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NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text (Read 44639 times)
Mindy
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NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Aug 4th, 2011, 3:35pm
 
Today we are announcing a new card creation process that enables artists to create Custom Front Cards allowing shoppers to customize the front card images and text on their own!  The first introduction of this process is Custom Photo Cards (with an option to customize text).  Soon after we'll release a Custom Front for text only option.
 
Big benefits!  This will take artists out of the loop of customizing photo cards and minimize wait time for shoppers.  Also this will allow GCU to readily offer a collection of Photo Cards for 3rd party sales.  It is clear that customizable cards is a fast growing trend for card shoppers and GCU needs to be a player in this space.  
 
Starting September 1st, GCU will be:
1.  Introducing a new shopper Custom Front interface allowing shoppers to customize these cards on their own  
2.  Taking down all “old style” photo cards and returning them to artists for edits.  These are photo cards that have been created and uploaded to GCU to date.  Please consider revising these existing photo cards (updating them with the new PNG format) and creating new ones for all occasions and holidays with this new process.   We will provide specific instructions in a separate post on how to easily revise existing cards without having to go through the entire create a card process from scratch.  
3.  Moving all new style photo cards from Private to Public (*see  below)
 
BEFORE September 1st:
We are currently working with a national photo retailer to feature GCU Photo Card content on their store kiosks.  In order for your photo cards to be considered for this partner’s 2011 winter holiday sales we are putting a specific call out for new photo cards in the following categories that need to be created AND approved BEFORE 9/1.  They will begin their selection process starting August 15th so hurry, the early bird catches the worm!  * Up until 9/1 new Custom Front cards will be auto-set for Private and automatically get expedited review:  
-          Halloween
-          Thanksgiving
-          Christmas (religious and non religious)
-          Season’s Greetings
-          Hanukkah
-          Kwanzaa
-          New Year’s
 
Important Steps in the new process:
1.  Create your card design with transparent areas (for photo insertion) and upload in PNG format (JPG is not accepted for Custom Front Cards)
2.  In the Create a Card process note a new field, “Card Front” with options Standard and Custom.  Choose Custom.
3.  Next are 3 steps to define the Custom Front process:    
   a. define the transparent area(s) zone where the photo(s) should be placed
   b. select and position a stock place holder image (from GCU’s provided collection)
   c. define and create custom text (optional)  
4.  Until 9/1 all Custom Front cards will be auto-set to Private for expedited review & reside in Private Galleries until we introduce the Custom Front shopper interface scheduled for 9/1
5.  Note: different than before, new card images with custom content (photos and/or text) that you upload to GCU should NOT have any place holder or instructional text like “contact artist” or “your photo here” on the image.
 
The following video from GCUWiki.com demonstrates the process for creating a Custom Front card: http://www.gcuwiki.com/gcuu.html  
 
Please let us know if you have any questions and looking forward to your new creations!    And as usual please let us know if you notice any odd happenings or gremlins.
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Peggy_137160
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #1 - Aug 4th, 2011, 3:51pm
 
Mindy - where do we go to find the GCU approved place-holder photos?
 
Would GCU please choose a generic dog/cat head shot to add to those photos?  Some of my "your photo here" cards are specifically animal related, and without a GCU approved place-holder photo, I'm up a creek.  
 
Thank you!  This sounds exciting!
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Doreen_137017
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #2 - Aug 4th, 2011, 3:55pm
 
WOW!  FANTASTIC!!  I'm off to give it a go!  
 
and THANK YOU Tom for the GREAT video instructions!!!  
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Mindy
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #3 - Aug 4th, 2011, 4:07pm
 
Quote from Peggy_137160 on Aug 4th, 2011, 3:51pm:
Mindy - where do we go to find the GCU approved place-holder photos?

Would GCU please choose a generic dog/cat head shot to add to those photos?  Some of my "your photo here" cards are specifically animal related, and without a GCU approved place-holder photo, I'm up a creek.

Thank you!  This sounds exciting!

 
Hi Peggy,  
You have an opportunity to view/choose these placeholder photos via the card creation process.  It is part of a 3 step process when creating a custom front card.  There are 6 photos with pets (2 cats, 2 dogs and 2 dogs with kids).  You can find these easily once you go to choose a photo by using the Pets tab.
 
Take a peek and let me know what you think.
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Sheryl_133470
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #4 - Aug 4th, 2011, 4:08pm
 
Great news.  Sounds like a wonderful new feature.  Thank you for adding it.  I am sure buyers will love to be able to make these changes quickly.  Looking forward to designing for this new process.
 
I just watched your video tutorial Tom, and it is very helpful.  
 
Thanks ... Sher  
 
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Tracie_152843
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #5 - Aug 4th, 2011, 4:17pm
 
This is so exciting! I've wanted to make photo card from the moment I opened my store, but could never figure out how. Now after watching the video and the the new options, I can finally do it.
 
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Joan_135833
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #6 - Aug 4th, 2011, 4:23pm
 
This is a great and grand development! I have several small queries:
 
I was wondering if a specific Season's Greetings subcategory could be added for the photo cards; as it stands now, they have nowhere to go but in the Christmas category.
 
Also, I noticed that choosing Custom did not automatically engage the Private classification (to let our tech team know).
 
And...I am curious if we should be using "Photo Card" in our titles, keywords, etc.
 
I guess that's all for the moment except to relay huge thanks!
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Doreen_137017
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #7 - Aug 4th, 2011, 4:48pm
 
Okay...there aren't any square people images appropriate for a Holiday Cards.  There is one for business and a square for pet, but none of families or kids or babies.
 
So...please add for a better look and fit to square and round openings.
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Doreen_137017
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #8 - Aug 4th, 2011, 6:28pm
 
I've successfully uploaded my first and it was easy and looks great!
 
It does auto-classify it as Private.  Seemed to work perfectly...THANKS AGAIN!
 
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/shopping/viewdetails.asp?pid=848818&gcu= 43045123714
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Mike_154103
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #9 - Aug 4th, 2011, 6:33pm
 
Quote from Tracie_152843 on Aug 4th, 2011, 4:17pm:
This is so exciting! I've wanted to make photo card from the moment I opened my store, but could never figure out how. Now after watching the video and the the new options, I can finally do it.

 
Me TOO!   This is so fantastic!!!  
 
Cindy
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Penny_134243
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #10 - Aug 4th, 2011, 8:31pm
 
Greetings!
 
This is a really neat and welcomed feature.  And it's super easy to do!  Hooray!  And I have to say that the photos are really nice and there are some good choices, too.
 
So far, so good!
 
Thanks!
 
Penny Smiley
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Mindy
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #11 - Aug 4th, 2011, 10:08pm
 
Quote from Joan_135833 on Aug 4th, 2011, 4:23pm:
This is a great and grand development! I have several small queries:

I was wondering if a specific Season's Greetings subcategory could be added for the photo cards; as it stands now, they have nowhere to go but in the Christmas category.

Also, I noticed that choosing Custom did not automatically engage the Private classification (to let our tech team know).

And...I am curious if we should be using "Photo Card" in our titles, keywords, etc.

I guess that's all for the moment except to relay huge thanks!

 
Good questions!
 
My suggestion is for you to put your card in the following to cover both bases:  
Holidays >> Christmas >> Season's Greetings
and
Holidays >> Christmas >> Photo Cards / Your Photo Here
 
The Private setting gets auto-set after you submit the card.  You won't see it while creating.
 
YES!  "photo card" should be in the card title and keywords too.  Consider including the occasion in the phrase like "Christmas Photo Card", "Season's Greetings Christmas Photo Card", "Pinecone Wreath Christmas Photo Card", etc.
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Mindy
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #12 - Aug 4th, 2011, 10:16pm
 
Quote from Doreen_137017 on Aug 4th, 2011, 4:48pm:
Okay...there aren't any square people images appropriate for a Holiday Cards.  There is one for business and a square for pet, but none of families or kids or babies.

So...please add for a better look and fit to square and round openings.

 
There is a resizing function with the placeholder photos to make it smaller or larger and adjust the placement of the photo.  Does that work properly for you to adjust and accommodate a square or round opening?
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Penny_134243
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #13 - Aug 5th, 2011, 12:04am
 
Quote from Mindy on Aug 4th, 2011, 10:08pm:
Quote from Joan_135833 on Aug 4th, 2011, 4:23pm:
This is a great and grand development! I have several small queries:

I was wondering if a specific Season's Greetings subcategory could be added for the photo cards; as it stands now, they have nowhere to go but in the Christmas category.

Also, I noticed that choosing Custom did not automatically engage the Private classification (to let our tech team know).

And...I am curious if we should be using "Photo Card" in our titles, keywords, etc.

I guess that's all for the moment except to relay huge thanks!


Good questions!

My suggestion is for you to put your card in the following to cover both bases:
Holidays >> Christmas >> Season's Greetings
and
Holidays >> Christmas >> Photo Cards / Your Photo Here

The Private setting gets auto-set after you submit the card.  You won't see it while creating.

YES!  "photo card" should be in the card title and keywords too.  Consider including the occasion in the phrase like "Christmas Photo Card", "Season's Greetings Christmas Photo Card", "Pinecone Wreath Christmas Photo Card", etc.

 
Hi, again,
 
After reading Mindy's post, I wanted to make sure that I really did use 'photo card' in my keywords, but when I'm in the Manage Cards section, the keywords aren't showing up for this card, but they are for all of my other cards.
 
I wanted to clarify, that I can see my keywords when I click on the 'edit' mode.
 
Thanks!
 
Penny Smiley
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« Last Edit: Aug 5th, 2011, 3:08pm by Mindy »  
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Natalie_152060
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Re: NEW - Custom Front Cards / Photo Cards & Text
Reply #14 - Aug 5th, 2011, 3:21am
 
Okay, I've had a go at this and changed to png the two jpg Christmas Photo Cards I uploaded to GCU some while back. (Card ID's 848954, 848956, 848958) The last two are the same image but one has fixed text on the front that I've placed and one has space for the customer to place their own text.  
 
I didn't find this to be the most cooperative interface I've ever used but with perseverence I got there in the end (sometimes I needed to refresh the page to get the system to accept what I'd done).  It might be just because it's new to me that it didn't go 100% smoothly as I readily admit that I'm not the most computer savvy person in the world  Grin
 
A couple of times I seemed to accidently define extra transparent areas without noticing (don't ask me how I did that!), as a consequence when I tried to save the project, it kept telling me to add images or text to those defined areas.  It took me a while to realise that I'd accidently added more defined areas.  Once I deleted those, my project saved fine.
 
With regards to the text, I think it would be a good idea to have some guide lines showing around the edge of the card to enable people to see within which region they need to keep their text, like the print / margin preview. Plus this would help to align text.  Although maybe there is already an area beyond which people can't move their text box and I didn't go out of that area when placing text so didn't discover any text placement limitations?
 
There is a reasonable selection of text fonts and colours but it might be nice to have greater editing abilities for the text i.e. if people want to add a big 'MERRY CHRISTMAS' followed by smaller text for 'with love from the Johnsons' so that all the text they add doesn't have to have the same size / font. 
 
Thanks for this new facility, I think it's a great idea!
 
Cheers - Natalie  Smiley
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