Editor’s note: This article was first published in September 2010. The description of CafePress, with a free store, a commission per sale and an English-only site, reflects that time, and the service has changed considerably since. The claim that such services were scarce in the Spanish-speaking world no longer holds, as print-on-demand platforms are now widespread.
As those of you who know me are aware, I’m not a big fan of “extra money”; I much prefer business ideas that generate high returns. That said, since I keep getting emails asking about ways to earn some extra income, whether to save or to pay off credit card debt, I’ll be searching the web for different services and small-business options that can bring in some extra money.
Today I came across what CafePress.com offers: a website where anyone can set up their own free online store. It costs nothing, so with effort and some dedication, you can make it work.
CafePress covers everything from clothing with custom designs to novel, eye-catching items. You can either create your own clothing designs or use their platform to design them online.
You can also get into the self-publishing business, uploading books in PDF format for download, as well as videos or instructional CDs. Personalized storybooks have become fashionable lately and are in high demand.
Of course, for every item, book or CD you sell, CafePress pays you a commission. To boost your sales, it’s a good idea to build your own website with a link to your CafePress store, although that isn’t mandatory, and in many cases not even necessary, since CafePress gets a large number of visitors every month.
The only drawback is that CafePress is in English and most of its buyers are English speakers. That’s also an advantage: when it comes to novelty items, what better than typical products from your own country for buyers abroad?
What’s more, since sites offering services like these are scarce in the Spanish-speaking world, you could be bold, be a pioneer and build a similar site in Spanish. That way you’d go from earning some extra money to creating a highly profitable business idea.
Further reading: more business ideas for future entrepreneurs
- How to start a business with no money
- Business ideas: services for companies
- Business ideas: home services
- Business opportunities in leisure and tourism
- Business ideas related to love
Featured image: Phil Gradwell, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.
