Not A Single Sale Since January 2023

[Atwell76]

I don't feel like my designs are the issue.

 Social Media Platforms are full speed ahead. I even started using A.I to assist with my listings since about a month back. SEO looks good at best. ... 🤔 Anyone else dealing with sales decline? 

[JerryLambert]

Sales are down big time for me.

[Atwell76]

I ran ads for the first time since December of 2022 this weekend and the response was like... "What?" . Like, why did I even spend the money. Know what I mean? 😐

[Atwell76]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that buyers need to create a Zazzle account to make a purchase?  It would be more streamlined if Zazzle offered "Guest" checkout so clients could skip the whole sign up routine. I've sorta felt like this has been the issue since I began selling on here back in 2012. Nobody wants that kind of headache. They just wanna get their purchase over and done with as quick as possible.  I'd think.

[WBartworks]

I had a friend ask me recently, if it's necessary to create an account. She had ordered something from me before, so I wonder if that is a new thing now.  I also think it may discourage some people from placing an order.

[Caprice]

I *love* the idea of a 'guest checkout'.  MANY online retailers have that now.  Some people just don't want the sign up hassle.

[Barbara]

I dislike having to create an account when buying online because it means that, quite soon after, I start getting promotional email from them. Is there any other reason they make you sign up? It's the same for registering products.

Colorwash's Home

[Rebeccazazzle]

I know that I often prefer guest check on various websites. Even with sites where I shop often, I like guest check out when I am in a hurry!

[Baylee]

On the one hand I'm really glad to hear it's not just me ..... on the other, it's kinda scary that it's a prevalant issue. Hugely down over last year. Still getting sales everyday but nowhere near what they were. Whazzup with that I wonder?

[Atwell76]

If you don't mind me asking... what sort of items are you selling on a daily basis? 

[Baylee]

Since I have a broad range of products numbering close to 30k now ...  across 9 different stores, my sales are really varied.  Everything from weddings to fabric, you name it. I have noticed a drop in wedding sales recently so I'm busy designing fresh new sets and promoting as much as possible (which for me isn't necessarily very much; I hate that part of the process.....lol.)

[CreativeLeahG]

If it's any consolation, I did a promotion for you recently

https://www.weddingdesignchic.com/2023/05/up-tp-40-off-autumn-fall-wedding.html

All my posts are promoted across Instagram, pinterest, facebook, and twitter so I hope you see a surge in sales soon!

I love your products! I will be featuring more.

[Baylee]

WOW Leah! @CreativeLeahG Thank you so much for both the lovely compliment and the fantastic promotion... that looks so good! Promotion is definitely not my forte, so I really appreciate all the help I can get. May we both get rich and live long and prosper..lol.

[CreativeLeahG]

You're very welcome, I am a Trekky too! 

[Barbara]

Though I do still get sales, they aren't like they were in the past, and I've wondered about it too. Yes, the economy isn't in the greatest shape, so that would certainly affect sales, but my gut says it must be other things too. Are people jittery about the future? Have they changed due to so much more time spent with electronic devices than out there face-to-face with others, thus not affected as much by the likes and dislikes of the groups they run around with? I'm wondering, too, about the designers who focus on weddings, which over the years have been less of a thing, more and more people simply moving in together.

It must be a polar shift.

Colorwash's Home

[cniem14]

Hopefully, this response will provide you some insight. This past spring, I was invited to two relatively formal weddings and one invite was via a Facebook invite and the second invite was by a downloadable invitation via text. I am getting the vibe the formal USPS invite is becoming out dated. I don't design invites but I have searched them and the market is beyond saturated. I believe it's a competitive niche to even attempt at this stage of the game. 

[orientcourt]

cniem  A great insight into how the young millennials are shopping now! I appreciate you adding your voice to this thread! Jilly     

[orientcourt]

Said like a true baby boomer ! Yes Colorwash things seem have changed dramatically with e commerce and pay the rent businesses , seems to obvious since the covid pandemic ! Because our community forum engagement here is small it is hard to guage how many designers are feeling the pinch!  Zazzle's $25 for referring a friend to Zazzle means more potential customers {[not designers per say ]  will bring more revenue  via create your own and download invites ect!  This is where I think some of us as designers are seeing a downturn in sales!  No doubt that the economy turndown is having a big effect on e commerce !  Jillian 

[orientcourt]

cniem14 really gives a great insight on how youngies invite people to events! OMG !

[Susang6]

I agree your designs are not the reason.  But think sales are in decline for many Z creators.  How is your traffic to your store?  I have noticed the last view is not great.

[Atwell76]

A minimum of about 3 to 65 visits lately 3 to 15 visits a day.

[chefcateringbiz]

I'm down for the past coupla weeks, but can't say that it isn't my normal summer slump.

[MadjackGG]

Same here - these last two weeks have been awful.

[Barbara]

(Odd. I couldn't use the general reply button, only the reply-to button.)

There have been a few other threads like this one over recent months, and it's interesting that, when some people say they're selling, others say they aren't. I'm doing sort of okay, but a short while ago, I was selling little to nothing. It's probably related to what sorts of products we design. However, the overall trend seems to be lower sales, likely due to the awful combination of a not-so-good economy with the summer months coming on. The best we can do is sit tight, continue designing what we love and think will sell, and maybe take a walk out in the sunshine.

Colorwash's Home

[Jadendreamer13]

Is the photo a picture of the ad you just ran? 

[Atwell76]

Yeah, it is. I just ran 2 different ads. Sort of an A/B situation and neither ad did well. 🤔

[Jadendreamer13]

I’m wondering if the black gradient on the bottom of your ad is causing a problem since all your products shown on the bottom of the ad are black products. If you run the ad again, try lightening or removing the black gradient to see if that helps attract customers. Also try deleting the two people in silhouette on the background. You don’t want anything competing with your products. 

[WHS_Designs]

sales are steady for me, but less than last year's.

also international buyers are definitely buying far less now than in previous years.

[CreativeLeahG]

You may be interested in my Free Zazzlepreneurs course which I have jump-started? 

It's a work in progress (members were keen to have access sooner rather than later) and module 1 is already ready to view, download or access online.

[mischakaydesign]

Thank you for sharing this! I'm happy to get additional help my store grow!

[goodsy]

how about your traffic? do you google analytic your store? just did it on April, still struggling and so confusing to see analytic

[Atwell76]

A minimum of about 3 to 65 visits lately 3 to 15 visits a day.

[chriiisss]

I think that all things work by trends such as macroeconomics, pushed by it but not necessarily.
after a period of expansion things stagnate, spend a while without continuing to rise, then rise again (if the uptrend prevails) or fall due to the normal ups and downs or because a downtrend has started.
For me the problem is here, when I see a period of lower value I do not know if its already a downtrend or if its just a normal break (nothing goes up in an arrow indefinitely, just look at a graph of the stock market, even in an uptrend things go up and down).
all this to say that life as a commission agent is very difficult 😄 like everything else, we have to have the strength and financial cushion to withstand the bumps. may the force be with us all! 🙂

[Mariholly]

The same thing is happening here too. Suddenly the visits and sales of my stores have fallen to 2021 numbers, especially my store dedicated to weddings. Last year I sold a lot of graduation cards, this year just a handful. I think a possible algorithm change, coupled with cover photos and digital download products (I don't have many of these) are affecting my sales. The new designs do not receive visits. I have a lot of EP designs that were selling daily, now they are down as well... Fortunately there are some affiliates who are very welcoming to my designs and keep saving them in their collections to be promoted and keep me afloat. The networks are not working now either. Pretty depressed with all this.

[CrazyMermaid]

What are "EP" designs?

[Mariholly]

Editors' Pick 

[CreativeLeahG]

My sales ( and I know this is the case for a few top sellers) also took a bit of a tumble around this period also, but they are now steady and things are improving. I am rolling with the changes and looking at ways to do things differently, which of course means greater marketing of my own wares.

[almdrs]

My sales are steady on Zazzle (down everywhere else).

In the news:

"Retail sales rose 0.4% in April, less than expected as consumers struggle with inflation" (CNBC)

[Deseades]

My problem is a bit different but I get almost no sales now. I fairy new creator but some time ago my sales picked up and I thought they can go only upwards;) However, for some reason, they stalled... Have no idea what caused it, to be honest. And I am stuck.

[CrazyMermaid]

Check out your competition. The MP is ferociously competitive. Your product's MP location can change if a competitor moves up. This can cost you lots of sales.