I don’t know where to post this. I figured it is a technical problem with the adding up of sales. If not someone figured out how to mess with the fees and is making a whopper on other peoples sales. I make my glass wear in groups of four because I noticed the fees were figured out wrong in the final payment. Made a sale today for four glasses marked up 20.8% and my commission was only $2.69. I figured the customer put the design onto a magnet or something. Then notices that they purchased 1 glass and charged $62.95. With all the deductions that is not right. Then I noticed one glass for $17.97 was 20.8% and the others a total of $44.97 was marked at 5%. - That is what I thought would be charged if I offered only a single glass but the entire item is for 4 glasses as soon as you click on it and in my design it shows groups of 4 glasses. The worst part of all this is that I am currently running an add for this store and I am getting screwed out of fees. Should I just abandon the Ambassador program? This is what it looks like
Royalty Breakdown
Net Sales
$62.95
Net Royalty Sales
$17.98
Royalty Rate
20.8%
Gross Royalty
$3.74
Upcharge Sales
$44.97
Upcharges Gross Royalty
$2.25
Royalty (before fees)
$5.99
Excess Royalty Fee
-$0.30
Marketing Royalty Fee
-$2.99
Marketing Royalty Fee rate
50%
Royalty (after fees)
$2.69
Piano Music Theme Design
User Options ^
fancyhouse
zazzle_drinkware
256-23661760-3149592
169-33416343-6833261
That is ridiculously unfair. After all the fees, you made less than 5% with a royalty that you set at a little over 20%. I don’t think the Ambassador program is something that designers can opt into or out of. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.
You can opt out on the bottom of your account ambassador page. I don’t know if you can opt back in. My sales went down by half about half a bit over a year ago, then by another half of that since ambassador program and the last few months another half of that. Usually that many halves equals zero … lol
After reading thru the ambassador articles/agreements etc and getting no info as to what changes if you opt out, I finally used zee chat and got this.….(the answers do not clarify what happens to the royalty after opt out)
the zee chat reply to each question ——
If you opt out of the Ambassador Program, you will no longer earn referral commissions through the program. However, your standard royalties as a Creator will not be affected. Also, be aware of the Non-Contributing Account Fee, which may be applied if your account is inactive for fifteen months without publishing a public product or having a referred sale.
I asked—-If I opt out of the ambassador program can I later opt back in?
Yes, the Ambassador Program is optional, and you can opt back in anytime if you choose to participate again.
I asked—-If I opt out of the ambassador program, what royalties for sales will I still get?
Even if you opt out of the Ambassador Program, you will still earn your standard royalties from the sale of products featuring your content. This royalty is calculated as a percentage of the product’s net sales, and you choose your royalty rate.
The Ambassador program is separate from the ‘Marketing Royalty Fees’ (MRF). Opting out of ‘Ambassador’ just means YOU cannot earn the higher % on self referral sales. It does not stop the ‘MRF’ from being taken on the other 3rd party sales. You cannot ‘opt-out’ of the MRF.
@kashmier Yes, you can opt back in. I wanted to try to experiment with 15% referrals but later decided against it and re-joined (too demotivated to change all the links)
So it sounds like it does not matter if you are in or out. For all the trying I do and websites I have for sales I am lucky to make one self referral a month. None yet this month.
if you opt out of the Ambassador Program are excess royalty fees and platform fees still deducted from a sale of a product.
Zee chat answer—-
If you opt out of the Ambassador Program, you will still be subject to the Excess Royalty Fee if your chosen royalty rate exceeds 10%. This fee is 5% of your Gross Royalty and is not a direct consequence of being in or out of the Ambassador Program, but rather tied to your royalty rate settings.
Asking this question to zee chat—-If a person opts out of the ambassador program are they still charged the Marketing Royalty Fees.
Zee chat answered—-Yes, Marketing Royalty Fees are still deducted from a sale even if you are not in the Ambassador Program. This fee applies whenever a sale results from Zazzle’s own marketing efforts or another Ambassador’s referral, regardless of your participation in the Ambassador Program.
I don’t know why they even bother to ask. Who wouldn’t want to get paid more on sales they make. It would be the allowing them to deduct money that needs an opt in. If they are not deducting extra money for us to opt in to the program then they are just keeping money that actual is not theirs. They can keep sales like they used to I really don’t see the difference. I am not party to the brain storm party that bounced all the possible options. I do believe it did not have any designers of their own shops included.
I have been using direct links but did not change any of my old links on my website. They all still have my store referral code attached. The way I understood it you will still receive the fees as long as your ID is attached just not the increased fee. I am ok with that but all the stuff I have the new links attached to are not getting me much but that has been normal for the last 12+ (?) years. I always thought there was a problem with the links and believe there is again. It started out where I actually got two referrals in a month now nothing since Jan 5th. I have only increased my advertising.
So it seems like it does not matter so why not stay in? It should not even be an option. If someone opts out that is the only way they might make less and I guess Z is counting on that. Plus it makes the site look more appealing to new creators.
