Collections Created with Other Sellers Products in them - dominate TOP trending collections filter

[CreativeLeahG]

On the collections page you can see that the 'most popular trending' collections are those created containing 'best selling' items by different sellers and those 'products' are connected to the collection creators' store. When you visit the 'curated' collections, it shows you (in some cases, not all) other 'collections' from the 'curators store'. Those 'other collections' are their own products in the main.

In the past I myself curated my own collections (with other sellers products) as an 'affiliate' so I could easily direct my readers to those products. And I often see via notifications my items added to other sellers collections. So there is not a suggestion here of any wrongdoing (if they're affiliates) this is merely an observation of how collections currently function. I don't think I have any curated collections presently nor do I plan to create any as since collections were started, there are generally enough now of each niche to not need to curate ones own (as an affiliate).

So based on the above, given the changes to how collections will shortly appear in the marketplace I am wondering if these curated collections (of best sellers items) will continue to 'dominate' ?

I think if that's the case, might it be better to remove the ability to curate collections with other seller's products that are linked to 'curators' own stores?

As affiliates may still need to curate their own collections, could 'curated collections of other sellers items' be 'without' a connected store? To ensure a level playing field when customers view those curated collections. As an affiliate there should be no need to have the 'curated collections' connected to the affiliates own store and I say this myself as an affiliate.

Reference: currently there are 384 'best seller collections'. That is just using this search phrase. There are of course many more curated collections .

[CreativeLeahG]

Note this https://community.zazzle.com/t5/technical-issues/item-s-first-collection-shown-on-product-page-is-no...

These curated collections are now showing under sellers products instead of their own 'product' collections, if their products happen to be in them.

Issues

• The curator of these collections is the one that has the 'store credit' and greater exposure.
• The customer does not get to see the actual designers completed collection of cross sell or similar items etc.
• The seller is missing out on potential sales.

Remedy:

1. ALL curated collections need to have the 'seller that created the collection' detached from the collection.
2. 'Curated multi-seller collections' must be removed from the filter when applied to what shows below our own products.
3. OR in preference to item (2) Multi-seller curated collections should be removed from marketplace results given their only function should be for affiliates use on their own sites.

Best-selling products (and their creators) will be the most affected as their products are the ones often chosen to appear in curated collections.

[SJoy]

I don't know why the collection it is in doesn't show up directly under the product image anyway.  As soon as a customer scrolls down below the product picture, they are shown "Other Designs".  I know Z has to make sales...but in all honesty and transparency, if they intend on showing that section it should be displayed below your corresponding collection.  As far as wrong collections showing up, how are they doing this?  Are they going through and marking the option that their collection is the primary one for that product?  If so, people who create these curated collections should not have the option to designate a "primary collection" for your product.  Don't know if this is being done, but if so...how aggravating.

[dotellabelle]

Hi SJoy, 

I often wondered why Z shows soooo many options under a product. I can understand maybe one row. Customers have to scroll for a while before they see the collection...I fear scroll fatigue...especially when viewing on a mobile device. It seems to me that a better way to upsell is to have far less options in the "Other Designs" categories. I took a video recording to help illustrate just how far a customer has to scroll down before they arrive at the collection. Here is a link to view it. I'm hoping that Zazzle will change this in the near future...I know that Zazzle has a different business model...but I'm noticing that top competitors in the wedding industry show the full collection of wedding stationery shortly after you click on the invitation. 

See length of scroll at this link: https://youtu.be/sxIbosY2IsM

[Pixelan]

I didn't even knew that page exists. Do customers visit that page, is it linked from the homepage somewhere?

[LauraLee]

Yes, I've seen customers who've built their own "preferred" collection in order to save things to purchase.  I've bookmarked it myself.  But, it should be listed here:  https://www.zazzle.com/sitemap , but I don't see it listed there.

This is a conundrum though.  I would've thought that they would've dealt with this before the new collections.  So maybe they could already have the remedy.  But I certainly don't know if it's intentional or overlooked.

[Leeze]

I noticed this right away. Zazzle is now showing an associate's collection of random products as the first collection the customer sees in the Collections carousel. I've been cross-selling using my collections carousel for years to cross-sell the mailing labels, envelopes, menus, napkins, welcome signs, etc. that match the invitation that the customer just purchased or is looking to purchase. By not showing them the rest of the collection first, they won't know what's available for purchase in that wedding suite.  I don't understand how this will benefit the customer looking to purchase a wedding suite. The creator's collection should be the first collection shown directly underneath the product, and not an associate's.

[CreativeLeahG]

Is there any update re this?

[Scott]

I dont know what the plans are with this page. I'm not sure if we're promoting the page much, or linking to it anywhere (excluding the sitemap, which is mostly used by search engines for indexing purposes). At this time we're focused on improving our new Collections tools.

[CreativeLeahG]

I'm not concerned about the page Scott, I'm concerned about the many thousands of curated collections that feature best sellers and as such float to the top of the marketplace, they are even showing in place of our own collections as another user noted. These are the issues we need to address.

Reiterating:

Note this https://community.zazzle.com/t5/technical-issues/item-s-first-collection-shown-on-product-page-is-no...

These curated collections are now showing under sellers products instead of their own 'product' collections, if their products happen to be in them.

Issues

• The curator of these collections is the one that has the 'store credit' and greater exposure.
• The customer does not get to see the actual designers completed collection of cross sell or similar items etc.
• The seller is missing out on potential sales.

Remedy:

1. ALL curated collections need to have the 'seller that created the collection' detached from the collection.
2. 'Curated multi-seller collections' must be removed from the filter when applied to what shows below our own products.
3. OR in preference to item (2) Multi-seller curated collections should be removed from marketplace results given their only function should be for affiliates use on their own sites.

Best-selling products (and their creators) will be the most affected as their products are the ones often chosen to appear in curated collections.

[Scott]

Yes, we have passed along your thoughts here.