Svelte 5 And The Future Of Frameworks: A Chat With Rich Harris

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Original Source: https://smashingmagazine.com/2025/01/svelte-5-future-frameworks-chat-rich-harris/

Svelte occupies a curious space within the web development world. It’s been around in one form or another for eight years now, and despite being used by the likes of Apple, Spotify, IKEA, and the New York Times, it still feels like something of an upstart, maybe even a black sheep. As creator Rich Harris recently put it,

“If React is Taylor Swift, we’re more of a Phoebe Bridges. She’s critically acclaimed, and you’ve heard of her, but you probably can’t name that many of her songs.”

— Rich Harris

This may be why the release of Svelte 5 in October this year felt like such a big deal. It tries to square the circle of convention and innovation. Can it remain one of the best-loved frameworks on the web while shaking off suspicions that it can’t quite rub shoulders with React, Vue, and others when it comes to scalability? Whisper it, but they might just have pulled it off. The post-launch reaction has been largely glowing, with weekly npm downloads doubling compared to six months ago.

Still, I’m not in the predictions game. The coming months and years will be the ultimate measure of Svelte 5. And why speculate on the most pressing questions when I can just ask Rich Harris myself? He kindly took some time to chat with me about Svelte and the future of web development.

Not Magic, But Magical

Svelte 5 is a ground-up rewrite. I don’t want to get into the weeds here — key changes are covered nicely in the migration guide — but suffice it to say the big one where day-to-day users are concerned is runes. At times, magic feeling $ has given way to the more explicit $state, $derived, and $effect.

A lot of the talk around Svelte 5 included the sentiment that it marks the ‘maturation’ of the framework. To Harris and the Svelte team, it feels like a culmination, with lessons learned combined with aspirations to form something fresh yet familiar.

“This does sort of feel like a new chapter. I’m trying to build something that you don’t feel like you need to get a degree in it before you can be productive in it. And that seems to have been carried through with Svelte 5.”

— Rich Harris

Although raw usage numbers aren’t everything, seeing the uptick in installations has been a welcome signal for Harris and the Svelte team.

“For us, success is definitely not based around adoption, though seeing the number go up and to the right gives us reassurance that we’re doing the right thing and we’re on the right track. Even if it’s not the goal, it is a useful indication. But success is really people building their apps with this framework and building higher quality, more resilient, more accessible apps.”

— Rich Harris

The tenets of a Svelte philosophy outlined by Harris earlier this year reinforce the point:

The web matters.
Optimise for vibes.
Don’t optimise for adoption.
HTML, The Mother Language.
Embrace progress.
Numbers lie.
Magical, not magic.
Dream big.
No one cares.
Design by consensus.

Click the link above to hear these expounded upon, but you get the crux. Svelte is very much a qualitative project. Although Svelte performs well in a fair few performance metrics itself, Harris has long been a critic of metrics like Lighthouse being treated as ends in themselves. Fastest doesn’t necessarily mean best. At the end of the day, we are all in the business of making quality websites.

Frameworks are a means to that end, and Harris sees plenty of work to be done there.

Software Is Broken

Every milestone is a cause for celebration. It’s also a natural pause in which to ask, “Now what?” For the Svelte team, the sights seem firmly set on shoring up the quality of the web.

“A conclusion that we reached over the course of a recent discussion is that most software in the world is kind of terrible. Things are not good. Half the stuff on my phone just doesn’t work. It fails at basic tasks. And the same is true for a lot of websites. The number of times I’ve had to open DevTools to remove the disabled attribute from a button so that I can submit a form, or been unclear on whether a payment went through or not.”

— Rich Harris

This certainly meshes with my experience and, doubtless, countless others. Between enshittification, manipulative algorithms, and the seemingly endless influx of AI-generated slop, it’s hard to shake the feeling that the web is becoming increasingly decadent and depraved.

“So many pieces of software that we use are just terrible. They’re just bad software. And it’s not because software engineers are idiots. Our main priority as toolmakers should be to enable people to build software that isn’t broken. As a baseline, people should be able to build software that works.”

— Rich Harris

This sense of responsibility for the creation and maintenance of good software speaks to the Svelte team’s holistic outlook and also looks to influence priorities going forward.

Brave New World

Part of Svelte 5 feels like a new chapter in the sense of fresh foundations. Anyone who’s worked in software development or web design will tell you how much of a headache ground-up rewrites are. Rebuilding the foundations is something to celebrate when you pull it off, but it also begs the question: What are the foundations for?

Harris has his eyes on the wider ecosystem around frameworks.

“I don’t think there’s a lot more to do to solve the problem of taking some changing application state and turning it into DOM, but I think there’s a huge amount to be done around the ancillary problems. How do we load the data that we put in those components? Where does that data live? How do we deploy our applications?”

— Rich Harris

In the short to medium term, this will likely translate into some love for SvelteKit, the web application framework built around Svelte. The framework might start having opinions about authentication and databases, an official component library perhaps, and dev tools in the spirit of the Astro dev toolbar. And all these could be precursors to even bigger explorations.

“I want there to be a Rails or a Laravel for JavaScript. In fact, I want there to be multiple such things. And I think that at least part of Svelte’s long-term goal is to be part of that. There are too many things that you need to learn in order to build a full stack application today using JavaScript.”

— Rich Harris

Why Don’t We Have A Laravel For JavaScript? by Theo Browne
“Why We Don’t Have a Laravel For JavaScript… Yet” by Vince Canger

Onward

Although Svelte has been ticking along happily for years, the release of version 5 has felt like a new lease of life for the ecosystem around it. Every day brings new and exciting projects to the front page of the /r/sveltejs subreddit, while this year’s Advent of Svelte has kept up a sense of momentum following the stable release.

Below are just a handful of the Svelte-based projects that have caught my eye:

webvm: Virtual Machine for the Web
number-flow: An animated number component for React, Vue, and Svelte
sveltednd: A lightweight, flexible drag and drop library for Svelte 5 applications
Threlte 8

Despite the turbulence and inescapable sense of existential dread surrounding much tech, this feels like an exciting time for web development. The conditions are ripe for lovely new things to emerge.

And as for Svelte 5 itself, what does Rich Harris say to those who might be on the fence?

“I would say you have nothing to lose but an afternoon if you try it. We have a tutorial that will take you from knowing nothing about Svelte or even existing frameworks. You can go from that to being able to build applications using Svelte in three or four hours. If you just want to learn Svelte basics, then that’s an hour. Try it.”

— Rich Harris

Further Reading On SmashingMag

“How To Build Server-Side Rendered (SSR) Svelte Apps With SvelteKit,” Sriram Thiagarajan
“Web Development Is Getting Too Complex, And It May Be Our Fault,” Juan Diego Rodríguez
“Vanilla JavaScript, Libraries, And The Quest For Stateful DOM Rendering,” Frederik Dohr
“The Hype Around Signals,” Atila Fassina

Navigating The Challenges Of Modern Open-Source Authoring: Lessons Learned

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Original Source: https://smashingmagazine.com/2025/01/navigating-challenges-modern-open-source-authoring/

This article is a sponsored by Storyblok

Open source is the backbone of modern software development. As someone deeply involved in both community-driven and company-driven open source, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing its diverse approaches firsthand. This article dives into what modern OSS (Open Source) authoring looks like, focusing on front-end JavaScript libraries such as TresJS and tools I’ve contributed to at Storyblok.

But let me be clear:

There’s no universal playbook for OSS. Every language, framework, and project has its own workflows, rules, and culture — and that’s okay. These variations are what make open source so adaptable and diverse.

The Art Of OSS Authoring

Authoring an open-source project often begins with scratching your own itch — solving a problem you face as a developer. But as your “experiment” gains traction, the challenge shifts to addressing diverse use cases while maintaining the simplicity and focus of the original idea.

Take TresJS as an example. All I wanted was to add 3D to my personal Nuxt portfolio, but at that time, there wasn’t a maintained, feature-rich alternative to React Three Fiber in VueJS. So, I decided to create one. Funny enough, after two years after the library’s launch, my portfolio remains unfinished.

Community-driven OSS Authoring: Lessons From TresJS

Continuing with TresJS as an example of a community-driven OSS project, the community has been an integral part of its growth, offering ideas, filing issues (around 531 in total), and submitting pull requests (around 936 PRs) of which 90% eventually made it to production. As an author, this is the best thing that can happen — it’s probably one of the biggest reasons I fell in love with open source. The continuous collaboration creates an environment where new ideas can evolve into meaningful contributions.

However, it also comes with its own challenges. The more ideas come in, the harder it becomes to maintain the project’s focus on its original purpose.

As authors, it’s our responsibility to keep the vision of the library clear — even if that means saying no to great ideas from the community.

Over time, some of the most consistent collaborators became part of a core team, helping to share the responsibility of maintaining the library and ensuring it stays aligned with its original goals.

Another crucial aspect of scaling a project, especially one like TresJS, which has grown into an ecosystem of packages, is the ability to delegate. The more the project expands, the more essential it becomes to distribute responsibilities among contributors. Delegation helps in reducing the burden of the massive workload and empowers contributors to take ownership of specific areas. As a core author, it’s equally important to provide the necessary tools, CI workflows, and clear conventions to make the process of contributing as simple and efficient as possible. A well-prepared foundation ensures that new and existing collaborators can focus on what truly matters — pushing the project forward.

Company-driven OSS Authoring: The Storyblok Perspective

Now that we’ve explored the bright spots and challenges of community-driven OSS let’s jump into a different realm: company-driven OSS.

I had experience with inner-source and open-source in previous companies, so I already had a grasp of how OSS works in the context of a company environment. However, my most meaningful experience would come later, specifically earlier this year, when I switched my role from DevRel to a full-time Developer Experience Engineer, and I say “full-time” because before taking the role, I was already contributing to Storyblok’s SDK ecosystem.

At Storyblok, open source plays a crucial role in how we engage with developers and how they seamlessly use our product with their favorite framework. Our goal is to provide the same developer experience regardless of the flavor, making the experience of using Storyblok as simple, effective, and enjoyable as possible.

To achieve this, it’s crucial to balance the needs of the developer community — which often reflect the needs of the clients they work for — with the company’s broader goals. One of the things I find more challenging is managing expectations. For instance, while the community may want feature requests and bug fixes to be implemented quickly, the company’s priorities might dictate focusing on stability, scalability, and often strategic integrations. Clear communication and prioritization are key to maintaining healthy alignment and trust between both sides.

One of the unique advantages of company-driven open source is the availability of resources:

Dedicated engineering time,
Infrastructure (which many OSS authors often cannot afford),
Access to knowledge from internal teams like design, QA, and product management.

However, this setup often comes with the challenge of dealing with legacy codebases — typically written by developers who may not be familiar with OSS principles. This can lead to inconsistencies in structure, testing, and documentation that require significant refactoring before the project can align with open-source best practices.

Navigating The Spectrum: Community vs. Company

I like to think of community-driven OSS as being like jazz music—freeform, improvised, and deeply collaborative. In contrast, company-driven OSS resembles an orchestra, with a conductor guiding the performance and ensuring all the pieces fit together seamlessly.

The truth is that most OSS projects — if not the vast majority — exist somewhere along this spectrum. For example, TresJS began as a purely community-driven project, but as it matured and gained traction, elements of structured decision-making — more typical of company-driven projects — became necessary to maintain focus and scalability. Together with the core team, we defined a vision and goals for the project to ensure it continued to grow without losing sight of its original purpose.

Interestingly, the reverse is also true: Company-driven OSS can benefit significantly from the fast-paced innovation seen in community-driven projects.

Many of the improvements I’ve introduced to the Storyblok ecosystem since joining were inspired by ideas first explored in TresJS. For instance, migrating the TresJS ecosystem to pnpm workspaces demonstrated how streamlined dependency management could improve development workflows like playgrounds and e2e — an approach we gradually adapted later for Storyblok’s ecosystem.

Similarly, transitioning Storyblok testing from Jest to Vitest, with its improved performance and developer experience, was influenced by how testing is approached in community-driven projects. Likewise, our switch from Prettier to ESLint’s v9 flat configuration with auto-fix helped consolidate linting and formatting into a single workflow, streamlining developer productivity.

Even more granular processes, such as modernizing CI workflows, found their way into Storyblok. TresJS’s evolution from a single monolithic release action to granular steps for linting, testing, and building provided a blueprint for enhancing our pipelines at Storyblok. We also adopted continuous release practices inspired by pkg.pr.new, enabling faster delivery of incremental changes and testing package releases in real client projects to gather immediate feedback before merging the PRs.

That said, TresJS also benefited from my experiences at Storyblok, which had a more mature and battle-tested ecosystem, particularly in adopting automated processes. For example, we integrated Dependabot to keep dependencies up to date and used auto-merge to reduce manual intervention for minor updates, freeing up contributors’ time for more meaningful work. We also implemented an automatic release pipeline using GitHub Actions, inspired by Storyblok’s workflows, ensuring smoother and more reliable releases for the TresJS ecosystem.

The Challenges of Modern OSS Authoring

Throughout this article, we’ve touched on several modern OSS challenges, but if one deserves the crown, it’s managing breaking changes and maintaining compatibility. We know how fast the pace of technology is, especially on the web, and users expect libraries and tools to keep up with the latest trends. I’m not the first person to say that hype-driven development can be fun, but it is inherently risky and not your best ally when building reliable, high-performance software — especially in enterprise contexts.

Breaking changes exist. That’s why semantic versioning comes into play to make our lives easier. However, it is equally important to balance innovation with stability. This becomes more crucial when introducing new features or refactoring for better performance, breaking existing APIs. One key lesson I’ve learned — particularly during my time at Storyblok — is the importance of clear communication. Changelogs, migration guides, and deprecation warnings are invaluable tools to smoothen the transition for users.

A practical example:

My first project as a Developer Experience Engineer was introducing @storyblok/richtext, a library for rich-text processing that (at the time of writing) sees around 172k downloads per month. The library was crafted during my time as a DevRel, but transitioning users to it from the previous rich-text implementation across the ecosystem required careful planning. Since the library would become a dependency of the fundamental JS SDK — and from there propagate to all the framework SDKs — together with my manager, we planned a multi-month transition with a retro-compatible period before the major release. This included communication campaigns, thorough documentation, and gradual adoption to minimize disruption.

Despite these efforts, mistakes happened — and that’s okay. During the rich-text transition, there were instances where updates didn’t arrive on time or where communication and documentation were temporarily out of sync. This led to confusion within the community, which we addressed by providing timely support on GitHub issues and Discord. These moments served as reminders that even with semantic versioning, modular architectures, and meticulous planning, OSS authoring is never perfect. Mistakes are part of the process.

And that takes us to the following point.

Conclusion

Open-source authoring is a journey of continuous learning. Each misstep offers a chance to improve, and each success reinforces the value of collaboration and experimentation.

There’s no “perfect” way to do OSS, and that’s the beauty of it. Every project has its own set of workflows, challenges, and quirks shaped by the community and its contributors. These differences make open source adaptable, dynamic, fun, and, above all, impactful. No matter if you’re building something entirely new or contributing to an existing project, remember that progress, not perfection, is the goal.

So, keep contributing, experimenting, and sharing your work. Every pull request, issue, and idea you put forward brings value &mdashp not just to your project but to the broader ecosystem.

Happy coding!

Cooking Up Success: Jamie Oliver’s Web Design Transformation

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Original Source: https://abduzeedo.com/cooking-success-jamie-olivers-web-design-transformation

Cooking Up Success: Jamie Oliver’s Web Design Transformation

abduzeedo
01/26 — 2025

Discover how Rotateº reimagined Jamie Oliver’s digital platform with sleek web design and a content-first approach.

The Jamie Oliver Group, a culinary brand synonymous with approachable and joyful cooking, has embarked on a digital transformation led by London-based technology studio Rotateº. The project reimagines JamieOliver.com as a unified hub, aligning the group’s diverse offerings—including media, products, and restaurants—under a cohesive web design strategy.

A Unified Vision for Web Design

JamieOliver.com’s redesign prioritizes functionality and aesthetics, presenting a content-first experience. By placing recipes, food stories, and seasonal content at the forefront, the new platform seamlessly reflects the brand’s ethos. Every visual element, from the color palette to the typography, reinforces Jamie Oliver’s identity, ensuring a unified and engaging user experience.

Modular Systems for Dynamic Content

A key aspect of the redesign is its modular design system, which empowers content teams to craft rich, flexible stories while maintaining consistency. This scalable system allows for an intuitive balance between bold headlines and precise subheadings, using a custom typeface that feels modern and approachable.

Sanity’s Content Management System (CMS) plays a vital role, acting as a custom page builder for brand-focused storytelling. This integration enables seamless updates, ensuring the website evolves alongside the Jamie Oliver Group’s ambitions.

Elegance in Simplicity

The refreshed platform uses sleek, curved design elements to achieve a balance between minimalism and vibrancy. The clean layouts elevate content, making recipes and features easier to explore. This simplicity enhances usability while celebrating the seasonal and colorful nature of Jamie Oliver’s culinary world.

Consolidation for a Global Audience

The redesign isn’t just about aesthetics. It consolidates multiple digital properties under one cohesive domain, creating a streamlined experience for global audiences. This strategy strengthens brand consistency while laying the groundwork for future innovations.

“We are excited to collaborate with the Jamie Oliver Group on this transformative project. At Rotate°, we are committed to blending modern technologies with creative design to deliver exceptional digital experiences. This partnership with Jamie Oliver is a testament to their enthusiasm for innovation in the digital space.” – Chris Harris, CXO, Rotate°

This redesign marks a significant milestone in the Jamie Oliver Group’s evolution as a global food brand. Rotateº’s thoughtful integration of design and technology ensures the platform meets user needs while showcasing the brand’s personality.

The collaboration is a reminder of how modern web design can bring flavor and functionality together. For more on this project, visit Rotateº or Jamie Oliver.

Web design artifacts

Dropbox's new brand identity website puts boring style guides to shame

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Original Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/design/dropboxs-new-brand-identity-website-puts-boring-style-guides-to-shame

Static style guides are no more.

I Tried and Tested Gearbubble vs Printify in 2025

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Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/gearbubble-vs-printify

As an online seller I have tried out several print on demand platforms to streamline my business. Two that come up often are GearBubble and Printify. Both have their own features for creating and selling custom products.

GearBubble is great for jewelry and accessories, while Printify has a wider range of products to customize including apparel, home decor and phone cases. I found GearBubble’s interface more user friendly for beginners but Printify has more advanced design tools for experienced sellers.

When comparing pricing and profit margins my experience shows that costs can vary depending on the products and print providers chosen.

I would recommend checking out both options and see which one fits your business goals and target market.

Gearbubble and Printify

Gearbubble and Printify are two print on demand platforms where entrepreneurs can create and sell custom products. I’ll go over the features and capabilities of each.

What is Gearbubble?

Gearbubble is a print on demand platform that specializes in personalized jewelry and accessories. I use it to create custom necklaces, bracelets and keychains.

The platform has a user friendly design tool so it’s easy to create unique products. Gearbubble handles production, shipping and customer service so it’s easy for entrepreneurs.

One of the key features is Gearbubble’s trending products and seasonal campaigns. This can help sellers ride the current market wave.

Gearbubble integrates with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify so order fulfillment is seamless.

What is Printify?

Printify is a print on demand service that caters to a wide range of products including apparel, home decor and accessories. I like their network of print providers across multiple countries.

They have a catalog of over 300 customizable products. This means sellers can easily add more products to their store.

Printify’s mockup generator helps create professional product images for marketing purposes. The service integrates with major e-commerce platforms like Etsy, Shopify and WooCommerce.

One of the big advantages of Printify is their pricing structure. They have tiered pricing plans including a free option for beginners.

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Products and Quality Comparison

GearBubble and Printify have different product ranges and quality levels. Let’s compare them in key areas.

Product Range

GearBubble is focused on jewelry and accessories. I found their product range includes necklaces, bracelets, rings and keychains.

They also have some apparel like t-shirts and hoodies but their catalog is more limited than Printify.

Printify has a much broader range of products. Their products include clothing, accessories, home decor and more. I’ve seen phone cases and mugs, yoga mats and wall art in their catalog.

This means sellers have more options to add to their product lines.

Material Quality

GearBubble uses high quality materials for their jewelry items. Their products are made with sterling silver or gold plated metals. For apparel they use standard cotton blends like other print on demand services.

Printify has multiple print providers so material quality can vary. I’ve seen they offer premium options like organic cotton shirts and eco-friendly materials.

Their wide network means more material options but you should research specific suppliers.

Print Quality

GearBubble’s print quality for jewelry engravings is good. Their laser engraving technology produces great designs on metal surfaces.

For apparel printing they use direct-to-garment (DTG) which is decent but not as vibrant as some specialized printers.

Printify’s print quality is dependent on the print provider chosen. I’ve seen great results from some of their partners especially those using advanced DTG or sublimation.

However quality can vary between providers. You should order samples and test different options to ensure quality is consistent across products.

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Ease of Use and Interface

GearBubble and Printify have different user experiences when it comes to their platforms. I’ll compare their design interface and overall usability so you can decide which one is best for you.

Design Interface

GearBubble’s interface is simple and easy to use. I find the dashboard clean and organized with clearly labeled sections for product creation, order management and analytics. The product designer is user friendly and I can customize items with a drag and drop interface.

Printify’s design interface is more robust with more customization options. I like the product mockups and the ability to add intricate designs. They have a lot of templates and design tools which can be overwhelming at first but more flexibility for experienced users.

User Experience

GearBubble is easy to use even for a beginner. I can set up my store and start selling products in minutes. The learning curve is minimal so it’s perfect for newbies to print on demand.

Printify’s user experience is more geared towards experienced sellers. While it has more features it may take some time to learn everything. I find the order tracking and fulfillment process smooth with detailed status updates and shipping info available.

Both platforms are mobile responsive so I can manage my store on the go. GearBubble’s mobile interface is more streamlined while Printify’s mobile is similar to their desktop version.

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Pricing and Profit Margins

GearBubble and Printify have different pricing structures and profit margins for print on demand sellers. I’ll compare their pricing models and the costs involved.

Pricing Structures

GearBubble uses a base cost plus markup model. I set my own retail prices and keep the difference as profit. Their base costs vary by product but are competitive.

For example a basic t-shirt may have a $10 base cost. If I price it at $25 my profit is $15 per sale.

Printify’s pricing model is similar but they have tiered pricing based on order volume. As I sell more my costs decrease and profits increase.

Their starter tier for t-shirts may be $12 and at higher volumes it could be $9 or less.

Cost Analysis

When comparing costs I need to factor in more than just the base product price. GearBubble includes shipping in their base cost for many products so it’s easier for me to price.

Printify has separate shipping charges which I need to factor in when pricing.

Production quality can impact costs long term. If one service has higher return rates due to quality issues it eats into profit.

I also consider platform fees. GearBubble charges 5% on external sales while Printify has no fees for their basic plan.

Integrations with e-commerce platforms may have additional costs that affect my bottom line.

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Production and Fulfillment

GearBubble and Printify have different approaches to producing and delivering custom products. Their processes affect turnaround times and shipping options for merchants.

Fulfillment Process

GearBubble produces and fulfills in-house. I’ve found this gives them more control over quality and timelines. They manufacture products on demand when orders come in.

Printify connects merchants to a network of print providers. I’ve noticed this allows for a wider product selection but introduces more variables in the fulfillment process.

Both platforms integrate with major e-commerce stores like Shopify and WooCommerce. This makes order processing and shipping easier.

Production Times

GearBubble produces orders in 3-5 business days. Their in-house approach means consistent turnaround times for most products.

Printify’s production times vary by print provider and product. In my experience most products are produced in 2-7 business days. Some providers offer rush production for an additional fee.

During peak seasons both platforms may have longer production times. It’s good to factor this into customer communication and expectations.

Shipping Options

GearBubble has standard and expedited shipping within the US. International shipping is available to select countries. Tracking is provided for all orders.

Printify’s shipping options depend on the print provider. Most offer standard and express shipping domestically and internationally. I’ve found their global network of providers can sometimes result in faster international delivery.

Both platforms allow merchants to set their own shipping rates in their store. This helps with profit margins and customer expectations.

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Integrations and Compatibility

Both GearBubble and Printify have integrations with popular e-commerce platforms and third-party apps. These connections make workflows easier and more functionality for online sellers.

E-commerce Platform Integration

GearBubble integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce and Etsy. I’ve found their Shopify app to be very user friendly and allows me to sync products and orders automatically.

Printify has more integrations including Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, eBay and Wix. Their Shopify integration is more robust with features like variant mapping and real-time inventory updates.

BigCommerce users, Printify has a native integration while GearBubble requires a third-party connector.

Third-Party App Compatibility

GearBubble’s app ecosystem is more limited. They focus on core print-on-demand features without many third-party integrations.

Printify has integrations with:

Design tools: Canva, Placeit

Marketing: Mailchimp, Klaviyo

Shipping: ShipStation, Easyship

I’ve found Printify’s Canva integration to be very useful for creating designs within their platform. Their shipping app integrations also helps with order fulfillment.

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Customer Support and Services

Both GearBubble and Printify have customer support but their approach and effectiveness are different. Let’s look at their support channels and how they handle issues.

Support Channels

I’ve found that GearBubble only has email support as their primary contact method. They aim to respond in 24-48 hours but response times can vary during peak periods.

GearBubble also has a knowledge base with articles on common topics.

Printify has more support options. I can contact them via email, live chat and phone support. Their live chat is available weekdays during business hours.

Printify’s help center is very comprehensive with guides and FAQs on many topics.

Resolution Effectiveness

In my experience GearBubble’s support team is helpful but limited channels can cause delays. Simple issues are usually resolved quickly but complex problems can take longer due to back and forth communication.

Printify’s multi-channel approach usually means faster resolutions. Their live chat is great for quick questions. I’ve found their support team to be well trained and can handle most issues efficiently. For more complex issues Printify’s escalation process seems smooth with specialized teams for specific problems.

Both platforms try to resolve customer issues but Printify’s more support options gives them an edge in effectiveness and response time.

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Market Presence and Reputation

GearBubble and Printify are established players in the print-on-demand industry. Their market presence and reputation are different in many ways that affects how they’re perceived by users and the broader e-commerce community.

User Reviews and Feedback

I’ve found that GearBubble gets mixed reviews from users. Some like the interface and product customization. Others hate the customer service and shipping delays.

Printify gets more positive feedback in my experience. Users love their network of print providers and competitive pricing. The integration with major e-commerce platforms is a big plus.

Both services get criticism for print quality inconsistencies which is common in the print-on-demand industry.

Industry Recognition

GearBubble is recognized for their focus on jewelry and accessories, they have a niche in the print-on-demand space. I’ve seen them mentioned in discussions about unique products.

Printify has more industry recognition. They’ve been featured in major business publications and have raised significant funding rounds, the investors are confident. They have partnerships with major retailers which also increased their visibility.

Both platforms have been recognized for helping small businesses and entrepreneurs in the e-commerce space.

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Pros and Cons

Gearbubble and Printify have their own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s look at the key points of each.

Gearbubble Pros

Gearbubble has a user friendly interface that simplifies the product creation process. I found their design tools easy to use so I can customize products without technical knowledge.

They have a wide range of product options including jewelry and accessories which is unique to many competitors. I like their fast shipping, 5-10 business days within the US.

Gearbubble’s built-in marketing tools is a big plus. I can create promotional campaigns and use their Facebook ad integration to reach my audience.

Printify Pros

Printify’s network of print providers is a big plus. I have access to over 90 print-on-demand facilities worldwide so I can choose the best for quality and shipping times.

Their competitive pricing structure allows me to keep higher profit margins. I can compare rates from different providers to find the best for each product.

Printify’s integration is impressive. I can connect my store to popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Etsy and WooCommerce easily.

Gearbubble Cons

While Gearbubble has many advantages, I’ve found some limitations. Their product catalog is diverse but smaller compared to some competitors. This limits my options for some niche markets.

Gearbubble’s pricing structure is less competitive for some products. I find that profit margins are tighter especially for lower priced products.

Their integration options are limited. I can’t connect Gearbubble to as many third-party e-commerce platforms as I can with some other alternatives.

Printify Cons

Despite its pros, Printify has some cons. They don’t have as many built-in marketing tools as Gearbubble. I often have to rely on external resources for promotion and advertising.

Quality control is not consistent across different print providers. I’ve experienced issues with product quality depending on the manufacturer I chose.

Customer support response time is slower during peak periods. I sometimes experience delays in resolving urgent issues which can affect my business.

Printify’s design tools are functional but not as advanced as some competitors. I sometimes find myself limited when trying to create more complex designs.

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Conclusion

After comparing GearBubble and Printify, I’ve made my decision. Both have their own strengths for print-on-demand business but Printify is the better choice for most sellers.

Printify’s huge product catalog and global printing network is a big plus. I like their user friendly interface and integration with major e-commerce platforms.

GearBubble excels with marketing tools and built-in sales channels. But its limited product range and fulfillment options prevents it from being #1.

For new sellers or those who want ease of use, Printify is the way to go. Their setup process is straightforward and they have helpful resources for beginners.

Established businesses may find value in GearBubble’s extra features if they match the product types available.

Pricing is competitive on both platforms but Printify has a free plan with more flexibility to start without upfront cost.

The post I Tried and Tested Gearbubble vs Printify in 2025 appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.

Galaxy S24 prices have plummeted as Samsung launches its new smartphones for 2025

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Original Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/tech/phones-tablets/galaxy-s24-prices-have-plummeted-as-samsung-launches-its-latest-smartphones

Save up to 48% on last year’s flagship.

Zero Click Marketing and What It Means for Your eCommerce Business

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Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/zero-click-marketing-ecommerce

Okay, let’s get to the point: Zero click marketing is here and it’s big for eCommerce businesses.

If you’re still using old school tactics to drive traffic to your site, you’re missing the bigger picture. Over 65% of searches on Google end without anyone clicking on anything.

So why does this matter? Well, Rand Fishkin, founder of SparkToro, breaks it all down perfectly in this insightful video.

He explains, “Zero click marketing isn’t about ignoring clicks—it’s about meeting your audience where they are and delivering value without requiring a click.”

Instead of chasing website traffic, you’re fighting for visibility, trust, and engagement on platforms like Google, Amazon, Instagram, and TikTok. If your brand isn’t adapting to this shift, you’re getting left behind.

So, how do you win in a zero click world? Let me show you.

What is Zero Click Marketing?

Zero click marketing is delivering value where your audience is instead of making them come to you.

Think about Google.

Have you ever Googled something like “best running shoes” and found the answer right there in a featured snippet or product carousel?

Or maybe you’ve seen Google Shopping ads at the top of the page with star ratings and prices.

Now imagine that happening with TikTok, Instagram or even voice search on Alexa. People can discover, research and sometimes even buy your product without ever leaving these platforms.

It’s no longer about driving traffic. It’s about getting attention.

Zero Click Marketing and eCommerce Brands

Let’s get practical so you know exactly where to focus.

1. Google’s Push for Zero Click Searches

More than half of Google searches never get a click because Google is giving users instant answers through:

Featured Snippets: Quick answers at the top of the page.

People Also Ask: Related questions with dropdown answers.

Google Shopping: Product ads that show price, reviews and more without leaving the page.

📌 Related Link: Zero Click Searches and their Impact

What can you do?

Use structured data like product schema, reviews and star ratings to stand out.

Get your products on Google Shopping. Optimize your product feed with killer descriptions, competitive pricing and great images.

Rank for questions people are asking by creating FAQ-style content.

2. Social Media is the New eCommerce Storefront

Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook don’t just help people discover products anymore—they let people buy directly.

Take TikTok for example. The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has over 58 billion views. If your product gets featured in the trend, you can go viral and make sales without ever linking back to your site.

Instagram and Facebook take this further with Shoppable Posts and Instagram Shops. People can browse, add to cart and checkout—all in-app.

What can you do?

Use Shoppable Posts and set up an Instagram Shop.

Create TikToks that show your product in action (or better yet, get influencers to do it for you).

Use user-generated content (UGC) to make your product feel relatable and trustworthy.

📌 Related Link: How to Succeed with Social Commerce

3. Amazon: The Giant You Can’t Ignore

If you think Google is your biggest competitor, think again. 63% of product searches start on Amazon. People trust Amazon for reviews, fast shipping and ease of use.

If you’re not optimizing your Amazon listings, you’re giving sales to your competitors.

What can you do?

Optimize your Amazon listings with detailed descriptions, professional images and relevant keywords.

Use Amazon PPC Ads to increase visibility.

Monitor your reviews and maintain a high rating.

4. Voice Search is on the Rise

By 2025, 55% of households will have a smart speaker. People are asking Alexa or Google Assistant for product recommendations and this is a zero click environment.

Example: “Alexa, where can I buy organic dog food?” Alexa might recommend products based on keywords and local availability, all without needing a website.

What can you do?

Use conversational keywords in your product descriptions.

Target local keywords like “organic dog food near me”.

Optimize for long-tail phrases that match voice search queries.

Why Zero Click Marketing is a Must for Your eCommerce Business

If you’re chasing clicks, you’re not seeing the whole picture. Zero click marketing isn’t about driving traffic; it’s about making sure your brand is impossible to ignore on platforms where your customers are already active.

Here’s what that means for you:

Be everywhere: Dominate Google, Amazon, TikTok and Instagram.

Provide instant value: Use snippets, UGC and reviews to give people what they need now.

Build a relationship: Use email and SMS to touch base with customers who buy through third-party platforms.

The post Zero Click Marketing and What It Means for Your eCommerce Business appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.

Apple's rare U-turn on news alerts is the latest in a string of big-tech AI flops

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Original Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/ai/apples-rare-u-turn-on-news-alerts-is-the-latest-big-tech-ai-flop

It could harm consumer confidence.

How to Scale Your Print-On-Demand Business (The No-BS Way)

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Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/print-on-demand/how-to-scale-your-print-on-demand-business

You found the best print on demand company. You’ve launched your print-on-demand store. You’ve sold a few t-shirts, mugs, or hoodies.

But now you’re stuck.

You’re thinking, How do I actually grow this thing? How do I go from $500/month to $5,000… and beyond?

Here’s the truth: Scaling a print-on-demand business isn’t about flooding your store with more designs or hoping one goes viral. It’s about getting the right systems in place, finding the right audience, and investing in what’s proven to work.

The print-on-demand market is exploding—it’s expected to hit $39.4 billion by 2030. But that growth also means more competition. The days of slapping a “funny quote” on a plain t-shirt and expecting it to sell are over.

If you want to scale your business, you need a strategy.

In this guide, I’ll show you:

How to streamline your fulfillment and operations so you’re not stuck with delays or angry customers.

What it takes to build a niche brand that stands out in a crowded market.

The paid and organic marketing strategies top POD sellers use to grow fast.

Real-world examples and stats so you know this stuff works.

No fluff. No complicated jargon. Just straight-to-the-point strategies you can start using today to scale your POD business like a pro.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

How to Scale Your Print-On-Demand Business

1. Optimize Fulfillment and Operations

If your fulfillment process is slow or inconsistent, scaling becomes impossible. Customers expect their orders to arrive on time, and they expect the product to match what they saw online. Failing here means bad reviews, refund requests, and no repeat buyers.

Start by choosing a supplier you can depend on. The big names in the print-on-demand space are Printful, Printify, and Gooten. Each has strengths, but you should test their services before committing to one. Order samples to see the print quality, packaging, and shipping times.

Suppliers with fulfillment centers near your customers can reduce delivery times. If most of your orders come from the U.S., work with a supplier that has warehouses there. If you have customers in Europe, make sure your supplier can handle that region too.

Automation can also save you hours of manual work. Integrate your store with your supplier so orders are processed instantly. Most suppliers offer integrations for Shopify, WooCommerce, or Etsy, so you don’t need to track orders manually.

Pro Tip: Use multiple suppliers to minimize risks. If one supplier fails to deliver, you can rely on another. For example, use one supplier for mugs and another for apparel.

2. Build a Strong Niche Brand

Generic designs don’t sell well anymore. If your store tries to appeal to everyone, it won’t appeal to anyone. To scale, you need to focus on a niche audience.

A niche is a specific group of people who share interests or traits. For example, dog lovers, gamers, fitness enthusiasts, or teachers. The smaller and more specific the niche, the easier it is to build a loyal customer base.

When choosing a niche, look for these signs:

People are actively searching for related products.

The group has passionate members who spend money on their interests.

You can easily create designs that speak directly to this audience.

After you pick your niche, focus on branding your store around it. Use colors, language, and designs that appeal to that specific group. Don’t just sell t-shirts—sell the feeling of being part of something.

Actionable Steps:

Research niche ideas on Pinterest or Reddit. Look at what’s trending in groups and boards.

Validate your designs with a simple test. Post a mockup on Instagram or TikTok, and ask people if they’d buy it.

Remember, your niche is your superpower. Lean into it, and don’t try to appeal to everyone.

3. Scale with Paid Ads

Paid ads allow you to bring traffic to your store quickly. But without a plan, ads can waste money fast. The key is to start small, track your results, and scale the campaigns that work.

Facebook Ads are one of the most effective platforms for POD businesses. You can target people based on their interests, behaviors, and demographics. For example, if you sell designs for dog lovers, you can target people who follow “Petco” or “Dog Lovers Club.”

Dynamic Product Ads (DPA) on Facebook are another great option. These ads show products to people who’ve already visited your store or added items to their cart. Retargeting these visitors often leads to easy sales.

TikTok Ads work well for fun and relatable products. Create user-generated content (UGC) that showcases your product in action. Use trending sounds, simple text overlays, and quick cuts to grab attention. A simple ad showing someone reacting to a funny t-shirt can outperform a polished commercial.

Google Shopping Ads target people who are actively searching for products. If someone searches “funny coffee mugs” or “best gifts for gamers,” they’re ready to buy. Listing your products on Google Shopping puts you right in front of these buyers.

Pro Tip: Start with a $20–$50 daily budget. Test multiple ad creatives and audiences. Focus on the ads that get the most clicks and sales, and scale them by increasing the budget.

4. Leverage Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is one of the fastest ways to reach niche audiences. Partnering with the right influencers can drive traffic and sales without spending a fortune.

You don’t need celebrities or people with millions of followers. Micro-influencers (10k–50k followers) often have more engaged audiences and charge less.

How to Find Influencers:

Search Instagram or TikTok using hashtags related to your niche. For example, if you sell designs for teachers, search for hashtags like #TeacherLife or #TeacherHumor.

Use tools like Upfluence or Heepsy to filter influencers by location, audience size, and niche.

Reach out with a simple pitch. Offer a free product in exchange for a post or story. If their audience responds well, you can set up a paid collaboration with a commission structure.

Example: A pet-themed store could partner with dog influencers on Instagram. The influencer posts a picture of their dog wearing your custom hoodie and shares a discount code for their followers.

5. Upsell and Cross-Sell to Increase Sales

If you’re only selling one product per order, you’re leaving money on the table. Upsells and cross-sells can boost your average order value (AOV) with very little effort.

What’s an Upsell? Offering a higher-value product or bundle after someone adds an item to their cart. For example, if someone buys a hoodie, offer them a matching mug for 20% off.

What’s a Cross-Sell? Suggesting related products to complement what they’re buying. For example, if someone buys a phone case, show them a tote bag with a matching design.

Shopify apps like Bold Upsell and ReConvert make this easy to implement. Once set up, the apps do the work for you.

Quick Tip: Run bundle deals like “Buy 2, Get 1 Free.” This not only increases order size but also encourages customers to explore more products in your store.

6. Master Organic Traffic Channels

Paid ads are great for scaling, but you should also build long-term, free traffic channels like Pinterest, blogging, and YouTube.

Pinterest is a search engine for visual content. Create pins for your designs with keywords like “funny teacher mug” or “eco-friendly gift ideas.” The more you pin, the more people will see your products.

Blogging helps your store rank on Google. Write blog posts targeting long-tail keywords. For example:

“10 Funny Coffee Mugs for Teachers”

“Best Gifts for Gamers in 2025”

YouTube is another powerful platform. Create videos showcasing your products, sharing behind-the-scenes clips, or showing how your designs are made. A 2-minute video can drive more traffic than a week of Instagram posts.

Actionable Step: Post consistently on at least one organic channel. Over time, this traffic builds up and reduces your dependency on ads.

7. Expand Your Product Line

Scaling isn’t just about selling more of the same thing. Expanding your product line can help you reach new audiences and increase your revenue.

High-margin items like all-over print hoodies, posters, or phone cases are great options. Seasonal products like Christmas sweaters or Valentine’s Day mugs can also boost sales during peak periods.

How to Find New Products:

Use Google Trends to identify what’s popular.

Ask your customers what they’d like to see next.

Keep your niche in mind when expanding. Every product should fit your brand and appeal to your audience.

Final Takeaways

Scaling a print-on-demand business takes focus, patience, and consistent effort. You don’t need to do everything at once.

Start by fixing your systems, dialing in your niche, and driving traffic with paid ads. As you grow, add upsells, explore organic channels, and test new product ideas.

Scaling is simple—but it’s not easy. Keep testing, keep improving, and don’t stop until you hit your goals.

The post How to Scale Your Print-On-Demand Business (The No-BS Way) appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.

Printful vs Bonfire vs Spreadshirt: Which is the POD MVP?

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Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/printful-vs-bonfire-vs-spreadshirt

Let’s face it, creators and entrepreneurs thinking of getting involved the with Print on Demand (POD) business model are spoiled for choice these days.

There are countless great platforms and vendors to choose from – and it’s no wonder. After the POD market is currently growing at a CAGR of 25.8%.

Although I’ve personally tried and tested somewhere around 100 different POD platforms in the past, companies like Printful, Bonfire, and Spreadshirt still stand out.

Printful, for me, is one of the best print-on-demand solutions all-around (alongside Printify and Gelato), based on its exceptional commitment to product quality, its wide range of integrations, and its great design tools.

However, Spreadshirt and Bonfire are amazing for specific types of sellers.

Not sure which option is best for you? Here’s my honest, hands-on comparison of all three solutions.

Quick Verdict: Pros and Cons

Too busy to read this full comparison? No problem – here’s the TL;DR version:

Printful is the best option if you’re looking for a huge selection of consistently high-quality products, options to sell through various channels, and great design tools.

Bonfire is ideal if you’re looking for a POD service and fundraising platform in one, with peer-to-peer funding solutions and unique YouTube Merch selling options.

Spreadshirt is perfect for beginners and smaller sellers, looking to sell products quickly on an integrated marketplace.

The Pros and Cons

Printful Pros and Cons

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

Brilliant product collection with various printing options (such as embroidery)
Integrations with dozens of sales channels, and a convenient quick store builder (for US merchants)
Fast and reliable global delivery.
Support for premium plans and add-on services for scaling businesses.
Intuitive design tools (with access to free resources and graphics)

Cons 👎

Customer support isn’t the best

Bonfire Pros and Cons

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

Various fundraising options for individuals and non-profit groups.
Convenient integrations with YouTube’s Merch store (ideal for creators).
Excellent customer support and guidance.
High-quality products with fantastic online reviews.
Free and straightforward storefront builder for beginners.

Cons 👎

Not many integrations with different sales channels

Spreadshirt Pros and Cons

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

Wide range of versatile and profitable products.
Convenient tools so customers can customize their own products.
Integrations with ecommerce platforms through the SPOD app.
Instant access to potential customers through a pre-built marketplace.
Easy to use tools for design and business management.

Cons 👎

Fewer integration options than Printful

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Printful vs Bonfire vs Spreadshirt: The Core Features

Printful, Bonfire, and Spreadshirt have a lot of similarities. They’re all print-on-demand solutions that allow companies to choose, customize, and sell products online. They also all offer global fulfillment services, and allow companies to get started for free.

However, after using all of these platforms, I can say they target very different groups.

Printful is an all-in-one solution that makes it easy to sell your custom products through existing sales channels – like ecommerce platforms and marketplaces – although US merchants can create one-page quick stores.

Spreadshirt, on the other hand, encourages users to list their custom products on an existing marketplace – although some integrations are supported through the SPOD app.

Bonfire is a niche solution that allows users to create a simple merch store, or sell through YouTube Merch. It also gives individuals, artists, and non-profits access to fundraising tools.

Let’s take a closer look at what separates these solutions.

MORE:

Read our Printful Review.

Read our Spreadshirt review.

Product Variety and Customization Options

If you’re looking for variety and quality – I’d recommend using Printful. There are over 368 customizable products to choose from on the platform, from common options like T-shirts and sweaters, to shoes, and home décor.

You can even experiment with different customization options, like embroidery, and all-over print. Plus, Printful offers some great eco-friendly products too.

That’s handy if – like me, you’ve noticed a growing demand among consumers for sustainable products. I also think Printful’s design tools are the best out of the three.

There are various free resources you can use, like graphics and fonts, and a brilliant mock-up generator. Plus, Printful has an “AI Upscaler” to improve the quality of the images you use.

Spreadshirt also offers a great selection of products – though it’s mostly focused on apparel and accessories, like shirts and bags.

It does have some great “unique” items available though, like cuddly toys – and it supports embroidery, DTG, and DTF printing.

Overall, Bonfire offers the fewest products, but you’ll still get popular options like t-shirts and bags. I couldn’t find many different printing options, but it’s worth noting you can access specialist “design services” from Bonfire if you’re struggling to create unique products.

That’s something that Printful can offer too – but with Spreadshirt, you’re on your own.

Profitability and Product Quality

I mentioned above that one of the main reasons I recommend Printful to POD vendors, is that it excels at delivering consistently high-quality products. In fact, Printful has a 4.7 out of 5 star rating on TrustPilot – thanks to its commitment to excellent quality.

Printful sources high-quality materials from suppliers, and uses the latest printing tech to ensure they’re always exceeding customer expectations.

Bonfire – though lesser-known than Printful, has a pretty great reputation for quality too. Based on the reviews I’ve read, Bonfire’s products are known for being durable, and comfortable, and the print quality is excellent.

That’s probably because the company manually reviews each product before shipping it.

While Spreadshirt has earned some good reviews for product quality, I’ve noticed a lot of customers say that the items they receive from that vendor can be “hit or miss.”

One good thing about Spreadshirt is that the products are a little cheaper than those you’d get from Bonfire, so you might be able to achieve higher profit margins.

Printful used to be a far more expensive option for POD vendors, but it recently cut its base product costs (and introduced some upgrades to its premium plans, with extra discounts), which means it’s exceptional value for money today.

To put it into perspective, a unisex t-shirt would cost you about:

$16.99 from Spreadshirt

$14.10 from Printful

$17.02 from Bonfire

Printful vs Bonfire vs Spreadshirt: Sales Channels

One of the biggest differences between Printful, Bonfire, and Spreadshirt, is how and where you sell your products with each platform.

Bonfire is pretty basic, allowing companies to sell through a simple “merch store” or YouTube merch. You can’t really do much with your merch store to create a memorable brand – but you do get tools for “fundraising” if you’re a content creator or non-profit.

The main way to sell products through Spreadshirt is with its pre-existing marketplace. Every creator can build a simple storefront where they can promote their products alongside other merchants.

It’s great for getting immediate access to customers, and reducing the amount you’ll spend on ecommerce platforms – but there is a lot of competition to fight against.

If you want to use other sales channels, you’ll need a specific app – like “SpreadConnect” for Shopify.

Printful gives users the widest range of selling channels. Printful doesn’t have its own marketplace, but it does integrate with other marketplace platforms like Ebay and Amazon.

It also integrates with dozens of ecommerce platforms (like Shopify or Squarespace), and social media channels.

Plus, you can create a “quick store” to sell your products for free through Printful too – although this option is only available to US merchants for now.

Ultimately, if you want more flexibility when it comes to where you sell products, Printful is the best pick.

Ease of Use and Customer Support

One thing I love about print on demand is that virtually every POD platform is easy to use. All of the three platforms mentioned here are straightforward and intuitive.

However, I do think Printful has slightly more “user-friendly” design tools. If you’re looking for a platform that makes it easier to get started quickly, however, Spreadshirt or Bonfire might be better.

Neither of these tools require you to integrate the platform with an ecommerce storefront, so you can basically start creating and selling instantly.

If you’re not based in the US, you need to integrate Printful with another sales channel, which can take a little more time and effort.

On the plus side, all three platforms make it very easy to launch your business. You can create an account with each solution for free, and access onboarding guides, checklists, and self-help resources as you build your brand.

Bonfire does offer better customer service overall, however. Customers can connect with Bonfire’s team through live chat, email, and phone – although opening hours vary.

With Printful, you can only get support through email and chat (though support is available 24/7).

Spreadshirt only offers email-based customer support, so you’re likely to spend a little longer waiting for a response – particularly during busy periods.

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Printful vs Bonfire vs Spreadshirt: Pricing

I mentioned above that Printful, Bonfire, and Spreadshirt all have free plans – you can get started with all three platforms, and pay only for the base cost of your products.

As noted, Printful’s products used to be a lot more expensive – but now they offer better value for money. Notably, Bonfire also takes an 8% fee from each transaction (which can quickly eat into your profits).

All three companies offer bonus services that you’ll need to pay extra for (like design support), but Printful is the only company with a “premium plan” option. The “Growth” plan is available to access for free if you earn more than $12k in sales per year – or it costs $24.99 per month.

This is a brilliant plan for scaling companies in my opinion, offering access to additional branding services, priority support, unlimited stores for each account, and fixed discounts on all kinds of products.

The fact that you can access it for free as your business grows makes Printful even more appealing – especially for established companies.

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Printful vs Bonfire vs Spreadshirt: The Verdict

Printful, Bonfire, or Spreadshirt: Which platform should you choose.

Overall, I’d definitely say Printful is the best. It offers access to more high-quality products, better design tools, a wider range of sales channels, and that incredible “premium” plan option.

Still, Bonfire could be a good pick if you’re looking for fundraising services, easy selling options, and exceptional customer support.

I’d only recommend Spreadshirt to merchants in search of a fast and convenient way to start selling products online – thanks to its existing marketplace. The chances are as your business grows, you’ll want to consider switching to another provider.

Of course, you can always consider using all three platforms at once (you can create an account for free on all of them), so you can decide for yourself what works best for you.

The post Printful vs Bonfire vs Spreadshirt: Which is the POD MVP? appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.