As you know we here at Psdtuts+ are also responsible for a family of creative marketplaces. Almost exactly 2 years ago, we released the first of these – a little site called FlashDen – an open marketplace where anyone can sell their Flash wares. Since its launch the site’s been getting bigger and bigger, and today there are authors making as much as $10,000 a month on the site. A couple of months ago we expanded FlashDen out to an audio marketplace called AudioJungle that is slowly but steadily building up steam. But today I’m happy to announce that we’re opening up a limited beta invite to our most exciting marketplace site yet – ThemeForest.
Site Templates + Themes for WordPress, Drupal, Joomla and more …
So what is ThemeForest? Think FlashDen for Site Templates. It’s going to be a site where you can sell HTML/CSS Layouts as well as themes for just about every CMS you can think of, heck you can even sell MySpace themes (I know, I know, they’re the devil!)
Items will sell for between $5 and $75 depending on the complexity and awesomeness of the files. The site will run in exactly the same way as FlashDen, so authors take a commission ranging from 25-50% depending on whether they are selling the same files elsewhere and how long they’ve been selling for. Actually if you’re already a FlashDen member, you can use the same account, as it’s all hooked up.
How Much Can 1 Template Make?
Obviously it’ll take a while for the site to ramp up, but to look at the highest selling Flash template on FlashDen, that one file has $52,000 worth in the last 5 months. The author takes 50% of that which translates to … well a lot of money :-)
There’s definitely money to be made in templates and themes, especially with the explosion in blogs and small businesses needing websites but not being able to afford designers yet. Additionally there are plenty of small agencies who use and customize templates to onsell to their clients at a profit. And we’ll be chasing all these markets!
Why Wouldn’t I Sell On My Own?
Good question. If you can make site templates and themes, you can most likely make a site to sell your own products. What we offer, and the reason we take a large cut of every sale are two crucial benefits:
- Ease
When you sell with ThemeForest you won’t have to worry about anything other than making files. From fraud to refunds to site infrastructure to payment systems, delivery, licensing and all the other things an online shop needs to worry about, it’s all taken care of for you. In fact you can upload a few files and just totally forget about it except to receive cash. - Marketing
It’s very easy to underestimate how difficult it is to get the word out about a product. At ThemeForest (and FlashDen and AudioJungle) we offer traffic and lots of it. We’ll foot the bill for advertising, marketing and promotions, while authors just concentrate on making good products.
Naturally for some authors, it might make better sense to go out on your own, but for many, it’s just simpler to list on a site like ThemeForest!
When Does It Launch, and How Do I get Beta Invites?
We’re opening the site up first to 750 Beta authors to upload files and give the site a run through before we kick open our doors in two weeks time and start a massive marketing campaign. If you’d like to get a Beta Invite, you can do so from the following three sites in the next 24 hours:
So I’ll be back to announce the site when it goes live. And if you’re more of a graphic person than a web one, well stay tuned because we’ve got another site coming just for you! In the meantime back to your regularly scheduled program of TUTS! :-)
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oh this sounds great!
cool news to hear about!
This is sweet…also, excited about that graphic one that you’re talking about cause thats more down my alley! :)
Yammi !
wow, that was cool and nice.. I like it thanks.
This is awesome. The family is getting even bigger and bigger. One site like this for Photoshop and Illustrator files will be great. :)
I am all beta signed up over at nettuts, hope to be selected
I’m excited. This might get me actually doing some web design again.
Cool! Looking forward to publishing WordPress Themes on your site.
Sounds cool, I submitted my info over on NETTUTS for the Beta, looking forward to getting started!
Great news. I will be more interested in the graphic site though. Get to it boys chop-chop :D
This is going to go far… I mean far =)
50% are you kidding me, that a complete rip off.
Sounds like a great idea but only keeping 25-50 per cent of a sale seems a little steep…
Well thats the best idea ever :D!
Yeah, starting off at 50% and then increasing seems like it would be more reasonable, but with you guys making 75% profit off of others work, sort of makes me uneasy. Yes, networking and ease of use is one thing, but is it worth 75% profit sharing?
Oh, I get it now. You guys want to take over the world! ;) This is exciting news.
This is awesome, im excited, good job,
Max | Design Shard
Hey all I am a reviewer/moderator/author over at FD/AJ…I see my fair share of “the rates are not good” posts at FlashDen, and I can confirm that I had my own reservations when I became an author there. But within about 2 weeks, I and almost EVERY author that has questioned it, learned that the rates are appropriate, and if you bring the goods, you WILL make money. Like Collis said, some authors at FD are pulling in 10K a month! I don’t think it would be outrageous for a site that sells HTML/CSS templates, to get to that level in no time…Blogging is huge, and quality custom templates for CMS sites is an AMAZING idea! Upload quality files, you will receive quality money.
hurry!!
25%-50%? LOL.
Yeah, I’d bite.
Looks great! I agree with Seraphim Collective :D
Hello everybody. Well “best things in life are free” and I would like to share a great graphic design resource
Zatstyles There you can find lots of free brushes , templates, photo vector illustration. Enjoy !
Looks great!!!!!!!!
20-50% is not fair for authors :-(
Sounds like its going to be another great site, the 50% dose sound kinda steep but then again if the site is pulling in millions of hits per day then it might be worth it.
They dont wanna take over the world – they did :)
- Im really not using many “Adobe/dev” sites after I got to know *TUTS.
Love this project!
I think how reasonable 50% percent is totally depends on the amount of traffic ThemeForest will get. If this traffic makes it so you can sell your theme twice for 50% instead of once for 75% it’s quite worth it.
BIG NEWS for me.
Because i belong to a poor family. So using THEMEFOREST i can use my talent to support my family.
Wow! another way to sell and buy CMS themes…Thanks Collis!
You guys are making the web a better place!
Thanx a lot.
Cooool :)
This is going to be MASSIVE! can’t wait.
I wonder if they will host PSD files? I have a few sites designed that I think people would like… and maybe develop themselves?
I just signed up for an account on Flashden, since I haven’t actually made any themes for this new site, so signing up for this beta would be premature.
For those whining about the 50% earning, it actually starts at 25%, and increases to 50% once you’ve sold $500 worth of kit (as long as you agree to sell exclusively through Eden/ThemeForest). But when you think about what *ahem* Eden (or whatever those crazy kids are calling themselves this week :P) has to do to get your file up there… It kind of makes sense – they review every file, categorize and set a price for it.
So I might upload a couple of themes after the beta, and see how it goes.
Eden is still at heart a business , with employees that need to be paid. With Traffic, 25-50% is completely reasonable.
Missed the sign up :(
Super excited though! Not only will I be contributing, I’ll also be purchasing!
Ok so how is the payment for us authors made? Through what system?
What about another 250 invites?
Yes? :)
You can be absolutly sure i will be submitting templates on par with the quality already
exhibited.
Meanwhile,
I cannot stress how awesome it is to see fellow Gen X’s taking charge of the direction of
our future.
This whole business model is phenomenal, like it’s just leaped out the pages of
1972′s “Future Shock” .
I am honestly so excited, i can barely keep still !!
Collis you obviously understand the enterpeneurial wisdom that is
“HELP OTHERS GET WHAT THEY WANT”.
Being that you have put in such huge amounts of groundwork, for once in my life, i dont mind
the idea of working-under someone :P
I now understand the entire purpose of the last 10 year’s of my life,
there is a plan and rythm to all of this……… :) :) :)
Infact your enthusiasm and vision has helped define my own purpose and meaning.
I will be working till sunrise!, and then some!
Oh, it’s on like donkey kong now. This is just the outlet I need…I love working on interfaces/themes, it’s definitely my favorite thing to focus on, web wise.
Thank God….
You are here……….
I think it’s kind of funny how you started out with Freelance Switch. I remember when people got all upset about offering low cost templates, to fund the website. Now, after some time, it seems you have unfortunately bought into the cheap templates, flash, sounds, the whole gamma.
From a business model stand point, you have done an amazing job. Your profit is probably much better, but you went from something small and unique… to another money making network. You have lost that small niche and become a template monster.
I really want to purchase one of those pretty cool templates,
but I’m a total beginner,
and I don’t even know how to use it afterwerds ?
Do I have to open it in Flas, and change the texts, the images, the links, etc.. ?
Is there any tutorial, or something ?
“you have lost that small niche and become a template monster.”
LOL ! , appropriate name….. i wonder if the Template monster has ever thought
about possible double meaning to their name!
wow, now i found this cool site, I’am a vector lover too… want to know more using photoshop… thanks for ur all great jobs
I’m really excited to see the site running live soon :)
As usual, I’m arriving late at the party. Are there any invites left? I tried on the three sites listed above but am getting “This form cannot be viewed by the public.” on all three forms so I’ve missed the boat on betas. Anymore being made available?