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Creators

Important: Creator payouts

FAO: Spring Creators

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.

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The rules have changed. Sell on YouTube with only 1K subscribers.

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.

Visit YouTube studio

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.

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The Spring x Picsart partnership has landed: the solution to creating quality merch designs

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.

Start my free Picsart Gold trial

Here’s what to expect:

  • 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.

Enter
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Creating a free store on Spring

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.

Start creating and selling
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How to smash your first NFT project with Jason Corey in 4 steps

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. 

Sell NFTs on YouTube Jason Corey's first NFT project

Index

  1. Create content your fans cares about
  2. Make your NFT idea community driven
  3. Limited edition NFTs work
  4. Promote organically
  5. Launch your own NFT

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. 

NFT project Jason Corey

“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. 

Learn from Connor DeWolfe, Shayne, Sapien Medicine, and Super Dacob too and get uploading below—it’s so easy.

Sell NFts
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Exclusively sell pins with Spring: how it works

Pins are a fun way for fans to show their support and rep your brand. We’ll help you source and sell—see how easy it is to sell your own and get started.

Spring handles everything for you including inventory storage, listing creation, order fulfillment, delivery, and fan support. All you need to do is pay a $50 deposit, design your pin and begin your presale (you need to sell 100 pins in 30 days to reach minimum order quantity).

Please read through design requirements and instructions before submitting your pin project below.

Apply to sell pins

Index

1) Designing your pin

First, choose your pin type:

Soft enamel pins

Soft enamel is our most popular pin type. Its defining characteristic is having colored paint recessed into the metal mold—giving the pins a dimensional look and textured feel fans love. These pins are a great option if you’re using simple designs with five colors or less.

Hard enamel (Cloisonne) pinsem

This type of pin features enamel that is polished flat across the design surface. They’re produced by adding and baking each individual color separately on the pin. After all colors are added, the pin is polished to achieve its iconic smooth finish. These pins are a great option if you’re using simple designs with five colors or less.

File formatting and design guidelines

This part is super important. Before you submit your design, you should check that it complies with the file formatting tips below.

  • File types: JPEG, .JPG, .PNG, .AI, .EPS,.PSD, .TIFF and .PDF design files.
  • File size: We recommend submitting high resolution files (300 DPI) with at least 2.5” x 2.5” (750 x 750 pixels) dimensions
  • Design complexity: A simpler, less detailed design works best.
  • Colors: Please use no more than 10 colors in your design. Submit designs only with block colors (no gradients or different transparencies).
  • Shape: Your design will be rejected if your pin features cut-outs—it needs to be a solid shape with no holes in the middle.

Choosing a size

The 1 inch option is the most popular size selection, however if your design features text or lots of details we may recommend choosing a larger size. Keep in mind, the larger the pin size, the more the base cost increases (which means your pin will need to be more expensive if you want to make a larger profit). 

Finishing

We offer 16 different finishing options. You can choose from black, gold and silver. Your pin will feature a butterfly clutch backing. When your pins are fulfilled, they’ll be shipped in a clear polybag with an adhesive seal for protection.

2) How selling pins works

Pin pricing

Below is a price reference table. Please note these prices are not exact—they simply provide an indication of price range based on your pin size and quantity sold. Your pin’s base cost may be slightly lower or higher than the table based on how many you sell during your presale. The amount spent on the production of your pins (the base cost) will be deducted from your payout at the end of your campaign.

Here’s a breakdown of how the sourcing process works.

1) Submit request: Fill out the form with your pin characteristics and submit your request. We aim to process all requests within 24 – 48 business hours.

2) Receive your digital design file and pricing information—you’ll then be able to approve or reject.

3) Start selling: Pin production takes around 30-45 business days and inventory will be sent to our facility in the US. We’ll create product mockups for you and make sure to set the listing to ‘private’ so you can make it public and start selling when you’re ready. We can also send pins to you if you’d like to create promotional material or videos for the launch. 

3) Promoting your pin to reach 100 sales

Once you’ve set your pin listing to “public”, you’ll need to have plenty of promotional content prepared to ensure you reach 100 sales in 30 days. You can do that in a number of ways—

<siberian lizard promo examples> 

4) Pricing recommendations + fees

We’ll let you know what we think you should charge for your pin once your design is ready for you to approve. Spring charges a service fee which covers storing pin inventory (up to 60 days from last sale), creating product mockups, fulfilling orders, and handling customer service for you. Our service fee is 15% of the selling price (minimum $2). Normally pin retail prices range from $7 – $15. Pricing should depend on the a) base cost of your pins and b) how much you think fans will pay for this custom product.

For example, you source 1,000 pins with a base cost of $1.40 each. You pay $1,400 total. The selling price for each pin is $9.99 Spring’s fulfillment fee is $2. Therefore, your profit margin would be $9 (selling price) – $1.40 (base cost) – $2 (service fee) = $5.60 per pin. This means once you sell all your pins you keep $5,600 in profit.

Ready to go? Ensure you understand all of the design guidelines and begin submitting your pin project below.

Apply to sell pins

5) Pin FAQs

What is the minimum order quantity (MOQ)?

A MOQ is the minimum number of units that need to be sold in order for us to start producing your product. For example, you need to sell at least 100 units to start pin production and generate earnings.

Why do I have to pay a $50 deposit?

The non- refundable deposit covers the cost of creating digital mockups and the time spent on reviewing and quoting your project.

What happens if I don’t reach the MOQ?

If after your 30-day campaign you have not sold 100 units (MOQ), we will need to notify your fans to cancel and refund their orders.

How long does the process take normally?

The entire pin process takes between 2 to 3 months. 30 days of pre-sale campaign, 30-45 days of production, 7-14 days of shipping to our facility. 

When can I get paid?

You’ll be able to pay out your profits as usual only after your pins have been fulfilled at our facility and shipped to your fans.

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Linktree Marketplace: new ways to connect with fans and sell *even more*

Today, Linktree announced the launch of Marketplace, a suite of apps allowing you to find new ways to engage fans and sell your products all in one place. Find out how to sell on Linktree the smart way by using new Partner Link Apps.

Sell on Linktree with Spring

With more than 30 integrations with third-party apps and Link Apps, fans are able to to watch, listen, shop and more. Read the full story here. Newly added apps like Typeform, Reddit, and Gleam will come in useful for selling more on Spring. Find our tips below.

  1. Typeform: let fans have their say
  2. Run design contests on Gleam
  3. Discuss with your community on Reddit 
  4. Add new products to your store

Not connected your store to Linktree yet? Spring creators who sell on Linktree sell 68% more products. Learn more about it here and get started below. 

Let fans have their say with Typeform 

Inviting fans to co-create with you and have a stake on what products you launch next is key. Adding the Typeform integration to your Linktree is the perfect way to do this. Create a short survey asking your community to vote and share the results on your social channels. You might ask for their input on several engaging topics:

  • Let them vote on your next design 
  • Ask them which types of products they want next
  • Run contests—try setting up a quiz. Give the winner merch (send a sample)
  • Run design contests. Get fans to submit their designs. The winner gets their artwork featured on one of your products 

Reward your community using Gleam 

This app is a cool one. Run contests within the app, set up instant rewards for quick actions (for example: “follow my YouTube channel and get an exclusive 15% off promo code”). Providing incentives for fans helps you grow and gets you more sales. Rewarding fans for their loyalty lays dividends. Find out more here.

Discuss new products on Reddit 

Reddit is the perfect space to share thoughts and have discussions with your community, plus it’s the ideal spot to drop products. Set specific topics for your fans to discuss together, for example ideas for your next drop, things going on in the world you care about (turn it into merch), and more. 

Add new products to your store

Adding new products to your Linktree is the best way to get fans heading to your Linktree to check them out. Create engaging social content using samples and direct fans to your Linktree within your captions to start shopping. See the products trending this summer below. 

sell on linktree product aesthetically rica - Spring creator
Long sleeve tee
sell on linktree product aesthetically rica - Spring creator
Mug
Launch team jerseys with Spring
Team jersey
sell fanny packs on social media
Fanny pack

Ready to get going? Ensure your store is connected, explore the new apps available to you on Linktree, and watch your sales soar.

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Insights News

Spring partners with EcoEnclose to introduce eco packaging for over 75% of orders

Creators and their communities care about their impact on the environment—fact. Leading the change for responsible, eco packaging is also Spring’s top priority. That’s why we’ve partnered with EcoEnclose to introduce eco-friendly mailers for you and your fans. 

From June 6th onwards, 75% of sample orders and fan packages will be shipped in new and improved recycled poly mailers. New eco poly bags are 91% recycled, 60% of which comes from post-consumer materials. The post consumer waste that we’ll be using comes directly from the blue bins, specifically in the form of a milk jug.

How to recycle your package

Each and every order will help to save resources, reduce water consumption, and release fewer greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. See the difference we’re making annually by switching our packaging below for all mailers.

EcoEnclose’s CEO explains: 

“EcoEnclose is on a mission to make e-commerce a force for positive environmental change. Our partnership with Spring has been an incredible step forward towards that end vision. To us, Spring represents a really exciting new trend in the future of commerce – they have highly localized production, producing small and highly customized runs, all of which elevates the messages of some of the world’s most climate-conscious change makers. It has been amazing working with their team to transition them to more circular and sustainable packaging – packaging that reflects their ethos and the values of the influencers they work with”.

How can I use my sample to get more sales?

Creators who feature samples in promotional content on social media earn as much as 200% more profit from their products, plus, they’re 6x more likely to get a sale. This is your chance to show off your design and showcase the quality of your product. 

Pair social content with a link straight to your listing. See if you’re eligible to start using Spring’s integrations, tag your products in your Instagram stories, or connect your store with Linktree here to present your products

Learn more about how to use samples in your content below.

Sample tips
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Creators Insights

How to sell smarter this summer: run a sale using top tips + free templates

Find out how to run a summer sale and start the season on a high 💰 Follow our steps below and use free, editable social media templates to announce your discount.

Running a sale is easier than you think. The key: create top tier promotional content to announce your summer sale on socials and ensure fans can find your products easily. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be set for the summer, starting with Memorial day weekend.

  1. Plan a sales game plan
  2. Create promo codes
  3. Prepare promo content (FREE templates)

Step 1) figure out your game plan

Determine your content schedule and fit in your run summer sale announcements on social media. There’s tons of ways you can engage fans and keep them shopping your products with promo codes.

Open for sale inspo:

  • Align your sale with an event: Announce a sale to celebrate a special calendar event or a milestone you can share with your community. E.g. You just hit 100K followers, summer just started, Memorial day weekend.
  • New products: Use a promo code to celebrate a new product release (Slides are a great place to start this summer). 
  • End of season sale: Offering discounts on ‘older’ spring designs before your summer product launch is a good way to encourage purchases on existing items while generating hype for what is to come.
  • First come first serve: Encourage purchases early-on by offering a limited number of discounted orders. For example, you say: “the first 50 people to buy my new design will get 10% off with the code FIRST50”. Turn the promo code’s active status to ‘off’ in your dashboard when you hit 50 orders.

Step 2) create promo codes

Head to your dashboard and turn their active status to ‘off’ until it’s time to run your sale. You can create three different types of promotions; free shipping (US delivery only), a discount amount (like $3), or a discount percent (like 10% off). Learn how in the video below. 

Create your promo code

Step 3) Prepare promo content (free templates)

Now, create the social media content you’ll use to promote your sale. Promotional images and videos of you wearing your products work best.

Spring’s design team mocked some up for you to edit and share on your socials for memorial day weekend. Tap a template below to open them in Canva and start editing.

run a summer sale: Promote summer products on social using this Canva story template
Open story template 1
run a summer sale: Promote summer products on social using this Canva story template
Open story template 2
run a summer sale: Promote summer products on social using this editable Canva feed post template
Open post template 1
run a summer sale: Promote summer products on social using this editable Canva feed post template
Open post template 2

Here’s what you need to include in your promo images and/or captions: 

  • Image of your product 
  • Your promo code 
  • The date your sale starts and ends 
  • The discount type – e.g. “Get 20% off”

Ready to get going? Tag @springforcreators in your promotional imagery for the chance to be featured on our Instagram to inspire our community of creators.