Last Modified Date - Changing for Unknown Reason

[Gail_K]

I check my sales daily and for the past couple of months or so I have noticed that the Last Modified Date has changed even though I didn't remember modifying those particular products. I thought that maybe it was a temporary glitch. Today I noticed again so I did a sort in my store by Last Modified date in the backend and many of my products have the Last Modified Date as 7/4/23. My other stores also had products with the changes to the dates. I know I didn't touch those products at all because I was on Easter break those days.

Most of the products are posters on the 7/4/23. The pattern continues daily but for different types of products.

It would be good to know what has impacted the date changes and is this normal behaviour? I use the Last Modified Date data to determine whether I get sales according to modifications I make to tags, titles, cover images etc. especially for products that have been automatically hidden. With these random date changes I see no modifications. Is it something to do with the indexing? It is messing up my analysis and I would like to know if I should stop relying on this date for my own modifications.

It would be so useful if we could have a small "Product Notes" section for each of our products in the back end for designer view only. (Similar to the "Description" field we have for images in the back end.) If possible to be added to the Statistics area to be toggled on or off. It would be so handy to be able to add our own notes for each product. I would use it to note details of things such as modifications I made, why I've hidden a product, whether I've shared it on social media etc. At the moment I use spreadsheets to keep track of such things but it would be so much easier to have it all there on Zazzle.

[Marcia]

I've been getting that as well for the last few months. Since that started happening, I've been paying attention to what's been "last modified" & I haven't touched many of the products. So I don't know what's going on. I hadn't mentioned it because all the other technical problems on the site seemed more pressing. But I would like to know why this keeps happening.

[Sara_H]

For me, the last modified date is mostly products that have a cover photo. Perhaps the cover photos need a refresh as so many designers are uploading them and the website needs to keep up?

It could be that they run a wide sweep periodically if products are oos, or like the posters - now have a option for a white border I believe.

So maybe it's a new way of keeping things updated at their end?

[PAZP]

I also thought it was the addition of cover photos although many had been added before the newest modified date. Sara, did you notice the posters also offer frames and mats on the link again? I just happened to be working on titles, descriptions and keywords and noticed customers have the option on the link again (not in the check-out cart) to add a frame and mat. Lots of mock ups too. 

[Sara_H]

No @PAZP I didn't notice that. I only have one poster in my store 😂

[Fiona]

Hi @Gail_K ,

I am sorry to hear you're experiencing this issue. Can you please send some examples so I can have the team check this out?

-Fiona🌻

[Gail_K]

Thank you Fiona. How do I send examples? Do you want a list of links to the specific products?

[Fiona]

Hi @Gail_K Gail,

Yes, please send some links. I can reach out to you via email if you'd prefer? Alternatively, feel free to post the links in a reply here.

-Fiona

[Gail_K]

These are the most recent ones. I haven't modified any of these products on these dates.

Last Modified Date: 4/11/2023
https://www.zazzle.com/mermaid_pink_under_the_sea_baby_shower_poster-228913818876778801
https://www.zazzle.com/pink_orchids_roses_baby_shower_poster-228767418595621982

Last Modified Date: 4/10/2023
https://www.zazzle.com/baby_shower_greenery_wreath_poster-228067521334839764
https://www.zazzle.com/oh_deer_reindeer_christmas_holiday_fun_poster-228947034895278222

Last Modified Date: 4/9/2023
https://www.zazzle.com/cactus_lantern_fiesta_succulents_baby_shower_poster-228465373007418962
https://www.zazzle.com/blue_hydrangea_baby_shower_personalized_poster-228127878014306975
https://www.zazzle.com/greenery_leaves_baby_shower_poster-228970494891538056
https://www.zazzle.com/turtle_under_the_sea_birthday_party_poster-228977186543729916
https://www.zazzle.com/cute_bunny_green_balloon_watercolor_baby_shower_poster-228313806855122669

Last Modified Date: 4/8/2023
https://www.zazzle.com/family_photo_collage_monogram_coffee_mug-168670796318834011
https://www.zazzle.com/mom_floral_blue_hydrangea_watercolor_modern_coffee_mug-168676274693033121
https://www.zazzle.com/modern_elegant_monogrammed_eucalyptus_gold_coffee_mug-168176264208985173
https://www.zazzle.com/sunflower_pink_watercolor_floral_birthday_party_poster-228648556428472985
https://www.zazzle.com/purple_unicorn_faux_glitter_happy_birthday_poster-228142148235287175
https://www.zazzle.com/turtle_under_the_sea_baby_shower_poster-228892314381273937
https://www.zazzle.com/forever_in_our_hearts_sunflower_burgundy_funeral_poster-228888950953049693
https://www.zazzle.com/mermaid_under_the_sea_baby_shower_personalized_poster-228000203096892952

[Fiona]

Thanks @Gail_K .

Passing these on to the team now!

-Fiona

[Marcia]

@Fiona Here's a few for me that I'm sure I haven't touched recently:

Last modified date 4/10/23:
228297886546300958

Last modified date 4/9/23:
228023819358904828
228579347749972554
228382403694616352
228298957484038090
228242821527534281
228369102754283269
228316824128164305
228268929040074036

Last modified 4/8/23:
228917547867595014
there's more & they're all posters – but I want to add a variety of products so I'm not listing them

Last modified 4/7/23
256727758915637756

Last modified 4/5/23:
256592524243451630

Last modified 4/4/23:
256417977436271257

Last modified 4/2/23:
256198214532372156
256862821041467477
137368051803658435
256951170894375815
256973616524555475
189595060931662649
256575130520077523
256419044469395930
256452367075800237
256284791131418145

Last modified 4/1/23:
168108295514208374
256018273162373240
192560462278998795

These are all products that I'm absolutely sure I haven't touched/modified. The list goes on & on. I stopped including all the posters but the earlier dates do show a variety of products. And yes, I see that the majority of them have cover photos so maybe it is some sort of indexing thing.

Please let me know if you need additional info. Thanks!

[Digitalbcon]

You would be surprised how many products have had changes made by Zazzle (bots, algorithms, whatever). Hundreds (literally) of my invitations have had product purchase options (ie) size, orientation, shape have been changed…who knows when to “all options when I created them and uploaded them to “this size only”.  Imagine having square size and format all of a sudden showing “all options.”  
But this has been going on for a very long time.  So I spend most of my time now reviewing and resetting to the proper purchase option.