As some of you must know by now, Rude Retro is based in Japan. Because of that I have of course checked out some Japanese PODs. Even if I haven’t gotten off my lazy ass and actually opened an account with one and uploaded the designs. All the ones I have seen are pretty ugly or don’t have a good commission structure so I didn’t want to waste my time. Anyway I was checking out Upsold.com a few days ago when I noticed the Cafepress logo. A quick scan tells me that Upsold are going to be releasing all their designs into the Cafepress marketplace. I have mixed feelings about that of course as I have a Japanese themed Cafepress store which will no doubt suffer from the sudden influx of 1.4 million designs from Japanese designers. Unless Upsold reciprocated by selling Cafepress designs on their site I don’t think there is any real benefit for current shopkeepers. I’m not so sure that Upsold could handle 140 million Cafepress designs though.
According to their press release (Japanese pdf) they are starting off the collaboration by affiliating Cafepress on the Upsold site which is cool for us shopkeepers. It may bring in some more sales. I thought it was interesting that they are using cpshop as the script to sell Cafepress items on their site. This press release from Upsold was issued on March 17th 2009.
Update: According to Leslie Nuccio at Cafepress, “Just a heads-up that the Upsold deal is purely an affiliate deal. That press release is incorrect, and we’re working to get it fixed.
If they choose to upload designs, they’d do it the same way any other Shopkeeper would. However, the deal we did was just an affiliate deal (they’re the affiliate).”
That may alleviate some worries but Cafepress shopkeepers have more pressing concerns, methinks.
Looks like cafepress took it the other way…it is not going to be a positive thing for existing shopkeepers!!
cafepress has instead chosen to reduce the commission made by all shopkeepers since these new ones are willing to work for less!!!
they are using these new shopkeepers to replace us!!!
Tell me about Upsold, since I don’t read Japanese. 🙂 Is it a POD like CP? Are the designs there created by individual shopkeepers/designers in the same way as other PODs?
UPSOLD is NOT a POD…they are a group of designers!!! they are using UPSOLD to replace the shopkeepers who are not willing to have their designs sold for only 10%
Upsold is indeed a POD.
Yep Upsold is one of the major PODs in Japan. You can upload you own designs and have your own stores although there is very little you can do with regards to customizing your store. I forget the commission structure but from what I remember it wasn’t so good. That said, it is probably better than Cafepress’ new plan. But then what isn’t?
Rude, I hope you find a decent POD based in Japan. I live in Canada and had been searching for a home based POD for the past 3 years. Finally, just by chance, I saw an ad for one last year in a Google adsense banner I installed on my own blog. Talk about targeted advertising. It had only been open for about 4 months when I joined. I really like it but it has a long way to go to catch up.
Good luck to you.
So, “former CP shopkeeper”, do you speak/read Japanese? This hysteria is unbecoming of so many people. There may be a reason for concern, but can we find out some facts first?
Thanks RR, and please keep us informed.
LOL, I am not yet a former Cafepress Shopkeeper, I am just a very dissatisfied Cafepress Shopkeeper. I do speak and read Japanese although not so well. Most of the information in the press release I provided above but I will make a rough line by line translation today if I have the time. For what it’s worth I don’t believe that Upsold is going to takeove Cafepress being newer and only about 1/10 the size of CP. They are owned by ImageMagic (http://www.imagemagic.co.jp/) though so who knows how much money they have.
Here is a rough translation of the Press release:
UPSOLD is starting a business partnership with America’s Cafepress.
Image Magic Corporation
Image Magic’s Print on Demand web platform, UPSOLD has started a business partnership with America’s no. 1 POD, Cafepress.
Cafepress, which is based in San Mateo (California) is the world leader in POD goods. They are industry leaders with 6.5 million members and 150million designs on things such as t-shirts and mugs.
Both companies will start and affiliate tie up (※１) , and from now on will put together a diverse alliance (various allieances?). But the next stage of the plan will have UPSOLD’s designs sold on Cafepress. We are planning other projects that would enable us to offer America and Japan’s excellent designs all over the world.
UPSOLD with 43,000 members and more than 1.4million designs is the leading domestic POD. This time as a trial run, Image Magic will offer its excellent designs overseas. At the same time foreign designs will be introduced to Japan.
This companies world strategy, based on the web, will surely begin now.
※UPSOLD will introduce Cafepress products on its web site.
※UPSOLD is a registered trademark of Image Magic.
🙂 I wasn’t referring to you, but to the “FORMER CP shopkeeper” above who shall remain nameless.
So, looks like from what I see of your translation that this could be an actual “partnership” where UPSOLD’s designers appear on CP and CP Shopkeepers’ designs are for sale on UPSOLD as they already appear to be.
If this were to happen at any other time, it would be a “hey, I’m going to be big in Japan!” and not the strange reactions I’m seeing all over the place.
Thank you for taking the time to translate.
I should have read it more carefully. Sorry.
And you’re welcome.
And the truth comes out…
http://forums.cafepress.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/84310838/m/918101403?r=313104403#313104403
“Hi everyone,
I wanted to clear up any confusion regarding Upsold. Our deal with them is strictly as an affiliate. The press release talks about uploading 1.4 million designs, and if they do this it will be done as a regular SK – as our deal with them is as an affiliate only.
Please note:
Upsold is an affiliate and we typically don’t allow links to other people’s affiliates or shops on the forums. But, I’ll leave their site up only to help clear any confusion in regards to their press release.
Angela”
Of course, that’s if Angela isn’t lying right to our faces!!! 😛
If you believe that one, I’ve got 30 acres of land in the Everglades for sale.
The truth comes out? Anyone that believes that what CP says is ‘truth’ has ‘truly’ got blinders on.
Yeah, I believe it. I know the reaction I got when she saw it. And what have they said that isn’t “truth”? Have they lied to you? You have proof? I’m not talking about changing TOS’s. They never promised you a rose garden.
Of course, this is a failed discussion altogether. You believe what you want. Just don’t start thinking your newfound business partners may not be making similar decisions down the line.
It’s very sad, Teesed, that you constantly defend people who literally have their hands in your pockets. As far as the other business partners making similar decisions down the line, I believe most shopkeepers will again be searching for another POD where they will be treated fairly and honestly.
cowpie, you, I and everyone else are all making assumptions about CP’s balance sheet and their margins in the MP. You make your assumptions based on what you know and I make mine based on what I know. But please don’t take the point of view that I’m defending them. It is what it is. If what they say is true, then for people to be calling them what they are and sending emails I know they’ve sent is more despicable than what they perceive CafePress to have done. If I were CP, I would terminate the relationship immediately with people who clearly don’t want to have one. To their credit, they haven’t done that.
Feel free to post whatever you like, I think I’m done with this discussion as it has no point.
You’re right, Teesed. This discussion has no point at all.