[VisCom] Shirts and CafePress

[Tyler Mitchell]

On 18-Aug-06, at 6:47 PM, Michael P. Gerlek wrote:
>     http://www.cafepress.com/OSGeo

Great!

> So, I would like to make the following proposal for the selling  
> shirts &
> stuff:
>
> * CafePress will be used to sell shirts and other stuff directly to
> members
>   - shirts, bumper stickers, teddy bears, what have you
>   - quality is "good" but not "great"
>   - profits go directly to foundation
>   - we don't need to handle payments, returns, shipping, etc
>
> * Lands' End will be used for bulk orders of "really nice" shirts
>   - to give to volunteers at shows
>   - for VIP give-aways at shows
>   - shipping would go directly to show venue (or mpg/LizardTech, if  
> need
> be)
>   - VisCom will manage these orders directly

+1 in favour of the proposal.  I do wonder about more international  
issues with these options - something we'll have to consider in the  
medium term at least - to find some foreign options similar to  
these.  Shipping to China will likely be our first exposure to the  
true costs :)  As our local chapters spread we should try to get some  
on-the-ground promo contacts for these kinds of things.

> Three specific issues need resolution:
>   - I'd like to get some help tweaking the "store front" design  
> (someone
> with a
>     sense of style)

Aside from adding more types of content, how much more our we  
actually able to do?

>   - I'd like some suggestions on pricing (how much do we want to  
> make?)

Good question.  I think that cost recovery is a good goal at this  
point.  Since shirts are such critical promotional items at  
conferences, etc. I don't think we should be making profit on them.   
I also don't think they would bring us much revenue regardless.

> Also, we might have some discussion about how this direct-sale process
> affects the idea of "contribute $X to become a Foundation sponsor, and
> get a free shirt".  (I'd suggest the shirt-for-membership idea is a  
> good
> one, and we use the "really nice, super-exclusive" Lands End shirts  
> for
> this purpose.)

I agree - I think we should make the lands end type of shirt more  
tied to the membership contribution idea.  Obviously, we need to  
assemble the membership package in its totality soon - having this  
cafe press option available will at least give us a bit of time.   
Good stuff!

+1 from to open that up for the public...

Tyler