Though I usually choose Printify and Printful as my prime decisions for print on demand platforms, CustomCat has actually begun grabbing my consideration these days.
This firm has had an awesome status within the POD marketplace for some time now, because of its versatile printing choices, nice vary of merchandise, and it’s ultra-fast manufacturing occasions (as little as 3 days within the US).
Nonetheless, it has turn into a much more attractive competitor these days, because of a brand new inflow of distinctive merchandise (like vegan leather-based patch hats), and its spectacular instruments for monitoring orders and gross sales.
However is CustomCat the appropriate platform for you? I took a behind-the-scenes look that can assist you determine.
CustomCat Fast Verdict, Professionals and Cons
CustomCat could not supply as many merchandise as options like Printify, combine with as many gross sales channels as Printful, or permit you to construct a customized retailer entrance in seconds, nevertheless it has some distinctive advantages.
It’s a wonderful choice when you’re searching for budget-friendly merchandise, quick order success, and an ultra-convenient promoting expertise.
CustomCat Professionals and Cons
Professionals:
- Wonderful vary of merchandise (with some distinctive choices)
- Funds-friendly product pricing and transport
- Quick manufacturing and supply occasions (within the US)
- Nice customer support (with telephone assist included)
- Consumer-friendly platform for freshmen
- Revolutionary printing choices (like Digisoft and embroidery)
Cons:
- Fewer product choices than some options
- Restricted gross sales channel integrations
- Transport occasions might be longer exterior of the US
What’s CustomCat? The Overview
Because the title would possibly recommend, CustomCat is a print-on-demand firm that permits creators to customise a spread of distinctive merchandise and promote them to clients worldwide.
The corporate presents international order success companies, transport about 40,000 merchandise each day.
It’s just like Printful in plenty of methods, as CustomCat handles order manufacturing in-house, moderately than connecting you with third-party printing companions (like Printify does).
It additionally presents all of the options you’d anticipate from a POD platform, like handy design instruments, and a dashboard the place you may observe orders, and gross sales volumes.
Nonetheless, the place Printful presents additional advantages like its Fast Shops creator and extra integrations with third-party gross sales channels, I feel CustomCat stands out in it’s personal, distinct approach.
CustomCat focuses on next-level printing companies (like Digisoft), distinctive customer support, and distinctive merchandise, like indoor doormats and enamel mugs.
CustomCat Merchandise and Customization Choices
In comparison with some market-leading POD corporations, CustomCat has a barely smaller product assortment. You may customise round 300 gadgets (in comparison with Printify’s 950+ product choices). Nonetheless, you continue to get loads of choices to select from, resembling:
- Attire: T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats, jackets, polo shirts, button-up shirts, tank tops, athletic attire, pants, and kids’s clothes.
- Houseware: Pillows, mugs and drinkware, blankets, ornaments, towels, and wall artwork.
- Equipment: Baggage, footwear, aprons, and baggage tags.
The corporate is all the time upgrading its product assortment too, including new issues like indoor doormats, and hats with vegan leather-based patches. What I feel actually units CustomCat aside from some options, nonetheless, is its customization choices.
A lot of the POD corporations I’ve labored with earlier than supply normal choices like DTG and DTF. Nonetheless, CustomCat makes use of next-generation Digisoft printing, which basically combines all the perfect options of Direct-to-Garment, and Direct-to-Movie printing processes.
This printing methodology offers you extremely vivid, high-resolution and sturdy prints, for a comparatively low price. Plus, it’s also possible to select from embroidery, all-over-print, and dye sublimation.
Product High quality, Manufacturing, and Supply Occasions
Since CustomCat makes use of the newest cutting-edge know-how to customise your merchandise, you may anticipate fairly superb product high quality for essentially the most half.
I checked out some opinions from different clients on the Shopify app retailer, (the place CustomCat has a 4.2 out of 5 star score), and folks always rave in regards to the high quality of the Digisoft printing companies.
After all, your print high quality can nonetheless fluctuate relying on the printing methodology you select, the product, and the standard of the file you add.
I’d positively suggest ordering samples simply in case, however sadly, CustomCat doesn’t supply a reduction on pattern orders. Nonetheless, it does promise to exchange any gadgets which are returned as a consequence of manufacturing defaults at no cost.
A significant plus for CustomCat, for my part, is that they’ll produce and ship your merchandise with unimaginable pace – in case your clients are in america.
CustomCat can produce most merchandise inside 3 enterprise days or much less, they usually can ship these merchandise to US clients in one other 3 days.
The corporate even presents 2-day and in a single day transport for sure merchandise. If you happen to’re transport internationally, nonetheless, your clients might need to attend a bit of longer.
Supply occasions can vary as much as 28 days for some areas, so hold that in thoughts when you’re operating a worldwide model.
On the plus aspect, CustomCat may be very clear in regards to the value of its transport companies. You could find a whole record of typical transport charges on its web site right here.
Gross sales Channels and Integrations
One of many issues that may most likely deter me from recommending CustomCat to some retailers, is that the platform doesn’t combine with many gross sales channels.
You may join the platform immediately with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Etsy, however that’s it.
In comparison with one thing like Printful, which provides you over 20 gross sales channels to select from, this could appear a bit of restrictive.
Plus, there’s no choice to create your personal “pop-up” storefront like you may with instruments like Printify. Nonetheless, you may entry CustomCat’s API, to attach it with different functions – if in case you have the developer information required.
You may also submit bulk orders manually with CSV information, which is one thing sure different suppliers don’t supply – so that you’re not completely out of luck when you’re utilizing a distinct gross sales channel.
Ease of Use and Buyer Assist
I used to be capable of create an account for CustomCat (utilizing my Google login), join a Shopify retailer, and begin creating merchandise in a few minutes.
Though the dashboard isn’t as “fairly” as among the different choices I’ve seen, it’s nonetheless very clear, simple and intuitive.
You’ll haven’t any hassle sorting by means of the product library and conserving observe of your orders. Plus, you may even entry instruments that permit you to run A/B gross sales campaigns, that can assist you enhance your income.
The design instruments are simple sufficient, permitting you to add photos to the merchandise you need to customise and experiment with completely different colours, fonts, and a handful of graphics. Nonetheless, there aren’t any AI instruments for producing photos, and the free graphics are fairly fundamental for my part. You additionally will likely be restricted in how a lot you may alter and scale your designs.
The mockup generator isn’t good both, as it could possibly’t create “way of life” photos that present individuals truly carrying your merchandise.
On the plus aspect, you may add product descriptions, sizing choices, distinctive titles, and pricing particulars to your merchandise throughout the design instrument, which saves you time whenever you’re including new merchandise to your retailer.
Buyer Assist
Buyer assist is one space the place I feel CustomCat actually shines. Though the corporate doesn’t promise 24/7 service like a few of its rivals, it does supply a telephone choice to corporations within the US and Vietnam. That’s one thing you’ll wrestle to search out with most POD leaders.
Additionally they have a nice status for responding rapidly to buyer requests through reside chat and e-mail, however you would possibly want to attend some time when you’re messaging them exterior of enterprise hours.
CustomCat additionally presents a spread of nice knowledgebase assets, like promoting guides, FAQ pages, design guides, and blogs.
Their content material assortment is repeatedly up to date with new articles that includes loads of screenshots, GIFs, and movies too.
CustomCat Plans and Pricing
As I discussed above, one advantage of CustomCat is that its merchandise, and transport choices are fairly reasonably priced.
As an illustration, a normal males’s t-shirt might price you as little as $5.50, relying in your printing necessities and transport can price simply $3.99 (which is about the usual charge).
Like most POD distributors, CustomCat additionally permits customers to create an account at no cost, and also you’ll acquire entry to all the options and merchandise the platform presents on this plan.
The corporate additionally presents quantity reductions when you purchase gadgets in bulk, which is good.
If you happen to do determine you need to improve, there’s one paid plan accessible: CustomCat Professional, for $25 per 30 days when you pay yearly, or $30 per 30 days paid month-to-month. This subscription plan offers you 20-40% off all the merchandise in CustomCat’s whole catalog.
CustomCat Overview: The Verdict
So, is CustomCat the appropriate choice for what you are promoting? If you happen to’re searching for a simple expertise, reasonably priced pricing, and quick manufacturing occasions, the reply is likely to be sure.
CustomCat is a extremely dependable POD vendor, with a wonderful status.
Nonetheless, when you’re searching for a wider vary of gross sales channels, extra product choices, and 24/7 service, you would possibly need to think about an alternate like Printful or Printify.
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