Heather
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi Creators,

We wanted to share an update on the design tool and the ongoing A/B test. We’ve recently narrowed the test from three variants down to one, bringing forward an enhanced design tool and focusing on delivering the best possible experience for customers based on some challenges we saw with other variants. This variant will remain active for the next several weeks as we continue to fine-tune performance and review results.

Alongside the A/B test, we’ve also made updates to both the current and test versions of the design tool - specifically around the guidelines, safe lines, and bleed lines.

Our research shows that these visual elements can be confusing or overwhelming for many users who aren’t familiar with design systems. This can negatively affect the overall experience and, in some cases, reduce conversion rates. To make the tool more approachable and user-friendly, we’ve turned off these visuals by default. Users can still enable them at any time if needed.

Heather_0-1759880969733.png

Key Updates: 

  • Guidelines Off by default – Safe and bleed lines are now hidden by default but appear when an element is clicked or dragged.
  • Updated styling/colors – Lines have been refreshed with a cleaner look: dotted (formerly red) and dark gray (formerly blue).
  • Customizable settings – Users can toggle guidelines on or off at any time.
  • Sticky preferences – Once a user sets their preference, it remains active during their session (no need to reset for each product).
  • Design checks – Our system processes can detect and fix issues if designs are too close to the bleed area.

To turn guidelines on, simply adjust your settings within the design tool.

Current Design Tool:

Heather_1-1759880969735.png

AB test Design Tool:

Heather_2-1759880969739.png

We’ll be sharing more updates on the design tool and about the A/B test soon!

Best,

The Zazzle Team

17 Comments
Cat
Esteemed Contributor

Thanks for the update, it's super helpful to know which direction things are going!

MaggieA
Contributor II

Will this new design tool now be for all kinds of products or just paper products?

plumb4me
Valued Contributor

This still doesn't address the issue with already grouped or locked images, text or design elements.

HeatherB
New Contributor III

I encountered this yesterday when I was making an espresso cup, before I saw this update. It was a bit confusing at first, but after I figured out what was happening it seemed to work well. However, when the dotted gray margins became invisible, after I finished moving my element, it created a perception that there was a much wider space at the bottom of the cup available to enlarge the graphic. I worry that this would cause confusion for the customer.

I’m going to be honest. I wish you had a more professional design interface for creators and a simplified interface for customers.

SheaPrints
Valued Contributor

It's a relief that it's been narrowed down to the version with the 'Edit' window. However, as @plumb4me said, grouped and locked, plus layered, and horizontally tiled elements are still an issue. The instructions suggest customers can select everything in the design area, but these things are inaccessible. Ideally, all 'template objects' that are included in the 'Edit' window can be selected directly in the design area.

Connie
Honored Contributor II

I noticed the customer side now includes the eyedropper tool, which is great! Thank you for that.

James
Creator Team
Creator Team

@plumb4me i just visited the 11 photo collage note card you previously had an issue with, and it seems to work now. Please let me know if you have another example and I will be happy to review. 

osea
Contributor III

Good job. This makes a better impact on Customers.

About designers/creators I already asked: It is helpful to have the size of bleed for each product, in order to do the projects quicker when Creators complete them from professional applications. In this way, the uploads match at first and no need any on-line retouching for shapes elements.

Please do not laugh if I do not have a 1-10Gb internet speed. It is really not necessary for this in both cases...

Bye bye

Osea

plumb4me
Valued Contributor

Thank you James for looking, but that is one of the products I changed with the replace product tool.  

Unless Zazzle has fixed the issue with layers and grouped products, unfortunately I made alot of my collages with templates and grouped the images inside the templates.

There seems to be a problem with layers, templates and grouped products. If for some reason the left side pop out doesn't appear, on the new customer version design tool or if a customer closes the left side pop out panel, the customer cannot get to the images under the templates.

Here's example of one of my products that I used a template on. https://www.zazzle.com/create_your_own_10_photo_collage_foam_board-256518041246491662

I'm just using your example to show which version I checked my product on. I haven't checked my product  in any other browser, but Firefox.

Screenshot 2025-10-08 081149.png Screenshot 2025-10-08 080223.png

Cat
Esteemed Contributor

@plumb4me I was able to customize this product just fine using the new tool: https://www.zazzle.com/create_your_own_10_photo_collage_foam_board-256518041246491662

MOM
Valued Contributor II

I hate the new interface - it makes me feel like I'm working in the dark. 😞

And why does an image only flip in the preview but not in the design area? This cost us additional time checking and rechecking our work. It doesn't feel intuitive to me - sorry. I wished for the old design tool to be returning. 

challenging.png

MOM
Valued Contributor II

So strange. I worked on my website for a bit, then returned to Zazzle to post my design for sale and all the sudden the image in the design area goes along with the preview which of course makes me happy now. Must have been a glitch of some sort. 🙂

resolved.png

plumb4me
Valued Contributor

Thank you for checking @Cat I'm happy to know it works. Let's hope it stays that way 🤞

Fiorenzo
Valued Contributor II

The Edit variant is the right choice. You should not hide the Layers tab under the + icon, though, this tab is a pretty useful main tool.

Regarding the changes in the professional designer tool, I can live with the guidelines changes, even if it's harder to work with, but please get rid of the newly added shadows surrounding the product shape. Such semitransparent overlays distort the design colors and have no business in a workspace. The canvas is not a preview; it must be white and pristine, and show the content as is, not affected by overlapping content of any kind. I brought up this issue separately.

designarea-shadows.JPG

 

YesItsRoy
Contributor II

As this is a newer thread, posting my comment from the prior announcement here also:

If we chose "NO" for "Show "Customize it" button?" when publishing past products, customers WILL NOT allowed into this design tool, correct? 

I have hundreds of published designs where I chose NO due to licensing issues.  The elements aren't locked because not offering the Customize It button should prevent the customers getting in to work with elements.  I emailed Support in May regarding the then-testing, and to date, no response.

This is a serious concern which could cause legal issues. 

Editing to Add:  I just checked several of my products logged out in a clean browser, and customers are able to manipulate the assets.  Zazzle needs to honor where we selected NO to showing the "Customize It" button to restrict customers from getting into the design tool.

Heather
Community Manager
Community Manager

@YesItsRoy - If you own the product, you will see the "Edit this design" button. Can you please send us a few product link examples and our team will further investigate? Thank you. 

YesItsRoy
Contributor II

Yes, thank you, @Heather, I understand that. 🙂  I was logged out and on a computer which is not the one where I work for my post above.  In this browser, I'm not logged into my selling account, and I shouldn't be able to edit the designs I'm editing.

I don't know how to identify which test it is, but I'm seeing two different design tools, and I can edit everything in both of them. 

-  Chrome Version 139.0.7258.128 (Official Build) (64-bit):  When I click "Personalize this design," I'm immediately taken into the Design Tool.  This looks like the version I saw earlier this year.  I can click and move and delete and duplicate everything in the design.

Edge Version 140.0.3485.94 (Official build) (64-bit):   When I click "Personalize this design," I'm taken to a new screen with my unlabeled template fields to the left.  When I click an element, I get a popup offering to take me into the Design Editor where I can click and move and delete and duplicate everything in the design.

I'll send links via email to Support and point to this thread.  

Thank you for taking the time to respond. 

EDIT TO ADD:  Email sent with Product links after multiple tests. FYI, the first 8 Saved Designs in this account should not be editable.