Feline Ceramic Tile Murals

New! from Cat Welfare Ohio at CafePress.

We are proud to announce our new ceramic tile murals; four or six tiles that will look stunning on any wall. Or use them to line the base of a wooden tray or other craft project. We have five murals available now, and more to come.

Many of these images are available on additional products at our CWO Shop at CafePress. And 50% of net proceeds is donated to Cat Welfare Association in support of their Shelter.

CafePress’ New MarketPlace

CafePress’ promised/ threatened changes in their MarketPlace took effect on June 1st. They are now controlling the selling price of all merchandise there, and paying the designer a paltry 10% royalty. In addition, they are doing extensive testing of price points on all merchandise types. It may well be that most shoppers won’t realize that the t-shirt selling for $22 right now was $18 an hour ago, and might well be $25 next hour. So there may be limited shopper displeasure and confusion- which was part of CP’s official rationalization for their drastic rebuilding of their MarketPlace pricing.

But the frequent changes mean that designers who have products that sell frequently are seeing sales reports that look like the Dow Jones average on a busy day. And there are sales being made in their MarketPlace at prices as high (or higher) than any designer has posted in their CP shops; the sub-directories displaying our designs that we can (for a fee) customize and set selling prices. But the average designer is getting from 40 to 70% less for a MarketPlace sale. Or, in other words, a huge influx of revenue for CP that is, supposedly, being used just to increase the promotion of their MarketPlace.

All these things have contributed to the feelings of anger, hurt and outright betrayal on the part of most designers. Some have added shops at, or moved all their designs to, other POD firms. Some are continuing at CafePress but ‘opting out’ of the CP MarketPlace and keeping their Shops open. Each designer has to decide how to move forward in light of these drastic (understatement) changes and their own situations.

The following was originally posted at the CafePress forums in response to suggestions that I am supportive of the new CafePress MarketPlace.

“Not one of my posts here (the CP forums), on my blog, or in the other forums where CafePress’ business practises are being discussed has stated any support for them. I believe their business decision about their MarketPlace to be unwise if not self-destructive, short-sighted and a personal insult to the stated support for the community of designers that once made this place something more than any other firm. Even should economic factors not cut sales volume, I will lose somewhere around 45% of the revenue I made at CafePress in the last 12 months. And, although I have more than a dozen shops at other sites, they are not yet producing as much.

“But none of that means I am going to ignore the reality that CafePress’ new MarketPlace, contrary to many opinions expressed here and elsewhere, is not anti-capitalistic, communistic or an attack on the free market system. In fact, it epitomizes Capitalism. CP has decided to use the strength of their brand, their volume, their marketing knowledge and supplier relationships to grow their company. And because this is a somewhat free market system there are competitive firms you can decide to use. Or you can set up your own firm.”

There are plenty of others writing about what is happening. One great post about this, with links to a variety of CP Shops where shoppers can support independent designers, is at: EatingTheLotus.

Wild Friday Night

jason and I went down to The Bookloft to hear David Sedaris do a few readings, and then have him sign a couple of his books (well- our books actually; but he did write them, well not these ones by hand… you know what I mean). The readings were as good as expected- something very new as well as something already published… then some observations from his diary. Man he sure knows how to turn a phrase. A few questions, much humour; all outside in great weather under a full moon.

Then we waited for about three and a half hours to get the books signed, and have a short audience (not that he has any pretensions, just that the structure of that book store meant we had to wait in line, then enter the pre-chamber, before being allowed into his presence). He asked what we do; so I mentioned that I was eking out a living with CafePress and Unemployment Insurance after being laid off. He said he didn’t know what CP is (David, should you find this entry, check out my CP Shop).

He asked me about the last book signing I attended; in truth he had mentioned that earlier as a possible question, and since I had to think hard about it, I prompted him to ask me. It was Craig Russell signing his book “Craig Russell and His Ladies” for me in the Hudson Bay store in Toronto in 1979.

I would love to have stayed and chatted, but it was getting late and there were still dozens of people waiting. As I picked up our signed copies, he informed me that I would be hired on August 17 and told me the sun sign of that person. We shall see… I told him I would track him down and send him a suitable Reading Fee should it come to pass.

Remember

I know- my posts are few and far between. I wish I could say it’s because I’m so busy that I don’t have time. Sad to say it’s because I’ve decided not to post every day if most of my posts would be b!tching and moaning. I can whine with the best of them, but I don’t like being that way all the time. And while my ex decided his whining was part of his charm (not an opinion I agree with) and some people do it well, it’s not for me. And so, I may well write only a few posts each month, I hope that what I do say is worth the space it takes up.

Today is, in the U.S. of A., “Memorial Day” – most comparable to “Remembrance Day” back in Canada. A chance to recall those who have made, and continue to make, sacrifices so that we may live in a fairly free nation. I was raised in Canada, without military Draft, am fiscally moderate and socially progressive – many ‘Muricans seem to think that makes me anti-military. Jokes about the Canadian Armed Forces abound. But I think it gives me another view; Canadians who enlist are less likely just following a long family tradition.

A year ago we went to the crash site of Flight 93. My post from that visit is now a fixed page here ’cause I can’t add anything more; it is amazing what a difference it makes to visit that site; to just “be there“. To remember.

Sacrifice and honour may be found in many places- and must never be forgotten.

CafePress Cuts Royalties

Full disclosure: I am a member of CPV (CafePressVoice) – a focus group of CafePress (CP) shopkeepers (SK) that provide their management with feedback. But I have signed an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) so don’t expect me to reveal confidential information. What follows is my personal reaction, as a CP SK since November of 2004.

For whatever reason, CP has decided that as of June 1st, the amount of royalty they pay each designer for using their copyright material in the main CP web-site (aka “marketplace” or MP) will be 10% – much lower than what the majority of SKs are earning now. Since we each determine our own mark-up (or gross margin) for our designs, the exact cut in earnings varies. My best estimate at this point is this will mean over 70% reduction in royalties for selling the same amount of products in their MP as I have in the past 12 months – and a total earnings reduction of over 40%. Of course, sales are not growing in the current economic climate, so my earnings are most likely going to fall much more than that.

To add further insult to injury, it appears that most MP prices set by CP will be similar to what my current pricing is… so the customer is not saving much (if any) of the amount I’ll no longer get. Rather, CP will get something like 50% more for a sale in the MP then if the sale was in one of my dedicated “shop” spaces.

Some SKs have decided that they will live with the ~70% reduction in earnings from MP sales. That is their decision and I would never second-guess them. But I refuse to accept that CP gets 50% more while I get 70% less. Their ‘base price’ is supposed to cover all their costs; if the MP needs a bump to cover their advertising and marketing budget I could accept a reasonable fee. They have not proposed anything reasonable. As a CP SK we pay a monthly fee to cover the cost of our dedicated “shop” space- $7 if paid monthly, or $60 for a year.

If CP had proposed a second monthly fee to have our work included in the MP (not guaranteeing good placement; just that our designs get included somewhere), I would consider it. As it is, I continue to expand the number and size of my dedicated “shop” spaces at CP’s competitors- as I consider removing my merchandise from the main CP web-site (MP) before the end of May.

I won’t leave CP over this; their product selection & quality, Shopkeeper tools and support staff continue to outshine every other POD firm. But they are being put on notice that they are headed in the wrong direction.