GCU Forum - Custom Cards

Naty_133468

Full Member
artist

Posts: 161

Custom Cards
Mar 18^th, 2010, 7:50am

I had a request from a shopper for a custom card but the phone number she gave is Not In Service. I wonder if this happens a lot? She did not provide instructions just her handle and phone number so I don't know if she was serious or not. She provided the card she was looking at ID#295214 and indicated she only wanted to purchase 9 cards so I am assuming she is not interested in purchasing the minimum amount as stated by GCU of 25 cards! undecided

Back to top

Naty Rosado:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/natyrosado

IP Logged

Tom_133317

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 2169

Re: Custom Cards
Reply #1 - Mar 18^th, 2010, 8:28am

I've found they ignore my minimum specified (Qty 10) and seem to ask for Qty 1 in most cases - generally a birthday or anniversary card. As a result I now emphasis in my message:

"I am very willing to do a custom card for you but ask that you order a minimum of 10 cards of mine in return, including this card. Fair enough? I will finish the custom card within 24 hours in most cases. .... Tom Rent; Freelance artist"

This seems to have kept the requests for "Qty 1" coming but they result in a sale of at least 10 total cards of mine. Wink

I just did this one the other day and the lady was THRILLED! - a card from her to her husband.
http://artist.greetingcarduniverse.com/shopping/zoom.asp?pid=591598&w=1& ref=details_large_view
(she provided the photo and some "story" details on their shotgun wedding for me to add a personal verse.)

After I completed it she did ask "Why does the inside verse look so fussy?" and "Will it print that way?"
I'm getting tired of explaining that to people! Tongue

Back to top

Comical Captions:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/ComicalCaptions

IP Logged

Naty_133468 Full Member artist Posts: 161	Re: Custom Cards Reply #2 - Mar 18^th, 2010, 8:32am Tom thanks for your reply. The person has no email just Little_Queen 2009 so I don't know how to contact her as the phone is NIS!
Back to top	Naty Rosado: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/natyrosado IP Logged

Marion_133078 Senior Member artist Posts: 322	Re: Custom Cards Reply #3 - Mar 18^th, 2010, 9:32am Naty I had a request from the same person I tink. Someone who has nothing else to do I think.
Back to top	Marion's Art Card Store: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/marionsartcards IP Logged

Naty_133468 Full Member artist Posts: 161	Re: Custom Cards Reply #4 - Mar 18^th, 2010, 11:05am Marion did she give you a phone number? The one she gave me is in area code 917 which is in New York. I would like to see if GCU can track her down so she won't waste our time! I sent GCU an e-mail on this!
Back to top	Naty Rosado: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/natyrosado IP Logged

Mindy

GCU Administrator
Community Manager

Posts: 6567
Gender: female

Re: Custom Cards
Reply #5 - Mar 18^th, 2010, 2:44pm

Quote from Naty_133468 on Mar 18^th, 2010, 8:32am:

Tom thanks for your reply. The person has no email just Little_Queen 2009 so I don't know how to contact her as the phone is NIS!

This "little queen" sent around 17 bogus custom requests to different artists today. Angry

No content or containing erroneous content in the request. I say spam and ignore.

Sorry for the inconvenience. We are working on ways that we can prevent this from happening. Sad

Back to top

IP Logged

Mindy

GCU Administrator
Community Manager

Posts: 6567
Gender: female

Re: Custom Cards
Reply #6 - Mar 18^th, 2010, 2:49pm

Quote from Tom_133317 on Mar 18^th, 2010, 8:28am:

I've found they ignore my minimum specified (Qty 10) and seem to ask for Qty 1 in most cases - generally a birthday or anniversary card. As a result I now emphasis in my message:

"I am very willing to do a custom card for you but ask that you order a minimum of 10 cards of mine in return, including this card. Fair enough? I will finish the custom card within 24 hours in most cases. .... Tom Rent; Freelance artist"

This seems to have kept the requests for "Qty 1" coming but they result in a sale of at least 10 total cards of mine. Wink

I just did this one the other day and the lady was THRILLED! - a card from her to her husband.
http://artist.greetingcarduniverse.com/shopping/zoom.asp?pid=591598&w=1& ref=details_large_view
(she provided the photo and some "story" details on their shotgun wedding for me to add a personal verse.)

After I completed it she did ask "Why does the inside verse look so fussy?" and "Will it print that way?"
I'm getting tired of explaining that to people! Tongue

Tom, I'm suspecting this particular instance has to do with that specific font style. Perhaps that's a font we should take offline if online legibility is an issue. Thoughts?

Back to top

IP Logged

Sheryl_133470 Gold Member artist Posts: 705	Re: Custom Cards Reply #7 - Mar 18^th, 2010, 3:28pm I received 7 emails this morning from this same person. Sher
Back to top	Sheryl Kasper Card Store: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/SherylKasperCardStore IP Logged

Tom_133317

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 2169

Re: Custom Cards
Reply #8 - Mar 18^th, 2010, 3:35pm

Mindy, I don't think that is the answer as many of the fonts are fussy especially when the selected size is small. I also like this particular font - it does print out well.

It's the viewer (poor) and the inside verse display size (small). The best answer is to do something like Zazzle does. I don't know how they do it but it is awesome. Crisp as can be and dozens of fonts to pick from. That is the standard.

I really believe a lot of sales are aborted or skipped as shoppers fear those blurry verses may actually printout that way. On some cards the verses are not even legible.

Sadly, I find myself selecting a font and a size that is more legible on the screen when the card really should use a smaller and more elegant font choice in many cases. I'd love this to be resolved. It would be delightful to us and especially to shoppers!

Back to top

Comical Captions:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/ComicalCaptions

IP Logged

Mindy GCU Administrator Community Manager Posts: 6567 Gender:	Re: Custom Cards Reply #9 - Mar 18^th, 2010, 3:37pm Quote from Sheryl_133470 on Mar 18^th, 2010, 3:28pm: I received 7 emails this morning from this same person. Sher I'm sorry .... a few bad eggs will spoil it for everyone.
Back to top	IP Logged

Mindy

GCU Administrator
Community Manager

Posts: 6567
Gender: female

Re: Custom Cards
Reply #10 - Mar 18^th, 2010, 3:39pm

Quote from Tom_133317 on Mar 18^th, 2010, 3:35pm:

Mindy, I don't think that is the answer as many of the fonts are fussy especially when the selected size is small. I also like this particular font - it does print out well.

It's the viewer (poor) and the inside verse display size (small). The best answer is to do something like Zazzle does. I don't know how they do it but it is awesome. Crisp as can be and dozens of fonts to pick from. That is the standard.

I really believe a lot of sales are aborted or skipped as shoppers fear those blurry verses may actually printout that way. On some cards the verses are not even legible.

Sadly, I find myself selecting a font and a size that is more legible on the screen when the card really should use a smaller and more elegant font choice in many cases. I'd love this to be resolved. It would be delightful to us and especially to shoppers!

Thanks Tom. We'll see what we can do.

UPDATE: Sad

Sorry, looked into it and there really is not an easy fix. It would have to be something done along with a complete UI update Sad

Back to top

« Last Edit: Mar 18^th, 2010, 5:50pm by Mindy »

IP Logged