Zazzle is an online design and printing shop that allows users to create and sell custom t-shirts, posters, stamps, etc. Designers earn royalties when their work is sold.
The Zazzle Panel is a script-based widget which extends the sales aspect of this service out to blogs and other sites that allow script embeds.
This widget is a logical extension of Zazzle’s core business. Increasingly, commercial entities (whether they are companies or individuals) are using blogs as a means to communicate with their customers. What better place for that commercial entity to display custom apparel and products to their communities than on their blog?
As more and more companies choose a blog format as their corporate face, and custom, online print shops take more and more market share away from offline, bulk order shops, I would expect the demand for this sort of widget to go through the roof.
Configuration and Testing
I’ve been on Zazzle a lot recently getting some new t-shirt designs set up. Not once did I notice any mention of the Zazzle widget. Indeed, I only found it because I specifically set out looking for it. A search for “Zazzle Widget” took me to a SixApart page announcing the Zazzle widget point to a Zazzle landing page at www.zazzle.com/typepad.
My guess is that Zazzle is not yet actively promoting their widget because they’re not through developing it yet.
The configuration process is pretty bare bones – in fact there isn’t any configuration process. On the zazzle.com/typepad page, clicking the “preview my Zazzle Panel” generates a snippet of code along with a preview of the widget. All of the designers’ products are included in the widget, with no way to remove products from the widget, edit the design of the widget, or otherwise customize the widget.
Thankfully, the widget is optimized for a blog’s sidebar, and there’s a one click TypePad add functionality.
The widget design is sweet. It’s nice and clean - not unlike the ThisNext widget - with a link to the publisher’s Zazzle store and prominent Zazzle branding at the bottom of the widget. It consists solely of an image of the product, with no pricing displayed. There are no viral features displayed on this widget (e.g. “add this widget to your site).
I had no problems adding this widget to either my Blogger or TypePad sidebar. Because it is a script, it won’t work with MySpace or most of the other big social networking communities.
The only real issue that I had with this widget is not so much a problem with the widget, than with the Zazzle TOS. I published a product that didn’t come out right – I screwed up the formatting a bit related to a black on black background. Zazzle doesn’t allow publishers to remove products once they have published them to the site. This annoyance is compounded by the widget which displays ALL of your products – even the ones you screwed up.
Editorial
I find the concept of distributed shopping carts intriguing. Unlike ThisNext, Kaboodle, and the rest of the social shopping sites, the distributed Zazzle cart is built for folks who want to sell their own products. To me, this is a much less risky proposition than hoping that folks will use your viral tools to promote other people’s products.
If the greed / self promotion motivation was not enough, unlike most of the other widgets that I’ve looked at, Zazzle offers a clear financial incentive for blog owners to use their widgets. The Zazzle affiliate program pays 17% of sales, so referring sales through a high traffic blog could become a decent revenue stream.
Currently, you can only add widgets to your site that correspond to products that you designed on Zazzle. Down the road, I would imagine that Zazzle will open this up – shouldn’t anyone wanting to promote any Zazzle product be given the tools to do so? This of course would enable the one click, “sell this product on your blog” link.
It’s unfortunate that the Zazzle Panel doesn’t work with MySpace, but the technical requirements of having a widget that dynamically reflects the publisher’s Zazzle store may not allow it.
I don’t blame Zazzle at all for delaying a full scale launch of their widget – this is something that they need to get right before they push it to market. I would imagine the sales potential of a fully distributed Zazzle network that spans thousands of blogs could dwarf the sales potential of the Zazzle destination site.
The day that a widget has a dramatic impact on a company’s top line will be the day that widgets go mainstream. Although they are just getting started, it’s not hard for me to envision Zazzle becoming the poster child for the potential sales impact of a properly executed widget strategy.


I've recently written a Google Gadget usable on blogger by any store owner to address the key problem of the Zazzle Panel - that of controlling which products get shown.
As you wrote a thoughtful review on the Zazzle Panel, I thought I'd try and get some feedback from you. My tutorial with live examples is here:
http://www.highton-ridley.co.uk/tutorials/zazzlit-gadget-tutorial-adding-it-p1.html
Feedback much appreciated and gratefully received :)
Posted by: Mark Ridley | November 22, 2009 at 01:41 AM
Le processus de configuration est assez Bare Bones --
http://www.playerassist.com/darkfall/
En fait il n'ya pas de processus de configuration. Sur la zazzle.com / page typepad, en cliquant sur l'aperçu «mon Zazzle Panel" génère un fragment de code ainsi que la prévisualisation du widget.
http://www.playerassist.com/fallenearth/
Tous les produits de designers "sont incluses dans le widget, sans aucun moyen de retirer les produits du widget, modifier la conception du widget, ou personnaliser le widget.http://www.playerassist.com/darkfall/
Posted by: fallen earth chips | January 22, 2010 at 09:36 PM
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light. Although black is sometimes described as an "achromatic", or hueless, color, in practice it can be considered a color, as in expressions like "black cat" or "black paint".
Posted by: sildenafil citrate | April 16, 2010 at 09:06 AM
Because of you outstanding article, I wait a moment for appreciating it. So cool. You do so good. Thank you fo sharing this.
Posted by: Nike Shox TW | June 30, 2010 at 12:03 AM
And black is my favorite color.
Posted by: labradoodle puppy training | July 23, 2010 at 03:15 AM
Thank you for Blogging ! It is outstanding article. Zazzle Widget sounds like useful widget. I have never used it but I can't wait more for it. I am going to try it for my blog.
Posted by: comment system | July 31, 2010 at 06:05 AM
Although black is sometimes described as an "achromatic", or hueless, color, in practice it can be considered a color, as in expressions like "black cat" or "black paint".
Posted by: NFL Jerseys | August 22, 2010 at 06:54 PM
Hi!!
I understand that recession has ruined the jobs of many persons but keeping patience and using this time in increasing the qualifications is considered a good idea!!
http://www.buyonline-rx.com/ed.html
http://www.buyonline-rx.com/sitemap.html
Posted by: Impotence causes | October 01, 2010 at 01:27 PM
You can see my widget purchase history widget in the left sidebar.
Posted by: ugg boots | December 09, 2010 at 11:20 PM
All Ffxiv Gil, Aion Kinah, wow gold is bought directly from the farmers for which no broker/middleman is involved.
Posted by: Ffxiv Gil | December 22, 2010 at 12:49 AM
Even one of my most ultraliberal friends thinks "she's a milf." Yegods.
Posted by: Packers jerseys | January 19, 2011 at 10:19 PM
It is very important to have the best ans suitable colors for us. It will allow us to be comfortable. This is indeed very important because what is best fro others won't look good on us. More power and keep it up.
Posted by: potty training a puppy | February 10, 2011 at 01:04 AM
asics revolve le men
asics suroingu Japan AR
asics tokidoki mex lo
onitsuka tiger tokidoki mex lo
onitsuka tokidoki mex lo
asics whizzer lo
asics whizzer lo shoes
http://www.smallwaresale.com/
Posted by: feeling | March 19, 2011 at 05:40 AM
it is cool
Posted by: Electronic Gadgets | March 28, 2011 at 11:02 PM
I think this is a great post. One thing that I find the most helpful is number five. Sometimes when I write, I just let the flow of the words and information come out so much that I loose the purpose. It’s only after editing when I realize what I’ve done. There’s defiantly a lot of great tips here I’m going to try to be more aware of.
Posted by: mynfljersey | April 11, 2011 at 12:35 AM
Its very nice to read such a fantastic post like this. I am very much happy that I found this blog. I enjoyed reading every little bit of it.Some interesting and well researched information on cameras. I’ll put a link to this site on my blog. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: sildenafil citrate | May 15, 2011 at 12:26 AM
Buy cheap generic cialis http://www.maxipharmacy.com/ cialis cod.
Posted by: cialis to buy | May 16, 2011 at 02:17 PM
food to avoid while taking cialis cialis pills boards http://www.maxipharmacy.com/ buy discount cialis cost of daily dose cialis.
Posted by: cialis to buy | May 25, 2011 at 04:49 PM
The post is pretty interesting. I really never thought I could have a good read by this time until I found out this site. I am grateful for the information given. Thank you for being so generous enough to have shared your knowledge with us.
Posted by: executive recruitment | November 16, 2011 at 11:09 PM
A good amount of time I find myself chucking a long, which is a perfect way to start Columbia 2011 my morning and Mens Columbia Interchange Jacket a great way to unwind at the end of the day.
Posted by: Columbia Jackets | November 24, 2011 at 11:12 PM
What a fun pattern! It's great to hear from you and see what you've sent up to. All of the projects look great! You make it so simple to this.Thanks!
Posted by: Arcteryx Sale | November 30, 2011 at 12:52 AM
Various people in all countries get the mortgage loans in different creditors, just because that is easy.
Posted by: HernandezAngel32 | December 30, 2011 at 11:26 AM