I’ve been noticing the constant price changes on products for months, and I have a theory. Back in May, James from the Creator Team responded to a thread about unexpected price drops and said:
“Our pricing is dynamic and can fluctuate frequently due to changes in material and printing costs, as well as other factors.”
You can see the full post here.
That phrase “Our pricing is dynamic…” stood out to me because I remember hearing about the backlash when a fast food chain tried “dynamic pricing.” It’s basically a pricing strategy where the cost of a product changes in real time based on things like demand, production costs, or even customer behavior. Airlines and ride-share apps use it all the time. I think the comment “…as well as other factors” tells us something, too. It most likely refers to things like algorithms, customer demand, etc.
I may be wrong, but ever since that post in May, I’ve noticed constant price fluctuations across prices. The prices often change from one day to the next—and it’s the regular base price that’s changing; it’s not because of any discounts. If Zazzle is using dynamic pricing (even lightly), it would explain why prices shift so often and why it’s hard to keep products at a consistent price point.
At this point it seems the best strategy is to pick a royalty rate you’re comfortable with and stick with it, rather than trying to fine-tune your product prices. Since the base price can change at any time, chasing a specific final price might just drive you crazy.
Just wanted to share what I’ve noticed in case it helps others make sense of what may be going on.
