To be honest, I learned from both videos-yours and Greg's. Greg's video is very beginner-friendly. When you're just starting and have no money, his video gives you a kick start because you can begin without spending anything. If I had to spend money on something I didn't understand, I wouldn't have started. I'm grateful Greg's video helped me begin this career, and your video added more to my knowledge. Thank you.
I'm currently about 7/8 months into POD and followed Greg in my early days. It was he who got me into POD. It definitely hasn't been a "build it and they will come" business and I totally agree that it is hard work pulling all the strands together, but I'm sticking in there and looking at different ways to better it.
Are you actually making any money though? I'm thinking about trying this... Any comments or helpful suggestions you'd like to give at this point in time pleasssse
Don't believe everything Greg tells you, I have been on print on demand for years myself, and I can tell you, Greg loves to hype people, but I don't even think he has a single store. he just talk about things that people likes to hear, you need to learn from the real POD Elite creators. or learn this by yourself, as each platforms has it's own learning curve.
I find it annoying how hard people push Shopify. The idea that I can somehow 'sell my business one day' as if that's something anyone actually does means nothing when it requires me to spend $40 today, and then play the social media lottery game (that if I could play I'd already be a success outside of POD) and pay even more for ads on top of that. I've been in the self-made business a long, long time. Shopify has every warning bell of 'I will waste money, go into the red, and barely scrape a few dollars out of it'. Those shops that you dismiss as 'tiny profits' at least don't cost you anything. That $1.25 I might make is from an overhead cost of nothing. I don't have to make back enough to pay for my shop and ads, I just make the money. And I'd much rather do some keyword research and make a Halloween shirt than try to master social media. For some of us, $40 is an insane price, especially monthly. I can see the argument for scaling up to Shopify at some point once your other businesses are already doing well, but starting with it? No thanks. I can barely afford Etsy.
This is 100% my struggle and truth also. I also struggle with website building no matter how user friendly it is. I've only ever been able to make sales of any sort on Etsy. All my items I make, currently, are made by hand as I'm a crocheter first. I'm trying to branch out into POD to bring in some 'passive' money, because for me, it's is a lot more passive as I can design and upload and not spend money on the item an not have to store the finished item for how long it takes to sale. I have so much inventory that it's overwhelming and disheartening. And w/ such few sales that I manage, esp 2024 where my views have been cut in half just though changes to algorithm and economy, that it's just about impossible.
In addition, there's also a whole lot more involved with regard to taxes when you open your own shop. Because then you have to pay to get set up so that you can pay in your sales taxes to Uncle Sam (at least in the U.S.). That is why I prefer the commission-based models. Then I just pay my regular income taxes on whatever I make. Anything beyond this gets complicated...been there, done that when I had an LLC.
I don't see the problem. Every business person knows that the more work you put into something the greater the reward and vice versa. Greg points that out and he tells you that this video is for those who are not building an empire. Your chances of getting into Amazon merch are next to zero if you haven't started somewhere and built something of value. Amazon isn't doing anything because they are nice guys. You best bring traffic to them or forget it. I am more inclined to start at the bottom and work up. BTW, all these POD platforms can suspend you at a moment's notice. Why bust his chops? Your title "Exposing" sounds nefarious like he's doing something underhanded and evil. That's not nice. Also, why are you discouraging interest in POD - trying to eliminate potential competition I would think or else you enjoy being negative. Enough of that in the world as far as I am concerned.
I have always known that I need to pull my information from multiple sources. I minimally use 3 or more sources. I never rely on one. Yet I have always been one who believes you can learn something from everyone. I watch all of you guys and take away bits and pieces that serve my purposes. I don't think about the numbers of profit because results for you are going to be the same for me. So I just concentrate on learning the different methods and finding what works for me. I appreciate all the support I get from you guys.
Greg was actually the person who introduced me to print on demand s number of years ago and i learned s lot from him. I'd love to see him on your show.
Glad to hear from a reliable source from Ryan. It's great to see you are in agreement with us. Greg not only rambles on for ad revenue and views, he also deletes and ghosts comments from anyone who disagrees with him. Anytime I leave a comment on his channel, I'm shadow banned and ghosted. Only I can see the comments when I'm logged in.
I do believe a few years back I followed exactly his video about getting accepted on Amazon two or three different times and never got accepted so yes I agree it is extremely hard. Can't imagine it being any easier now
Thanks for this video. I actually watched this video by Greg earlier today and yes it made my head get a little bit bigger than it should at this stage in my POD journey. Laying the foundations by creating great designs for now, while carefully evaluating realistic ways to make future sales. Patience, persistence, realistic expectations.
I got accepted into Amazon Merch and spent two entire years in the 25 tier. I sold a few hundred shirts during that time but it was so frustrating being stuck at 25 and having no idea how to get out. By the time they finally upgraded me to tier 100, I'd moved on to Etsy/POD and had way more success on that platform. I may revisit amazon merch, but the tier system turned me off of it (along with my designs being stolen, and unable to get the copies taken down, even with proof of copyright/Library of Congress certificate).
Hey Shimmy, I also watched this video and I must admit that Greg actually introduced me to Amazon Merch for the first time. Prior to that, I had no idea about it. It was also enlightening to learn about the payment aspect. Greg tends to share information based on his perspective, offering insights on passive, active approaches, and more. I believe it's important to form our own opinions and experiment with things ourselves. While gathering insights from videos and experts is beneficial, they are not absolute truths, merely opinions. I appreciate your analysis on how others present their ideas. Thank you for your valuable content.
one time my then GF sold a fabric with a "native American" sports logo and etsy sent her a "pop email" that stated some absurd reason, but when she looked at the pop email again to screenshot/share, it disappeared. They make sure there is no evidence
Etsy is horrible! Their bot system is so overly aggressive it gets triggered by any little thing. Example: I created a t-shirt design with the word CUBA in it, boom! My design was taken down. I appealed as to why and after a week a real person explained that Cuba is a country which the US has an embargo with and they wanted to make sure I was not operating my business from Cuba. Can you believe this sh*t? After originally giving them my SS number, address, access to my bank account in order to open my Etsy store. Don't they already know I'm in the USA? But that's Etsy for you.
I love your passion for equality, openness and accuracy in information. He does make it sound way better than it is, and the "non-passive" way, he makes it sound like it's not worth doing. I love that you pointed out that there are benefits and drawbacks for both "ways", for all ways actually.
Nice breakdown. A couple of questions. 1. What do you do with the designs on your store that don't do well? Upload to a different store? 2. What are your thoughts on Merch on Demand vs. Seller Central?
Thankyou! I hate the way they exaggerate profit, whether thats by 1. Highlighting extreme examples of success. 2. Flat out plain exaggeration 3. In ignorance, but well intended - because he is already probably long accepted to Amazon, he doesnt realise how hard it is to be accepted etc 4. Flat out lying to promote your channel Right, its like this. STOP PROMOTING A HALF TRUTH. DONT MAKE A VIDEO INSTEAD. Theres a word for that, its called a SalesPerson... In a cost of living crisis, particularly its not ok to do this to new sellers. The info left out can make or break a person. That person does not want to lose their house or their lunch. Thankyou Shimmy. I am very selective now about which channels I watch. I appreciate your intelligence and ability to reflect, as well as your courage.
@@shimmymorris1 You use to do the same thing! "Theres a word for that, its called a SalesPerson".i use to follow you until i started to see a pattern of you telling people "This is the best POD ever!" then you would do another POD company. and so on and so on. I even sent a comment asking you do that? and you never respond. You have you own "sales wordng" to get people to watch you videos. now maybe you're going to start making people "question" those who are extreme wealthy from what they have been doing for years. and one of those things i'm starting to see if the pattern of youtubers saying something negative about those people who are already pretty much famous with followers. all you guys are "sales people".
Shimmy, one important thing I would like to see here is some detailed info on how to properly build and grow a shopify store. I'm saying this because what usually makes people HESITANT about the Shopify route is the fear of LOSING MONEY before making any profit. And by this I don't mean the Shopify monthly fee, I'm more about the money that would go in different tools that every BIG PLAYER uses and also the Ads-Campaigns (which if not performed right, will make you lose money very fast). I joined your group last week and I definitely think you're probably the right person to learn the active POD option from 🤝
Shimmy, you are far too kind. Greg is not an actual seller, I know because I have been doing POD since 2015 and do it full-time. I watched him early on and he seemed at first like he would be a helpful person to follow. Since I was actually doing the work and selling, I started to find his information to be so off, that he couldn't possibly be getting his hands dirty doing the actual work. At this point in his video career, he probably has a staff. One of the things that I like about RUclips is you can often have interaction with creators, he doesn't want to be exposed, so he would be risking a lot by being a guest. Thank you for emphasizing that POD is not passive, I hate when RUclipsrs lead with that because I work my tail off. And because it is my own business, I probably put at least 60 plus hours in a week.
POD can be absolutely passive if you use sites like Redbubble that do both the fulfillment and selling for you. Not sure how much income sellers are really generating on those sites nowadays though. I make very few sales on Redbubble, am not on Amazon Merch or Society 6 (two more passive options), and make almost all of my sales the hard way through Etsy and multiple POD manufacturers.
I've applied to and been rejected by Amazon Merch 14 times, and will continue to try, but you're right. He should be explaining the pros AND cons. Thanks Shimmy for your honest videos.
I've always found Greg to be honest and helpful and I agree with most. Some of his videos are outdated and he says that and updates. He admits it can be saturated and how to try to work with that. We all have to be smart about who we follow, what works for them might not work for us. A lot of worked in the past won't work today.
I'm a bit surprised to see Greg on here, he's been around for a while and I've enjoyed some of his videos in the past although I don't think I've used his methods. However, I really hope you continue with these review videos and being blunt about what doesn't work!! I am tired of gurus glossing over important things. I recently lost money buying a course from someone promoting Amazon Review (no social media needed, you don't have to be an influencer etc) yet after I paid and joined within a couple of videos the process shows you need to apply to Amazons influencer program which they DO WANT TO SEE Your FOLLOWERS!! That is misleading from what she was promoting. I wouldn't have bought her course if I had known that. Ofcourse I was denied by amazon ... multiple times. There really needs to be transparency, sick of people lying to sell courses. 😩
Was this Nancy Badillo's course? I have been emailed repeatedly about this, but already knew you needed SM followers so Knew her claims were misleading.
Me too!! Was it Nancy Badillo? I was so pissed after I bought the course to see I needed a following to be approved for the amazon review after she claims it wasnt needed 😡 I even emailed her first to ensure I didn't need a social media following and she told me no!
@@Katanna123 Never heard of Nancy. It was a woman named Carissa . Even besides the blatant exaggeration in her ads, there is nothing in her course that isn’t free on RUclips. She is horrible and after I emailed her she only replied once and refused to refund. Avoid!!!
@@BonMooney Never heard of Nancy. It was a woman named Carissa . Even besides the blatant exaggeration in her ads, there is nothing in her course that isn’t free on RUclips. She is horrible and after I emailed her she only replied once and refused to refund. Avoid!!!
so I started off watching greg and I was really impressed because I just created a 32 page business plan because I want my own store I loved his video but kept seeing you and thinking to myself this dude is talking about him. I'm about to graduate with 2 business degrees so it really made sense. I thank you for this video and the one I watched before. logically you did a great job breaking it down and I appreicate it so much.
I just came across Greg's and your channels and videos after TRYING print on demand with Etsy and Printify. After 5 months I still have nothing but a lifetime subscription to Tylenol :) I think Greg's way is great for beginner's because we need to learn about designing and what people want. It's hard to learn everything at the same time and nothing gets done properly. I did love this video though so i'm going to subscribe and watch more of yours. You seem very genuine. Right now profit doesn't matter because nothing is sellling so I can't figure out what works. Very frustrating. Thanks for you videos and I hope I learn valuable info from the others.
I like to learn and I listen to various. I look for what I think will help me. But I don't like the way you are using to express your points of view. You look very young and I hope you mature and learn too. My grandmother used to say that the tonge is a dangerous weapon. It is not necessary to expose another person, to make what we want to teach stand out. Jesus said, do not look at the straw in your neighbor's eye before removing the beam in your own. You are an intelligent person with many talents, focus on that. Teaching has to be a passion. I wish you the best.
As someone who entered POD a couple years ago as a side hustle (and still trying to make it work) thanks for this video. I would add one big con to "passive" pod is almost zero customer interaction. There is no feedback to tweak designs. I subscribe to you and Greg and a few other youtubers and appreciate the hard work and dedication you all put into it. Cheers.
0:00 🎬 Reacting to Greg Gottfried's print-on-demand strategy, which was highly requested by viewers. 0:04 📝 Greg is a long-time print-on-demand seller and RUclipsr with significant industry experience. 0:30 🎥 Reviewing Greg's video titled "Why I Don't Use Printful, Printify, or Etsy for Print on Demand." 1:12 🛒 Greg mentions Etsy’s popularity due to its profit margins, product quality, and large visitor base. 1:28 📈 Greg has been a print-on-demand seller for 10 years, avoiding Printful, Printify, and Etsy. 1:56 🔧 Print-on-demand fulfillment services are crucial; most tutorials suggest using Printful or Printify. 2:34 📊 Greg explains the difference between active and passive print-on-demand business models. 2:58 💡 The concept of active vs. passive print-on-demand is interesting but debatable. 3:15 🚀 Active print-on-demand involves creating a website, bringing traffic, and handling customer service. 4:02 🛠 Passive print-on-demand involves uploading designs to marketplaces that handle traffic and service. 4:25 🤔 Active vs. passive: Greg presents cons of active and pros of passive, but not a balanced view. 5:00 ⚖ Important to consider both pros and cons of each method when choosing a strategy. 5:40 💰 Active print-on-demand offers higher profit margins and business control. 6:23 📉 Passive print-on-demand, despite being easier, has lower profit margins and higher risk of account suspension. 7:02 🌐 Greg recommends passive print-on-demand platforms and offers a tutorial link. 7:31 🛒 Amazon is highlighted as a major print-on-demand platform with billions of visitors. 8:07 ⚠ Entry to Amazon Merch on Demand is challenging and acceptance is not guaranteed. 9:00 🛒 Example Amazon Merch on Demand listings show profit margins, though actual profits may vary. 10:03 💵 Claims $5 profit per sale on Amazon Merch on Demand; real profit is closer to $2.66. 10:36 🧮 Misleading profit estimates may impact seller expectations and strategy decisions. 11:26 📊 Amazon’s vast audience can drive significant traffic and sales if accepted into the program. 13:46 🚪 Greg doesn’t mention the difficulty of being accepted into Amazon Merch on Demand. 14:29 🔄 Transition to discussing other passive print-on-demand platforms, like Redbubble. 14:40 😐 Redbubble recommendation questioned due to generally low profit potential. 16:10 👕 Redbubble only sells print-on-demand items, not the full range of Amazon products. 16:25 🛒 Redbubble handles printing, shipping, and customer service, with profit split for creators. 16:49 🚫 Important issues with Redbubble: tiers, suspensions, low profit margins, and quality concerns. 17:06 💸 A $25 sale on Redbubble can net creators as low as $2.17. 17:45 🤔 Concerns about low profit margins on Tu (acquired by Redbubble), with some items earning creators just $1. 18:30 📊 Redbubble attracts more traffic than Tu, but both are print-on-demand specific. 19:17 💰 Using Printify or Printful requires a Shopify store, which costs at least $39/month after the first month. 20:25 📈 Owning a Shopify store isn't inherently negative; it offers control over your business. 21:00 🎨 Creating designs and managing ads can help secure consistent sales on Shopify, even if not entirely passive. 22:22 🛠 Setting up a store on Shopify involves work, but the potential rewards are higher compared to passive print-on-demand platforms. 23:59 🖥 Greg's tutorial on creating designs on Tu is easy, but the key issue is the low profit margin. 24:32 🚀 Passive print-on-demand isn't truly passive; it requires significant effort in design and marketing. 25:31 🎥 Desire for collaboration: Inviting Greg to discuss his print-on-demand strategies and experiences.
Hey Shimmy, love how raw and honest you are with this video. I started out watching Greg Gottfried's videos on KDP. I believe you are one of the first RUclipsrs to critique other CC strategies in POD. Definitely entertaining, and hopefully informative, too. It is just hard to know what is fact and fiction with all the hustle 'schemes', as they all have some amount of credibility to them. I guess you just gotta find what strategy works best for you. I'm excited to see your webinar today!
I’ve followed Greg for years and he always produces no- nonsense, no waffle, to the point videos which I like. Slick editing too. It seems to me there are a lot of new people from far-off lands getting on the POD and KDP bandwagon and imo Greg may now be targeting those people. I don’t know. I just know he was super helpful in the earlier days and the best POD RUclipsr there was.
@@shimmymorris1 He also promotes merch by amazon and everyone has their preferences and I think he is still really good.I like his approach as I do others.
One thing that I would point out is Amazon probably gives vendors much more traffic. In most business models like that (for example, Costco) the very high volume comes at a cost of lower markup or profit for the participating vendors. Vendors who sell to Costco work on very low profit margins, and Costco as well works on a high volume, low markup model. Just something I did not hear mentioned.
Greg's video could have been so much better with just a couple of tweaks. First, I'd have chosen 'managed POD' rather than 'passive' because the latter gives the impression that you have to do nothing. Second, from the point of view of a strategy, he could have been more careful to say that he is focused on why BEGINNERS might benefit from taking the managed route. Had he taken this approach, he could have explained why managed marketplaces can be useful for allowing a beginner to focus on learning the early basic essentials like how to design well, how to do product research, how to find out what sells. Without having to worry about all the additional stuff you have to do on your own website (building and maintaining it, customer service, payments, sales tax, marketing - all of which require a lot of learning and take a lot of time). He could have said, however, that beginners should aim to graduate to unmanaged POD eventually, for all the reasons you give about the downsides of marketplaces, and because the unmanaged version is a truly independent business that you manage yourself and which has real asset value.
Oooo managed pod is a good term. But beginner or not, I don't think anyone should sell on Redbubble or Teepublic. Why is a beginners time less valuable than anyone elses. Why should a beginner only be able to make $1-$3 per sale.
@@shimmymorris1 agreed, I guess I was thinking about Etsy - did he say why he didn't sell on there? I might go and watch his video in full and see if he explains.
Why he doesn’t use printful printify or etsy is mentioned but it’s a separate video. Basically the idea is little to no investment and design volume multiplied by many sites that drive traffic and do all the back end work like returns and customer service. Basically come up with 200+ designs and once that work is done post all the same designs to 4 or 5 algorithm driven sites that do all the back end for you. Hence the “passive” wording and in his Udemy corses this is clearly explained however not in the RUclips’s.
Okay, 5 months old now. Not sure if you’ll respond or perhaps someone else. The thing I like about Amazon is they handle everything including shipping. The 2.66 profit isn’t great. What I’m running into is trying to keep prices down on my site but also having to absorb the crazy Prinify shipping. 3 items (personal purchase for testing) and the shipping was actually more than the 3 items. Slippers were over $16 for shipping. I’m looking at removing some things now because shipping is so much. Love some thoughts on this. Thank you.
I have followed you both. And can definitely tell you that both of you are right at your own place. Greg is pushing passive earning with least amount of monetary investment and less stress as side income along with your main job. Where as you push for full fledged business. As per greg, he never exaggerated income and always tell people few designs won't work in this model. Specific good designs for non designers, in specific low competition niche, 1000s of design may end up with $1000 every month on an avarage. Wich is not bad as side income.
Thank you Shimmy for reviewing Greg's video. I was one of the persons that have requested that you check out Greg's videos. I started out listening to Greg during Covid. He is a great teacher. However, his information is saturated with a flood of inaccuracies. I don't understand why Greg continues to spread this misinformation virus. Have you checked out his full tutorial? Don't expect him to contact you. By the way, he introduce me to a tool called merch informer. Do you use it, or recommend it?
I have a friend who makes £1 in profit from her items. Between Etsy, her own website and other platforms, she gets over 50 thousand sales PER MONTH which means she's making over 50K PER MONTH (she's a multi millionaire and only been in business for 6 years) so turning our noses up at opportunities with low profits is unwise IMO. At the end of the day, nobody will have a successful business unless they're putting in the hard work so I agree that the term "passive income" is misinformation but I also think its poor guidance to not take low profits seriously.
I think Greg ‘s ammo has always been that he doesnt want to do customer service as that makes it more passive (besides the teaffic generation thing) . That is why he doesnt do etsy.
He didn't say active was bad. The point was to teach passive. It's a good place to start. Especially if you want to get in with amazon. Its good to show you have some experience in the space. Maybe you want to build out a store when you know more about the business.
Bottom line for me is who handles overhead and returns. If it's me, I'm out. I just don't have time, nor desire to handle returns. I work 13 hours a day 6 days a week and Sundays are family time. I need a site where I can upload my designs and forget about it.
I followed gregs advice and started my pod business on teepublic and now i am having second thoughts about it. I am thinking of closing the business and moving to another platform. Thanks for doing this video.
I dont mind the video. My kids and I are going to start "passively" this summer and progress to your reccomendations in the "active" category. Its a learning curve for us. Any designs we make can transfer.
Nice... but It won't be passive for your children... They will need to put a ton of effort into it. And if they go in to Redbubble or Teepublic it would be a shame as I don't think their effort would pay off
Thank you for your insight. You gave me a something to think about. Who would suggest on who has the best tutorial on this? Or, if anyone here knows of someone who has a tutorial on how to start one and have used it. Thank you once again for this video.
Thank you for the vid shimmy,hey I have a question to ask..on Shopify actual cost video you mentioned that when you make a engagement ad campaign...I'm a bit uncertain on something I recently got the amount needed/minimum ($500) My question is what does good engagement on a Facebook engagement ad look like(in terms on likes or however it works And if possible can you please make a video specifically about Facebook ads like if you are working with $500 what are realistic profits and loss that can be made
He is completely right!!! I don't know what kind of interest you have with Etsy to say otherwise but I understand that there is some. Maybe some affiliate program? or anything similar. Since Etsy changed the way it works, it's a real mess. Between its fees, laws, and the money you now have to pay out of your pocket to pay for your orders, IT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT WORTH IT. And yes, it is absolutely an active POD, because a lot of follow-up and customer service work is done, dear.
i knew there was something wrong when I watched it yesterday. I binged watch his videos yesterday and I was blown away. No way there is nothing wrong with what he's saying, sounds too good to be true. And now I know what those are... thanks to this video.
Greg doesnt tell you that you have to apply for amazon merch, well yes he does. Greg doesnt tell you its hard to get accepted, YES he does. Greg doesnt comment to anything... he does. Talks about how these platforms can shut you down at any time then brings up using etsy as if they're not famous for doing exactly that. This video seems to only be destroying his own credibility. Maybe do more research on his videos before commenting one ONE video.
I was watching his channel just yesterday, I didn't realized he missed so many crucial information until you showed it here. I am glad I came across your channel so soon, thank you for giving me correct information. I am seriously looking into POD, and I am trying to make sure I am getting the right information.
9:25 - 11:56 You made a great point, Shimmy. However, I still consider the $2.66 profit a profit I didn't need to work hard for. A win is a win. It may have been off by $2.34, but profit is still profit. I'm enjoying your video so far.
Excellent and fair critique. Well done, and you earned another subscriber. I've enjoyed a lot of Greg's content, however I've left a comment on a few of his videos pointing out that it's not at all as easy as he makes it out to be regarding being accepted by Amazon Merch. He surely knows this, and it baffles me why he doesn't just say it.
Amaz Merch on Demand is not what it used to be, they don't tier you up to the next level even if you've filled your design products. My tier 500 from 2 years ago is still restricted to 500, the only way to upload more designs is to remove some of the old ones???? Also, when you purchase a Tier10K, you might have it for a short time uploading your designs furiously, then all of a sudden you find Amaz has "capped" you at 1,000 and won't let you upload the entire 10,000, very frustrating!
In the mid-90s, having your own website was one of the first hurdles you had to conquer. If you didn't know how to write code, you had to pay someone who did. E-commerce wasn't huge at all, then. This is why I hesitated with online sales. If I hadn't done that, I could be on a tropical island sipping rum from a coconut shell right now 😅. And believe me, 30 years later, I'm still kicking my own ass 😂
I looked at a lot of Greg’s videos and I was going to use his process because as a newbie, it seemed like sound advice. Now I need to rethink my strategy. Thanks for this.
Thank you for making this. I had just watched a different video of Greg's, and something about it wasn't sitting right with me. You nailed it - the bias is super clear when you point it out. I felt like he was leaving out crucial information, and I appreciate you naming some of those details he left out. To me, it seems like his perspective is very slanted to someone who is willing to chase trends, which is useless if you are a content creator looking to find the best pathway for getting merch for your community.
Thanks for your help. I stopped watching all videos making money online. I prefer selling my expertise in one field. Most of the people on RUclips are liars. These type of channels should be banned. I say terminated. if I were a developer at RUclips I will close all of the channels of the big liars.
You couldn't be further from the truth. It's sickening RUclips thrives on clickbait type of channels especially in the POD and affiliate marketing world. 99% of them should be forever banned from giving anybody false hope and lies.
I appreciate your feedback, however I think people who watch RUclips videos must take what is being said with a grain of salt and do their own research, not just blindly accept what some stranger says online. The beauty of Greg's videos is that he gives out a boat load of information and never asks for one dime. Thanks for this video in any case.
thanks! he does have courses btw, and also, i think regardless of whether its a free video on youtube or a course... the information needs to be accurate and not speculatory. There's nothing wrong if he has a course... but it's obvious he doesn't do this because if he did he wouldn't be recommending redbubble and potentially wasting 10s of thousands of peoples times.
Thank you for this video. As someone who is exploring my options right now. It gave me a lot to think about. I'm gonna watch some more of your videos. I've watch some of Greg's videos. For me to say what is good and what is bad i don't know. There is so many opinions and voices coming at starters it's been hard picking a clear path forward.
@@shimmymorris1I agree there a lot. I like both Chris Heckman and Philip Ander. I've been slowly working through Cris's 21 hrs course. I'm gonna start adding your channel through my rotation as well
I would love to see you do one these expose videos on Wholesale Ted. REALLY want to see one. There's just something not quire right there - at least not for me.
For a single design that can continue bringing income for a long time, the rates are not so bad considering how much goes into actually making the merch, listing and handling customer service and possible returns. I am speaking of amazon merch, not sure of the other platforms. I currently do my own embroidery and printing but it's so much work without having a loyal customer base. I have to set prices low and still offer free shipping to compete with the bigger platforms.
my most recent one was "you primary picture has a collage" which is ABSURD because the first page alone has seller listings whose lead image is a COLLAGE! Ebay doesn't harass sellers on their images.
I'm new to POD and I'm open to hearing what the gurus have to say. I take their advice with a grain of salt, do my research, and make the choices that are best for me. I plan to hire a designer to create most of my tees. I use designers for my KDP book covers and I've been happy with the results. I'm planning to give Etsy a try and possibly Amazon Merch.
I've been following Greg for a couple of years -- even waiting patiently for his return when he was away. He seems to be pretty genuine but since his return, there does seem to be more biases in the info he presents. I believe the key to following anyone on YT is being able to decide what you choose to accept and what may have some bias.
I've watched his videos, he's an old timer who got in to those marketplaces early on, and is a member of the higher level tiers, what he fails to mention though about the current day situation, is that most newbies will be relegated to the bottom level tiers and will barely stand a chance of being noticed or displayed, much less make any sales, and evidently things have changed drastically due to the mass flood of new pod designers and sellers in the last few years, so it's not as easy as he makes it all out be for new hopefuls
I think I recognize his voice from a voice-only YT channel I watch, unrelated to POD. Can't quite recall which one. It will come back to me. I'm just bringing it up because the eternal question about easy money videos is always why they are making marketing videos if they are sitting around their mansions with money on tap.
Thank you! I don't view Active/Passive as different amounts of work. Both require a lot of work. I view them as "need money do it"/ "don't need money to do it." lol. So, I haven't made it up to the reimbursement with profits level yet bc I gotta buy food for the kids.
The problem with 95% of all RUclipsrs is that they want to sell something, or that you join a course or something. It will make everyone see pro and cons in everything and ofcourse more pro in what the RUclipsr prefer themselves. . When You have serious intention to start print on demand or any other online business, or business at all you need to do Your own research. You are right! But Greg inform the way he see it and I can see pro and cons in both way. Your way are better if You can put more time into it and want to earn more money. Greg for those who have little time and want more passive income. If you make your own commercial on Facebook you can also get banned. It is the same for me who will start to produce my own product. Is Amazon FBA or do all ad myself? I have find out that do my own ad, but let 3pl do all logistic will be best. I look forward to next video from you :)
@@dagadler3863 thanks. Ye I hear what you’re saying but unfortunately there’s no passive route with this business. That’s just misleading information… so however, good it might sound, it’s a pipe dream.
I agree 100%!!!! There is nothing easy about GOOD design and business, however, usually, the more that you put into it, the more you get out of it...if you're hitting the key notes.
I just have a question, have you watch the videos where he explains more about the tiers, how to get accepted, how much you made, and when you get paid? I feel like you saw the video, watched the video and took what you wanted from it without know that he explains more in other videos.
Imo there are massive benefits to having full creative control & less restrictions but i can definitely understand the attraction of not having to desl with customer service. It is deceptive imo to portray things the way he does & it makes me suspicious about any benefit he may get from essentially promoting certain sites.
Shimmy, Thank you for your video. I think your point that there is no passive PODis valid. What Greg didn't make clear in this video is the suggestion he made in another video that to be accepted into AMAZON March you need to show experience in selling POD products. Also he seems to be appealing to those who use a platform like Canva or Creative Fabrica to choose and quickly list designs, which in the case of a subscription with CF you're licensed to sell any design. Some with or without modification if I recall correctly.
The criticism comes from the viewpoint of a devotee of Shopify who looks with disdain at those who don't want to own a full fledged business and just wants a sideline they can use for supplemental income.
Not at all… I’m on Amazon and Etsy too. I started on Teespring. I’ve done Redbubble… I’ve now moved on to Shopify as I’ve realised I want to turn this into a business I can sell. But I’ve had over 10 years of experience selling POD No disdain at all.
3:26 what he says is not correct. That you have to pay in advance for an order. That doesn't make any sense, especially if it's on your own website. You receive payment for the order and then you pay the POD company to fulfill the order.
WRONG! This is why you need to have a credit card which you'll be charged FIRST, then after the sale is processed, that's when you receive the funds in your account.
To be honest, I learned from both videos-yours and Greg's. Greg's video is very beginner-friendly. When you're just starting and have no money, his video gives you a kick start because you can begin without spending anything. If I had to spend money on something I didn't understand, I wouldn't have started. I'm grateful Greg's video helped me begin this career, and your video added more to my knowledge. Thank you.
you're welcome! glad you liked both
I agree with you
i agree
I'm currently about 7/8 months into POD and followed Greg in my early days. It was he who got me into POD.
It definitely hasn't been a "build it and they will come" business and I totally agree that it is hard work pulling all the strands together, but I'm sticking in there and looking at different ways to better it.
Are you actually making any money though? I'm thinking about trying this... Any comments or helpful suggestions you'd like to give at this point in time pleasssse
Don't believe everything Greg tells you, I have been on print on demand for years myself, and I can tell you, Greg loves to hype people, but I don't even think he has a single store. he just talk about things that people likes to hear, you need to learn from the real POD Elite creators. or learn this by yourself, as each platforms has it's own learning curve.
They never do@@jujumama
I've watched Greg and learned a ton. i've asked questions and nearly every time he responded. You can pick fruit from more than one tree.
everytime ive asked a question Greg respinded too
@@lukhanyositoto2190 does this guy respond?
I find it annoying how hard people push Shopify. The idea that I can somehow 'sell my business one day' as if that's something anyone actually does means nothing when it requires me to spend $40 today, and then play the social media lottery game (that if I could play I'd already be a success outside of POD) and pay even more for ads on top of that. I've been in the self-made business a long, long time. Shopify has every warning bell of 'I will waste money, go into the red, and barely scrape a few dollars out of it'. Those shops that you dismiss as 'tiny profits' at least don't cost you anything. That $1.25 I might make is from an overhead cost of nothing. I don't have to make back enough to pay for my shop and ads, I just make the money. And I'd much rather do some keyword research and make a Halloween shirt than try to master social media. For some of us, $40 is an insane price, especially monthly. I can see the argument for scaling up to Shopify at some point once your other businesses are already doing well, but starting with it? No thanks. I can barely afford Etsy.
Thank you this comment meant alot
This is 100% my struggle and truth also. I also struggle with website building no matter how user friendly it is. I've only ever been able to make sales of any sort on Etsy. All my items I make, currently, are made by hand as I'm a crocheter first. I'm trying to branch out into POD to bring in some 'passive' money, because for me, it's is a lot more passive as I can design and upload and not spend money on the item an not have to store the finished item for how long it takes to sale. I have so much inventory that it's overwhelming and disheartening. And w/ such few sales that I manage, esp 2024 where my views have been cut in half just though changes to algorithm and economy, that it's just about impossible.
In addition, there's also a whole lot more involved with regard to taxes when you open your own shop. Because then you have to pay to get set up so that you can pay in your sales taxes to Uncle Sam (at least in the U.S.). That is why I prefer the commission-based models. Then I just pay my regular income taxes on whatever I make. Anything beyond this gets complicated...been there, done that when I had an LLC.
I don't see the problem. Every business person knows that the more work you put into something the greater the reward and vice versa. Greg points that out and he tells you that this video is for those who are not building an empire. Your chances of getting into Amazon merch are next to zero if you haven't started somewhere and built something of value. Amazon isn't doing anything because they are nice guys. You best bring traffic to them or forget it. I am more inclined to start at the bottom and work up. BTW, all these POD platforms can suspend you at a moment's notice. Why bust his chops? Your title "Exposing" sounds nefarious like he's doing something underhanded and evil. That's not nice. Also, why are you discouraging interest in POD - trying to eliminate potential competition I would think or else you enjoy being negative. Enough of that in the world as far as I am concerned.
Well said!
Seriously, well said, man. I can't agree more.
I have always known that I need to pull my information from multiple sources. I minimally use 3 or more sources. I never rely on one. Yet I have always been one who believes you can learn something from everyone. I watch all of you guys and take away bits and pieces that serve my purposes. I don't think about the numbers of profit because results for you are going to be the same for me. So I just concentrate on learning the different methods and finding what works for me. I appreciate all the support I get from you guys.
This is how I operate as well!
nice outlook!
@ghost "...because results for you are going to be the same for me." You replicated his results?
Greg was actually the person who introduced me to print on demand s number of years ago and i learned s lot from him. I'd love to see him on your show.
me too!
I've been wanting to make this video for years, thanks for making it Shimmy 👍
Same!! Looking forward to yours ☺️
Glad to hear from a reliable source from Ryan. It's great to see you are in agreement with us. Greg not only rambles on for ad revenue and views, he also deletes and ghosts comments from anyone who disagrees with him. Anytime I leave a comment on his channel, I'm shadow banned and ghosted. Only I can see the comments when I'm logged in.
@@patjohnson8450didn't know they could do that😮
I do believe a few years back I followed exactly his video about getting accepted on Amazon two or three different times and never got accepted so yes I agree it is extremely hard. Can't imagine it being any easier now
it's completely luck!
Thanks for this video. I actually watched this video by Greg earlier today and yes it made my head get a little bit bigger than it should at this stage in my POD journey. Laying the foundations by creating great designs for now, while carefully evaluating realistic ways to make future sales. Patience, persistence, realistic expectations.
$2.66 vs $5 is almost half. It can be the difference between making a LOT of money and going out of business quickly.
Yup!!! 100%
Yeah... but I don't want to be Customer Support 🤣🤣
I got accepted into Amazon Merch and spent two entire years in the 25 tier. I sold a few hundred shirts during that time but it was so frustrating being stuck at 25 and having no idea how to get out. By the time they finally upgraded me to tier 100, I'd moved on to Etsy/POD and had way more success on that platform. I may revisit amazon merch, but the tier system turned me off of it (along with my designs being stolen, and unable to get the copies taken down, even with proof of copyright/Library of Congress certificate).
amazon merch is overrated, a lot of people actually failed on selling anything on that platform.
They really are overrated. I have an account 5 years now. Still active but I took off all my designs cause the tier is nonsense.
Hey Shimmy, I also watched this video and I must admit that Greg actually introduced me to Amazon Merch for the first time. Prior to that, I had no idea about it. It was also enlightening to learn about the payment aspect. Greg tends to share information based on his perspective, offering insights on passive, active approaches, and more. I believe it's important to form our own opinions and experiment with things ourselves. While gathering insights from videos and experts is beneficial, they are not absolute truths, merely opinions. I appreciate your analysis on how others present their ideas. Thank you for your valuable content.
The risks about being "suspended", isn't ETSY famous for suspend you at any time? 🤔
Yes, that’s what happened to me with no explanation
Agree!!
one time my then GF sold a fabric with a "native American" sports logo and etsy sent her a "pop email" that stated some absurd reason, but when she looked at the pop email again to screenshot/share, it disappeared. They make sure there is no evidence
@@luigivincenz3843what’s a pop email?
Etsy is horrible! Their bot system is so overly aggressive it gets triggered by any little thing. Example: I created a t-shirt design with the word CUBA in it, boom! My design was taken down. I appealed as to why and after a week a real person explained that Cuba is a country which the US has an embargo with and they wanted to make sure I was not operating my business from Cuba. Can you believe this sh*t? After originally giving them my SS number, address, access to my bank account in order to open my Etsy store. Don't they already know I'm in the USA? But that's Etsy for you.
I love your passion for equality, openness and accuracy in information. He does make it sound way better than it is, and the "non-passive" way, he makes it sound like it's not worth doing. I love that you pointed out that there are benefits and drawbacks for both "ways", for all ways actually.
Greg's videos are the best !!!
Ok so what do you suggest new pod sellers use. It's not useful to cut down someone and not off alternative options.
Nice breakdown. A couple of questions.
1. What do you do with the designs on your store that don't do well? Upload to a different store?
2. What are your thoughts on Merch on Demand vs. Seller Central?
Thankyou! I hate the way they exaggerate profit, whether thats by 1. Highlighting extreme examples of success.
2. Flat out plain exaggeration
3. In ignorance, but well intended - because he is already probably long accepted to Amazon, he doesnt realise how hard it is to be accepted etc
4. Flat out lying to promote your channel
Right, its like this.
STOP PROMOTING A HALF TRUTH. DONT MAKE A VIDEO INSTEAD.
Theres a word for that, its called a SalesPerson...
In a cost of living crisis, particularly its not ok to do this to new sellers. The info left out can make or break a person. That person does not want to lose their house or their lunch.
Thankyou Shimmy.
I am very selective now about which channels I watch.
I appreciate your intelligence and ability to reflect, as well as your courage.
thank you! appreciate that
@@shimmymorris1 You use to do the same thing! "Theres a word for that, its called a SalesPerson".i use to follow you until i started to see a pattern of you telling people "This is the best POD ever!" then you would do another POD company. and so on and so on. I even sent a comment asking you do that? and you never respond. You have you own "sales wordng" to get people to watch you videos. now maybe you're going to start making people "question" those who are extreme wealthy from what they have been doing for years. and one of those things i'm starting to see if the pattern of youtubers saying something negative about those people who are already pretty much famous with followers. all you guys are "sales people".
Shimmy, one important thing I would like to see here is some detailed info on how to properly build and grow a shopify store. I'm saying this because what usually makes people HESITANT about the Shopify route is the fear of LOSING MONEY before making any profit. And by this I don't mean the Shopify monthly fee, I'm more about the money that would go in different tools that every BIG PLAYER uses and also the Ads-Campaigns (which if not performed right, will make you lose money very fast).
I joined your group last week and I definitely think you're probably the right person to learn the active POD option from 🤝
Shimmy, you are far too kind. Greg is not an actual seller, I know because I have been doing POD since 2015 and do it full-time. I watched him early on and he seemed at first like he would be a helpful person to follow. Since I was actually doing the work and selling, I started to find his information to be so off, that he couldn't possibly be getting his hands dirty doing the actual work. At this point in his video career, he probably has a staff. One of the things that I like about RUclips is you can often have interaction with creators, he doesn't want to be exposed, so he would be risking a lot by being a guest. Thank you for emphasizing that POD is not passive, I hate when RUclipsrs lead with that because I work my tail off. And because it is my own business, I probably put at least 60 plus hours in a week.
POD can be absolutely passive if you use sites like Redbubble that do both the fulfillment and selling for you. Not sure how much income sellers are really generating on those sites nowadays though. I make very few sales on Redbubble, am not on Amazon Merch or Society 6 (two more passive options), and make almost all of my sales the hard way through Etsy and multiple POD manufacturers.
If you don't know this as an actual demonstrable FACT then you shouldn't be accusing someone of being a fraud.
@@flickwtchr There maybe are enough demostrable FACTS?, maybe then is you and your capacity to see it or not...
I've applied to and been rejected by Amazon Merch 14 times, and will continue to try, but you're right. He should be explaining the pros AND cons. Thanks Shimmy for your honest videos.
you're welcome! sorry to hear you're struggling to get accepted
I've always found Greg to be honest and helpful and I agree with most. Some of his videos are outdated and he says that and updates. He admits it can be saturated and how to try to work with that. We all have to be smart about who we follow, what works for them might not work for us. A lot of worked in the past won't work today.
I'm a bit surprised to see Greg on here, he's been around for a while and I've enjoyed some of his videos in the past although I don't think I've used his methods. However, I really hope you continue with these review videos and being blunt about what doesn't work!! I am tired of gurus glossing over important things. I recently lost money buying a course from someone promoting Amazon Review (no social media needed, you don't have to be an influencer etc) yet after I paid and joined within a couple of videos the process shows you need to apply to Amazons influencer program which they DO WANT TO SEE Your FOLLOWERS!! That is misleading from what she was promoting. I wouldn't have bought her course if I had known that. Ofcourse I was denied by amazon ... multiple times. There really needs to be transparency, sick of people lying to sell courses. 😩
gosh that's no good! I hope you can get a refund!! Gregs a great guy, and this video wasn't at all bashing him. Just the strategy of using Redbubble
Was this Nancy Badillo's course? I have been emailed repeatedly about this, but already knew you needed SM followers so Knew her claims were misleading.
Me too!! Was it Nancy Badillo? I was so pissed after I bought the course to see I needed a following to be approved for the amazon review after she claims it wasnt needed 😡
I even emailed her first to ensure I didn't need a social media following and she told me no!
@@Katanna123 Never heard of Nancy. It was a woman named Carissa . Even besides the blatant exaggeration in her ads, there is nothing in her course that isn’t free on RUclips. She is horrible and after I emailed her she only replied once and refused to refund. Avoid!!!
@@BonMooney Never heard of Nancy. It was a woman named Carissa . Even besides the blatant exaggeration in her ads, there is nothing in her course that isn’t free on RUclips. She is horrible and after I emailed her she only replied once and refused to refund. Avoid!!!
Tank you Shimmy for being one of the only no BS entrepreneurs out there
appreciate it!
what does BS mean?
@@i.Motivibullshit
so I started off watching greg and I was really impressed because I just created a 32 page business plan because I want my own store I loved his video but kept seeing you and thinking to myself this dude is talking about him. I'm about to graduate with 2 business degrees so it really made sense. I thank you for this video and the one I watched before. logically you did a great job breaking it down and I appreicate it so much.
I just came across Greg's and your channels and videos after TRYING print on demand with Etsy and Printify. After 5 months I still have nothing but a lifetime subscription to Tylenol :) I think Greg's way is great for beginner's because we need to learn about designing and what people want. It's hard to learn everything at the same time and nothing gets done properly. I did love this video though so i'm going to subscribe and watch more of yours. You seem very genuine. Right now profit doesn't matter because nothing is sellling so I can't figure out what works. Very frustrating. Thanks for you videos and I hope I learn valuable info from the others.
I like to learn and I listen to various. I look for what I think will help me. But I don't like the way you are using to express your points of view. You look very young and I hope you mature and learn too. My grandmother used to say that the tonge is a dangerous weapon. It is not necessary to expose another person, to make what we want to teach stand out. Jesus said, do not look at the straw in your neighbor's eye before removing the beam in your own. You are an intelligent person with many talents, focus on that. Teaching has to be a passion. I wish you the best.
As someone who entered POD a couple years ago as a side hustle (and still trying to make it work) thanks for this video. I would add one big con to "passive" pod is almost zero customer interaction. There is no feedback to tweak designs. I subscribe to you and Greg and a few other youtubers and appreciate the hard work and dedication you all put into it. Cheers.
Greg is a wolf in sheep's clothing - period!
0:00 🎬 Reacting to Greg Gottfried's print-on-demand strategy, which was highly requested by viewers.
0:04 📝 Greg is a long-time print-on-demand seller and RUclipsr with significant industry experience.
0:30 🎥 Reviewing Greg's video titled "Why I Don't Use Printful, Printify, or Etsy for Print on Demand."
1:12 🛒 Greg mentions Etsy’s popularity due to its profit margins, product quality, and large visitor base.
1:28 📈 Greg has been a print-on-demand seller for 10 years, avoiding Printful, Printify, and Etsy.
1:56 🔧 Print-on-demand fulfillment services are crucial; most tutorials suggest using Printful or Printify.
2:34 📊 Greg explains the difference between active and passive print-on-demand business models.
2:58 💡 The concept of active vs. passive print-on-demand is interesting but debatable.
3:15 🚀 Active print-on-demand involves creating a website, bringing traffic, and handling customer service.
4:02 🛠 Passive print-on-demand involves uploading designs to marketplaces that handle traffic and service.
4:25 🤔 Active vs. passive: Greg presents cons of active and pros of passive, but not a balanced view.
5:00 ⚖ Important to consider both pros and cons of each method when choosing a strategy.
5:40 💰 Active print-on-demand offers higher profit margins and business control.
6:23 📉 Passive print-on-demand, despite being easier, has lower profit margins and higher risk of account suspension.
7:02 🌐 Greg recommends passive print-on-demand platforms and offers a tutorial link.
7:31 🛒 Amazon is highlighted as a major print-on-demand platform with billions of visitors.
8:07 ⚠ Entry to Amazon Merch on Demand is challenging and acceptance is not guaranteed.
9:00 🛒 Example Amazon Merch on Demand listings show profit margins, though actual profits may vary.
10:03 💵 Claims $5 profit per sale on Amazon Merch on Demand; real profit is closer to $2.66.
10:36 🧮 Misleading profit estimates may impact seller expectations and strategy decisions.
11:26 📊 Amazon’s vast audience can drive significant traffic and sales if accepted into the program.
13:46 🚪 Greg doesn’t mention the difficulty of being accepted into Amazon Merch on Demand.
14:29 🔄 Transition to discussing other passive print-on-demand platforms, like Redbubble.
14:40 😐 Redbubble recommendation questioned due to generally low profit potential.
16:10 👕 Redbubble only sells print-on-demand items, not the full range of Amazon products.
16:25 🛒 Redbubble handles printing, shipping, and customer service, with profit split for creators.
16:49 🚫 Important issues with Redbubble: tiers, suspensions, low profit margins, and quality concerns.
17:06 💸 A $25 sale on Redbubble can net creators as low as $2.17.
17:45 🤔 Concerns about low profit margins on Tu (acquired by Redbubble), with some items earning creators just $1.
18:30 📊 Redbubble attracts more traffic than Tu, but both are print-on-demand specific.
19:17 💰 Using Printify or Printful requires a Shopify store, which costs at least $39/month after the first month.
20:25 📈 Owning a Shopify store isn't inherently negative; it offers control over your business.
21:00 🎨 Creating designs and managing ads can help secure consistent sales on Shopify, even if not entirely passive.
22:22 🛠 Setting up a store on Shopify involves work, but the potential rewards are higher compared to passive print-on-demand platforms.
23:59 🖥 Greg's tutorial on creating designs on Tu is easy, but the key issue is the low profit margin.
24:32 🚀 Passive print-on-demand isn't truly passive; it requires significant effort in design and marketing.
25:31 🎥 Desire for collaboration: Inviting Greg to discuss his print-on-demand strategies and experiences.
I’m glad I found you so I could evaluate what direction I want to take with my business
Hey Shimmy, love how raw and honest you are with this video. I started out watching Greg Gottfried's videos on KDP. I believe you are one of the first RUclipsrs to critique other CC strategies in POD. Definitely entertaining, and hopefully informative, too. It is just hard to know what is fact and fiction with all the hustle 'schemes', as they all have some amount of credibility to them. I guess you just gotta find what strategy works best for you. I'm excited to see your webinar today!
I see the main difference between passive and active is you don't need customer service with the passive websites
thanks alot for your alternative idea. I abdoutely love your honest which helps newbies like me❤
I’ve followed Greg for years and he always produces no- nonsense, no waffle, to the point videos which I like. Slick editing too. It seems to me there are a lot of new people from far-off lands getting on the POD and KDP bandwagon and imo Greg may now be targeting those people. I don’t know. I just know he was super helpful in the earlier days and the best POD RUclipsr there was.
he really was very good, but all he does now is promote redbubble and teepublic. I don't understand why
As a new seller, Im so glad I didnt listen to Greg's half truth information.
It is so important to get accurate info.
@@shimmymorris1 He also promotes merch by amazon and everyone has their preferences and I think he is still really good.I like his approach as I do others.
Please recommend which platform to use then? Appreciate ur work..
One thing that I would point out is Amazon probably gives vendors much more traffic. In most business models like that (for example, Costco) the very high volume comes at a cost of lower markup or profit for the participating vendors. Vendors who sell to Costco work on very low profit margins, and Costco as well works on a high volume, low markup model. Just something I did not hear mentioned.
Greg's video could have been so much better with just a couple of tweaks. First, I'd have chosen 'managed POD' rather than 'passive' because the latter gives the impression that you have to do nothing. Second, from the point of view of a strategy, he could have been more careful to say that he is focused on why BEGINNERS might benefit from taking the managed route. Had he taken this approach, he could have explained why managed marketplaces can be useful for allowing a beginner to focus on learning the early basic essentials like how to design well, how to do product research, how to find out what sells. Without having to worry about all the additional stuff you have to do on your own website (building and maintaining it, customer service, payments, sales tax, marketing - all of which require a lot of learning and take a lot of time). He could have said, however, that beginners should aim to graduate to unmanaged POD eventually, for all the reasons you give about the downsides of marketplaces, and because the unmanaged version is a truly independent business that you manage yourself and which has real asset value.
Oooo managed pod is a good term. But beginner or not, I don't think anyone should sell on Redbubble or Teepublic. Why is a beginners time less valuable than anyone elses. Why should a beginner only be able to make $1-$3 per sale.
@@shimmymorris1 agreed, I guess I was thinking about Etsy - did he say why he didn't sell on there? I might go and watch his video in full and see if he explains.
@@SpeedbirdHeavy there's no mention of etsy
@shimmymorris1 interesting since he said he was going to explain why he doesn't use Printful, Printify or Etsy 🤔
Why he doesn’t use printful printify or etsy is mentioned but it’s a separate video. Basically the idea is little to no investment and design volume multiplied by many sites that drive traffic and do all the back end work like returns and customer service. Basically come up with 200+ designs and once that work is done post all the same designs to 4 or 5 algorithm driven sites that do all the back end for you. Hence the “passive” wording and in his Udemy corses this is clearly explained however not in the RUclips’s.
Okay, 5 months old now. Not sure if you’ll respond or perhaps someone else. The thing I like about Amazon is they handle everything including shipping. The 2.66 profit isn’t great. What I’m running into is trying to keep prices down on my site but also having to absorb the crazy Prinify shipping. 3 items (personal purchase for testing) and the shipping was actually more than the 3 items. Slippers were over $16 for shipping.
I’m looking at removing some things now because shipping is so much.
Love some thoughts on this. Thank you.
I have followed you both. And can definitely tell you that both of you are right at your own place. Greg is pushing passive earning with least amount of monetary investment and less stress as side income along with your main job. Where as you push for full fledged business. As per greg, he never exaggerated income and always tell people few designs won't work in this model. Specific good designs for non designers, in specific low competition niche, 1000s of design may end up with $1000 every month on an avarage. Wich is not bad as side income.
they dont mention this part...thank you very much
Thank you Shimmy for reviewing Greg's video. I was one of the persons that have requested that you check out Greg's videos. I started out listening to Greg during Covid. He is a great teacher. However, his information is saturated with a flood of inaccuracies. I don't understand why Greg continues to spread this misinformation virus. Have you checked out his full tutorial? Don't expect him to contact you.
By the way, he introduce me to a tool called merch informer. Do you use it, or recommend it?
Isn't that tool mainly for amazon sellers?
I don't recommend it anymore. It's extremely outdated now and very clunky to use
@@MaryHardymsmary_h I believe that's Jungle Scout for Amazon
@@shimmymorris1I believe most of the RUclipsrs are giving false information all for just clicks and views.
@@shimmymorris1 sorry the question, can you suggest an alternative please ? i am really new into PoD and this research is very confusing for me .....
I have a friend who makes £1 in profit from her items. Between Etsy, her own website and other platforms, she gets over 50 thousand sales PER MONTH which means she's making over 50K PER MONTH (she's a multi millionaire and only been in business for 6 years) so turning our noses up at opportunities with low profits is unwise IMO. At the end of the day, nobody will have a successful business unless they're putting in the hard work so I agree that the term "passive income" is misinformation but I also think its poor guidance to not take low profits seriously.
thank you
Trick is sell more item in more marketplaces even $1 is PROFIT not loss on paying Shopify subscription or website hosting
I think Greg ‘s ammo has always been that he doesnt want to do customer service as that makes it more passive (besides the teaffic generation thing) . That is why he doesnt do etsy.
hmmm
He didn't say active was bad. The point was to teach passive. It's a good place to start. Especially if you want to get in with amazon. Its good to show you have some experience in the space. Maybe you want to build out a store when you know more about the business.
“Hard work” took him 35 seconds. That’s 800 designs in 8 hours. 2$ is plenty of profit.
Bottom line for me is who handles overhead and returns. If it's me, I'm out. I just don't have time, nor desire to handle returns. I work 13 hours a day 6 days a week and Sundays are family time. I need a site where I can upload my designs and forget about it.
I followed gregs advice and started my pod business on teepublic and now i am having second thoughts about it. I am thinking of closing the business and moving to another platform. Thanks for doing this video.
Would be helpful if you shared your reasons.
I dont mind the video. My kids and I are going to start "passively" this summer and progress to your reccomendations in the "active" category. Its a learning curve for us. Any designs we make can transfer.
Nice... but It won't be passive for your children... They will need to put a ton of effort into it. And if they go in to Redbubble or Teepublic it would be a shame as I don't think their effort would pay off
How's it going?
Thank you so much for explaining this so well. There are so many POD videos and it is hard to know if this would be a Good business to get into.
I think it's great depending on what route you go down
I'm curious if your customer from your shopify webstie decided to return the product, how do you handle the return/customer service?
@@minnie_wu I refund them. I tell them to donate it to charity or they can send it back. It’s a very straightforward process 👍☺️
He does say it, also oh days on other videos you get less for the tees. What year is this?
Thank you for your insight. You gave me a something to think about. Who would suggest on who has the best tutorial on this? Or, if anyone here knows of someone who has a tutorial on how to start one and have used it.
Thank you once again for this video.
Thank you for the vid shimmy,hey I have a question to ask..on Shopify actual cost video you mentioned that when you make a engagement ad campaign...I'm a bit uncertain on something I recently got the amount needed/minimum ($500)
My question is what does good engagement on a Facebook engagement ad look like(in terms on likes or however it works
And if possible can you please make a video specifically about Facebook ads like if you are working with $500 what are realistic profits and loss that can be made
He is completely right!!! I don't know what kind of interest you have with Etsy to say otherwise but I understand that there is some. Maybe some affiliate program? or anything similar.
Since Etsy changed the way it works, it's a real mess. Between its fees, laws, and the money you now have to pay out of your pocket to pay for your orders, IT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT WORTH IT. And yes, it is absolutely an active POD, because a lot of follow-up and customer service work is done, dear.
i knew there was something wrong when I watched it yesterday. I binged watch his videos yesterday and I was blown away. No way there is nothing wrong with what he's saying, sounds too good to be true. And now I know what those are... thanks to this video.
Thank you for this because i was all in and saved his video and was following step by step but now I will take my designs elsewhere
so grateful I got suggested this video after watching Greg's. I was swaging away from Printify. Which I was convinced before :)
Greg doesnt tell you that you have to apply for amazon merch, well yes he does. Greg doesnt tell you its hard to get accepted, YES he does. Greg doesnt comment to anything... he does. Talks about how these platforms can shut you down at any time then brings up using etsy as if they're not famous for doing exactly that. This video seems to only be destroying his own credibility. Maybe do more research on his videos before commenting one ONE video.
I was watching his channel just yesterday, I didn't realized he missed so many crucial information until
you showed it here. I am glad I came across your channel so soon, thank you for giving me correct
information. I am seriously looking into POD, and I am trying to make sure I am getting the right information.
Thank you for exposing the inaccuracies of this video. I watched it and was skeptical and now I know why
9:25 - 11:56
You made a great point, Shimmy. However, I still consider the $2.66 profit a profit I didn't need to work hard for. A win is a win. It may have been off by $2.34, but profit is still profit. I'm enjoying your video so far.
Excellent and fair critique. Well done, and you earned another subscriber. I've enjoyed a lot of Greg's content, however I've left a comment on a few of his videos pointing out that it's not at all as easy as he makes it out to be regarding being accepted by Amazon Merch. He surely knows this, and it baffles me why he doesn't just say it.
Back in the day, online was a bonus when selling in the real world, and it still is today. It's just that the online bonus is much more today.
I followed his direction on getting in with Amazon and it work great....
@@Paulspicks-555 nice! What else did you do besides applying?
Amaz Merch on Demand is not what it used to be, they don't tier you up to the next level even if you've filled your design products. My tier 500 from 2 years ago is still restricted to 500, the only way to upload more designs is to remove some of the old ones???? Also, when you purchase a Tier10K, you might have it for a short time uploading your designs furiously, then all of a sudden you find Amaz has "capped" you at 1,000 and won't let you upload the entire 10,000, very frustrating!
In the mid-90s, having your own website was one of the first hurdles you had to conquer. If you didn't know how to write code, you had to pay someone who did. E-commerce wasn't huge at all, then. This is why I hesitated with online sales. If I hadn't done that, I could be on a tropical island sipping rum from a coconut shell right now 😅. And believe me, 30 years later, I'm still kicking my own ass 😂
I looked at a lot of Greg’s videos and I was going to use his process because as a newbie, it seemed like sound advice. Now I need to rethink my strategy.
Thanks for this.
it depends what you want really...
Thank you for making this. I had just watched a different video of Greg's, and something about it wasn't sitting right with me. You nailed it - the bias is super clear when you point it out. I felt like he was leaving out crucial information, and I appreciate you naming some of those details he left out.
To me, it seems like his perspective is very slanted to someone who is willing to chase trends, which is useless if you are a content creator looking to find the best pathway for getting merch for your community.
Thanks for your help. I stopped watching all videos making money online. I prefer selling my expertise in one field. Most of the people on RUclips are liars. These type of channels should be banned. I say terminated. if I were a developer at RUclips I will close all of the channels of the big liars.
You couldn't be further from the truth. It's sickening RUclips thrives on clickbait type of channels especially in the POD and affiliate marketing world. 99% of them should be forever banned from giving anybody false hope and lies.
@@patjohnson8450 true
What is ur opinion of the Zazzle platform?
Avoid it. It's the same as Redbubble and Teepublic. Over priced, Low profit margins, and No way to actually build a brand.
I appreciate your feedback, however I think people who watch RUclips videos must take what is being said with a grain of salt and do their own research, not just blindly accept what some stranger says online. The beauty of Greg's videos is that he gives out a boat load of information and never asks for one dime. Thanks for this video in any case.
thanks! he does have courses btw, and also, i think regardless of whether its a free video on youtube or a course... the information needs to be accurate and not speculatory. There's nothing wrong if he has a course... but it's obvious he doesn't do this because if he did he wouldn't be recommending redbubble and potentially wasting 10s of thousands of peoples times.
Great advice as a Brit... you are re analysing all the proactive and cons... all we want to know how much profit ... 📈 well ✔️ done
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you for this video. As someone who is exploring my options right now. It gave me a lot to think about. I'm gonna watch some more of your videos. I've watch some of Greg's videos. For me to say what is good and what is bad i don't know. There is so many opinions and voices coming at starters it's been hard picking a clear path forward.
Just pick Shimmy.
there's a lot of good youtubers. philip anders, chris heckman, etc
@@shimmymorris1I agree there a lot. I like both Chris Heckman and Philip Ander. I've been slowly working through Cris's 21 hrs course. I'm gonna start adding your channel through my rotation as well
Well, to be honest, he isn't comparing, he's telling you why he uses one over the other. That's why it's not a fair comparison.
I would love to see you do one these expose videos on Wholesale Ted. REALLY want to see one. There's just something not quire right there - at least not for me.
U just saved me allot of time 😂😂thank you so much watched he's video 7 hours ago and was contemplating going to these sites❤❤
For a single design that can continue bringing income for a long time, the rates are not so bad considering how much goes into actually making the merch, listing and handling customer service and possible returns. I am speaking of amazon merch, not sure of the other platforms. I currently do my own embroidery and printing but it's so much work without having a loyal customer base. I have to set prices low and still offer free shipping to compete with the bigger platforms.
You can get banned & suspended at any time on ETSY too!!! It happens to people all the time! 🙄
my most recent one was "you primary picture has a collage" which is ABSURD because the first page alone has seller listings whose lead image is a COLLAGE! Ebay doesn't harass sellers on their images.
I'm new to POD and I'm open to hearing what the gurus have to say. I take their advice with a grain of salt, do my research, and make the choices that are best for me. I plan to hire a designer to create most of my tees. I use designers for my KDP book covers and I've been happy with the results. I'm planning to give Etsy a try and possibly Amazon Merch.
good luck!
I've been following Greg for a couple of years -- even waiting patiently for his return when he was away. He seems to be pretty genuine but since his return, there does seem to be more biases in the info he presents. I believe the key to following anyone on YT is being able to decide what you choose to accept and what may have some bias.
I've watched his videos, he's an old timer who got in to those marketplaces early on, and is a member of the higher level tiers, what he fails to mention though about the current day situation, is that most newbies will be relegated to the bottom level tiers and will barely stand a chance of being noticed or displayed, much less make any sales, and evidently things have changed drastically due to the mass flood of new pod designers and sellers in the last few years, so it's not as easy as he makes it all out be for new hopefuls
And these platforms have changed so much now as well
I think I recognize his voice from a voice-only YT channel I watch, unrelated to POD. Can't quite recall which one. It will come back to me. I'm just bringing it up because the eternal question about easy money videos is always why they are making marketing videos if they are sitting around their mansions with money on tap.
Thank you for the information. It was helpful.
Thank you! I don't view Active/Passive as different amounts of work. Both require a lot of work. I view them as "need money do it"/ "don't need money to do it." lol. So, I haven't made it up to the reimbursement with profits level yet bc I gotta buy food for the kids.
That's an interesting way of looking at it lol
Hi Shimmy, can you do a video about Wholesale Ted (Sarah Crisp)? And what do you think about Ebay for print on demand?
The problem with 95% of all RUclipsrs is that they want to sell something, or that you join a course or something. It will make everyone see pro and cons in everything and ofcourse more pro in what the RUclipsr prefer themselves. . When You have serious intention to start print on demand or any other online business, or business at all you need to do Your own research. You are right! But Greg inform the way he see it and I can see pro and cons in both way. Your way are better if You can put more time into it and want to earn more money. Greg for those who have little time and want more passive income. If you make your own commercial on Facebook you can also get banned. It is the same for me who will start to produce my own product. Is Amazon FBA or do all ad myself? I have find out that do my own ad, but let 3pl do all logistic will be best. I look forward to next video from you :)
@@dagadler3863 thanks. Ye I hear what you’re saying but unfortunately there’s no passive route with this business. That’s just misleading information… so however, good it might sound, it’s a pipe dream.
I agree 100%!!!! There is nothing easy about GOOD design and business, however, usually, the more that you put into it, the more you get out of it...if you're hitting the key notes.
which is why the "active" POD as he calls it is so much more worthwhile
I just have a question, have you watch the videos where he explains more about the tiers, how to get accepted, how much you made, and when you get paid? I feel like you saw the video, watched the video and took what you wanted from it without know that he explains more in other videos.
ive seen many many videos of his and i watched this in full... there's no trick to getting accepted. i didn't just make this off the bat
Imo there are massive benefits to having full creative control & less restrictions but i can definitely understand the attraction of not having to desl with customer service.
It is deceptive imo to portray things the way he does & it makes me suspicious about any benefit he may get from essentially promoting certain sites.
I am thankful that I viewed your content, I went to both of those sites, and I was not impressed with either site.
😀
Shimmy,
Thank you for your video.
I think your point that there is no passive PODis valid. What Greg didn't make clear in this video is the suggestion he made in another video that to be accepted into AMAZON March you need to show experience in selling POD products.
Also he seems to be appealing to those who use a platform like Canva or Creative Fabrica to choose and quickly list designs, which in the case of a subscription with CF you're licensed to sell any design. Some with or without modification if I recall correctly.
The good thing of Greg he explained step by step how to start design and register and you fil it up in POD Website. so he give you an idea
With the "active" POD model, after you pay for your t-shirt blank, Shopify costs, and other fees, how much NET profit do you make?
Behind every guru there are sponsors
What about Amazon?
Thanks for this content. It helps to weed through a lot of the hype connected to POD.
Thanks for the honest video
The criticism comes from the viewpoint of a devotee of Shopify who looks with disdain at those who don't want to own a full fledged business and just wants a sideline they can use for supplemental income.
Not at all… I’m on Amazon and Etsy too. I started on Teespring. I’ve done Redbubble… I’ve now moved on to Shopify as I’ve realised I want to turn this into a business I can sell. But I’ve had over 10 years of experience selling POD No disdain at all.
thank you
3:26 what he says is not correct. That you have to pay in advance for an order. That doesn't make any sense, especially if it's on your own website. You receive payment for the order and then you pay the POD company to fulfill the order.
WRONG! This is why you need to have a credit card which you'll be charged FIRST, then after the sale is processed, that's when you receive the funds in your account.
@@tribzman3977 For printful I don't need a credit card.
I got accepted to Amazon merch on demand, but my biggest dislike is the tier system and limit on uploads
nice one!! ye it's annoying, but limits people mass uploading
Is it $5 profit if you sell in USD and calulate profit in another currency like aud or cad (which would be $4)