That’s a very good question.
I actually think in a similar way. For the average customer, it probably does not matter that much whether something is AI-generated or hand-drawn. What matters most is whether the final product meets their expectations. So AI itself does not have to be a threat, as long as the quality of the project remains high.
However, at this moment, in my opinion, most AI-generated designs are still not good enough to be fully acceptable, especially when it comes to products that should look polished, personal, and professional.
This is an area where Zazzle should be very careful and should have some level of quality control, especially because currently anyone can create a store. Fortunately, I can still see that the algorithm keeps things somewhat under control, and Zazzle does not look like Creative Fabrica, where finding a truly good-quality asset can take forever.
When it comes to Zazzle’s long-term competitiveness, I do not think the biggest threat is AI itself. Zazzle exists and works because of a specific culture around traditionally mailed, printed invitations and personalized products.
For comparison, in Poland, a business like Zazzle would probably not have the same scale. Outside of weddings and First Communions, there is not really such a strong market for paper invitations or printed personalized products. People do not usually send paper invitations. Almost everything is done online now, including doctor appointments, banking, government matters, communication, and invitations.
I personally have not been to my bank branch in about four years, and I only went to the post office a few months ago because I had forgotten to set up e-delivery.
So from a cultural perspective, I think the biggest threat to Zazzle may be a generational and cultural shift. Younger people may increasingly ask themselves: why should I send 50 printed baby shower invitations that people may throw away anyway, when I can just send an invitation through Messenger or another app? And if it is “just an invitation,” many people may not want to spend too much money on it.
This is already happening. That is one of the reasons why digital downloads are so popular on Etsy.
I also think people are becoming more aware of environmental issues and more tired of owning unnecessary things. Extra personalized products, like another mug, another poster, or another decorative item, may become less attractive over time. Of course, this depends on personality, but trends like decluttering, minimalism, and owning fewer things are becoming more popular. Many people are simply overwhelmed by too many objects.
In my opinion, younger generations may move more toward experiences, such as travel, food, new places, sports, and personal challenges, rather than owning more physical products.
On the other hand, one of the beautiful things about Zazzle is that it allows people to create their own little world. If someone wants wallpaper with dollar bills, a mug with their cat, or a completely personalized party theme, Zazzle gives them that possibility. That creative freedom is still valuable.
So to summarize: I think Zazzle has huge potential, and it is good that it is implementing AI tools that can make the design process easier. But there are a few things Zazzle should focus on.
First, it needs to watch the competition very closely, or even better, create trends instead of only following them.
Second, quality inspection is extremely important. This is something competitors like Canva and other well-known invitation platforms seem to take seriously. At the moment, many AI-generated invitation designs still need stronger quality control before they are shown to customers.
Third, Zazzle needs to make the customer journey as easy as possible. Customers should be able to quickly understand what they can customize, how to edit it, and how to get the final product without feeling overwhelmed.
This also applies to digital downloads. I think it is great that Zazzle has introduced them, but the platform still seems to lack practical document formats that could open the door to products like resumes, invoices, business documents, planners, checklists, forms, and other printable templates. A simple format such as a standard letter-size document would make Zazzle much more practical in areas beyond invitations and party products.
For example, if I wanted to create a two-page resume template with a matching cover letter, I honestly would not know where to start as a creator, let alone as a customer visiting the platform for the first time. The resume and CV template market already exists on Canva and Etsy, but on Zazzle it basically does not. At the same time, with tools like ChatGPT and Claude now being able to help people create resumes, cover letters, and other documents, it may already be a little late for Zazzle to enter this specific space.
And finally, because I genuinely love Zazzle, I will give one piece of advice that a professional business consultant would probably charge thousands of dollars for, so I hope Zazzle appreciates it and increases the advertising budget for my store 😂
I think one area where there is enormous money and untapped potential for both Zazzle and creators is website templates. Not only wedding website templates, but website templates in general.
Thousands of people go to Etsy and Canva every day looking for templates for websites, personal brands, events, businesses, portfolios, and online services. I do not know if it is already too late for Zazzle to enter this space, but if it is technically possible to implement this type of product, I would seriously consider it.
In short, I do not think AI alone is the biggest danger for Zazzle. The bigger challenge is cultural change, customer expectations, quality control, and whether Zazzle can expand into digital areas where people are already spending money.