Short Answer: Threadless exists to help artists succeed. This has been our mission for more than 20 years, and we take it to heart every day, in everything we do.
Longer—But Totally Worth Reading—Answer: Our diverse, global community of artists (and the people who support them) always comes first. We wouldn’t be who we are without you! For more than 20 years, we’ve partnered with hundreds of thousands of artists, promoting their independent art to millions of fans around the world. Whether you’re well-established or just starting out, all creators deserve the same opportunities to connect, learn, be inspired, and grow. That’s why Artist Shops will always be free for everyone to use, no matter where you are in your journey as a shop owner.
“Creator fees are only obstacles to growing your brand. Threadless is here to make selling your art simpler.”
Jake Nickell, Threadless founder and CEO
No creator fees. Ever. We believe arbitrary fees and account tiers that limit access to resources will hurt, not help artists. Whether you are considering joining Threadless, a new shop owner, or a longtime member of our community, continue reading to learn how you can count on Threadless to be your trusted merch partner.
What separates Threadless from typical artist marketplaces?
We could go on for days, but in the spirit of keeping things simple, here are the 10 main areas where Threadless differs from other large print-on-demand marketplaces (i.e. Redbubble and Society6).
No Creator Fees (Seriously!)
Starting a Threadless Artist Shop has been and always will be free. Typical POD marketplaces are introducing additional fees if your account doesn’t meet their requirements. At Threadless, you keep 100% of your Artist Earnings.
Your Brand Front and Center
Many competitors limit you to a basic profile page within a vast marketplace where customers are easily distracted browsing around to other artists and products. Artist Shops offers you a fully customizable, white-labeled e-commerce store dedicated solely to your brand and designs.
Ease of Use
With just a single image file, you can make your designs available across hundreds of products, instead of reuploading the same file for each individual product. Time is precious!
Your Shop = Your Traffic
When you promote your Artist Shop, your customers only see your brand and products. Plus, with an array of customizable features in your shop, you can tailor your customers’ first impression perfectly to your brand.
Marketplace Access
In addition to your branded store, your art could also be displayed in the Threadless marketplace, giving you access to millions of Threadless customers.
Offline Retail Opportunities
Threadless partners with Artist Shop owners to license their work to a growing collection of 14+ offline retail partners.
Marketing Support
You can run your own promotions in your shop or let us manage your pricing for you, leveraging Threadless’s 20+ years of e-commerce experience.
Earnings Potential
Threadless pays around twice the market average per unit sold. Most marketplaces only offer you approximately 10% of the sale price.
Connect with Your Customers
Threadless allows you to access and build your customer email list so you can share updates with your fans.
20+ Years of Experience
Threadless started in 2000 and pioneered the art-based t-shirt business model. Younger marketplaces cannot replicate our tenure or experience.
Learn more about what makes Threadless the superior alternative to Redbubble, Society6, and other large print-on-demand marketplaces.
Why do artists and shop owners prefer Threadless?
Threadless exists to help artists succeed…because Threadless would NOT exist without artists. We love receiving feedback from our artist community because it helps us tailor the Artist Shops experience to their needs. It means the world to us when they express how much they enjoy and appreciate everything our platform offers. It motivates us to do more! Here’s what shop owners say they love most about Threadless.
It feels more personable.
“…Partnering with Threadless for my design merch has been great, there’s always someone to answer any question I have and the quality of the products is great. It feels more personable than other print-on-demand sites.”
Cecelia Hotzler Design
Always helpful and communicative.
“…It’s nice to partner with a company that is reliable when it comes to product handling, shipping, and payments, AND on top of that, Threadless is always helpful and communicative. So I know that my shop is in good hands.”
Nicole Zaridze
So many features to customize.
“I’ve tried quite a few print-on-demand services to sell my artwork on t-shirts and such, and Threadless is hands down my favorite of all time. It was super easy to set up, and there are so many features to customize so that it really feels like your own standalone store…”
Kate Gabrielle
Exciting opportunities with well-known brands.
“Working with Threadless has been great in every possible sense…[Their team] reached out about a few exciting wholesale opportunities with well-known and reputable brands. This allowed us to diversify and sell through multiple channels, which brought a wider audience and greater sales growth!”
The Whiskey Ginger
The community.
“I’ve really loved my experience with my artist shop! The fact that my storefront is so customizable is what initially drew me to Threadless, but the support and the community is why I’ve stayed!…”
Lauren Spooner Designs
If you’re already an Artist Shop owner, thank you for enriching the Threadless community with your incredible art. If you’re looking for a merch partner or switching from another platform, we’d love to have you! It only takes minutes to build your Artist Shop and make your art available on hundreds of popular and unique products. Most importantly, NO CREATOR FEES.
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