How Soon Do Creators Start Selling Products?

[SarahHolli]

Hi. I'm new to Zazzle... well, I've played at it before, but now taking it seriously.

I've started adding products and collections etc. Been on this new store now for a week or so.

I've not had a sale yet and no follows. Should I be worried? Do I need to change anything/am i doing something wrong?

Your help would be gratefully received, Thank you, Sarah (aka Holli Sparkles)

[PenguinPower]

You have to pull people in - post on social media, get people who are affiliates interested. If you are simply relying on the marketplace, it's so saturated these days that unless they are extremely niche and have key words that are actually searched, but still return few results, it's unlikely that your designs will be seen, no matter how good or innovative they are (and I think your coloring page pillows are pretty unique). If you already do Pinterest or Facebook or Instagram get your products on them.. if you don't, get accounts and start. 

[SarahHolli]

Thank you PenguinPower. I appreciate your feedback 🙂 promotion is the way forward. Thank you 

[Cat · Accepted solution]

It took me about 3 months after I started working on it full time to start getting regular sales. Have you finished all of your store completion stuff? I'm not sure if this is still the case, but I think it used to be that you had to have a store zRank of at least 4 in order for your stuff to appear in the marketplace. Don't know if that's still the case or not. 

Anyhow, Penguin is right, promote, promote, promote! And then build on any success you have - even if that "success" is just views. Best of luck to you!

[SarahHolli]

Hi Cat, thank you for your reply, I shall keep going, I still have a few collections to add to get to Z rank 4, so still have lots of designing to do. Thank you lovely 🙂

[SarahHolli]

I accept both replies as solutions but it’s only saying I’ve accepted one. Thank you to you both equally 🙂

[Jadendreamer13]

Your coloring pillows are really cute—and a great idea. I would add instructions in your description on how customers can color on the pillows (like using fabric paint or pens or paint pens that they can purchase online or at local craft stores). If not, they might expect the coloring tools to come with their pillow purchase.

[SarahHolli]

Hi Jadendreamer13

Thank you for your suggestion; I shall add some instructions Really good idea. Thank you 🙂

[BKMuir]

@SarahHolli I saw a post of yours yesterday and noted you are creating items for buyers to color. I tried to respond to that post but my computer burped and I lost what I had written. So I will try here.

Promoting items to color is very difficult. As it is also difficult to locate those items that are for sale. Zazzle's search engine is horrific in not allowing boolean logic which means searching for exact terminology such as:  "to color" or "you color". it should only pull up items with those phrases, but instead pulls up everything with a tag or description word of "color".

See some existing threads:

Discussion; Here 

Share yours here 

[SarahHolli]

Hi BKMuir,

Ah ok, interesting, thank you for letting me know. I am going to create a blog with helpful 'how to' posts with links directed to the colour-in items, so hopefully that will also help. I shall check check out your recommended links too. Thank you so much 🙂 I appreciate your help 🙂

[chefcateringbiz]

It's actually pretty late in the year to go after the Halloween market, and you'll have to really get a move on for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yes, start thinking about New Year's, Valentines and Easter now, if your targets are holidays. 2-3 months in advance uploaded and ready to market, generally speaking. I see you've put up a post in the "affiliates request" forum, but that's really for affiliates to ask for stuff, not for designers to ask for affiliates. Also, affiliates generally don't spend time on new stores with few designs even if the designs are super duper, so keep designing, get your product links on whatever social media you can handle. I think the phrase I looked for when I was looking for things for my mom to color was "adult coloring book", which brought up all kinds of things to color, so "kids coloring book" should do the same.