404 Messages are Perplexing (it's not just me)

[GraceH]

Hello,

I'm new to Zazzle. I came here because I couldn't find a good drop shipping partner to integrate with Etsy that met my needs. I was excited at first but now I'm feeling reticent. All day long I've been getting a 404 message anytime I click on "view products" in my shop. My friend in another country tried as well and got the same message. My browser is up-to-date and nothing fixes the problem. Also I've uploaded a banner to my shop but it appears blurry here when it's not blurry anywhere else and I keep seeing an "add banner image" on the "complete your profile" section but I've already added it. The design tool is jumpy (text boxes and graphics) jump around the interface when I'm trying to edit them. If anyone has any advice I'd be grateful. If this continues, i don't feel confident that I'll stay. I normally design in Adobe PS, Procreate, Canva, and Corjl with no problems. A bit disappointed.... 😞 

ps

Also bummed that we can't upload fonts. This just makes designing even more time consuming because I have to go create a text image in Corjl with my fonts (that I have a commercial license for) and then upload it. But when I do, guess what? It's blurry!

[idraw]

Bon jour Grace, your shop Banner shows up crisp not blurry. When I click on your Products  tab, I get the 404 not found, but when I click on your Collections tab, it shows 5 products. I seem to recall there being posts about products showing up in collections but not under products tab in the shop. Some educated guesswork, either you just created the products and they have not been indexed in your shop yet, or your shop is hidden, or your products in your shop are hidden. As far as I know, until and unless something changes in the future, you have to use the fonts that zazzle has purchased licenses for and made available to use on products.  Try to find a font offered by zazzle that you can use in photoshop, that is close or similar to the one you are using. Good luck, bon chance.

also read—-

Indexing Error / No Products in Store / 404 / Something went wrong

[GraceH]

Thank you for responding! Ok, just to make sure I’ve understood: so I need to add products to collections for them to show up in my shop. I checked my settings and my shop isn’t hidden so maybe it just takes time for the indexing. Thank you again and I’ll post again tomorrow with an update in case it could be helpful to other newbies. Merci!

[GraceH]

I’m back already because nothing is working and I’m close to tears (exhausted). I design products and see them on Zazzle but can’t access them from my UI to categorise them. My banner isn’t showing up at all now (Just the standard Zazzle banner). Some designs have completely disappeared. I just don’t understand what’s going on here. Someone from Zazzle pleas help. I’m pulling my hair out. I spent 12 hours on this today.

[Sara_H]

Indexing is slow at the moment so may take a few days before your products appear in your store (it just took 5 days for some products to appear in mine)

Patience is key when setting up a new store.

Welcome to Zazzle!

[Angel · Accepted solution]

@GraceH 

I can see your banner on your profile and on your store. And it is a beautiful banner! Nicely done.

I can see 2 collections with 2 products in one and 4 products in the other. I thought you had 5 products in that one when I was reading this topic a few minutes ago.

For your banner problem see the solutions in this topic. It's likely a cache problem. Zazzle is working on it, but there are some work arounds to help you see your updated banner. The one I use the most is

• Or Hold down Ctrl and press F5.

https://community.zazzle.com/t5/technical-issues/banner-image-not-showing/m-p/34886#M3432 

You do not need to add products to a collection for the products to show up in your store. They do have to be attached to at least one category - a requirement on the Post for Sale page.

This category also needs to have an image in order for the products to show up in that category.

You have products.

You have a category.

You have collections.

What do you mean by "can’t access them from my UI to categorise them". Can you not see them? Or do you not know how to get them into a category?

I'll check back in a few minutes to see how you're making out.

[JB]

Because of the indexing delay, your new products aren't live in the marketplace and therefore your store will show up as a 404 to you until it all catches up. This has probably been stated already. The indexing issues are frustrating because they're repeatedly happening lately, and it wasn't like this before, but until it gets resolved more permanently the best advice I have is to just plan way ahead. It takes a while for a new shop to grain traction anyway, so plan ahead for events, holidays and occasions many months ahead. 

[PacifierCity]

I was curious so I visited too.  If you created your products with in the last day or two, the issue is indexing.  I am guessing that they are not hidden as I can view them through your collections.  I did notice that you are not using the templates for text in you floral wedding invitation.  Right now a customer has to enter the design and change the text themselves.  Some customers here are great with that, but others, not so much.  I would encourage you to learn to use templates, especially for text.  (Select your text box, look to the right side of the design screen for "more options", click that, you may need to scroll down, and you will have options there.  Explore some other wedding designs to see templates in use.  It makes it super easy for customers as they don't have to enter the design tool.

As a general note, indexing generally takes up to 48 hours to have your products show up publicly.  I am guessing that is why nothing shows up yet under your products link and that is why you get the 404 error.  Sometimes it takes longer, in the worst cases there is a glitch with indexing that we catch after a few days to a week and then Zazzle usually fixes in a day or two and then it takes a few days for things to index.  That does not happen very often, but it is good to know that it does happen.  Being new to Zazzle can be tough because one wants instant product availability, but things here do take time.  Rest assured that if the products can be seen in your collections, then they should soon appear in your stores product page as well.  Just keep going and try and have a bit of patience.  Or take a break for a few days and ideally when you log back in, all your work is there.  And note that the indexing happens for everything you do here.  Collections tend to index pretty quick while categories, products, etc, will vary in time depending on how many users are uploading new products, etc.

Best of luck and happy sales,

PC

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[GraceH]

Hi Everyone,

Firstly, thank you so much for helping me and for your patience with my frustration. It's true, I wasn't seeing my products or banner and one listing completely disappeared. The next day, I woke up, and everything was there. So it was indexing. I have been working 12-14 hour days designing so my tolerance level dropped way too low. I took yesterday to rest some. Now everything seems ok and I'm relieved and happy...and grateful for all of the kind responses! Merci, merci, merci!! xo, Grace

[GraceH]

Thank you, PC I didn't know about templates. I'll have a look. 🙂 

[Queenie]

Hey Grace! I'm having the same issues with my store products not loading, only showing in collections, etc. I'm brand new here too. I just went over to look at your store and when I click on products it's still giving the 404 code. Just an FYI. Your picture and banner are both on your storefront (beautiful banner btw). I followed you to see your designs when they populate! Good luck with the store! XO

[NCGrace]

I’m having the same issue — when I go to my public storefront and click Products I get a 404 error. CTRL + F5 doesn’t help. 

[JB]

If its a new shop, until your new products show up live (indexing is delayed again, unfortunately) your shop may show up as not existing until all of that catches up. Give it a few days, just keep adding products. They'll eventually get straightened out (indexing has been 4-7 days lately when its supposed to be about 24 hours or less) and your products will appear. Just keep plugging away and planning ahead.