Quiet Sales: Turning the Tide on Zazzle

[Maddy1]

It's disheartening to note that my Zazzle sales have experienced a noticeable decline compared to the previous year. Last year, the momentum was strong, and my creations seemed to resonate well with the audience, resulting in a more robust sales performance. However, the current scenario paints a different picture, Especially at the commencement of the Q4 I was Expecting a bit of a boost atleast, and the once lively marketplace appears to be less receptive. Despite maintaining the same dedication to quality and creativity, the sales figures have taken a dip, leaving me puzzled and eager to explore strategies to revive the engagement and interest in my Zazzle offerings. I Would love to have some feedback about this!

[CreativeLeahG]

@Heather 

All I know at this point is that I did not spend YEARS of my life creating content so I could refer customers to MY product pages so that (without notice) Zazzle could start redirecting MY referrals to a 'landing page' where my product is now competing with 65 Editors Picks (or other designs depending on the niche)

Note this thread for reference https://community.zazzle.com/t5/general-zazzle-discussion/why-do-our-pinterest-marketing-efforts-pro...

[LMGildersleeve]

It certainly doesn't help our efforts to promote ourselves does it.

My advice to anyone still promoting themselves is to send the traffic to a Collection. At the very least when they click on the intended interested product it goes to our product page. It unfortunately doesn't prevent them from avoiding yet another click to customize and purchase.

[Sea-Change]

Thank you for being proactive on this issue! I appreciate your efforts on behalf of Zazzle designers.

[CreativeLeahG]

Unfortunately Zazzle often ( I believe) thinks 'It's just me stirring up trouble' and that's not the case at all. Off the forum I have many messages from those who don't visit the forums but who still want to be heard.  I am their voice too. The silent majority.

[WBartworks]

Last year I was excited to see more sales coming in compared to the previous years, especially in November.  Figuring the upward trend would continue, I had high hopes.  Unfortunately, it seems to be going backwards now.  Since I've been on this site for 3 years, I've put in a lot of time creating and designing products.  Not sure what the minimum wage is today (I'm retired), but if I got paid just $12 in hour for all the work I put in on this site, I would have earned at least $10,000 in one year.  Since I only have Pro status, you all can guess I haven't even made $1,000.   On top of that, Zazzle now wants everyone to create cover pages and whatnot.  Adding even more work.  
I read that having too many products in a store will hurt your Zrank if you don't sale that much, and I can imagine, Zazzle is not willing to spent much money on promoting stores that have low Zranks.  Therefore, I am going to stop adding more product for a while, so that the sales can catch up.  Not in the mood to waste time on Zazzle anymore, even though I have lots of time to waste.

[Maddy1]

I hear you, and it's disheartening to witness such a shift after the excitement of last year's success. Your dedication and effort over the past three years deserve more recognition, especially considering the time and creativity invested.

It's frustrating that the financial return doesn't align with the passion poured into your creations. The discrepancy between the potential hourly earnings and the actual income, despite the hard work, is a tough pill to swallow. It's evident that Zazzle's recent request for additional work with cover pages adds another layer of stress.

The struggle with Zrank and the perceived lack of promotion for lower-ranked stores is a valid concern. Taking a break from adding new products to let sales catch up makes sense, giving yourself some breathing room. It's tough when the enthusiasm wanes, and I can sense your frustration. it seems like we all have something in common this year and unfortunately it's not good 

[almdrs]

Not a good start for Q4. I took a look at the numbers from last year and sales are down by almost half.

[Maddy1]

I feel your disappointment as you reflect on the numbers from last year, seeing a nearly halved performance. It's heart-wrenching when expectations for a strong start to Q4 aren't met, especially after the anticipation of a thriving season. i my self sensed it once October Started, which made me post it about it in the day 7th, at that point it felt like pouring salty water on sand.

[igiftcenter]

I just want to step in and say..... it's always easy to blame a lack of sales on Z. But just remember this:
There are things going on "out there" beyond the power of Z. There are law suits against  Google in various places blaming them for being a monopoly, a bully, etc. There are forces at play fighting to keep businesses from using tracking cookies which is plays a key role in online marketing and business in the business of being an online business. There's Twitter AKA   X  slowly falling apart by the seams and I'm pretty sure a source of revenue for businesses like Z who advertise products and events on that platform and others. 

I could go on but I think you get the idea that businesses like this that thrive in trying to get sales online are fighting against many fronts attempting to stay afloat.  I'm not here to defend Google. I'm just bringing to the forefront not all is the fault of Z and Z like other platforms rely on Google and other places to find business.

These are tough times for marketers and online businesses. But its a challenge I'm sure the great minds of this  platform will find a way to push past and succeed.  This is not the first challenge Z has experienced in it's many years in business, it's just a new one.

Be kind

[HeatherM]

Challenging times is a great way of putting it. Thank you @igiftcenter for bringing logic to such an emotional topic!

[CreativeLeahG]

Market forces don't seem to be affecting these sites, Redbubble has more traffic than Zazzle presently which is worrying!

This months stats (not sure re accuracy)

https://www.similarweb.com/website/zazzle.com/#overview

Cafepress

Traffic Stats: According to SimilarWeb, CafePress has an estimated 1.2 million visits last month

Zazzle - 13.9m

Redbubble 22.6m

Etsy 475.9m

Meanwhile this platform relies heavily on affiliates to bring Traffic, and for reasons unknown they're actively driving us away.

Out of Zazzle's 13.9m views per month I bring around 24-30k (possibly more as I haven't gone through all the figures, no filter to total them).

If we all performed the same it would only take 46 ish affiliates to reach 13.9m.

Obviously it's not just us bringing traffic and there are substantially more than 46 people driving traffic to Zazzle! Multiply that by thousands. 

Zazzle is doing the exact opposite of encouraging affiliates right now.

@Heather please address the landing page issue as it will cost you and us dearly. This deafening silence is not encouraging. 

[HeatherM]

The numbers are all in proportion with what they were a year ago. Check out Mey Aroyo's YouTube channel. She did a huge series last year about Zazzle and did a comparison in her "Zazzle Tutorial Series Part 2- Zazzle VS Society6, RedBubble, Etsy & More" video. (https://youtu.be/iig_PuM37e8?si=g22V04yeWu5Xmx3e)

Zazzle - 17M
Redbubble - 25M
Society6 - 5.2M 
FineArtAmerica - 6.2M
Displate - 7.6M
ETSY - 373.3

She didn't even mention Cafe Press as...why?

The thing about stats is, they have no value if you do not have a comparable or baseline. Although these are stats reported May 2022, it is easy to see that Zazzle is not losing ground.

I love forums for the help they offer, but I dislike forums when they are used to support the emotions related to ups and downs in sales.

Zazzle is getting a ton of interest online and the competition is getting greater. Take a second to go to YouTube and see how many big POD YouTubers are touting Zazzle. I am sure their efforts are bringing new talent to the platform.

I am also curios about the affiliate traffic weight systemwide. When looking at my GA, Direct and Paid Adds account for 95% of my traffic. I am blown away with all the Google Ad traffic Zazzle is paying for! With Etsy I pay 12% of the total sale for Google Ads, with Zazzle I only pay 20% of my commission. It's fabulous! ( With Etsy, an new seller pays 15% of their total sale.)

Maybe if Zazzle want's to compete with Etsy, they should start treating their designers like they treat their sellers.

The grass is not always greener on the other side and we need to be careful for what we wish for. (Sorry, I couldn't help it!) If you see an opportunity that is better, go for it as that is the most positive place to put your energy.

[CreativeLeahG]

I tend not to take advice from course providers who have no proven track record of success on the platform.

One popular 'Zazzle Course Provider' refers to himself a 3rd-level seller. He doesn't even know what the pro-seller levels are. And nearly NONE of them provide proof of earnings. Snake oil salesmen.

[HeatherM]

I know who you are referencing to, but coaching and courses is not what I am talking about. I personally do not trust courses or coaches. I think all of it is a the workings of a modern day snake oil salesmen.

(Oh, the link I provided is a YouTuber who does not have a course.)

It is the stats they are providing that is making it enticing and bringing in new talent to the platform. People who understand SEO and design and do not need beginner courses.

[CreativeLeahG]

It's not all snakeoil salesmen, some of us know exactly what we are talking about. I run courses and my feedback reflects actionable results. And a Diamond seller runs very expensive courses who also has good results. If courses themselves were all snakeoil then there'd be no point in schools, universities, colleges etc. The fact is we have an abundance of popular youtubers who cannot demonstrate they've applied their own strategies to good effect is a problem especially when their videos are shared as 'proof' that 'this is how things work'. They are in my opinion snakeoil salesmen and their videos are intended to instruct and as such represent a tutorial/guide/course.

Re people who understand stats and seo not needing courses, how profitable are they on Zazzle? Are they the pro sellers, the platinum's and diamond's? Or can they benefit with information to fill the gaps. There are a LOT of things that create success that have nothing to do with seo.

[HeatherM]

Oh my. I decided to watch this video again since it's been a year ago. May 2022 SimilarWeb had Social Media traffic representing 5.2% of all Zazzle traffic and when I looked today it shows 4.44%.

Apparently the affiliate marketing really does not represent too much of the traffic Zazzle delivers to us.

[CreativeLeahG]

Here are some stats that represent facts.

This is how many customers I have sent via referral links alone to Zazzle this week. I am just ONE person, do not tell me that I am not 'relevant' because based on my 6 figure earnings of 2022 ($101,315.00) I am pretty sure I am as are the many hundreds (thousands) of other affiliates who drive traffic to this site.

I think we'll end this debate here.

[HeatherM]

I am referring to the site impact not a designer impact using the same source you used to support site traffic.

[CreativeLeahG]

The site impact is obvious, we affiliates bring a considerable amount of traffic and sales. Other sites and their stats are not privvy clearly to the 'whole picture'. I stated in my opening post "not sure re the accuracy" because these sites cannot guarantee accuracy. Any site that claims to know what we as affiliates are bringing in terms of traffic is reaching. 

[klstock]

I get a LOT of my sales via affiliates and I appreciate every one of them

[Heather]

Hi Leah - Confirming we have received your message and your concern is under review.

[Maddy1]

 

For the Record zazzle only got 11.2 million visitors in the previous month, a significant decrease from the anticipated level, raising concerns about its performance.

[CreativeLeahG]

Thank you for sharing the latest stats. Esty is up by 25million. Redbubble also up. Not good for Christmas but reflective of what top sellers are reporting re decline in sales on previous years.

[Maddy1]

I totally understand where you're coming from, and I respect your perspective. It's undeniably true that businesses like Z face challenges beyond their control. The legal battles, the shifting landscape of online platforms, and the ever-evolving nature of the internet pose formidable obstacles.

However, let's not overlook the fact that Z, like any other major player, also has a responsibility to adapt and navigate through these challenges. It's not just about blaming Z for everything, but holding them accountable for their role in finding solutions. The reliance on other platforms is a reality, but that shouldn't absolve Z from exploring innovative strategies and fostering resilience.

While external factors are undoubtedly at play, it's crucial for Z to introspect and enhance its own strategies. Adapting to changing circumstances is part of the business game, and Z, with its rich history, should be well-equipped to face these challenges head-on.

Yes, these are tough times, but they also present an opportunity for Z to showcase its adaptability and ingenuity. By acknowledging the external pressures and proactively working to mitigate their impact, Z can emerge stronger and more resilient. It's not just about weathering the storm; it's about learning to dance in the rain.

[igiftcenter]

I'm amazed how much time people have to come to a forum (not necessarily this thread) and complain about their sales. It's counterproductive.... to their sales 🙂  I am amazed at how much time people (not referring to anyone in this thread) have to analyze stats.... in the end not always very productive. 

Reminds me of my brother in law who is a CEO of a health industry business. They were spending an hour a day in meetings!  He stopped the meetings and productivity increased 34-40%  🙂  I am also guilty now of wasting time in this post but I'm suffering from a grieving period and it gives me a few minutes to keep my mind busy talking about business... now I'm going right back to designing and promoting:

Thank you for listening to my worthless stuff 🙂

[HeatherM]

Not worthless at all. It really made me smile. Your comment really highlights how we all have the opportunity of making our Zazzle shops successful in our own ways.

I worked 20+ years in utility accounting and I can still get a bit geeked out by numbers.  For me, looking at some of the numbers in this thread proved as a happy little break from the design process as it was these traffic stats that brought me to Zazzle nearly a year ago.

Probably the same chill you found in contributing to this thread, is the chill I found in the numbers.  Lol

[Wildart]

huh! 🙂 I was just thinking this..how o pple come to the forum so often, and not be creating,.?

I do understand that if you create busily and then need to take a break, or halt the uploads..but how does anyone make sales, and have time to continually be the solution author for example? beats me

A good tip though I found recently is to concentrate on items that will sell in bulk, invitations, other small items such as stickers, labels etc. Hope this helps someone. I am going to hide my Xmas stuff soon as Christmas day is over, and work on a large collection which I will also hide til complete. I have never used the hiding strategy till now. Look what I have been missing!!!Then I can reveal it all at once, and there will be no racing to complete the collection... 

BTW this last 2 months has been good to me, Focussing more on what (USA esp) Customers want, not necessarily what I would buy...lol

[WBartworks]

I think there's nothing wrong with coming to this forum to vent your frustration or get feedback on how others are doing.  It doesn't feel good to keep creating and not get validated or recognized for a job well done.  Both sales and compliments let me know that my creations aren't a waste of time.  You can keep creating and hope you will get rewarded at the end, but eventually your enthusiasm will diminish, if you don't get any sales.  In such case, it helps to find out that the lack of advertising and promotion causes the lack of sales.

[JulieV]

Interesting reading this thread. I consider myself a newcomer to Zazzle, having created my "general" store around 18 months ago (May 2022). Sales have been few and far between and prompted me to start marketing via Pinterest. Too early to tell if this is working as I've only implemented this recently. 
One thing I'd like to add to the discussion is that when I researched Zazzle's tips on marketing, it featured "big brand names", e.g. Disney and other similar brands. Not one of the brands was a non big brand creator.
I'm wondering if this also has something to do with so many previously successful sellers seeing disappointing results of late.
I will be exploring other platforms to see how they compare with Zazzle when deciding where to put my efforts in 2024.

Cheers to all 🙂

[KayCordingly]

Was yesterday Cyber Monday? Huh. Wouldn't have known it by looking at my sales history.

[almdrs]

LOL

[AthosVolzenArt]

Hello, everyone! Taking advantage of this topic, I would like to know what you think about sponsoring a pin on Pinterest as a way to increase traffic. Do you find this worthwhile? Thank you!

[Maddy1]

Great question! Sponsoring a pin on Pinterest can indeed be a valuable strategy to boost traffic. It allows you to reach a broader audience and potentially drive more engagement to your Zazzle store. Many sellers find it worthwhile, especially when aiming to target specific demographics or interests.

Interestingly, Zazzle itself is actively advertises on Pinterest, allocating a significant 60% of its advertising efforts to this platform. This underscores the potential impact Pinterest can have in increasing visibility and driving traffic to Zazzle products.

So, exploring sponsored pins on Pinterest might align well with the platform's broader advertising strategy and could be a worthwhile avenue to explore for boosting your store's traffic.

[AthosVolzenArt]

Hey, Maddy!!! Great Answer!!! Thank you very very much!!!!!

[waterart]

How do you know that zazzle is allocating 60% of its advertising to pinterest?

[OpusPosh]

Sales down by more than 80%, with the worse Xmas sales since I started in Zazzle. Monthly income is the same it was when I had 50-100 items, even though I have over 25,000 items in over 500 different designs. I have not changed my tags or increased (or lowered) my royalty percentage. I don't add new designs as often as before because I now work full time but I did add designs to use the earthtones palette that was supposed to be "it" in 2023. The earthtones are not the culprit, because it was only a test with a small proportion of my total items (they did not sell anyway: none of them).

What am I not doing? What should I do?

[Maddy1]

I understand the challenges you're facing with Zazzle sales, and it's disheartening to see a decline despite your extensive portfolio. In addition to revisiting your product descriptions and promoting your designs on social media, consider exploring sponsored product campaigns on Pinterest. This platform can be a powerful tool for reaching a broader audience and driving traffic to your Zazzle shop. Create eye-catching pins that showcase your designs and link them directly to your Zazzle products. Utilizing Pinterest's advertising features can help increase visibility and attract potential customers who may be interested in your unique designs. Meanwhile, it's encouraging to note that Zazzle's visitor numbers are slowly on the rise on january. Although not yet at the previous default of 18 million visitors a month, the gradual increase is promising. let's hope it keeps on increasing

[yasminepatterns]

My Sales are also down since December although I add new designs weekly to my shop. I used to get several number of sales weekly without doing a lot of marketing from 3rd party referrals. Now, Sales have been so quiet although I get a lot of likes . I don't know what is the reason. Is it the economy ? Did people stopped shopping on Zazzle ? is it A.I ?