Poll: New FA Gear Vendor

[Ash]

Attention All,

We are currently looking at new vendors to host/sell our user created FA Gear and we need everyone in the faction to vote on which vendor would best suit our needs.  I've narrowed it down to three vendors, listed below, and I've included a very brief Pro and Con with each one.  

We need each and every one of you to take some time and check out each site and then vote on a vendor based on the information you have gleaned.  Also feel free to post any additional Pro's and Con's that I have not listed and I will make sure they get added to this original post.  

The goal is to have one store we can use to make all of our merchandise.  Once a vendor has been decided then I will make another post regarding what merchandise we need designs for, what the design requirements would be and the policies/guidelines when using the FA Brand.  

We plan on rolling out a ton of products so it is imperative that we find a really good company that we can use for many years into the future.


Vendor 1:  http://www.zazzle.com

Pro:  
        Higher quality products, imprinting and embroidery
   Most items to design for
   FA Store capable
   Can have multiple designs sold on same product

Con:   
        Always charges royalty (minimum 10%)
        Royalty charged even when sold to owner (~8%)
        Image conversion fee for converting image to embroidery
        //We could bank the royalty money from purchases to pay for future image conversion fees or for future FA awards
   [/list]
Vendor 2: http://www.cafepress.com

Pro:   
        Current Vendor (no learning curve)
   Can remove royalty completely
   FA Store capable

Con:   
        Fewer items to design for
   Quality is sub-par
   Can not have multiple designs for same product[/list]
Vendor 3: http://www.printfection.com

Pro:
         Private labeling and branding, no mention of Printfection on Storefront or materials
         Can sale items at cost, no royalty
         FA Store capable

Con:
         Fewest number of items to design for
         Quality unknown[/list]

[Manic Velocity]

My vote is for Zazzle. I feel that the range and quality of products outweigh the royalty fees.

[Saint]

http://www.zazzle.com

[Mharz]

My vote is for Zazzle. I feel that the range and quality of products outweigh the royalty fees.

What he said..

[Lits]

I'm going to have to ditto Manic and Mharz and go with Zazzle... I'm way more for expanded customization and willing to pay the extra royalties for it. I'm tired of the limitations of Cafepress and Printfection seems very similar to what we've been working with.

[Ketamininja]

Hmmmn... I dunno.
Ok, this is really only about clothing I guess, although some extras like mouse mats and the like.
Personally, I would like to see USB sticks... Stressballs, rubics cubes... and of course the clothing. Would be great if we could put together an FA pack with a 1GB usb, cap, stressball, coin etc all for a nice price to offer all members.

Anyway I digress. If I had to choose one, I would choose the one that doesn't advertise their own site - so printfection (assuming that the others DO advertise). Do we really need all the items that can be printed on? A small number of items, that people actually want, might be fine?

Sorry to be the odd one out.

[Ash]

No worries Ket, I'm glad you posted, I for one think this decision requires as much input and discussion as we can muster.

[NoCry]

zazzle for moi.

[Adad]

I've done a lot of work with Zazzle and can vouche for their quality and sheer amount of options. I'd vote for them. Also I was pretty let down by the FA Tshirt I bought from Cafe Press some time ago.

Plus, I feel if we go with a different vendor and design a new one, we'd have to require new pics of certain members in the new FA SW:TOR Thong.

I'd like to propose "Get Furious with the Force" as the slogan.

[Da6onet]

As long as we have an FA coffee mug I don't care. The force is good and all, but caffeine is really what stomps the empire.





edit: there, cleaned the smudges off my phone's camera :-p

[Manic Velocity]

Is there any intention of keeping the old designs for nostalgia purposes?

[Ash]

Yes, all designs will made available, we should never forget our roots.

Dag, can you post a couple more pics of the mug so people can see the writing?  And for God's sake, clean the fingerprint smudges off your camera phone. LOL

[NoCry]

I am with Adad. Less photos of mugs;)

[Ash]

Okay so with a total of 17 votes, all for Zazzle.com, I will make the necessary arrangements with them and setup our FA Store.

[Deathsboon]

when will this be ready