Are you tired of the same old designs on mass-produced t-shirts? Or perhaps you’re an artist seeking a platform to showcase your creativity and earn extra income? Enter Design By Humans (DBH), a print-on-demand (POD) marketplace promising unique designs for customers and a chance for artists to monetize their art. But is DBH all it’s cracked up to be? This comprehensive “design by humans review” delves into the pros and cons of DBH, exploring its value for both artists and customers. I’ll address questions commonly, comparing DBH to its main competitor, Redbubble, and assessing the overall “design by humans quality” of products, especially their t-shirts.
Table of Contents
- What is Design By Humans?
- Design By Humans for Artists: A Deep Dive
- Design By Humans for Customers: What to Expect
- Design By Humans: Pros and Cons
- Alternatives to Design By Humans
- FAQ Section
- Conclusion
What is Design By Humans?
Design By Humans operates on a print-on-demand (POD) model, which has become increasingly popular in recent years. POD platforms connect artists directly with customers. Here’s how it works:
- Artists Upload Designs: Artists create accounts on DBH and upload their artwork, selecting which products they’d like their designs featured on.
- Customers Choose Designs & Products: Customers browse the website, discovering unique designs across various merchandise, including t-shirts, phone cases, art prints, stickers, and mugs.
- DBH Handles the Rest: Once a customer places an order, DBH manages the printing, shipping, and customer service, taking care of the logistical aspects. Artists receive a royalty for each sale.
DBH started as a curated platform, featuring only designs that were selected through a voting process. This helped ensure a high standard of “design by humans quality.” However, the company later shifted to an open marketplace model, similar to other POD sites like Redbubble, TeePublic, and Society6. This move, while opening up opportunities for more artists, has led to a debate about design quality on the platform, a topic we’ll explore further.
Design By Humans for Artists: A Deep Dive
Earning Potential and Royalties
The allure of earning passive income is a major draw for artists considering POD sites. DBH’s current royalty structure offers artists a percentage of each sale, with the amount varying depending on the product. While DBH promotes their royalty rates as “competitive,” many artists on platforms question the fairness of these rates. They argue that the artists, whose designs are the primary reason for customer purchases, should receive a more substantial cut of the profits.
A common “design by humans review” thread revolves around the platform’s royalty rates. Users often compare DBH to Redbubble, debating which site offers better earning potential. While both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses, Redbubble allows artists to set their own markup on base prices, potentially leading to higher earnings.
The “long game” aspect of POD is essential to understand. While a single design might not earn a fortune overnight, it has the potential to generate consistent, passive income over several years or even decades. Building a diverse portfolio on DBH and focusing on evergreen designs can lead to a cumulative effect, with each design contributing to a more substantial overall income stream.
Design Upload and Store Management
Setting up a store on DBH is fairly straightforward. Artists create an account, upload their designs as high-resolution PNG files, and optimize their product listings with relevant keywords, detailed descriptions, and appropriate tags. However, simply uploading designs doesn’t guarantee sales.
One of the biggest challenges artists face on DBH is visibility and competition. The shift to an open marketplace has resulted in an influx of designs, making it harder for high-quality artwork to stand out. This raises concerns about the platform’s search algorithm and whether it effectively prioritizes well-executed designs over those of lesser quality. A frequent complaint in “design by humans review” threads is the difficulty of getting designs noticed amidst the vast sea of products.
Design Quality and Copyright
The influx of designs on DBH has sparked discussions about a decline in overall quality. While the platform’s original curated model ensured a certain standard, the current open marketplace allows for a wider range of design quality, including some artwork that might be considered amateurish or even infringing on copyright. This has led some to question the “design by humans shirt quality” and the platform’s vetting process.
DBH’s vetting process for uploaded designs has come under scrutiny. While there are measures in place to discourage art theft, such as the use of low-resolution preview images, the effectiveness of these measures and the level of moderation on the platform remain points of debate.
It’s essential for artists to prioritize originality and copyright protection when selling their work online. Utilizing resources like watermarking and registering copyrights can help safeguard their designs and ensure they retain control over their intellectual property.
Design By Humans for Customers: What to Expect
Product Variety and Quality
DBH offers a diverse range of products beyond the typical t-shirt. Customers can find designs printed on phone cases, art prints, stickers, mugs, and more, providing a broader choice for showcasing their personal style.
The quality of DBH’s products, especially their “design by humans shirt quality,” is a crucial factor for customers. Researching reviews, comparing the quality and pricing with competitor sites like Redbubble, and even ordering a sample product are all good strategies to assess DBH’s product quality.
Shopping Experience and Customer Service
A seamless shopping experience is essential for customer satisfaction. DBH’s website user interface and ease of navigation play a significant role in this. Customers should be able to easily search for designs, browse products, add items to their cart, and complete the checkout process efficiently.
Customer service responsiveness and shipping times are also important considerations. DBH has a dedicated customer support team to assist customers with any issues or inquiries. Reading reviews and feedback from other customers can provide insights into the quality of DBH’s customer service.
Design By Humans: Pros and Cons
To provide a balanced perspective, let’s weigh the advantages and disadvantages of DBH for both artists and customers:
| Feature | Pros | Cons |
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| For Artists |
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| For Customers |
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Alternatives to Design By Humans
If you’re looking for alternatives to DBH, several other POD sites cater to both artists and customers. These include:
- Redbubble: Known for its vast selection of designs and products, Redbubble allows artists to set their own markup on base prices, potentially leading to higher earnings than DBH.
- TeePublic: This platform offers daily site-wide sales and emphasizes artist community engagement.
- Society6: Society6 focuses on a wide variety of art prints and home decor products, providing a more curated experience.
In addition to POD sites, artists can explore selling their designs directly through their own websites or using drop-shipping services like Printful. This allows for greater control over pricing, branding, and customer interactions.
FAQ Section
What is the royalty rate on DBH?
The royalty rate on DBH varies depending on the product and the base price set by the platform. Artists typically receive a percentage of each sale, with a standard t-shirt sale potentially earning around $3 for the artist.
How do I get paid on DBH?
DBH pays artists monthly, with no minimum payout threshold. This means artists receive their earnings even if they haven’t reached a specific amount.
Is DBH good for beginners?
DBH can be a good starting point for beginner artists interested in exploring POD. However, it’s important to be aware of the challenges regarding visibility and competition. Focusing on creating high-quality, original designs and optimizing product listings is crucial.
How long does DBH take to ship?
DBH’s shipping times vary depending on the product and the customer’s location. Generally, customers can expect their orders to be shipped within a few business days.
What is the quality of DBH t-shirts like?
DBH offers a range of t-shirt styles and brands. The “design by humans shirt quality” can vary depending on the specific shirt chosen. Reading customer reviews and considering the t-shirt brand before making a purchase is recommended.
Does DBH protect artists from copyright infringement?
DBH has some measures in place to deter art theft, such as using low-resolution images for preview purposes. However, the level of moderation and enforcement of copyright protection on the platform is a matter of ongoing debate.
Conclusion
Design By Humans offers a platform for both artists seeking to monetize their work and customers looking for unique designs. While the POD model has its advantages, including the potential for passive income and a vast marketplace for customers, DBH also faces challenges related to design quality, artist visibility, and fair compensation.
Ultimately, whether DBH is “worth it” depends on individual goals and expectations. For artists, DBH can be a stepping stone for exploring POD, but it’s crucial to manage expectations regarding earning potential and be prepared to invest time in optimizing designs and marketing efforts. For customers, DBH offers a treasure trove of unique designs, but it’s wise to research product quality and compare pricing with competitor sites like Redbubble.