Need help understanding customer motivations

[bbdesigns]

I created a bunch of products on this site months ago but then left for a while as I was getting zero sales.  I obviously accept a lot of responsibility for that.  But in thinking about trying this again, one question I have is, "What would drive a customer to pay a higher amount for a custom product?"  For example, I created some custom notebooks.  The Cheapest price for any of these is over $12 and a couple are close to $20.  These were mostly Zazzle's recommended prices for me to be able to make any money off a sale.  But I'm wondering what would drive anyone to spend $12 on a notebook when they could just to go the local dollar store and pay a few bucks?  I feel like until I figure that one out there is no point in promoting my products on Pinterest or something.  

[KeegansCreation]

Personalization, which is the key difference between Zazzle and other PODs and certainly between Zazzle and an office supply store. Taking your example of notebooks, look at the notebook department page. Most of the top sellers have a customizable name or monogram. Some allow a customer to swap in a photo.

Aside from personalization, there is also the matter of niches. Stores necessarily sell generic things that will appeal to many people. But at Zazzle you can make specialized designs that will appeal to only some people but that they could never get in a store. My niche is microbiology because I am a retired microbiologist. There is a ton of tissue paper out in the world but not much of it is geared towards microbiologists. Therefore the ones that I made show up when somebody puts "microbiology tissue paper" into Google shopping and it leads them right to Zazzle.

A niche can be anything that you know about; your geographical area, your hobbies, your favorite animal, your job. etc. It just can't be anything that is copyright protected like a favorite movie or TV show.

[PacifierCity]

@bbdesigns 

There are people in the world that would never be "caught" in the dollar store or walllmart (sp)...

Many people believe that a cheap price means a cheap product, and they don't want cheap.

A lot of people really like to tailor their look/home decore/accessories/school supplies/etc...  What they see in the big box stores does not offer products that work for them.  But what they find here does.

If you or someone that you want to give a gift to has a name that is spelled differently than normal, then gift shops don't work as places to find a gift, but if you enable templates, your products here do.

Most of what you find here features designs and artwork that will be difficult to locate in a box store.  There are many talented artists and designers here, so the customer gets something that is sure to stand out in the real world.  What they received is unique and others won't have it. 

Just a few more reasons along with what @KeegansCreation stated above...

PC

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[De]

Many people don't want customization on certain things.  I was brought up being taught to never put your kids name on items they will wear outside the home.     Tshirts, hoodies,  backpacks, lunch boxes, etc.