New Zazzle Logo
Zazzle just implemented some huge changes to their platform. With a lower volume bonus pay-out, many shopkeepers are feeling the sting. On the brighter side, product images are larger and more appealing and with standardized store fronts, customers will find the experience less complicated than before. The standardization took from us the creative control we, as shopkeepers, had enjoyed for many years, but I do believe the shopper will benefit. Options for creativity still exist. The new and larger header (2360×400 pixels at 300dpi) is beautiful and we are able to use artwork for our category boxes.
For me, the most important feature not to change is the 15% referral we earn when we promote our own product or another Zazzler’s product on our own blogs and websites and with our favorite social media. I believe intensifying referral efforts could easily take the place of the volume bonus reduction. Also, we are still able to set our own royalty, keeping in mind Zazzle rarely promotes a product with a royalty set above 15%. I recommend setting your store royalty default to 14.9%. You will now be included in sales and other Zazzle promotional campaigns.
As with all change, it will take time to explore all aspects of the big changes going into effect July 01, 2013. I still believe Zazzle to be the best platform out there and I have no intention of going elsewhere.
I will be keeping you updated as we go along and will share anything useful or interesting I find over the next weeks. Keep positive and make the changes work for you!
New Storefront
Cindy Haskins Monro
All I know about Zazzle 
Indeed, I am going to miss the volume bonus even though I am just a small shopkeeper on zazzle. I can only hope that where ever the funds are channelled too are put to good use.
Same here, Rusty. Adapt to change or be left behind is my new Zazzle motto!
Zazzle has really managed to screw things up. For anyone with more than 20 Categories, trying to custom manage the icons has become a hopeless affair. Whoever led the “upgrade” in their site design should be immediately fired.
I’m a stay at home mom and barely have time to produce artwork, much less promote other people’s work. I will be abandoning my account and focusing my efforts elsewhere. Also a little upset they changed the payout so I’m not able to get my under $50 money out, even with a $2.50 fee which I would’ve gladly paid.
How did you get so many “featured categories” to show up on the home page (in your screenshot above). I can’t find this option anywhere – either how to flag a category as “featured” so it shows up, or how to display all categories (an option I think has disappeared).
New look is good, but finding options (and let’s not talk about navigating their awful half-new-half-old help pages) is a nightmare!!!
If you can help, you’re awesome.
Hi Timboo, I feel your pain! Figuring out what we can and cannot do with Zazzle’s new set-up is frustrating. Shopkeepers now have much less control over what shows up on the home page. The featured categories are your first 12 categories out of however many you have set up. To set which categories will show on your homepage, go to your products page and choose ‘All Categories’ from the left-hand menu. All of your categories will appear. You may now drag and place categories in any order, keeping in mind the first 12 will be on your homepage. To set individual products you would like to show on your homepage (below your categories), click ‘Products’ in the upper menu bar. Next, click ‘All Products’ from the left side menu bar. Choose a product to add to ‘Featured’ by clicking the ‘actions’ button below the picture of the product and choose ‘Add to Featured Products’. For the featured products to show up on the homepage, go to ‘My Account’ and choose ‘Manage my Store’. Next, click ‘Edit Content’ where you will be able to choose options under ‘Homepage Products’. Choose the second option which is ‘Show Featured Products’. I hope that helps. If you have a shop on Zazzle, send me a link!
Actually they seem to have appeared. Am I to assume, then, that all categories (once fully activated, which still takes a million years and I really can’t understand why that is…) will be “featured”? Or is it limited to the first 9 (as above) or 12 or some arbitrary figure?
It’s sad that my days as a ProSeller are finished. I’ve received ZERO towards any kind of bonus since the changes were implemented. On top of that, Zazzle banned me from the forums because I voiced some concerns. I wasn’t rude….I wasn’t bashing. I’m not the only one, either. A lot of loyal and proud Zazzlers who weren’t apples and peaches about the change and dared to say something got their IP addresses banned without a warning. I would assume that the offending posts were deleted as well. I can’t even simply view the forum to keep on top of how we are supposed to adapt. I’m feeling a bit betrayed at the moment. I was absolutely enthusiastic about being a Zazzle contributor…..but no more. I hope to find my way back but it sure isn’t looking like Zazzle cares about us.
Good Morning, M. Albert, I have to admit that even though I have enjoyed my association with Zazzle over the past five years I, too, am not happy with their decision to cut the volume bonus down (and we no longer get credit for unrefered items that we sell). Zazzle has joined the ranks of other companies who are ‘corporate-centric’. Our only option, it seems to me, is to adapt and do our best to carry on. I say this because Zazzle certainly is not going to reverse direction at this point. I, along with so many other shopkeepers, had hoped that they would have learned a thing or two from the Cafepress debacle who, after turning on their contributors, suffered major losses. I will stay with Zazzle until the next ‘contributor-friendly’ venue comes along, which may be never, considering Zazzle’s current grip on the market. I think banning dissenters from the forum is reprehensible and indicative of their steadfast resolve. It is a shame. I am currently brainstorming with other shopkeepers and researching ways to maximize our (shopkeepers) time on Zazzle, and I am hoping to come up with some strategies soon to pass along to my fellow artists and designers. The business world is a harsh place and for creative types like us, it can be so down-heartening to be unappreciated by a company who owes their success to us. Thanks for sharing your experience and keep in touch. Most of all, keep designing and creating–no one can take that ability away from you. Best regards, Cindy
Will you be posting your collective ideas here on this blog? Now that I’ve been banned I’m disconnected from the brainstorming effort to work with these changes. I know that I can’t make up for the money lost, but I’d like to find some joy in creating Zazzle products again. It might take me awhile.
Yes, I am hoping to do so. And you express it perfectly when you say “I’d like to find some joy in creating Zazzle products again”. I know some of our lost income will be from learning how to refer sales in an effective way, without alienating everyone with whom we come into contact. When I gather some constructive ideas together, I will add a page to this blog for anyone who wishes to share ideas and solutions to post on. Together perhaps we can solve our collective dilemma! One recommendation made to me was to join Society6. I have not tried them yet. If you do, let me know what you think.