Niche or Generic Zazzle Store - which is best? Let's Break it down and discuss!

[CreativeLeahG]

I've been asked this question so many times and I've always answered the same way! The choice is your but there are pros and cons for both! I've gone too far down the niche rabbit hole. When Zazzle made changes to stores, introduced zrank and all the optimization requirements, it became impossible to update them all and as such many are not compliant, complete and as such are hidden. BUT the pros for a handful of niche stores remain high.

[KeegansCreation]

You make compelling arguments for niche stores but I'd better stick to general and use collections for niches. I'm all over the place; microbiology, 18th century vintage, 1950's-1970's retro, Ogunquit Maine and on and on. Each would require its own store since they don't overlap. I know it's unfocused  but, well, I'm unfocused. I'll leave the niche stores to people who want to hone in on one thing or juggle multiple stores and I'll stick to collections.

Niche stores are probably especially good for people who have their own website (as you do). Then the niche store dovetails with the focus of the website. It's true that I therefore have no brand identity (per your cons list) but I do watch my sales:products ratio and delete ruthlessly to keep it from tanking with excess products. 

One of the other reasons I stick with a general store is because things from all different niches sell for me. If I routinely sold from one specific niche and the others were distant runners-up with barely meaningful sales then I'd have an easier time jettisoning them and going hard with the winner. But I have sales in each niche although within each niche there are one or two clearly winning designs and the others often get deleted while the winner goes on tons of diverse products. This incentivizes me to focus on the designs that win and give them focused collections but not attempt to give them an entire store.

[CreativeLeahG]

Yes, you are approaching your personal brand store efficiently, in that you’re vigilant with what I call ‘ housekeeping’ and that is a key ingredient to ensuring or maintaining zrank. 

[CrazyMermaid]

What personal brand? I know, I know. I just love designing products. Group them in a collection and call it a day. Zazzle makes it so onerous to create a store. Who wants to be bothered with 10 collections and everything else to get to a Zrank 4. I do have a couple of minor stores and they really aren't worth it for someone who doesn't promote. I guess I am a low-energy Zazzler who would rather take a nap than make a store!

[chefcateringbiz]

I have 3 niche stores that do most of my business, and the rest are niches that I still need to weed out. I've been a very busy gal this year with my baking and sewing projects outside of Zazzle and my p/t job, so the stuff I wanted to do isn't getting done this year, for sure. I have other stores elsewhere where you can't do niches anyway, and they're just kind of a mess. I like the organization of niches as well.

[CreativeLeahG]

Sounds good! What I do as well, I treat my profile like the store with the collections acting as categories which are easily searchable. And I have a domain name that I can use for links in social media which is better than a zazzle url (minus affiliate referral code though) in terms of appearances. 

[SnowOwlMoon]

I chose generic because I'm easily bored.  I didn't want to create one product over and over, with just different designs on it.  I could probably sell more if I stuck with one thing, but I don't want to do that.  I also have no desire to own multiple stores; it's too much work.  I'd rather own one general store, than several specialty shops.

[almdrs]

Generic: be your own marketplace.

LOL