Printables are digital files (in my case PDF files) you can buy online, download immediately and print at home. They could be greeting cards, forms of all sorts, painting or photography prints, illustrations, party accessories, coloring pages, paper craft etc.
I love printables. I love buying printables and I love selling printables.
As a buyer, I often find myself shopping in the last minute, needing something for tomorrow, or even for that day. Printables to the rescue!
- I waste no time, making the purchase online
- I don’t have to wait for a package to arrive from overseas
- I can buy them at any hour (even in the middle of the night)
- They are available for use within minutes
- Most of the printables I buy are for creative activities with my nephews, for us it’s a great solution for spending a few hours of creative, imaginative, focused work
- If I mess it up, I can print another copy
As a seller, there are obvious advantages:
- I make the file once, and people can keep buying it
- I don’t have to handle printing, packaging and going to the post office to ship
- I can go on holiday and keep my shop active. I don’t need to be available for my customers to be able to purchase
Drawbacks
As a seller, there are also some major disadvantages.
I sell high quality, high resolution files, which – once purchased – I have no control over. They can be printed in unlimited copies, they can be resold or distributed, they can be used commercially, they can be used as a cheap source of quality designs for all sorts of purposes I’ve never dreamed of, they can be digitally manipulated in ways I’ve never permitted.
Basically, the maker has no control on how the files will be used.
I made my research before opening my shop, read all sorts of opinions on the matter, and was aware of these risks. At first I tried to find ways to assure myself – I tried creating passwords, restricting printing etc. I found no optimal solution.
So Why do it?
1. Creativity is a gift
I always try to remind myself this:
I prefer to be the one who comes up with ideas and designs, and have them stolen, than be the one who has to steal other people’s ideas and designs.
2. Good people
Also, I want to trust my customers, and I do. I believe most people are good people with good intentions. Moreover, by buying my printables, I feel they are showing support in me and my creations.
3. Ideals
Yes, I’m one of those silly people with ideals. A few years ago, when I was over-stressed with clients’ work, I did this thinking session, of where I would like my business to go. One of my goals was to do less work for business clients, and more work I can sell to the end users. Another goal was to sell things that are not just aesthetically pleasing, but ones which will have some added value for my customers. For me, the main audiences I would like to reach are women and children.
4. Accessibility
Accessibility is a strong factor in my creations. It goes hand in hand with the ideals. If I wish to give added value to my customers, in some small way help them on their journey, offer tools for empowerment, growth, learning, development, creativity, imagination – I want my creations to be available and accessible to people from all walks of life. I want, and aim to offer cheap prices that anyone will be able to afford, not just people who are already advantaged.
I still have a long way to go, accomplishing my vision, but with each and every product I sell, these are my guidelines.
I make absolutely no compromise on the quality. I make every item to the best of my ability – I invest in the thinking and planning, in research if necessary, in every aspect of the design, I try to envision its usage, and make it as easy and comfortable to use as I can
Good Faith Copyrights
Which is why I came up with the Good Faith Copyrights notice. I think the term gives a good indication of the idea behind it: I give you my faith, that you will not abuse my trust.
In my Good Faith Copyrights I ask you two things:
- Not to resell, redistribute or use commercially
And if you do have such intentions – please contact me to make sure it’s alright - If you plan to make a lot of prints – to buy another copy for every 20 prints
I know it’s tempting to send the file you bought to a good friend, to make copies for the whole class, or generate dozens of invitations for your party.
But, you see, this is how I make my living.
Thank you for taking the time to read this through, and for respecting my rights :-)