Artful Purchases

Social media undoubtedly influences a lot of our choices in day-to-day lives, from small advertisements about cleaning products we choose to the strange mind reading ads for products we've only ever thought about. Ever since the pandemic began, social media has influenced our purchases even more now that we have more time to spend on the internet, and the advertisements from big name companies and brands dominate the majority of spending encouragements. However, the unsung advertisements with unusual little artistic designs from independent artists are the ones that caught my eye the most.

The website TeePublic.com began appearing for me over six months ago on social media ads, appealing to a few of my fandoms with artistic merchandise created by artists who are able to utilize the website for free. Being that my partner is an artist, published illustrator, and graphic designer, my interest was immediately piqued by the descriptions of TeePublic. I shared the website with him in the hopes that he could reach a different audience with his designs and artwork.

It has been several months since the pandemic inspired myself and my partner to invest time and money in TeePublic, and I am excited to share what I've learned about the website's merchandise in these months.

Creating on TeePublic

The great thing about creating for TeePublic is the wide range of interests artists can appeal to with a large variety of merchandise their designs can be placed on. It creates a complex dynamic for unique items, and I know how much I personally enjoy having one-of-a-kind merchandise. Upon browsing works by other artists, I discovered that essentially any fandom you can think of exists on the website. Along with that, the benefits for the creators are fantastic, which only encourages me to want to spend money there even more.

Although I, myself, am not a creator for TeePublic, I've been able to enjoy watching the process as my partner has designed multiple t-shirts, masks, tapestries, hoodies, mugs, and more. Every design he creates can be customized extensively with specific types of items available to print that design; he even set aside time to design specific shirts I asked him to make, given the lack of merchandise for some of my favorite shows, which is a personal bonus! His shop contains multiple themes from video games to television to movies to music, with 100 different designs to choose from currently (and more added weekly!) Other artist shops are unique to their owners, which gives the website additional benefits as being the mecca of colorful, creative merchandise.

Additionally, new designs go on sale immediately, so the incentive to buy quickly is there for all customers! The best part? The artist doesn't pay a dime. They upload their designs and get paid when customers buy from them, while TeePublic handles the creation and shipping of the items as well. It is a simple way to get your work in the hands of fans everywhere.

Buying on TeePublic

As a buyer, I noticed immediately that the layout of the individual shops for creators is clean and easy to navigate, so shopping is made simple with an understandable method of ordering exactly what you want. There are color options in addition to changing what item you want the design printed on. This is all great, but most websites are set up in easy-to-navigate layouts, so what makes TeePublic so great for buying that stands out against other websites?

As a new creator on TeePublic, my partner mentioned being curious about the durability of the merchandise he was promoting, so the first orders that came in from friends were asked to be heavily reviewed. While others purchased stickers and tank tops, I tried a t-shirt in one size too large to get an idea of how they wash up and possibly shrink in the dryer, which was a fairly small investment in order to understand what the customers would be buying. Eventually, I purchased my own set of stickers, as well as a face mask that my partner uploaded at my request. The sticker was placed on the back of my phone to test how well it stands up against the cruel mistress named Time.

Friends have reviewed the stickers as being no more or less durable than a sticker bought in a store, and I've found that my own experience with them is similar. My phone is handled frequently and I've noticed a small amount of wear and tear on the black ink after several weeks of placing it on the case, but nothing so detrimental that the design is unable to be seen. The t-shirts are true to size, I'm happy to say: my shirt did not shrink, the design is intact, and it has survived several wash and dry cycles by this point. The material of the shirts is durable but comfortable; the site offers extra soft shirts at an additional charge, which I have yet to try, but am tempted given that I am a sucker for softness.

The face mask is certainly something that needs to fit the face correctly or it simply won't work, but we all know this at this point in the pandemic. It is slightly large, as an adult sized mask, for my own face and does slip down the nose a bit if it's not fitted properly. It is also not adjustable, so being cautious when buying the masks is highly advised.

The Only "Downfalls"

1. Amazon Prime has clearly spoiled all of us, so paying for shipping on TeePublic can be a slight irritation. However, if we intend to support artists at home during a pandemic, then paying shipping for the items isn't all that bad. When you realize that you're wearing or using unique, quality items that paid someone who safely designs from home so his son can get his phone bill paid for a month, the extra is worth it.
2. The prices when items are not on sale are a bit more than I would personally like to pay for things. However, if you're patient, the website does run full sales on everything for the same price as a brand new design for its first 48 hours, so the downfall is easily resolved if you can wait. Unfortunately, waiting isn't anyone's favorite thing, so the downfall can be tediously frustrating.
3. Shipping time takes longer than Amazon, but it takes the same amount of time as an order from a major retailer would. If you would place an order for clothing through your favorite stores and wait, there is no reason to dislike waiting for items from TeePublic. However, I'm realistic enough to know that the patience factor is definitely key for many shoppers, so I list the shipping time as a "downfall" for those who have a need for faster arrival.

In Summary

The merchandise is well worth the money and time spent to obtain it, the designs are guaranteed to be unique, and you're supporting independent artists at home. While downfalls might exist for some, the benefits are extraordinary, and I genuinely love all of the merchandise I've bought. Not only is the website commendable as a place to buy, it's highly recommended as a tool for any and all artists to utilize for whatever purpose they intend to serve.