The merch

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 12:43 am

Out of curiosity...how many of us sell stuff based on our comic?

I know at the cookout, several people asked about the Mixed Myth shirt I had on (which, btw, can be found here on Zazzle.

Zazzle's about as far as I ever went. I tried a couple of places. Cafe Press was HORRIBLE at the time, and 99 dogs didn't have everything I wanted.

Okay, I did used to do CDs, but stopped after a couple of issues came up with them. I might try again later. I'm still working on a print on demand book, too.

Occasionally I'd sell MM drawings or sculptures on ebay. Those did well. I tried making molds so I could make resin figurines to sell, but I had a lot of trouble with mold material, reusibility, and bubbles in the epoxy resin. This is sad because I have a very nice-but-tiny figurine of Tamit that I havn't been able to do anything with. T_T

Kris X · Post by **Kris X** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 12:52 am

Huh, that shirt looked well made too... Hmmm.

I'm working merch up for the CN Expo and most of my stuff is courtesey of my mom's work. She works at a school and lets me use their vendors and machines.

Linkara · Post by **Linkara** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 12:57 am

Well, technically the books I write exist in the same universe as my comic, so they could be considered a tie-in item, albeit they came before I started writing Lightbringer.

What I do want to do at some point is have a T-shirt or sweatshirt or something to tie into it, but really I don't know where to start. ^^;;

Escushion · Post by **Escushion** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:44 am

I have okay T-shirts, crappy posters, and a cute pillow on Cafepress, and then there's the volume 1 collecton on Lulu, with volume 2 intended for a 4th quarter release.

What makes Zazzle better than Cafepress? (In case I feel like switching over

.) Their stuff seems fairly expensive still. Is the quality better or is it just a matter of shipping that you choose them, MM?

Sincerely was telling me I should go to the CN Expo, but if I do, what is the likelihood I would be able to sell merch? What kind of stuff sells better than others at these kinds of things?

Dr Legostar · Post by **Dr Legostar** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:00 am

i'm afraid of selling stuff based on my comic... if i make money off of it i'm scared the lego corporation might have my head.

Taiwanimation · Post by **Taiwanimation** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:09 am

Hmm, from my experience at conventions, 8.5x11 prints tend to sell good and have huge profit margins. Posters can also do well.

Comics also sell a fair amount but they cost more to produce.

Stickers are cheap and sell in huge quantities (especially if priced for 25 cents).

In general at conventions the goal is to make stuff that appeals to people who dont know anything about the comic, and to make it cheap.

For selling online I'd imagine products would be more high end and people would have already known the comic.

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:42 am

Escushion wrote: What makes Zazzle better than Cafepress? (In case I feel like switching over .) Their stuff seems fairly expensive still. Is the quality better or is it just a matter of shipping that you choose them, MM?

Well, there were several things at the time. I'm not sure that the problems I had with them exist anymore.

First of all, at the time the shirts Cafepress had were REALLY crappy iron on transfers that you could honestly print out yourself and save ten bucks. I hear that's changed and that they have actual printing now. I once got a shirt from them that was put on upside down. 9_9 Those t shirts cracked and faded like all get out in the wash, too.

The final straw was when they threatened to charge me monthly when I made a little bit of profit, but not enough to meet a 'quota' that they had.

I had heard after that that they started charging people who wanted to leave their service, but cannot verify that.

I'm pretty sure things have changed by now, too.

Escushion · Post by **Escushion** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:09 am

I have experienced their problems of iron-on, though I never heard of the charging. They have a premium program at this point though if you want more than one kind of something (more than one kind of white T-shirt, for example.) I may switch anyway. Thanks for the info.

Faub · Post by **Faub** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 1:18 pm

I print my own tshirts, but have yet to post any online for sale. You can make shirts relatively cheaply and for decent profit if you sell them for $15 + shipping. You'll need to do that too. Keeping an inventory of shirts is expensive. I'm currently holding on to around $150 in blanks and it's only a small box full.

I have issues 1, 2 and samplers 1-3 are in my store as well as the minicomic of Iohan & Jessica. Printing comics is VERY easy. Printing comics cheaply is harder. I found a printer that would print my comics for $1 each (that's cheaper than comixpress with an ad on the back cover). Digitally printing color comics will be ultra expensive, though. You can buy manilla envelopes that fit 5x8.5 comics perfectly too. If you have access to a post office, I don't see a reason not to print comics.

I'm also looking at making resin figures, but I'm having a brain freeze making the original clay models. I need to try out making a mold at some point. It can be done.

Did you see the jewel magnets I had at the cookout? I lost quite a few of them in the Texas Holdem game.

You can buy a button press for around $100. Those would be great fun.

As people have said, 8.5x11 or larger prints are cool and apparently sell decently, though I traded for all the prints I have from people.

If you're at a con, having something shiney will attract people from across the room, even if your table sucks.

CaptainClaude · Post by **CaptainClaude** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:03 pm

I'm more interested in actually seeling my comics right now. Getting that store set up for my Faustus comic.

should start work on that Dr. Moreau one while I'm away too.

and the outrage badges of course, but they ain't from my comics.

Vorticus · Post by **Vorticus** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:55 pm

I sell nothing. I'm also lazy about promoting my comic. Go figure.

Dave Against The Machine · Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:57 pm

I highly doubt I will ever have anything for backroads. Specialy since a little voice in the back of my head, is telling me to end it soon, for a comic idea I've been thinking of, and thinking up character designs. If that works out well, I would concider merch for it.

[geoduck] · Post by **[geoduck]** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 3:25 pm

I have a CD archive people can buy, and I've sold a couple of hard-copy drawings. I really don't have enough of a fan-base to make something like T-Shirt production worthwhile.

Phact0rri · Post by **Phact0rri** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:10 pm

I've thought about making stuff for personal use, but never really concidered merch for the fans. my design skills aren't really up to par for all that anyways.

Garneta · Post by **Garneta** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:18 pm

I'd like to have some merchandise...but there's no point in it right now with only 15 or 20 readers...maybe I'll do some stuff if I ever get a large enough fanbase.

Sincerely · Post by **Sincerely** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 6:26 pm

I wanna make t-shirts and Proteus suggested stickers at the cookout.

I've never thought about prints 'cause I have trouble imagining that they'd sell and I have no idea what I'd do them of.

I haven't even started looking into what it would take to do any of this.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 7:32 pm

I'm thinking about making up some kind of mini-comic to use for promotion. But other than that, I don't feel I have a large enough readership to warrant selling stuff...nor have I had any demand for it...nor can I come up with a worthwhile idea to put on something to sell.

Jackhass · Post by **Jackhass** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 8:57 pm

Nah, I'm waiting for there to actually be some demand as opposed to trying to push stuff on people.

Vorticus · Post by **Vorticus** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 9:04 pm

Hehe, just remembered that I had an idea to sell aprons like devon is wearing. So a white apron with the words "Duck and Cover" on the front.

Gengar003 · Post by **Gengar003** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 9:12 pm

Here's another one of those "no-merch" people. The day a reader requests it will be the day I get around to making some.