Collection Images Being Automatically Added to single Products meaning that 50 items look identical

[CreativeLeahG]

Dear Zazzle

I have noticed that single items in collections (not all but many) now 'automatically ' with no input my end, show the collection image not the single product image. This occurs where there is no media cover photo added and when there is! It switches to the single product image if a customer selects the product image from the marketplace and is directed to the store, but that won't happen if they don't first see the product!

The issue being, there is a sea of identical images for a single collection which may not even feature the named product or the design type (where there is a different design for the same product in a single collection). This is not only confusing to customers but the product is not visible in the marketplace!

I did a search for stickers as an example, and all my stickers show the collection images which don't include stickers due to the high volume of product types available in the collection. I can't 'turn this off' as it appears automated.

Please undo this automation as it doesn't help anyone.

Thank you

@Scott  I have PM'd an example of what I am seeing in the marketplace. I have not selected these products to show the collection image.

[Sara_H]

@CreativeLeahG You should be able to turn it of via the Edit collection

then go into Zazzle Marketplace (top right)

Scroll down to the Search Pages

and unchecked those that have been selected then click save

It may take time for them to update 

Can't see them undoing it (it's only the cross sell types of collections)

[CreativeLeahG]

I haven't selected anything to show the collection image as noted in the OP.

[Sara_H]

@CreativeLeahG That's really strange then - are they in a cross sell or normal?

[CreativeLeahG]

So far the ones noted are cross sell, and it appears to be a recent update. So you may want to check yours and see if you're seeing the same thing.

[Sara_H]

@CreativeLeahG I did see some but they were checked so I unchecked them - just waiting for them to index the change

[CreativeLeahG]

If you do a random search re 'stickers' as an example, and select 'stickers' as a product type, you'll note that many images don't show 'stickers' https://www.zazzle.com/s/stickers?dp=252713589682685915 

Images show pillows, invitations etc.and no stickers featured.

It is possible they may have selected collection image for those items, but in my instance that's not the case. Generally I'd expect most designers to only select invitations or save dates to show a collection image as anything else would be confusing and redundant for the customer (that's my opinion of course).  

[Sara_H]

@CreativeLeahG I just see stickers via your link - perhaps it's a A/B test

[CreativeLeahG]

This is an example of what I see, hopefully it is an AB test! And they abandon it.

[Sara_H]

@CreativeLeahG Here's my view 

so def a/b test

[CreativeLeahG]

The 3rd item is a collection image, so throwing up slightly different results and they may have chosen the collection view.

[Sara_H]

@CreativeLeahG3rd item is a collection video (little play button at the bottom) - so as we know - zazzle pushing collection videos in search so probably working as expected

[CreativeLeahG]

My videos aren't showing, it is collection covers and again videos where the first thing customer sees isn't the product they're hoping see but alternative products is not helpful for the consumer. The videos aren't playing when viewed in the Mp until a consumer clicks on it to play which is unlikely, when they're looking for a specific product that isn't visible. Consumers historically make decisions in less than 3 seconds, so when scanning, will keep scanning till they see a product that resembles what they're looking for in image form and then they will click away if they don't see what they're looking for. The titles in most cases don't reveal that this product is actually a 'sticker' as the text is cut off. 

[ColsCreations]

The titles in most cases don't reveal that this product is actually a 'sticker' as the text is cut off.

I believe that is a huge problem and am surprised it hasn't been addressed yet.

There is a thread here w/ several examples and screenshots talking about all of this. I was coming at it from the POV of using the "Collection view" where one clicks the "Collections" option in results, but all the concerns are the same. It's a hot mess and shoppers end up seeing a sea of same images with no way to tell what's what. Searching specifically for stickers but seeing a pillow in the results is another great example.  Nobody's going to click on that because they're not looking for a pillow, they're looking for a sticker. Doesn't matter if they can eventually find their way to a sticker with that design on it by clicking on the pillow image because, as you said, people scan and make their subconscious decisions in seconds. We as Creators understand (mostly) the behind-the-scenes of what we're seeing when we run into this but random shoppers couldn't possibly know, they're just going to skip right by images that don't match what they are searching for.

[ColsCreations]

I'm seeing the same thing as @Sara_H  : instead of the pillow and 'first trip' collection covers w/ "View Collection" button, I am seeing the product image for the sticker.

I only have two collections that meet the criteria to enable collection covers as default MP thumb, and for me they had 10 automatically selected as default. It wasn't until I stumbled on one of my products in search showing my very old cover that I realized this and went immediately to learn how/where to un-do it.

Zazzle does say to only check it for products that appear in your Collection cover, but as complicated as this has become I'm guessing there are a lot of designers who don't know they have a choice.

[Anne]

Even so, this is yet another red flag for using "cross sell" collections. It really screws up the marketplace as people looking for stickers (in this example) see random stuff, video or not, I would never click on it as it is not a sticker (which was the search term after all).
The search function is already screwed up enough by having to select TWICE that you want a sticker and not another product.
Thanks for posting this, @CreativeLeahG 

[CreativeLeahG]

James is looking into this issue presently to determine if it’s a bug or intentional so hopefully will be addressed shortly. 

[CreativeLeahG · Accepted solution]

Issue fixed, thank you James!

[Cat]

Are you talking about the collection cover that shows up in the list of views on the product page, or are you saying that collection covers are showing up in search results when they're not supposed to?

[ColsCreations]

From her screenshot, she was (is still?) seeing collection covers in search results in the MP whereas Sara and I looking at the same search results link just got the regular product cover image.