Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Bad News from the Shop.

It has been brought to my attention that CafePress is donating 10% of sales of anything marked "autism" to Autism Speaks through the end of April. Upon inquiry, this includes a number of other autism-related tags as well. We were not given any notice about this "promotion", nor were we asked for permission.

As you may realize, April is for autism-related products what the Christmas season is to most other retailers: the high season, when you make your money, if you are going to make any money all year. I get 10% of the sales of CafePress products through my shop. Through most of the year, I make enough to cover the cost of the shop (because I have multiple designs, etc., I do have a "premium shop"). Usually from February through April, I make enough to cover a few sessions of speech therapy for Joey.

I must leave it to you to make a decision about purchasing from the shop this month. Does 10% to Joey balance out against 10% to Autism Speaks? If you would prefer not to support Autism Speaks, but were intending to purchase something from the shop, my advice is to wait until May, to be extra-doubly-sure we are out of this "promotion" period. If you are searching for my products this month, the only products you will be able to find searching for "autism" are the items which actually have "autism" in the caption/design (assuming the tag changes take effect). My apologies.

I have tried a number of other sites of this kind, but CafePress is the only one that has been self-sustaining and actually pays real money- I have actually received real checks, not just promises that I might get one someday if my design is super-popular, or get "paid" in site-"cash" that can only be used to buy stuff from the site.

EDIT: I have been informed by CafePress that the "fundraiser" will end April 17.

3 comments:

Julia said...

Free shipping ends the 17th. According to the info I'm seeing on the Cafe Press site, the Autism Speaks fundraiser is still in effect until April 30th. If they've changed that, they ought to update the information to reflect that change.

I'll plan to order something from you next month. (It might be later in the month, but I will do it before May 31!) My daughter has already indicated an interest in the snowflake t-shirt. And it's been awhile since I've had an interesting new Cafe Press shirt to wear over Memorial Day weekend, so I figure I can get myself something, as well. (Or maybe a cap. I can never have too many caps, can I?)

Joeymom said...

Yes, I think its still safer to just skip it this month and order next month. Thank you for your support! I hope you like the stuff! And who can ever have too many caps?

Julia said...

Daughter has found a shirt and 2 caps that she likes. I think I'm going to limit each of us to 2 items this time around, and then look at your shop with Grandma next time she's here.