User:Red/FADEMEA2008/MerchandisingStore

FAD EMEA 2008 - Proposal: Public Fedora merchandising store for Europe (and NA)

• Problems
  • There's no way for end users to buy Fedora merchandise except for events or if they create their own
  • We can't offer too many different products at an event (because of space at the event, space and money for the stock)
  • We can't offer merchandise at all events
  • Not all end users who'd like some merchandise have the possibility to visit on of our events
  • We don't have the man power to send merchandise everywhere and deal with service requests
  • We can't create e.g. a single t-shirt for a customer - we'd need to order bigger volumes but that takes time

• Proposals
  • Create an online store at spreadshirt.net for Europe
  • (Create an online store at spreadshirt.com for NA)
  • Create store.fp.o with the links to all 3 shops (EU, NA, FR) as the Store SIG intended to do

• Advantages
  • End users finally get their merchandise
  • We get some $ for each item sold
  • Spreadshirt deals with the stock, money, delivery and service
  • Spreadshirt reportedly offers higher quality products than other such shops
  • Fedora-FR already has a spreadshirt shop

• Disadvantages
  • Prices are a bit high for e.g. a t-shirt, but fair (for merchandise) - shipping costs are very fair
  • Someone would have to take care of new items and the money flow
  • Because we earn money with this, a NPO must stand behind this (no problem in Europe, but in NA?)