Printful Quick Stores, originally introduced by Printful in June 2024, offers entrepreneurs and creators a convenient way to start selling products online, without the need to use a full ecommerce platform, or a marketplace like Etsy and Amazon.
It’s similar in a lot of ways to Printify’s “Pop-Up Store” service, offering a free, all-in-one tool individuals can use to sell a range of customizable products online. Although, personally, I’d recommend integrating Printful with at least one online marketplace or an ecommerce platform like Shopify to boost your brand’s reputation and increase sales, Quick Stores is great for beginners.
Here, I’ll share everything you need to know about Printful Quick Stores, and how it works, and I’ll provide a step-by-step guide for creating your own “Quick Store” with Printful.
Quick Verdict
Printful Quick Stores is a free tool creators can use to launch an online store and sell products through a custom link.
Quick Stores isn’t a comprehensive website builder or ecommerce platform, you won’t get access to a host of themes and design tools like you would with Shopify.
Currently Printful Quick Stores is only available to merchants in the US, and products sold through the channel can only be delivered to US addresses.
You can sell any of customizable products offered by Printful using Quick Stores, provided they’re available in the United States.
Profits earned through Printful Quick Stores are added to your Printful wallet, and transferred to your bank once per month, provided the payout amount exceeds $25.
The Pros and Cons of Printful Quick Stores
Overall, Printful Quick Stores is a convenient, free, and simple solution for selling print on demand merchandise. However, it’s not the best way to build a memorable brand or scale your business. Based on my experience, here are the key pros and cons of using Printful Quick Stores.
Pros 👍
Cons 👎
Pros 👍
It’s completely free to use with no setup costs
Quick Stores is extremely beginner friendly and easy to use
Printful handles production and order fulfillment for you
You benefit from all of Printful’s great design tools
You’ll be able to a wide range of high-quality products
Cons 👎
You can’t change much about the design of your store
You won’t be able to sell anything not created by Printful
Quick Stores is only available to US sellers, and US customers
What is Printful Quick Stores?
Quick Stores is the free tool offered by Printful to creators who want to sell products through a custom link online, without designing and managing a full ecommerce website, or creating an account to sell with a marketplace like Amazon or Etsy.
It basically gives you a simple storefront where you can showcase your logo, list the products you’ve created with Printful, and process customer payments through Stripe. Compared to a comprehensive ecommerce solution, Quick Stores is pretty basic.
There are no themes you can use to customize your site’s design. All you can really customize is your store’s name (and URL), your logo, and your product descriptions and photos.
The good news is that Printful Quick Stores is free, and very easy to use.
Once you create a store with the tool, you can share your custom link with buyers, and they can purchase products in an instant. All of their order information is automatically transferred to Printful, and their team handles the production and fulfillment process for you.
Similar to Printify’s Pop-Up Store creator, Printful Quick Stores offers ecommerce beginners a very easy way to start selling online, and you won’t need any website design knowledge to use it. However, unlike Printify Pop-up Store, Quick Stores is only available in the US (at least for now).
MORE: Printful Quick Stores vs Printify Pop-Up Store
How to Create a Store with Printful Quick Stores
You won’t need any technical knowledge, or design skills to create a Quick Store with Printful. All you need is a free Printful account (you can sign up with your email address or a Facebook, Apple, or Google account). I’d also recommend choosing a business name and designing a logo in advance.
After you sign up for a free Printful account, log in, and visit your Printful dashboard. Click on the Stores tab in the left-hand menu, and you’ll be taken to a page where you can choose whether you want to integrate Printful with an existing sales channel, or create a new store.
Notably, the “Quick Stores” option will only appear for merchants based in the United States. If you don’t see the Quick Stores section on your dashboard, it might not be available for you yet.
If you do see Quick Stores on your dashboard, click the Create store now button.
Customizing your Printful Quick Store
As I mentioned above, you can’t customize Printful Quick Stores like you would an ecommerce store built with Shopify or Wix. All Quick Stores will look very similar. However, you can add unique details to your store. You can choose a store name, and unique printful.me URL, for instance.
Keep in mind you can’t change your URL later, so make sure you choose something unique, memorable, and relevant. Once you’ve added your name and custom website address to your store, you can upload your logo. If you don’t have one, Printful will just display your store name at the top of the page when customers click on your link.
Next, you’ll need to choose your country of tax residence. Remember, Quick Stores is only available to merchants in the US right now, and it only delivers products to US customers.
Finally, you can select a “default markup percentage”. That’s how you tell Printful how to calculate the price of each product. You can change your markup later, or choose unique prices for each product individually too.
Once you’ve entered all of these details, click Create Store and you’ll be ready to start adding products you’ve designed with Printful.
Adding Products to your Printful Quick Store
After you’ve created your store, you can start designing and adding products to sell. Go back to your Printful dashboard and click on the Stores tab, and you’ll see a button to add a product to your store. If you’ve already designed product templates with Printful, you can add them directly.
If you haven’t designed any products yet, click on Product Catalog in the left-hand menu, and you’ll be able to browse through all of Printful’s customizable products.
Select an item you want to customize, and you’ll be taken to Printful’s Design Maker too. This gives you the option to upload designs, adjust their placement, and even add free assets to your design. You can experiment with text, clipart, and images.
Once you’re happy with the design, convert it into a mockup, add a title, and write an enticing description, outlining all of the most enticing features of your new product.
Then, you can adjust your product’s pricing. If you set a default markup percentage for your store, this will immediately determine the initial retail price. However, you can fine tune your pricing at any time. Finally, click Publish to add your product to your store.
Selling and Getting Paid with Printful Quick Stores
Once you have your Quick Store, you’ll need to promote and share it with as many potential customers as possible. I’d recommend publishing your link on your social media pages, and adding it to any email campaigns you send to buyers.
To receive payments for your products, go to your Printful dashboard and click Billing then Quick Store Payments. Choose Set up Payouts to make sure you can access your earnings.
Printful has partnered with Stripe to enable transaction processing for Quick Stores. When you’re creating your store, you’ll be asked to share your bank details, and create an account with Stripe. Then, each month, Printful will transfer anything you earn from Quick Stores into your bank account.
However, payouts are only processed if you earn at least $25. If you don’t meet that cap, you’ll need to wait for the next payout date when you hit the $25 mark.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can You have More than one store on Printful?
While you can only create a single Quick Store with Printful, you can still integrate the platform with a range of marketplaces and ecommerce platforms too. If you want to expand your reach and build your brand, you can connect Printful to channels like Shopify, Amazon, Etsy, and Squarespace.
Why can’t I see Quick Stores on my dashboard?
If you create an account with Printful and don’t see the Quick Stores option, you may be located outside of the United States. Quick Stores is only available to US retailers at this time. Additionally, some US customers may not have access yet, as Printful is taking a phased approach to introducing Quick Stores to all customers.
How is Quick Stores billing different?
If you use Quick Stores for your storefront, customers will pay Printful directly for any products they buy. Printful will then deduct any costs (such as the base product cost and design costs) from this amount, and send your profits to your Printful wallet. You’ll then be paid by Printful once per month, provided your payout exceeds $25.
The post Printful Quick Stores: The Complete Guide for Retailers appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.
Printful Quick Stores, originally introduced by Printful in June 2024, offers entrepreneurs and creators a convenient way to start selling products online, without the need to use a full ecommerce platform, or a marketplace like Etsy and Amazon. It’s similar…
Continue reading Printful Quick Stores: The Complete Guide for Retailers
The post Printful Quick Stores: The Complete Guide for Retailers appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.
Amazon’s Foray into Entertainment: From Prime Video to MGM Acquisition
Amazon’s journey from a humble online bookstore to one of the world’s most powerful companies is a well-known story. However, its foray into the entertainment industry, which began with the launch of Amazon Prime Video and culminated in the acquisition of MGM, is a compelling narrative that illustrates the company’s ambition to become a dominant force in every aspect of modern life. This article delves into Amazon’s entertainment strategy, exploring how it has evolved, the significance of key milestones like the MGM acquisition, and the broader implications for the entertainment industry.
The Genesis of Amazon Prime Video
Amazon’s entry into the entertainment sector was a calculated move, born from a desire to enhance its ecosystem and drive customer loyalty. The launch of Amazon Prime Video in 2006 was initially part of the Amazon Prime subscription service, which offered members faster shipping for an annual fee. The addition of streaming video content was a strategic decision aimed at increasing the value proposition of Prime membership, thereby encouraging more customers to sign up and stay within the Amazon ecosystem.
At its inception, Prime Video was a relatively modest offering, featuring a limited library of licensed films and TV shows. However, Amazon quickly recognized the potential of the streaming industry, especially as competitors like Netflix and Hulu were gaining traction. The company began to invest heavily in acquiring more content and, crucially, in producing its own original programming.
The Rise of Amazon Studios
The establishment of Amazon Studios in 2010 marked a significant turning point in the company’s entertainment strategy. Initially, Amazon Studios took an unconventional approach to content development by inviting aspiring filmmakers and writers to submit scripts and project ideas. This crowdsourcing model was innovative but ultimately unsustainable, leading Amazon to pivot toward a more traditional production model.
In 2013, Amazon Studios made its first major splash with the release of Alpha House and Betas, two original series that were well-received but did not achieve widespread popularity. The real breakthrough came in 2014 with Transparent, a drama series that received critical acclaim and won multiple awards, including a Golden Globe. Transparent established Amazon as a serious player in original content production, paving the way for future successes like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Fleabag, and The Boys.
Amazon’s investment in original content has been substantial, with billions of dollars poured into production each year. The company’s willingness to spend big on high-quality programming reflects its commitment to becoming a leader in the entertainment space. However, content production is only one piece of Amazon’s broader entertainment strategy.
The Acquisition of MGM: A Game-Changing Move
Amazon’s $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM in 2021 was a bold and significant step in its entertainment journey. MGM, one of Hollywood’s most iconic studios, boasts a vast library of content, including the James Bond franchise, Rocky, The Handmaid’s Tale, and thousands of other films and TV shows. The acquisition was not just about adding content to Prime Video’s library but also about gaining valuable intellectual property (IP) that could be leveraged across Amazon’s various platforms.
For Amazon, the MGM acquisition provided a treasure trove of content that could be used to attract new subscribers, retain existing ones, and compete more effectively with other streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max. The move also underscored Amazon’s broader strategy of integrating its entertainment offerings with its other services, creating a seamless ecosystem that keeps customers engaged and loyal.
The acquisition was met with a mixed response from industry analysts. Some viewed it as a savvy move that would strengthen Amazon’s position in the highly competitive streaming market. Others, however, questioned whether the price tag was justified, especially given the challenges of integrating a traditional studio like MGM into Amazon’s tech-driven corporate culture.
The Broader Implications for the Entertainment Industry
Amazon’s aggressive push into entertainment has had significant implications for the broader industry. The company’s deep pockets and willingness to spend have forced traditional studios and other streaming platforms to rethink their strategies. The rise of streaming has already disrupted the traditional film and television business models, and Amazon’s entry into the space has accelerated this transformation.
One of the most notable impacts has been the escalating “streaming wars,” where companies are competing fiercely for content and subscribers. Amazon’s willingness to invest in original content and its acquisition of MGM have raised the stakes, prompting other companies to make similar moves. Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox and WarnerMedia’s merger with Discovery are examples of how traditional media companies are consolidating to better compete in the new landscape.
Moreover, Amazon’s integration of entertainment with its broader ecosystem—ranging from e-commerce to cloud computing—represents a unique approach that other companies are beginning to emulate. The ability to cross-promote content across multiple platforms, offer exclusive deals to Prime members, and leverage data analytics to tailor content to individual preferences gives Amazon a competitive edge that few can match.
However, Amazon’s growing influence in entertainment has also raised concerns. Critics argue that the company’s dominance in multiple sectors, including retail, cloud computing, and now entertainment, could lead to antitrust issues. There are fears that Amazon’s expansion into entertainment could stifle competition, reduce diversity in content, and concentrate too much power in the hands of a single corporation.
The Future of Amazon in Entertainment
Looking ahead, Amazon shows no signs of slowing down its push into entertainment. The company continues to invest heavily in original content, with upcoming projects like the highly anticipated The Lord of the Rings series, which reportedly cost over $1 billion to produce. Amazon is also exploring new ways to integrate its entertainment offerings with its other services, such as bundling Prime Video with other Amazon subscriptions and offering exclusive content for Alexa-enabled devices.
Additionally, the MGM acquisition opens up new possibilities for Amazon to expand its content offerings, including potential reboots, spin-offs, and new franchises based on MGM’s extensive library. The acquisition also positions Amazon to be a major player in the licensing and distribution of content, giving it more leverage in negotiations with other studios and platforms.
In conclusion, Amazon’s foray into entertainment, from the launch of Prime Video to the acquisition of MGM, is a testament to the company’s ambition and vision. By investing in original content, acquiring valuable IP, and integrating its entertainment offerings with its broader ecosystem, Amazon has positioned itself as a formidable player in the entertainment industry. As the streaming wars continue to heat up, Amazon’s role in shaping the future of entertainment will be one to watch closely.
