You could meet Pescado in a dark alley with a suitcase full of cash, or...

[cassandra]

I vote for CafePress.  I think we need pirate tees, how about a TSR must be destroyed t-shirt, I would by that today!

[Kyna]

I'd buy an overpriced mug and mousepad.  Maybe a lolcat on the mousepad?

[Zazazu]

I adore 2X mens tees. Nice and roomy for sleeping in. Mousepads make me a bit nervous. I'm very allergic to neoprene, and many mousepads contain trace amounts of it. I'd rather not have my hand become an achy, red, swollen, burning monstrosity. When buying a new one, I always go for really flat shiny ones and hold them for a minute to make sure I'm not going to have issues. That and with ankle braces.

[witch]

So, there are people still using mousepads? Since I started using laser mice, I've not found a need for mousepads, the mice generally work better on the desk surface with no mousepad.

I'd be keen on t shirts, though I'd also be happy to donate for no reward, except the continuation of MATY.

[J. M. Pescado]

The profit margins on those shirts are basically nonexistent when you sell through those services, though. As an alternative, perhaps we could sell officially MATY-themed "In My Day" children's play shrapnel.

[Ambular]

I'd go for a Cafepress-type deal or either Paypal or money orders.

* AmberDiceless counts pennies

[jolrei]

So, there are people still using mousepads? Since I started using laser mice, I've not found a need for mousepads, the mice generally work better on the desk surface with no mousepad.

I use a mousepad with my lasermouse because I find it slides around more easily than on my old varnished wood desk.  I agree that it isn't really necessary for tracking.

I'd be keen on t shirts, though I'd also be happy to donate for no reward, except the continuation of MATY.

I'm with you there.  I'd be happy to donate even without the lure of a t-shirt.

[speedreader]

Don't you have to have up-front cash to have T-shirts and the like made to sell?  Is there a source for that cash?  Generally the price for printing is lower the larger your quantity, but without knowing how many you could wind up overstocked and run into a loss.

I don't know about the receiving end of PayPal, so if you have had difficulties (and know that it is likely you will again), I would say forget about it!

Personally, give me a PO box and my check (or M.O.) will be in the mail.  I would not play Sims without the kind of hacks I can only find here.  Like many others, I just want my game to make sense and play well.

[Hecubus]

With Zazzle and Cafe Press, there is no upfront cost. However, if you spend US$20 on a MATY t-shirt, we don't see all the dough. At Zazzle, a basic t-shirt starts at  $14.95; if we charged $20, we'd only see $5.05 of that. We can, of course, charge more (they let us set the markup), but people would have to know that if they get a t-shirt for, say, a $50 donation, we only see $35 of it. IF that is okay - a high markup - then we'll go forward with planning for that.

It's a great alternative, however, to through into the mix. As the biggest issue we currently have with PayPal is getting the money when we need it to send to Malaysia, multiple payment options is probably going to be the best.

Do I need a new poll? It sounds like people at both PMBD and MATY would be interested in merchandise as an option.


(As a side note: how should we pick the designs we'll use? A contest? If we do that, we should run the contest through early-September and get the 'store' up by the equinox.)

[Zazazu]

So, there are people still using mousepads? Since I started using laser mice, I've not found a need for mousepads, the mice generally work better on the desk surface with no mousepad.

I use a mousepad with my lasermouse because I find it slides around more easily than on my old varnished wood desk.  I agree that it isn't really necessary for tracking.

As do I. I have a wireless mouse (Energizer E2 Lithiums last a good 4-5 months, tell your friends) and my mousepad is this flat, shiny surface that reminds me of what most keyboard trays are made of. Flows like a dream. No scratchy bloaty hand, either. At work, I have these clear plastic numbers for my mouspad and wristguard (Addison has no wristguard as my knees serve as such).

With Zazzle and Cafe Press, there is no upfront cost. However, if you spend US$20 on a MATY t-shirt, we don't see all the dough. At Zazzle, a basic t-shirt starts at  $14.95; if we charged $20, we'd only see $5.05 of that. We can, of course, charge more (they let us set the markup), but people would have to know that if they get a t-shirt for, say, a $50 donation, we only see $35 of it. IF that is okay - a high markup - then we'll go forward with planning for that.

That would be fine to me. Donating otherwise just gives you a warm fuzzy. Donating and getting big comfy shirt gives you...well...big comfy shirt.

[Assmitten]

Has anyone ordered from cafe press lately? I ordered a shirt from them a couple of summers ago and it was thin and did not fit me, because I am a normal sized human and was a D-cup then. I really don't want some token thing I end up giving to my kid.

However, I would totally use a Moar Fight mug.

Also, I have a mousepad, and poor Frida Kahlo's face is turning into a white spot.

[eevilcat]

I vote for sticking with paypal for getting the bulk of the monies as it's much easier for those of us outside the US to donate. The Cafe Press style t-shirt, mugs, mouse mats sounds like a good additional funding plan but I can't see people increasing their spend to the point where you're going to achieve the same final influx of funds.

[sloppyhousewife]

It's a great alternative, however, to through into the mix. As the biggest issue we currently have with PayPal is getting the money when we need it to send to Malaysia, multiple payment options is probably going to be the best.

If you're going for the multiple payment options (which means PayPal plus P.O. box plus merchandise, if I understand correctly), can't people who don't mind the fees also use Western Union? I don't know how fast / save / not too complicated money orders from Europe are processed, but after the 2006 mess, I don't want to use PayPal, either.

[witch]

Yep, I would prefer all the donation go to MATY, as I'm not too flush at the moment. I would also like a shop option at some point.

Edit to fix mistake.

[Jelenedra]

Maybe a regular donation drive like before? And a shop to help slowly build finances over the year?

[Lorelei]

Well, the Cafe Press idea sounds like a winner so far.  Does anyone know how good they are about coughing up the cash?

Very good.

Once your customers have kept the item(s) past the return date and your earnings pass the minimum dollar amount to get a check ($25), they cut and mail one.

As  a bonus, you "set it and forget it" once your store is full of merch. I uploaded designs four years ago, never advertise, never log in to Cafe P., and still sell something weekly or so, and get checks frequently.

The "Value" T-shirt is super-flimsy. Other tees are better quality. I've given Cafe P. stuff as Xmas gifts for years and they hold up great, even the baby stuff, except for the cheapest "Value" T. Bonus: Cafe P. now does black / dark tees.

Spreadshirt is similar, is less whiny about copyrights when you are doing a parody design, has pre-set images and stuff, but can get quite pricey.

[BastDawn]

Awesome.  It's good to hear that you have personal experience with it from the merchant side.  If we get it going, I'll be happy to help with graphics.

[speedreader]

I agree it is good to hear from people with direct experiences. And I would certainly shop MATY for xmas gifts.  Keep a look out in that PO box for auntie's Christmas card and check, though!

[Mirelly]

I wouldn't touch PayPal with someone else's credit card, let alone my own. I would happily contribute rhino if there was a simple, secure and non-usurous method of making a donation.

Wouldn't the simplest option be to open an offshore bank account with an IBAN number so that the account's details can be published for donors to make payment? Example: http://www.griffonbank.com/eng/

Much as I would enjoy owning some MATY merchandise, I draw the line at paying $25 for tee shirt (and let's not forget the shipping cost) where 90% of the markup goes to the host website. If Pescado adds another $10 for the cheeseserver then that makes $35 + shipping to donate a ten spot. It'd be cheaper to change a five pound note into ten greenbacks at my local bureau de change, and FedEx it to a PO box and buy a plain white teeshirt from M&S and print a MATY slogan on it using a handy custom teeshirt kit from any craft store. I'd probably still have enough change for a bottle of Aussie shiraz as well.

[Ambular]

Much as I would enjoy owning some MATY merchandise, I draw the line at paying $25 for tee shirt (and let's not forget the shipping cost) where 90% of the markup goes to the host website. If Pescado adds another $10 for the cheeseserver then that makes $35 + shipping to donate a ten spot. It'd be cheaper to change a five pound note into ten greenbacks at my local bureau de change, and FedEx it to a PO box and buy a plain white teeshirt from M&S and print a MATY slogan on it using a handy custom teeshirt kit from any craft store. I'd probably still have enough change for a bottle of Aussie shiraz as well.

Pes doesn't seem too keen on t-shirts either.  He suggested shrapnel, but I think that'd be kind of hard to customize and market.*  He hasn't offered an opinion on mugs, though, which (in addition to being useful and cheaper than the shirts) would make an effective impromptu missile weapon, so I think that would be a good way to go.

*I mean, what would you do with it?  Everybody knows we're all axe murderers around here, not into building dirty bombs.  :p

[Database]

Anyone tried Goggle Checkout? I'm not sure if it's even suitable in this case, but it's worth a look, I suppose.

ETA: Uhhh... maybe not

[Solowren]

I'm all for MOAR FIGHT mugs! Also, the Cafe Press as-a-side-fundraiser sounds like a good idea- just keep it up year-round to boost funds. Lorelei's personal experience seems to suggest that this would be a good thing to do. Never log in again- receive monies!

[Lorelei]

Awesome.  It's good to hear that you have personal experience with it from the merchant side.  If we get it going, I'll be happy to help with graphics.

I have stuff at Zazzle and Spreadshirt, too. I have gotten ONE check from Zazzle, ever. Two from SS, ever. CP sends me about one a month. The same (or similar) merch is on all three sites. What I'm getting at, here, is that you will get more "drive-by" / non-MATY donations if you choose CP, because I certainly get more random shoppers buying my crap at CP than elsewhere.

I will note that their mousepads are WAY overpriced.

The biggest downside with CP is that they are RIDICULOUS about copyright infringement, refusing to print original art if it might possibly resemble anyone famous. Artwork featuring famous people has to be EXTREMELY cartoony and not mention them by name, or it gets zapped and can't be sold. THIS, of course, is not a MATY problem.

If you do a general call for designs, recommend that people download the templates for the items you want to sell (if "everything," then make sure people download and design for the right products). I also recommend designing for both light and dark imprintables. For one, white areas are transparent and shirt color shows through all colors you use. For the other, you need to have transparent areas where the shirt color is to be, and white areas stay white.

CP is also easiest to set up. You don't have to pay to have shops. You can have cafepress.com/MATY1, /MATY2, /MATY3, etc. and either use the same design for all items per store address, or mix designs per page. Drawback of free shops: if you design for the pink t-shirt using one pattern and your store is free, you can't design with the pink T and another design IN THAT SHOP. You have to open a new free shop to make the alternate design for a pink T.

Tealdeer: CP will likely earn you more money (CP is where I and other people I know who sell stuff with imprintables make the most bucks, even those of us who don't advertise or set up a store for a class project at school) and returns have been painless (for me) and stuff will hold up (except for the very cheapest Value T) AND CP offers light-on-dark printing. Downside is that some of their stuff has high base costs (like mousepad) and their anal-retentiveness about copyright infringement even when no such infringement or deviation from Fair Use is happening.

As a hint, I sell ringer Ts, black Ts, and stickers most.

This fall, I will be swamped with thesis stuff, but if you catch me before stuff heats up, I will gladly use my Skills Of An Artist to contribute designs. I have offered the same to local Anons, so it won't be stressful to take care of similar projects simultaneously.

I suggest a thread for most desired phrases and items once it is decided (if it is) to go with this as one of the money-raising ideas. As a bonus, it will continue to earn as long as the shop is open, and if the phrases are amusing enough and general enough, non-MATYians will buy stuff as well. Who wouldn't want a MORE AWESOME THAN YOU shirt, a 1337 mug, or a MOAR FIGHT! shirt (with or without a LOLcat or two)? Individual coasters with images of barware and STEAMING HOT CUP OF STFU or EAU DE BRYNNE or BUTTHURTINI or MOLOTOV COCKTAIL or FROZEN TARD TEARS on them might also get you a few drive-by purchasers.

[Mirelly]

Well I was serious about the offshore bank account. If money is being raised I only give when I am sure that most of what I give by-passes the middle men. Capitalism has its uses, but not in supporting community projects.

A better way of year-round fund raising would be to set up accounts at places like Amazon whereby people desirous of supporting MATY can buy what they need and channel valuable pennies to the fund of cheesiness.

Also the thanks this is great button could lead to a page offering an opportunity to make an SMS payment of, say $2.50. Companies who offer such facilities keep 10-12%, which I do not consider excessive. Indeed I would happily SMS a quid or two every time I downloaded the DC ... or availed myself of the goodness in the Peasantry.

But if you wanna raise $2500 by selling mugs, then please allow me to set up Mirelly's Marvellous Mug 'n' Mamm-O-Grams Corp. Inc. Ltd. Pty If there's any profiteering to be done, I'd like a slice of it meself.

[Lorelei]

I think you're confused about just who profits from a CP store, Mirelly, if you want to sell your own mugs to "profit" from them.

CP buys the imprintable products and mails and deals with customer service for you. The cost of the plain tees is still on a par with plain tees bought in most department stores. Some other items, like mousepads, are admittedly higher. So they absorb the product cost, printing materials and labor costs, and S&H costs for you, and every penny over the base price you mark the item up, you keep. CP, as a business, makes a fair profit from providing a service, and the storeholder makes a fair profit for basically designing an image, sticking it on a webpage, and then doing nothing else but collecting a check if it gets bought.

Your plan sounds like "Mirelly buys a mug, tries to compete with a huge company that can buy in bulk and do its own printing, ships stuff out, handles customer gripes, and earns a few pennies for the unnecessary effort." A joke, perhaps, but it implies that you think CP is ripping you off somehow.

I did "sell imprinted stuff" as a business pre-Internet, and it is a pain in the butt to do solo, and a hassle to deal with mailing and returns. I am thrilled to sell stuff where all I need to do is make a design people presumably want to buy, cash the checks, and then wander off to do more interesting creative projects while the accounting and business-related shit is handled by a team of hundreds and not just me.