Tom,
I haven't had any requests from "Marsha", but I have had 2 different requests from 2 other people for custom cards, one for 75 the other for 25 that haven't (yet) resulted in sales.  Hope there isn't a request virus/bug/germ out there!
Linda

Tom, with your number-crunching brain you can probably wrap your mind around this idea better, but I was thinking about this whole custom card thing. I have had five custom card requests now, which resulted in quite a bit of time on my end, and only one sale of one card resulted. I understand GCU wants to offer the best to it's customers. But if you go to anyone nowadays for graphic design, they are going to charge you a million dollars per hour. If GCU would just put one option to add text or a photo to the front of an existing card, where a customer could do it themselves. I think the surge in sales would be incredible. If an artist does a custom request, they should be paid a flat fee based on the difficulty of the design, with a deposit paid upfront. For example: text changed: $10.00. Color changed: $5.00, and so on and so forth.

Well, I currently have 9 requests that I put up, one order for 3025, one order for 3040, another for 140, another for 125, and I can't even remember what the others were for, but never one sale. I like getting requests, but now each time I wonder if the customer will even return. I too wonder if they are not just some sort of phising things to get our email addresses. I am really wondering if communications should not remain through GCU at this point. Anyhow- it is a little disheartening to say the least.
But live and learn I guess.

Hi All,
I have had three custom requests so far, all were wedding related and asked for a simple text change for different relation or attendant. For each one I sold 'the' card and the customers were very nice.
 
Then the other day I received this custom request below;
 
Shopper Information
Name: 111
Email: (What looked to be a valid email address was inserted here)
Phone: 1111
Intended Order Quantity: 11111
 
Product id: 427388
111's Custom Card Request:
111111
 
Shopper's Images:
Image 1: EFileManager.exe
 
NOTE the attached file under 'Shopper's images'. I was suspicious and sent it to the team at GCU and did not open the image. They advised to NOT OPEN the attached file as .exe files can be malicious, which I looked into online and found to be so. I did not know this, that's why I am posting because it is something I think folks need to be aware of.
 
I do not want to start a panic on opening any attachments that come with custom requests, I am sure most are legitimate. BUT if you have any cause for suspicion as in the fields not being properly filled out like in the example above or it is an .exe file perhaps have it checked out first.  
 
Pamela  
 
 

PAM ... now there are some RED FLAGs there!  Seems GCU may need to put some filters on these requests:
 
1.  Must be a signed in shopper
2.  Must provide a matching name and phone
3.  Must match the desired min QTY and agree to the terms
4.  Must only attach legit graphics file types.
 
You did the right thing!

Hi Pamela,
 
Thank you for sharing your experience with us so that others will know to be alert.  It is a shame that people do not always have respect for the custom card request process.  I think Tom hit on a good point though, if a customer has to be signed in before they can make a custom request, the request would certainly seem more legitimate.  I have had a few of these oddball requests myself...someone wanting cards for 25 of their wedding party and not saying which ones and going on and on (went back and forth and nothing materialized) and just the other day I had a request in a foreign language that I did not even know which language it was!  
 
I think we all just need to do as Pamela did and trust our instincts.  I also have an e-mail address I use only for custom card requests, so if someone is just looking for e-mail addresses they will not have my primary address.  In addition, I have added to my comments when people make a request that I am an independent artist and I have added my picture.  I think if people see that they are making a request to a real person and not a "yellow rose" they will have more respect for the process.
 
Just a few thoughts and thanks again Pamela.
Kathy

My Martha is a Mary.... only one custom request for 50 cards and because it was my first time posting in private gallery, I followed-up to see that she was able to access from the link I sent her. No reponse to emails, no sale. Tom, by my math, if it took an hour to custom tweak one card for Martha, for minimum 10 card order, that's ONLY $5. an hour wages. I think minimums need to be higher. With over 300,000 card choices, custom should be restricted to quantity requests. The Filters, at least, might weed out non serious requests. Another starter would be to change 'Request a Custom Designed Card at NO additional Cost.' feature text line to 'Request Custom Designed Cards' (plural!!!) at NO additional Cost. Measures or instructions do need to be put in place to ensure serious query only is used for custom card requests. Buyers who are not serious or do not meet minimum card requirements still have the option of posting a Wanted Card request to the entire artist community. Cheers, Lisa