Has anyone used Patreon’s merch fulfillment yet?

[Caro]

Either on the Creator end or the receiving end?

I’ve started up my Patreon again for the past month and the notification got me mega excited. Right now my growth is pretty consistent but I wanna throw in the merch fulfillment option when it starts to slow down for some extra incentive later on BUT only if its worth it and the product quality doesn’t totally suck and I have no idea what its like on either end!

Also, I’d love to from other Patreon users and Patreon supporters: what type of tier offers hook your supporters in/what type of offers hook YOU in? Do you support folks for the content or just to support them?

[rajillustration]

I'm the weird type that goes for a low tier of just giving support but not for an incentive. The sound of having merch available though is really cool!

[Caro]

I also generally give low tip jar contributions to support my pals but I’ll give more if an artist or something I like offers informational stuff that’s relevant info to me at a higher tier.

The merch fulfillment is such a gamechanger because its one of the best ways to grow and one of the worst things in the world to do myself

[lesson101]

I’m a writer and I’m not good with designs so I have not used Patreon’s merch fulfillment option or think of using it anytime soon since I couldn’t afford the additional 3% monthly fee in addition to my 8% platform fee and transaction fees. Patreon is already taking almost $200 from all my proceeds so if the merch doesn’t work I’m just adding more expenses since not alot of Patrons will go to $10 and above tiers just to get the merch.

[ronlogan]

cool thx for info! maybe you need try it

[Caro]

The way I see it is that its going to be a really good way to get people in the door because I know a lot of people following me reaaallly want more merch. Its money I wouldn’t normally have been making to begin with so a fee on top of what feels like free money to me isn’t so bad considering all of the new higher tier patrons its guaranteed to bring in for me (very visually oriented and already somewhat successful with merch)

When I consider the past and think about when I’ve made my own merch and shipped it myself at the volume of orders I got I would end up having to take a day or two off just to deal with shipping orders and the time not wasted on my own shipping fulfillment is time I could be making more stuff that would make me more longterm money so I think it COULD be worth the fees for me.

But I’m also wary of the quality of their products!

[lesson101]

Oh if there are a lot of demands from your side then I guess that’s good since you are somehow guaranteed but for me who don’t have experience on merch, I feel like it would be useless for me and it is a risk I’d rather not take. Furthermore, I don’t have a design in hand to sell that my patrons love unless it’s a hardcopy of my book​ since I am a writer. My patrons are very supportive though but for me I think I’m not ready for merch. However it’s really good to know that if one day I decided to have merch, Patreon have an option. I don’t have to think too much about it and I heard on reddit that the quality was okay but a lot of times the parcel never arrives or very late.