We are heads down here at Spring making improvements to the platform, and so we wanted to share some of the recent updates.
We aren’t stopping here though, and are always listening to your feedback, so keep an eye out for more exciting updates over the coming weeks as we head into the holiday season.
You can now simply create and activate a promo code right after you’ve launched a new listing. Promote your products and drive more sales in a couple of clicks!
We’ve made it even easier to start selling on social platforms using our powerful integrations. You will find these cards pointing you in the right direction, on the dashboard and straight after you launch a new product listing.
We’ve added a bunch of new products for you to customize and have made it easier to access the best sellers and latest additions. More products coming soon!
Spring is thrilled to announce that Rodrigo Velloso has joined the company as our first ever Vice President of Creator Success – a new role established to cement Spring’s commitment to the creator community. With creators at the core of all business operations and strategy, his main focus will be to ensure Spring creators successfully engage, grow, activate, monetize and authentically connect with their communities by using the platform.
Rod’s experience and track record of success in establishing and sustaining relationships with strategic partners and content creators alike will be an asset to Spring’s leadership team. He has led teams across several multi-international corporations, including Google, YouTube, Redbubble, Roblox and Twitter, whereby his roles have largely focused on content and partnerships within the general creator economy space.
As VP of Creator Success, he will be responsible for the continued success of Spring’s users and the business in delivering its value proposition to creators and other strategic partners. Rodrigo will be instrumental in organising the Spring team and resources to make certain creators achieve their objectives, across areas of creator management, success, support and growth. As VP of Creator Success, Rodrigo will look to maintain and expand the distance between creators’ needs and the platform’s capabilities, where Spring is always one step ahead.
Here’s some more about him in his own words:
What led you to Spring? Rod: What brought me to Spring was the opportunity to take-on a creator-centric leadership role at a creator-centric, late-stage startup that has great traction, outstanding creator and platform partners, incredible potential to scale and a visionary leadership team. Chris Lamontagne has built an incredibly solid foundation for the business since I first worked with him in 2018 and brought in an accomplished commerce platform leader to take it to the next level in Annelies Jansen. I’m excited to join them on our mission to take Spring to the next level.
What will your new role as VP of Creators encompass? Rod: As VP of Creator Success, my primary role is to ensure that Spring creators accomplish their evolving fan community development objectives using the Spring platform. Creators today want to engage, retain, grow, activate, monetize, delight and authentically connect with their communities. The physical and digital products, services and content they provide are all key elements of those relationships. Creators want increasingly sophisticated capabilities to address those opportunities in ways that are innovative, differentiated, integrated, fan-friendly and sustainable. My role is to keep Spring’s finger on the pulse of creator needs and requirements and work with mine and other teams at the company to make sure that we are responding to creators to the best of our ability and staying ahead of their needs. A key part of that, for which I’m excited to take responsibility, are Springs creator platform integration partnerships with YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Twitch as well as creator tools and services partnerships we are developing and excited to announce soon.
What is your vision for Spring in the long-run? Rod: I believe that branded clothing, adornments and objects are the among most tangible and meaningful connections that can be forged between creators and their communities. They are also building blocks of the bonds formed among community members which, in turn, attract others to the community. We all want to belong and merch has always been a big part of our cultural symbolism of community (long before it was called merch). So, my vision for Spring is that we are building the world’s first and best creator community building and monetization platform. To me, that’s the natural evolution of creator commerce and the logical next step of Spring’s journey as a business.
Fall arrives next week and with it comes opportunity. Many creators sell more in the last 3 months of the year than in the first 9 months combined! You could be one of them.
The first thing you need is a compelling new design. We’ve researched the color and style trends set to catch eyeballs this season to help you come up with that winning idea. And we also recommend the best Spring products to go with them. Read on and get ready to be inspired!
Shades of Pink & Mauve Pink and mauve (a pale purple color) are both named after flowers. These bright, youthful colors will bring light and energy to days that will be growing colder and shorter throughout the season.
Cozy and warm Classic Pullover HoodiesAvailable in Dusty Pink as well as Light Pink, Spring’s Classic Pullover Hoodie is the perfect match for this color trend, not to mention the season. The designs can also be pink, but tones of blue, green, brown and gray also work well with these comfy hoodie colors. And you can try them on the Premium Tee in Mauve or Desert Pink too!
Earthtone Neutrals Earth tones are commonly defined as colors that have some brown in them, commonly mixed with reds, oranges and yellows. It will be part of nature’s changing palette for the coming months in many parts of the world. Folklore floral prints in your design will contribute to the mood.
Banana Cream, Dark Chocolate and Caramel Toffee
They aren’t just everybody’s favorite flavors for the fall, but neutral and understated tones that can match many different styles and occasions. Great for yourself or as a gift, our Classic Pullover Hoodies and Crewneck Sweatshirts come in Mustard or Carmel Toffee and or check out our Premium Tees in Banana Cream, Dark Chocolate and Light Olive.
Tie-Dye Make the most of this fun autumn trend by creating your own tie-dye patterns and colors. You can apply them to our all-over print products (hoodies, crewneck sweatshirts, joggers, and tote bags, making an entirely unique and exclusive item that only your fans will have. Try using psychedelic prints and fonts for added effect or nostalgic, 90’s inspired prints which are all the rage right now.
We’re excited for your followers to see all of your fall products and collections!
Following up from the message I sent on Monday, August 15th, I wanted to confirm that all outstanding creator payments have now been made. If you missed that email, please see the FAQ below.
If you requested a payout on or before 08/06/2022 and have not yet received the funds, please reach out to creatorhelp@spri.ng as soon as possible. We will investigate and respond within 24 hours.
Once again, please accept my sincere apologies for the issues leading to this incident as well our communication about it with you. Unfortunately, we have continued to see an increase in suspicious and attempted fraudulent activity that has continued to drain our resources – we are actively addressing this. Rest assured, the Spring team and I have learned a great deal and continue to make changes to our product & processes to continually improve monetization for creators.
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at creatorhelp@spri.ng if you have additional questions.
Chris Lamontagne CEO | Spring
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the situation? Some creators have experienced delays receiving their requested payouts on Spring. Impacted creators are understandably upset and have asked for information and action..
When will it be fixed? When will I get paid? We are already catching up with payments to creators and plan to complete all delayed payments by August 29th. Catch-up payments will be made in batches based on the date the payout was requested.
How did this happen? Making sure creators get paid is a critical and complex part of our business. Over the last 3 years, more than 5 million new creators have signed up with Spring. This caused a substantial increase in the number of small (under $10) payout requests and strained our legacy payment systems. We are working hard to keep pace and, in the course of implementing a more automated payment solution, inadvertently broke some of the systems we use to ensure prompt payment to creators. We should have done more to ensure we had the relevant checks and balances in place to manage such an important transition. We apologize for the disruption and have updated our protocols to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
Why hasn’t Spring communicated earlier? We were unable to diagnose the situation fast enough and did not want to miscommunicate information or provide inaccurate timelines for fixes. In hindsight, we should have communicated sooner and provided frequent updates instead of waiting for the solution.
What is being done to fix the situation? We have rolled back the changes to our payment systems in order to ensure we can pay creators on time going forward.
How will Spring ensure that this doesn’t happen again? We are working on solutions to ensure that we avoid future issues with creator payouts, including but not limited to improvements in our automated payment processing, greater transparency and real-time updates.
I wanted to reach out with an important update with respect to creator payouts.
Firstly, I want to assure you that the technical issue that caused delays in some of your payouts has been addressed and that our team is working through the backlog payments to ensure that all outstanding creator payments are made by August 29th. Please review the FAQ below for additional detail.
On behalf of Spring, I sincerely apologize for these delays. We know how important it is that you get paid on time so that you can keep doing what you do. Your frustration is entirely justified. I will follow up on this message should there be any new information.
As a creator business, we missed the mark. We hold ourselves accountable for becoming a better partner and we are more committed than ever to supporting independent creators with community development and monetization solutions.
Thank you for your patience and the opportunity to earn back your trust. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at creatorhelp@spri.ng if you have additional questions.
Chris Lamontagne CEO | Spring
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the situation? Some creators have experienced delays receiving their requested payouts on Spring. Impacted creators are understandably upset and have asked for information and action..
When will it be fixed? When will I get paid? We are already catching up with payments to creators and plan to complete all delayed payments by August 29th. Catch-up payments will be made in batches based on the date the payout was requested.
How did this happen? Making sure creators get paid is a critical and complex part of our business. Over the last 3 years, more than 5 million new creators have signed up with Spring. This caused a substantial increase in the number of small (under $10) payout requests and strained our legacy payment systems. We are working hard to keep pace and, in the course of implementing a more automated payment solution, inadvertently broke some of the systems we use to ensure prompt payment to creators. We should have done more to ensure we had the relevant checks and balances in place to manage such an important transition. We apologize for the disruption and have updated our protocols to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
Why hasn’t Spring communicated earlier? We were unable to diagnose the situation fast enough and did not want to miscommunicate information or provide inaccurate timelines for fixes. In hindsight, we should have communicated sooner and provided frequent updates instead of waiting for the solution.
What is being done to fix the situation? We have rolled back the changes to our payment systems in order to ensure we can pay creators on time going forward.
How will Spring ensure that this doesn’t happen again? We are working on solutions to ensure that we avoid future issues with creator payouts, including but not limited to improvements in our automated payment processing, greater transparency and real-time updates.
Ready to start sell products on YouTube? It’s your turn. Creators with 1,000 subscribers can unlock the merch shelf, live shopping features, channel stores and more.
As of last week, you only need 1,000 subscribers+ (previously 10,000) can unlock YouTube’s suite of powerful selling features. This is HUGE; more creators than ever will be able to seamlessly engage fans and sell their Spring products on Youtube.
Head to the monetization tab of your YouTube Studio now to see if you’re eligible below.
This is an opportunity not to be missed. If you meet the criteria, waste no time in checking out the video below for a reminder on how to set up the merch shelf. Here’s a short refresher:
YouTube Merch Shelf
Use the merch shelf to showcase your brand and enable fans to browse and purchase your products directly below your videos.
YouTube Store
Create a store on your channel page that features your products, making them easily accessible to your community.
YouTube Live
Drive awareness and excitement around your products during live streams through pinned product announcements on YouTube live.
Learn more about YouTube’s eligibility requirements here.
You don’t need to be a design wizard to create and sell products your fans will love. Easily design merch with Picsart and apply them to any product with Spring. There’s more… read on to find out.
Sign up to Picsart, create merch designs instantly
Spring creators who sign up to Picsart Gold get to enjoy the full creative suite for one month free. With your trial, you’ll be able to spin up designs for your Spring products in moments. Sign up to start below.
Thousands of templates, fonts, stickers, and tools at your fingertips
Design on both the mobile app and the web
20M+ high-res stock images
Easily remove and change design backgrounds with a click
No watermarks whatsoever
Save your designs as JPG, PNG, or PDF—take them to Spring to start creating.
Design with no ads whatsoever ✨
How to sell more with Spring using Picsart
React quickly to important moments in your community. Picture this: your fans just asked for a hoodie featuring a new favorite catch phrase. You need to create a design and start selling ASAP, before the moment passes. Use Picsart’s online design tools and templates to create designs and apply them to a hoodie on Spring in minutes.
Stay on top of design trends. Picsart has designs for all creators and genres of content, and they’re uploading new ones each week. Use the most up to date stickers by browsing the Hashtag section on the Picsart app.
Create promo content with ease. You aren’t limited to merch designs, either—promote your products easily and create engaging content on Picsart using promo templates, 1+ fonts, stickers, and Picsart’s video editor.
Participate in the Spring x Picsart Challenge for a 10% promo code
To kick off the Spring x Picsart partnership, we’re running a contest to get your creative juices flowing. It’s easy to enter, head to the Picsart app, sign up, and create a design with summer vibes.
1. Create a design on Picsart using the #SummerTShirtChallenge Stickers
2. Apply your design to a t-shirt on Spring
3. Get a 10% sponsored discount to give your fans (you keep 100% of your profits)
Enter the contest and sign up to Picsart below to get started.
After you’ve signed up to Spring, follow these simple steps and you’ll have everything you need to start creating and selling products to your followers.
1. Set up your store
Head to the ‘Stores’ tab of your dashboard to get started.
2. Set up your store
A great looking store not only streamlines your fans’ shopping experience, it compliments the products inside it—making visitors more likely to purchase products.
Before you start customizing your Spring store, grab your brand logo and think about the colors you use on your social profiles. Here’s some of the customization features available:
Logo and branding: Upload your logo and pick colors for your navigation bar, hero text and buttons.
Branded shopping experience: the branding elements on your store will be reflected on listing pages and even the transactional emails your fans receive after purchase.
Social media icons: clickable social icons to your store’s navigation bar and/or store footer.
Add a domain: Your store will have a unique URL generated based on its name, but you can also connect or purchase a domain. Learn more here.
Hero banner: use “advanced settings” to add custom buttons, headings and text to your store.
3. Fill your store with products
Once you’ve created products, start adding them to your store. Start in the Store Editor on the stores tab of your dashboard and click ‘Products’ on the left navigation. Star the products you’d like your fans to see first in the ‘Featured Products’ section.
Top tip: Check out your finished store within the editor to ensure everything looks perfect. Most fans will be on their mobile devices, so make sure you preview all your branding on both device views.
4. Fill your store with products
When you’re ready to start sharing your store live on Facebook Gaming, copy your store link from the Stores tab in your dashboard.
Find out how to start creating and selling products below.
When Jason Corey dropped his first NFT project, he sold out within 72 hours. The secret behind getting fans to join him on his journey into Web3 was simple, but smart: come up with an idea fans really care about. Read the full story to learn more.
Step 1: find a topic you care about, others will too.
Jason Corey creates content on YouTube about his relationship with his beloved dog, Bruce Wayne. He’s passionate about sharing how incredible the Cane Corso breed can be (despite the fact they’re often seen in a negative light). Turns out there’s thousands of others who want to learn from Jason’s dog training methods:
“Within 6 months I hit over 100k subscribers. Since then, I’ve gained 250k total subscribers and changed the way people think of dog ownership along the way.”
Step 2: come up with a community driven NFT idea
Jason priced his ‘Bruce Wayne the Defender’ NFTs at $100 each—best of all, he pledged to donate 100% of the proceeds to a local animal shelter. His goal is to scale up, support larger charities, and make a widespread impact.
“Bruce Wayne has not only changed the entire Cane Corso world but just in general the dog world for the better. The community was strongly invested as it aligned with the well-being and protection of canines everywhere. I received quite a few messages after we sold out asking if we will be doing more charitable actions, which I am 100% going to do.”
The key to Jason’s first NFT project success was coming up with a community driven idea. His NFT drop gave fans a way to support him as a creator, and a cause they care about. Mint-On-Demand allowed him to upload his digital artwork and start selling in minutes.
Step 3: limited edition NFTs all the way
The decision to only launch 10 NFTs for his first drop was a smart one. The limited availability strategy creates urgency and increases the value—meaning Jason could sell them at $100 each. So what was the value for the NFT holders? Each of the buyers were officially the first to get behind the Bruce Wayne project. As the NFT project grows, they’ll be the original supporters.
Step 4: promote on social media organically
When it came to announcing his NFT drop, Jason found organic promotion worked best. Fitting it into his current content schedule and continuing to talk about the Bruce Project daily worked wonders.
“The best part was I didn’t even have to do heavy promotion to sell all 10. I mentioned it the start of a YouTube video, did 1 IG post and posted a couple stories each day. I have one of the best communities on YouTube. Everyone is so kind and generous and they were all quick to hop on board and show full support”
So, key takeaways. Think of a cause your community cares about. Come up a community driven idea, release limited NFTs, and increase value by communicating with fans about what’s coming up. We can’t wait to see what Jason does next.
