8 Best Print on Demand Companies for Stationery Products for 2024

Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/best-print-on-demand-stationery-companies

If you’re thinking of exploring the lucrative world of print on demand (POD) selling, creating customized stationery could be the ideal way to get started.

Print on demand stationery companies or suppliers offer merchants an easy way to create, and sell a variety of unique products.

With the latest digital printing techniques, these companies can place your logo, patterns, or designs on everything from stockers and greeting cards, to pens, notebooks, and more.

Not only is stationery a lucrative option for business leaders, with a market set to reach a value of $34.7 billion by 2030, but POD stationery has an extremely low barrier to entry.

Most products have very low initial costs, and with print on demand, you don’t have to worry about handling inventory, fulfillment, or shipping yourself.

Here’s your guide to some of the best POD stationery providers in 2024.

Top Stationery POD Platforms

Printful

Printify

Moo

Table of contents:

Top Stationery POD Platforms

Why Use a Stationery POD Supplier?

How to Pick the Best POD Stationery Supplier

What are the Best Vendors for Stationery Print on Demand?

Choosing your POD Stationery Supplier

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Why Use a Stationery POD Supplier?

While you can always consider making your customized stationery yourself, working with a POD stationery supplier offers a number of distinct benefits.

First, you don’t have to invest in printing technologies yourself, which can be extremely expensive if you want the latest equipment.

Secondly, POD vendors don’t just handle producing products on your behalf, they also deal with some of the more complex aspects of running a business, including packaging, and shipping orders.

What’s more, with POD supplier, you don’t have to worry about minimum order quantities or inventory management.

Rather than purchasing huge amounts of stationery and hoping you get sales, you can simply issue orders to your supplier when they arrive, reducing your risk.

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How to Pick the Best POD Stationery Supplier

While working with a POD supplier for your customized stationery can be a beneficial strategy, you still need to ensure you’re working with the right vendor. There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy to picking the right supplier, but there are a few things you should consider, such as:

Product range: The wider the range of products offered by your supplier, the more opportunities you’ll have to sell to a broad audience. Look for a variety of different types of stationery, from stickers and notebooks, to cards.

Product quality: The quality of your products makes a huge difference to your ability to make a profit. Ensure your provider offers a range of high-quality printing methods, eco-friendly inks, and quality assurance strategies to preserve your brand reputation.

Fulfillment support: All POD vendors will help with fulfilment, but their options regarding delivery, customized packaging, and order tracking can vary. Make sure you can access all the tools you need to deliver a great customer experience.

Integrations: Choosing a POD supplier with a solution that integrates with your existing ecommerce platform like Shopify, or marketplace like Amazon will allow you to automate various parts of the fulfillment process, and save crucial time.

Pricing: Some POD vendors allow merchants to get started for free, while others charge a subscription fee. You’ll also have other costs to consider, such as the price of delivery, the base cost of the items you want to produce, and extra fees for customization.

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What are the Best Vendors for Stationery Print on Demand?

The good news for merchants interested in getting involved with the world of print on demand stationery, is there are plenty of great suppliers to choose from.

We’ve scoured through the most reputable options to bring you this list of worthwhile companies to consider.

1. Printful – Best Overall Print on Demand Company

Considered one of the most reliable and popular suppliers of print on demand products in the world, Printful gives sellers everything they need to start building an online business.

The company offers a huge portfolio of print-on-demand products, ranging from t-shirts and cut stickers to mousepads and wall art. Plus, there are tons of great printing options to choose from.

Printful also supports a huge range of integrations and sales channels, from social media platforms, to Amazon, Etsy, Shopify, Wix, and beyond.

There are easy-to-use design tools on the platform for customizing your products, custom packaging options, and you can even access a free logo maker.

Plus, Printful offers bonus warehousing services, so you can store all of the items you might want to sell in the same place, to streamline fulfillment.

Pricing

Business owners can start using Printful for free, with no subscription fees or minimum order requirements. However, you do have to pay for the base cost of the item, shipping fees, and any bonus features you might want, such as warehousing.

However, you can pay a monthly fee to access the “Printful Growth” plan, for discounts on your items and unlimited stores per account.

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

Tons of custom products and printing options
Endless integrations for online business owners
Excellent quality assurance for peace of mind
Easy to use design and branding tools
Warehousing services and global fulfillment networks

Cons 👎

Some print on demand products are more expensive
Shipping settings can be a little complex

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2. Printify – Best for Wide range of Products

Similar to Printful, Printify also has an excellent reputation in the online market, and offers a massive range of products.

You can create art prints, add custom print to notepads and stationary cards, and even experiment with a mockup generator to see what your pieces will look like.

Printify works with printing providers located around the world to help get your items to customers in as few business days as possible.

It integrates with various ecommerce platforms and marketplaces, and even offers analytics and reporting tools to help facilitate rapid growth.

Plus, Printify offers some unique products too, including eco-friendly and sustainable items for green business owners.

Pricing

Once again, companies can get started with Printify for free, accessing all of the design tools and unlimited product options for up to 5 stores.

There are also two paid plans available. The Premium plan for $24.99 per month supports 10 stores per account and comes with a 20% discount on all products. The custom enterprise plan allows for unlimited stores per account, and includes all the features of the Premium package.

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

Rapid production and delivery times for most items
Excellent range of printing partners to choose from
Easy integrations with leading platforms and marketplaces
Wide range of unique products
Value added services for larger brands

Cons 👎

Limitations on customization for some products
Slow customer service at times

3. Moo

Moo is best-known as an all-in-one solution for business cards and branding. However, the company can also produce a wide variety of other stationery items with your unique designs, including spiral notebooks, kiss-cut solutions, acrylic wall art, stationery cards, and post cards.

Whether you’re producing your own custom letterhead, or you’re designing trending products for your store, Moo has a lot of options to choose from. The design tools are extremely easy to use, and there are even templates available to help you if you need initial inspiration.

Moo’s wide collection of products and fast shipping times makes it an excellent solution for brands looking to create business-branded merchandise and promotional assets.

Pricing:

While it doesn’t cost anything to sign up with Moo, you will need to pay the full price of any products you want to purchase, which includes customization costs. There are also shipping costs to consider, although you can order sample packs of products for free.

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

Wide range of stationery options to choose from
Excellent luxury printing options
Next-day delivery on some products
Access to design tools and templates
Bulk ordering for various items

Cons 👎

Some minimum order quantity requirements
No integrations with existing platforms

4. Gelato – Best for Selling Internationally

Global POD provider, Gelato, serves customers in 32 countries, with local production teams around the world.

The easy-to-use platform integrates with ecommerce stores and marketplaces in seconds, and synchronizes order data automatically to save you time.

There are no minimum order requirements, and Gelato promises superior quality on all of its items, thanks to sustainably sourced materials and cutting-edge technology.

Speaking of items, Gelato’s product collection is fantastic, covering everything from calendars to cards.

You can add your design to white-labelled products in seconds, and access tools to help you monitor things like tax, VAT, and customs payments.

There are even discounts available for bulk orders, to help high-volume retailers save on operational costs.

Pricing

Like most POD platforms, Gelato offers a free plan with access to all the features you might need. Paid plans start at $14.99 per month, for premium mockups and design tools, branded labels and packaging inserts, and more advanced features.

You can also access a “Gold” plan for $99 per month, or an enterprise-focused “Platinum” plan for custom pricing.

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

Versatile range of product options
Excellent design tools for beginners
Help with VAT, tax, and customs
Fantastic customer support and quality assurance
Sustainable and fast production

Cons 👎

Some items and plans can be expensive
Limited branding options on the free plan

5. Zazzle

Similar to Redbubble, Zazzle is an online marketplace designed for merchants in the USA. The platform gives creators an easy way to upload their designs to various custom products, including notepads, post-it notes, and even business cards.

There are tons of independent and carefully vetted manufacturers to work with on the platform, and even discounts on some items.

As an online POD marketplace, Zazzle doesn’t require companies to have an existing store to get started. Plus, you can set your own royalty rates on the platform, so earning a good income is much easier than it is with other marketplaces.

While Zazzle is located in the US, it also ships products to customers worldwide, through a range of third-party logistics partnerships.

Pricing

It doesn’t cost anything to join Zazzle as a creator. You can access all of the design tools and products without paying anything, then earn a royalty from each sale. There’s also the option to create a free store and pick your own name for your storefront.

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

Excellent branding and customization options
Royalty control for managing your own profit margins
Access to a wide variety of existing customers
Global fulfillment through a range of partners
Convenient and straightforward design tools

Cons 👎

Lots of competition on the marketplace
Profit margins can be difficult to master

6. Gooten

Focused on reliability, Gooten is a straightforward print on demand platform that connects with a variety of leading ecommerce platforms like BigCommerce, Etsy, and WooCommerce.

The company offers order fulfillment support to companies around the world, through logistics partners.

Plus, with Gooten, you can ensure your brand stands out with mock-up generators, customizable packaging, and more.

You can even rest assured Gooten will produce and deliver your products as quickly as possible, no matter where your customers might be.

If you’re struggling with design inspiration, you can also purchase designs on the platform.

Gooten also offers a variety of support options to companies, including solution consultants who can help you find new ways to scale your business.

Pricing

While you don’t have to pay a price to use the Gooten platform, there may be additional costs to consider.

You’ll need to pay for the base cost of your items and shipping, as well as extra services you might need, such as centralized order management and customer support.

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

Design library for merchants in need of inspiration
Wide range of product options to choose from
Easy-to-use back end environment for beginners
Rapid production and worldwide shipping
Excellent custom packaging options

Cons 👎

Some products are more expensive than others
Slight learning curve for integrations

7. Contrado

Built for the creator economy, Contrado helps artists to sell their designs in a range of different formats, to customers and other businesses around the world.

Companies can use the platform to create all kinds of bespoke stationary, as well as accessories and clothing. There are even options for producing leather bookmarks and belts.

The platform comes with a convenient mockup generator and design tools to help you make the most of your custom products.

Additionally, Contrado doesn’t just make products on behalf of retailers, it also deals with customer service inquiries and ships products worldwide on your behalf.

The artist collection section on the website also offers an excellent source of inspiration to retailers who need help sourcing new designs.

Pricing:

There are no costs associated with signing up for Contrado. All you need to do is pay for the base cost of the item and any shipping fees. However, there are extra fees involved if you want to take advantage of Contrado’s wholesale solutions, or purchase designs from artists.

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

Fantastic range of unique stationery products
Rapid production and delivery
Excellent global order fulfillment options
Support with customer service and inquiries
Access to art and designs for beginners

Cons 👎

No integrations with ecommerce platforms
Limited profit margins on some products

8. Redbubble – Best POD Marketplace for Selling Stationery Products

Most online business owners are familiar with Redbubble, the easy-to-use POD marketplace, designed for beginners in the creative market.

Redbubble doesn’t require users to have an existing website with a platform like WooCommerce or Squarespace to get started, instead you can simply list your products on the existing Redbubble marketplace to instantly reach potential customers.

The platform comes with access to a variety of different white label products to choose from, as well as various marketing and sales tools to boost your chances of growth.

There’s a mockup generator to help with creating your custom products, and solutions to help with returns and exchanges.

Plus, Redbubble handles every aspect of producing and dropshipping your orders for you, so you can focus entirely on marketing and growth.

Pricing

There are no fees required to start using Redbubble. You don’t even have to pay for the base cost of items or shipping.

However, you also won’t earn 100% of your profits from each sale. Instead, you earn a royalty payment whenever you make a sale.

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

Easy to use platform for beginners
Lots of different white label products available
Convenient mockup and design tools
Instant access to potential customers
Support for marketing and advertising strategies

Cons 👎

Lots of competition on the platform already
Some limitations on profit margins

Choosing your POD Stationery Supplier

Creating custom stationery in the world of print on demand couldn’t be easier. There are tons of platforms to choose from throughout the US, Europe and Canada, offering everything from flat cards and wrapping paper, to calendars and notebooks.

The right solution for you will depend on a number of factors, including the type of products you want to sell, whether you have an existing ecommerce website, and your budget. Fortunately, most of the tools above will allow you to sign up and start experimenting for free.

The post 8 Best Print on Demand Companies for Stationery Products for 2024 appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.

Creating Fluid Typography with the CSS clamp() Function

Original Source: https://www.sitepoint.com/fluid-typography-css-clamp-function/?utm_source=rss

Creating Fluid Typography with the CSS clamp() Function

We dive into the intricacies of how to use the CSS clamp() function to scale the size of text across a range of device sizes.

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Floow Tennis Club’s Branding and Visual Identity Redesign

Original Source: https://abduzeedo.com/floow-tennis-clubs-branding-and-visual-identity-redesign

Floow Tennis Club’s Branding and Visual Identity Redesign
Floow Tennis Club’s Branding and Visual Identity Redesign

abduzeedo0423—24

Step onto the court with Floow Tennis Club’s refreshed branding and visual identity, crafted to embody the dynamic essence of the sport.

Floow Tennis Club, established in 1998, stands as a haven for the sport’s enthusiasts, embracing the fluidity and precision inherent in tennis. This year, Studio sch_ was tasked with revitalizing Floow’s identity, aligning it more closely with its unique character and its ambition to attract new members and talents.

“Capturing the essence of the game in design.” Floow’s visual identity now mirrors the tennis ball’s journey, from the racquet’s strike to the court’s rebound.

Design Serving Motion

The brand’s logo reimagines this athletic ballet with a clever twist on the letterforms ‘W’ and ‘F,’ suggesting a ball’s unpredictable trajectory and bounce. The design speaks to the club’s evolution from a multi-sport institution to a specialized tennis community.

A visual homage to the sport’s kinetic energy. The club’s signature colors—three shades of green—draw inspiration from the very field of play, printed crisply on equipment and apparel, inviting recognition and solidarity among members and staff.

From Court to Core Branding

Maintaining a strong, coherent identity, Studio sch_ developed supporting graphics inspired by the geometric and organic shapes of tennis equipment. This intricate graphic language elevates Floow’s brand, granting it a sophisticated and identifiable presence.

Floow Tennis Club’s rebranding isn’t just a change of visuals; it’s a strategic serve aiming to expand its community and foster regional talent. Studio sch_’s approach has ensured that the club’s brand resonates not only with its legacy but also with its future aspirations.

With their eyes on the prize, Floow Tennis Club’s new branding is a rallying cry for all who love the sport—a call to come and be part of a community where every swing and every serve tells a story. This is more than a club; it’s a legacy being built one match at a time.

Branding and visual identity artifacts

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Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography  Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

Branding Brand Design brand identity fitness gym identidade visual identity sports tennis type typography

For more information make sure to check out Studio sch_ – website.

DropGenius Review: Spocket’s New AI Store Builder

Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/dropgenius-review

My Bottom Line Upfront

DropGenius is an AI-driven Shopify store builder for aspiring dropshipping businesses. It partners with Spocket, a reputable dropshipping supplier platform, to simplify eCommerce store creation, product selection, and overall store management.

As such, DropGenius is best for those new to dropshipping who want to get up and running fast using Shopify and Spocket to fuel their dropshipping endeavors. 

With that said, I’ll walk you through what AI DropGenius is, its prices, its pros and cons, and much more so that hopefully, by the end of my review, you’ll have a better idea of whether DropGenious is a good fit for your business.  

What is DropGenius?

In short, DropGenius is an AI Shopify store builder that budding entrepreneurs can use to support their dropshipping ventures. Users can create stunning eCommerce websites within minutes! 

In other words, DropGenius is explicitly designed to simplify and automate the building of your online dropshipping store. 

Founded in September 2023 and launched in March 2024, DropGenius’s AI does the following for you:

As mentioned above, DropGenius offers a quick and easy way to create a Shopify store.

Curates trending products

Recommends themes for your store’s design

Streamlines eCommerce operations (for example, DropGenius automates order fulfillment, tracks store performance with analytics, and offers 24/7 customer support).

A blog on the dropshipping platform, Spocket, tells us that DropGenius is, in fact, a Spocket creation and that it “features some really intuitive, user-friendly tools that can help you to achieve those business goals.” 

With that in mind, unsurprisingly, DropGenius integrates with Spocket. It’s also available for Shopify users and accessible via the DropGenius website or the Shopify App Store. It’s also worth noting that DropGenius integrates with AliExpress, Alibaba, 1688, Eprolo, and DS. 

Lastly, at the time of writing, 150k+ customers have used DropGenius to generate their dropshipping stores, which I think is pretty impressive!

DropGenius Pros and Cons

No DropGenius review would be complete without a quick pro-cons list, so let’s explore some of DropGenuis’s most notable benefits and drawbacks:

DropGenius Pros

Users get access to 24/7 customer support via live chat

Users can access over one million dropshipping products via integrations with Spocket and other dropshipping platforms

You can launch a dropshipping store within minutes 

There’s a DropGenius affiliate scheme you can sign up to.

DropGenius Cons

It’s very new, so it’s still a bit of an unknown

There are very few online reviews available, and as mentioned above, Trustpilot users only give it 1.6 out of 5 stars

Its stringent refund policy states that all purchases are “final” and “no refunds or exchanges will be issued.”

DropGenius Features

Now that I’ve covered the basics let’s take a closer look at some of DropGenius’s main features:

Themes: DropGenius’s AI builds stores using beautiful themes, featuring a business name generator and an AI writing tool to help populate your site with premium content.

Access to over one million products: Thanks to its integrations with the aforementioned dropshipping platforms, you can access 1m+ products from a range of global suppliers. Product categories include bags and luggage, office supplies, clothing, electronics, entertainment and media, food and drink products, furniture, health and beauty products, home and garden products, pet products, sports products, and toys. 

Reliable suppliers: Spocket, in particular, boasts access to reliable dropshipping suppliers who have been stringently vetted for product quality and fast shipping.

Affiliate Partner Program: Content creators of all kinds can become DropGenius partners. For every new customer you acquire, you can earn up to $1,080 annually!

Ease of use: DropGenius is designed with a user-friendly interface, making it perfect for beginners! 

Customization: While DropGenius’s AI creates an online store, you can still customize it to suit your brand.

How DropGenius Works

It’s simple to sign up. You can install DropGenius by logging into your Shopify store or via the DropGenius website.

With the latter, just type in an email address and click the “Get Started” button. You then follow four simple setup steps:

Step 1

You’re taken to a store-building page from which you have a choice of four color schemes to pick from:

Cool (I went with this choice)

Warm

Earthy 

Neutral

Once done, click “Next” and head to:

Step 2 

Next, you’re asked to choose a product category for your store. There are five options to choose from. However, you can only opt for one of the following:

Pick for me based on what’s trending 

Tech accessories

Accessories

Men’s clothing

Women’s clothing

If you opt for any but the first on the list, you’ll be taken to a page that offers products in that category. 

For example, by clicking “tech accessories,” I was then offered a choice of one of the following subcategories:

Audio and visual

Cases and covers

Mobile and laptop accessories.

For accessories, it was one of the following subcategories:

Scarves and bandanas

Hats

For men’s clothing, it was one of the following subcategories:

Activewear

T-shirts

Pants

Socks

Lastly, for women’s clothing, it was:

Pants

Tank tops

Jeans

T-shirts

Once done, click the “next button,” which takes you to:

Step 3 

Now, it’s time to select the perfect word to describe your store’s character. You’re offered a choice of:

Modern

Innovative

Artistic

Luxurious

Having chosen “Modern” to describe our store’s look and feel, we clicked “next” to:

Step 4

DropGenius then asks you to tell it where your business is located:

North America

Europe

Asia

Global

I decided to opt for ‘Global’. 

Once done, it was time to click the “review and buy” button. 

You’re then taken to a payment page to choose a price plan (see prices lower down in our review). 

DropGenius Pricing

DropGenius has four pricing plans, each with a free 14-day trial. However, the free trial can’t be accessed without inputting your credit card details. 

You can pay monthly for all four plans and benefit from discounted yearly prices for all but the cheapest plan:

Prices are as follows:

Starter: $39 a month

Pro: $59 a month or $24 a month billed annually

Empire: $99 a month or $57 a month billed annually

Unicorn: $299 a month or $79 a month billed annually

Let’s take a look at what each plan offers:

Starter

An AI-customized store

25 unique products

Access to 24/7 live chat support

Pro

You get everything in the Starter plan plus:

250 unique products

25 premium products (high-quality, highly discounted products from Spocket’s best suppliers on the platform).

Access to winning products (best-selling products, top-performing products on Spocket; these sometimes overlap with premium products).

The ability to chat directly with Spocket’s dropshipping suppliers

Empire (the most popular plan)

You get everything in the Pro plan plus:

10,000 unique products

10,000 premium products

Unlimited orders

VIP chat support

Unicorn

You get everything in the Empire plan plus:

25,000 unique products

25,000 premium products

Bulk checkout (checkout several orders at once with the click of a button)

Amazon dropshipping

Branded invoicing (you can add your own logo)

DropGenius Support and Reviews

All DropGenius subscribers can access 24/7 live chat support from its customer success team.

The DropGenius website promises “no delays—we’ll respond in less than 30 seconds” and that its agents speak 10+ languages. 

In addition, the DropGenius website has an “FAQ” button on its homepage. When you click that, you’re taken directly to the Spocket Help Center, where you see a page of headings related to dropshipping and Spocket. These include links to articles on launching a dropshipping store, About Spocket, and more. 

As for DropGenius reviews, they are thin on the ground. Trustpilot users give it a 1.6 out of 5 stars, with users complaining it’s a “scam” with problems around billing and cancellation.

At the time of writing, other sites, such as Capterra and Software Advice, had no reviews.

The DropGenius website lists 5-star reviews from its customers, citing its ease of use and how quickly DropGenius’s AI creates Shopify stores. 

DropGenius Review: My Final Thoughts

That brings us to the end of my DropGenius review. Hopefully, you now have a clearer idea of what it is and whether or not you think it’s worth the outlay.

Overall, DropGenius could be an excellent solution for launching a dropshipping store on Shopify and sourcing dropshipping products using Spcoket. It’s incredibly appealing to entrepreneurs who want to hit the ground running because you could have your online store live within minutes!

However, DropGenius is still an incredibly new platform, so it’s not particularly tried and tested. Issues raised on TrustPilot concerning billing and refunds might put you off. 

That said, I think DropGenius is undoubtedly one to watch, and I can’t wait to see how they progress!

Are you considering using DropGenius to create your dropshipping store? If so, let me know how you get on in the comments box below!

The post DropGenius Review: Spocket’s New AI Store Builder appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.

3 Essential Design Trends, May 2024

Original Source: https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/essential-design-trends-may-2024/

Integrated navigation elements, interactive typography, and digital overprints are three website design trends making waves this month. Let’s take a look at each design trend with some fun examples.

Quick Tip: How to Animate Text Gradients and Patterns in CSS

Original Source: https://www.sitepoint.com/css-animate-text-gradients-patterns/?utm_source=rss

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7 Easy Ways to Make a Magento 2 Website Faster

Original Source: https://www.sitepoint.com/make-magento-faster/?utm_source=rss

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Clover vs Square 2024: Which POS Solution is Best?

Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/clover-vs-square

Clover vs Square: Which POS system is best for your company? Choosing the right point of sale system can be a difficult feat, with so many competing options on the market. 

After years experimenting with POS technology and ecommerce software, we know a thing or two about choosing the right tech.

We evaluated all of the core features of Square and Clover’s point of sale solutions, from software, through to hardware and pricing.

Read on for all the insights you need to make an informed decision.

Quick Verdict:

Square stands out as the best point of sale solution overall in this comparison. Not only is it extremely easy to use, but it’s versatile enough to work for a wide range of business needs.

Square is affordable, with a free plan available for its POS software. It also offers a huge range of hardware solutions to choose from, as well as straightforward transaction and processing fees.

Square vs Clover: The Overview

Square and Clover are both reliable companies, offering powerful point of sale software, hardware, and payment processing tools.

Square is likely to be the best option for you if you’re looking for a versatile, affordable, and easy-to-use POS. It offers support for omnichannel selling, specialist tools for retail and food service businesses, and an intuitive backend.

Clover may be the best cloud-based point of sale solution for you if you’re working in a specific industry.

It offers advanced solutions for professional and personal services companies, retail shops, full service and quick service dining, and restaurants.

Clover POSSquare POSFeaturesClover is one of the top payment processing companies for service providers, restaurants and other niche business owners. It offers everything from payment processing to order and inventory management.  Square offers a huge range of features, from payment processors for different payment types, to intelligent inventory and order management, employee management, and customer loyalty tools. All of Square’s features are very easy to use. Best forClover is best for companies in specific industries, such as service providers and restaurant owners, with advanced modular features.  Square is ideal for anyone in search of an affordable and user-friendly solution for taking payments both in-person and online. PricingClover offers a range of pricing packages specific to the needs of each company. You’ll need to contact the team for a dedicated pricing plan.  Square’s software can be accessed for free, and the hardware solutions are extremely affordable. For instance, a tool for processing magstripe cards only costs $10. Transaction feesTransaction fees range from 2.4 to 2.6% plus 10 cents for card-present transactions. Although the company isn’t very transparent about other processing fees. Square’s fees start at 2.6% plus 10 cents for card-present transactions, and 2.9% plus 30 cents for card-not-present transactions. Some transaction fees can be expensive. Hardware pricingClover offers a range of hardware options, starting with solutions like the Clover Go for $49. Square offers some of the most affordable hardware on the market, including a credit card processor for $29 and a magstripe reader for $10.  Payment processingClover supports everything from contactless payments, to in-person chip cards and more. Gift cards and custom payments are also available.  Square supports everything from split payments, to invoices, credit cards, debit cards, contactless payments and gift cards.  Customer supportClover has excellent customer support services, with phone, chat, and email contact options, and dedicated customer onboarding options.  Square has a huge range of self-service resources for beginners, and also offers phone, chat, and email based customer support. 

POS Software Features on Square and Clover

Quick verdict: Square has the best range of software features overall, covering everything from payment processing, to tools for building your own online store (for free). Even better, Square’s software is extremely easy to use with almost no learning curve.

Today’s innovative point of sale solutions comprise of two major components: Software, and hardware.

The software solutions offered by Square and Clover are both delivered via the cloud, so you can access the technology you need anywhere, on any device with an internet connection.

Both tools have very similar functionality, with integrated payment processers, inventory and order management, customer service apps, and more.

Plus, they can both process payments in “offline” mode if you lose access to an internet connection.

Square POS Software Features

Despite being one of the simplest POS solutions available to beginners today, Square offers companies a huge range of advanced and valuable features.

The functionality you can expect from the platform varies depending on whether you choose Square POS for Restaurants, or the POS for Retail.

Both versions of the platform are available through the cloud, and can easily be integrated with a range of hardware solutions.

Here’s what you can expect from Square:

Payment processing: Square supports a range of payment methods, including credit card payments (From Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and more), as well as contactless payments, gift cards, and more.

Custom checkouts: With Square, companies can create customizable checkouts, complete with images of products, categories, and item information.

Customer service management: With Square you can quickly process refunds, returns and exchanges with a couple of taps, and even create unique customer profiles with tags.

Security: Square’s POS technology comes with built-in security features, including PCI compliance, and fraud protection for peace of mind.

Transaction tools: You can offer customers customized receipts, via SMS or email, create custom tip amounts, and apply automatic discounts to transactions.

Ecommerce integration: For online sellers, Square offers online ordering and sales through Square online, as well as online checkout links and eGift cards.

APIs and integrations: You can automate various aspects of your workflow with APIs and integrations to tools like Xero and QuickBooks.

Employee management: Manage your entire team in one environment with custom accounts, scheduling, role permissions and performance insights.

Operations tools: Square has a comprehensive dashboard for tracking metrics, sales reports tools, customer insights, and solutions for tracking top-selling items.

Inventory and order management: You can track orders and inventory across multiple locations at once, and receive low stock alerts in an instant.

Marketing: Square offers text and email marketing tools, automated messaging flows, and loyalty programs for increasing engagement.

Square also offers a range of modular add-ons, such as subscription options, Square Online for building your own ecommerce website, Square Invoices, Afterpay integrations and virtual terminals.

Clover POS Software Features

Clover is very similar to Square in terms of point of sale software. Its technology is also delivered over the cloud, and comes with integrated payment processing, reports, and management tools.

Plus, the company offers dedicated solutions for various different industries.

For instance, if you’re in the restaurant sector, you can use Clover app to access menu management, tableside ordering, and custom kitchen displays.

Merchant services through Clover are offered via Fiserv, so you will need a merchant account. Here are some of the features of the Clover POS system.

Payment processing: Like Square, Clover can accept debit and credit card payment options, contactless payments such as Apple pay, gift cards, and payments from mobile wallets.

Customization: Clover users can customize everything from the customer checkout experience, to invoices, receipts, and even their own employee dashboards.

Security: Clover comes with built-in payment protection and encryption tools, as well as solutions for fraud management.

Reporting and analytics: You can access real-time and historical sales data to track business performance, top-selling products and more.

Inventory and order management: Monitor all of your orders and inventory in multiple locations, create automatic purchase orders, and receive low-stock alerts.

Online ordering: With Clover, you can’t build your own website, like you can with Square, but you can integrate with a range of online sales channels.

Employee management: Shift planning, scheduling, performance insights, and custom roles for all of your team members.

Customer insights: Create rich customer profiles with order histories, tags, and contact info, and capture feedback from customers in the same place.

Customer engagement: If you need help increasing sales, you can connect Clover with marketing tools, and create your own loyalty programs.

App Market: The Clover dedicated app market makes it easy to link your system to accounting tools, ecommerce platforms, and social media.

Unique modules: You can access specific modules for your industry, such as table management tools and guest management for hospitality companies.

Like Square, Clover also offers virtual terminal solutions, cash flow management tools, and extra features like “Clover Capital” for financing.

Clover vs. Square: POS Hardware Options

Quick verdict: Clover offers a wider range of hardware options to choose from, including dedicated all-in-one kits, and innovative solutions like the Clover Flex. However, Square’s products are a little more affordable for budget-conscious companies.

Once you’ve chosen the best POS solution based on its software features, the next step is thinking about hardware.

While virtual terminals and cloud-based software from Clover and Square do allow you to sell through tablets and iOS or Android mobile devices, you may still need a few pieces of hardware.

At the very least, for instance, you’ll need a credit card reader for securely managing card-based payments.

Fortunately, Clover and Square offer a range of options for small businesses and growing companies alike. Square offers solutions like the Square Terminal, an all-in-one kit with a credit card reader, receipt printer, and pre-installed software.

You can also access tools like the Square Register, starting at $599, the Square reader (starting at $29 per device), and the Square Stand (a stand for your iPad).

There are also various Square POS kits for retailers, and restaurants, and numerous add-on accessories, like a magstripe reader for only $10, barcode scanner options and receipt printers.

Clover also offers a host of devices to choose from, whether you’re looking for a cash drawer, stands for your POS tablet, or dedicated solutions like a kitchen display system.

Options start with Clover Go, a card reader you can use to process contactless payments anywhere. There’s the Clover Station Solo, (for $1,699) with an integrated touchscreen, receipt printer, and cash drawer.

You can also consider the Clover Station Duo ($1,799), which features an extra screen so you can show your customers their receipt in real-time.

There’s also the Clover Flex mobile card reader, for on-the-go payment processing and tableside ordering.

Plus, Clover offers the Clover Mini, a compact POS solution for only $799, with an integrated screen.

Customer Support and Service Solutions

Quick Verdict: Although Square and Clover offer the same range of support options and resources, Clover has a slightly better reputation for delivering fast and intuitive support.

As intuitive as tools like Clover and Square can be for business leaders, there’s always a chance you’ll need some extra guidance and support at times.

Assessing the customer service options available from your vendor can help you decide whether they’ll be able to offer reliable help when you need it.

Clover has a fantastic help center for beginners, with access to FAQs, guides, and useful resources that can help you answer common questions.

You can also contact the team through email, chat, or over the phone. However, the phone service is currently only available for US merchants.

Square also has a fantastic resource center, including valuable documentation, how-to guides, videos, and other support solutions.

The company also interacts with customers directly through phone, chat, and email. Plus, you can reach out to the team through social media.

Notably however, Clover does have a slightly higher rating for its customer service than Square, ranking at 4.7 out of 5 stars on TrustPilot, compared to Square’s score of 4.1.

Clover vs Square: The Pricing Plans

Quick Verdict: Square is a lot more affordable for beginners and small businesses than Clover. There’s a free plan for the software, and you can even create a free website. The hardware is much cheaper too, although transaction fees can be a little steep.

We’ve already noted that Square’s hardware is a little cheaper than Clover for beginners in the POS space. However, there’s more than just hardware costs to think about when you’re buying a POS system.

You’ll also need to account for payment processing costs, and any monthly fee for a software subscription. Fortunately for new business owners both the Square and Clover software are quite affordable.

Square’s Pricing Plans

Square’s pricing is relatively straightforward. Hardware options range from card readers for as little as $10, to full kits that can cost over $1,000.

Square transaction fees start at 2.6% plus 10 cents if you’re managing card-present transactions. Card-not-present transactions are charged at 2.9% plus 30 cents, and keyed-in transactions cost 3.5% plus 15 cents.

The good news is that the Square POS software is available for free. You don’t have to pay any set-up costs, and you can even build your own website without paying anything.

Notably, Square’s more advanced solutions, such as Square for Restaurants, do have extra fees, starting at $69 per month. There are also extra fees to pay for specific modules, like Square appointments.

Clover Pricing Plans

Similar to Square, Clover’s hardware ranges from relatively cheap options like the Clover Go for $49, to the Station Duo for $1,799.

The company’s transaction fees are quite low, ranging from 2.3% to 2.6% plus an extra ten cents for card-present transactions.

Unfortunately, Clover isn’t nearly as transparent about its subscription fees as Square. You need to contact the Clover team directly to get a quote for your service based on the modules, technology, and hardware you need.

Some options start at around $14.95 per month (for the virtual terminal), however, other plans can be a lot more expensive.

The Verdict: Which POS Should You Use?

Ultimately, both Square and Clover are excellent solutions for credit card processing, inventory management and more.

Both tools come with robust software plans, and exceptional ease of use. However, Square might be a little simpler for someone in search of an all-in-one POS solution.

Square isn’t just easier to use than Clover, it’s also more affordable, and offers a wide range of built-in tools for customer loyalty and employee management.

Alternatively, Clover has some slightly more advanced features for businesses in specific industries. There are also more Clover devices to choose from if you need innovative POS hardware.

The post Clover vs Square 2024: Which POS Solution is Best? appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.

Powerful React Form Builders to Consider in 2024

Original Source: https://www.sitepoint.com/react-form-builders/?utm_source=rss

Powerful React Form Builders to Consider

We survey four React form builders, noting their core features and important aspects to consider when picking a form builder.

Continue reading
Powerful React Form Builders to Consider in 2024
on SitePoint.

How to Use CamelCamelCamel in 2024: The Ultimate Guide

Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/how-to-use-camelcamelcamel

Quick verdict:

At a glance, CamelCamelCamel might seem like a tool specifically designed for consumers, but I think it’s an incredible resource for business owners too.

As a dedicated website (and browser plugin) that allows you to track the prices of products on Amazon, CamelCamelCamel can help you:

Save money when sourcing products from Amazon merchants.

Stay one step of competitors who try to steal customers by dropping prices.

Monitor seasonal price changes, and adapt your pricing strategy accordingly.

The best part? CamelCamelCamel is completely free, and it’s surprisingly easy to use. Here I’m going to guide you through the process of setting up your account, and using the features available.

Table of contents

Quick verdict:

What Is CamelCamelCamel?

Pros and Cons of Using CamelCamelCamel

How Much Does CamelCamelCamel Cost?

The Key Features of CamelCamelCamel

How to Use CamelCamelCamel: Getting Started

Using the CamelCamelCamel Core Features

Using CamelCamelCamel: Finishing Thoughts

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What Is CamelCamelCamel?

CamelCamelCamel is a website designed to help people monitor the prices of products sold on Amazon. It’s available around the world, in countries like the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Spain, France, Italy, and Germany, and it’s entirely free to use.

The website uses a custom API to track the movement of prices on products sold through Amazon, allowing you to request instant alerts when a price reaches a certain point.

Plus, it gives you access to a host of historical charts, so you can see the price history of Amazon products, and examine fluctuations in costs over time.

Customers use the site (and its plugin, the Camelizer) to receive instant notifications when a product they want goes on sale.

There’s also a great section on the website where you can see popular products, and top discounts within a specific period.

Ecommerce vendors, and retailers, on the other hand, use CamelCamelCamel for more strategic purposes.

You can use the platform to determine the best time to stock up on products from wholesalers, track the pricing behaviors of competitors, and boost your chances of sales.

Pros and Cons of Using CamelCamelCamel

Pros 👍
Cons 👎

Pros 👍

User-friendly interface and plugin
Completely free with no paid plans
Convenient instant alerts
No downloads required
Can help you stay competitive

Cons 👎

Exclusively tracks Amazon prices
No integrations for ecommerce platforms

How Much Does CamelCamelCamel Cost?

So, how much can you expect to spend on this handy tool? Nothing at all. CamelCamelCamel is absolutely free by default.

The company earns commissions from Amazon as an affiliate, so it doesn’t charge its users (consumers or businesses) anything.

You don’t even need to create an account and enter your email address to use basic features like the product search function.

However, I would recommend signing up so you can take advantage of the option for instant email notifications, and the Wishlist importer.

The Key Features of CamelCamelCamel

CamelCamelCamel is a pretty straightforward tool with only a handful of features, but they’re all useful in their own way. At it’s heart, the solution is a price tracker, so most of the features focus on keeping you informed of the best deals.

The core features include:

Price Drop and Availability Alerts

Price drops and availability alerts are the main CamelCamelCamel. Using an API connection to Amazon, the company regularly updates its site with fresh information on product prices from Amazon, and third-party merchants.

To receive alerts on a price drop, all you need to do is sign up with an email address, and identify a “target price” to watch for.

For instance, if you want to check no other company is selling your product for less than $50, you might set a target price of $49.99.

When a price drops to that level, you’ll get an alert straight to your email, with a link to buy the product, and an insight into how good of a deal you’re getting.

Price History Charts

The price history charts on CamelCamelCamel are ideal for more in-depth research. If you search for an Amazon product page URL on the website, or use the site’s plugin, you can see charts of the price changes that have happened for that product over a specific period.

You can track Amazon prices, as well as third-party new and used prices (for marketplace products).

You’ll also be able to see prices segmented into “high”, “low” and “average” categories, which is great for planning your own pricing strategies.

Plus, you can adjust your insights based on various dates, checking the last month, the last year, or even how prices have changed for a product for the entire time it’s been available on Amazon.

The Camelizer App/Plugin

If you find it annoying to have to visit a website every time you want to check a price, or wait for a message to appear in your email inbox, the Camelizer plugin is a great alternative.

It can be added to Safari, Firefox, and Google Chrome Browsers, and gives you an instant insight into price history charts from the moment you click on it.

All you need to do is visit Amazon, search for a product, click on the CamelCamelCamel extension icon, and it’ll load up all the data you need.

There are multiple tabs to browse through, from the “price tracker” tab, to tabs for related products close to the one you’re following.

Wishlist Import

Finally, if you have an Amazon wish list full of products you want to monitor, you can import that directly into the CamelCamelCamel site.

This will allow you to automatically track important information about the products you’re selling, as well as any items you want to buy.

Once you import any public list from Amazon into CamelCamelCamel, the site will read all the information from the URL, and import products into your tracking account, removing anything you’ve already purchased.

Your CamelCamelCamel account will even automatically update every time you make a change to your wish list on Amazon.

How to Use CamelCamelCamel: Getting Started

As I mentioned above, one of the great things about CamelCamelCamel is how easy it is to use. If you’re just using the website, there’s really not a lot of work involved in getting started.

In fact, you don’t even have to create an account.

You can just choose the country you’re in, and start searching for Amazon products and pricing information with the search bar.

You’ll also be able to get instant insights into the most popular products customers are buying, and their prices (with the Popular Products tab). Or you can check out the products that have had the biggest price drops recently, with the “Top Price Drops” tab.

You can even use the website on any device, such as a tablet or smartphone. Although I did find it was a lot easier to navigate on a larger screen.

Creating an Account with CamelCamelCamel

While you don’t have to have an account to use the basic features of CamelCamelCamel, there are some benefits to signing up. You’ll be able to access price drop and availability alerts instantly this way, use the Amazon Wishlist import feature, and track more types of prices.

Fortunately, you don’t have to pay anything to sign up. It also takes very little time to create an account, you can just enter your email address, or register with Google, Facebook, or Twitter.

After you’re signed up, you’ll see a list of options for tracking popular products, top price drops, installing the browser extension, or importing your wish list.

You can head into your account dashboard for access to more features, and to start tracking products. You can also close your account directly from here if you decide you don’t want to use it anymore.

Installing the Browser Extension

Similar to creating an account with CamelCamelCamel, downloading the plugin for your browser is optional, but it can save you a little time.

The “Camelizer” app is available for most popular web browsers, and you can download it instantly from this page.

Here’s the basic setup process for each browser type:

Google Chrome

Open Google Chrome and visit the Chrome Web Store.

Search for “Camelizer” and click “Add to Chrome”

Select “Add Extension”

Click the “Extensions” button on your address bar

Click the “pin” button to pin the app to your browser.

Apple Safari

Open Safari then click on “Safari > Safari Extensions” in the menu bar

Search for “Camelizer” and click “Get”

Click “Install” (you may need to sign in)

After the install is finished click “Open”

Follow the instructions provided

Go into your Safari “Preferences” page

Click “Extensions”

Select the checkbox next to Camelizer.

Firefox Mozilla

Open Mozilla Firefox

Open the add-ons store from the menu bar

Search for the Camelizer extension

Click “Add to Firefox”

Click “Add”

Opera

Open the Opera browser

Go to “Add-Ons” and search for “Camelizer”

Click “Add to Opera”

Microsoft Edge

Open Microsoft Edge

Click “Edge Add-Ons” and search for Camelizer

Click “Get”

Click “Add Extension”.

Using the CamelCamelCamel Core Features

For the most part, using CamelCamelCamel is a straightforward and painless experience. If you just want to check an Amazon product’s price, and pricing history, all you need to do is head to Amazon, look for the product you want, and copy the URL for the page.

You can then head back to the CamelCamelCamel website, and enter the URL into the search bar to see the current price.

You can scroll down through the page to see how the price has changed over time. There’s even a handy graph.

Plus, you can change your view to look at different time periods, Amazon prices, and third-party new and used prices:

Alternatively, if you have the Camelizer extension installed, there’s no copy and pasting required. You can just click on the Camelizer app button on your browser when you visit the page for the product you want to review.

Both in the app, and on the website, you can also choose to create a “price watch” for the item you’re interested in, but you do need to be logged in.

Setting Up a Price Watch

To watch the changing price of a product, and be instantly notified when ever a price falls to a specific level (based on your settings), you’ll need to set up a price watch.

You can do this either by searching through some of the top trending products on CamelCamelCamel, or by searching for the product you want to monitor with an Amazon URL.

Once you arrive on the product page within the CamelCamelCamel website, scroll down to see the “Create Amazon Price Watches” section:

Choose whether you want to track the price for Amazon, or Third-part Used, or New merchants (you can also monitor all three).

Click the button to “Create Price Watch”, and you’ll be able to enter your target price, or choose from a range of pre-set options.

Once you’ve entered your target price, click “save” and the price watch will be added to your account. You can then go back to your account page, and click on your “Price Watches” to see your list.

From here, you can also edit the price benchmark for whatever you’re watching.

Plus you can sort through your “watch list”, with a range of filters, such as “lowest price” or “newest item” first.

That’s ideal if you’re monitoring a lot of different products. You can even create your own RSS feed for your alerts, to add to a newsreader.

Adding a Wishlist to CamelCamelCamel

If you want to import a wish list to CamelCamelCamel, log into your account, and visit your account home.

From there, click on the tab for “Wishlists”. You should be taken to a page with a button that says “Add Wishlist”, click on that:

The site will take you to a page where you need to enter an URL for your wish list. You can use the URL of any public list on Amazon.

Next, choose the types of prices you want to watch (you can pick all three), and set the desired price for each item.

Once you’re done, simply click “Add Wishlist”.

Using CamelCamelCamel: Finishing Thoughts

The CamelCamelCamel website and plugin are both excellent tools for ecommerce store owners, in my opinion.

They’re free to use, and straightforward enough that you’re unlikely to have any issues when you’re tracking prices for the products you want to sell.

However, you shouldn’t expect access to any particularly advanced features either. The solution only tracks product prices from Amazon, and gives you an insight into their pricing history.

Still, CamelCamelCamel can help you to both save money, and make the right decisions about how to price your own products.

The post How to Use CamelCamelCamel in 2024: The Ultimate Guide appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.