| Author |
 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,714 |
|
|
Valued Member
United States
436 Posts |
My Idea / Suggestion would be for CCF to start up a coin collecting supply shop.
I'm sure more than a few members know the distributors for all of the products.
I think it would be nice to be able to get all my supplies here as well as bringing a profit to the site.
With over 5,000 active members this could be a HUGE boost to forum profitability as well as bringing in new members.
|
|
|
|
Forum Dad
 United States
24173 Posts |
Sounds like a good idea on the surface, but supplies are not very profitable. They are a tremendous amount of work for very little return. Creating a big store, just for supplies, can actually be a money pit. Not a very good ROI at all.
For example, Susan sells a few cases of Red Books every year here. If you figure her time to process, pack, and ship them even at only 10$/hr, she loses money. She just does it as a courtesy to our members.
|
|
Forum Dad
United States
24173 Posts |
I'm also still a little gun shy on setting up shops that people ask for since the wearables fiasco. Years ago members here were clamoring that it would be a great idea to have some CC wearables that members could wear to shows to promote the site. Many, many members chimed in and said it was a fantastic idea. I spent about 40 hours setting up graphics, designing stuff, and setting up a store. Many other countless hours promoting the store. You know what members have bought in over 3 years? Absolutely nothing... zip... nada. The only thing that store has ever sold is a few coffee mugs that I bought myself and gave away to try and promote the store. |
|
Valued Member
 United States
436 Posts |
Dad, No offence but that could be because it is a "Cafe Press" store and their wearable offerings are just this side of the iron on inkjet stuff you can do yourself at home... and 10 times the cost of doing it yourself. Instead of the wearables why not have members design graphics (maybe a contest?) and then make them available in the 50+ post collum so that members can make their own shirts with inkjet transfers.. The maybe a contest could be arranged for pictures of members wearing their CCF gear around their town?
|
|
Forum Dad
United States
24173 Posts |
Quote:
Dad, No offence but that could be because it is a "Cafe Press" store and their wearable offerings are just this side of the iron on inkjet stuff you can do yourself at home... and 10 times the cost of doing it yourself. Instead of the wearables why not have members design graphics (maybe a contest?) and then make them available in the 50+ post collum so that members can make their own shirts with inkjet transfers.. The maybe a contest could be arranged for pictures of members wearing their CCF gear around their town?
No, sorry. I'm not putting 1 more minute into it. Regardless of the quality of the stuff (and you're wrong by the way, they print direct to fabric, NOT transfers. The quality is very good), I'll repeat, not one single solitary sale in over 3 years, not one. That's not an issue with quality. The issue is when push came to shove no one wanted to put up the money. Quote:
and 10 times the cost of doing it yourself. Pick one item on that site and show me how I can make it at home for even half the price. I'm all ears. Let's start with a personalized 100% cotton golf shirt, show me how to make it at home for even 11.50 let alone $2.29 as you say. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
750 Posts |
Well, I just went there to look, never knew it existed. I do belong to another forum that uses the same place for their promotional stuff.. I was going to order a coffee mug from both places but man.. $33.00 for two coffee cups? I can see why nothing has sold. Heck I dont pay that much for my Harley Davidson Coffee Mugs!
Bobby, with your approval I will talk to one of my clients who does promotional items about getting something for CCF. Hell, I will front the cash and the profits can go to CCF. I BELIEVE in what you have here.
Edited by Jamez
02/19/2010 6:32 pm
|
|
Moderator
United States
15476 Posts |
Well ..... I suppose that makes me the first ever CCF member to purchase a T-Shirt! Keep your eyes out Bobby and Susan for the order ....... I chose 'slow-mail' shipping.  Hope after all these years the moths have not gotten to them.  On a serious note ..... I appreciate and respect what Bobby is saying ..... he and Susan are not here to take a financial loss to support our needs ...... and I fully respect his views (with obvious frustration) stated above. For those who truly want to help out ...... why not pledge the minimal investment to be a 'supporter' of the forum? See that little green check mark next to my handle ...... it's because I believe enough in this place to give a little bit. OK .... lecture mode off. Bottom line ..... it costs a lot of actual cash to keep this great site up and running ...... and I humbly believe each of us should share in the burden as we can. That is why I now proudly own the 1st ever sold CCF T-Shirt! Best David Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
677 Posts |
Quote:
The issue is when push came to shove no one wanted to put up the money. Maybe the problem isn't that no one wanted to put up the money, but that they didn't want to put up the money for something they didn't like? I REALLY don't want to tick of the forum dad, (especially after hearing how much work you put into it all), but I just don't find the designs to be very appealing. If anyone out there disagrees with me, go to the store and buy one of the shirts. I think a member design contest would be a good idea. You could have members vote on them and make shirts with the top two or three designs. Of course, that doesn't fix the problem of how to get rid of the current stock of merchandise... I really hope I didn't insult your work Bobby. I just want to help  |
|
Valued Member
United States
436 Posts |
Quote:
Pick one item on that site and show me how I can make it at home for even half the price. I'm all ears. Let's start with a personalized 100% cotton golf shirt, show me how to make it at home for even 11.50 let alone $2.29 as you say. Well you can get the same shirt "blank" for $2.00 ($5.00 for 10 at the shirt shop down the road from where I lived in San Diego) And the the rest depends on how many you want to make.. But since you brought up silk screening.. and that shirt only has 1 color.. it is fairly easy.. Just a few DIY silk screen tutorialshttp://www.instructables.com/id/Scr...and-At-Home/http://www.instructables.com/id/Sil...-with-Vinyl/http://www.instructables.com/id/Shirt-Making/http://www.instructables.com/id/Con...harge-Paste/Most of the things required you can find around the house.. the ink will run around $20.00 for 32oz which would make close to 500 shirts with the logo you have on the polo shirt.. that would be around $0.05 worth of ink per shirt. So depending on what you have already it would cost $2.05 to make that polo shirt... More than likely it costs an avg of $1.80 for cafe press to make it. Even if it cost them $5.00 per shirt in materials and labor (it doesn't, they use an auto press) they are making more than $15.00 profit per shirt and they sell thousands of shirts daily. It makes me want to start up a competing business Edited by coretj
02/19/2010 9:21 pm
|
|
Valued Member
United States
436 Posts |
Quote:
Of course, that doesn't fix the problem of how to get rid of the current stock of merchandise... Quote:
Are these Items already made or are they on a made to order basis? It is Cafe Press .. they don't make any until they are ordered.. hence there are "0" stocked Edited by coretj
02/19/2010 8:41 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2150 Posts |
Are these Items already made or are they on a made to order basis?
|
|
Forum Dad
United States
24173 Posts |
Quote:
Well you can get the same shirt "blank" for $2.00 ($5.00 for 10 at the shirt shop down the road from where I lived in San Diego) Please post where. I want to call them and get some. 7.1 oz 100% cotton preshrunk golf shirt. |
| |
Replies: 11 / Views: 1,714 |
|
Posted 02/19/2010 02:07 am
