How does a store with only two products get featured on main page, Zazzle Refer A Friend

[JulieV]

Saw a "Know Your Worth" t-shirt featured in the "Refer A Friend" section of main page when I logged into Zazzle. Clicked on the creator's store. Amazed to find just two products in the whole store. No "About" blurb to speak of, no collections, etc., no media set up. How does Zazzle find, let alone feature an item from a store like this? 

My feelings about this are reflected on a t-shirt I created a while back. Kind of fitting, don't you think? 

https://www.zazzle.com/z/q3jabcfx?rf=238911022027206701

[Windy]

One of the many puzzles about how this business works.

[JulieV]

Yes, quite a puzzle indeed! Am hoping one of the moderators can shed some light on this. 🙂

[itsMolly]

I don't have an answer JulieV, but I went and looked anyway, oh goodness. 🤐

Want to tell you I adore your store. I love colors and it screams "happy". Way to go. 

[JulieV]

Hi Molly, seems we are all mystified! 
Aw, thanks for taking a peek at my store. So glad you like it. Your store is gorgeous and I love your whimsical designs. Food for the soul! 😍

[Barbara]

Is it possible that it's a Zazzle employee who created it specifically for Zazzle's use?

Colorwash's Home

[JulieV]

Yes, this is absolutely possible. Would be a shame though as there are many super talented Zazzle creators with gorgeous designs for Zazzle to choose from when creating promotions. 🙂

[LMGildersleeve]

Zazzle employees will never tell you why they do what they do in such as this circumstance. But it's ok to wonder out loud.

[JulieV]

Yes, it seems this is true. Not that Zazzle has to explain their every move on how they conduct their business. Just think it strange that they encourage creators to promote their designs to spread the word about the array of products available on the platform yet do not always highlight hardworking creators with their own promotions. I scratch my head and continue to wonder out loud about the featured tee from a store with just two items. 

[pjwuebker]

I don't think the design is very good. I like the theme a lot but just not how it came off.

[JulieV]

I agree the theme is excellent! 

[Caprice]

Personally, I don't love the design in question - but just to play devil's advocate - why should the number of products in the store dictate whether or not something is featured?  What if there was a store with one product that was a spectacular design? Should it never get featured? No hate mail. 😝😝 That said, I get the sentiment - there are great designers here who work hard - it would just as easy to pick one of theirs.

[JulieV]

Point taken re number of products in a store being a prerequisite for being featured by Zazzle. Just found it strange that of all the creators Zazzle could choose from they pick a store with just two designs. This did not come off as a legitimate choice to me. Rather, it made me wonder if the store was real. Just my reaction of course. There is more than one way to look at a situation. As you point out, if a store had an absolutely amazing, jaw dropping design, it should not be excluded. 

[WBartworks]

I often wonder what makes Zazzle decide to feature certain products.  Most of the product I see is very simple, non-eye-catching and, in my opinion, boring or blah.  It may be that Zazzle chooses designs according to what most customers buy.  It seems nowadays people are afraid of colors  You can see this when you look at the interior of houses for sale.  Most interiors are white and grey.

[Barbara]

---

@WBartworks wrote:

It may be that Zazzle chooses designs according to what most customers buy. 

---

Then again, what Zazzle features may be what sells only because Zazzle features it. (Just a thought.)

Colorwash's Home

[WBartworks]

True!  Either way, designers have no control over it, especially if Zazzle doesn't tell them what they can do to get picked.  

[JulieV]

Yes, Zazzle will do what they deem fit. We have no control over that. We can, however, take the reins and learn how to market and promote our creations. Definitely on my to-do list! 🙂

[JulieV]

Yes!!!!

[JulieV]

I've seen some great products featured by Zazzle but agree they can sometimes be "safe" choices in neutral colours. As you say, this most likely reflects what Zazzle thinks has mass appeal and will sell the most. Or it may just come down to the personal taste of whoever is doing the choosing. 

[Windy]

Even more odd, the only other product in the store does not seem to be a product which Zazzle sells. 

[JulieV]

The item is described as a 10.75" wall clock, yet in the image it looks more like a street sign. Could just be a bad choice of covert art perhaps. 

[ColsCreations]

"know your worth" goes with the idea of knowing you can earn money by referring someone so whoever made the banner was probably searching for something a little more clever than just a random image design and found this one.

I personally don't think it matters if a store has 1 item or 5,000. Having more things doesn't make your things better or more important than other things, it just means you have more things. 😉

I'm glad this was pointed out, actually think it's something we should all be happy about. It's nice to know that when Z people need a product for such banners they don't play favorites based on pro level or zRank or MP position or size of shop ... they just pick something that fits the color / theme they are working on so it could end up being anybody's. (If something from one of the spam type shops as we've been calling them ended up on one of these then I'd be seriously miffed.)

[JulieV]

Interesting point. I think my initial reaction was to question whether this was a legit store or not. If it is legit, then congratulations to a creator who has just begun their journey being given recognition. 🙂 

[CreativeLeahG]

I imagine it was selected as it has a retro font and 'retro' is something Zazzle has as a 'theme' currently.

As ColsCreations noted, how many items or how new the store is, is irrelevant.  

[JulieV]

Good to see we can have different ideas and share our viewpoints. Always open to a variety of opinions on any given topic. Perhaps small creators (of which I am one) have reason to celebrate! 🙂