All Posts

Spring Clean Your Shop

Spring cleaning isn’t just for dirty garages and forgotten closets. Your Spreadshop could also use some dusting!

Your shop should be an ever-changing platform. You don’t want to get stuck with the same look and products forever. That’s why it’s important to make some tweaks to your site every now and then. Play with theme options, add new designs, try a different marketing strategy, etc.

Your customers will be more inclined to support you when you make this extra effort. But this doesn’t mean you’ll need to do a major overhaul of your shop. See how some small changes can have your shop looking as fresh as a daisy!

Out with the old, in with the new

Launching a new design is a fun way to refresh your shop. You don’t need to be a professional graphic designer, either. FREE tools like Canva have a bunch of text and graphic elements that will inspire you. Create a graphic in honor of the new season or add something you know your fans will love.

Ask for feedback on your socials and whatever channels you typically use: Twitch for streamers, Youtube for content creators. You want to drum up as much excitement as you can around a new design before it launches. And the more you involve your fans and followers, the more likely they are to buy your merch design when it launches.

With the addition of a new design, you also might want to consider retiring an old one. Maybe it just doesn’t fit your aesthetic anymore or wasn’t a big seller. Give it a proper sendoff by marking down the price and promoting it on socials one last time.

Hit the refresh button

While you’re adding new designs, it’s also important to put the seasonal products on display. This means having your tanks, t-shirts, water bottles, totes and more, front and center. These are the items people are going to be reaching for more as the weather changes. Beach and camping trips are just around the corner!

We’ve added some products since last spring that will be staples for this season. Our new fanny pack has a retro vibe but is perfectly on trend. This is a fun merch item that will attract eyeballs wherever you go. It will also look great styled in photos (more on that later).

Having these items up front shows potential customers that your Spreadshop is active. You don’t want it to look like something you set up months ago and haven’t touched since. This is essential spring cleaning right here.

Shake up your strategy

Your strategy doesn’t need to be as complicated as this graphic is making it, we promise! A marketing strategy is basically just how you go about marketing and promoting your shop. If you don’t have one, now’s the time!

Think about where your customers spend most of their time. Go to those channels and create conversations. If you already have similar interests, it’s going to be easier to market your merch. You can speak in a personal tone. Beyond what you do on your own, you should also take advantage of offers from Spreadshop!

We have promos running nearly every week this spring. Everyone loves a discount or deal, so use these as an incentive to get people to purchase. Pro tip: cross-promote these promos with the launch of new merch to draw more attention! Your socials will be a valuable asset to your shop if you have a marketing strategy in place this spring.

Time for a revamp

The landing page of your Spreadshop has a real impact on your merch sales. You want it to be inviting, clean and easy to navigate. This boils down to different design choices and the vibe you want to create with your shop.

If your shop doesn’t have a logo or flashy promo images, let your products do the talking. Have your landing page be a simple banner with product options available to browse (make sure they’re seasonally appropriate). Feature your newly launched designs here, too. That way, customers won’t be clicking on other sections. It will already be there for them to view and shop.

Maybe things have changed for your shop in the past few months. You have a new message, a new passion. If it’s not there already, toggle on the About Me feature in your shop settings. Create an updated bio that lets people know who you are and why you have merch in the first place. People want to connect with you and your merch, so give them a reason.

Share your merch on socials

We’re not saying you need to be a professional model or anything, but it’s important to rock your merch here and there. It will feel more tangible to people if they see you take a selfie wearing one of your t-shirts. This shows you are giving your seal of approval.

If you really don’t want to be in front of the camera, recruit family/friends to model for you. The photos should have a natural and relaxed vibe. You don’t want them to look too posey. These shots will be great to reuse on socials in different formats: Instagram stories, static posts, boosted ads. If you get a few you’re extra happy with, consider putting them in your Spreadshop. Use one as a banner, put some on your About Me page.

Photos with people in them traditionally get better engagement on socials than text or graphic-based posts. You’re bringing your merch into the real world instead of having it live exclusively online. Likes and sales are sure to follow with these of posts.

We hope these tips got you ready to spring clean your shop!

Looking for merch? Open your own Spreadshop right now.

Spreadshop Supports Digital Artists

Spreadshop is an advocate for digital artists in all spaces. We’re aware that there’s been a backlash concerning merch from shop owners in the crypto and NFT communities. Here at Spreadshop, we want to make our mission clear: we support digital arts in their creative endeavors.

Merch is made for people to express themselves. Sharing your passion is what our platform is made for. As long as it’s not hurting anyone, there’s plenty of room for different niche interests.

At Spreadshop, we want to see people grow their brand and create their own community. And the crypto and NFT communities are growing places for digital artists. Merch is a logical step to connect with a fanbase, and we’re here to help make that happen.

Build a brand with Spreadshop

We don’t associate ourselves with blockchain technology. We occupy the print on-demand space which makes the merch production process a breeze for the typical shop owner. You upload designs and plan a social strategy/promotion for your shop. We handle the rest: printing, packaging and shipping.

Spreadshop doesn’t participate in the sale of NFTs, either. If an NFT artist wants to upload their artwork onto products and sell them, that’s where we come in. Having a piece of art you created on merch is a big deal. You’re giving new life to something and creating conversations in the process. Your digital art portfolio just became your own personal merch brand!

The Snowmen of Knoff is a prime example of that. Their whimsical designs look great on products people can use in their everyday lives: caps, tees, mugs and more. Someone who has no experience with NFTs will just think they’re really cute designs. Merch is for everybody, not just people who are familiar with your niche.

Save with Spreadshop

Since Crypto and NFTs are such hot topics right now, it can be tempting to invest all your resources into them. It’s important to hold back in some areas. That saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is corny, but true. Opening a Spreadshop is a low-cost risk. It’s FREE and easy to use. And you won’t be stuck with boxes of t-shirts if things don’t work out.

It’s important to be true to your art at the end of the day. Avoid scammy websites or platforms that claim to promote your art and make promises they can’t keep. We don’t ask for personal information and all sales are legit. You can feel confident about promoting your shop to your followers.

Before you get too far into the crypto and NFT game, see how merch with your art on it does. If certain designs perform better than others, make similar designs available. Find what attracts an audience and run with it in a way that still feels authentic to your brand.

Spreadshop sticks to the facts

One of the first things we hear is: “NFTs hurt the environment.” People like to talk about how much electricity it takes to mint a digital file. Meanwhile, millions of ATM machines are running non-stop and using so much energy. Does that mean you’ll stop using cash?

We’re mindful that with any new market disruption there is propaganda that comes from both sides. Anyone remember NAPSTER? Corporations and gatekeepers do not want the control in the hands of the artists. Some of the same arguments against NFTs are used when it comes to free music online, but it’s become commonplace to have Spotify or Apple Music.

We’re not experts. For now, until the facts are very clear and scientifically studied, we choose to support digital artists within our own community standards.

Do you have facts for or against NFTs? Please share them with us in the comments below!

Spreadshop Celebrates Women’s History Month

Spreadshop is celebrating Women’s History Month by spotlighting women-owned shops. Everyday, we see a diverse range of women opening up shops and launching brands that relate to their personal mission.

Merch gives women the opportunity to tell their story. It’s a way to connect with others who have similar passions and interests. Your Spreadshop is whatever you want it to be, and these four women have proven that to be true.

Rainelle Jones

We’re proud to call Rainelle a Spreadshop athlete. The University of Maryland volleyball player is a powerhouse on the court and is sending a powerful message with her merch, too. Her decision to kneel in solidarity with those affected by racial injustice is being amplified.

“Fighting for what you believe in is bigger than us,” says Rainelle.

NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) has created opportunities for Rainelle and other college athletes to brand themselves and earn money. Rainelle is using her platform, like so many others, to create change. She has an influence on her team, her school, her community. And she’s using it for good.

Sicily Rose

Sicily Rose is a triple threat: actress, singer and dancer. At 15, she has amassed over 560,000 followers on TikTok and 650,000 followers on Instagram. Sicily has formed a bond with her followers, and her merch helps strengthen that connection.

Sicily’s shop feels fun and fresh. Phrases like “I’m good by myself” and “I’m good, babe” emphasize her independent spirit. She’s doing good all by herself and isn’t looking to anyone for approval.

She’s also a model and often wears her hoodies and t-shirts in her social posts. Channel some of that energy when you buy merch from Sicily’s shop!

Nena Shelby

Nena Shelby is another young woman who’s blazing her own path and building a brand. Her Youtube channel features guitar tutorials that have generated thousands of views. She’s empowering young women from all over to pick up a guitar and speak their truth.

Nena emphasizes on her channel that skill level and how long you’ve played guitar aren’t as important. What matters is that you speak to your soul through your playing. Nena’s merch is simple and super cute. She even uses one of her own guitars in her designs.

Whether you’ve been playing guitar for years or have just started, Nena’s channel (and merch!) are there to help motivate you.

Monique Empath

Monique has carved out a unique niche with her merch. She is a psychic medium that gives people insight into their lives and future. She doesn’t predict anything, rather read energy. She provides her clients with insight about concerns and questions so they can determine the best solution for themselves.

She is really a transmitter for all of this energy and information, which makes her merch so spot-on. A symbol of a person, arms outstretched with a signal over their head represents the openness you have to lead with in her sessions, and in life. Monique wants to see her clients succeed, that’s why she does what she does.

We’re so inspired by all these women. They are all unique and have their own passions that are taken to the next level thanks to their shops.

Want to make your own merch? Launch a Spreadshop today!

Spring discount promotions in March & April 2022

Finally, winter is over. We could weep. On March 20, spring officially begins and (half) the world awakens from its long winter sleep.

Spring is a busy and festive season with many special occasions and holidays around the world, including:

Mardi Gras on March 1st
International Women’s Day on March 8th
St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th
Start of Ramadan on April 2nd
Easter on April 17th
Passover from April 15th-23rd

Special occasions are just one nice excuse to promote your Shop. You can usually postpone the start of your discount promotions within a time window of 60 days – i.e. 30 days before or after the official promotion date, so schedule them as you see fit.

Scheduled discount promotions in March & April*

March 4^th – 9th: 15% off everything
March 17^th– 22nd: Free shipping
March 30th – April 4th: 20% off everything
April 9th – 12th*: 15% off everything
April 21st – 26th*: 20 % off everything

*to be confirmed.
Notice anything? We’ve extended the promotion period to up to six days! Of course, you can still shorten or postpone your discount promotions as you like. So get planning and promote your Shop with some special deals!

Spreadshop Athlete Paul Mulcahy Spreads Gratitude

College athlete Paul Mulcahy is spreading gratitude with merch. Spreadshop is giving the Rutgers basketball player a platform to inspire others.

Other college athletes with merch have taken a similar approach and have chosen to use their platform for change. Amari Carter is a safety for the Miami Hurricane. His nonprofit is helping to provide food for the homeless community in Florida. Paul’s mission: lead with gratitude.

His nonprofit – the Grateful 4 Foundation – is all about spreading gratitude and inspiring a chain of selfless acts. Merch is a way for him to raise money for his cause and promote what we should feel everyday.

It’s a Chain Reaction

Everyone is capable of feeling gratitude. Our everyday lives can be so busy and stressful that we fail to take time and acknowledge how thankful we are. It can be easy to get caught up in what we don’t have that would make our lives “better” or “easier.” And Paul himself has a lot to be grateful for.

He’s an all-star player on the court, but he’s dealt with troubles off the court that have impacted his life. In 2015, a fire displaced his family and burnt nearly all of their possessions. Paul and his sister were in the house when the fire started. They were lucky to get out when they did.

A loss like that can make you angry and want to turn your back on the world. Instead, Paul opened up his heart to the things in life that really matter. Five years later, he started a foundation with that kind of intention.

The Big Picture

The Grateful 4 Foundation seeks to create a community based on the idea of gratitude and selflessness. Big things can happen when you think about others rather than yourself. Just like gratitude, there’s something in Paul’s shop for everyone!

The definition of gratitude adorns t-shirts, hoodies, hats and more. Your merch purchase will help support 6 different nonprofit organizations on behalf of the Grateful 4 Foundation. Rep your gratitude and feel confident knowing you’ve helped spread an important message.

What makes you grateful? Turn your passion into merch. Open a Spreadshop today!