Hi I'm trying to start a t-shirt business and I'm trying to figure out weather I want to do it under CafePress, or an independent company. It will be online either way, independent will be more money, I'd have to buy a printer, heat press, carry inventory, and maintain a website, but the margins will be higher, and I'll have a brand. Cafepress is well known, but also have a ton of designs on there to choose from, and it will be a little more expensive for the product, and slightly lower margin, but, it will be pretty much be free for me, unless I take the premium store, which is less then $10 per month, and they just send the commission check to you. No inventory, just set up the t-shirts, and put them up on the website, maybe create a small advertising campaign, word of mouth, whatever, to set my store out from everybody else's. I can also register a domain, and do a redirect, to keep a website in people's mind, not just 'cafepress'

I'm leaning towards cafepress, at least to start, and then grow on there, and eventually off of there, but I'm wondering if there are any pitfalls with cafepress? I just don't want to be paired with cafepress long term. Money is in issue though, and a 12,000 startup isn't out of my range, but it certainly is a stretch.

Any help will be appreciated
Thanks
John

It just so happens we're in the same business....kinda. We do custom shirts as well as what I call "Preprinted". Simillar to Dixie Outfitters, where we buy the designs, put them on the shirts and sell them. I have my own website (www.randwtees.com) and have tested the waters doing it on ebay. I'm not sure (unless you have something wildly unique) that you can make it doing t-shirts online. We have worked flea markets... weekly for months and not even paid for the booth. We have worked online and not sold a single shirt. We worked a local community festival, and made 200.00 in a day. Personally I think customization is where it's at.. at festivals and such. That's what we're going to be focusing on in the coming year. Let me know where you are and I'll see if I can turn you on to suppliers. One suggestion... and this is the first advice that was given to me by someone who had been in the business for years. When you buy your press...make sure it's made by Hix. Ours is a "hobby" model, and we printed 450 shirts on it this weekend without so much as a wimper.

Let me know if you need any help or advice..I'll try..

Ron M.
R and W Tees