chose a printer [this poll will be updated]

[gnume]

lulu : http://www.lulu.com/publish/calendars/? ... me_nav_cal
cafepress : http://www.cafepress.com/make/custom-calendars
zazzle : http://www.zazzle.com/custom/calendars
vistaprint : http://www.vistaprint.com/personalized- ... av=TsrItem
other : if you know other printer on demand that print calenders and are located in the usa post them in a comment and ill will add them
chose by the design you want

[ghostrunner]

no idea
let me do some research

[blkknight]

Looking at the pictures, they all seem to be using the same stock calendars.

[gnume]

the little details are different thats the headache

[houseofmuses]

Okay, here's the deal. You have two final options.

Lulu has the Standard calendar that opens at 11x17, priced at a nice $12.49, so since the majority of printers is charging $17.95 - $23.00 BASIC PRINT COST for a calendar, you can set this one up at a pretty price of $17.99 and still make a $5.00 profit. Now, CafePress does have the Calendar Print for a basic cost of $8.00, but it offers only one image, likely not good for a group of comic artists unless they made a montage. So I cast my opinion that Lulu's above option is the very best.

[houseofmuses]

On an amended note, I went out and checked Vistaprint...the have the best price ($7.99 for a full-year calendar!!!), and I would still suggest using the retail price I suggested for the Lulu calendar. Their print quality is very good, I have used them before.
http://www.vistaprint.com/holiday-produ ... anner_RCHP

You won't have to keep any in stock, but you would have to put your own sales html at your site, preferably a Paypal button, so you can order and ship calendars as they are ordered by the public. Easiest option available.

[gnume]

vista print added.
and apparently it set to forget votes if changes are made

[ghostrunner]

i think i'll go with what pams voting for. simply because she's done it before, and that can only add speed to our operation

[Hogan]

Okay, to cut through I would say I Pam got the right solution, as the votes too point to.

Vistaprint it shall be!

As I see it now, we will create an account with VistaPrint for use for the project, if possible one that sends any revenue directly to Relay For Life, cutting out the middle man (I have asked Ron to contact them, not only to hear if this is possible, but also to ensure that we got their stamp of approval for the project as well as for using their name to advertise it).

We will then set up a page (I can do it as a subsection of the dragoneer.com for example (?) question is whether we want a domain-name for it?) from where we can present the good cause & calender, as well as a few teasers for the various pages and, most important, the link & Paypal button leading to the buy!
Adding an active donor-meter to this page would be a hoot too!

To this page all involved, as well as those who want to support the good cause, shall link to... frequently if not permanently on their site(s)...

I will ask you Pam, to be our most appropiate Muse in this part of the endevour, leeting us siphon from your experience?

Okay, next step ahead, I will put up a poll for length of calender come this evening. When that step has been cleared, its time to set the theme for the calender together as well as distribute the months to the various eager artists... then its finally time to get some work done

[Hogan]

I've talked this over a little with Pam, and perhaps Vistaprint is not the best place suited for this anyway...
Its more geared towards people ordering quantities of a particular piece of merchandize since the best refound is given to larger shipments. In our case we will have to go in and order one piece send to a specific individual every time somebody orders something from our shop, meaning we will have to add a second tier manually in the shipping-process...

Seen in hindsight we might be better off using the standard salesoptions offered by Cafepress, Zazzle or Lulu where you can set up shop at their site and customers buying directly from there, cutting out the middleman...
This will mean less profit per. item sold but might generally makes the whole process run much smoother.

Comments? Else it will probably be this road we will go down...

[ghostrunner]

heh, i'm just folowing someones lead, myself. i'm lost most of the time with this stuff. let the old men who start the wars fight the wars i say

[Hogan]

Okay, since I'm running on overdrive anyway, hoping my body won't catch up until I've at least made it to the weekend, I might as well lead this Horde into the war... Leroy Jenkins style!

Cafepress or Zazzle it will be, I will be looking at the differences now and make a choice!

[Hogan]

Well, as it stands now, THIS will be out front store for the sale of the calender and any associated merchandise we can come up with and which will help us get the project along.

Sorry about the user & shopname, I had to settle on something

Subject closed, moving on!