GCU Forum - Hiring more people to approve cards?

Donna_137698 Gold Member artist Posts: 1064	Re: Hiring more people to approve cards? Reply #15 - Oct 18^th, 2010, 4:46pm yes, congrats... I'm there too - junior status... hope something gets done about this - and yes, I'm serious about learning to be a reviewer if there's compensation involved...
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Rebecca_140932 Gold Member artist Posts: 624	Re: Hiring more people to approve cards? Reply #16 - Oct 18^th, 2010, 5:06pm That's great, Donna! That's two that would be interested in the future GCU
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Norma_133903 Senior Member artist Posts: 485	Re: Hiring more people to approve cards? Reply #17 - Oct 19^th, 2010, 1:39am Talking of artists helping with the reviewing, I used to be a reviewer for a photography stock site. Most of the reviewers were artists, and the reward was an increase in the commission rate, variable with the number of reviews done in the previous quarter. Unfortunately that site went bust!
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Donna_137698

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Re: Hiring more people to approve cards?
Reply #18 - Oct 19^th, 2010, 5:19am

I find it rather interesting that you say that... I've been looking at other sites myself and am on one in particular that I certainly don't wait weeks to get my things posted...

If GCU intends to continue growing, then having unhappy artists isn't going to help. I'm sorry if I can't abide by the idea of making cards three to six months out... I just recently got a great photo of a bunch of turkeys and it's at least 2 weeks with no approval yet... I would like this card out for Thanksgiving - I shouldn't have to wait until next year to have this card seen... sorry, but the fact that the reviews are taking so long is not fair to those of us that work certain ways either. Most of my cards come from my photography and Nature doesn't always abide by my needs.

Granted, I'm still very new to this and will try to think ahead, but if something like this happens, do I fast track all my cards from now on just to get them out there in a timely fashion? Now, would THAT be fair to everyone because that idea has crossed my mind too.

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Doreen_137017

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Re: Hiring more people to approve cards?
Reply #19 - Oct 19^th, 2010, 7:32am

Quote from Donna_137698 on Oct 19^th, 2010, 5:19am:

I find it rather interesting that you say that... I've been looking at other sites myself and am on one in particular that I certainly don't wait weeks to get my things posted...

If GCU intends to continue growing, then having unhappy artists isn't going to help. I'm sorry if I can't abide by the idea of making cards three to six months out... I just recently got a great photo of a bunch of turkeys and it's at least 2 weeks with no approval yet... I would like this card out for Thanksgiving - I shouldn't have to wait until next year to have this card seen... sorry, but the fact that the reviews are taking so long is not fair to those of us that work certain ways either. Most of my cards come from my photography and Nature doesn't always abide by my needs.

Granted, I'm still very new to this and will try to think ahead, but if something like this happens, do I fast track all my cards from now on just to get them out there in a timely fashion? Now, would THAT be fair to everyone because that idea has crossed my mind too.

Donna...just a few clarifying points,

The point being made here is that other than yourself and those you send a link 'to see my card', your Thanksgiving card won't likely be found this year. This has NOTHING to do with GCU it is simply how search engine crawling works. Just wanted to make that clear in case it helps you.

I am often inspired by a photograph I just took, make a great card and just have to give in to the fact that if this inspiration came too close to a holiday, then I'm ahead for next year Grin

I'm in this for the long hall and it has paid off greatly.

I too am on many other sites and you're right, we don't wait this long AND people have had their work pulled from those sites days, weeks, even months later when someone declares a potential legal issue. GCU does all that work prior to releasing the card to the public Trademarks and copyrights are checked both on phrases and images. This is really a good thing...I don't deny the fact that it would be nice to have the review staff grow with the company, however I've been here long enough to have gone through a 'new reviewer' and that learning curve is frustrating too.

Fast Track is ONLY for customer requests. Please don't consider abusing it.

Lastly, GCU isn't for everyone - it's kind of a love or hate it thing and we all have to make the decision as to whether its right for us.

Just food for thought.

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Linda_132742 Gold Member artist Posts: 1796	Re: Hiring more people to approve cards? Reply #20 - Oct 19^th, 2010, 8:32am Well put, Doreen...I am in total agreement with you, and just to emphasize "Let's not abuse the 'fast track' feature!" It is a very good addition to this site when used for Customer Requests Only.
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Donna_137698

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Re: Hiring more people to approve cards?
Reply #21 - Oct 19^th, 2010, 8:47am

Let ME clarify...

I for one wouldn't ever think to abuse anything and I've made that point before when I inadvertently used a combo artist fee with a free shipping offer. I simply was just trying to make a point as far as suggesting the fast track thing (and considering that I do have family and friends who would like to see my work, would that qualify?)... and if you are telling me that my Thanksgiving cards won't be seen until next year then I find that hard to believe when it's a full month or better away. I'm at a stalemate here unless I make and print my own for their use and I haven't the equipment to do that so I prefer to go with GCU because I think it is a good deal overall with good print quality and paper.

however, let's think this out in a reasonable fashion as this issue has cropped up so many times that I simply don't understand why it's not being dealt with - and if it is, then I apologize NOW for my ignorance. Why can't this get fixed so this issue doesn't keep coming up in thread after thread after thread... someone said that this site has had an influx of new artists (I'll put my hand up as one of them) - but nothing is being done per say about equalizing the number of reviewers? I can't help but wonder just how overwhelmed the reviewers must be with the holidays coming.

Is GCU for me? I wouldn't know right now... I'm still too new at this game to judge... what does it take to become a reviewer?

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Lj_135293

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Re: Hiring more people to approve cards?
Reply #22 - Oct 19^th, 2010, 9:01am

Hi Donna.

No.. I do not think that friends and family wanting to see them qualifies for Fast Track. F.T. is for actual customer requests only so they can be serviced quickly here between the artist and the buyer.. However.. You can put them into your private gallery for friends and family to see (waive review - private gallery only) but they will not be part of the general site for other potential buyers to view or even find through the search etc.

Hope that helps.

Lj

p.s. many of your questions-comments do have info-discussions here in the forums You can use the search engine here in the forum to find them easier.

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Donna_137698

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Re: Hiring more people to approve cards?
Reply #23 - Oct 19^th, 2010, 9:10am

LJ and Doreen

Thanks for the input as I know you are both sharing your extended experiences with someone still learning the ropes and yes it's all fine and dandy - however, the issue remains... what's being done about the review process? I don't want these put into a private gallery - already had a mess with that happening when I didn't want it done in the first place and I have no control over moving them into "general population" afterward... I want them available for all to see, including fam/friends.

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Penny_134243

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Re: Hiring more people to approve cards?
Reply #24 - Oct 19^th, 2010, 9:34am

Quote from Donna_137698 on Oct 19^th, 2010, 9:10am:

LJ and Doreen

Thanks for the input as I know you are both sharing your extended experiences with someone still learning the ropes and yes it's all fine and dandy - however, the issue remains... what's being done about the review process? I don't want these put into a private gallery - already had a mess with that happening when I didn't want it done in the first place and I have no control over moving them into "general population" afterward... I want them available for all to see, including fam/friends.

Hi, Donna,

While I can't do anything to speed up and/or change the current review process, I have an idea that I hope will help you:

When you upload an image for an upcoming holiday, a holiday which is really close, like Thanksgiving is here in the US, right now, why not make TWO cards from that image? Try this:

Use the image once and create a card that you can put immediately into your Private Gallery (which was Lj's suggestion) by waiving the review. That card will show up in your Private Gallery in minutes. Then just send a link to your Private Gallery to any of your friends or family members whom you want to share the card. People can buy cards from your Private Gallery; it's the exact same process as buying any other card here on the site.

Use the image a second time to create a card for a specific category. This card you will submit to be reviewed. When that card is approved, then you'll have it out there in the vast GCUniverse.

I really like Doreen's comment about being ready for the next year, when making cards too close to the holiday. This is usually my personal experience, and I'm okay with it.

I hope that this helps!

Penny

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Lj_135293

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Re: Hiring more people to approve cards?
Reply #25 - Oct 19^th, 2010, 9:44am

Exactly Penny. I was just gonna write that too and you did so 1st. Cool

Donna.>>> You can have a store on "Z" or on "RB" and get them posted all in a heartbeat for your friends and family.. Decide much about the price points too. They are both very diff site's from this one in many ways>> both good and bad but an alternative for you if you wish..

Like Penny and Doreen have said.. We would all like to see things maybe be a little diff here in a few departments but it is what it is... for today anyway~

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Eve_138255

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Re: Hiring more people to approve cards?
Reply #26 - Oct 19^th, 2010, 2:15pm

I would like to add that I have work on Zazzle and Red Bubble, all instantly available to the public.

However, I have never made a sale on Zazzle and only two sales on Red Bubble. In spite of the long review times on GCU, I have sold 241 cards here. Not many in comparison to some people, but it took a while to build up my store, so my sales have all been in the last few months.

And to prove a point on how long it takes for search engines to find your card. Pick a recent card that is in your store and Google it using the keywords that you've used. You could look through hundreds and hundreds of cards and not find it. Keep Googleing the same card at regular intervals and see how long it takes Google to pick it up.
Eve

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Ernestine_131365

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Re: Hiring more people to approve cards?
Reply #27 - Oct 19^th, 2010, 9:00pm

Quote from Donna_137698 on Oct 19^th, 2010, 8:47am:

. . . I can't help but wonder just how overwhelmed the reviewers must be with the holidays coming.

As far as the reviewers are concerned the holidays aren't coming -- they're HERE, and have been for several months. Many of these 1000 new artists in the past few months are very likely submitting cards NOW that they expect will be "out there" for sales in Nov and December. . . along with all the other "anytime" cards being submitted. . . and it's just not going to happen. Sad

. . .even if they were approved in days.
I do agree that there is definitely room for improvement in the review area though. Yet I do believe that artists should be aware (or clearly given the info) that holiday cards need to be submitted months before-hand so that their expectations are more realistic. Licensing designers are often working 12 to 18 months ahead of retail sales.

-ernerstine

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Donna_137698

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Re: Hiring more people to approve cards?
Reply #28 - Oct 21^st, 2010, 7:19am

ok here's my problem... if there is a need for reviewers, then like the tag of this thread asks - WHY aren't there more being hired on?

As for learning the ropes and getting my cards out in a timely fashion... no matter if I make them now or later... does this mean it's just going to be company policy to take minimum two weeks to get a review done? Maybe artists need to be told this - OR even better - have a tutorial for newbies. If I knew this up front, maybe that would have been great information to have when I got started here, especially that reviews were done so promptly. And if I missed it, then again I APOLOGIZE. For those of you who have been in the biz much longer, you know the ropes... I'm learning on the fly since I've never been told such things. So I apologize for my apparent pushiness. I guess for me it just doesn't make sense that if there's a bottleneck in the program, you fix it.

Question - I have a card that was sent back for edits... do I now wait another 2 weeks for this to be dealt with?

I'm sorry if I seem pushy or simply don't understand... but I simply don't see the logic in taking forever for reviews if there is a shortage of reviewers. If that be the case, then wouldn't it seem logical then to ask artists to hold off on designs until the backlog is dealt with - or limit the number of cards submitted until the backlog is dealt with - OR more reviewers are trained and hired? It doesn't seem like rocket science to me that the reviewing situation does need to be dealt with - whether I submit new cards for being seen NOW or six months from now. I joined here to try and make some money if anyone wants to know my motivation...

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Linda_132742 Gold Member artist Posts: 1796	Re: Hiring more people to approve cards? Reply #29 - Oct 21^st, 2010, 7:50am Hey Donna....Good news!!!! When a card is returned for edits it does not take long for approval. I've had resubs approved much, much more quickly.
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