You can now buy EA merch at eamerch.co! We are launching with a small number of designs, and will be adding more soon, some of which will be based on submissions from the community.
Why a merch store?
Merch helps EAs express themselves and fosters a sense of community. It can also help EAs recognize each other within the same setting or act as a conversation-starter at a function. But most importantly, it’s fun!
How it works
Our designer Pearl will regularly add new products, many based on ideas submitted by the community. Shipping and manufacturing is handled by a third-party (Printful). All products are priced at 0% markup*, and we are operating on a one-time independent grant for the time being. We will seek long-term funding in the future contingent on demand.
If you have an idea for a new product or design, submit it at this link! It doesn’t need to be fully fleshed out—just describe what you have in mind, and our designer will try to make it happen. You can also upload a (preferably high-quality) image if you are picturing something really specific. In the short term, we are more likely to take requests for new designs than new products since we are somewhat restricted in the products that we have the ability to manufacture. You are also able to vote on other people’s ideas, and we will generally prioritize those that get the most votes.
We are unlikely to accept designs with controversial, vulgar, or otherwise inappropriate messaging. We are aware of the fact that our merch will symbolize the EA community, and we want to communicate that we are a friendly and welcoming group.
We are still in Beta mode
We have not yet processed any orders, so it is possible that there will be some bugs or unexpected hiccups during our first few weeks of operation (e.g. delays in shipping or payment processing). Place your orders now only if you are okay with this! If not, we recommend you wait and submit your ideas to us in the meantime. We also ask that you do not place orders in bulk at this time, as we are charged immediately for manufacturing and shipping but it takes about a week for your money to reach us.
*Due to our web platform’s limited flexibility in setting shipping prices, they may sometimes be slightly higher than shipping cost.
How confident are you that encouraging members of the EA community to wear EA merch is a good idea?
I've not thought about this much but my inside view is somewhat against EA merch.
Some ways that merch might backfire:
Merch may encourage some individuals towards excessive identification with EA as a body of ideas or as a community.
The merch, or the people who wear the merch, may come across as low status, off-putting or otherwise unattractive.
Merch may contribute to unhelpful perceptions of EA (e.g. as a youth movement).
People may unwittingly wear merch in contexts where it undermines their goals (e.g. damages their credibility).
SBF might wear your merch.
Personally, I have a strong aversion to the idea of people wearing EA merch (I'm somewhat negative for startup merch and somewhat positive about band merch). I'm not sure where this comes from and how much to weigh it.
I've briefly discussed this with 5-10 people over the years. On a personal level, several shared my strong aversion to EA merch, while several others were neutral or strongly positive. I don't recall anyone having a confident overall view about whether merch should be encouraged.
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this, and especially your own steelman of the case that merch is, in fact, best discouraged.
If I thought about this more I guess that I'd end up moderately opposed to merch that uses the EA logo but neutral and relaxed about merch that is more oblique. Several of the items on your store are in the latter category and seem nicely done to me.
Appear did make me think that it was at least partially focused on physical appearance. Although I'm not sure that it reads very differently still, since I'm not how else to take it, especially the "low-status" part. Arguing to gatekeep who can outwardly associate themselves with a social movement based on how they come across or who seems low-status or off putting feels needlessly exclusionary, particularly because those impressions are highly tied into social, racial, gendered and economic prejudices and, unavoidably, physical appearence.
I'm not a fan of... (read more)