Do you sell personalized items?
Yes. I use Affinity Publisher to amend artwork.
I print myself with a Canon Pixma Pro 200, which prints greetings cards. https://amzn.to/4jDWYOt (Includes affiliate link.)
I buy blank cards with envelopes from Amazon too, as well as biodegradable sleeves.
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Thank you for sharing this breakdown and your honest comparison between Etsy and Zazzle — it’s incredibly helpful and aligns with a lot of what many of us have been noticing lately.
The in-house referral marketing structure on Zazzle has become increasingly frustrating. A 40% referral cut just because a customer clicked through Zazzle’s own internal navigation is not what most of us would define as a referral — that’s simply organic browsing on their platform. And yet, that fee slashes creator royalties significantly.
I’ve also been selling on Zazzle for awhile and have watched the royalty model evolve into something that no longer supports long-term sustainability for serious designers. We are doing the bulk of the creative and customer-facing work, and yet Zazzle has created a system where internal clicks are treated as affiliate traffic, further minimizing our earnings.
You’ve outlined the Etsy comparison well. Yes, Etsy has its flaws, but their marketing structure is transparent, and the control is in the seller’s hands. I appreciate being able to set my budget and see meaningful results without watching my royalties drain away through arbitrarily assigned “referrals.”
At the very least, Zazzle should allow designers the option to opt out of internal referral deductions, especially when the traffic is not coming from an external ambassador. As it stands now, we’re penalized for a customer clicking within the Zazzle ecosystem — something we have no control over.
And you’re right — when ambassadors earn more per sale than the actual creators, there’s an imbalance that needs to be addressed. Referral marketing can be a win-win when done correctly, but not when it sidelines the people actually making the products.
Here’s hoping Zazzle listens. Without fair compensation, it becomes harder and harder to justify continued effort on a platform where we’re expected to create, market, and manage storefronts — only to take home a shrinking piece of the pie.
Thanks again for putting this out there. You’re not alone.
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I think there might be a little confusion here. Referral “cookies” are set when one enters the site from an external link. Once you’re on the site, that is not overwritten by browsing/clicking around internally.
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I have directed customers from my Etsy shop to Zazzle. Those who have not previously been to Zazzle and I still receive 3rd party sale royalties. Not sure what’s going on with cookies, but it seems off.
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I was not referring to entering Zazzle by an external link, I was referring to a Zazzle’s own internal navigation, which would be considered organic, not referral.
As someone who sold on Etsy for over 10 years and hates it, I really don’t want Zazzle to be even close to that site. I think what you say about the fees has some truth and the reason this thread even exists is because it’s obvious we designers feel “cheated” in a way. There is no transparency on why all sales are now 3rd party. The new reports don’t show this either. There is no way every single product is being promoted. The fee is extremely high and it really makes no sense for affiliates to take more than us. I like that we have the option to earn extra this way but maybe the % is too high? It demotivates creators and it’s what’s holding up the site. Why would I even add good content if I’m gonna earn cents? Etsy started getting bad rep when sellers started getting frustrated after feeling unseen, badly treated, with constant changes, bugs, and tests, with bad support,… I really really hope Zazzle gets it together and goes back to what it was. Zazzle and creators should trust each other. Now creators are starting to distrust Zazzle and that is not good. I love Zazzle, it’s the best place I ever sold at but things are not right now. I hope they can fix it asap.
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I just want to add my experience with the new royalty policies. A few days ago, I made $408.40 sale from a 3rd party referral on Zazzle. My royalty rate was set to 5% because the product was already seriously overpriced. 5% of $408.40 is $20.43, but the royalty I received for the sale was $11.25 which is only 2.75%.
In contrast, Spoonflower just paid me $478.87 for a single sale. No invisible fees, marketing costs, or “excess” penalties for trying to make a living from my shop.
I have been on Zazzle for over 15 years. This is only my second year selling on Spoonflower and that shop has already surpassed my Zazzle store in earnings. I also have a CafePress shop that I neglected for over a decade and I was surprised to find that my total earnings on CafePress was about 4 times my total Zazzle earnings, event though I work on constantly on my Zazzle store.
Zazzle’s recent policy change made me realize how dangerous it is to let our livelihoods depend on one company’s goodwill. They can make these changes because we cannot afford to quit, which is why I am prioritizing diversifying my income sources and not being too dependant on Zazzle.
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I am hesitant to say it but I have just about deserted my Z shop, emotionally. Since April I have seemingly lost interest. I went through and streamlined all my shops and cleaned up a bunch of things. but rarely see sales any more. i get a lot of notices to optimize. I have been boosting my Spoonflower shop and that is about it.
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I feel the same way. In mid-August there was a slight uptick that gave me a bit of hope.
September might not reach the payment threshold for the first time in maybe 5 years. Right now it’s been 3 days in a row without sales for a total of $10 for the whole month.
Maybe people are thinking about other things right now and shopping isn’t their priority.
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Hi Kim,
Thank you for sharing this breakdown — it really resonates with me. I’ve had an Etsy shop for years, but Zazzle was always the platform that generated the most income with the least amount of ongoing work. That’s why I focused here.
Since the changes, though, my earnings have dropped noticeably even though I’m putting more time into my store than every before. It’s discouraging to work harder but see less return, and like you, I feel it’s tied to the new structure.
One thing I’ve started doing to help offset the lower royalties is leaning into collections and niche themes that perform well seasonally, then linking to them in my social channels. It takes extra effort, but it helps drive targeted traffic and makes the most out of self-referrals.
I still believe there’s potential here, but Zazzle really does need to listen to seller feedback. Better dashboards and a fairer approach to royalties would make such a difference. In the meantime, sharing what’s working (and what isn’t) with each other at least helps us all adapt.
Thanks again for starting this conversation. It helps to know I’m not alone in noticing these changes.
— Victoria | Do Tell A Belle
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@Mariholly “Maybe people are thinking about other things right now and shopping isn’t their priority.”
That might be so, but I am also seeing a “pink wave”. Huh? In September? I thought that was supposed to be in January …
Plus the site mainly displays old designs, like created 5 years ago or more (not your newly created designs!). This is bound to drive potential customers away. There’s nothing fresh and interesting to keep them on Zazzle (if they find Zazzle in the first place, and not referred by a specific product design). It looks to me that apart from the homepage, the site looks kind of abandoned and like stuck in the nineties DOS era.
Then once a potential customer enters the design tool … let’s just say they probably encounter a truckload of errors and glitches (like we do).
Zazzle has managed to completely flatline any desire to create something new here. Maybe that is intentional.
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I’m sorry to hear all that. We’ve put so much interest, time, and dreams into this.
I’m not motivated at all. I come in to read and keep up to date, but since I took on a full-time administrative job in May I’ve only created one new design.
My contract ended, I enjoyed a wonderful vacation, and I thought I would get back on track again… But here I am with no desire to do it. The scarce sales don’t help at all.
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Hi Denise (know you from Spoonflower 😊). I started cleaning out my shop here of old unsold products at Zazzle and began uploading designs for cards since looking through my Instagram feed I love creating illustrations! I haven’t done anything with my Spoonflower shop in quite awhile but recently have gotten a few sales here and there. Guess I need to focus on my shop there again. Have also been working on my Etsy shop doing POD sales (trying, anyway!).
I have been here at Zazzle for several years (can’t find a begin date any longer) and while I was never whole hog in, I can’t make enough to meet the threshold to even get the measely $12 I have in earnings. I really love the ease of Zazzle but by the time I make enough to get paid I might be but a memory! Nothing to add but wanted to say hey!
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