Products that are missing from the marketplace

[Scott]

Hi Everyone,

I've seen a few people mention that some of their products are missing from the marketplace. Unfortunately, these comments are being left in other conversations rather than being left in the Technical forum. As a result, they're rather hard for us to track down.

If some of your products are missing can you please link me to them in this conversation? I'd like to get this reviewed ASAP. Please only link me to products that are 3+ days old.

(also, feel free to tag a user who's mentioned missing products in another conversation)

[Anne]

Thank you, Scott:

https://www.zazzle.com/your_photos_mexican_restaurant_catering_services_business_card-25624001863143...

Wondering if it's related to uploading a new cover image recently?

 

[Scott]

I see this one in the marketplace.

[CreativeLeahG]

• @scott  @Roberta @James 
• I can't physically add the 20,000 links for my missing products from the filters, but I can tell you it  is as I identified before quite simply because (I assume) Zazzle decided to remove them from the results. I've provided screen shots, it's been the case for months. The lowest-priced filter as seen in screenshot and via the link.

https://www.zazzle.com/s/wedding+invitations?st=price&sd=asc&q=wedding%20invitations&sgsc=wedding%3A...

I know exactly how many of mine aren't showing re this filter:

• 8,904 flyers
• 11,326 flat paper sheets

As I mentioned around 20,000.

I did email Padraig re this months ago, but didn't bring it up again as I assumed it was an executive decision. Zazzle nolonger wanted 'budget items' featuring and I do not 'argue' with business decisions. I will say though, doubling the price of semi-gloss flat sheets (which they did a while back) and now removing them from 'lowest' filters creates a problem for my affiliate filters previously set up to show the lowest priced, as well as must be hard now for customers coming to the site to find 'as advertised' Zazzle's UNDER $1 invitations. Fortunately, I have since found a way to locate them so I can create new filters but blimey .... this is not helping the customer or affiliates at all.

If Zazzle is seeing harsh times ( we have no way of knowing) please consider how some changes may have been harmful. Things may have improved a LOT as a result of the filter change and if that's case, I have no issue, you got to do what you go to do, except of course when it comes to leading consumers to believe the filters 'do what they say'. I say this because another major company ( see my site here for context) I did a tiny bit of affiliating for also makes their lowest-priced items impossible to find.. The result, I can barely promote them. Because I cannot find their products! If I can't find their products, customers can't and they will go places which are VERY transparent with their prices.

Amazon $0.50 for 300gsm card ..and matching envelopes .. customized! As one example of the price threat facing us. Other prominent wedding invite sites from $0.67 for better quality card, envelope addressing services, free samples, free websites included. Zazzle has hands down the BEST designs anywhere  (bar 1 other site which cheaper and I am an affiliate for BUT I am only really interested in promoting Zazzle.)  But we need to be competitive and even with the 50% off, we may not quite be that. BUT as noted, I have no idea how Zazzle is performing overall after taking the decisions it has to remove the budget items from the 'lowest filter'.

[Cat]

I'm wondering if there may be a technical issue with the filters because I'm seeing situations where it's supposed to be ordered by "most popular" but in fact it's ordered by price lowest to highest. 

[CreativeLeahG]

Can you paste the link that gave those results please?

[Cat]

This is what I get when I search by the exact title of my all time best selling design: https://www.zazzle.com/s/gold+lace+elegant+white+budget+wedding+invitation

My design is in there, but it's way down the page - and it has over 500 orders over 30K copies sold, been viewed nearly 70K times. The page is supposed to be ordered by popularity but it seems to be ordered by price. I suppose it's theoretically possible that all of the items above it are even more popular, but it seems unlikely to me. And if you change the filter from "popular" to "price low to high" the order doesn't change at all. 

I'm not sure what's going on, because it's clearly not happening on all searches. But if you just choose a random product (preferably one that you know has a decent sales history) and search by its title, you can pretty easily replicate the results. I don't know what it means.

[CreativeLeahG]

yep you're right it's lowest to highest!

[Scott]

I started this discussion thread because I saw a few posts where people had posted products that were definitely missing from the marketplace. One was Anne's above. When I have examples it's easier for me to head over to an engineer and ask why this product is missing from the marketplace.

In your post above you've indicated that you believe products are missing, but I don't know what products they are or what store they're from. I did take a bit of time to review your store 100xgifts, and I can confirm that the top 12 products are visible in the marketplace (sorted by Orders (All time)). From here, there's not a whole lot that I can do except continue to search the marketplace for each and every product in your store. This would take a very long time. Given that you're a lot more familiar with your many stores than I am, I'm curious if you can provide me with some clues here.

Also, when products are out of stock we don't show them in the marketplace. We still show them in your store backend so that you can take action on them, though. This will make the backend vs marketplace comparison a little tricky. So saying that you have 10,000 products in your backend, but only 2,000 show in the marketplace isn't necessarily the best information to go by.

Finally, I'd really appreciate if we could all stay on topic here. I'm hoping to ensure that all of the products that are identified in this discussion are visible in the marketplace. If you have anything else to report please create a new discussion.

[CreativeLeahG]

@Scott @James 

the issue with my missing items is re the filters which is easy to check re 'it not working'. I provided the links and the screenshots and yes it is on topic. if the filters aren't working that's an issue for us and the customers and some response re this would be helpful.

[JLynnW]

This is a post of mine from 2/9/23:

@Scott 

In the Market Place for my only store zazzle.com/jlw_photography 3,455 products are listed when sorted by Popular and only 3,451 when sorted by Newest.  In the backend 3,687 products are listed when sorted by Public, while less than 100 have been created from 2/1/23 to date.  There is a difference between the Market Place and backend of public products of 230 that I believe can not be explained by an indexing timing issue.  Can you please help me to understand the discrepancy.  I can not list of Product ID's as I only now became aware of the discrepancy.

I also receive notifications of Likes (very few, but still important to me), but in the backend stats no likes have registered.  It appears that the few that have registered are only from 2020 and none since.  Some followers have liked products and those have not registered.  I would not know that any were missing if not for the "new" notification bell system and checking followers information.

I don't know if these two issues are related in anyway or if there is any others issues going on.  I truly would appreciate (if) my account could be looked at, if possible.

Thank you, JLynnW of JLW_Photography

[JLynnW]

I have discover the following in the Market Place searching by my store's name:

1. If items are "grouped", only one shows and counts as 1 items.

2. If a particular style, size or color that you have chosen for merchandising is not available, the product does not appear or count in the total products despite there being other options available.

3. Quoting Scott, "Also, when products are out of stock we don't show them in the marketplace. We still show them in your store backend so that you can take action on them, though." 

These all help explain discrepancies between the Market Place and the backend. Sorry, I still have not remembered or identified the product again that I could not hide in the Market Place, but I do not believe it was for any of these reasons. It is the missing product that led me to look at total Public #'s by departments to try to locate it.

Another question about the out-of-stock option has arisen. On the backend it shows, but there is no indication of it being o-o-s until you go to the product page so that you may then take action. Is that correct? Also, if an entire line of products such as air fresheners is out of stock, I see no indication of it at all unless I go to an individual product page to check. Again, is that to be expected? 

I only question the validity of stats etc because "Likes" are not registering for me and it is not because they are being unliked/undone.

Thank you.

[JLynnW]

Product ID #256955098147697646 can be found in the Market Place by searching with its Product ID, but it is named "Bug Bright Yellow Sunflower thermal Tumbler" while on its product page it is named correctly "Sunny Bright Big a yellow Sunflower Thermal Tumbler". This glitch could be contributing to the difficulty in finding supposedly missing items, maybe.

[creativebunny]

Hello! I have been noticing this issue as well. I have 200+ missing products as well as a Editor's Pick that appears as such some days and some days, it doesn't show up.

[Westerngirl2]

Here are just a few of mine:

https://www.zazzle.com/cornflower_blue_and_yellow_floral_pattern_throw_pillow-189596849414214009 

When I search for cornflower blue pillow, I get 8 pages of results. This particular pillow, which has sold 30 times, is not among them. However, the matching pillow CASE, which has NEVER sold, is on page 6.

Another one: https://www.zazzle.com/trump_lets_go_brandon_monogram_black_golf_head_cover-256944753615575765 

When I search for Trump Golf Head Covers, I get 4 pages of results, and that one, that has sold 9 times, is not there. Neither is this one: https://www.zazzle.com/red_trump_lets_go_brandon_monogram_golf_head_cover-256379419619076529 , which has sold 5 times.

https://www.zazzle.com/lets_go_brandon_usa_flag_monogram_golf_head_golf_head_cover-25679360587428347... 

When I search for Joe Biden golf head cover, I get only 1 page of results, but the above product is not among them, even though it has Joe Biden as a search term, and has sold 16 times. Nor is this one https://www.zazzle.com/lets_go_brandon_usa_stars_flag_monogram_golf_head_cover-256516258321532387 even though it has sold, also.

These are just the few that I have found in limited time searching. I have family here this weekend, but would probably have more time to look next week.

Thanks so much for starting this thread and looking into this for us.

[Westerngirl2]

An update. This morning (2/26) the first product, the pillow is showing as 1st in the same search, with the cover photo. So that seems to have resolved itself, and seems similar to what some others have seen of products with cover photos..first they are there, then they aren't, and now it's back.

None of the rest of them are showing. I haven't made cover photo's for any of them, but I intend to do that today and see if that "jolts" them back into search. However, if this is common, yikes....I'd have lots of products MIA.

[Scott]

I can find all of these in the marketplace. You may have to try a few search terms.

[Caprice]

"You may have to try a few search terms."  This is interesting.  Do you mean a few search terms together using tags from the product...OR that you have to try different tags to see which ones bring up the product?

Previously, any tags on the product would bring it up in search (if the result set was less than 17 pages), is that right? Even if you had to wade thru to the last page to find it. Is this no longer true? Just trying to understand how it works. 

[Westerngirl2]

I can find them in the marketplace, too. But I can't find them under the best keywords. That's the problem I have with all of my MIA items. I place the keywords most likely to find my items in the title and in the tags. If you have a golf ball like this one offered to the public and have titled it, described it, and put tags in that folks are most likely to find it by....and it doesn't come up in search under those words...what else are we supposed to do? I've sold 164 of these particular golf balls, with over 4,000 views BEFORE this problem started occurring. Now I can't find it under the key word Biden. https://www.zazzle.com/joe_biden_good_lie_golf_balls-256303778516093190 

This is the issue I have with ALL of the items I have listed in this thread. Yes, I can find my own products. I doubt very much that customers can find them, and is one of the reasons my sales are suffering.

There seem to be many issues brought up in this thread. Perhaps some of us worded it incorrectly from the beginning. My issue: I agree that the items are still in the MP. But they cannot be found readily by customers searching for the item using the terms they would use. Why should a customer have to "try a few search terms" when the term most likely to be used by them doesn't bring up my products? Why is THAT happening?

[Westerngirl2]

Here's another one with the exact same problem. Sold 131 with 1399 views, and can't be found under the key word Biden. This obscurity doesn't help either Zazzle or the designer.

https://www.zazzle.com/biden_lets_go_brandon_golf_balls-256729643021448457 

[ColsCreations]

This product #256897273522725100
and this product #189969357175793416

were completely MIA in the MP as of last night, but checking just now, they are findable again. I don't know what changed but thank you!

This product #256321004226284267 however is still MIA which is weird because I had notifications on the 18th & 21st that someone Liked it, plus it sold on the 12th.

[Laura]

This one went missing from the MP sometime last August: # 235473174971381088  

Much appreciate your help!

[Caprice]

For me - missing products have been related to cover photos.  When I remove the cover photos, products reappear.  Also of note: if you use the product number Z has designated for it and search only that in the search box - the product comes up.  Meaning, I guess, it's there - but no WORD titles, tags, or any search string can find them.

[Anne]

That might very well be, @Caprice  Kind of ironic: adding cover photos in order for it to keep appearing in the market place and then finding it's gone. No way to win this one.

[Scott]

I have not noticed this sort of behavior. If you can share some examples I'll be happy to pass them along.

[LoraSeverson]

PID 161688818555007885

[Caprice]

Hi there.  Did you try this search string?  rural country ranch invitation

[LoraSeverson]

I searched the title and it's not listed. I just now searched "rural country ranch invitation" and it is not showing for me. I have a few variations of it. Some of them were for Zazzle Select so they look similar. But this one in particular is not showing. The one missing is the original best selling version of this invite.

[Caprice]

Is this not it? (I'm awful with the different types of wedding stuff. )

[LoraSeverson]

Nope different mockup and that one has a filter added and different fonts used. 

[Caprice]

Ah, sorry...my bad.  

This whole thing is quite frustrating.  I believe it's related to cover photos?  Imagine all the people who've simply uploaded them...then never checked back in the MP and their products were swallowed into oblivion!

[Westerngirl2]

Working in the area of golf head covers...I have 29 from one store that have the key word "monogram". Some of them are brand new, but many have been in the MP for a year or more. Eight of them have sold, most of them multiple times. When I search "monogram golf head cover" I get only 13 pages. There have to be many, many more & should fill the 17 pages that searches allow. Only 3 of mine appear, 2 of them are pretty good sellers, but one has only sold a few times, and the others that have sold more are left out. And the kicker? the 3 that show under that keyword are the ones that I mentioned NOT showing under the keywords in my earlier post. So I'm left to wonder how keywords are being used in search. How do we know which ones will bring results, and why don't all of them? This is only one product line from one store; I'm almost afraid to check other products in my other stores. Anyway, here are the 5 additional ones that are missing from this search. The last three have sold less than 3 times, so I could see them possibly not being included in the search results IF THERE WERE 17 pages of results given.

https://www.zazzle.com/monogram_gold_silhouette_golfer_golf_head_cover-256494994656253359 

https://www.zazzle.com/red_stars_monogram_golf_head_cover-256084345528990954 

https://www.zazzle.com/white_diamonds_monogram_golf_head_cover-256278750106575760 

https://www.zazzle.com/pink_black_stars_monogram_golf_head_cover-256264585371530761

https://www.zazzle.com/aqua_blue_golfer_on_teal_white_golf_head_cover-256870451723189396 

[Caprice]

I find this disheartening bc tags used to be DEAD ON reliable in terms of bringing up a product in search.  😔

[Westerngirl2]

It is disheartening. Disheartening for me today to continue on searching , too. I checked another store of mine, which has only 9 golf head covers, all made quite awhile ago. Six of those have sold, with the best seller sold 29 times, with over 1100 views. Yet NONE of these are listed in that 13 pages of golf head covers when I search for "monogram", even though they all have it in their title and as a key word. I understand that the one that has sold only once may not rate high enough to be included, but one that has sold 29 times? Especially when one from the other store is listed that has sold only once. And, within those 13 pages of monogram covers, there are 6 or 7 of them listed in a row with the same design and just different background color.

This just isn't working.

[Westerngirl2]

Whoops, forgot to give the items so Zazzle can research. Here they are.

https://www.zazzle.com/pink_white_quatrefoil_monogram_golf_head_cover-256999926207125447 

https://www.zazzle.com/teal_white_quatrefoil_monogram_golf_head_cover-256807263179047502 

https://www.zazzle.com/navy_blue_quatrefoil_monogram_golf_head_cover-256420749559276829 

https://www.zazzle.com/navy_blue_quatrefoil_green_monogram_golf_head_cover-256658041217072816 

https://www.zazzle.com/black_white_quatrefoil_red_monogram_golf_head_cover-256960124816809482

These are all similar, with a bit of a different color scheme. But they've sold, two of them quite well. Why would they be treated any differently than the monogram design with different background color that has many of them listed in a row?

[Westerngirl2]

To clarify, when I add quatrefoil to the search term, all of them show up, but with the lesser selling ones listed below the better selling ones, which is interesting. So my main concern is the weight, I guess, given to different key words? The more a customer narrows their search, of course, the more definite results are given, and that's to be expected. But I don't understand how some of these could not appear with the "monogram" key word, which is a wider search term, and again, returned with only 13 pages of results. Just trying to figure out how to use key words and titles going forward.

[Scott]

I see these in the marketplace, as well.

[Caprice]

What's the secret to 1100 views?!  😲

[Scott]

Hi Caprice, I'm really hoping to help out some Creators who have products that are missing from the marketplace. Would it be possible to have this conversation somewhere else?

[Caprice]

Yes. Sorry. Lost my head. I got sidetracked by the impressive 1100 views.