GCU Forum - Have you done a custom card lately?

Janet_134086

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 610

Re: Have you done a custom card lately?
Reply #30 - Feb 6^th, 2010, 6:12pm

Thank you from me too Tom, for posting this and everyone that replied, thank you as well.
I had my first request yesterday, and I had no trouble in knowing what to do before and after the sale.

Mine was a total change of card...as she liked the design one of my cards, but wanted a custom card made from it for her mom.

From This..
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/-Birthday-Custom+Photo+Card-Balloons-greetin g+card-534278?pid=534278&page=1&aid=134086&ref=cb_card_title

To This..
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/community/viewdetails.asp?pid=565374&pag e=1&aid=134086&ref=cb_card_title

She wrote me and said she loved it...and would keep me in mind as her office is always throwing parties for people. So, I`m glad she was a satisfied customer.

Really good suggestions in this thread,I agree!
Hugs, Janet Lee

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Janet Lee Designs:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/janetleedesigns

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Linda_132742 Gold Member artist Posts: 1796	Re: Have you done a custom card lately? Reply #31 - Feb 6^th, 2010, 7:15pm Janet, Very nice job! Linda
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Linda_132742 Gold Member artist Posts: 1796	Re: Have you done a custom card lately? Reply #32 - Feb 6^th, 2010, 7:16pm oops...double post, errrrrrrrrrrr, sorry.........lol Linda
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Christine_135506

Junior Member
artist

Posts: 55

Re: Have you done a custom card lately?
Reply #33 - Feb 10^th, 2010, 12:02pm

I just had a disappointing custom card request experience...... but a lesson learned! The customer wanted me to send her a different inside verse....now I'm no writer but I thought I would give it a go, so I came up with a couple different ones for her and THEN tried to email her.....it was then that I noticed her email was not a correct email and her phone number was one digit too many....so obviously a phony request! I have now learned to reply immediately to the email and let the customer know I'm working on their changes BEFORE I do any work! Granted it didn't take me too much time to come up with some verses (it could have been worse) but I did do it while taking care of 3 sick 18 month olds!!

So lesson learned email first!!

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Little Munchkins card store:
http://artist.greetingcarduniverse.com/littlemunchkins

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Tom_133317 Gold Member artist Posts: 2169	Re: Have you done a custom card lately? Reply #34 - Feb 10^th, 2010, 12:19pm Sorry to hear that Christine. I wonder if shoppers need to sign-in before being allowed to issue a custom request. That should eliminate the bad info. On the bright side, now you have some new verses to use for this card or other cards! Thanks for sharing your experience ... and 3 babies?! No thanks!!! TOM
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Pamela_135500 Gold Member artist Posts: 1945	Re: Have you done a custom card lately? Reply #35 - Feb 10^th, 2010, 12:34pm Nicely done Janet you did a very nice job on that I'm sure they'll be back. Christine so sorry, for the 'non'request and three sick babies Pamela
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Joan_135833

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 591

Re: Have you done a custom card lately?
Reply #36 - Feb 10^th, 2010, 2:07pm

I'd like to cast my vote for Penny's suggestion of having a choice presented to the customer between asking a question about customization or indicating plans to order. I've had a couple of experiences that turned out fine, but despite my having been communicative, I didn't know until the last moment (read: receiving GCU e-mail sales notification) what would happen.

I also think that the idea of a deposit, suggested in another thread on this subject, is a good one. Some contributors to this site have obviously suffered a loss of time and effort which shouldn't have to occur, and I don't feel that they (we, I really mean although I've been lucky so far) should have to choose between accepting requests with large risks attached and not accepting any out of self-protection.

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MissPrinteditions:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/missprinteditions

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Tom_133317 Gold Member artist Posts: 2169	Re: Have you done a custom card lately? Reply #37 - Feb 10^th, 2010, 2:47pm It's becoming increasingly clear that Artists are going to sour on this Custom Card feature if there is no mechanism in place to assure an order matching the minimum specified quantity is placed after receiving a legitimate custom request.
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cheryl_133782 Gold Member artist Posts: 1350	Re: Have you done a custom card lately? Reply #38 - Feb 10^th, 2010, 2:58pm Another thread was started over here http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/forum/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1265834481/0 I put the link up to this one....but seems a few more unhappy artists....I don't know what the solution will be. shrugs Cheryl
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Christine_135506

Junior Member
artist

Posts: 55

Re: Have you done a custom card lately?
Reply #39 - Feb 10^th, 2010, 3:24pm

Thanks Tom and Pam for your sympathies.... it sucks that people don't have anything else to do in their day than to make up fake requests but what can one do!

as far as custom requests go..... I believe it could be a great thing, but I don't have any suggestions on how to "fix" the no sale issue. I do think that charging an extra fee or asking for a deposit will put off customers but it may also ensure that only serious customers ask for custom cards....don't have any answers here.....

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Little Munchkins card store:
http://artist.greetingcarduniverse.com/littlemunchkins

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Mindy

GCU Administrator
Community Manager

Posts: 6567
Gender: female

Re: Have you done a custom card lately?
Reply #40 - Feb 11^th, 2010, 5:18pm

Quote from cheryl_133782 on Feb 5^th, 2010, 4:34pm:

In "global settings" you can add a message for you custom settings so I added this message

"*** Please note: I am a freelance artist with my cards for sale on GCU so please take this into consideration when making a custom request that you will follow through with the sale as I have given my time and effort to you to make the changes that you have asked for. Thank you...Cheryl"

I want to word it better than I have so will give it more thought...only thing is I think that they receive this message after they've made the initial request...I'd like for the customer to get "the message" before they've made the request but even if I add it somewhere in my store I'm still not sure the customer will understand or take it into consideration.

Cheryl

Shoppers see this message BEFORE and AFTER they submit their request.

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Mindy

GCU Administrator
Community Manager

Posts: 6567
Gender: female

Re: Have you done a custom card lately?
Reply #41 - Feb 11^th, 2010, 5:20pm

Quote from Mindy on Feb 11^th, 2010, 5:18pm:

Quote from cheryl_133782 on Feb 5^th, 2010, 4:34pm:

In "global settings" you can add a message for you custom settings so I added this message

"*** Please note: I am a freelance artist with my cards for sale on GCU so please take this into consideration when making a custom request that you will follow through with the sale as I have given my time and effort to you to make the changes that you have asked for. Thank you...Cheryl"

I want to word it better than I have so will give it more thought...only thing is I think that they receive this message after they've made the initial request...I'd like for the customer to get "the message" before they've made the request but even if I add it somewhere in my store I'm still not sure the customer will understand or take it into consideration.

Cheryl

Shoppers see this message BEFORE and AFTER they submit their request.

We are following this and the other related thread before we chime in w/ any new suggestions.

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cheryl_133782 Gold Member artist Posts: 1350	Re: Have you done a custom card lately? Reply #42 - Feb 11^th, 2010, 5:43pm Thanks for clarifying about the message Mindy I've never used the custom card icon so had no idea what came up. Cheryl
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