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Promote my design service

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Design on demand support

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Uncategorized

New Creator Tool: Design on Demand (Beta)

You bring the genius idea, we’ll help bring it to life. 

Ideas. We all have them. But unfortunately, not all of us are professional digital designers. 

Well, that’s no longer an issue. We’re rolling out several tools to support creators, and the first one up is Design on Demand, offered in Beta. Meaning—if you have an awesome design idea but aren’t well versed in digital design tools (understandable), then just tell our team what you’re dreaming up and we’ll create it for you. And then it’s all yours. 

Here’s how it works, and how to get the most out of this new service. 

Coming up with your idea

You might have tons of design ideas already. But if not, here are a few pointers to get the wheels turning:

  1. The starting point. Whether you have a small following on TikTok, a handful of podcast listeners, or 1k subscribers on YouTube, your community is your biggest source of inspo. Say you have a show about your favorite sports team—why not create some products for other diehards?
  2. Moments with your community. Think of moments or phrases you’ve shared online that are memorable. Take for example stand up comedian Tahir Moore. He said a hilarious line off the cuff in one of his videos. He then turned that line into a design idea, applied it to a product, and it sold like crazy (full story linked here).

3. Calendar events. Pay attention to key holidays and relevant events happening throughout the year. For example, Pride-themed products do especially well in June, and so on.

After you purchase Design on Demand, you’ll get an email inviting you to submit your idea (aka your brief). The key here is being super clear and super specific. Beyond describing your idea, we also strongly suggest sending the following as well: 

  • Include inspiration behind your idea, as well as examples of other designs you admire (like links on the web or image files).
  • Give us context of your brand. It’ll help to include reference files like logos, brand guides, fonts, or any messaging or writing documents you’ve created.
  • Share links to your website and social media pages, and specify your type of content (influencer, food blogger, fitness enthusiast). 
  • Don’t be afraid to over communicate. Share as many files and notes as you’d like with our design team. 

Process and next steps  

After 1-3 days, you’ll receive the first draft of your design. You’ll get one design revision, so think carefully about your instructions. After that, you’re good to go—you’ll own the design and can apply it across our most popular products. 

Ready to go?

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Creator Resources Platform Integrations

Selling on Linktree

Selling on Linktree allows fans to browse your top products or head to your full Spring store—seamless shopping for them and tons of new traffic for you. Start selling across all your social media platforms below in 3 simple steps.

Sell on Linktree with Spring

How to start selling on Linktree

The Spring x Linktree integration enables your fans to browse featured products, click-to-purchase, or visit your store—all without leaving your Linktree. Follow the steps below to get started.

  1. Set up a Linktree account (if you haven’t already). 
  2. Head to the Linktree tab in your dashboard, then hit “Add this to my Linktree”.
  3. Click “Show me more,” then select “Show my shop on Linktree” 

Your embedded Linktree shop will display the first six products in your Spring store. If you want to show different products, then “star” them in the stores tab of your dashboard. Now they’ll appear at the top. 

Set up? Next, learn more about Linktree’s 30+ integrations with third-party apps and Link Apps, meaning fans are able to to watch, listen, shop and more. Newly added apps like Typeform, Reddit, and Gleam will come in useful for selling more on Spring. Learn more here, then checkout other Spring integrations to promote on all your social media channels.

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Creator Resources Taxes Uncategorized

Filing Taxes (US)

Here are some answers to common questions concerning the Form 1099:

Who needs to file a Form 1099?

In the US, you are required by law to file a Form 1099 if you receive more than $600 in profits from Spring. Creators with multiple accounts will need to update their account information on all—as we will be merging their payout amount into one 1099 form. Only INDIVIDUALS will receive a Form 1099 from Spring. All other types (Corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and international entities etc.) are responsible for reporting taxes themselves by consulting a tax accountant. 

What information will be included in my form?

Your name, address, SSN and payout amount received during the year will be included on the form so it is important that this information is accurate and up to date.

Additional information and examples of Form 1099-MISC can be found here

When will I receive my Form 1099?

1099 Forms will be sent out by January 31st. They will be mailed to the address you’ve indicated in your Spring profile.

How is my Form 1099 payout amount calculated?

The amount is based on cash paid out during the year, not cash earned during the year. For example, if you end a listing in December 2019 but do not request the payout until January 2020, the amount earned for this listing will be excluded from your 2019 Form 1099.

For tax purposes, it is best to look at the total amount paid to you over the tax year. The best way to verify that information is to go to your Payout History page. On this page you can add up the payout request amounts which you have made in the the year.

Your Spring Dashboard reflects all payouts for all-time profit, including non-listing payouts that you may have received, such as affiliate fees, referral fees, competition winnings. We suggest cross checking with your Payout History page to cover all bases in the event of a glitch or bug that may cause calculations to differ.

You may not receive a Form 1099 if:

You did not receive payments of $600 or more within the calendar year.

You are a Corporation, LLC or international entity/seller.

Please contact us if:

1. You have received a Form 1099 mistakenly.

2. You think you should have received a Form 1099 from Spring but have not.

3. You feel the Form 1099 you received includes inaccurate information.

Charity Payouts:

You will see all payouts, even those that went directly to a charity, reported on your 1099. If you have questions about how to report your charitable donations on your taxes, please consult a tax professional.

If you still have questions regarding a 1099, please contact creatorhelp@spri.ng

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Creator Resources Dashboard Tools Products Tools

Ordering samples

Why order samples?

Create content by ordering samples and watch sales double. It’s a no-brainer. See how other creators use their samples to promote products on our socials, learn the benefits and see our top FAQ’s below.

How to order samples

  • Log into your Spring account and head to the Listings section of your Dashboard
  • Click the “Order a sample” button next to the listing and choose products and colors to order
  • Proceed to checkout

Using samples in promotional content

Posting content that shows yourself sporting or using your own products is key. For all types of creators, showing off the quality of your products and your designs help to increase sales as well as establish your personal brand. Set up your own DIY photoshoot and style your designs in a way that feels right for your content. Always be sure to include a link to your product, or take advantage of our Platform Integrations.

Base cost

Enhancing your freedom and ability to create, share, and earn with ease—product quality is our top priority. We are constantly reviewing the material, feel, appearance of the products we offer, as well as ensuring optimal surfaces for printing. As a creator on Spring you’re able to order samples of your products at base cost. This means you’ll get the product for the minimum price.

Order tracking

Visit this link and enter your order number (included in your confirmation email) to check the status of your order, edit the shipping address or cancel your sample order.

Order recovery

Visit this link and enter the email address you used to place your sample order. If you’re still having trouble locating your order please contact fanhelp@spri.ng—be sure to include the name the order is placed under, shipping address, and email address.

Shipping

Shipping costs vary based on the item you’re purchasing. You can preview shipping costs before completing checkout. Below you will find shipping timelines based on delivery location.

US Fulfillment*

  • Domestic standard shipping: 9- 12 business days
  • International standard shipping: 12 -15 business days
  • Rush (Domestic): 4 – 5 business days

* For international shipping, we do not track packages once they reach their destination country.

EU Fulfillment*

  • UK, France, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden: 7 – 12 business days
  • Rest of EU countries: 10 – 16 business days
  • ROW:  15 – 22 business days
  • Rush UK: 3 – 4 business days
  • Rush EU: 3 – 4 business days

* Tracked shipping is not available for EU fulfilled orders at this time. 

Quality guarantee

If for any reason you’re not fully satisfied, we’re here to make things right. Please make sure to contact fanhelp@spri.ng within 30 days of receiving your order. For any quality issues, be sure to provide clear photos of the products on a flat, well-lit surface. This quick and simple step will help us to provide a speedy resolution.

Categories
Creator Resources Dashboard Tools Tools

Connecting a custom domain

Custom store URLs by default will be YourStoreName.creator-spring.com. However, you have the ability to purchase and connect a custom domain for your store. Using a custom domain enhances your brand and over time it can increase your search rankings and discoverability too.

Create the perfect domain name

  • Use a domain name fans will easily recognize like your social handle, channel name, or brand. For example, if your Instagram handle is @TheCreator, your domain name should be https://www.thecreator.com.
  • Keep domains as short as possible so they’re easy to remember and type out.
  • Consider adding keywords such as ‘merch” or a word related to your niche, social media content type, or design style.

Purchase a new domain

You can purchase a custom domain through Spring directly within the ‘stores’ section of your account. Purchasing a domain through Spring is the easiest way to set up a custom domain for your store with no technical knowledge required. We offer competitive pricing, plus there’s no need to manually configure DNS settings. Our creator help team will be able to answer questions and provide assistance for your domain too.  

  1. Navigate to the “Stores” tab of your dashboard and click “purchase a domain”.
  2. Enter your preffered domain name in the search bar and browse available and most popular domains at the top of the results. Each domain will show a yearly subscription fee, allowing you to compare prices.
  3. Fill in your address and choose whether you’d like your domain to automatically renew yearly. Continue to checkout.
  4. Once the purchase is complete, we will automatically verify your DNS records.
  5. Once the purchase is complete your domain will work immediately. You’ll be prompted to verify your domain contact information via email–you must complete contact verification or the domain will be suspended.

Note: If you advertise your products on Facebook you’ll want to prioritize eight conversion events in Facebook Business Manager following step 4. Learn more

Connect an existing external domain

If you have already purchased a domain using an external registrar, enter it within the “Stores” tab of the dashboard and select “connect a domain”. Once connected, whenever someone enters your URL e.g. www.mystore.com, they’ll be taken to your custom Spring store. If you don’t own a domain yet, see above to learn how to purchase one. 

To connect your existing domain to your store, you’ll need to edit your DNS settings in your domain registrar’s control panel to include a CNAME and A record that points to your store:

Both the A and CNAME records are required. The A record (also known as the root record) will ensure that visitors to e.g. thecreator.com (no www) are correctly shown your Spring store. The CNAME record will ensure that visitors to e.g. www.thecreator.com are also taken to your Spring store.

Follow these instructions once you have edited your DNS settings in your domain registrar’s panel: 

  1. Return to your Spring dashboard in the Stores tab where you’ll see the domain you’re in the process of setting up. 
  2. To verify your DNS changes, click the button next to the domain you’re connecting titled ‘Setup incomplete, click to resume’. This will automatically attempt to verify the DNS records previously configured with your domain registrar. If this fails, click the button again and confirm that the DNS records are entered correctly and retry.
  3. In the event verification fails (sometimes it can take a few minutes), simply reattempt verification by clicking the button labeled ‘Verify’ at the bottom of the page.
  4. Once your DNS records have been verified, you will see a success message. 

Note: If you advertise your products on Facebook you’ll want to prioritize eight conversion events in Facebook Business Manager following step 4. Learn more.

Here are additional DNS resources for popular registrars:

Connect a subdomain

If you already own a domain, you can create a subdomain of it for free. For example, if you already use thecreator.com for your blog, you can create a subdomain it of it such as shop.thecreator.com to host your Spring store.

The difference in connecting a domain vs. subdomain is the DNS setup.  For a subdomain you will only have to set one record (a CNAME on the subdomain provided).  We provide instructions within the dashboard after you have connected the subdomain on how to do this.

Advertising on Facebook 

Due to Apple’s iOS 14 update, Facebook advertisers will need to connect a custom domain to their Spring store and verify it on Facebook. Failure to do so will result in your Meta (Facebook) pixel no longer firing—and loss of pixel data in Facebook Business Manager.  

Note: You can verify Spring hosted domains on Facebook within the store section of your account. Click the button below to learn how.  

Got any questions or having trouble? Check these popular domain FAQ’s.

Categories
Creator Resources Dashboard Tools Tools

Customizing your store

Enjoy full creative control with Spring’s new custom stores. Give fans a 360-degree branded shopping experience from browsing to transactional emails.

Custom stores

We’re rolling out custom stores to all creators from now through May 2021. You’ll see a popup notification within your dashboard when you’ve been upgraded to this feature. Once you have access you’ll be able to take advantage of the features below. Visit your dashboard now to see if you’ve been upgraded to custom stores.

  • Branded shopping experience: The brand customizations you apply to your store will be reflected on your listing pages and even the transactional emails buyers receive after purchasing.

  • Feature social media accounts: Make your social profiles more discoverable by adding clickable social icons to your store’s navigation bar and/or store footer.  

  • Custom domains: Your store will have a unique domain generated based on its name, but you’ll also have the ability to connect or purchase a custom domain too. Learn more in the domain section below.

  • New preview options: Preview your store on desktop and mobile devices within the store editor to ensure everything looks perfect.

  • Additional customization capabilities: Use the hero banner’s “advanced settings” to add custom buttons, headings and text to your store. 

  • Change your store name and copy your store URL easily to share with fans.

  • Pick products to add to your store. Add to your store manually within the Stores tab by following the steps below.
How to add products to your store

Custom domains (new)

A unique domain encourages trust and enhances your brand, overtime it can also increase your search rankings and discoverability online.  When you create a new custom store on Spring your store URL will be YourStoreName/creator-spring.com by default. However, you now have the ability to connect a custom domain you own or to purchase a totally new one.

How to connect an existing domain 

If you have already purchased a domain using an external registrar, enter it within the “Stores” tab of the dashboard and select “connect a domain”. Once connected, whenever someone enters your URL e.g. www.mystore.com, they’ll be taken to your custom Spring store. If you don’t own a domain yet, skip to the next section to learn how to purchase one. 

To connect your existing domain to your store, you’ll need to edit your DNS settings in your domain registrar’s control panel to include a CNAME and A record that points to your store. Learn more about connecting an existing domain below.

How to purchase a domain

Currently you’re able to purchase a domain on Spring through third-party services such as Go Daddy, Namecheap, Google, or Bluehost. In the coming weeks we’ll also give creators the ability to purchase custom domains hosted through Spring. Learn more.

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Creator Resources Platform Integrations Twitch

Twitch extension FAQs

Use the Twitch merch store extension to showcase and sell custom products while you stream. The extension features integrated checkout, so fans can purchase merch without having to leave your stream. Plus, enable in-stream purchase alerts and create subscriber-exclusive products to engage and reward your community.  

Features

  • No minimum orders required. Create and sell products with no upfront cost or risk.
  • The ability to customize the display products featured in the panel.
  • Whenever you launch new products with Spring, they’ll appear in your panel in under 15 minutes.
  • Sell your products to fans globally—the panel is visible to all viewers and products can be shipped worldwide.    
  • Avoid the hassle of order fulfillment or customer support. Spring handles it all for you.
  • Create and sell exclusive products only your loyal subscribers can access.

Perks

Chat and OBS Alerts

  • Purchases from fans automatically trigger Twitch chat alerts featuring a direct link to the product purchased so other fans can see and replicate.
  • Set up OBS alerts through Streamlabs for prominent overlay celebrations that will excite fans and encourage additional purchases.

Integrated browsing and checkout

  • With a dynamic browsing experience directly on your stream page, fans will never have to leave your stream to purchase your products.
  • Integrated checkout on Twitch increases conversion and creates a cohesive experience for fans from browsing, to check out, to celebration with alerts.

Personalized merch alerts

  • Fans can create personalized messages post-purchase that are visible to you and all viewers on-stream. Check out this video to learn how to set them up. 
  • Streamers who enable merch alerts are increasing their merch sales by an average of 32%.
  • Spring’s live merch alerts are available on every streaming platform integrated with Streamlabs—including YouTube, Twitch, Mixer, Facebook Gaming, and many more.

Subscriber exclusive products

  • Streamers can reward and engage loyal channel subscribers and recruit new ones by offering access to exclusive products.
  • Spring Merch Store is the only Twitch extension where users can create and sell subscriber-exclusive merch in combination with integrated checkout and built in OBS and chat alerts.

How to set up your merch store

  1. From your creator dashboard on Twitch, click the tab labelled ‘extensions’. Search ‘Spring’ or follow this direct link to the extension details: https://www.twitch.tv/ext/0btmbqa5tm2pyr0f59td8vk1unwxl6
  2. Click ‘install’ then ‘configure’ to move onto the next step in completing the connection.
  3. Click ‘Get Started’ to be taken to the Spring login/signup page. Log in with your existing Spring account or create a new one.
  4. A successful login will display a 7 digit Store ID number. Return to Twitch then copy and paste this number into your extensions configuration panel and click connect. Important, if you haven’t created any products yet head over to Spring and click ‘start designing’ to create merch.
  5. From the ‘My extensions’ section of your creator dashboard click ‘Activate’ on the Spring merch extension to display the panel on your channel.
  6. Head back to your channel page and do a hard refresh of the page to ensure the panel has cleared your cache. You can configure the order of your panels (putting products up top increases conversions). Please note, new products can take up to 15 mins to populate on Twitch from your Spring store.

How to create sub-exclusive merch (premium)

  1. Once you’ve connected your Twitch account to Spring, open your Spring account and navigate to the ‘listings’ section of your dashboard.
  2. Click the ‘settings’ icon of the listing you want to edit.
  3. Toggle the ‘Make this listing premium’ to ‘on’.
  4. Go back to the listings section of your account and you should see the ‘premium’ tag visible on your listing. 
  5. Now everyone will be required to verify they’re a subscriber to your Twitch channel before they can purchase products from this listing. If they’re not a subscriber they’ll be prompted to subscribe in order to unlock your sub-exclusive products.

Further FAQs

Where can I find my Spring store ID?

In the integrations tab of your Spring dashboard under the tab on the left labeled ‘Twitch’.

Does the Twitch integration cost anything to use?

No, there are no additional costs  when selling via Twitch Panel.

Why aren’t my OBS alerts aren’t working?

OBS alerts need to be enabled through the Streamlabs in the Integrations tab of your Spring dashboard. Learn more about connected your Spring and Streamlabs accounts here.  

Can I change the display order of my products on the extension?

Yes, visit the integrations tab of your Spring dashboard to make changes to your product display.

I’ve activated the extension but I don’t see it on my stream page or my phone, what do I do?

First try a hard refresh (CMD+Shift+R) on your browser to clear your cache. If this doesn’t work please contact Spring’s Creator Experience Team for assistance via creatorhelp@spri.ng. The Merch Store extension is only visible on desktop right now but is coming soon to mobile.

Categories
Creator Resources Platform Integrations YouTube

YouTube integration FAQs

Spring’s integration into YouTube Shopping allows eligible creators to showcase their Spring products on YouTube. Fans can browse and buy your products across these surfaces on YouTube:

  • Your channel’s store
  • Product shelf below or next to your videos and live streams
  • Shopping button in your videos, Shorts, and live streams
  • As a pinned product in live streams

In YouTube Studio, you can organize your products to display across these surfaces. 

What are the Youtube Shopping features I can use via Spring’s integration? 

YouTube Product Shelf – The product shelf helps you keep your products visible to fans in your videos without needing to include a link to your Spring store in the video description.

YouTube Channel’s Store – The YouTube store lets you display all your products on your YouTube channel, making it easy for your fans to discover them.

1p Tagging features – With the 1P tagging feature, you can display specific products alongside your video and YouTube Shorts. This allows your fans to discover new products and enjoy an interactive shopping experience.

Live Shopping – With the YouTube Live Shopping feature, you can showcase specific products during your live stream videos, creating enhanced interactions with your fans and providing them with a fun shopping experience.

What are the Youtube integration eligibility requirements?

Creators must have a Youtube channel approved for monetization and at least 500 channel subscribers. More details about Youtube Shopping Eligibility can be found here
Once access is granted, YouTube will notify you. You must also be a part of the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), as well as meet additional criteria which are listed on the YouTube help center. If you need further assistance on this topic, please contact YouTube support.

How do I integrate my Spring account with Youtube?

You can find the steps to integrate here.

Do I need to include links in my video descriptions

By tagging products in your video, viewers based in these locations will always be able to see and purchase your products. However, we recommend you also add links to your Spring’s store in the video’s description and in the “About” section of your Youtube channel. 

How many products are displayed on the product shelf and Store tab?

You can tag and rearrange up to 30 items for individual videos or Shorts to trigger a more customized shopping experience for your audience. You can also choose to tag and rearrange up to 30 items for a live stream.

Can I customize the order in which my products are displayed on my Youtube channel? 

The display order for your products is optimized for engagement and automated based on various factors, such as price, popularity, and availability. You can select the products to display in a certain order for your entire channel and store. You can select the order of products for your entire channel in the Earn Tab of your YouTube Studio. You can also select specific products to be tied to individual videos in the monetization settings of your videos. 

You can find the steps to manage your products here.

Can I tag my Spring products in my YouTube videos? 

Yes. YouTube Shopping features make it easy for eligible creators in the YouTube Partner Program to tag your products in videos, Shorts, and live streams

You can find the steps to tag your products in videos and live streams here

What data does Spring share with YouTube?

We share data about your Spring account, including the number of purchases, number of page visits, retail price of items sold, total revenue and profit, and canceled orders. We do not share any personally identifiable information with YouTube.

Why is my product available on Spring, but not on my Youtube channel

Products featured on Youtube must comply with YouTube’s Community Guidelines. If your design is listed on your Spring store but not on your Youtube channel it may have been removed due to content concerns. If you recently uploaded the design to your Spring store, it can take 2-3 business days to show up on YouTube. If you are having trouble getting new products to show, please contact creatorhelp@spri.ng.

Do you have any tips that will help me sell more?

Of course, make sure you build hype before launching your YouTube store to build excitement. When you launch your new products collection, make sure you’re wearing one of the products, this shows your pride in your products and encourages purchases.