Mantis-Awareness Items

[GreenOasis]

I just had an epiphany and thought of perhaps having T-shirts & bumper stickers made to sell on the website...but...would anyone be interested??? I would hate to pay the setup fees for such items, make the minimum orders (usually not less than 50 for Tees & 100 for bumper stickers), and then get STUCK with stuff no one wants.

I know Peter does the calendars, so I'm definitely not doing those...but what would everyone think of other mantis-related items?

Some ideas for sayings would be the classics like: "My mantis is bigger than yours" (Perhaps with a pic of a Mega on it.)

"I Love (or heart) Mantids"

"Who you callin' 'Pretty'" (With a pic of a male Orchid or other flower mantis.)

Some of my own ideas for sayings: "God made mantids, too!"

"Mantids are Pokemon for grown-ups."

"My addiction has six legs & eats flies" (with a pic of a mantis on it.)

And, I had also thought of perhaps a friendly competition rather like Peter did for the calendars where folks could post pics & captions to be voted on for Tees or bumper stickers & whatnot.

Anywho, cast your vote & if I get enough interest, I will see how to proceed with either just ordering some different designs, or focusing on one that everyone likes.

Thanks!

 

[sporeworld]

If you were a print shop already, I'd say go for it. But printing T-shirts are almost never profitable - just cool vanity items. Big variety of stles and sizes means massive inventory and odds and ends you'd trip over for years.

If you WERE to do them, try to time it out around a show or exhibit you're already attending - at least you'd have a chance to move the product quickly and not have to sit on (and eventually just give away) boxes of shirts.

But, like most other business men and women I deal with, that enterprising spirit will drive you to do it anyway, so let us know how it goes. Maybe someone on the forum IS a t-shirt print shirt opperator, and you can barter it all out. Never know...

 

[Precarious]

Haha! I like some of your ideas for sure. "My addiction has six legs & eats flies" is great.

Unfortunately, Sporworld is right. T-shirts are not money makers. I was half of a small print company years ago. I did the designs and my buddy was the silkscreen expert. We had access to a 6-station press and wholesale on all supplied, but we were lucky to break even. We specialized in day-glow, black light Ts geared toward the psychedelic trance scene. So limited consumer base, like mantid gear would be.

If you want to do this just start a cafepress page. You won't make much money but at least your ideas will be available to the public. Otherwise you'd have to pay for t-shirts and the printing and sell either for yourself through your site and ebay or find retailers willing to carry them. Dealing with retailers is no fun since most will only take items on commission, which means you trust them with your merch and hope they pay you your cut if and when it sells. A lot to keep track of there, and a lot of opportunity to get ripped off.

You could always submit designs to sites like shirt.woot.com or www.6DollarShirts.com.

 

[sporeworld]

Precarious for the win!

Spot on advice.

 

[GreenOasis]

Actually, I was thinking of offering them on my sites and probably here. I know I probably wouldn't make much, it was more about spreading the idea of keeping mantises as pets, for me.

Hubby has an account with...oh, gosh...what's the name of that place where you can submit your design ideas & they print them & sell them for you? I'll have to ask him. Anywho, they are a bit pricey, but it's an option to avoid having to buy in bulk. Just not sure how the quality would be.

 

[PhilinYuma]

If you're thinking of cafe press, they make a pretty good tee and have been around for a while. Good luck! Better than that, I'll buy one!

 

[infinite213]

Mispost...

I guess I didn't read the topic that well I apologize.

 

[infinite213]

Mispost...

 

[dgerndt]

What about jewelry? My sister made me a mantis-head pendant necklace for Christmas. She said she looked online for charms, but she couldn't find a good one, so she made it herself. I would most definately buy mantis jewelry.