/DianeClancyPhotos http://www.zazzle.com/DianeClancyWhimsical