I'm old (91) and enjoy creating on Zazzle. But I do miss things sometimes -- or forget them. So, I need a little help. I think I know what Kudos are but not sure what I need to do with them (those that are given to me). However, I don't understand "signatures" at all. What are they and what do I do with them? Thanks for any advice you creators out there can give me. Lloyd ... View more

Hey there, fellow Zazzlepreneurs, Having seen the wonderful 'organic' artworks of our recent contest winners I have been giving some thought to the rise of AI art on Zazzle and other platforms (there have been a few topics on Zazzle forum recently regarding AI Art), reflecting on the concerns of natural artists who create their own art with brush, pencil, chalk and pen. And I wanted to give some reassurance that this will come full-circle so that YOU once more hold the cards and have the greater value. Before getting into it, let me emphasize that your concerns are valid, and they're shared by artists all over the world. There's a sense of unease, a feeling of 'will our art be overshadowed? Can our authenticity compete with AI?' These questions are entirely natural, and I hope to address them and provide some insights to help you navigate this evolving landscape. Firstly, what is AI Art and why is it capturing the spotlight? AI art, in simple terms, refers to artworks created with the assistance of artificial intelligence algorithms. These algorithms are programmed to analyze vast amounts of data, learn from it, and generate art based on the patterns and styles they've learned. This can range from creating entirely new pieces to imitating the styles of famous artists and lesser-known ones. The allure of AI art (for the buyer) is partly due to its novelty. People are fascinated by the idea that a machine, a non-human entity, can produce something as deeply human as art. There's a curiosity to see what AI can create and how it mimics or deviates from human artistic expression. BUT there is the flip side in that the buyer doesn't know (in all cases) that the art is NOT human-made. AI can now mimic watercolors which is one of the hardest (in my opinion) to recreate without it being a clear 'machine effort' and yet it is seemingly being accomplished. A few key concerns Competition with Machines: The very existence of AI-generated art raises the fear that you'll have to compete with machines for recognition and value in the art world. Will your art still be appreciated when AI art can be generated at the push of a button? Devaluation of Creativity: There's a concern that AI art might lead to a devaluation of human creativity. If machines can replicate styles and techniques, what happens to the artistic uniqueness that has always been at the core of human-made art? Loss of Artistic Identity: Artists often put a piece of their soul into their work. The worry is that as AI art gains prominence, you might feel a loss of identity or that your art no longer carries the same emotional depth. Accessibility vs. Exclusivity: AI art, being digital, is incredibly accessible. It can be shared instantly, printed at will, and even modified with ease. In contrast, traditional art often carries an air of exclusivity, which might be jeopardized by the mass availability of AI-generated art. Copyright and Authenticity: When AI generates derivative works, questions about copyright and authenticity arise. Who owns these new creations, and how do you prove the authenticity of the original work? Artistic Integrity: Artists often have a vision and a message they wish to convey through their art. The fear is that derivative AI-generated art may not capture the essence and intention of the original piece. Commercial Implications: If AI can create art that is similar to existing pieces, what happens to the value of the original art? Will it be perceived as less unique or less valuable? It is a lot cheaper! Prices for graphics packs containing digitally generated art is ridiculously low. Thousands of images for under $10 and often with resale rights because the creator does not have the 'connection' to their AI art that a regular artist would due to it being created in seconds and they can recreate hundreds more in a single day. They themselves do not value their AI art. These concerns are very real, and it's crucial to acknowledge them. AI's impact on the art world is undeniable, but it's also important to understand that there are ways to navigate this while retaining the essence of what makes your art unique. Sounds impossible? It isn't!! Take a lesson from history! One thing that has been a constant in the art world and how it holds the key to preserving the value of your art – scarcity. The concept of scarcity is not new in the world of art. In fact, it's a principle that has been driving the value of artworks for centuries. The basic idea is that the rarer an artwork is, the more valuable it becomes. Scarcity Facts Historical Artifacts: Think about historical artifacts such as the Mona Lisa, the works of Vincent van Gogh, or Michelangelo's sculptures. Their value is immensely high not just because of their artistic excellence but also because they are one-of-a-kind pieces. There's only one original Mona Lisa, and that uniqueness adds to its mystique and value. Precious Stones: Precious gemstones like diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds also operate on this principle. The rarer the stone, the more it's worth. Artificial diamonds may look the same, but they don't carry the same allure because they're not as scarce as natural diamonds. Art Curation: Art curators have long known the power of scarcity. They limit the number of exhibitions, prints, or displays of a particular artwork to create a sense of exclusivity. This not only maintains the artwork's value but also builds excitement and anticipation among art enthusiasts.   So, how can you leverage the scarcity principle in the context of AI-generated art and derivative works?   One of the most significant advantages you have as artists and creators is the authenticity of your work. Make it a point to emphasize that your art is born from your personal experiences, emotions, and creative journey. Your customers will value the authenticity and uniqueness of your art. You can do this via:   Profile Bio Collection details Product description Craft a BIO-style Media image to accompany ALL your products! This is essential to let all your customers know that this art is hand generated and YOU are your own brand! Perhaps in the future Zazzle can implement a feature that will allow us to add a generic media image to ALL products or to those we select 'enmasse' to avoid the arduous task of trying to add retrospectively to thousands of products  @James ? Create Showcased Videos: Videos offer an intimate glimpse into your creative process. They allow your audience to connect with your art on a deeper level, seeing the passion and effort you put into every piece. It reinforces the idea that your art is organic and created with love and care. Add Your Signature: Your signature is not just a formality; it's a mark of authenticity. Sign your work, both physically and digitally. It's your personal stamp, a guarantee that each piece is a unique expression of your talent.  With the rise of AI art this is imperative! it will not devalue your art it will increase it's value. In the face of AI-generated art and derivative works, remember that your originality is your greatest asset. Your art has a story, a depth of emotion, and a personal touch that AI cannot replicate. In an evolving art world, your work will continue to shine brighter, just as scarcity has always added value to artistic treasures. Your art will forever be a beacon of authenticity in a world of machines. This might not seem the case now, BUT as AI increasingly begins to dominate Print-on-demand sites and every other corner of the art world, it will become the case, so hang in there!!! I am rooting for you. Ps. With regard to photographers, you should also start to add signatures to your work and apply the same details as advised above to ensure your customers know that YOU and not AI (or public domain) are the origin of the art. ... View more

Why do you all take away earnings from people's accounts?  There is no noble reason you can come up with.  Even though my account doesn't sell much, primarily because i don't actively promote ... you have been receiving free advertising from me for years without even being worth much. You want to charge me for associating with you? What real value does Zazzle even have? (Rhetorical Question)  The fact that you take away earnings from people that bring you attention is pure evil.  despicable.  Your site is so hard to take seriously as it is from a promoting standpoint.   ... View more

For the last month they have been giving 40% discount for business card purchases. It's killing my royalties on my sales. I was shocked when I saw the 40% off. No wonder my royalties have dropped. I figured it would be over on the 1st, but it's still there. Any one know when this will end? The majority of my income comes from business card sales. ... View more

This page What Royalty Rate Do You Recommend I Use? suggests a royalty of 5-10% which is pathetically low, but if you read the whole entry and between the lines, it's clear that 1) it's not mandatory, you can set your royalty to whatever you want 2) lower royalties = lower overall prices = Zazzle looks more affordable to shoppers 3) using that low 5-10% benefits the customer not you There's a common theory that higher royalties might keep one down in search results. So i just wanted to do a random search to see what royalty percents were in the top results. That by itself proved interesting and then it spiraled into a deeper dive looking at the other factors that most likely weigh in to where something "places" in results.  I searched (on the US domain) for three keywords + product type. I.E. [keyword1 keyword2 keyword3 product_type] NO QUOTES, and then used the "Refine by Category" filter to narrow results down to just that actual product type. That gave me just over 200 results, a number easy to manage for comparison purposes.  I then noted the details for the top 20 results. In the four days I've been compiling the stats on the results, the search results fortunately remained exactly the same. And then I was given the idea to do the same search on other domains. So I did UK and Canada and noted where items placed there compared to searching on the US domain.  Of the top 20 results, I was only able to obtain all the stats for 7 of them. That's 35%. Not enough to draw any "scientific" conclusions, but still super interesting and able to provide some insight.  The first thing to jump out is that in most cases there is an astounding difference in placement depending on domain!  Designers of all Pro levels were included in the top 20. There were two with a generic Pro badge which means they could be anywhere from Basic to Diamond. None of the results were from Designers without at least the basic Pro badge. Does that mean anything? I honestly have no idea.  Royalties ranged from 10 to 25%. Views ranged from 11 to 347. Creation dates ranged from 2014 to 2024. Looking at the meta data: * All of the results have all three of my search keywords somewhere in the meta data. * One of the top 20 (#16) has all three keywords in the title, in the same order I typed them in search * Five of the top 20 have two of the three keywords I searched for in their title, in the same order I typed them in * Ten of the top 20 have none of my keywords in their title, they only appeared in the tags This list is missing 65% of the data but is still interesting and my own personal conclusions, right or wrong, are, in no particular order:: * number of views alone doesn't seem to be a heavily weighted factor * even number sold won't by itself put you at top of results * likewise, Pro level or zRank alone won't put you at the top * having a personal cover image is still relevant/important * royalty % by itself is not keeping items down in search * last sold date might be an extra-weighted factor with more recently sold items placing better * where your strongest keywords appear and in what order compared to what a shopper types in is important So that's it. My conclusions here are just my own opinions based on the limited data of this search, you all may draw your own different conclusions.  ... View more

Etsy’s new Marketplace is a built-in analytics tool similar to Everbee and Amazon Merch Informer. What’s different about this built-in tool is that the information comes directly from Etsy’s customer searches and sales. This provides accurate, timely information to designers. The other third-party apps provide similar information, but those results are best-guess results, as opposed to real results. So, you can see the advantage of having a built-in analytics tool on Zazzle. A tool like this can help designers develop targeted designs and products that have a higher chance of selling, allowing designers to increase their sales. That, in turn, will result in more sales for Zazzle. If this topic isn’t on Zazzle developers’ front burner it should be. It has much more potential than the current attempts to produce less-effective tools — like the new font tool — which hasn’t resulted in improved sales or even improved ease of use. What say you, Zazzle? Can you make it happen? ... View more

Hi everyone, I’m hoping a Zazzle moderator or experienced creator can help clarify this. I’ve searched through the Creator License Agreement, Help Center, and forum threads but haven’t found a clear answer. My question: If a customer places an order that qualifies for a Marketing Royalty Fee (for example, through Zazzle’s paid ads or an Ambassador link) and then cancels the order before it’s fulfilled, does the creator still get charged the Marketing Royalty Fee? I understand that when an order is cancelled, no royalty is paid out, but it’s not clear whether the marketing fee is still deducted or applied in those cases. Can someone from the Zazzle team please clarify whether marketing fees are reversed when a sale is cancelled? Thank you so much, Victoria Do Tell A Belle ... View more

Hi Creators, We're excited to share that we've launched an updated design experience that's currently in A/B testing! This represents a significant evolution in how design works on Zazzle, moving toward a unified tool that serves both creators and customers. What's Live Now?: Our design tool experience is being tested, meaning users will see either the current experience or one of three new variants. This tool builds on the features you've been using including frames, grids, design elements, and our royalty-free content library, but is optimized to make design more accessible to customers who may not have your level of design expertise. Your existing post-for-sale flow remains accessible and we intend to improve those workflows as part of the next phase.  Here's a quick demo from Sean walking through the experience: Why This Matters for You: Since this A/B test exposes templates to a new design interface, you may notice that some existing designs work differently in this customer-focused environment.  As an example, to create a smoother customer journey, we’ve improved how “locking” works for layers. Previously , when you locked an object, customers could not unlock the object which caused usability issues when they wanted to make changes. With the new update, both you and your customers can unlock a locked layer. Note, if you originally had a a locked layer, the "disabled" setting is automatically turned on with the update. We’ve added a new toggle called “Disable All Object Interaction” which is located in the “More options” section in the right-hand panel. When enabled, it prevents users from interacting with the layer, and customers cannot change this setting.  Additionally, we’re using the locking feature to automatically hide certain layers, such as large transparent overlays, shields, or borders, that might otherwise interfere with customers trying to upload photos or edit text. After the test concludes, we'll be sharing tips and best practices to help your templates shine in this new experience to maximize customer engagement and conversion.  Looking ahead, this optimized experience is the first step toward a cohesive design tool for everyone on Zazzle, designed to add ease for customers and positively increase conversion to benefit creators. We welcome your thoughts and feedback as you see this experience in action, as your insights help us build better tools for the entire Zazzle community. The team will be reviewing this thread so please weigh in as you’d like.  Thanks for being part of this journey,  The Zazzle Team ... View more

From client: "Never mind, i had to pay a lot of money to have one card shipped. I will scan it." - how we can avoid this ... View more

I'm a little confused about Hobnob. Is this for Z designer's invites, etc. or are they able to use templates that are only on Hobnob? I hope it's the former.  ... View more

I have customers who have sent me photo of decoupage tissue papers that they have received and the print quality is awful with this new paper. I know that I have everything correct as for uploading with images.  Is anyone else having these issues.  There are so many issues since April  I posted this in technical but have not gotten any responses  Once customer will not be able to use her papers in time to enter a contest due to this.  original before lightened customer framed it is darker https://www.zazzle.com/decoupage_highland_vintage_truck_pumpkins_country_tissue_paper-256636348456049066 The one on the left is not even the one that I uploaded because I can't upload the one for Zazzle because it is to large.  https://www.zazzle.com/decoupage_gothic_vampire_art_tissue_paper-256324234204076263?view=113062202102554994 The one on the left is from the screen and you can see it is lighter the, the middle one is what they got and the one on the far right is the one before I lightened before uploading.    Left is her paper and the one on the right is the one before it was lightened to upload https://www.zazzle.com/decoupage_gnarly_witch_her_black_cat_tissue_paper-256606935661956735    Left is before lightened and sized to upload the right is her papers https://www.zazzle.com/decoupage_pumpkin_jack_o_lantern_halloween_gothic_tissue_paper-256914067614947304   ... View more

Thank you, Zazzle team, for working to resolve this problem.  ... View more