Plushies (or plush products) have become an increasingly popular form of merchandise for content creators. From YouTubers to Twitch streamers, gamers to social media influencers, more and more creators are discovering the benefits of selling their own custom plushies. They’re unique collectibles and are amongst some of the most popular products sold across thousands of creator sites on Fourthwall.
But where do you start? How do you design and create a plushie that stands out from the rest? And once you have your design, how do you turn it into a real, physical product that you can sell to your fans?
With the rise of platforms like Fourthwall, YouTooz, and Makeship, it’s now easy! The process normally takes 60-120 days between design, production, a pre-order campaign (aka a drop), and shipping. Since plushies are such a unique item for your fans, they can triple a creator’s sales relative to a normal drop. In this article, we’re walking you through:
Throughout this blog, we’ll be showing you how DrGluon, a popular YouTuber and Twitch streamer, designed and sold a custom stuffed animal with his GluBee Plush on his shop. Let’s get started!
If you’re struggling with choosing The first step of plush design is figuring out what kind of plush you should choose. If you’re not sure, consider a few popular choices:
Coming up with a solid, fully thought out design for your plush is a crucial first step when starting this project. Here’s our recommended process:
Having a clear and precise design will make the production process smoother and result in a final product that meets your expectations. So take the time to carefully consider your design and make sure to have all the necessary information included in the file.
Having the right manufacturing partner is key to giving your community the best quality plushies. You can use platforms like Fourthwall to find many of the best manufacturers. Here are some tips for choosing who should be your manufacturer:
Now that you have a great design, and a manufacturing partner that checks all the boxes, it's time to turn your idea into a real, physical plushie. Here are the next steps:
Most of the time, plush dolls will be crafted with a crystal velvet fabric like the GluBee example above. If you'd like a more custom or unique option, you can also choose other fabric options for your prototype like soft spandex, PV Velvet (like a Faux Fur fabric), and others.
Once the digital sample version of your plush is approved, the factory will send the physical sample for final approval. Once you’ve given the green light, it’s time to promote this drop to your fans!
With samples in hand, you’re ready to start promoting and selling. When it comes to production, the minimum order quantity (MOQ) for a plush is usually between 300-500 units sold. Despite the higher minimums, these unique items are frequently bestsellers as they’re more unique than traditional merch. While some creators will pre-produce plushie inventory, we recommend promoting these in a pre-order campaign or “drop” to hit your MOQ. That way all orders happen before production begins, so there’s no risk to you (no deposits, no inventory). Once your drop ends, production and fulfillment happen, so each buyer gets your approved plush.
In terms of your profit, creators set their own margins on Fourthwall. The average cost for a plush is $12-18, but it can vary based on your final design. Most creators sell plushies for around $30 for each unit, resulting in a 40-50% profit margin. Sales most often happen over a 1-2 week period to maximize the total number of units sold to hit your MOQ.
Marketing your plush toy is crucial, especially if you’re trying to reach your MOQ. One of the best ways to market your plush toy is to use your social media presence. Here are some of our recommendations for promoting your fun new product on your socials:
The promotion doesn’t all have to come from you. Another effective way to market your plushies is to collaborate with other content creators or influencers. Reach out to YouTubers, Twitch streamers, or social media influencers who have a similar target audience as you and see if they would be interested in working together. They can showcase your plushies on their platforms and help you reach a wider audience, helping ensure that you can hit the 300 unit minimum for your drop.
Once your plushie drop is complete and sales have finished, the production process begins. This usually takes 20-50 days. If you sell 500 plushies in your first drop, Fourthwall will automatically send these to your manufacturing partner. Here’s the exact process your plush will go through before it gets to your customers:
Generally, your supporters will have to wait up to 45-70 days to receive their plush from purchase to delivery. Given that these are specialty goods, fans tend to be happy to wait to get something unique.
You’re in good hands if you choose Fourthwall to make and sell your plush toy. We make it easy, and take care of the complicated parts for you:
Creating and selling your own plushies like custom stuffed animals or plush toys can be a fun and rewarding experience. Plus it’s a great way to make extra money! By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can design a unique and marketable plushie, work with a factory to bring your design to life, and set up a business to sell your plushies to your fans. Remember to be patient, persistent, and to always keep in mind the needs of your target audience to hit your MOQ. With a little bit of hard work and dedication, you can turn your plushie-making hobby into a successful business. And with the help of Fourthwall, you can easily find the best manufacturing partner from the Fourthwall product catalog to help you make it happen.