How do you create design for your products?

by ak36
19 replies
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Hi,

Wanted to start an E-commerce for T-shirts with print but couldn't spend the time to learn advanced design software.
Outsourced the design process instead and quickly found that creating collections was costly. Also time-consuming to send inspiration, feedback etc.

Don't think I'm alone and would therefore like to hear how you've solved that problem and your thoughts on it!
#create #design #products
  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    Not sure what you are asking for.


    You will either spend your time... or spend money to buy someone's else time....to start a business.
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  • Profile picture of the author ak36
    It feels like there is no "Canva for premium design" that we everyday people can use to easily create beautiful designs. Wondering more if anyone has found one or would be interested if one existed.
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      Originally Posted by ak36 View Post

      It feels like there is no "Canva for premium design" that we everyday people can use to easily create beautiful designs. Wondering more if anyone has found one or would be interested if one existed.
      Its called Photoshop - the absolute gold standard for graphic design.

      You either take the time to learn it... or you pay fro someone that has taken the time to learn it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    would be interested if one existed.

    If this is a lead-in to a promotion - pls read the rules and reconsider your approach.
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    Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
    ***
    One secret to happiness is to let every situation be
    what it is instead of what you think it should be.
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    • Profile picture of the author ak36
      If I knew about such a service, I wouldn't be writing here. If enough people would be interested though, I could start looking into creating one since I come fr a tech background
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  • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
    Originally Posted by ak36 View Post

    Wanted to start an E-commerce for T-shirts with print but couldn't spend the time to learn advanced design software.
    Outsourced the design process instead and quickly found that creating collections was costly. Also time-consuming to send inspiration, feedback etc.
    There are tons of online and downloadable design tools available. If you don't have the time to research or learn how to use them, your option is to hire a professional graphic designer.

    Starting any worthwhile business is going to be either costly or time-consuming.


    If enough people would be interested though, I could start looking into creating one since I come fr a tech background
    Then design your own service for your own business. Others have probably already found a suitable solution.
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    • Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

      There are tons of online and downloadable design tools available. If you don't have the time to research or learn how to use them, your option is to hire a professional graphic designer.

      Starting any worthwhile business is going to be either costly or time-consuming.

      Then design your own service for your own business. Others have probably already found a suitable solution.
      Bear in mind also that any expoits you invite along to cavort withya in yr yooniverse-conqkuerin' ideah can only follow (or catalytify) with yr own instruction, direction & vision.

      Even Satan cain't breathe life into a bum ideah (less'n it her own).

      Tellya, less'n you put these people with skills you don't have to sum directed purpose, likely you gonna eat blancmange.

      They will do what you tell them & pay 'em for.

      Bcs yr baby ain't theirs.

      An' plz expect they don't fill yr voidsum gaps c/o freebiture.

      "Why, you're so clearly brilliant at what you do, why don't you head over here and do more of it simply for the pleasure?"

      tbh I so wish I could do design.

      To flourish up pitches, ideas & art in an instant would save me monstah hassle.

      But I cain't do evrythin'.

      An' neithah can you.

      Even if'n you hooked on steroids an' botha your parents are genetically modified horses with cyborg implants & bulbous DNA pulsin' in the right areahs.

      So we gotta collaborate, pool talents, for most stuffs smartah than I can feed musself plus also pee straight.

      Findin' the right slooshins is a biggie, but evrythin' dances to the horizon you initiate.
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      Lightin' fuses is for blowin' stuff togethah.

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  • Profile picture of the author DABK
    Costly in relation to what?


    If I pay $100 to get something designed, it's costly, if I'm able to sell it for only $110. But if I can sell it for $578.99, it's not at all costly.


    What I'm getting at, if you get one design that costs you $x and you cannot make a profit (or as much as you want), maybe the problem is your pricing or marketing/sales funnel/system.


    In my area, you can buy t-shirts with some design on them from $7 to $47 (or higher).


    If the design is good, you don't have to sell at $7 to get good sales.


    The ones that sell at $7, the material is cheap, the sewing is cheap, the design's meh.


    The ones at $47, even if I don't like the design for myself, they say 'good quality.'


    So, can you be happy if you hike the price? (Can it be hiked?)
    Do you need to play in another market field (Bloomingdale not Walmart, kind of thing)?


    Originally Posted by ak36 View Post

    Hi,

    Wanted to start an E-commerce for T-shirts with print but couldn't spend the time to learn advanced design software.
    Outsourced the design process instead and quickly found that creating collections was costly. Also time-consuming to send inspiration, feedback etc.

    Don't think I'm alone and would therefore like to hear how you've solved that problem and your thoughts on it!
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    • Profile picture of the author ak36
      Suppose you are a small business owner and want to create 4 different collections with let's say 4 different designs in each collection. That's a big start-up cost. How do you get around that? Because somewhere you have to have a range bigger than one design to get traction, right?
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      • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
        Originally Posted by ak36 View Post

        Suppose you are a small business owner and want to create 4 different collections with let's say 4 different designs in each collection. That's a big start-up cost. How do you get around that? Because somewhere you have to have a range bigger than one design to get traction, right?
        You wouldn't open a store with just one item. Until you create or acquire a number of designs to sell, you're not a small business owner - you're simply preparing to be one.

        One option would be to start with a few designs and list them on platforms such as Etsy and eBay until you get enough traction/experience to launch your own store.
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      • Profile picture of the author GordonJ
        Originally Posted by ak36 View Post

        Suppose you are a small business owner and want to create 4 different collections with let's say 4 different designs in each collection. That's a big start-up cost. How do you get around that? Because somewhere you have to have a range bigger than one design to get traction, right?
        ak36,

        You are coming across as a very lazy guy looking for shortcuts, or trying to prime the pump for a future venture.

        You don't want to pay for a "premium" canva, you want to CHEAPLY outsource, you have a tech background...but apparently no marketing.

        Because if you had marketing in your background, maybe you wouldn't be trying to create markets or demands for an idea. And one that doesn't appear to be fully fleshed out.

        Why did you choose ecom and T shirts? What triggered that desire, response, and unless you are hiding something, from this side of the screen, you seem to be woefully unqualified to be doing this.

        Am I wrong?

        GordonJ
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  • Profile picture of the author Serene Carmen
    Text t-shirts and shopify print on demand are one option.
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  • Profile picture of the author Redend
    You have to devote time for your business even when someone is taking care of the task. Don't do a business you don't have passion for!
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    • Profile picture of the author ak36
      Thank you for your input in the discussion. Just trying to find ways to lower the barrier to creating a nice e-commerce so think you've misunderstood a bit
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  • Profile picture of the author mariabellon
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author ak36
      Can you recommend a good one?
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  • Profile picture of the author AlexBackerZ
    A problem with outsourcing or creating a print? I think you know your problem yourself since you wrote about it, so study this software and there won't be any problems in the future. I for example, when I was designing logos, I used regular Photoshop, which I downloaded from Pirate Bay. It was confusing at first, but after watching a couple of tutorials and a little practice, I figured it out and got to work. I had a goal to learn my craft, if you don't have it, then it's not worth starting then, you're just wasting your time.
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  • Profile picture of the author Preeti Tanna
    There are a few ways to design your products without outsourcing to design software.

    - The first is by using a website like Fiverr or Upwork to find a freelancer. You can find freelancers on these sites who specialize in designing products and have experience doing so.

    To find the right designer, you should ask them questions about their experience in designing products. You should also ask them for examples of their work and see if they are able to meet your requirements.

    - Another option is to use an online design tool such as Canva or Adobe Spark, which both offer templates for designing products. These tools will help you create designs for your products with ease, but it's important not to get too attached to any one template or idea because these tools only provide suggestions, not actual designs themselves.

    - Finally, the last option is creating your own designs from scratch using Photoshop or Illustrator software programs (or another similar program). You can use these programs to create professional looking designs that will be sure to impress anyone who sees them!
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    • Profile picture of the author ak36
      Canva and Adobe spark is at the good level for me. However, they're not for premium design but rather flyers to the local pizza place...
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  • Profile picture of the author eva sharma
    According to my experience, first, you need to define your product vision, then you need to do the product research, then do user analysis, do product testing, and product design. After doing these, launch the product in the market.
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