The red and black website refers to the website called Redbubble. Redbubble is an online marketplace for independent artists and designers to sell their creative works on high-quality products such as apparel, stationery, housewares, bags, wall art and so on. The name “Redbubble” comes from the company’s origins – it was founded in Melbourne, Australia in 2006 by three young entrepreneurs with a passion for supporting independent artists. The company’s logo features a red bubble, hence the nickname “the red and black website.”
Overview of Redbubble
Redbubble is a global online marketplace powered by independent artists. As of September 2023, Redbubble has over 1 million independent artists and designers who have uploaded their creative works onto the marketplace. Redbubble provides the platform, fulfillment and shipping services to help these artists turn their designs into unique products. Redbubble does not actually create or sell any products themselves – the artists retain ownership over their work and set their own profit margins. Redbubble handles printing the designs onto products, packaging, shipping, and customer service duties. This allows the artists to focus on their creative passions while Redbubble takes care of the rest.
Some key facts about Redbubble as of 2023:
- Founded in 2006 in Melbourne, Australia
- 1+ million independent artists and designers
- Over 100 million products sold to date
- Ships to over 30 countries globally
- Over 850,000 unique designs available
- Range of over 70 premium product types
- Publicly traded company listed on the ASX
Redbubble provides artists with an innovative platform to share their creative works with a global community. The artist-friendly business model empowers independent creators to make a living from their art while retaining full creative control and ownership. For customers, Redbubble is a treasure trove of unique, high-quality and ethically-produced products that express individuality and creativity.
History and Growth of Redbubble
Redbubble was founded in 2006 by three young entrepreneurs – Martin Hosking, Peter Styles and Paul Vanzella. The trio bootstrapped the business from Hosking’s parents’ garage in Melbourne with an initial investment of just $500. Their vision was to build an online marketplace that empowered independent artists, like themselves, to turn their creative passions into sustainable income streams.
In the early days, Redbubble focused on t-shirt printing only. But they soon expanded into new product verticals to provide artists with more ways to showcase their designs. Key milestones in Redbubble’s growth include:
- 2007 – Launched marketplace with focus on t-shirt fulfillment
- 2009 – Expanded to posters and art prints
- 2010 – Launched fulfillment in the US
- 2011 – Introduced stickers, iPhone cases, scarves and throw pillows
- 2012 – Over 100,000 artists joined the marketplace
- 2013 – Extended shipping to over 150 countries globally
- 2016 – Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange
- 2017 – Launched wall clocks and bath mats
- 2018 – Over 500,000 artists and 10 million products sold
- 2019 – Introduced throw blankets, duvet covers, towels
- 2020 – Launched reusable face masks during Covid-19 pandemic
- 2021 – Surpassed 1 million artists on the marketplace
Today, Redbubble is a thriving global marketplace supporting artists across diverse creative fields – from graphic design and photography to watercolors and oil painting. Redbubble handles production, shipping and customer service for the artists so they can focus purely on creating. This win-win formula has fueled Redbubble’s rapid growth into the world’s largest online marketplace for independent creatives.
How Redbubble Works
Redbubble operates as a facilitated marketplace connecting independent artists and customers. Here is an overview of how Redbubble works:
- Artist uploads work – Artists sign up for a free Redbubble account to upload their original artwork and creative designs.
- Work gets reviewed – Redbubble checks that artwork complies with guidelines and does not infringe on IP rights.
- Artist adds products – If approved, the artist selects which products they want their work to appear on.
- Customers place orders – Customers browse and purchase unique products displaying artists’ designs.
- Redbubble handles production – Redbubble facilitates high quality printing of designs on products, packaging and shipping.
- Artists get paid – When an item sells, Redbubble pays the artist their set commission for the design.
This simplified business model allows independent artists to showcase their creativity on quality, everyday products, while fulfilling customer demand for original designs.
Redbubble’s Product Range
Redbubble offers artists a huge range of premium product types to display their designs on. The extensive product range covers apparel, stationery, home decor, bags, masks and more. Some of the most popular Redbubble products include:
| Category | Product Types |
|---|---|
| Apparel | T-shirts, hoodies, leggings, dresses, socks |
| Home & Living | Throw pillows, duvet covers, blankets, towels, bath mats, wall clocks, wall art |
| Accessories | Tote bags, drawstring bags, scarves, face masks, phone cases |
| Stationery | Spiral notebooks, greeting cards, stickers, art prints, posters |
This diverse product range allows artists to get their designs onto useful, everyday items that appeal to customers seeking innovative designs. It provides artists with more ways to monetize their creativity.
The Redbubble Community
At the heart of Redbubble is its vibrant community of independent artists and designers. As of September 2023, over 1 million artists globally have joined Redbubble to share their original works. The Redbubble community covers diverse creative mediums like:
- Graphic design
- Photography
- Digital art
- Painting
- Drawing
- Collage
- Typography
- Sculpting
- And more!
Redbubble provides a collaborative, supportive environment for this creative community. Artists can interact via online forums to share tips, give feedback and exchange ideas. Redbubble also runs regular competitions, promotions and events to further engage its artist base.
On the customer side, Redbubble attracts over 850,000 daily visitors searching for creative, original and meaningful products. Customers appreciate the unique designs, quality products, ethical production standards and opportunity to support independent artists through their purchases on Redbubble.
Artist Income on Redbubble
Redbubble provides a way for independent artists to earn meaningful income from their creative passions. Artists set their own profit margins on products displaying their designs. The typical commission rate is around 20-30% of the base product price. But some popular artists can earn up to 50% commissions once their margins increase with more sales.
For each sale, the breakdown is:
- Base product price
- Artist’s set commission %
- Redbubble’s base margin
- Manufacturing and shipping costs
While individual product commissions may seem small, collectively it can become a sustainable income stream for artists as their body of work grows. Top-selling artists on Redbubble now earn over $100,000 USD per year from their creative passion.
Redbubble also runs special promotions to boost artist earnings, such as double commission weeks and site-wide sales. And artists earn money on every re-purchase of their design – if a customer buys a sticker then returns to buy that design later on a t-shirt, for example.
Redbubble Membership Options
All artists on Redbubble get access to the core marketplace platform and benefits for free. Redbubble does offer two optional paid memberships providing extra services:
Redbubble Pro
- $12 per month
- Advanced statistics about your work and sales
- Customize your Redbubble profile and portfolio
- Early access to new product types
- Get feedback and suggestions from the Redbubble team to boost sales
Redbubble Premium
- $24 per month
- All Pro benefits
- Higher commissions from every sale
- Exclusive one-on-one consulting sessions
- Priority support
These memberships provide additional resources for artists seeking to build their brand and maximize their sales on Redbubble. But the core platform remains free to use for all creatives.
Selling on Redbubble
Joining Redbubble as an independent artist is free and easy. Here are the steps for artists to set up shop and start selling their designs:
- Sign up – Create a free Redbubble account
- Upload work – Add artwork and designs in digital formats
- Tag and describe – Add titles, descriptions and relevant tags
- Select products – Pick which products you want your designs to appear on
- Set price margin – Determine the profit margin you earn per sale
- Publish to marketplace – Make your work public for customers to browse and buy
- Promote work – Share your Redbubble shop on social media to reach more potential buyers
- Get paid – Receive your commissions when your designs sell!
Artists retain ownership over their work and can choose which designs get printed onto products. This gives creatives full control over their Redbubble shop with minimal effort or startup costs.
Why Sell on Redbubble?
For independent artists, Redbubble provides an attractive platform to monetize creative work compared to other options. Benefits of selling artwork on Redbubble include:
- Wide reach – Instant access to a global audience of over 850,000 daily shoppers
- No upfront costs – Free and easy for artists to start selling right away
- High payouts – Artists earn 20-50% commissions on design sales
- No production costs – Redbubble handles the product manufacturing and shipping
- Artist ownership – Artists retain full copyright ownership over their work
- Massive product range – Artwork can appear on over 70 premium products
- passive income – Ongoing commissions from re-purchases of artwork
- Full creative control – Artists choose what they sell and their margins
Overall, Redbubble empowers independent creatives to turn their talent into a sustainable income source with minimal financial risk or logistical hassles. The platform handles the operational side so artists can focus purely on creating.
Success Stories of Redbubble Artists
Many independent artists have found great success sharing their work on Redbubble. Here are some inspiring stories:
Kelly Anne – Pretty Little Pixels
Kelly is a surface pattern designer from California who designs prints, stickers and textile patterns. She opened her Redbubble shop “Pretty Little Pixels” in 2014 to start earning from her passion for colorful repetitive patterns. Within 18 months, Kelly was earning over $30,000 per month on Redbubble through her bright, fun designs.
Carolyn Suzuki – ComicalCat
Carolyn is a self-taught freelance illustrator from Hawaii. She uploads her kawaii-style cat illustrations to Redbubble, where her work caught on in popularity across stationery and apparel products. Carolyn earns on average around $4,000 per month on Redbubble, allowing her to support her family through her art.
Jenn Lewis – DarlingArmy
Jenn is a surface pattern designer and artist from Idaho. She opened her Redbubble shop DarlingArmy in 2015 to sell her bold graphic prints. Jenn’s abstract designs and motifs quickly gained momentum. She now makes a full-time living with her art, earning over $100,000 annually on products like throw pillows, duvets and tote bags.
These inspiring stories demonstrate how artists of all types – graphic designers, painters, illustrators and more – are creating sustainable incomes from their work on Redbubble’s global marketplace.
Getting Started on Redbubble
Ready to start selling your designs on the Redbubble marketplace? Here are some tips to get set up for success:
Upload Consistently
Add new designs regularly to keep your shop fresh and give customers more options to browse and buy from.
Maximize Your Products
Select all relevant product types your artwork could appear nicely on, beyond just t-shirts.
Perfect Your Tags
Use descriptive titles and tags so your work shows up in customer searches.
Engage Your Followers
Share your Redbubble shop on social channels to turn followers into potential buyers.
Analyze Your Sales
See which designs and products sell best to refine your strategy.
Stay On Brand
Ensure your collection forms a cohesive brand story and style that resonates.
Promote Smartly
Take advantage of Redbubble sales and limited-time deals to boost promotions.
Conclusion
In summary, Redbubble is a thriving online marketplace connecting independent artists with customers globally. The platform empowers creators across diverse creative fields to turn their talents into sustainable income streams. Artists retain full control over their work while Redbubble handles manufacturing, shipping and customer service duties. The business model provides artists with the freedom and flexibility to earn from their passions on their own terms.
With over 1 million artists now powered by Redbubble, it has proven to be a game-changer in making creative careers more viable and rewarding. If you’re an artist seeking to share your original work with the world, there’s never been a better time to start selling on Redbubble.
