This new feature has been heavily requested, and it’s finally arrived. You can now see how a design performs in comparison to your other designs. You can find the performance of each design under: Designs > Select Design > Design Performance.
Identify your best-selling designs
By narrowing in on your best sellers, you can learn more about your target group and improve your Shop accordingly. Typically, designs that have fewer sales should be taken offline. This will keep your Shop fresh and make it easier for shoppers to quickly find what they’re looking for.
To get the most out of this new feature there are a few things you’ll want to pay special attention to. Like how much you’ve earned with your designs so far, how often they’ve sold; and on which sales channels or products they’ve been most successful. In your statistics, a graph will also show you when your designs were doing particularly well or when you’ve sold fewer of them.
Improve your product selection
Now that you know which designs sell best, you can refine your product selection. If a design sells really well on hoodies and long-sleeved shirts in the winter; then you should offer the same design on other cold weather products, like jackets and sweaters. As you get prepared for the upcoming spring and summer season, the same principle will apply. Find out now which designs your customers like most on T-shirts and other warm weather merch. By focusing on these designs, you should be able to increase sales in your Shop.
After months of planning and preparation, the time came to move into our newest production facility in Legnica, Poland. So, on March 22nd, we packed our bags and moved! Because of this, in the future we’ll be able to warehouse and print more products than ever before.
Take a look at the production facility and look forward to a growing Spreadshop assortment!
Why we love the new production facility
In addition to being a bigger and better version of our previous facility in Poland; our new facility doubles as a central warehouse, too! It will now be used to store products for both Poland and our facility in the Czech Republic. Currently, we have around 4,500 SKUs (stock keeping units = product types) in stock. At the new location, however, we can double or even triple the number of available product types. We’re really proud of what we’ve accomplished with our Polish co-workers in Legnica.
“Our colleagues worked a whole weekend to move all the machines and products to the new production facility. Anyone who has moved before knows what a challenge that can be. We are all the more pleased that we were able to move over 4,500 product types and numerous machines in just two shifts (also with virtual support from the headquarters in Leipzig, Germany) and many hardworking hands. An incredible achievement!”
– Chief Customer Delivery Officer, Hanne Dinkel
More space, more products, new printing tech
The new location is now home to two Kornit Atlas printers, which are environmentally friendly and print faster. We’re planning to purchase more printers of this type to reduce delivery times for your customers.
With more space, we can store more products and install more eco-friendly printers. Plus, we’ll also be able to add new printing techniques in the future. But more on that soon…
How do you like the new production facility? What new Spreadshop products are you looking forward to? Leave a comment!
After ten years as our fearless leader, Philip Rooke has passed the torch to Dr. Julian de Grahl. Here’s your first introduction to our new CEO!
In the beginning of April 2021, Dr. Julian de Grahl officially joined Spread Group as CEO. Julian studied law and economics (business administration) in Hamburg and Cape Town.
Previously, he’s worked in management roles for companies like CTS EVENTIM, XING, amiando and New Work SE. With 20 years of experience in the internet industry, we’re glad to have him and his expertise on board. While having a new CEO is exciting, we also want to thank Philip Rooke for his hard work and dedication over the years.
“Under Philip Rooke’s leadership, Spread Group has developed from a start-up to a highly profitable industry leader. I have great respect for this achievement. I am very excited to continue this growth trajectory together with a sensational team and to set new stimuli.” – Dr. Julian de Grahl, CEO
We’re looking forward to how Julian will continue to grow Spreadshop and the other Spread Group brands in the years to come. Welcome to the team, Julian!
Of course, Spreadshop is nothing without you, our dedicated Shop Owners. Thank you all for being a part of our community!
Any questions about our new leader? Let us know in the comments or the forum.
The Contrast Face Mask is just what your customers need in their face covering rotation. It’s already been a big hit in Europe, and now it’s available on the North American platform too!
The new Contrast Face Mask is available in two different sizes. The smaller size is ideal for smaller faces and teenagers, while the large size is suitable for men or people with larger faces. Your customers will get a snug fit thanks to the two rubber stoppers that adjust the length of the ear loops. Featuring contrasting colors, the mask is white with black trimmings! Try the all-over print option and add something truly special to your Shop.
While wearing a face mask is our new normal, it can still be intimidating! Keep your customers feeling encouraged and happy during these difficult times with fun designs and all-over patterns.
Do you want to attract new customers and increase your sales? Then you’ve come to the right place. When you run a promotion, it’s always a good idea to make sure that the world knows it’s happening. Get started by creating mockups for Instagram stories and posts. You can do this via Placeit, simply sign up using this link and get an exclusive 20% discount on paid designs. Check out their free designs too while you’re at it!
Upcoming promos for North America, Oceania & Europe
April 14th-18th: 15% off everything
April 29th-May 3rd: 15% off everything
May 13th-May 16th: 20% off everything
May 25th-28th: 20% off everything
Remember, there’s a window of up to 60 days when you can choose to run a promotion. Set your dates for 30 days before or after the official promotion date. To adjust the start date of your promos, click on the promo calendar (Shop settings > Prices & promos > Promo campaigns).
Enjoy the sunshine, and as always let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
We’re back with your March assortment updates! Extended sizes are now available for a wide variety of products on the North American platform. Learn all about it and add them to your Shop to give your customers some fresh picks for springtime.
“Who Needs Feminism?” is an inquisitive campaign Jasmin has been exploring for nearly nine years. In our interview, she discusses how it all started, her journey, roadblocks and networking during a pandemic. Of course, she also gives us a glimpse into her Spreadshop!
Feminism then & now
Hi Jasmin, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions! Can you tell us about yourself and how you came up with the idea for the campaign: “Wer braucht feminismus?” (translation: “Who Needs Feminism?”)
My full name is Jasmin Mittag and I live in beautiful Hanover, Germany. I’ve been working as a freelance activist and artist for about ten years now, and through my daily work I try to make people aware of socially relevant issues, to empower them and to network. “Who Needs Feminism?” is something I developed based on the photo campaign “Who needs feminism?” which was created by American students and initiated in Germany.
What were the beginnings of the campaign like? Do you find that feminist demands are more visible today than when you first started your work?
When I started in 2012, it was really not easy to get the campaign off the ground and to gather feminist statements. On the one hand, I myself was new to the networking scene. On the other hand, people in German-speaking countries were not yet so willing to profess feminism themselves in photos.
Today, I believe feminist demands have become more visible and more widespread. We are networking more and more, and there are more role models who make feminism their motto.
It’s incredible that you’ve been running “Who Needs Feminism” since October 2012. How have the needs of those joining the movement changed since then?
We have collected over 3,000 statements in German-speaking countries since 2012. Each statement is always new and individual; unfortunately, there are far too many reasons why we still need feminism today. The basic issues have not changed yet. Above all, we all want more justice, equal opportunities and freedom through a more open society and fewer gender role barriers. I have the impression that we are becoming more concrete on some issues, though, like abolishing the tax on menstrual products.
Community helps the movement grow
Which channels do you use to connect with your supporters? Do you have a preferred platform where you exchange ideas with other feminists?
It is important to us that we reach people in different ways and, above all, directly. That’s why we are very happy and proud that there has been a traveling exhibition since 2014, it’s already been exhibited in over 40 places in Germany. It’s primarily exhibited in town halls and libraries or even universities. With our podcast and via social networks, we again reach a different, often younger audience. We are particularly active on Instagram at the moment. However, because we do our grassroots work on a voluntary basis, it’s only possible for us to be constantly present and to exchange with our community to a limited extent.
Speaking of discussion and conversation within your community: How has your work changed since the beginning of the pandemic?
We usually organize feminist exchange and networking events from time to time, especially in Hanover: Conferences, breakfasts, discussion groups, input evenings. That has fallen away a little, now we’re doing some things digitally. But that’s not quite the same, as it’s more challenging to network and strengthen a movement online. The actions taken as part of the spread of the coronavirus have unfortunately amplified a number of feminist demands. For example, issues such as domestic violence and the imbalance in domestic labor and care work have become even more pronounced.
Yes, these are very serious issues, it’s great that those affected have a platform through you. Regarding the challenge of virtually networking: How do visitors actually react to your exhibitions beyond social media?
The charming thing about “Who Needs Feminism?” is that we let people speak for themselves and that it is a participatory action. We don’t dictate to anyone how feminism should be defined or lived. We give people a platform, make them role models and strengthen feminist issues. That goes down very well. There are no pointing fingers. We ourselves are constantly learning. Feminism is evolving. It’s about recognizing and naming problems and working with them. However, we have the impression that there is still a lot of work to do, especially when we look at existing structures. For example, feminism and the history of the women’s movements are still not firmly anchored in German curricula. How can it be that not all students learn something about important social movements? It stuns me. So many people still don’t know what feminism even means.
How merch can promote feminism
You have a unique style with select products in your Shop – how did that come about?
On the one hand, we are “Who Needs Feminism?” – a campaign and volunteer initiative that seeks to improve the image of feminism and bring certain issues to light. That’s why we rely on a simple, modern design. On the other hand, our attitude tends to be critical of consumption. However, we would like to empower ourselves and our community to adorn themselves with “Who Needs Feminism?” merch and are very happy that it is possible to do so in an uncomplicated way through Spreadshop.
We’re glad to have your Shop on our platform! Which feminist cause is the most important to you personally? And what does feminist activism in the future look like for you?
For me personally, the most important thing is that we all have an awareness of problems, perceive inequalities and bring them into conversation.
In addition, I really wish that the women’s movement would finally get the recognition it deserves. We would be living in a very different world today if many courageous people hadn’t rebelled against laws and conventions over the last 150 years.
In the past, women were not allowed to graduate from high school or go to college, they were not allowed to vote or to be elected, and they were not allowed to determine the use of their labor – to name just a few examples. I am so grateful that all of that has changed now. I hope that everyone will contribute to social change as best they can within their sphere of influence, and that activism will not remain the effort of a few, but instead will become embedded in our daily lives. We all share in this responsibility.
Thank you very much for the interview! We wish you continued success with your campaign in the fight for more justice, equal opportunities and freedom.
Are you interested in “Who Needs Feminism?” Discover what they’re up to and get involved here.
Almost 50,000 followers on Twitch, daily streams, lots of robot fails and some laughs. Nina from achNina builds robots and thousands of users watch her do it. In this interview, she tells us what she wanted to be when she was a kid and why her current job as a Twitch streamer with a penchant for robotics is the perfect fit for her. Get ready for Nina’s incredibly good dry humor and some insights on streaming and Spreadshop.
Twitch is her home
Hi Nina. Thanks for taking the time to answer some of our questions. Tell me, did you actually fall into a robot tank as a kid?
I’ve always been interested in technology. When I was a kid, my constructions were made of cardboard and duct tape. Not much has changed, except that electronics have been added.
And lots of video cameras! How did you come up with the idea of streaming?
That’s a good question. During my first degree, I started using YouTube on the side and tried all kinds of things there. At some point I started my first stream on Twitch and I liked the interactivity of the platform.
Everything is live and you can interact with the community. Currently, that’s very beneficial to me, because if I have questions, for example about programming, there’s always someone there who can help.
That’s right, Twitch is a platform based on exchange. Do you feel more comfortable there than on YouTube?
I would actually call Twitch a kind of home by now, because the platform and the community have been with me for years. I stream almost daily in the tech corner and when I’m in other streams, it’s often “oh, that’s Nina building robots.” Twitch is big, but if you’re in certain topics, you’ll know each other there eventually.
Robots, talking plants and talking kitchen scales
One of your experiments is talking plants that tell you when you need to water them. How many green creatures have you actually killed in the course of your career?
Many. But now they’re calling out for me.
Haha, robot plants! That’s so cool! Tell me, how do you actually build a robot?
You think about what it should do, assemble electronic parts, write the code for it, and then spend the rest of the time trying to figure out why it’s not doing what it’s supposed to do yet. At least that’s how it works for me most of the time.
We think trial and error is a good method. What was the most useful thing you ever built?
I think the most useful thing I’ve built so far was the talking kitchen scale. The scale doesn’t have a display that shows the weight. It has some recipes stored in it that you can select and then it tells you what to do. Exact gram numbers are not needed. It just says stop when you have enough of an ingredient in the bowl.
We would definitely like to try your banana bread, which hopefully doesn’t scream when you bite into it. What was the most pointless thing you ever made?
I have a deer picture with google-y eyes on the wall. You can now make the deer look in different directions.
Nina has found her dream
Who do your fans love more: your robot “Fogel” or your dog Alice?
Dogs are simply the better robots … And now to your Shop. We really like it! Who makes these funny designs? Or are they blueprints?
Thanks! I only had a rough idea of what I wanted at first, and asked a friend from college whose drawings I had seen on Instagram, if he could draw something to go with the talking plant. I put the parts of the plant on the table for him and waited to see what would come out. That’s how the first designs for the projects came about. I still find the idea with the blueprints incredibly fitting today and you can apply it to all future projects.
We think so too. Did you always know that you would build robots via live stream?
I used to want to be a radio host. Or have a profession where I could build something. That’s why I studied “something with media” and architecture.
But I think what I’m doing right now is exactly the mix of radio hosting and building that I always wanted. I just didn’t know it. I’m excited to see where this path takes me.
Women and technology? Nina explores new horizons
As a woman, you’re very active in a field that’s still male-dominated. What does your audience look like?
My audience is very mixed. It consists of a wide variety of people who can relate to the subject matter. There are even families with children watching. That was not always the case. I often get messages that I have inspired people to dare to study or start a new hobby. I think it’s great that I can take away the fear of new horizons for others here.
We find you incredibly inspiring too! And funny! But you’re always getting stupid comments about the fact that you’re a woman. How do you deal with that?
I think every person on the internet has heard something before like: “You better go back to the kitchen where you belong.” I had some thoughts about how I wanted to deal with it in the beginning. I have good moderators for the chat who take care of that sort of thing, so I usually don’t have to deal with it at all. Since children are also watching and I want to model a certain normality for them, such comments simply have no place in the chat.
In any case, we think it’s great how you inspire (not only) women to study “something with technology;” or more generally, that you take away the fear of dealing with technology for many! Can you actually build a robot for Spreadshop? What can it do?
The decision maker 9000. You don’t know what to buy? No problem, the decision maker fills your shopping cart with things you didn’t even know you needed.
Alright, we’ll take it!
The only Spreadshop Merch Command in the world
How do you promote your Spreadshop to your fans?
I use the products myself during the stream. I look forward to picking out a mug or thermal mug from the shelf every morning. In the stream, people often ask where they can buy them. For that, there’s a merch command in the chat with the link to the Shop.
You are probably the only person at Spreadshop who has set up a merch command to their Shop! A great idea for marketing. Which of your designs is actually the most popular?
We recently added a new design with my dog Alice and the robot bird. That’s very popular.
How did you end up at Spreadshop?
I previously ran a store by myself and did everything – from printing the products to shipping. For this year, I had my heart set on giving things away.
I quickly landed on Spreadshop because it still gives me the option to personalize my own Shop, and I can continue to pay attention to organic textiles. And I fell in love with the thermal mug, I had to have it.
Oh wow, rad that you printed and shipped your own merch before. We’re glad we can take some of the work off your hands. What tips do you have for streamers who want to set up their own Shop?
You should love your stuff yourself. I think the best advertising is to use your products yourself. And for that, you have to like them. It sounds obvious at first, but merch on Twitch often seems like you have it just to have merch.
Great tip! Thank you Nina for the interview. We wish you all the best for your future at Twitch, Spreadshop and elsewhere and are very excited about your next robot. Maybe it will be a decision maker 9000?
If you’re wondering if Brexit will impact your Spreadshop, you’ve come to the right place.
Is my Shop ready for Brexit?
Brexit has no impact on your Spreadshop and the way you sell your products. Even if you live in and are registered in the UK, only one detail will change, and we’ve already taken care of that. Your tax domicile is now no longer within, but outside of the EU. With this change, your Spreadshop is Brexit compatible and you don’t have to do anything else. You can view the details of your tax assessment at any time in your account under “Tax Status”.
Does Brexit change anything for the customers of my Spreadshop?
Regardless if you’re from the UK or anywhere else in the world, it doesn’t impact where the customers of your Shop place an order from – Brexit or not. We’ve taken all possible precautions to ensure that British private customers of your Shop don’t notice any difference. This means that we will continue to show the British VAT on invoices and that everything stays the same in terms of customs duties until further notice. Currently, you don’t have to do anything. We’re well prepared for Brexit and there are currently no restrictions. To ensure that this remains the case, we are monitoring the situation very closely so that we can make any necessary adjustments in due time.
Do you have further questions about Brexit or about selling and shipping your Spreadshop items to the UK? Leave us a comment below!
As a result of the pandemic, shipping carriers are still unable to ship orders to specific countries for both the North America and European platforms. If your customers live in a country where shipping services are temporarily suspended, they will be unable to place orders for the time being.
North American platform
Shipping remains temporarily unavailable for the countries included in the table below. This affects all Shops running on top-level domains od the United States (.com), Canada (.ca) and Australia (.co.au).
Country
Country Code
Afghanistan
AF
Bhutan
BT
Brunei Darussalam
BN
China
CN
Eritrea
ER
French Guiana
GF
Guadalupe
GP
Kiribati
KI
Laos
LA
Lesotho
LS
Martinique
MQ
Mongolia
MN
Saint Pierre & Miquelon
PM
Samoa
WS
Suriname
SR
Tajikistan
TJ
Timor-Leste
TL
Turkmenistan
TM
Tuvalu
TV
Vietnam
VN
European platform
Shipping remains temporarily unavailable for the countries included in the table below. This affects all Shops running on the top-level domains of Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Austria, Italy, Denmark, United Kingdom, France and Ireland.
Country
Country Code
Afghanistan
AF
Australia
AU
Brasilia
BR
Chile
CL
China
CN
French Polynesia
PF
French Guiana
GF
Guadeloupe
GP
Japan
JP
Yemen
YE
Canada
CA
Libya
LY
Lord Howe Island
AU
Martinique
MQ
New Caledonia
NC
New Zealand
NZ
New Zealand Outer Territories
NZ
Puerto Rico
PR
Réunion
RE
Singapore
SG
South Africa
ZA
Syria
SY
Taiwan
TW
Tasmania
AU
Countries affected by shipping restrictions can change quickly. We’ll be sure to update these lists when we receive more information. Until then, stay healthy!
If you have any questions about COVID-19 shipping conditions, let us know in the forum or comments below.
