GCU Forum - Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid

Mindy

GCU Administrator
Community Manager

Posts: 6566
Gender: female

Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid
Jun 16^th, 2010, 2:14pm

We have had a handful of returned orders from shoppers who did not receive what they expected. Specifically "embossed" cards as described in the cards' titles, keywords and/or artist's notes.

For this reason please use care to avoid misleading descriptions having to do with the paper texture or embellishments. Please avoid the use of descriptive words that may be misleading to the shopper giving them the incorrect impression that the texture or physical elements of the card/paper are tangible and real 3D effects vs. digital effects. For example: embossed, handmade, foil, postcard, etc. Consider wording more clearly like: embossed-look, embossed-like, handmade-effect, postcard-look etc. You can also describe the effects more clearly in your Artist's Notes section.

Please consider editing any of your cards that use terms like these that may set the wrong expectation.

Thank you!

Back to top

« Last Edit: Jul 8^th, 2010, 1:06pm by Mindy »

IP Logged

Mary__137064

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 515

Re: Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid
Reply #1 - Jun 16^th, 2010, 2:47pm

I have number cards with keywords, hand painted, and I will remove those and add taken from or look or effect.

It will give me the opportunity to straighten up other flaws I may encounter, like my 2009 cards that popped up in that bunch. I thought I took those out already!

I am all about keeping customers satisfied and happy with their purchase from my store and will do whatever I can to make it happen.

Thanks, Mindy!

Bright

Back to top

Bright's Greeting Card Boutique:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/Bright

IP Logged

Sandra_133229 Gold Member artist Posts: 787	Re: Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid Reply #2 - Jun 16^th, 2010, 2:52pm I had three cards in this category that I took care of. I'm happy to oblige
Back to top	Sandra Rose Designs: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/SandraRoseDesigns IP Logged

Ernestine_131365

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 853

Re: Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid
Reply #3 - Jun 16^th, 2010, 4:33pm

Mindy-

Would this also apply to using the phrase "'gold' ('silver') border" ? I'm assuming it would. I recently had a large sale of a card the included "gold border," I'm hoping it wasn't one of those with problems Shocked

I've gone ahead and deleted those keywords as well as a few "embossed." Would it be inappropriate to put in artists notes (the ones buyers CAN see): 'This card has an embossed look, yet is a flat printed card' ?

'e'

Back to top

Ernestine's Easel:
http://artist.greetingcarduniverse.com/ErnestinesEasel

IP Logged

Mindy

GCU Administrator
Community Manager

Posts: 6566
Gender: female

Re: Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid
Reply #4 - Jun 16^th, 2010, 5:29pm

Quote from Ernestine_131365 on Jun 16^th, 2010, 4:33pm:

Mindy-

Would this also apply to using the phrase "'gold' ('silver') border" ? I'm assuming it would. I recently had a large sale of a card the included "gold border," I'm hoping it wasn't one of those with problems Shocked

I've gone ahead and deleted those keywords as well as a few "embossed." Would it be inappropriate to put in artists notes (the ones buyers CAN see): 'This card has an embossed look, yet is a flat printed card' ?

'e'

Any names of colors should be fine. Gold or Silver could be misunderstood but we don't want to split hairs here so I think those would be fine and we're more leery of terms like foil, metallic, gold leaf, glitter, etc. Feel free to use any of these in a modified form like gold leaf-like, gold foil-look, etc.

A more detailed description as you suggest in the Artist's Notes would be an ideal solution.

Thanks for getting quick to work editing

Back to top

IP Logged

Marie_134287

Senior Member
artist

Posts: 266

Re: Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid
Reply #5 - Jan 21^st, 2011, 5:59pm

Wow, I don't know why but it never occurred to me that people would be returning cards (ouch) or that they take keywords so literally. But today, there are so many cards being sold that do contain real ribbon, real lace, real buttons & beads, etc. I could see where people can get confused. I will be more cautious now. There is a lot to learn and keywords are very important. I can only imagine the spectrum of things reviewers need to know. When I get a card back and read the reviewer's notes, sometimes I can be seen doing the homer simpson "d o o k" gesture, with my hand to my forehead.

Back to top

Naquaiya's Cards:
http://artist.greetingcarduniverse.com/naquaiya

IP Logged

Norma_133903

Senior Member
artist

Posts: 485

Re: Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid
Reply #6 - Jun 9^th, 2011, 12:26am

Would it not be better not to let the customers see the keywords at all?

If a customer is searching on Google for a cards with a picture of a diamond, they are not going to enter 'diamond-effect'. Cards with this term in the keywords will rank much further down the search rankings than a card with the keyword of just diamond, and we will lose the sale.
Just don't put the keywords on the page where customers can see them!

The titles and artists notes need to be adjusted, I agree, and we can point out that effects are printed there, but we are losing out in searches by changing the keywords.

Back to top

Supercards:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/Supercards

IP Logged

Mindy

GCU Administrator
Community Manager

Posts: 6566
Gender: female

Re: Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid
Reply #7 - Jun 9^th, 2011, 11:29am

Quote from Norma_133903 on Jun 9^th, 2011, 12:26am:

Would it not be better not to let the customers see the keywords at all?

If a customer is searching on Google for a cards with a picture of a diamond, they are not going to enter 'diamond-effect'. Cards with this term in the keywords will rank much further down the search rankings than a card with the keyword of just diamond, and we will lose the sale.
Just don't put the keywords on the page where customers can see them!

The titles and artists notes need to be adjusted, I agree, and we can point out that effects are printed there, but we are losing out in searches by changing the keywords.

Today in the card image rollover customers do not see the keywords although they do at the very bottom of the card details page:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/-Birthday+partyInvitation+card+with+diamonds -greeting+card-816614

Using terms like "diamond like" or "diamond effect" will not prevent your card from resulting in a search for "diamond" so you are not losing out on searches.

I see your note to shopper's which is ideal in the Artist's Notes field, well done:
"Artist Notes: The diamonds on this card are illustrations, not the real thing!"

Many shoppers do not realize that our cards are print on demand and that some of the design elements that they see are merely printed. When card images look to be "the real deal" it poses a real problem.

Back to top

IP Logged

Norma_133903

Senior Member
artist

Posts: 485

Re: Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid
Reply #8 - Jun 10^th, 2011, 12:03am

Quote from Mindy on Jun 9^th, 2011, 11:29am:

Using terms like "diamond like" or "diamond effect" will not prevent your card from resulting in a search for "diamond" so you are not losing out on searches.

The review asked me to put the phrase diamond-like. Note the hyphen. This is an exact phrase that will not return a high position in searches for the words diamond.
I added the phrases requested to all 43 cards and resubmitted. This took a lot of juggling to get all the keywords I feel the cards warrant within the number of letters assigned.
They were again returned. I have not got time for this, I have deleted them.

Back to top

Supercards:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/Supercards

IP Logged

Maria_133363

Full Member
artist

Posts: 169

Re: Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid
Reply #9 - Jul 12^th, 2011, 3:29pm

I neveer thought customers were that ignorant. Now it is causing GCU problems when they return the cards that did not have a REAL ribbon/bow on it. What were they thinking?

I have over 2600 cards that I need to change keywords. We need to enter keywords like "gem-like"... "star-like"... "ribbon-like"..."fur-like?
Riduculous!

GCU should display a disclaimer somewhere... somehow that customers can see that we don't have fur, gold, ribbons, bow, stars, and gems literally on our cards.

Back to top

Click-A-Pic:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/click_a_pic

IP Logged

Doreen_137017

Gold Member
artist

Posts: 5273

Re: Descriptive Words/Terms to Avoid
Reply #10 - Jul 12^th, 2011, 4:06pm

I add this type of note to my artist notes...You'll find an example on this card. This way I am protecting both myself and GCU if someone complains. The reviewer commented that this note was a great addition when the card was approved.

http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/-Seasons+Greetings+from+The+Green+Mountain+S tate+Vermont-greeting+card-831722?pid=831722&gcu=43045123714

Just offering it as an option.

Back to top

Salon of Art:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/SalonOfArt

IP Logged