My Thoughts on the New Redbubble & Society6 Payment Changes - April 2023
Update: I’ve published a follow-up article sharing my thoughts on the new Society6 tiered pricing plans that were announced on October 19, 2023. Read it here.
If you’re an artist selling on print-on-demand sites like Society6 and Redbubble, chances are you’ve seen the changes they’ve made to their fee structure recently.
I’ve been watching this play out and I know that it’s causing some unrest and confusion among the art community. As an artist who has been heavily involved with print-on-demand sites since the early days, I wanted to share my thoughts on how this will affect artists and the best way to move forward.
First of all, let’s clarify what’s happening. Both Society6 and Redbubble have introduced new fees for artists selling on their platforms.
Starting May 4th, Society6 will begin deducting a shipping fee from artists’ earnings. The shipping fees range from $0.30 to $8 with the majority of shipping fees in the $0.30 to $3 range. Common products like art prints, clothing, stickers, mugs, and phone cases all fall under a dollar for their shipping fee. You can find the entire list of shipping fees on the Society6 blog.
Redbubble’s fee is based on your total earnings. They are also implementing an account tier system and fees will be charged according to which tier you’re in. Some tiers will be charged a fee, others won’t. The tiers are Standard, Premium, and Pro. From what I gathered from Redbubble’s explanation of this new program, fees will likely apply for accounts classified as Standard. You can find a list of the fees on the Redbubble blog here and learn more about the account tier classification here.
Both of these fees only apply if a sale is made.
My Thoughts:
I completely understand why this might be frustrating or scary for artists who sell on these platforms. Art as a commodity has traditionally been undervalued so I get that it can feel like you have to keep your guard up and fight for fair compensation.
But we also have to view ourselves and our artwork as a business and interact with our partners accordingly. These changes are happening because print-on-demand sites are experiencing rising costs affecting just about every industry in this current economic climate.
It may feel like these changes came out of the blue, but they’re not entirely unexpected. The tech industry has been hit hard recently, and companies across the board are having to adapt. I’ve personally experienced this with other income streams that involve the tech industry. My earnings have decreased in other areas as companies try to weather the storm.
The big takeaway? Adapt & Diversify!
Changes like these are a prime example of why it’s vital to diversify your income streams as an artist. Here’s a real-life example of this in my own business: When COVID hit and we were all stuck at home, my art licensing revenue plummeted about 50% since no one was going to retail stores. However, more people were at home learning new hobbies, so my online course sales soared. My teaching revenue helped balance out the places where my art licensing fell short.
You’ve probably heard people say that when building an audience, it’s important to build an email list because you don’t actually own your social media following. If something were to ever happen to a social media platform or your account gets hacked, that audience could go away in an instant.
We have to keep the same thing in mind when it comes to working with any external partners like print-on-demand sites or retail stores. You don’t own their distribution system or their site, so it’s important to think about building multiple streams of income as a safety net.
Even before these changes, I know that many people have been frustrated with print-on-demand since it’s gotten more and more saturated over the years. One thing I always tell my students is to always be on the lookout for new opportunities and adapt. There are always new print-on-demand sites popping up, and it’s just a matter of finding the partners that are the perfect fit for you and your art.
How I’m moving forward with these changes:
I plan to continue to upload my art to print-on-demand sites. The fees that are being implemented are based on the products or volume of sales and from my perspective, it’s a cost of doing business.
I will continue to put my effort into the print-on-demand sites that are the most successful for me – Society6, Spoonflower, and Redbubble.
I try to align the amount of time and effort I put into print-on-demand with the percentage of income it produces for me. For example, if you get 20% of your income through POD, try to only spend 20% of your working time on it.
My philosophy has always been to cast a wide net, see what’s working for me, and follow what works. I encourage you to evaluate how these sites are producing for you and make decisions based on that.
What you can do next:
At the end of the day, I believe that all artists should be compensated fairly for their work. If this new print-on-demand compensation structure doesn’t work for you, that’s ok! If you are uncomfortable with the fees, don’t force yourself to keep investing your time into this income stream.
Print-on-demand opened so many doors for me at the beginning of my career, but it’s not a requirement for success in art licensing. There are so many opportunities to make income as an artist. Experimenting with multiple different income streams and putting your time into the ones that work for you is the key to creating a successful art career.
Stay adaptable, trust your own integrity, and do what’s best for you.
–Cat