Latest / The Modern Etsy Seller Podcast / EP 26. Can I Use More Than One Print Provider in My Etsy POD Store? | Etsy Tips for Sellers

Transcript

EP 26. Can I Use More Than One Print Provider in My Etsy POD Store? | Etsy Tips for Sellers · The Modern Etsy Seller Podcast

• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: Hey there, welcome to the Modern Etsy Seller Podcast and What You're Wondering, the segment where I answer one specific Etsy question in under five minutes.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Melissa, a busy working mom with two profitable Etsy shops, and I help other busy women make money with Etsy and print on demand.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Alright, let's get to today's question.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: The question is: can I use more than one print provider?
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: So as I started thinking about this question, I realized it could be taken in a couple different directions.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: And so I want to clear up how I'm taking it as I answer it.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to assume the person asking means can they use one print provider to sell product A, say phone cases, and then use a different provider to sell product B, maybe desk mats.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: So Printify sells the phone cases they want and gelato has the desk mats.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Can they use both print providers in the same shop?
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: Thought of like this, the answer is yes.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely, you can use more than one print provider.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're just starting out, I caution against it.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: If you've been listening to the show, you know that I believe in starting with just one product for your first 100 plus listings.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: And so by default, I also believe then in starting with just one print provider.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: When you're ready to add another product, however, you don't have to be limited by what your current provider has in their catalog.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: You can freely choose from another provider if they have something that you want to sell.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: Personally, I do use two different providers right now.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: I'm using Printify and Shine On and thinking about a third.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now, before you go adding a new provider, there are three things I think you should keep in mind.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: None of them are deal breakers to me, they're just some things to consider.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: The first is cost.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: Every new provider has the potential to add additional costs to your business.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: So it could come in the form of monthly subscriptions or higher product prices or different shipping rates.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: And so before adding another provider, just make sure that the benefits outweigh the extra expense.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: The second is complexity.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: Every provider is its own site, right?
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: So it has its own dashboard, product catalog, workflow, and settings.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: So the more providers you work with, the more moving pieces you have to manage.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: And as busy women, I think we should only add complexity when it gives us something meaningful in return.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: And the third thing to just keep in mind is in regards to shipping.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: If a customer orders multiple items from you and they come from different providers, they'll receive more than one package, most likely at different times.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's completely normal and it's fine.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: It's actually also true within Printify, because Printify works with many different third-party providers.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: So this will be true if you add a second product, but stick with Printify as your provider.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's just something to be aware of, especially if you currently only deal with one provider on one product.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: It's not a bad thing at all.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: I just don't want the first time you learn about it to be when a customer messages you asking where the rest of their order is.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, that's it for today.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: If you have a question that you would like me to answer on a future episode of What You're Wondering, then head on over to melissacarroll.co slash questions or click the link in the show notes to submit.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for joining me and I will see you next time.