I started the Blinkstore print on demand shop while announcing it on the blog a few months back.That is now stale news.They shutdown shop and didnt even send their sellers an email!
Startups I know had issues but this is crazy!No accountability at all!
Now my shop page on blinkstore.ai gives a 404 error for my store and they want screenshot of my pending payment page if I want payment.In good faith I filled out the google form ,now fingers crossed.
This is Momspresso once again ,but with POD .
📌 Official reason from Blinkstore
• In their closure notice, the company says it made the decision to cease operations after “careful consideration and evaluation of our business operations.” They don’t specify exact factors, but the wording implies internal business challenges rather than an abrupt external crisis.
They do not publicly list specific reasons like funding issues, regulatory problems, or insolvency in the announcement. The announcement simply thanks users and explains payout procedures.
📌 Likely underlying factors (industry + platform context)
While the official notice doesn’t spell out detailed reasons, there are some plausible contributing pressures in the print-on-demand (POD) / creator ecommerce space in India and globally:
When I asked chatgpt for possible reasons the AI gave me several food for thought. I am also brainstorming the reasons our brick and mortar second clinic didn’t work out.
1. Maybe its a Business Sustainability Challenge
Platforms that offer free or low-cost ecommerce, printing, fulfillment, and shipping often operate on thin margins. Many POD startups struggle to reach profitability because:
Printing and logistics costs are high.
Marketing and customer acquisition costs can balloon.
Keeping quality service and customer support at scale is expensive.
(This is a general dynamic observed in the industry, even if Blinkstore’s notice did not list this expressly.)
Our case:
Did you know we had to shut shop on one of our neighborhood simple health clinic venture ,after a trial of almost 3 years?Plans and people changed and some logistics were impossible to solve.We tried.
But multiple problems from the start.Our life plan had changed.It was a pre-covid decision which was started pist covid.
Lesson learned.Also never give anything for free for an undefined period.Mention upfront how long it’s free for.There are too many freebies everywhere !
The good news ,the real estate is ours and we have plans for it.Just not right now.We plugged the major leak.
2. Competitive Pressure
India’s POD and ecommerce space — including larger players and alternatives — has grown rapidly, meaning startups sometimes find it hard to compete on price, features, or reliability against bigger platforms.
Our case
This is always there and honestly we did the bare minimum for advertisement. We got offers for renting out our space and franchisee from well know corporate health care brands.But since we were in two minds about the annual cost of franchisee,we decided to go for it on a later date.
3. User Feedback & Operational Issues
Independent reviews from users and sellers (e.g., on review sites) have mentioned issues such as slow site performance, limited customization options, or customer service complaints. While not a direct cause of closure, persistent operational difficulties can weaken a platform’s prospects over time.
Our case:
Didn’t reach the desired number of people for even this.The timing was off ,we were inexperienced and in all honesty it was an experiment.We learned about what not to do and remembered once again that relationships matter in the long run.That way we are richer.
🧾 What wasn’t cited by Blinkstore
The company’s announcement didn’t explicitly mention the following (based on available info):
A regulatory shutdown or legal compliance order.
A public statement of insolvency or lack of funding.
A specific market event forcing the shutdown.
Acquisition by another company.
If Blinkstore provides a more detailed explanation (e.g., in a blog post or press statement), that hasn’t been published in the publicly indexed notice so far.
In short: Blinkstore’s official message simply cites a business decision after evaluating operations, without detailing specific causes. Industry trends and customer feedback hint at sustainability and competitive challenges, but no formal detailed reason has been publicly released in the announcement.
In our case the first trial clinic which was launched as a MVP in the village is working .
