I just received an email from CafePress informing me that they have changed their Online Agreements. While these changes usually annoy me at best, I became thoroughly peeved after reading the brief but bladed message. Here is the content of the email (with my two cents):

Online Agreements Update

Dear CafePress Member,

Thanks for helping make CafePress the world’s destination for customized products. We are updating your Online Agreements. These Online Agreements will be revised effected June 23, 2011, and the material changes include:

• Updates to the Content Owner Agreement (formerly Seller Agreement):

– Section 3.2: Content

CafePress will retain the right to remove content from the CafePress system after 12 months of inactivity. –Sounds reasonable.  Freeing up space on servers?

– Section 4.2: Licensing Your Content to CafePress

(v): CafePress reserves the right to sell Products and/or Content from the CafePress Marketplace at its sole discretion for 3rd party feeds and set pricing. (vi): CafePress reserves the right to sell Products and/or Content available through the CafePress Marketplace to other retailers or wholesalers at prices determined by CafePress. –This, to me, is unacceptable!  They’ve already raised product prices (effectively lowering the commission a shop owner can receive) in order to make a buck.  Your same design yields a MUCH higher profit for CP because their overhead is much lower than the base price of the product.  They don’t make these at cost for us.  They make their profit from the base price.  Anything extra is yours.  They control the price and can set it MUCH lower for 3rd party vendors.

You also become your own competition.  If CP puts your design up on the CP Marketplace at a lower price than your store price, who do you think will make the sale?

– Section 7.4: Processing Fees

The processing fee (inactivity fee) is being increased from $5 to $10. If CafePress owes you accrued compensation that is less than the Payment Threshold for at least 365 days, then CafePress may send you payment of such accrued compensation minus a $10 processing fee. –Processing fee?  $10?  To do what?  NOT send you money?  Is it really that difficult for the office staff to NOT send you money?  Maybe it is.  I don’t know.  If that is the case, however, does the employee who doesn’t processes the payment receive that money?

– Section 7.6: Termination Fees

The termination fee is being increased from $5 to $10. If you or CafePress terminate your Account, and you have less than $25 in accrued but unpaid royalties then outstanding, CafePress may charge you a $10 processing fee when sending you your final payment to cover its administrative costs. –Again… Really?  Poppycock, I say!

• Updates to the Marketplace and Shop Services (formerly Seller Services):

– Bulk Discount

The pricing and tiers for the Bulk Discount program have been updated.

• Updates to the language throughout all agreements including definitions and actions on Prohibited Content and Indemnification responsibilities.

A draft of each of the Content Owner Agreement and Marketplace and Shop Services documents is available for your viewing. Thanks again for your commitment to a world of personalization. If you have any questions, please contact customer service by email or call (877) 809-1659.

Best regards,

CafePress Team

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Back in the day CafePress was a great company for a guy who had an idea and no money to reach the masses with nothing more than a computer & MS Paint.  Today it’s become this trendy black hole apparel company that overcharges the public, underpays the creators, and misleads us ALL to believe that they’re here for us.

Well they’re not.  Am I bitter?  No.  I may sound it, but I’m not.  Am I disenchanted?  Sorely.