CAUGHT RED-HANDED: Society6 lying to customers and artists

[@AlisonKenyonArt]

I just signed up, had an impossible time even trying to set up my shop... so I looked up reviews and decided it's not worth my effort (I already have a website that offers prints and merch) I tried to close my store, and IT WON'T CLOSE! I'm worried now that they have my credit card # and will do something squirrely. The "help" page is completely blank.

[@lifeexpanded]

So frustrating. Hopefully it was a temporary glitch. I was able to access the help function just now at: help.society6.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=280167

[@PatternTalentbyDaryaKarenski]

I'm sorry, Aurora! And thank you for sharing this! What a disgrace to use loud and appealing slogans to take advantage of artists 😡

[@lifeexpanded]

Right!? All these people that are promised they are "supporting" artists, when that is not necessarily the case

[@olelukoyemilk400]

Very sorry to hear that! The other day I was banned by the Red Bubble and I did not try to remove the ban and write in support, instead I decided to be more selective in choosing platforms for work. Thank you so much for sharing, I hope you're a little comforted

[@lifeexpanded]

Thanks for your comment and sorry you got banned, even though it sounds like you have made the best of it. As these companies get squeezed they are squeezing artists even more.

[@olelukoyemilk400]

@@lifeexpanded Yes, I've followed the beginner's download instructions, but apparently that's not enough anymore. Yes, you are right - the time has come when you need to run as hard as you can to stay in place

[@JulieErinDesigns]

Wow, this is infuriating! I am so sorry you had to experience this but thank you for sharing and bringing awareness 💔

[@katefrancesdesigns]

So glad I found this. I was just about to start a society6 shop but giving it a second thought now. Utter disgrace Society6 😡Creating is work - sure we enjoy it but we don't do it for free!!!

[@lifeexpanded]

The only thing I would suggest, is if you do start a shop, make sure you set your margins up high enough to make sure you are compensated for your work 🎨🌸 Either way, wishing you super success!!

[@gruppe8]

I think the problem with all pod sites is that they see artists setting very low commissions and they can then think artists are happy with next to nothing, my markup for prints is 50-75% I make sales at that price point, there is no reason to set prices at 15% unless you wrongly believe that setting your commision low will create more sales ? it doesn't, your hard work will appear on someone's wall and you won't receive enough for a costa coffee, at 15% add up your travelling time and expenses, your time creating or editing and you will be receiving the same pay as some sweat shop in a third world country, bearing in mind not all creations will sell.

[@lifeexpanded]

That is SUCH a good reminder. It can be easy to get caught up in the race to the bottom and forget why you are even making art. Lesson learned for sure!

[@gruppe8]

@@lifeexpanded It could be worse on zazzle people are setting their rate at 5%, add a half price sale and an affiliate and that postcard sale will provide under 2 cents, while zazzle print of that postcard for 1 cent and pocket the rest, i make a full time living from pod sites, some stock images and video, I spend 3 months a year travelling and the rest editing uploading etc etc

[@DebutPages]

This is really good to know. Thank you. Thank you! That’s probably going to be a lawsuit regardless of what you do on your end. Just because the company is saying it isn’t their problem doesn’t mean it is true. There are plenty of savvy lawyers out there who would be able to cut that up and want to because they can find enough examples to make the case worth it for themselves.

[@lifeexpanded]

I hope people hear this and that some savvy class action lawyer gets on this!

[@gruppe8]

@@lifeexpanded unfortunately not, as all artists accepted the terms and conditions of society6, there is a clause of no class actions

[@aaronyoung8716]

Good to know ty for this I put my margins up 15% on there sale price. I ahd it at 10 now it is 25%. These companies don't they realize they will lose at the end for being greedy because the artists will just pump up there prices and eventually the customers will say no go and then they lose everything. Redbubble, Teepublic, and Society will have a fast death with there companies.

[@lifeexpanded]

I'm glad you took steps and bumped up your margins!

[@lukrezialaval2406]

Redbubble and Society6 are just merely affiliate programs at this point. And without us artists, they would not even exist. I guess the 8% was the 50% sale from your 15% mark up? (7,5 rounded up). Basically that means every time they make a 50% off sale, you should increase your markup to compensate. I see that you still have your Society6 Account up, did you make any more experience like that since then?

[@lifeexpanded]

Your math is correct. My account is still there with a minimal amount of designs, but I have not looked at it in months. At this point, I'm more keeping the account open in case I want to custom create something for myself. There were a few products from Society6 that I enjoyed.

[@thedarkslide]

I've tried listening to you rambling for a couple of minutes across two videos. I don't understand your problem(s). 1. If you don't want to be on Society6, just leave. It's their platform, they run it, you're subject to their terms. Deal with it. 2. As they rightly point out in their response to you (4:02), you are in control of how much you earn on each sale as YOU set YOUR markup. In a previous rant you were complaining about the shipping cost and how it's you, the artist who has to pay the shipping fee. You have a tool to pass on those costs to your consumer - by setting the right markup. Like you said in that previous video of yours: you didn't do the math. That's what it really boils down to. It's difficult to see how that is their fault when they are pretty transparent with platform users how the math works. 3. Inflation is real, and print on demand is a logistically expensive business to run. Energy costs have exploded the past two years, so have many other goods and services. To expect that a print on demand platform would be unaffected by all of this is a bit naive. Just my two cents, no hard feelings.

[@monislimdancer1]

ThT is the pitts! I don’t know what the solution is? I am on it also. But I think I am stopping.

[@lifeexpanded]

it's so frustrating!!

[@yasminkhalifa8548]

This hasn't happened to me but my society 6 sales has decreased and there is shipping fees on every sale. I plan to increase my markup to 20 percent. Society 6 used to be my best POD Shop in terms of sales, but not anymore. I hope they change their policies

[@lifeexpanded]

Me too. Especially as it seems that there is some technical glitch that is also halving the markup. percent when there is a sale. To me, this is theft.

[@yasminkhalifa8548]

@@lifeexpanded This is not a glitch, they make 50 % sale on art prints every month which lowers the prices of art prints to half and small art prints are already low priced. when you put the shipping fee the artist get almost nothing . So, Make sure to increase your markups in small art prints to 20 % or more because society6 puts them on sale.

[@prakashartwork]

Where to sell my art 😢? Online

[@lifeexpanded]

That is the huge challenge these days. Some people succeed with directly selling on their own platforms through websites and email lists, but that requires a lot to build. It's not easy, despite what people trying to get you to buy their course would have us believe

[@prakashartwork]

@@lifeexpanded i upload my 2 artwork on saatchi website but they not showing my art to buyers ?? Im not getting any views on my art

[@ArtisticInteligence1]

Oh..my...Aurora..closed..2..weeks..ago..RB..now..this...thanks..just..followed..you..there..lets..see..

[@lifeexpanded]

Good for you for closing your accounts. I really probably should!

[@ArtisticInteligence1]

@@lifeexpanded Still...on..soc6..teepublic..and..spoonflower..