Open a new Store or just make a Collection?

[Lensman]

I'm trying to make sense of Collections and new Stores within Zazzle and can't for the life of me decide what to do because I'm not seeing the benefits of one over the other? Or, rather, I should say I see the benefit of starting a new Collection over opening a new Store (it just seems easier!) - but maybe I'm missing something. So what are the benefits of opening a new store where I only want to feature designs on one Product Type only versus merely creating a new Collection featuring one Product Type in an existing store?

Thanks.

[Sara_H]

@Lensman 

I would look into creating collections rather than a opening a new store.

If you only have one product type in a store and Zazzle decides to stop offering that product (eg postage stamps) your store becomes pretty useless. (been there done that - many moons ago with speakers)

Plus with multiple stores comes the multiple zranks 

So my vote is - one store, well organised with categories and collections. (wish I had taken that advice even more many moons ago)

[Lensman]

Thanks Sara and @Cat - both very helpful. And that idea of Zazzle stopping offering the product is very true - and scary! 

Cat, yes, I have two stores right now and the thought of a third (or more) does seem like a lot more work.

Cheers.

[Cat · Accepted solution]

I agree with @Sara_H. I only have one store - mostly because I'm WAY too lazy to deal with more than that, and I really don't see the advantage. (Not saying there aren't valid reasons to have more than one store, but I haven't found one.) My experience (which may not be universal) is that customers seldom visit my actual store - they mostly find products through the marketplace, or through marketing links that I've created, so I focus my energies on creating quality products & marketing them well, and I don't worry too much about the store itself.

Not saying that's necessarily the way to go, but it seems to be working for me!

[BKMuir]

I created several stores so that I could keep MYSELF organized.

One larger GENERAL store, one for CATS, one for GENEALOGY, one for Art/Craft works by myself and others.

The General store might have some items that should have gone into one of the other stores, but I just make a modified item and place the new one in the correct store. That's where my COLLECTIONS come into play. A collection can be linked to multiple stores, so if a buyer sees one of my items and likes the design/concept but is looking for another product, the Collection will show the different products in other stores too.

[Lensman]

Good points. I do worry about what @Sara_H said above, though - Keeping up with the ZRank score in each store. Although, maybe that's not what you really care about except for the "main" store? 

[BKMuir]

Lensman - I really pay little attention to ZRank, although I just checked and 5 of my 6 stores have the same rank, with the last only one point lower.

Note: I missed 2 of my stores earlier FelineFriends and a semi-private one for my artist/crafter's group.

[Lensman]

Thanks. It would be nice to know how important it is to us as far as ranking in search etc., but I can't find that info anywhere.

Glenn

[Barbara]

We've pretty much begged Zazzle to give us more info on zRank, but all there's been is we designers opining and guessing, which is our hobby.

Colorwash's Home

[Lensman]

Indeed. There is much I'd like to know. I get far fewer eyeballs on products than I do on Etsy and that's saying a lot!  😞