Archive for month: August, 2024

Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/printful-quick-stores-vs-printify-pop-up-store

Printful Quick Stores vs Printify Pop-up Store: which is the best, most user-friendly option for selling print-on-demand products without an ecommerce platform or marketplace account?

First, I want to point out that both Printful Quick Stores, and Printify Pop-up Store aren’t the most scalable or flexible options for online retailers. Ultimately, as your business grows, you’re probably going to want to consider setting up a full store with a platform like Shopify, and integrating it with Printful or Printify.

After all, while Printify and Printful’s simple storefronts are great for beginners with limited budgets, they don’t give you access to all the features you need to grow your revenue, such as robust inventory management tools, marketing apps, and website design customization options.

Still, both tools do have their benefits. I put Printful Quick Stores, and Printify Pop-Up store to the test, to bring you this complete comparison guide.

Printful Quick Stores vs Printify Pop-Up Store: Quick Comparison

Ultimately, Printful Quick Stores and Printify Pop-Up store are very similar services.

Printful Quick StoresPrintify Pop-Up StoreAvailabilityCurrently available to US retailers and US customers only.Available to Printify customers worldwide. PricingFreeFreeCustomization OptionsAdd your own logo to your storeCreate a custom website URL Customize product descriptions and product imagesSet automated default markups for productsAdd your own logo to your storeGet a unique URL for your custom storeCustomize product descriptions and product imagesAutomated pricing customization Core features Simple storefrontEnd-to-end fulfillment through PrintfulComplete access to the Printful POD platformSimple storefront with a handful of themesEnd-to-end fulfillment through Printify partnersFull access to the Printify POD platform Unique benefits Consistent product quality due to in-house printing methodsPowerful mockup generator and design toolsAutomated customer order tracking Wide selection of worldwide printing partnersMore than 850 customizable productsDedicated merchant support teamAI-powered design tools (for products)Best forCompanies that want to take advantage of Printful’s reputation for exceptional print quality. Creators who want to launch a simple store with access to dozens of global print partners and countless unique products. 

What is Printful Quick Stores?

Printful Quick Stores is a free tool offered by the Printful print on demand company, that allows users to create a simple online store and start selling items online. It’s quite a new service from Printful, which first launched in June 2024.

Before this, the only way to sell items created with Printful online would be to either manually submit orders to the POD company, or integrate Printful with your existing marketplace or ecommerce platform. Printful integrates with dozens of platforms and tools, from Shopify to Amazon, which is one of the reasons I think it’s among the best POD platforms around.

However, launching and managing an online store can be expensive, time-consuming, and complicated for beginners. That’s why Printful decided to launch its Quick Stores service, to help anyone and everyone take advantage of the growing print on demand market.

Notably, unlike Printify Pop-Up store, Printful Quick Stores is currently only available to retailers and buyers in the US. You can only launch a Quick Store in the United States, and you won’t be able to sell products to global customers.

Try Printful Quick Stores

How to Use Printful Quick Stores

Getting started with Printful Quick Stores is very simple, provided you’re located in the US. All you need to do is sign up for a free account with Printful, then click on the “My Printful” tab in the menu on the right-hand side of your dashboard.

Click the Start button under “Connect your Store”, and you’ll be taken to a page where you can either integrate Printful with an existing sales channel, or create a new Quick Store.

Click Create store now under the Quick Stores option, and Printful will ask you to enter a few details. You can:

Choose a name for your store

Select a custom website address (though it will have the .printful.me TLD)

Pick your country of tax residence (US is the only option for now)

Upload a logo image to add to your store

Set your default markup for all Printful products on your storefront.

Once you’ve entered all your details, click Create Store and go back to your Printful dashboard. Click on the Stores tab and you should see your new store listed at the top of the page.

If you’ve already created product templates in Printful’s dashboard, you can click “Add Product” to immediately add those to your store. Alternatively, select “Add Product” and choose from Printful’s range of customizable products.

When you choose a product to sell on your store, you’ll automatically be taken to Printful’s design tool, where you can upload artwork, adjust its placement, and create mockups for your storefront. You’ll also be able to write product descriptions and add prices before uploading them to your store.

It’s as simple as that. From there, you can share the link to your Printful store with potential customers. Whenever they buy something, your earnings will be added to your Printful wallet. Printful will automatically transfer your profits to your chosen bank account, once a month, provided you’ve earned more than $25.

Try Printify Pop-Up Store

What is Printify Pop-up Store?

Printify Pop-Up store is a similar service to Printify Quick Stores, although Printify did offer the feature first. It allows you to create a simple store with a custom link, so you can sell products online without having to build an ecommerce store, or sell through a marketplace like Amazon.

Again, the store you create will be very basic. Like with Printful, you won’t be able to adjust your store’s appearance or functionality too much. However, Printify does give you some basic themes to choose from. You can also add a logo to your store, give your store a custom name, and create a custom URL. Although your URL will feature the Printify.me TLD (rather than something like .com).

Printify’s Pop-up store service is available to anyone with a Printify account, regardless of your location. I also like the fact that Printify allows you to add links to your social media accounts to your store – this isn’t an option with Printful Quick Stores.

How to Use Printify Pop-Up Stores

The process for creating a Pop-Up store with Printify is very similar to designing a “Quick Store” with Printful. All you need to do is sign up for a free account on Printify, then head to your dashboard, and click the “My New Store” tab in your menu.

Click on Add New Store and you’ll be taken to a page where you can choose to integrate Printify with an existing ecommerce platform or marketplace, or create a new “pop-up” store.

Select “Launch Pop-Up store” and you’ll be taken to a page where you’ll need to enter a few details, you can:

Select your country of tax residence

Choose a unique store name (and custom URL)

Upload a logo to use on your storefront

Choose a theme for your store

Link your social media accounts to your store

Connect your store with Facebook Meta pixels, and Google Analytics

Once you’ve entered all the core details for your store, you’ll be able to choose a theme to alter your store’s appearance. Notably, you won’t get the same variety as you would from a platform like Shopify. There are only five themes available, and they’re all pretty similar.

After choosing a theme, you can launch your pop-up store, then head back to your Printify dashboard to add products to your storefront. If you’ve already used Printify’s design tools to customize one of the products offered by the company, you can hover over the “…” menu next to that product in the “My Products” page to publish it to your store.

If you want to create a new product from scratch, click on the “Catalog” tab and choose from one of Printify’s products. You’ll be able to use all of the state-of-the-art design tools to customize your chosen product, including Printify’s AI image generator.

Remember to add a description to your products before listing them on your website. Once you’ve published your products to your store, you can share your custom link with potential customers. Whenever someone buys something from your store, Printify will send the details to your chosen print partner, and they’ll handle order fulfillment for you.

After deducting the cost of the product, taxes, and other fees from your earnings, Printify will transfer the profit to your Printify Wallet. Your earnings will then be transferred to your chosen bank account on the 14th of each month.

MORE:

Printful vs Printify – Full Comparison

Printify Pop-Up Store Review

Printful Quick Stores Review

Printful Quick Stores vs Printify Pop-Up Store: The Verdict

Printful Quick Stores and Printify Pop-Up Store are almost identical services. They both allow you to launch a storefront for free, and sell products without using a separate ecommerce platform or a marketplace like Etsy. However, Printify’s Pop-Up store does have some unique benefits.

First, it allows you to connect with a wider range of vendors, and choose from a broader selection of products than you’ll get on Printful. Additionally, Printify’s service is:

Available globally (Printful Quick Stores is only available in the US)

More feature-rich, with the option to connect to social media channels, and choose from a (limited) selection of store themes.

Less restrictive, as Printify will allow you to access your profits without any limitations (you have to earn at least $25 before making a withdrawal from Printful).

Obviously, Printful’s Quick Store solution is still very new, so there’s a good chance its features and benefits could improve in the months ahead. For now, however, Printify is the better option for quick and simple POD sellers overall.

The post Printful Quick Stores vs Printify Pop-up Store: Which is Best? appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.

Original Source: https://www.sitepoint.com/momento-migrates-object-cache-to-ampere-altra/?utm_source=rss

Explore Momento’s serverless cache on Ampere-powered Google Tau T2A, simplifying cloud app performance with automated resource management and high scalability.

Continue reading
Momento Migrates Object Cache as a Service to Ampere Altra
on SitePoint.

Original Source: https://abduzeedo.com/morfos-design-merging-technology-and-nature-branding

Morfos Design: Merging Technology and Nature in Branding

abduzeedo0815—24

Morfos Design blends technology and nature in their architectural branding and visual identity with dynamic design and biophilic elements.

Morfos Design, a Milan-based architectural consultancy, specializes in creating mission-critical control rooms and innovative buildings. Their work draws on Italian design traditions and ergonomic principles, striking a balance between technology, nature, and user-centric solutions.

The project scope included research, strategy, logo creation, and crafting a comprehensive visual identity system. Morfos’ visual identity was designed to convey a harmonious blend of technology and nature, emphasizing key elements like user-centrism, innovation, and biophilia.

Central to the project is the custom-designed “MORFOS” wordmark. This logo reflects the brand’s core values—sensibility, dynamism, and technology. The letters’ fluid forms communicate movement and energy, while remaining adaptable to various compositions. The flexibility of the wordmark ensures that it integrates seamlessly across multiple platforms, enhancing the brand’s visual storytelling.

The visual language of Morfos Design takes inspiration from natural forms, merged with technological sophistication. With a minimalist color palette and modern typography, the design reinforces a connection to nature—integral to Morfos’ philosophy. The system’s flexibility ensures a cohesive brand narrative, whether in print, animations, or 3D motion.

An innovative vignette-system expands on the logo’s integration into the visual identity. These vignettes, inspired by natural shapes, are dynamic and adaptable, contributing to a fluid visual system. They can be animated or modified, reinforcing the brand’s emphasis on biophilic design and technological innovation.

By incorporating elements like collaboration and user-centrism, Morfos Design successfully bridges the gap between cutting-edge technology and the calming influence of nature. This visual identity system serves as a testament to their design ethos—creating spaces that are functional, dynamic, and deeply connected to the natural world.

Branding and visual identity artifacts

Credits

Strategy & Concept: Michał Markiewicz
Creative Direction & Design: Michał Markiewicz
Motion & 3D: Kasia Olejarczyk
Graphic Design: Edyta Mucha
Web Design: Edyta Mucha

For more information make sure to check out markiewicz.studio

Original Source: https://smashingmagazine.com/2024/08/how-defend-your-design-process/

Maybe you’ve been there before: You’re in the middle of the design process, and stakeholders expect you to deliver faster. How do you best manage a situation like this? How do you communicate the design process and defend it when stakeholders think the design is taking too long?

Let’s take a closer look at what you can do to clarify false expectations and prevent them in the first place.

This article is part of our ongoing series on UX. You can find more details on design patterns and UX strategy in Smart Interface Design Patterns 🍣 — with live UX training coming up this year. Free preview.

Why Stakeholders Ask For Quicker Turnaround

🤔 Polished deliverables hide the process.

When you show someone a polished, final design, they probably won’t see the complexity of the work behind it unless they are a designer themself, of course. That’s the knowledge gap that lies between designers and stakeholders and one of the reasons why stakeholders might make false assumptions about how long the design will take.

🤔 Polished deliverables suggest a fast production time.

Not familiar with the design process, stakeholders often track value in UX deliverables in an attempt to “measure design” and the progress made. And that can lead to a dilemma: When more final, polished deliverables arrive quickly, stakeholders also assume a faster production time. The real value of design, however, lies in the quality of the process behind it.

How To Get Support From Stakeholders

Design is all about well-orchestrated feedback loops. For different audiences, from customers and designers to developers and stakeholders. Cutting corners breaks these feedback loops. The result is poor inputs that lead to poor outcomes — often reversible but sometimes damaging for years to come.

Protecting the design process isn’t only in the interest of the designers but, most importantly, in the interest of the user and the business. So, how can we advocate for it?

✅ Highlight user value.

One mistake to avoid is to present deliverables as “finished.” Emphasize that you are still testing and highlight that the design process is a way to maximize user value and that business value comes from user value, not the other way around. No productivity optimization can automate user value, and there is no “later” phase to patch broken design work.

✅ Ask for uninterrupted time.

To get the time you and your team need to design, it might be an option to suggest uninterrupted times for heads-down design work. You could also suggest shifting priorities or reducing the overall scope.

✅ Be sincere about the process.

Also, remember to calibrate expectations: You don’t know how your stakeholders work, so you shouldn’t expect that they know and understand the design process. The more sincere you are about what’s needed to be ready, the more likely you are to get understanding and support, rather than fast turnaround requests.

✅ Visualize progress.

As designers, we often get defensive, not showing the work until we feel that it’s in good shape. Personally, I found it remarkably helpful to show the design progress to stakeholders early and repeatedly instead. Not to ask for a personal opinion on the design but if they think it actually helps deliver user value.

A great technique to visualize the complexity of UX work is event storming — we’ll take a closer look at how it works in a second. To keep stakeholders on top of things, it might also be a good idea to report progress proactively. So why not opt for a short, two-minute video update once a week?

Exercise: Event Storming

The most impactful way to be transparent about the process and explain why design takes time is to visualize it. Not as abstract Double-Diamond or Triple-Diamond diagrams, but as messy, real-world sticky notes on a huge Miro or FigJam board — with all the pieces of work needed to get to final deliverables.

How To Run An Event Storming Session

Basically, we bring everyone involved in the project on board for a 2-hour session. We set orange sticky notes as events required for the success of the project on a timeline. Then, we cluster these events and break them across lanes, with everything from user testing and stakeholder approval to research tasks and design initiatives.

The resulting timeline visualizes the process and acts as a reference for the work to be done, or the work completed. Sometimes, we add multiple lanes to map the work across different UX activities, e.g., UX research, UX metrics, and so on. Your timeline might also include any other teams and domains that are relevant to the work — think technical details, risks, stakeholder engagement, user testing, and others.

The Value Of Event Storming

To me, event storming creates a much more honest and real visualization of the design process compared to any diamond diagrams that we often use. It’s messy, it’s complex, it’s difficult, and it matches the complexity of real life. Plus, it’s customized to the needs of a specific project, with people who must be involved for successful delivery.

I can’t emphasize enough just how incredibly impactful this little exercise can be to create a shared understanding about what we are doing, how we are doing it, and what is required from all teams for a successful delivery. I hope it will help you defend your process the next time stakeholders ask for a quicker turnaround. 🙌🏽

Further Reading

“Design Without Process, Or The Form Factor Trap,” by Pavel Samsonov
“How To Increase Heads-Down Time To Design,” by Sungjoon Steve Won
“How Can You Find Time To Design?,” by José Torre
“Product Design: Too Much Work, Too Little Time,” by Tess Gadd

Meet Smart Interface Design Patterns

You can find more details on design patterns and UX strategy in Smart Interface Design Patterns, our 10h-video course with 100s of practical examples from real-life projects — with a live UX training later this year. Everything from mega-dropdowns to complex enterprise tables — with 5 new segments added every year. Jump to a free preview. Use code BIRDIE to save 15% off.

Meet Smart Interface Design Patterns, our video course on interface design & UX.

Jump to the video course →

100 design patterns & real-life
examples.
10h-video course + live UX training. Free preview.