(Did you play the song in your head? We did.) You still have time to launch your shop and win it all! Simply follow the instructions in our Shop Launch community here. Think you’re too late? Nope! You have until midnight EST on March 16th to get in this thing!
Spreadshop IS the fastest way to launch a free merch shop online. You could seriously could launch a shop within a day that shocks the world and wins it all!!! No kidding. That really is how fast you can launch your Spreadshop.
What’s still up for grabs?
Grand prize: $2021
Second place: $500
Third place: $200
BONUS PRIZE: IPAD PRO + APPLE PENCIL!
The iPad Pro contest is a special “Storytelling” challenge that started in Week 5. Challengers who follow the steps in the community post here will be in the running!
Did we mention the amazing Challenger community?
For the past 8 weeks our little Shop Launch Community has grown, with many challenging themselves week to week to grow and work on their shops. From sharing tips, to moral support when people feel like giving up, this really is something special. Even if you’ve missed out on the past weekly challenges, they are all still there for you to learn and grow.
Be sure to check out the comments section of every weekly challenge which features amazing examples of how other new shop owners are making promos for their sales, launching new designs and more!
Good luck, and we hope to see you over there soon!
We’re back with your March assortment updates! Extended sizes are now available for a wide variety of products on the North American platform. Learn all about it and add them to your Shop to give your customers some fresh picks for springtime.
“Who Needs Feminism?” is an inquisitive campaign Jasmin has been exploring for nearly nine years. In our interview, she discusses how it all started, her journey, roadblocks and networking during a pandemic. Of course, she also gives us a glimpse into her Spreadshop!
Feminism then & now
Hi Jasmin, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! Can you tell us about yourself and how you came up with the idea for the campaign: “Wer braucht feminismus?” (translation: “Who Needs Feminism?”)
My full name is Jasmin Mittag and I live in beautiful Hanover, Germany. I’ve been working as a freelance activist and artist for about ten years now, and through my daily work I try to make people aware of socially relevant issues, to empower them and to network. “Who Needs Feminism?” is something I developed based on the photo campaign “Who needs feminism?” which was created by American students and initiated in Germany.
What were the beginnings of the campaign like? Do you find that feminist demands are more visible today than when you first started your work?
When I started in 2012, it was really not easy to get the campaign off the ground and to gather feminist statements. On the one hand, I myself was new to the networking scene. On the other hand, people in German-speaking countries were not yet so willing to profess feminism themselves in photos.
Today, I believe feminist demands have become more visible and more widespread. We are networking more and more, and there are more role models who make feminism their motto.
It’s incredible that you’ve been running “Who Needs Feminism” since October 2012. How have the needs of those joining the movement changed since then?
We have collected over 3,000 statements in German-speaking countries since 2012. Each statement is always new and individual; unfortunately, there are far too many reasons why we still need feminism today. The basic issues have not changed yet. Above all, we all want more justice, equal opportunities and freedom through a more open society and fewer gender role barriers. I have the impression that we are becoming more concrete on some issues, though, like abolishing the tax on menstrual products.
Community helps the movement grow
Which channels do you use to connect with your supporters? Do you have a preferred platform where you exchange ideas with other feminists?
It is important to us that we reach people in different ways and, above all, directly. That’s why we are very happy and proud that there has been a traveling exhibition since 2014, it’s already been exhibited in over 40 places in Germany. It’s primarily exhibited in town halls and libraries or even universities. With our podcast and via social networks, we again reach a different, often younger audience. We are particularly active on Instagram at the moment. However, because we do our grassroots work on a voluntary basis, it’s only possible for us to be constantly present and to exchange with our community to a limited extent.
Speaking of discussion and conversation within your community: How has your work changed since the beginning of the pandemic?
We usually organize feminist exchange and networking events from time to time, especially in Hanover: Conferences, breakfasts, discussion groups, input evenings. That has fallen away a little, now we’re doing some things digitally. But that’s not quite the same, as it’s more challenging to network and strengthen a movement online. The actions taken as part of the spread of the coronavirus have unfortunately amplified a number of feminist demands. For example, issues such as domestic violence and the imbalance in domestic labor and care work have become even more pronounced.
Yes, these are very serious issues, it’s great that those affected have a platform through you. Regarding the challenge of virtually networking: How do visitors actually react to your exhibitions beyond social media?
The charming thing about “Who Needs Feminism?” is that we let people speak for themselves and that it is a participatory action. We don’t dictate to anyone how feminism should be defined or lived. We give people a platform, make them role models and strengthen feminist issues. That goes down very well. There are no pointing fingers. We ourselves are constantly learning. Feminism is evolving. It’s about recognizing and naming problems and working with them. However, we have the impression that there is still a lot of work to do, especially when we look at existing structures. For example, feminism and the history of the women’s movements are still not firmly anchored in German curricula. How can it be that not all students learn something about important social movements? It stuns me. So many people still don’t know what feminism even means.
How merch can promote feminism
You have a unique style with select products in your Shop – how did that come about?
On the one hand, we are “Who Needs Feminism?” – a campaign and volunteer initiative that seeks to improve the image of feminism and bring certain issues to light. That’s why we rely on a simple, modern design. On the other hand, our attitude tends to be critical of consumption. However, we would like to empower ourselves and our community to adorn themselves with “Who Needs Feminism?” merch and are very happy that it is possible to do so in an uncomplicated way through Spreadshop.
We’re glad to have your Shop on our platform! Which feminist cause is the most important to you personally? And what does feminist activism in the future look like for you?
For me personally, the most important thing is that we all have an awareness of problems, perceive inequalities and bring them into conversation.
In addition, I really wish that the women’s movement would finally get the recognition it deserves. We would be living in a very different world today if many courageous people hadn’t rebelled against laws and conventions over the last 150 years.
In the past, women were not allowed to graduate from high school or go to college, they were not allowed to vote or to be elected, and they were not allowed to determine the use of their labor – to name just a few examples. I am so grateful that all of that has changed now. I hope that everyone will contribute to social change as best they can within their sphere of influence, and that activism will not remain the effort of a few, but instead will become embedded in our daily lives. We all share in this responsibility.
Thank you very much for the interview! We wish you continued success with your campaign in the fight for more justice, equal opportunities and freedom.
Are you interested in “Who Needs Feminism?” Discover what they’re up to and get involved here.
From video editing, Youtube growth strategies, to content creation, and tips & tricks, Daniel Batal is a real powerhouse of creator knowledge!
Watch Daniel show you how easy it is to make money on Youtube with Spreadshop, without even being officially monetized. Then scroll down to learn more.
The Perfect Brand Ambassador for Spreadshop?
At Spreadshop, we’ve never been a fan of just paying people to say nice things about us. That always felt very fake and contrived. We’ve worked very hard since 2016 to focus on our product and service to make it the very best for creators of all kinds. At Spreadshop, it’s safe to say we value authenticity and being real. That’s why we we have worked hard to vet our upcoming Brand Ambassadors. Beyond fake infomercials or flashy influencers, we want to bring you real value. More on that in a moment.
Our biggest problem at Spreadshop is…
We have been around in some form in the merch game for nearly 20 years now (wow!!!), and yet we’re still not very known. We’re definitely not “famous”. We’re happy to say we are trusted by our shop owners. Many have stayed with us for almost as long as we have been in existence (looking at you, Amorphia Apparel). That’s pretty awesome.
Sometimes, we seem to be moving and growing so fast, we forget to pause and re-introduce ourselves.
Hello. It’s us. Your old friend Spreadshop.
You may know us originally as Spreadshirt, which is now technically “Spread Group”, which is…. WOW, this can all get pretty confusing. We know. Our bad. We’re excited to be growing so fast and evolving into something very special. Spreadshop is part of a growing family of global brands empowering self-expression on-demand.
Our upcoming lineup of Brand Ambassadors will help us re-introduce Spreadshop to the world. They are real voices that bring real value to our shop owners, both new and old.
Why we ? Daniel Batal
We searched far and wide trying to find voices that we feel align with our brand mission and values. It was never about the size of the follower or subscriber count. It was about the size of the message.
In our very first video chat with Daniel, he didn’t tell us how amazing he was (he is though), or offer a cold press kit with influencer pricing. He instead asked us:
“What kind of value can I bring to Spreadshop owners?”
That was the right question, and the right answer.
In fact, when Daniel received our first message he replied and said he didn’t realize “Spreadshop” was even Spreadshirt. OUCH!!! See???!!!When he put two and two together he said it was an easy switch back for him because he trusted our quality at Spreadshirt in the past. He only left us originally because he didn’t know there was now another option for his Youtube Merch Shelf. And the other service he was using (which shall remain nameless), didn’t ship to his fans in key countries. He was genuinely excited that we had reached out:
“What took you so long?”
We were busy building awesome things behind the scenes. (like better, faster printing for your shop.) Now we’re ready to tell the world. In the upcoming weeks and months, Daniel will be diving deeper into topics like sales strategies for Youtubers, Merch Shelf intergration and bettering his own Spreadshop and shirt designs. Stick around, he’ll show you how.
Almost 50,000 followers on Twitch, daily streams, lots of robot fails and some laughs. Nina from achNina builds robots and thousands of users watch her do it. In this interview, she tells us what she wanted to be when she was a kid and why her current job as a Twitch streamer with a penchant for robotics is the perfect fit for her. Get ready for Nina’s incredibly good dry humor and some insights on streaming and Spreadshop.
Twitch is her home
Hi Nina. Thanks for taking the time to answer some of our questions. Tell me, did you actually fall into a robot tank as a kid?
I’ve always been interested in technology. When I was a kid, my constructions were made of cardboard and duct tape. Not much has changed, except that electronics have been added.
And lots of video cameras! How did you come up with the idea of streaming?
That’s a good question. During my first degree, I started using YouTube on the side and tried all kinds of things there. At some point I started my first stream on Twitch and I liked the interactivity of the platform.
Everything is live and you can interact with the community. Currently, that’s very beneficial to me, because if I have questions, for example about programming, there’s always someone there who can help.
That’s right, Twitch is a platform based on exchange. Do you feel more comfortable there than on YouTube?
I would actually call Twitch a kind of home by now, because the platform and the community have been with me for years. I stream almost daily in the tech corner and when I’m in other streams, it’s often “oh, that’s Nina building robots.” Twitch is big, but if you’re in certain topics, you’ll know each other there eventually.
Robots, talking plants and talking kitchen scales
One of your experiments is talking plants that tell you when you need to water them. How many green creatures have you actually killed in the course of your career?
Many. But now they’re calling out for me.
Haha, robot plants! That’s so cool! Tell me, how do you actually build a robot?
You think about what it should do, assemble electronic parts, write the code for it, and then spend the rest of the time trying to figure out why it’s not doing what it’s supposed to do yet. At least that’s how it works for me most of the time.
We think trial and error is a good method. What was the most useful thing you ever built?
I think the most useful thing I’ve built so far was the talking kitchen scale. The scale doesn’t have a display that shows the weight. It has some recipes stored in it that you can select and then it tells you what to do. Exact gram numbers are not needed. It just says stop when you have enough of an ingredient in the bowl.
We would definitely like to try your banana bread, which hopefully doesn’t scream when you bite into it. What was the most pointless thing you ever made?
I have a deer picture with google-y eyes on the wall. You can now make the deer look in different directions.
Nina has found her dream
Who do your fans love more: your robot “Fogel” or your dog Alice?
Dogs are simply the better robots … And now to your Shop. We really like it! Who makes these funny designs? Or are they blueprints?
Thanks! I only had a rough idea of what I wanted at first, and asked a friend from college whose drawings I had seen on Instagram, if he could draw something to go with the talking plant. I put the parts of the plant on the table for him and waited to see what would come out. That’s how the first designs for the projects came about. I still find the idea with the blueprints incredibly fitting today and you can apply it to all future projects.
We think so too. Did you always know that you would build robots via live stream?
I used to want to be a radio host. Or have a profession where I could build something. That’s why I studied “something with media” and architecture.
But I think what I’m doing right now is exactly the mix of radio hosting and building that I always wanted. I just didn’t know it. I’m excited to see where this path takes me.
Women and technology? Nina explores new horizons
As a woman, you’re very active in a field that’s still male-dominated. What does your audience look like?
My audience is very mixed. It consists of a wide variety of people who can relate to the subject matter. There are even families with children watching. That was not always the case. I often get messages that I have inspired people to dare to study or start a new hobby. I think it’s great that I can take away the fear of new horizons for others here.
We find you incredibly inspiring too! And funny! But you’re always getting stupid comments about the fact that you’re a woman. How do you deal with that?
I think every person on the internet has heard something before like: “You better go back to the kitchen where you belong.” I had some thoughts about how I wanted to deal with it in the beginning. I have good moderators for the chat who take care of that sort of thing, so I usually don’t have to deal with it at all. Since children are also watching and I want to model a certain normality for them, such comments simply have no place in the chat.
In any case, we think it’s great how you inspire (not only) women to study “something with technology;” or more generally, that you take away the fear of dealing with technology for many! Can you actually build a robot for Spreadshop? What can it do?
The decision maker 9000. You don’t know what to buy? No problem, the decision maker fills your shopping cart with things you didn’t even know you needed.
Alright, we’ll take it!
The only Spreadshop Merch Command in the world
How do you promote your Spreadshop to your fans?
I use the products myself during the stream. I look forward to picking out a mug or thermal mug from the shelf every morning. In the stream, people often ask where they can buy them. For that, there’s a merch command in the chat with the link to the Shop.
You are probably the only person at Spreadshop who has set up a merch command to their Shop! A great idea for marketing. Which of your designs is actually the most popular?
We recently added a new design with my dog Alice and the robot bird. That’s very popular.
How did you end up at Spreadshop?
I previously ran a store by myself and did everything – from printing the products to shipping. For this year, I had my heart set on giving things away.
I quickly landed on Spreadshop because it still gives me the option to personalize my own Shop, and I can continue to pay attention to organic textiles. And I fell in love with the thermal mug, I had to have it.
Oh wow, rad that you printed and shipped your own merch before. We’re glad we can take some of the work off your hands. What tips do you have for streamers who want to set up their own Shop?
You should love your stuff yourself. I think the best advertising is to use your products yourself. And for that, you have to like them. It sounds obvious at first, but merch on Twitch often seems like you have it just to have merch.
Great tip! Thank you Nina for the interview. We wish you all the best for your future at Twitch, Spreadshop and elsewhere and are very excited about your next robot. Maybe it will be a decision maker 9000?
