How To Set Up a Basic Zazzle Store

The first step is to open an account by going to the Zazzle.com front page and finding the "sell" link at the bottom.

You will want to "Sell Your Designs" so click on that button.

From there, you will find a page that has links to information you will need to set up an account by adding your e-mail address and a password.

In the U.S., if you want to get paid, include your social security number.  Anyone in the world with a computer and the internet can open a store online, just follow directions for getting paid in your country.

When choosing your store name you can use only letters and the underscore symbol.  Thousands of people have Zazzle stores so your first choice for a store name may be taken. 

Some people use their own name or their website name, if they already have one.

The store name could relate to the products you will sell.  As an example, in my BlueHyd store I sell mostly stationery containing the hydrangea flower.

This first store will be your main store and if you open any others they will be linked to this one for referral bonus money, payment, etc.  Don't worry about that at this point, we are talking about getting one store set up, and then you can look into the affiliate information.

Now, choose a theme on the "Set Up Your Store" page where Zazzle offers many to choose from.  This will be a temporary look for you to get started, or you can simply keep it.  Most sellers end up adding a personalized image to represent their products.

On the same page, you will see a list of helpful options to look into, such as how to make products, basic tips for designing, templates and lots more. 

You don't need to worry about that yet, but be sure to go back and check out those links before you begin making products. 

You will see your store name in the black area at the top of your page where you sign in.  The account area is beneath it in the drop-down menu.

Everything you will need to get started is in the "My Account" area of your store.

Checking off the private store option means that no one but you will see the store front.  If you'd like to add your own banner and colors and wait until you have at least a few products up to show, then choose the private look.  You can change it to public at any time, by simply un-checking the box.

Note that any products you create can still be seen and purchased - unless you keep them private when you post them for sale.

In the "My Account" area choose "Store" to get to your store management area.  (You can also get there via the sidebar at the bottom where it says "Manage this store".)

On this page you will see "Content" and this is where you will decide what options will show on your store homepage and throughout your product pages.  It's important to get this right for how YOU choose to show your items - everyone will like something different - and it can be changed as much as you like.

...Do you want the sidebar on the right or left side?

...How many products would you like to show in a row - 3 or 4?

...Want prices to show or not?

...Want your statistics (number of visitors) shown?  What about comments on the homepage?

...What looks best for displaying your folders?  (If they are all still gray, you might want to check the "text only" option until you decorate them.)

There is a lot to work with here, and remember, you can change your settings at any time.  Once you get your store filled, you might decide you like a different look.

Adding images of photos or artwork you will use to make products is an important step in creating and setting up your Zazzle store.

Before you upload image to the images folders, have an idea of how you'd like to organize them so they will be easy to find as your store images area grows.  I learned this the hard way!

Also, make sure they adhere to the Zazzle image guidelines by reading the Designer Tutorials page.  If your images are too small, they will not print well on the products and your customers will not be happy. (Customers can leave ratings and feedback now, so you want good reviews!)

On the images page (the link is in the "my account" section), click the "add folder" area and name your folder.  TIP:  If you plan to have more than one store eventually, I suggest you name this folder by your store name and then add sub-folders inside.

If all your images will be for one store, name the folder according to what you intend to upload - be exact so you can find what you are looking for later.

For instance add your Rose photography to the "Rose" folder.

You can use the Zazzle Bulk Image Uploader, or add images a few at a time.

** Good to know:  Deleting images from your "Images" folders (where you store the images you use to create) will not delete them from your products.

(Drum image credit:  Pixabay)

After you've read Zazzle's basic design tips, click on the "Products" button and begin making a product that you will add to a virtual "folder" in your store.  Add an image either from your images that were previously uploaded, or grab them from your computer.  Zazzle has tutorials for help with designing, but if you want to begin with something easy, I suggest a greeting card or postcard with just a nice image on the front.

All products can be added to the "New Products" folder which will be included in your store, or you can add a category and create a folder for what you make. You will make your folders in the "Products" area of your store.  I call it, the back room.  You can also make sub-categories in each major category (folder).

Either way, eventually you should have categories (folders - that are gray, and can be decorated to depict that category) set up to hold each design or product you want to sell so customers will be able to find them easily. 

** Please note that when you move products into new folders it can take some time for them to show up where you want them - so don't be alarmed if they didn't seem to "move".

The Zazzle.com website has grown tremendously in just the five years I've been working there and they are constantly improving and changing things to grow their business which is good for my individual stores within the site as well.

It can be a bit overwhelming and there is a lot more to know than what I've covered here, but read the help pages and visit the forums and while you are filling your store with quality products to sell, keep in mind that it takes a lot of time to get a customer following.  If you are proud of your products, and you should be, promote them online and elsewhere and you will most definitely begin to see sales.

Best of luck to you!