Nigerian digital printing startup Printivo has launched Printivo Store, a designer marketplace where users can create and sell designs on print products and earn 15 per cent royalties.
Launched in 2014, Printivo helps Nigerian startups and SMEs print business and marketing materials with ease, though it has also worked with blue chip firms such as Google, Samsung, Stanbic IBTC, Honda and Uber.
It raised a six-figure funding round from early-stage technology venture capital firm EchoVC Partners in 2015, and earlier this year was selected for the 20th batch of the San Francisco-based 500 Startups accelerator programme.
The launch of Printivo Store signals the startup first move away from simply being an online printing company to becoming an online printing platform, founder Oluyomi Ojo said in a blog post.
“We have been asked this question over and over again: “Why open up the site to everyone?” The answer to this question is simple. The customers taught us to,” he said.
“We saw people trying to sell their own print products by ordering on Printivo and then trying to resell. People investing time, money and logistics into creating print products and then selling to their communities and circle of friends, and so we decided to make it easy by giving everyone a platform that empowers all of us to design and sell print products online.”
The platform allows designers to create customisable design templates on products like business cards, letterheads, flyers and branded merchandise products such as mugs, iPhone cases, mouse pads and T-shirts, with Printivo printing, shipping, managing the customer and handling returns.
All designers have to do to get started is create their own store on the platform, set up up their bank payment information, and start adding designs. They can then share their store and product links across social media platforms, and can log into their dashboard to monitor sales and activities. Earnings can be transferred into a bank account with one click.
“Store’s possibilities are endless, this is just the beginning. There’s a lot customers will do with Store that we don’t know yet. We will continue to learn from everyone. Store will forever be a work in progress. We will continue to learn,” Ojo said.
