I think it’s important to acknowledge something that’s not often said out loud…many of us have invested tens of thousands of dollars into building and promoting our Zazzle shops.
Some of that investment is obvious: custom domain names, business cards, marketing subscriptions, professional design software, upgraded equipment, product samples for quality checks, and even paid advertising. Others have built entire websites or hired help to better showcase their Zazzle work. Many of us have spent years…literally years…building a brand that brings in repeat customers and drives external traffic to Zazzle.
None of that is free. All of it reflects serious, long-term commitment.
We are not just casual uploaders. We are entrepreneurs, marketers, and creators who have become collaborators in the success of the platform. When policy changes reduce our ability to earn fair royalties or limit custom work, they affect more than just a single product or month…they hit at the foundation of everything we’ve built.
Zazzle has encouraged us to grow our businesses here and has benefited greatly from our efforts. We’re simply asking for policies that reflect that reality. Please don’t let short-term changes undercut the long-term investment so many of us have made.
We want to keep creating here. But for many of us, the cost of doing business on Zazzle is beginning to outweigh the return.
Thank you for your message, you are considered one of the best professionals on Zazzle, and your opinion means a lot to us, and must be read by Zazzle CEO. 😍
Thank you. I know Zazzle reads these threads, and I hope our voices are being taken seriously. Even if it is not always clear, speaking up still matters. At the very least, we are reminding each other that we are not alone … and that this community is full of designers who genuinely care about what we have built here.
It would mean a great deal to hear directly from Zazzle in response to these concerns. A little acknowledgment can go a long way in strengthening the trust so many of us have worked hard to maintain.
Have you considered increasing your royalty to cover the fees? I have been very hesitant in doing just that as I wanted to stay competitive. But the fees were making me ill, and felt our voices were not being heard. When the moderator does not step in to leave a comment it feels like our voices don’t matter. I guess I gave up. I set my royalty at 22.1 its under the 23.9 which many designers have chosen . So I feel somewhat competitive. I feel badly for the gift shops that buy my tissue paper and greeting cards. But honestly I cannot continue making pennies . Pennies do not compensate for time and effort put into my designs. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. Increase your royalty for “piece of mind”
I hear what you are saying. I’ve started raising some of my royalties too, but with over 15,000 products in my stores, it’s honestly a daunting task. Like you, I’ve been hesitant for fear of pricing myself out of the market, but the fees have made it harder and harder to justify staying where I am.
I really appreciate your transparency about where you’ve landed. 22.1% still feels fair, especially when so many of us are barely covering the time and investment we’ve poured into this platform. I feel for the shops and returning customers who’ve supported us, but in the end, designers can’t thrive on pennies either.
It helps to know others are in the same boat and making similar decisions for peace of mind.
To any Zazzle team members who may be reading : please know that these aren’t just casual complaints. Many of us have spent years building our stores, investing in equipment, marketing, and design tools, and creating quality work that has supported your brand. We aren’t asking for handouts. We’re asking for a fairer structure that allows us to keep creating and contributing meaningfully.
I tried going through individual products to price them accordingly, 11 ounce mugs at $15.95 (charm pricing)Tissue paper set at premium weight and size for increase in price with 10 % royalty to keep my gift shop reseller’s but found that earnings were terrible after the fees were deducted.
Going through thousands of products to add the right royalty for each product category, too difficult. So I gave up yesterday and increased store default. I can always modify where needed the following month. What upsets me more than anything, is what the increased royalty will do to my repeat customer base. I may lose them forever…resellers want low priced products, they will buy in volume but it better be cheap.
Zazzle used to offer bulk pricing, with extra discount it would be helpful to bring that back. In the past I would do competitive online and offline research just to stay with the trend, but really cannot do that anymore, the excessive fees have put a stop to “fair pricing”.
Also I am no longer promoting 7 hours a day, I figure if I have to pay the Zazzle (35 to 50%) marketing fees then I am not going to promote constantly, or pay out-of-pocket for pin ads. Also difficult to earn the Ambassador referral so I decided it’s not worth the time or effort to promote to social media or email customers, family and friends.
AND my husband “gave me a look” when we were at a gathering …I did not share my business card with anyone or talk shop. (lol) He thinks my Zazzle heart is broken. maybe it is