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What is average approval time for card right now? (Read 5269 times)
Sherry_205423
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What is average approval time for card right now?
Nov 23rd, 2012, 8:48am
 
Hi everyone - I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I was just wondering if anyone had an average time it's taking to get cards approved? I've been waiting three weeks so far. I have 90 cards waiting for approval and only one in my shop.  
 
It's sort of frustrating. I can see that people are going to the shop, but with only one card there...
 
I figure I'm not going to make anymore until more get approved. I almost feel like I'm wasting my time. At this rate it will be well into next year before I see any sales and then another two months after that before I reap the benefits.
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Cathy_183701
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #1 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 9:11am
 
Hi Sherry don't despair, and Happy Thanksgiving we over here in Canada have  already had our
Thanksgiving, but getting back to your question, I find the approval time can vary.
 
Right now is a busy time, but I did find when I had a bunch of cards waiting, after a few day's, which seemed like weeks,  I looked in my inbox and was amazed one by one they were getting approved, or not accepted, or I had do some more work on some.
 
That probably does not answer your question, but I would say great things happen to those who wait,
you'll be amazed at the end result, don't give up, I almost did, and I am very happy I didn't.
 
Take care Sherry,
 
Cathy art from the heart
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Susan_142450
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #2 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 9:11am
 
Hi SHerry - hang in there. This is always a really rough time of year to start filling a shop. Everyone has been uploading christmas and holiday cards by the handful, plus you get a holiday like Thanksgiving (GCU offices closed) in there which sets things back some more.
I think it's about 3 weeks - My last bunch was exactly three weeks.
I completely understand not doing more till you get past this part of the process and find out what the reviewers think about your work, but in future it's best to think months ahead. It is hard to think about Christmas in July or Easter at Thanksgiving, but in the end, working that far ahead has it's benefits - likely quicker reviews (and less panic if you need to resubmit etc.), and the search engines will find your work and store in plenty of time for whatever holiday you're approaching.
For now, be patient - you'll probably get that notification by Monday!  
(fingers crossed for you!) Smiley
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Doreen_137017
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #3 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 9:18am
 
Quote from Sherry_205423 on Nov 23rd, 2012, 8:48am:
Hi everyone - I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I was just wondering if anyone had an average time it's taking to get cards approved? I've been waiting three weeks so far. I have 90 cards waiting for approval and only one in my shop.

It's sort of frustrating. I can see that people are going to the shop, but with only one card there...

I figure I'm not going to make anymore until more get approved. I almost feel like I'm wasting my time. At this rate it will be well into next year before I see any sales and then another two months after that before I reap the benefits.

 
Here's a tip for you Sherry ...
 
First, there is no such thing as immediate gratification of sales when starting a new online store; here or anywhere else, so you are better off just concentrating on building your store by continuing to make cards.
 
You are correct, you are not likely to see much in the way of sales for several months and making any real income is not likely to happen for 12-24 months.  That's the way it is being a small fish in a huge internet sea  Grin
 
I've got stores all over the place in addition to my GCU store and it took me two years of heavy concentration on populating my stores with product and heavy marketing of my stores before I settled in to where I am now which is making a nice living.
 
I believe GCU Admin posted a week or so ago an answer to the 'how long is it taking" question and it was about 21-days.  If you made cards every day, before you know it, you'll be having cards approved every day and your store will be filling up.  Also, it's likely that the majority of the visits you see to your store are from GCU artists 'getting to know you'.  Most of the sales at GCU are made through searches in the Marketplace rather than by visitors to your storefront.
 
It takes time, patience and a lot of work to get to a point where you are making good sales, so don't get frustrated ... get busy  Grin
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Patricia_131413
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #4 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 9:18am
 
It takes about 3 weeks on average - may be a little longer as the holidays make things busier -  
But I would keep designing and uploading - staggering it don't do 100 a day, maybe 20 or so a week that way each week once they start getting approved you have a consistent flow of new things coming into the store!  and if you need to make any changes you will be able to edit the cards that are pending as you see what might need to get tweaked.
 
I am getting ready to start designing a few special cards for Valentines - and I always work on regular everyday cards.   Smiley
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David_134612
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #5 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 9:39am
 
Its takes to long and a 5 weeks to 2 month is normal to get final approval, but i wish they made an exception with new members and approved their cards ASAP so stores are complete and they can learn faster.
 
The hard part is when cards come back and must be resubmitted 2 or 3 times often taking weeks more
 
GCU is now so picky it takes a lot of back and forth to get cards approved and online  
so its usually best to act far ahead . Good news is you're in time for christmas 2013
 
If you are in a hurry GCU is not a great place to be confined to. Other locations accept upload immediately (like zazzle)  and not picky
While waiting for GCU card approval I have posted on zazzle sold the card and ordered it and received it myself . Best to post long term  
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Cathy_183701
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #6 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 9:42am
 
Sherry I totally agree with all of the artist points,
 
you get out of it what you put into it, I have purchased a lot of my own cards, and do a lot of foot work, there are a lot of people that love my cards, but its basically up to me regarding the sales.  
 
There's a lot of competition here but I am getting a lot of interest now from my purchasing my cards and allowing people to see them. I also found having business cards made up with your website address, phone number, and a logo of your work and name of store is a great thing to have and give.
 
This whole process takes time, once the cards are approved, which takes time, then you have to do the work, but its so much fun, because you created the cards, and then hopefully people will love it as much as you do, and purchase them. Wink
 
Take care Sherry
Cathy artfromtheheart
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Sherry_205423
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #7 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 10:40am
 
Thanks, Cathy, Susan, Doreen, David and Patricia. I do have my cards up on Zazzle and some have sold. At least that way I know people do like them. It's just hard waiting. I understand what you all have said. I will hang in there, it's just seeing only one card in my GCU shop is laughable. I will continue to design cards because I'm having fun doing it, but I will slow down uploading them right now especially with the holidays. Thanks again for your input.
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Penny_134243
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #8 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 11:12am
 
Quote from Sherry_205423 on Nov 23rd, 2012, 10:40am:
Thanks, Cathy, Susan, Doreen, David and Patricia. I do have my cards up on Zazzle and some have sold. At least that way I know people do like them. It's just hard waiting. I understand what you all have said. I will hang in there, it's just seeing only one card in my GCU shop is laughable. I will continue to design cards because I'm having fun doing it, but I will slow down uploading them right now especially with the holidays. Thanks again for your input.

 
Hi, Sherry!
 
It's not laughable to have only one card in your shop!  Even the artists who have 20,000 + cards each started out with one.  Smiley
 
To echo everyone else, it's all about patience and perseverance.  In a couple of years, a newbie will be posting about only having one card in his/her shop and you'll think, "oh, I remember the day!"
 
Penny Smiley
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Cathy_183701
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #9 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 11:34am
 
One more quick point Sherry,  
If the first card you made got approved, that in itself is amazing Smiley,
I made several card's before they were approved, finally my first card got through.
 
I almost felt like I just gave birth to my first child, lol, not quite but almost.
 
That card sat by itself for sometime, but what an amazing feeling, and also when I got my first sale,
patience is a virtue that a lot of us lack in this business, but you do have a great talent, and your military theme is so needed in these times of war, God bless, keep up the great work!!!
 
Cathy artfromtheheart
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Sherry_205423
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #10 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 12:04pm
 
Thanks, Penny. Well, kind of Cathy. I had to make to removed something and tweak it a little and resubmitted the first card. It didn't take long and it was approved right away after I resubmitted it. Thanks about the Military stuff. It's really my passion right now. I do have several different shops on Zazzle including my Military one there also called Dog Tags and Combat Boots (www.zazzle.com/dogtagsandcombatboot). Note the URL is missing the last letter because I had to many letters when the name was created.  Grin  Lesson learned.
 
I'm learning the patience thing. Never been very good at that.
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Doreen_137017
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #11 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 12:13pm
 
Quote from Sherry_205423 on Nov 23rd, 2012, 12:04pm:
Thanks, Penny. Well, kind of Cathy. I had to make to removed something and tweak it a little and resubmitted the first card. It didn't take long and it was approved right away after I resubmitted it. Thanks about the Military stuff. It's really my passion right now. I do have several different shops on Zazzle including my Military one there also called Dog Tags and Combat Boots (www.zazzle.com/dogtagsandcombatboot). Note the URL is missing the last letter because I had to many letters when the name was created.  Grin  Lesson learned.

I'm learning the patience thing. Never been very good at that.

 
Nice stores  Smiley  So you must be in a panic over at Zazzle to attempt to get all your Army products sent to the Army FanMerchant store before they are all removed from the marketplace tomorrow ... what a lot of work.
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Cathy_183701
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #12 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 12:30pm
 
Sherry I just checked out your store at Zazzle, Wow ,
I have a store there too, but yours is unreal.
 
Your hard work is going to pay off girlfriend, we've all been there, believe me.
 
Hang in there : Wink  p.s.  I love your use of the eagle, I paint a lot of eagles.
 
Cathy artfromtheheart
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Sherry_205423
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #13 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 12:57pm
 
What Doreen? I don't know what you're referring to. Now I am panicked!
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Doreen_137017
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Re: What is average approval time for card right n
Reply #14 - Nov 23rd, 2012, 1:04pm
 
Quote from Sherry_205423 on Nov 23rd, 2012, 12:57pm:
What Doreen? I don't know what you're referring to. Now I am panicked!

 
Oh my ... Sherry ... you should be!  Go to the Zazzle forum and search for ARMY you should find the information you need.  Are you a ProSeller?  If not, then it might be more difficult to find all the info you need, but the bottom line is ...
 
ANYTHING that is Army related will be removed from Zazzle (very soon) unless you correct the product based on the new rules set forth by the Army and submit the product through a special process to see if the Army will accept the design into their new Merchant Fan Site on Zazzle.
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