The Passive Income Myth
Many new sellers look at a $4 royalty per shirt and think they need to sell 1,000 shirts to make rent. This is the "Volume Trap."
Volume Strategy (Teepublic)
Fixed $4 royalties mean you need massive traffic. Success here depends on quantity of designs (1000+) and catching trends early.
Margin Strategy (RedBubble)
You control the markup. Selling 10 stickers at 100% markup ($2.50 profit each) is easier than selling 1 shirt at $4 profit. Don't be afraid to raise prices.
Stickers have the highest margins in POD.
Base Cost: ~$1.50
Default Markup (20%): You earn $0.30. (Customer pays $1.80)
Pro Markup (100%): You earn $1.50. (Customer pays $3.00)
Most buyers will not hesitate to pay $3.00 for a sticker they love. Increasing markup on
small items is the easiest pay raise you'll ever get.
Royalty FAQ
RedBubble pays out once you reach the $20 threshold, usually around the 15th of the month via PayPal. Teepublic pays out similarly on the 15th.
Not exactly. You set the final retail price, and Amazon shows you the estimated royalty. They handle all costs, so you are effectively setting a markup, but the interface focuses on the final price.