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. 

[RTW]

I really don't know the best way to "Police" Intellectual Property theft on Print on Demand sites. I do know folks that spend a lot of time trying to stop the theft of their IP... only to be accused of stealing the work in question by the infringing party... (a countersuit against the original Artist). We have Copyright and Trademark to help us, but that can get expensive... LOL, do we all get IP Attorneys?

[RTW]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but, currently, I don't know any owners of POD sites, be they Public or Privately held companies, that step up to help their designers/Artists with legal help vis-a-vis Copyright and Trademark infringements. Perhaps that's as it should be, but it can get expensive.

[Deb]

It’s not unusual for digital clip art downloads to be limited to 30 day expiry time..zazzle needs to seriously rethink this.  And how exactly will zazzle actually prevent customers from using our artwork commercially?  There are so many avenues out there outside of zazzle they could be used on.. 

[KC]

Agree with all of this too. 

Unlimited edits and downloads is excessive and also opens the door for abuse of the system. I understand needing to correct a mistake, though, so a limited number of downloads or time limit would be a great addition to the policy for these.

[BeautBotanical]

You're absolutely right. 

I was really keen to opt in for digital invitations, but there's no way I can do so until the number of downloads are limited to something like less than 10, and there's a product expiry within a few months of purchase.

[James]

Hi @HolidayHearts ,

For this beta period, access is intended for one event/occasion/use for personal use. In the beginning, there will be no limits on the number of downloads after purchase.  Customers will interact with your Digital downloads the same way they currently interact with your Published, printable products. As an independent Creator, you must assess how accessible you want your Content to be via the various options available to you in the Design tool. 

Thank you.

[HolidayHearts]

Hi James,

Thanks so much for your response to my questions.  To make sure I understand, they will only be able to edit the file prior to download?  And, not perform additional edits to the file and continue to download multiple edits after the initial download?  In other words, they get everything the way they want it, then purchase and download the static design as many times as they want, but they cannot perform further edits on the product without purchasing again?  I hope I am explaining this right.  You stated that "access is intended for one event/occasion/use for personal use".   I think mine and a lot of folks concern is that they edit the file, purchase it and come back in and edit again and again and then download it again repeatedly without additional purchase.  Can you confirm that this is not the case?

Also, with regard to the limits on downloading, am I to understand that they could purchase a design this year and then come back and download that same design next year?  E.g. somebody buys a poster and downloads it.  Two to three years later the poster is frayed or discolored from light exposure and they decide they want to replace it, can they then come back and download the same poster again without paying for it?  If this is the case, it doesn't appear as if this is in the best interest of Zazzle or the designer.  Another example would be if a customer purchased a holiday card for download after deleting the year, and then decided to use the same card the next year so they come back and download the same card again year after year without paying any more -- odd but it could happen.  I hope Zazzle will consider placing either time limits on downloading or limits on the number of times a person can download a purchased design.

Thanks in advance.

[Barbara]

@HolidayHearts  There would be no reason for a person to download the same poster design again. They'd still have the original file on their computer. Only if they lost the file might they re-download it. At least one less thing to worry about.

Colorwash's Home

[HolidayHearts]

Duh, you are absolutely right.  My Monday brain hasn't kicked in yet LOL.

[dbvisualarts]

but once they have it - they have it so they can use it over and over.

[Mistica]

I LOVE the idea.
My concern of the  moment mostly piracy at this point.
I will check out the payment end later as I have various appointments today.

If I were a crook...can one down oad the design with their content...and then simply create a white layer over the text area and basically create a template for their own purposes?
I am sure they can. So how can we discourage that? 

Also...does tinkering with the resolution some how prevent a certain degree of  opportunistic behavior?
I am working on my own Zazzle site ...still after a few years.....and I was happy to now be able to download without the text so that I can use the design as a header and give it a label like "Christmas Invitations".

[James]

Hi @Mistica , 

As a creative platform, we are optimistic and have faith in our customers. It is important to note the risks of doing business on the internet, including bad actors who have intent to steal designs, screenshot without paying for it, as well as reselling designs on different marketplaces outside of Zazzle. Instant Downloads serves as a vehicle to allow customers and Creators to ‘do the right thing’ to purchase the design and support the Independent Creator who made it. Additionally, we at Zazzle are continuing to do our best to protect Creators from bad actors:

• We have a Content Management team who reviews each and every order to ensure content is not misappropriated or stolen
  
  
• We offer features to flag and report designs that are suspected as being stolen
   
• We have proprietary, AI-based technology to detect infringing content before products are posted to the marketplace
  
  
• We take action against accounts who violate our terms of service who attempt to resell designs or possess stolen IP – including termination of their Zazzle account
  

We offer Creators ways to enable watermarks on designs within their store when viewed at high resolutions

Thank you.

[Harmony]

will customers have ongoing ability to edit and redistribute a product as many times as they like after purchasing? Or is it set that they have to complete all edits prior to placing an order? I can see people purchasing one download of anything and then reselling to others, or buying something once and reediting for different events over rand over again.

I also have other questions posted in this thread that I think maybe got missed?

[PenguinPower]

I get the reasoning behind the decision to allow high res poster downloads- there have been some recent urgent requests for seating charts and the like, event items with a deadline, but how about providing an e-card only (not print resolution), only option too… I would definitely not be even slightly comfortable allowing high res downloads and have opted out, but I would do screen resolution e-cards….

[Cat]

Print resolution on a 40x40 inch poster is going to be a HUGE file. I hope someone can clarify what size the downloads are.

[RTW]

Cat,

The only File type I can think of that would do what you proposed above is an SVG file... You can make an SVG File as small as a Postage stamp and blow it up to Billboard size... Fortunately, I think Zazzle is only concerned with, jpeg, PNG, and perhaps PDF...

[marciak]

This is an awesome new feature! Thank you Zazzle! I will hold off using it though until a few questions from other designers have been answered here. But, great idea for those of us interested.

[Cat]

I'm a little bit confused about the process for the customer. Sounds like they purchase the template and then get to customize it and download as many different versions as they like?!?! That can't be right.

It should definitely be the other way around. Customize first, then purchase the customized version. Otherwise someone could just purchase the template once and then sell as many customized versions as they like, cutting both Zazzle and the designer completely out of the equation. I'm hoping I've misunderstood, because if not, that's a HUGE problem!

[Fizzy]

I completely agree! The customer should NOT in any way, shape, or form be able to edit the template, once it's purchased and downloaded. We would be shooting ourselves in the foot otherwise 😒

[Lea]

One thing that is unclear to me - if we opt in, is everything automatically moved over and offered? Because one place I read makes it sound like that but another mentions a double opt in. I don't want all but I'm thinking I won't opt out entirely.
Basically - can someone tell me what to do if I only want to offer a handful of products as digital downloads?

[PenguinPower]

If I’m reading it right the opt out simply keeps items from automatically migrating. You’ll still be able to manually choose to offer individual items electronically through the product  itself. 

[Lea]

The "double opt in" is what's throwing me off from the FAQ
How will Design Migration work for Instant Downloads? You will need to both opt-in to Design Migration AND Migrate your content as an Instant Download in order to participate in Instant Downloads. Once you have double-opted in, we will automatically enable eligible products in your store for Instant Download on October 31, 2022.

[Lea]

OH I think I get it now. You have to opt in to the design migration that was there before (like for when I new phone case or something like that comes out?) AND opt in to the digital one too. OK. That's the double.
BUT if I don't want everything to migrate, I can still have design migration on but not allow digital.
And then later on I can go in to the products I want to allow to be digital downloads and select those manually.

[James]

Hi @Lea 

At the moment, if you opt in before Nov 1st, this will trigger an auto Migration of all applicable products but you will have the option to hand-select ones that you want to remove after migration. Alternatively, you can opt out and after Nov 1st, you can opt in but it is a more manual process. IE you have to select (but will have bulk options available) the products you want to opt in. 

[Lea]

Thanks, James! I think that's the conclusion I eventually reached. Seems it makes more sense that if I'm only doing a few things to start to hold off and add rather than subtract.

[DogPlay]

In my account it is not an opt-in process.  The box to allow digital downloads is pre-checked.  It not allow migration to the digital download process I had to opt out each shop individually.

[James]

To take advantage of the one-time Instant Download migration, you will need to opt-in to both: (1) Design Migration, and (2) the one-time Instant Download migration by October 31. After October 31st, you may continue to participate in the Instant Downloads beta by manually selecting the printed products from the Products tab of your Store Management Dashboard. We are just simply offering the one-time Instant Download migration as a one-click convenience for those who want to take advantage of the new offering. If you decide to wait until October 31st, no worries – just remember you will need to manually opt in the products you want to enable for Instant Download – which will need to be done a store-by-store basis (if you operate multiple Zazzle stores).

[Harmony]

Can we opt in but decide which individual products we want to add?

What is to stop the "customer" from removing the text and reselling as a blank template, using our work as theirs etc

Will the system require the customer to make all edits before purchasing? Or do they get an exact copy of our work to edit as they please. Is the force replace for images going to be maintained?

Is there a limit on how many times on individual download can be reused? Some can purchase one and then use it forever? Is there an overall limit on number of downloads per person? 

Does the Storytree Studios photographer that allowed designers license to use their photos agree to extend the license for digital downloads?

Does the customer have to indicate how many people they are using the download for? We get paid as a single use for material that can be sent to hundreds of people

[CrazyMermaid]

If I am understanding this, the decision is made by store. We have to tick the box for each store. If I opt in for one, it does not automatically include all other stores. 

[DogPlay]

For the migration process it is an opt out by store.  Untick the box to not allow the migration.  Once the migration process is over then it is opt in by product with the ability to bulk process multiple products.

[James]

Yes you must opt-out by store, there is no global setting at the account level.

[KayeCee]

1. Customers should edit FIRST, then purchase the download… not the other way around. If it’s done this way, there would be no need to limit the number of times a customer can download because they’re just getting the same one instead of editing and downloading additional versions. 

2. Customers should not be able to remove text completely and then download. 

3. Forcing an image replacement should still be an option on our placeholders so that we can honor our copyright agreements with companies that prohibit passing that image along. 

[Cat]

Exactly! Because otherwise, it's not just that someone could steal the artwork, they're essentially offering up the entire platform. Think of it - someone in China buys digital downloads for a bunch of invitations, then they offer them for sale online. When someone purchases it, they just send the customer a link to the digital template, and maybe the login credentials, and that customer can now use Zazzle's design tool to customize and download the product. I'm really hoping we've misunderstood because that just seems crazy to me.

[CreativeLeahG]

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

[James]

Hi @KayeCee 

1. Customers can decide to edit the template first and purchase the download OR they may simply purchase the download and edit it later.
2. It is entirely possible for text to be removed if your design is set up this way. If you have access to the Product Edit tool, you may modify your design to make certain elements ‘locked’ as well as ‘always visible’
3. Force replace is still an option and customers will not be able to purchase the Instant Download without first replacing the image in question.

[KC]

Question regarding the stats/sales reports: since it looks like the digital and physical prints will be listed under one product URL/product ID# - will there be separate reporting for the #of digital downloads SEPARATE from the # of traditional/print sales?

[James]

Hi KC,

We will have separate stats for Instant download purchases, however, for our Initial Beta, we will not have the number of times someone downloaded it. These stats will be located in my product page stats.

[De]

When I look up print on zazzle, I also have canvas frames show up as an option.  Are these part of the print group also or just posters, paper, and such?

@James 

[James]

Hi De, 

Just posters and paper products mentioned. Canvas is not part of this right now. 

Thank you. 

[KC]

Is there a plan in place for customer service to be able to VERY QUICKLY help customers when they freak out because something seems to not download incorrectly, and when they have questions about "how to get it to print on my home printer" and "I took it to Staples and they said XYZ and the color printed funny" ; )

I feel like this side of things will need its own FAQ or help department that can answer questions super fast. 

Already designers get questions about orders, and with a digital download, people will be expecting things even faster, including replies to questions like these. Maybe a PDF downloads WITH the file that has the use terms, and brief FAQ so that it's right there in one place for them will cut down on customer service and designer message requests.

*****

BUT ALSO - Thank you for the detailed information provided ahead of time for this new feature.

Love the Q&A, and the various links and info provided, and that so many specifics are given already, along with near-future plans and related changes included.

Brilliant!

I'm excited to see how it goes!

🤗