For artists and designers looking to delve into the world of print-on-demand (POD), navigating the myriad of available platforms can be overwhelming. Two popular contenders often rise to the top of the list: TeePublic and Society6. This comprehensive comparison will break down these POD giants, analyzing their products, pricing structures, shop customization options, traffic generation potential, seller support experiences, and ultimately, their overall potential for success. When deciding between “teepublic vs society6” or pondering “teepublic or society6,” this guide will equip you with the information needed to make a well-informed choice.
Table of Contents:
- Products
- A. Product Portfolio
- B. Best Sellers
- C. Unique Products
- Pricing & Margins
- A. Pricing Control
- B. Royalty Rates
- C. Sales & Discounts
- Shop Customization & Branding
- A. Shop Design
- B. Branding Elements
- C. Overall Look & Feel
- Traffic & Sales
- A. Organic Traffic
- B. Marketing & Promotion
- C. Driving Traffic
- Seller Support & Experience
- A. Customer Service
- B. Account Issues
- C. Community & Resources
- Overall Potential & Conclusion
- FAQ
I. Products:
Both TeePublic and Society6 offer a diverse range of products, but their specific focus and breadth differ. Understanding these nuances is essential for artists to select the platform best suited to their design style and target audience.
A. Product Portfolio:
TeePublic: Primarily known for its apparel selection, offering a wide variety of t-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, and other clothing items. They also provide a curated selection of non-apparel products, including stickers, phone cases, mugs, and wall art.
Society6: Boasts a significantly broader product portfolio, encompassing a wide array of home decor, furniture, lifestyle products, and art prints. This includes items like tapestries, throw blankets, shower curtains, furniture, and various wall art formats.
B. Best Sellers:
TeePublic: T-shirts reign supreme on TeePublic, closely followed by stickers, pins, and hoodies. The platform’s strong focus on apparel and its user-friendly design process make it ideal for artists specializing in t-shirt graphics.
Society6: Wall art, particularly art prints, dominates Society6’s best-seller list. The platform also sees strong sales for all-over prints and patterns, often applied to home decor items like tapestries, throw blankets, and shower curtains. Travel mugs and t-shirts also perform well, though not as prominently as on TeePublic.
C. Unique Products:
Society6: Differentiates itself by offering a wider range of home decor and furniture options, catering to artists whose design aesthetic lends itself to interior design and lifestyle products.
TeePublic: Retains a more focused approach, specializing in apparel, with t-shirts as its core offering. This concentrated focus can appeal to artists who prioritize a streamlined product selection.
II. Pricing & Margins:
The financial aspect of any POD venture is crucial, and both TeePublic and Society6 have distinct pricing models.
A. Pricing Control:
TeePublic: Employs a fixed base price for each product, determined by the platform. Artists earn a fixed royalty per sale, providing a consistent but often lower profit margin compared to Society6.
Society6: Grants artists more control over pricing, allowing them to set their own markup for art prints, while maintaining a fixed markup for other products. This gives artists the flexibility to optimize their earnings for specific product categories.
B. Royalty Rates:
TeePublic: Royalty rates are dynamic and depend on sales volume and the artist’s tier within the platform’s system. Generally, TeePublic’s royalty rates are considered lower than Society6’s, especially for new artists.
Society6: Offers a higher base markup for art prints, giving artists more control over their earnings for this popular category. However, overall royalty rates for other products may be lower compared to TeePublic, especially for items with lower base prices.
C. Sales & Discounts:
TeePublic: Frequently runs site-wide sales and promotions, which can affect artist royalties. While these sales can boost visibility and potentially lead to more sales volume, they can also significantly decrease profit margins per item.
Society6: Empowers artists to run their own promotions and discounts, offering more control over pricing strategies. This flexibility allows artists to align their pricing with their marketing goals and potentially maintain higher profit margins during site-wide sales.
III. Shop Customization & Branding:
The level of shop customization and branding available can impact an artist’s ability to cultivate a unique brand identity.
A. Shop Design:
TeePublic: Provides limited customization options, focusing on basic branding elements like avatars and banner images. This streamlined approach prioritizes ease of use, but sacrifices the opportunity for extensive shop personalization.
Society6: Offers similar limited customization options, focusing on basic branding elements rather than comprehensive shop design. This approach aligns with the platform’s emphasis on product-focused browsing.
B. Branding Elements:
Both Platforms: Allow for basic branding, enabling artists to add avatars and banner images to their shops. These elements provide a minimal level of shop personalization, but the overall shop aesthetic is determined by the platform’s standardized design.
C. Overall Look & Feel:
Both Platforms: Shops are seamlessly integrated into the platform’s design, prioritizing a cohesive brand experience for customers. This integration minimizes the opportunity for individual artists to create a distinctive shop aesthetic, but ensures a consistent look and feel across the platform.
IV. Traffic & Sales:
Driving traffic and generating sales is the lifeblood of any online business, and understanding how each platform approaches traffic acquisition is essential for success.
A. Organic Traffic:
TeePublic: Generally considered to have higher organic traffic than Society6, particularly for apparel. This is attributed to its strong focus on t-shirts, a popular POD product category, and its active social media presence.
Society6: Can be more challenging to gain organic visibility, as the platform’s product selection is vast and competition can be fierce. Artists may need to invest more effort in self-promotion to drive traffic to their Society6 shops.
B. Marketing & Promotion:
Both Platforms: Offer limited built-in marketing tools. Artists are largely responsible for driving traffic to their shops through external channels. While they might provide basic social media sharing options, the onus is on the artists to craft their own marketing strategies.
C. Driving Traffic:
Diversification: Diversifying traffic sources is key to long-term success. Relying solely on a single channel, like organic traffic from the platform, can leave artists vulnerable to algorithm changes and fluctuations in market trends.
Social Media: Actively promoting your designs on platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter can significantly expand your reach and drive targeted traffic to your POD shops.
Content Marketing: Creating blog posts, articles, videos, and other forms of content that feature your designs can establish you as an authority in your niche and attract a loyal following.
Paid Advertising: Consider running ads on social media platforms or through Google Ads to reach a broader audience and generate more immediate sales.
V. Seller Support & Experience:
When challenges arise or questions need answering, the quality of seller support can significantly impact an artist’s overall experience.
A. Customer Service:
TeePublic: Seller support has been reported to be less responsive in recent times, particularly for new shop owners. Artists have encountered difficulties receiving timely responses to their inquiries, especially regarding account issues and design rejections.
Society6: Information regarding the responsiveness and efficiency of Society6’s seller support is limited. Artists may face challenges obtaining prompt assistance, particularly for complex issues.
B. Account Issues:
Both Platforms: Have faced criticism for occasionally suspending shops, particularly new ones. The reasons for these suspensions can sometimes be unclear, and communication from the platforms regarding account status can be lacking. This ambiguity and lack of transparency can be frustrating for artists, particularly those relying on these platforms for income.
C. Community & Resources:
Both Platforms: Have online forums and communities where artists can connect, share tips, and seek support from fellow sellers. However, the activity levels and helpfulness of these communities can vary.
VI. Overall Potential & Conclusion:
Choosing between TeePublic and Society6 ultimately depends on your individual needs and goals as an artist.
A. Potential for Success:
TeePublic: Offers strong organic traffic potential, particularly for apparel designs. However, recent concerns regarding seller support and account stability should be considered.
Society6: Provides a wider product range, catering to a broader spectrum of design aesthetics. However, gaining visibility and generating consistent sales can be more challenging due to increased competition and a perceived lower volume of organic traffic.
B. Choosing the Right Platform:
Design Style: Does your design style align with the popular products and aesthetics of the platform? TeePublic favors bold, graphic t-shirt designs, while Society6 caters to a wider range of styles, including those suited for home decor and art prints.
Marketing Strategy: Are you prepared to invest effort in driving your own traffic to your shop through social media, content marketing, or paid advertising? Or do you rely heavily on organic traffic from the platform?
Product Focus: Do you prefer a more focused product selection, like TeePublic’s apparel-centric approach, or do you value a wider product range, like that offered by Society6?
C. The Power of Diversification:
Ultimately, diversifying your presence across multiple POD platforms can mitigate risk and expand your earning potential. By strategically selecting platforms that complement your design style and marketing strategy, you can create multiple income streams and build a more robust online business.
VII. FAQ:
Q: Can I use the same designs on both TeePublic and Society6?
A: Yes, you are generally allowed to use the same designs on multiple POD platforms. Check each platform’s terms of service to confirm their specific policies.
Q: What happens if my shop gets suspended on TeePublic or Society6?
A: Reaching out to seller support is crucial, but be prepared for potential communication challenges. Be persistent in your efforts to contact support, clearly explaining the situation and providing any relevant information.
Q: How can I improve my chances of making sales on Society6?
A: Focus on creating high-quality designs that align with the platform’s aesthetic, and actively promote your shop through social media, content marketing, and potentially paid advertising.
Q: Is upload automation a good idea?
A: Upload automation can save time and streamline your workflow, especially when managing designs across multiple platforms. However, be aware of the potential downsides, such as platform restrictions and the possibility of upload errors. Do your research and choose a reputable automation tool that aligns with your needs and workflow.