Chat 'New' Message From Zazzle Asking for Phone Number

[klstock]

My chat shows the red new message icon. When I click on it, it is a message from Zazzle saying 'tell us more about yourself' and a space to fill in my name and a checkbox next to a message that says 'Yes! I’d like to receive exclusive Zazzle deals, discounts and updates on new products'. 

Whether I check or uncheck that box and hit continue, it takes me to the same screen asking for a phone number to 'keep your account secure'. If I choose 'skip' I just end up back at square one with my chat showing a red 'new' message icon that I can't get rid of.  It appears to be trying to force me to give a phone number. 

I have a customer who contacted me via chat this morning regarding a request and I replied to that and was waiting to hear back from them to clarify what they were asking me to do. I can't enter my chat now though apparently without providing a phone number. 

[klstock]

When I check on my Brave Browser the tactic was a bit different. There it showed that I had a new message in chat too, but when I clicked on that a pop up message said it needs my phone number to verify my account (even though I obviously had to enter a password to log in to my account which should be verification enough). 

[Anka_n]

I received a similar message today

[klstock]

Hi, can you get rid of it without entering a phone number? 

[Anka_n]

No, until I inserted the number, it didn't disappear. I inserted the phone number, and then I received the code on the phone, I inserted the code, and it said: "thank you for your support" and let me access the chat. I think I shouldn't give the number... The message came from a new user - I blocked it anyway

[klstock]

Wonder what happens if you enter a land line instead of a cell phone? 

[kashmier]

I entered a landline because I have no cell phone and nothing happens. I can not answer my customers question it starts out the need to add something and I have no idea what ?

[GabrielaG]

Same here!

[klstock]

Hi, did you get a chat message from a customer that preceded it or did it come out of the blue? I am just wondering if getting the message from the customer and responding to them triggered it 

[GabrielaG]

I got several messages today which I answered as usual and had no problems. Then  20 minutes ago I got the notification for another message from a Zazzle user called Helen Sullivan. I can see a little bit of the initial part of their message and seems like a real customer's message, but I can access the rest of the message as the following pop-up message appears:

 I also tried accessing the message through the email Zazzle sent me notifying me of a new message. Unfortunately the same "let's verify your account" pop-up message appears once I click on the "view message on Zazzle" button. 

[Anka_n]

I received the same message, only the sender's name was different

[klstock]

That is the same message I saw using my Brave Browser. On Google I got a different version that said 'tell us more about yourself' followed by a checkbox with 'Yes! I’d like to receive exclusive Zazzle deals, discounts and updates on new products'. 

With your example, it appears we cannot reply to a legit customer without entering a phone number there? 

[Anka_n]

Exactly. But the message to verify the account looked like coming from Zazzle, not from the customer; and the text message with the verification code on the phone came from Zazzle 1836

[kashmier]

I sent a reply to the message in my inbox saying to email me the question and gave my email address. I explained that Zazzle was not allowing me to see the chat because I do not have a cell phone. I don't know if this will work but I hate to leave a customer hanging. I can read that they want to ad some kind of text ......... and that was all.   Hope they can message me.

[klstock]

My concern here is that asking for a phone number was in conjunction with the little checkbox saying 'Yes! I’d like to receive exclusive Zazzle deals, discounts and updates on new products'.  I do not want to receive telemarketing calls. 

[GabrielaG]

I just logged out of Zazzle. Turned off my computer. Logged in again and my message icon seems empty. It no longer shows I have a message waiting. Nevertheless, when I click on the message icon the "Welcome to Zazzle, tell us more about yourself" message appears.

[klstock]

I wonder if this is meant for customers to receive and verify and designers are receiving it by mistake as if they are a customer?

[GabrielaG]

Why would Zazzle need me to tell them more about myself if I'm already logged into my account, therefore they know it's me, and they already know all my shop details!

I just checked and the email notifying me of the new message came from the same "Zazzle Inc: Zazzle@tn.send.zazzle.com" email account which usually sends the message notification emails!

I'm not giving out my phone number until a Zazzle moderator confirms this is not a scam...Has Zazzle been hacked?

[klstock]

Maybe the system is not distinguishing between designer and customer by some mistake? It would make more sense if the intent was to curtail spam in chat by making the 'customer' give a cell number and enter a code. Because as you said, it makes no sense that Zazzle would need the designer to tell them more about themselves!

[ZBug]

Yeah, and is the "more" simply our phone number?

[Cat]

If you haven't already, check out this thread: Two Factor For Chat??? - Zazzle

When you enter your phone number they text you a verification code, you have to enter that code in order to enter the chat. Pretty sure they're trying to cut down on chat spams & scams, but they should have made an announcement about this before implementing it. There's also some question about whether it can remember your device or not - it really needs to be able to do that IMHO.

[klstock]

Looks like I posted this thread only 2 minutes before that thread so we were basically posting about the same thing, same time. I don't give out my cell number. Zazzle has my land line number already. I am wondering if this is a mistake and meant for customers only?

[James · Accepted solution]

Hi everyone, 

We can confirm this is a new feature that we just announced, here. 

Thank you. 

[klstock]

Hi James, is this meant for customers or also designers?  I don't do collaborations with other designers or customers and I am verifying myself each day when I log in. It would make sense if it is meant for the customer to verify to cut down on spam/add security as your announcement states. 

[GTIL]

Hi

I am not receiving the verification code even though I provided my number. why is that? what can i do?

[ZBug]

Meh, I don't have my phone with me, so I can't check the message that says it's waiting for me. For what I can see around the pop-up they are having an issue with their order. I hope they figure out who to contact, because I won't be able to help them.

AND you shouldn't have a "skip" there -- it should be cancel as you can't skip it. THAT'S MISLEADING.

[ZBug]

I can see adding that for people who haven't placed an order or say....don't have an active shop that's earning $$.

[ZBug]

And "Standard messaging and data rates apply" to reply to a customer in a system we can't opt out of?

[mensgifts]

@James I have tried entering my cell number but it comes up with an error message saying i need to contact support. I don't reside in the USA. Could this be the problem?

[mensgifts]

Hi James. It does not allow for a mobile number from South Africa. I have tried changing the area code manually and inserting my number but it does not allow me too. I have customers needing answers to queries and i am unable to do so due to the foregoing. How do i insert my mobile to overcome the current issues being faced?

[James]

Hi @mensgifts , please contact our support team for assistance here. 

[aldercreek]

This is a terrible "New Feature"... I do not have a cell phone that I use for text and do NOT want to be contacted by that number... I feel like Zazzle is trying to bully me into using a cell phone for my account when I don't want to... Is there a way to verify my account by email?

Thank you

[klstock]

So now that it is known this is a 'feature' not a bug, what happens to designers who don't have a cell phone or don't want to provide a cell phone number? There could be an option to choose to verify by sending the code via phone or email. 

[klstock]

Huh...my Zrank has been the same forever (couple years) and suddenly it went down by one.... I have done nothing different except post this thread today and did not provide a cell number. 

[klstock]

Interesting...now my Zrank went back to where it was

[klstock]

Ok this is getting ridiculous. Now my Zrank was once again lowered by one directly after posting here again. Is Zazzle penalizing designers for choosing not to provide a personal cell phone number? 

[klstock]

I want to add that my sales to product ratio would have changed for the better in the last couple days. I have not added any new product but I have gotten sales, and I have made no other changes. The only two things I have done different in the last couple days is post in this thread and decline to provide a private cell phone number. If this is some type of glitch, it is a very curiously timed one.

[James]

If you don't currently have a cell, than you will not be able to post replies to your peers using the chat feature. Your phone number is only used to verify your identity and is not used for any other purpose. 

Thank you. 

[Barbara]

Zazzle might want to reconsider blocking people who don't have a cell or who have trouble receiving texts (happens to me a lot). Other places with this kind of verification give three options: receive a text, receive a phone call, or receive email.

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[Cat]

Yeah, I think there's a good chance of alienating some legitimate customers - even those who are cell phone savvy - especially since 90% of the chat messages are questions that really should go to customer support anyway. I'm just imagining the frustration - you have a shipping question, and you think the designer is the right person to contact, so you go through all of the rigamarole with the verification code etc., then you wait a day or so for the designer to see your message and respond, only to find out that they aren't the right person to contact. Maybe they should at least put a link to customer service on that popup?