Quote from Deborah_133004 on Oct 28^th, 2010, 1:51am:

 
I'd sold about 1000 cards while just having just under 100 cards in my store. I have very few multiples, and actually I find that method doesn't work so well for me. (But that's just me) I still have less than 200, very few multiples and find that the cards that sell best are ones that have had a lot of exposure in the search engines . . . and that just plain takes time (and heavy marketing . . . which I haven't been totally on top of   ) The same marketing system doesn't work for everyone, for every type of card or every site.  
 
I do agree with others that we (GCU) needs a better way to search for and present multiples that is compatible with the sites internal search as well as with the major outside search engines. . . one that doesn't just entail having to enroll in the whole artist customization thing (a whole "nuther" bees nest.)  
 
But I certainly do NOT think that artists creating multiples are in any way guilty of "creative abuse" as this market is quite viable, it's just the site presentation that needs tweeking . . . for everyone's benefit.  Some newer artists aren't aware of the changes and growth GCU has gone through in the past four years.  Everything doesn't happen as quickly as we would like, but the admin does listen to it's artists far more than on many other sites and we (artists) owe it to ourselves to listen (read) to each other, badmouthing accomplishes nothing.
 
'e'

Quote from Ernestine_131365 on Oct 28^th, 2010, 10:35pm:

 
 
i agree with Ernestine and hasten to add i was not accusing anyone of abusing the site nor any one of not taking time on their cards.  it is so time consuming to do these, not to mention the amount of space they take up on your storage, that is part of the reason i do not do them. i tried but  i can't stick with it for more than 10 cards.  
 
i do have some as i said.  but i have not ventured into the multiples except on age or anniversary cards ( not including wedding cards or those types because they are in a different nature)  my age and anniversary are a very tight range of cards so i do have multiples but in a smaller quantity.
 
 it is the way that they are presented in new cards that cause a problem for the most part. i had not thought about the search problems.  it is just the page after page after page on new cards that aggravates me.  there should be a way to represent one and thus have it be seen, but keep those new card pages fresh.  and yes there have been lots of changes since i got here late in 2006 i think, and some things that stay the same.  some times it hits a nerve and we scream a little then we settle down.

I would like to appologise for my previous statement that appeared to be an attack on people who have been friendly and supportive. It slipped out out of hurt and anger at what appeared to be a somewhat personal attack by what was really only one person.
 
With regards to trying to offer solutions I would like to say that if you are looking for an age/name/relationship specific card you will most likely enter that age/name/relationship into you search and this is very effective as Mindy's example clearly shows. However if you are after a more general card or just plain surfing these cards are also included and I also agree that this is not a good look.
 
Explaining to Artists on the forum how to better search does not help shoppers as I would hope that it is not just Artists buying cards.
 
My solution would have been to remove these sub-categories from searches that do not include them but it seems that this is not an option so would it be possible to take a Google approach and not show similar results. It shouldn't be hard to pick image repeats as they will all have the same Artist and 99.9% of the same keywords.
 
A search on "Dress and Shoe" will also bring up a lot of image repeats mine included and I feel that I am limiting the exposure of any Artists unfortunate enough to use this phrase after me as buyers will have to go through pages of my results to see other Artists cards.
 
I want my cards to sell but not because I have made it impossible for others to get exposure.
 
My reasons for using image repeats is because it is almost impossible to get noticed in the general categories as they are so full of previously uploaded extreamly good quality cards. The Artists that did these rightly deserve the places they have earned and I have no desire to take that away from them unfortunately the only other way to get noticed is the sub-categories and being much more specific one sub-category is not going to get noticed as much as the general ones.
 
I would love to just put one image up and would really like to know if customers do request custom cards.
 
With regards to Zazzle, I have looked at this but found it confussing to start with and at this stage I do not wish to do anything but cards nor do I have the time to invest in another site. Also as much as I have repeated my images I would like it to only be used as it is and do not want to offer it up to the public to do with as they like.
 
I am happy with GCU, the Staff, Site, Artists and forum so will spend what time I can spare on building my store on this site.
 
Thank you for all the help and support I have received and I hope that this issue can get resolved soon.