Instant Download: Questions, Suggestions and Feedback!

[James]

Hi Creators, 

We're so excited to introduce Instant Downloads to Zazzle. If you haven't checked out the announcement and dedicated Landing page including FAQ's and How it works, please do so.

We're sure you might have some questions about this and some thoughts, so please feel free to share them here. 

Thank you,

The Creator Team. 

[Anne]

I think for digital downloads there is sort of a general expectation that it is always FREE.

And without the watermark it can already be downloaded for free, so why would anyone want to pay for it?

I think I need to start looking for another profession ...

[CrazyMermaid]

or design picklball paddles and pencils.

[CreativeLeahG]

The business of selling Digital downloads is huge, so this is simply not correct.

[LMGildersleeve]

Right, the number of times I've had to tell potential clients that no, Zazzle doesn't do digital downloads is tremendous.

[James]

Hi @Anne ,

While there are certainly platforms who offer their downloads for free, it is also very true that “Digital Downloads” is a multi-billion dollar industry: Meaning consumers have paid billions of dollars to various platforms to download digital files. This market opportunity is precisely why Zazzle is so excited about offering this to both our customers and Zazzle Creators – which is especially relevant in today’s remote and hyper-connected world.

[Anne]

Agree, @James . The difference being that those sites are not simultaneously offering downloads for free (like Zazzle currently does).

[HolidayHearts]

After further thought on the numbers, I am good with this process as long as Zazzle doesn't make the sale prices apply to digital downloads.  Based on the $11.95 price tag if Zazzle puts digital downloads on sale for 50% off like the invitations have been and then our products are referred by a 3rd party carving out 35%, that only leaves us $3.89 for a digital download.  As the holidays get closer and discounts get larger, that amount will shrink even further.  Can Zazzle please confirm that this will not be the case as applied to digital downloads?   

I also would like to see posters separated from invitations and cards and confirmation about what is included in that category (i.e. foam core boards, posters, banners, etc.).

Thanks so much for allowing the Creators input on this process prior to implementation.  It means a lot that Zazzle is considering our feedback.

[HolidayHearts]

I miscalculated the amounts in my above post.  I forgot to provide for Zazzle's portion so the numbers I referenced will actually be lower than what I stated.  I think we are looking at $3.61 if the item is 50% off with a 3rd party referral of 35%.  Sorry about that.  

[klstock]

You were close enough and the point of your post is an important one - to me anyway, and I came on here to post something very similar but you had already said it!

[Windy]

I don't have the time or the patience to try to figure out how to turn this on. Should there be a link or something I can follow? I don't see one in the FAQs about this feature and I don't see one in this post.

[Lais]

Here are some screenshots showing how to: https://community.zazzle.com/t5/general-zazzle-discussion/instant-download-questions-suggestions-and...

[Cat]

Another question. Does "unlimited edits" mean that they can just change the text, or does it mean that they can use the design tool to modify the design at will? I guess what I'm getting at is that if they can use the design tool for infinite edits, they could just buy the thing once to get access to the artwork, and then they could use the artwork to create all sorts of different products for download. (invitations, RSVP, details, save the date, table numbers, and on and on and on.) Most people won't do that of course, but some might. I mean there's no way to prevent all abuse, but this seems like a gaping hole and an invitation to abuse the system IMHO.

[CrazyMermaid]

If this is indeed possible, I can see the TikTok and YouTube vidoes now showing people how to do this. I think most people and event planners will figure this out. 

[LMGildersleeve]

@CatLeah has started a thread regarding how to minimize the clients from using your product for more than one use.

https://community.zazzle.com/t5/share-your-tips-tricks/how-to-avoid-your-design-being-edited-for-mul... 

[James]

Hi @Cat ,

For now, customers will have unlimited capabilities to edit and download the design upon purchasing an Instant Download. In our studies, we have found it is very uncommon for customers to do this. That said, we will be taking certain precautions to monitor # of downloads and edits during the Beta and will take action on users who violate our user agreement.

[CreativeLeahG]

I have only sold 3 digital downloads so far re another site and my 2nd (so 33%) let me know excitedly all the many additional products she used the 'background design' (which was not even for sale) on. So it definitely does happen if the template allows for it. It is also possible that the customer uploaded my design here on Zazzle to order her additional products as one was a tote! None of which she had permission for, and of course, I didn't get the Zazzle royalty for.

Had that customer purchased from Zazzle yes, they would have used the design background for multiple products, as they did on the other site. 

Re that competitor site (which I only joined due to that same customer requesting a digital download of an item here), the process usually is .... a specified number of downloads and after a period of time (usually 60days) the template is no longer available to them. 

I am putting safeguards in place re new products and hoping for the best re existing ones. But allowing them to edit then ONLY download the flat edited image is the best outcome for all. IMO.

[Cat]

@James  Sounds good. But just to clarify, the above-mentioned use (a customer using the artwork to create numerous different digital products for their own personal use) would NOT be a violation of the user agreement - correct?

[CreativeLeahG]

the customer used the background design to create numerous physical products..

[JB]

I actually think most people WOULD do that. and I don't like this at all. There is no other place that allows infinite downloads of custom work for and endless time frame. The amount of times the design can be edited and download should be minutely finite.

[Rachel_E]

I can see lots of people here asking the same questions I have. This change is not good to me. I do sell my digital items in another platform already with a pretty healthy margin. 

Not all my designs can be sold as digital items because some of them have images I purchase for commercial use that have limitations of use as digital items. 

 In my other platform, I also limit the time they have access to the design - they can only make changes within 6 months of their purchase and I can limit the number of downloads. It is unclear how Zazzle will address that.

Margin - we should be able to opt out being in these crazy promotions and I will put my margin much above the suggested, to match the profit I have in my other store. 

Most of my sales are from invitations. I am afraid this will hurt me a lot. 😞 

I was looking forward to Zazzle to start offering digital items but this conditions are no good.  

Have we heard anything from Zazzle about these? I am opting out until I know how these things are working. 

[James]

Hi @Rachel_E ,

It is 100% your choice to decide whether or not you would like to participate in Instant Downloads. To re-iterate, we are not forcing anyone to participate in this offering and if you are happy with your existing platform, that’s great! If you are also interested and making incremental revenue on Zazzle through Instant Downloads, that’s also great!

[Angela]

I know that with some of the designs with licensed images, creators will need to lock down some images or set text to "permanent and always visible" before making the design available as a download.

We can do that with the replace product option, but the new version of the product won't necessarily look any different to the employee reviewing it.

Please let us know if we can make important digital download related changes and use the replace product option after Nov 1. I ask because of the holiday rush coming up.

[KeegansCreation]

I always wondered what the point of "set text to permanent and always visible" was and now it suddenly becomes critical. Throughout this thread is the concern that people (specifically wedding planners) will simply erase the text and use the resulting image as a re-usable template applicable to multiple weddings. Your post shows how "set text to permanent and always visible" solves that problem.

[Cat]

Can the text still be a template if this is set to true? Can the user move it and/or change the font? I suppose I should experiment with it, just wondering if anybody knows more about how that feature works.

In terms of the wedding planners though, I don't think it solves the problem because purchasing a digital copy allows them to edit and download as many versions as they like. So the wedding planner can just purchase the template once and then customize & download new versions for each client - no need to erase the text and go through that trouble - they can just use the design tool to do the work for them!

[Sq]

The downloads are licences for personal use only, so I guess it depends how obvious this is to the person who downloads them. And how honest they are too.

[Cat]

Or how honest the person is.

[JB]

Most people think personal use is "they can personally use it for whatever they want" and that is broad. and a lot of people don't care/don't read/dont have common sense. Relying on goodwill of people in a digital era where they can go to pinterest and screenshot things they want is just not a thing. They are used to the take all i have it I want it ill get it approach.

[WHS_Designs]

something interesting I've discovered:

if the text is not a template, then setting it to "permanent and always visible" does help deter edits to a downloaded digital image.

if the text is a template, even setting that field to "permanent and always visible" is not good enough, because someone can always enter blank spaces (or hard returns) in place of actual text. the template and text field are still there, but when previewed, the text is not visible, and you just have the background image.

there needs to be an alert set up so that someone can't just enter these (for the lack of a better word) non-printing characters and then download the results digitally.

[Lais]

Also, thinking of the customers that buy the printed copies, I like that they have the option to move/resize elements with the design tool. I think I'll create similar versions of my designs to be sold digitally. 

[Connie]

There's more to it than that. If you are purchasing graphics, most of the licenses forbid digital sales, even if the image is flattened. So even if the images are locked, it still violates the terms of the license.

[LMGildersleeve]

That is true with Creative Fabrica however, as we teach in the PDA you should be making alterations to those graphics. If you have done so you are not in violation of CF's policies. HungryJPG always has in their terms that you must also alter the graphic before using it for POD use.  @Connie 

[KeegansCreation]

CreativeFabrica allows unaltered POD use for selected graphics if you pay an upcharge but they specify that the customer must have no digital access, they can only buy a physical object. I have paid the POD upcharge for some packs of these graphics and used them unaltered on cards which is fine as long as the cards are sold only as paper. So I have opted out. DesignBundles has the same setup, pay an upcharge and you are allowed unaltered use so long as the product is physical, not digital. The upcharge is modest, generally <10$ added on so I bet a lot of designers have that license and are just fine as long as they don't allow those cards to go digital.

[Connie]

I do adhere to the terms of all those sites, and alter the graphics/ add other graphics, etc. But even WITH those alterations, those sites forbid DIGITAL use! I have a digital Etsy shop, and it's nearly impossible to find graphics with a license that allows digital use (at least watercolors and the other styles that I like).

[CreativeLeahG]

Not just flattened, but changed to create something new. I am the copyright owner of the new images I create. Anyone takes them they will be dealing with me not the various people whose elements I licenced. For commercial use you need to create something new in most cases.

[Connie]

That's something that you'd have to argue with the sites you got the graphics from- all the sites I've seen, while requiring that you make a "new, transformative design," still forbid you to make using their graphics for DIGITAL designs. And the original artists still retain the copyrights, no matter how new and transformative the designs are. (Of course, if you add your own original elements, you do have the copyrights on those.)

[HolidayHearts]

Hi, thought of another question.  Does Zazzle intend to offer a design option for phone evites?  I think the standard size is 3.6 inches x 6.4 inches and as far as I can tell our stationery options do not thus far encompass this option.  Not sure about the sizing as I know phone screen sizes vary, but this is the size I have used for all of my electronic invitations.  

[James]

Hi @HolidayHearts ,

Great question. At this time, we do only plan to offer Instant Downloads in the aspect ratios that mirror our physical product offerings.

[SwissVillage]

I'm feeling increasingly excited about many aspects of this, and will definitely roll in at least one of my stores, but I have a couple of specific questions about how the roll out will be implemented.  I think answers the questions below would help sellers with decision making on which stores to opt in on, and whether to go all in from the start, or wait for individual digital activation.

1. How quickly after October 31 will a deactivation option be available on individual items that were activated?   Will deactivation be available available right away?   For example, for those of us who are concerned about posters, but who would otherwise like to participate, can we quickly go in and disable just our posters or any specific.

2. For those who chose not to do a mass migration of their products, when will the item by item activation become available?  Right after the 31st?  Or will there be a waiting period?

3. How easily and quick will it be to activate and/or deactivate digital downloads in the new interface?  Will we have to open and edit each individual product to do it?  Or can multiple products be bulk selected and activated all together.  Will you include "Activate Digital" in the menu drop downs where we now see other options like "Make Public" or "Add to Collection."

[James]

Hi @SwissVillage ,

1. More than likely on Nov 1st, once the addition has been indexed.
2. Nov 1st also. You can use a bulk action option to opt in as many as 1 page(s) worth of products at any one time, so approx 204. 
3. See above 😁

Thank you!

[James]

Hi @SwissVillage ,

1. You can still opt in to the Instant Downloads beta, at any time, even after October 31st. We are simply providing a one-time convenience for Creators who want to opt-in their entire store by bulk-migrating designs onto eligible products by this date. After October 31st (i.e. November 1), Creators can still manage products on an individual – and even category – basis using the Products tab in the Store Management Dashboard

2. There will be a slight waiting period between October 31st and the start of the beta test.
   
3. You will be able to quickly activate and deactivate Instant Downloads individually, or even by categories in the Products Tab of your Store Management Dashboard. 1 page at a time so 204 products at a time.