Sudden Drop of Sales After 1st April

[Zainab_Baloch]

I’ve been noticing a sudden and significant drop in my sales since April 1st. Up until then, I was getting regular daily sales, but now it slowed down drastically, I wonder if it’s because of the new terms of service update? Would like to know if anyone else is going through the same thing and what would be causing this.

[Kelly-Marie]

I noticed you mentioned none self referred items zazzle claiming does this mean we lose anything made from a standard purchase on the site or do we still get our 10% ? I feel I’m not 100% understanding the new changes 

or do we still get our 10% and get extra for self referred items ? 

[mgdesigns]

About the claiming, this is just my opinion, not a fact because suddenly 95% os sales for everyone are 3rd part referred and it seems impossible unless when they click any other product to compare or something, even if they come back to your shop, it counts as 3rd party instead of self as I brought them to Z. Again this is just a possibility, not fact. About the changes, sorry, it's too complicated for me to explain but if you check the forums, some people had really good threads explaining how much we actually get.

[inviteme2]

Thank you for your input.  This is all so confusing.

[inviteme2]

Yes.

[Boki]

Have you sold anything from your stores or by sharing links to other designers' designs since the beginning of May? 🤔

[Kelly-Marie]

I haven’t sold anything since February, last sale was the end of the month and nothing more since. 

[Mariholly]

It’s starting to feel disheartening how many days go by without any sales. Out of 9 days in May, 4 of mine have had no sales. Maybe this happened sometime between 2018 and 2020.
With a heavy heart, I’ve had to accept a full-time administrative job for a few months, so I think my sales will drop even more. So much work, effort, time, and hope thrown away!

[Kelly-Marie]

I feel my hopes of ever being a full time designer are being disappearing more and more these days too, so I know your pain. I’ve never quite managed to leave the full time job as sales always were small especially double jobing 🙁 

[Kelly-Marie]

I can see my products in my main shop are still being viewed, however no sales. Maybe it is just a drop in the economy causing this.

I feel your pain tho as I feel my dreams of ever being a full time designer are far far away. Can’t imagine how hard that must have being going back to a admin job 🙁 I’m really sorry to hear that. 

[Mariholly]

 At first, it's something temporary; I couldn’t really turn it down—especially not under these circumstances. I had always thought that if this ever happened, the work I had already done on Z wouldn’t go to waste, and that somehow sales of my best pieces would keep coming in, but now that seems unlikely.

[Kelly-Marie]

Id not lose hope, if this is a temporary hic up from the economy and big changes in the world, it will pick up again I’m sure of that, Maybe all we need, is to give it time, but it is hard creating new stuff in these uncertain times. 

[Mariholly]

Above all, because of the discouragement and apathy it causes in us. I’ve wanted to commit to creating, modifying, or optimizing one product a day, at least while I have to spend most of my day on my new job. We’ll see if I can stick to it.

[Tamathaa]

I’m finally getting sales!!! Past 2 week, picking up good. 👍🎉🎉🎉

[Wesha]

How is May going so far ? Have anyone noticed any improvement in sales after all these changes ? Zazzle is supposed to do more marketing now ... 🤔

[Kelly-Marie]

still no sales here 🙁

[Boki]

Since it is related to sales:

https://community.zazzle.com/t5/general-zazzle-discussion/sharing-on-pinterest/m-p/202642

[Zainab_Baloch]

Sales are still very slow, some of the days are completely blank. This has seriously affected my invitation cards. When I do make a sale, half of the amount is deducted for marketing fees. It’s been really discouraging, I’m not sure when or if things will get better.

[Boki]

😞 Unfortunately, still no improvements... I hope it will pass soon... 🤔

[Margielyn]

That is odd, the last time I made a sale was April 1st also. with only allow a 10%  my 86 plus sale, was 8.63. I am so disappointed in Zazzle, maybe they want me to leave???

[CBolton]

It's weird, because I would always get like a greeting card sale at least once a month. 
Nothing since April. did Zazzle change something? because I had to re look to make sure my store was visible to the public.

[tamirazdesigns]

Something does NOT seem right at all after all these new TOS changes 4/1!  Was still getting sales after that in April and May, BUT everything has stopped with no sales or referrals since 6/15!  I haven't done anything differently than all the years here, still making new fresh items and have promoted all types of items by the tons over the years, same as many other designers have done (not that that ever really resulted in self, none or any referrals all the years of sharing items either say to Pinterest) like many others who've done the same here, all that promoting work and efforts never brought in any real referrals  and was always miniscule, which was always very odd!.  Things haven't been great past several years, but there's zero sales now!  Where's all the big improvements for designers since 4/1 and Zazzle's new big new marketing plan for everyone?  Weird things have instead come to a complete standstill.  Very discouraging.  

[mrdoodle]

I never thought I'd see the day, but now I have. My Zazzle earnings are below RB. For years, Zazzle had ALWAYS been the ROCK - at the very least 200% of my RB earnings, but the past 4 months, have equalled or fallen below. I am comparing it to RB because despite the economy and everything that's going on in RB, RB earnings have remained fairly consistent (fingers crossed). Yes, it's the economy. And stuff. Number of sales have dipped. Last year, I would get anywhere from 5-10 sales a day (from 2 main stores). Nowadays, I average only about 3 - 5 sales a day. But what kicked my monthly bring-home total down was Zazzle deciding to eat off my plate. That 45% fee really hurts. Really hurts.

I could rant about it. I could curl up and cry... but I won't. The only constant in POD world (and real life) is change. Amazon is going to put sellers through the wringer soon. Other PODs are still in flux. I have been through 3 major shakeups in making money online and they have been painful. But I survived and I will survive this time again.

20 years of POD has taught me one word - "PIVOT". When you see a road block, you don't crash into it. You find another route. You try something else. You think differently. I saw the writing on the wall almost 2 years ago. Zazzle earnings were already starting to slow down. I expected turmoil, and so I started to PIVOT - working on stuff OTHER than POD directly. Problem was, I expected the hits to come end-2025 or early 2026. I did not expect it NOW. And so, I have to put POD on auto pilot while I pivot HARDER. And so must you. ROI determines where I put my focus into. Instead of pumping 3 hours a day on Zazzle, it's now 2 hours a week.

On a more positive note, count your blessings. I have savings. I have grown working kids who will help out financially if I need them. I realize that many of you may be struggling. Please don't give up. Zazzle is NOT the be all and end all. Neither is any POD. In spite of what may seem like greed at having 45% of your food taken away, Zazzle too needs to survive.

I read a prayer yesterday. It went something like : As long as you have life and breath (and God), there is hope. If your heart still beats and you can wake up each day, that is a miracle. If you have food on the table, that is Provision. If you have a job that is Grace. If you have savings. If you have the strength to live one more day, that is Mercy. Don't lose hope. Be blessed my friends.