COVER PHOTOS - Featuring Multiple Products

[CreativeLeahG]

In the rules re cover photos, I am sure I saw something that said we can only include the product being sold and NOT multiple products as per a collection.

Yet I am seeing a number of cover photos featuring multiple products.

Please can a mod clarify this please?

Thanks

@Scott 

[Barbara]

Are you referring to the small square cover image for a collection, the one that hints of what's in the collection? If so, I've not seen any rules for these nor, in fact, for the collection banners other than, logically, the guideline to reflect the design, the style, or the included product(s). For instance, there might be a collection of toads that are on t-shirts, Post-its, and so forth. The banner has room to reflect this; not so much the cover image.

[CreativeLeahG]

No, the cover image we can add for a product (our own mockup image).

[Barbara]

I have a collection of clocks, all with the same image but in different colors. If I were to do a mockup with the variously colored clocks, I might then display that same image for all 5 or 6 clocks. Is that what you mean?

Colorwash's Home

[CreativeLeahG]

No, as I stated it is regarding different products.

[VivianD117]

Good question -- I'll be interested in the response.

[Fiorenzo]

Sounds logical to me to show only the related product on your custom mockup. It wouldn't come in my mind to add other products on that preview - wouldn't make sense.

[PenguinPower]

My reading of it was also that only one product was allowed at a time.. though for some things I wouldn't mind if we could mix - like pillows of different shapes and coordinating poufs... I get it though. Each cover image is associated with a specific product and they don't want to confuse customers. 

[Fiorenzo]

It's a product mockup, and as such, it should depict that product. If that product has different shape options, in my opinion, it makes absolute sense to show also multiple different options on the same pic, e.g. square and lumbar pillow, or ornament shapes. Of course, you can also show other different pillows with the main pillow in an in-situ view, but you need to make sure that the additional decor won't confuse or mislead the customer. Here's an example of how I tried to depict the snowflake ornament that has also a Christmas ball option:

Rough Collies & Lambs in Magic Fairy Tales Night - Snowflake Pewter Christmas Ornament
by PetsDreamlands

edit: I stupid thing missed to correct my typos

[Jadendreamer13]

What do you mean by a “custom cover mock-up?” Is that a photo that creators put on their collection covers on their home page? Or do some creators have the ability to create custom product mock-ups and post them on the Zazzle marketplace? If some creators can post custom product mock-ups on the Zazzle marketplace, why can’t all creators do that? Thanks!

[Fiorenzo]

It's the ability to create your own product mockup. It's actually in the Beta phase and only available to a restricted circle of designers right now (seems to vary). You can check by yourself if you are able to create them. Go on one of your product pages, click on "Manage your Design" and watch out for an option called "Upload cover photo". If you have it, you can create your own product mockup (one) that you can define as your main mockup. Be aware that there are specific rules and that it's a great opportunity but at the cost of time-consuming extra work.

[CrazyMermaid]

My instructions said one Zazzle product per cover image. I have been known to add other non Zazzle items such as vintage pocket watches and old books and things obviously not made on Zazzle. Before we going jumping to conclusions, perhaps there is another Beta test going on.

[CreativeLeahG]

To clarify

This is regarding the cover mockups we as creators can (BETA still?) create for our own product image to replace (in addition to)  the one that Zazzle provides.

Like this https://www.zazzle.com/elegant_rustic_sunflowers_and_lace_wedding_invite_flyer-244237685147857170

I have seen some who add an invite, rsvp, table number etc. ie multiple products beyond the one being sold.

The rules (which I can't find at the moment) I am sure said only the product being sold can feature.

However IF it is the case we can add other products from the same collection, I'd like to know as that would be fab!

Thank you

[CrazyMermaid]

My point was how do you know they aren't covered by a second Beta that allows it. We don't know everything that is happening on the site. I get very nervous when Zazzlers start to imply others are doing wrong in public. There has been a lot of this lately. This is a long weekend and this issue likely won't be dealt with until Tuesday at the earliest. I certainly hope people won't start linking to others posts etc.

[Barbara]

Leah was merely saying she's seen examples of multiple products. Though it could be interpreted as such, she didn't seem to be saying anyone was doing something wrong.

[CreativeLeahG]

Thank you Barbara you are exactly right. I like the covers and before I do same am checking the rules in this regard.

[CreativeLeahG]

I don't know and didn't imply they were doing anything wrong just that I was unsure if we could or could not, hence 'I asked' Scott to clarify if we could do it or not. I'd very much like to be able to do it.

[KC]

I've seen some invitation cover photos with colored envelopes with flap shapes that aren't even available through Zazzle, which I know will confuse customers.

[CreativeLeahG]

Yes, I think I had one of those but white, had a pointy envelope being the background for the mockup. I forgot Zazzle only does the flat edge shape but have since removed it. It's good to highlight these things.

[Harmony]

Nowhere does it say that every single thing in your product mockup photo must belong to zazzle, just that the product itself must be a reasonable match (which you can never fully verify it is exactly the same other than approximating visually). The product is the invitation, not the other things in the background. Otherwise you would just have a plain background with a product (like Zazzle already has available). If you do a program mockup next to a place setting there is always going to be someone that thinks the items in the place setting are going to come with the product or think they are available. People already expect real glitter, real wood when they order invitation products... customers are always going to be potentially confused. I guess if you have concerns, just place your product in a solid colored box and use that as a mockup

I also agree with the post below that there seems to be a significantly increased number of overall posts lately suggesting, or outright accusing other designers of wrongdoing

[CreativeLeahG]

I never said it did 

I said (as I recall, because I can't now find the page) that the rules said we could only show 1 Zazzle product ie the product being sold. I never mentioned any other graphics. I clearly stated this is designers showing items from a 'collection', which I would also like to do, hence asking if it is permitted. I have explained this multiple times now.

Neither I nor anyone else called anyone out and you appear to have misunderstood the posts.

Asking for clarity regarding rules is never a bad thing, unless of course one wants to flout them.

[CarlaRolfe · Accepted solution]

I've been wondering the same about using more than one item in the mock-ups and had to dig around to find this https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-ri7SHJG5gH6da22Kwao5GOK2lX_N3S_FfJ0_IXUBsM/edit#slide=id.gc...

Hopefully that link works, but on page 4 of the Zazzle Cover Photo Guide it states in the "don't" column

"don't add more than one product per photo, this can cause confusion"

Hopefully, this helps. 🙂

[CreativeLeahG]

Thank you, I couldn't find the page! Much appreciated 🙂

Screenshot here for added ease, meanwhile if there is any flexibility re this (regarding collection items) @Scott  please let us know as this would be lovely. 

[Barbara]

Thank you to both Carla and Leah. I now remember reading those guidelines, and of course, they went through mental slippage to the point of not being remembered at all.

It appears that having more than one product (as per a collection) would be against the guidelines. The only way might be in a collection banner, but a banner isn't much of a sales pitch.

I agree with Zazzle about customer confusion.