DistroKid Direct – DistroKid Help Center

What is Direct?

Direct is a merch platform built by DistroKid that lets artists generate revenue by transforming their existing releases into on-demand products their audience can buy.Direct lets you create and sell merch without handling inventory, packing, or shipping. You choose the products, design them using your release artwork, set your prices, and keep 100% of the profit after production, tax and shipping costs. Everything is printed and shipped on demand.Direct costs $70 USD per year, which works out to about $5.89 USD per month. To learn more, visit https://distrokid.com/direct or view the video ...
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How do I create a Direct store?

Getting your store live takes just a few steps: Choose your artistGo to https://distrokid.com/direct and pick the artist you want to create a store for. Join DirectPurchase a Direct membership to unlock store creation, it's billed at $70 per year (about $5.89/mo.) Pick your productsSelect the merch items you want to launch with. Connect PayPalLink your PayPal account so you can receive payments from fans. Authorize fulfillmentApprove Gelato to withdraw the production, shipping, and tax costs for each order. You keep 100% of the profit after costs. Share your storeYour shop is live. Share t...
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What Can I Sell on Direct?

Direct leans on using your existing artwork as the basis for your products. There are currently four products offered that you can choose to create products with, and the item catalog will expand over the coming months. Purchase fulfillment is handled through our partner, Gelato. What Items are Available to Sell in Direct?Below are the current items available through your Direct shop:ApparelPremium Unisex Crewneck T-shirt (Bella + Canvas 3001)Premium Womens Crewneck T-shirt (Bella + Canvas 6004)Classic Unisex Pullover HoodieAccessoriesWhite 11oz Ceramic Mug with Color InsidePremium Tote Bag...
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How Do I Get Paid for Direct Sales?

To get paid for Direct sales, you need to connect your PayPal account so that we can deposit your money when you make a sale, and withdraw money to cover the cost of producing the merch.To utilize PayPal for deposits and withdrawals:After setting up your store, you'll want to go to Payment Settings and complete this setup. Customers will only be able to buy from you after you complete this step. In simple terms, this is how a Direct sale works: The customer pays the full order amount to your PayPal account Gelato charges you the cost to make and ship the product You keep everything that is ...
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Customizing Your DistroKid Direct Store

You can customize your Direct store by visiting your Direct dashboard and clicking "Store Profile," or by heading to https://direct.distrokid.com/controlpanel/site_profile/edit. From there, you can edit the following: Artist name that shows on the store. An artist bio (up to 150 characters). Artist location. Time zone. Preferred language for your store (text generated by Direct in your store will be set in this language). Editor language (the language used in your site manager and editing tools). Artist image (the image that appears next to your artist name in-store and your profile in Dire...
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How Much Does Direct Cost?

A Direct merch shop costs $70 USD per year, which works out to about $5.89 per month. This is a flat annual membership fee that gives you access to your merch store, product creation tools, and order management. How to Sign Up for DirectTo sign up for Direct, visit https://distrokid.com/direct and choose the artist you want to create a store for. During signup, you'll be asked to activate a Direct membership, which will be billed to the payment method already on file in your DistroKid account. How Renewal WorksYour Direct membership renews automatically every year on the date you first subs...
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Where Does Direct Ship?

Direct delivers merch to customers in over 200 countries and regions – most countries worldwide. If a buyer is in an included region, their order will be fulfilled and shipped without any extra action needed from you.Orders are printed as close to the customer as possible to keep shipping fast and costs low. The Direct network includes more than 140 print partners with local production in 32 countries, so most orders are fulfilled domestically or within the same region.Most products are produced locally, but there are times when an item may be printed in a different country. This can happen...
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How Do I Share My Direct Store Link?

Once you're ready to share your Direct store, head to your Direct control panel at https://direct.distrokid.com/controlpanel and click "Share my Direct." From there, you can share your store link directly to Facebook, Threads, X, and email by clicking the corresponding icon under the "Share with:" section.You can also copy a direct link to your store under the "Link" section. In addition, you can copy, print, or download a QR code that takes your fans right to your Direct store – you can add this QR code to other promotional material you create.
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How Do I Add a Product to My Direct Store?

To add a new product to your DistroKid Direct store, head to your Direct control panel at https://direct.distrokid.com/controlpanel, and then click "Products." From the products page, click "Add a product." From there, click on a release to select the artwork for the new product, and then select a product type. Click "Add product," and you're set!Please keep in mind that a Direct store for an artist can offer up to 20 products.
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How Do I Remove a Product?

To delete a product from your Direct shop, head to your control panel at https://direct.distrokid.com/controlpanel, and then click "Products" in the left navigation. From the products page, click the three dots under the "Actions" column by the item you want to remove, and then click "Delete." You'll then see a confirmation message for the deletion – click "Delete" again once you're sure you want to delete the product.
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How Much Money Do I Make Per Sale on Direct?

You control how much your fans pay for your Direct products by adjusting the margin on each product. The margin is your profit. When you change it, the customer price updates automatically so you can see exactly what they'll pay. How to Update the Price of a ProductHere's how to update the price of a product in your Direct store: Go to your Direct control panel: https://direct.distrokid.com/controlpanel Click Products. Choose the item you want to edit. In the Pricing section, adjust your margin. Review the updated customer price. Click Save product. Some apparel sizes or colors may cost mor...
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Where Can I See My Direct Sales and Earnings?

To check your DistroKid Direct transaction history, head to your Direct control panel at https://direct.distrokid.com/controlpanel and click "Orders." From there, you'll be able to see a list of all orders made for your Direct store.Each entry in this list displays the date of the purchase, the order number, the customer, the total of the purchase, and the current order status.
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Who Pays for Shipping on Direct Orders?

For Direct orders, the customer pays for shipping at checkout. The shipping cost is added to their order total automatically based on their location and what they’re buying.They pay the full amount into your PayPal account. When the order is fulfilled, the shipping cost (along with the product’s base cost and tax) is withdrawn to cover production and delivery. The remaining balance is your profit.
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What Happens If an Order Is Lost, Damaged, or Has Quality Issues?

Every DistroKid Direct order confirmation and shipping email sent to your customers includes instructions on how to get help if there is an issue with their order. In most cases, customers report problems by replying directly to one of those emails.Common issues include: A package that was lost in transit An item that arrived damaged General dissatisfaction with print or product quality When a customer follows the instructions in the email, the issue is routed to us and handled with our fulfillment partner.If a Customer Contacts You DirectlyOccasionally, a customer may reach out to you inst...
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Why Did an Order from My Direct Store Fail?

When a customer places an order, our fulfillment partner (Gelato) charges your PayPal account to cover production and shipping costs. If that charge doesn't go through, the order goes on hold.Good news: your store and the order are fine—it's just a payment settings issue, and usually a quick fix. How to Fix This IssueStep 1: Make sure your PayPal account is verifiedPayPal may block charges if your email address isn't confirmed. Log in to PayPal and go to Settings → Account Under "Email," make sure your primary email shows Confirmed If it says "Unconfirmed," click it and follow the steps t...
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Why Was the Order I Placed from a Direct Store Cancelled and Refunded?

Sometimes, an order placed from a Direct store can't be completed. When this happens, the order is cancelled and a refund is issued for the order charge. How Long Does the Refund Take? Refunds are usually processed within a few hours of placing your order, sometimes sooner. The funds should appear back in your account (depending on your bank or payment provider), and can take anywhere from 1-10 days. Why Did My Order Get Cancelled? These are the most common reasons for a Direct order being cancelled:An item you ordered was out of stockThere was a problem with the entered shipping addressA p...
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Why was my customer's order cancelled and refunded?

When an order made to your Direct store fails, it gets cancelled and we attempt to refund your customer for the order charge. Here's what causes Direct order failures:Payment failure (your PayPal account)If we can't withdraw the production and shipping cost for the items in an order from your PayPal account, the order fails. You'll get an email notification and have 48 hours to fix the issue. If it's resolved in time, the order is resubmitted. If not, the order is cancelled and your customer is refunded. Refunds are usually instant. If we're unable to process one, we'll contact you directly...
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What to Do When an Order Contains Out-of-Stock Products

When an order includes items that are currently unavailable, it's automatically marked as "Failed." Don't worry, you won't be charged for these orders. You'll also receive an email notification about the situation, providing you with a few choices.
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How Do I Order a Sample of My Direct Products?

If you want to see what your Direct merch looks and feels like before promoting it, the easiest way to order a sample is to purchase it directly from your own store, just like a customer would. How to Order From Your Own StoreVisit your store's public storefront.Add the item to your cart and check out normally.Because customers pay you directly, the full retail amount goes into your PayPal account. When the order is fulfilled, only the wholesale product cost, shipping, and tax are withdrawn. The rest stays in your account.In practice, this means you’re effectively paying only the base cost ...
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Why do shirt prices vary by size or color?

Most shirts are the same price in the most common sizes (Small–XL). But sometimes certain sizes or colors cost more from our print partners. When a customer picks a size or color in your store, the price updates in real time to reflect the actual cost. This is why we let you set your margins so you make the same amount (or more) on any variant no matter what the fulfillment cost.
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How to Cancel DistroKid Direct

To cancel your DistroKid Direct subscription, please contact our support team via the chat widget in our help center. Once put in touch, an agent can assist you with the cancellation.
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