Comparison of Printing and Merchandising Applications: CafePress, Zazzle, SpreadShirt, and VistaPrint

Companies and individuals alike have been transferring their merchandise printing online, and as they do, new options in web 2.0 have made printing easier and more accessible than ever. This week we looked at the applications Zazzle, VistaPrint, SpreadShirt and CafePress.

As we close our series on customized printing, we sum up what we found; we judged them on what they could do, what their printing options were, and whether they offered an opportunity to sell our custom designs. The chart below will compare the four applications, and if you would like to see the full reviews, please click the product name in the first row of the chart.

Judging from a function perspective, Zazzle was the strongest, offering design tools, diverse products, tagging and rating, and a customizable online store. CafePress followed with a close second, offering a similar profile but without the the ability to rate or tag. SpreadShirt and VistaPrint were the weakest in this criteria, offering less options as well as less functions.

In terms of interface, CafePress was the most appealing, laying out their site in a clean, easy to navigate way that suited both individuals and business. This is not to say that each of them were poorly designed, to the contrary, all but VistaPrint were easy to navigate. We found VistaPrint to be too promotional in appearance, and it was difficult to quickly find what we were looking for. Zazzle, the print application that is designed for a younger audience was almost too young - the black glossiness of its graphics and flash did not suit business users. The user interface of SpreadShirt, the printer focused on apparel, was simple yet indirect.

In the end most users will find CafePress the most useful for business and personal marketing, but more social users are likely to like the interaction of Zazzle. Users looking for specific stationary may find what they are looking for in VistaPrint, and apparel minded users may like the options available in SpreadShirt. To find these applications or similar ones there is the Listio search: customize+merchandise.

Previously in this series: VistaPrint: Online Printing With Paper

Application: CafePress
Listio Profile: http://www.listio.com/web20/app/CafePress/
Website: http://www.cafepress.com

Shop at CafePress for the things you are looking for. CafePress.com is an online marketplace that offers sellers e-commerce services to independently create and sell a wide variety of products, and offers buyers unique merchandise across various topics. Individuals, organizations and businesses can... Learn more

Application: Zazzle
Listio Profile: http://www.listio.com/web20/app/Zazzle/
Website: http://www.zazzle.com

Use Zazzle to create or shop for unique designs. Find designs in mugs, cards, shirts, prints, and others. Create your own apparel, posters, cards, stamps and more using Zazzle. become a contributor by sharing your own creations in Zazzle's public galleries. Get user feedback on your contributions ... Learn more

Application: SpreadShirt
Listio Profile: http://www.listio.com/web20/app/SpreadShirt/
Website: http://www.spreadshirt.com

Create your own unique t-shirt designs with SpreadShirt.com. The T-Shirt Design application is simple to use. You can just drag and drop your text on a t-shirt to see what it will look like. You can also change colors or add photos! You can also make hoodies, onesies, panties, aprons and button... Learn more

Application: VistaPrint
Listio Profile: http://www.listio.com/web20/app/VistaPrint/
Website: http://www.vistaprint.com

Print on demand application with simple design tools. Make your own business card or promotional item with your logo or design on it. VistaPrint has a wide variety of stationary and media to print on.... Learn more

New to Listio? Our tag cloud search offers an easy way to narrow your hunt for the perfect web application or service. No more second guessing of search terms. Just click on one tag, then as many more as you'd like to narrow your search results. It's easy and ensures you get to the listing you want. Finding web 2.0 was never so easy.

Tags: comparison, create, customize, design, merchandise
Posted in: Printing, Product Comparisons | Respond
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