CaféPress ends Q3 with a narrower loss and an acquisition

Sales grew and the net loss improved for CaféPress Inc. in the third quarter.

The online retailer of customized products such as T-shirts, coffee mugs and baby clothes, which announced plans to seek a public stock offering in June, also acquired InvitationBox.com, a small online retailer of customized stationery products.

In an updated filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, CaféPress, No. 122 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, for the quarter ended Sept. 30 reported:

• Web sales at CafePress.com increased 44.1% to $36.6 million, compared with $25.4 million in the third quarter of 2010.
• Net loss was $534,000, versus a net loss of $622,000.
• Spending on marketing increased 62.1% to $9.4 million from $5.8 million.
• Spending on technology and development dropped 14.3% to $3 million from $3.5 million.
• Spending for general and administrative expenses increased 52.2% to $3.5 million, compared with $2.3 million.
• The average order value was $50, compared with $47.
• The total number of customers increased 28.9% to 600,006 from 465,498 in the third quarter of 2010.
• The total number of orders grew year over year 37.1% to 736,562 from 537,153.

For the first three quarters:

• Web sales increased 45.1% to $105.9 million, compared with $73 million in the first three quarters of 2010.
• Net loss was $1.5 million, versus a net loss of $482,000.
• Spending on marketing increased 69.9% to $26 million from $15.3 million.
• Spending on technology and development dropped 10.3% to $9.6 million from $10.7 million.
• Spending for general and administrative expenses increased 37.1% to $9.6 million, compared with $7 million.
• The average order value was $50, compared with $47.
• The total number of customers increased 30.8% to 1.7 million from 1.3 million in the first three quarters of 2010.
• The total number of orders grew year over year 31.3% to 2.1 million from 1.6 million.

 Earlier this month Café Press, which has yet to set a date for going public or announce any stock pricing, also made an acquisition. On Oct. 1, CafePress acquired L&S Retail Ventures Inc., which owns and operates InvitationBox.com, an online customized stationery web store company, for $4.5 million.