CafePress Shops

Hi,

I would like to add some of my CafePress shops to the directory. When I went to "shopping/clothing/T-shirts" there is an instruction by the editor that reads:

"Sites hosted by CafePress should use the correct URL (ie. http://www.cafeshops.com/cp/store.aspx?s=storename, not http://www.cafepress.com/storename)"

The problem is, that CafePress no longer uses the long URLS. The correct URLS for CafePress shops are now:
http://www.cafepress.com/storename

And that is the EXACT URL the editor says not to use.

So, how can I add my site, if the editor has stated I can only use an URL that is no longer used?

I'd appreciate anyone's help on what to do very much.

I would like to add some of my CafePress shops to the directory.

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It would be a really good idea if you were to read our submission guidelines. They forbid the suggestion of related websites. Several sites in the same ownership, all selling T-shirts are related.

Just suggest one of them with whatever url works. Our editors will make whatever conversions are needed. I imagine that they all cross link to each other. After all, if you don't think they're worth linking to, why ever would we ?

CafePress Shops are Separate

Here is the specific problem with CafePress shops. Each shop IS separate and they do not cross link to each other. Although, some shopkeepers do exchange links and banners with each other.

CafePress is a company that manufactures the items the various shopkeepers create. There are several thousand shopkeepers, but each shop is unique and different in the designs they sell.

CafePress does not own my designs. They manufacture them on products and provide the technical stuff that makes my online shop work. Any linking, adding to directories, etc, must be done by me.

I have several shops, but there are four I would like to add to DMOZ. Each has a different theme with different designs.

I am not trying to be a pain in the neck. I am just trying to get my shops noticed. Many directories will not accept a site unless it is in DMOZ. So, maybe I am just never going to get anywhere, and I just have to accept that and get depressed for a while.

I do not want to break your rules. But I do think you should know that URLS with "www.cafepress.com" in them are not all the same person or theme.

For what it is worth, here are the URLS I wanted to add:
Forum for discussions about the process of suggesting a site for inclusion. General discussion only, no mention of specific sites here please.

Maybe I am being dense, but I do not mean to be. Sorry if I have inconvenienced anyone.

Different Themed Shops

jimnoble said:

It would be a really good idea if you were to read our submission guidelines. They forbid the suggestion of related websites. Several sites in the same ownership, all selling T-shirts are related.

Just suggest one of them with whatever url works. Our editors will make whatever conversions are needed. I imagine that they all cross link to each other. After all, if you don't think they're worth linking to, why ever would we ?

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Not all my shops crosslink because some content (political) in one, is often offensive to customers who are interested in the content (religious) of another.

Plus when a CafePress shopkeeper opens more than one shop, it is because they have more than one theme. And these themes do not cross over.

I have a shop that is purely political in nature.

I also have a shop that has a theme of anti-heart. Designs there are meant to be humorous and read like "I do not love spinach", etc.

I have a shop that is mostly designs using flags of various countries in various respectful ways.

I have a shop that is mostly designs of an inspirational or spiritual nature.

The problem is this, if I place one of my shops in the "political" T-shirt catagory, no one will ever know that I also have the "I do not love" shop, etc.

It is also frustrating to try to figure out where to place a shop that, in addition to T-shirts, also sells bumper stickers, mugs, and tons of other stuff that is not clothing-related.

Maybe the solution to this problem is to create a catagory just for CafePress shops. Then have various catagories within the CafePress catagory, like "religious","political", "ethnic", etc.

Again, I am sorry if I am being a pain in the neck. I do not mean to be, I just want to get my shops noticed more, if I can.

Thanks for your trouble.

catagory just for CafePress shops. Then have various catagories within the CafePress catagory, like "religious","political", "ethnic", etc.

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I don't think we'd be duplicating what the cafepress site already does. Maybe just not listing *any* of the individual shops is the answer.

(Note I am not a Shopping branch editor}

Sorry for the delay. My DSL went down for a while.

CafePress is a company that manufactures the items the various shopkeepers create.

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Who knew .

That's exactly why many editors already decline to list individual CP 'shops', considering them to be part of a drop ship system.

ameriyank said:

Not all my shops crosslink because some content (political) in one, is often offensive to customers who are interested in the content (religious) of another.

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As jimnoble already wrote
"After all, if you don't think they're worth linking to, why ever would we ?'
We will only list ONE site out of a group of related sites. You owning a group of sites makes them related.

ameriyank said:

Maybe the solution to this problem is to create a catagory just for CafePress shops. Then have various catagories within the CafePress catagory, like "religious","political", "ethnic", etc.

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Why would we do such a thing. Why hasn't cafepress made such a directory themself.

ameriyank said:

I just want to get my shops noticed more, if I can.

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As you might have noticed DMOZ is not a tool for marketing websites. If you want your sites to be noticed you should try to find some other ways.

Why I am Frustrated

CafePress does not catagorize shops anymore. They stopped that about a year ago. They now have a sort of search engine that works only for what they call the "marketplace", and that is within CafePress itself. But that works by individual design, not shop.

There are two ways to not get lost in the CafePress "marketplace". One is to constantly add new designs, because new designs get shown first in a search. So, if a customer is looking for say "French football" designs, he/she will see all the newest ones first. If there are 1000 designs with the same theme, and I created my design a year ago, it is not likely it will ever be seen by anyone again in the CafePress marketplace. They will find another design to purchase long before they get to mine.

The second is to get your designs sold, because that will raise a design's ranking in the CafePress system. A design gets points in the CafePress system when it sells. That helps it rank a little higher. And the only way to get it sold, without depending on the marketplace, is to get human beings to your shop.

The best way to get a real human being to your shop, is to get it listed in various directories. And many directories will not accept you unless you are in DMOZ.

CafePress is a great company and I love it, but their purpose is to make as much money as they can from anybody's designs. They are not fussy about what which shopkeeper makes them sales. And they shouldn't be. My finances are not their problem. Their finances are their problem. (Nor are my finances DMOZ's problem, please do not think I am suggesting that)

Anyway, shopkeepers need and want to find ways to get their individual shops noticed because you cannot depend on the CafePress marketplace program to get their designs seen. Less than 35% of my sales come from the CafePress marketplace.

I just feel like I am in a Catch-22 situation and I do not know how to resolve it.

I can't get into a lot of directories because I am not in DMOZ, and I can't get into DMOZ because you do not seem to want CafePress shops in your directory.

Anyway, I am just frustrated. I feel like shopkeepers at CafePress are being punished because we can't get individual domains. I am not upset with DMOZ, I am just upset to the point of tears. I am frustrated with having to depend on some machine's algorythms to get real, honest-to-goodness, people to my online shops.

You have no idea how hard some of these shopkeepers work. Not just me, but a lot of real people really work hard. We NEED a need a directory outside of CafePress to help real human beings find our shops. DMOZ seems the best way.

Can't you please find a way to help us?

If you want your shops to be noticed you will have to work hard and spend money. Relying on a thirth party that is not interested in promoting individual websites is not something you should do.

> We NEED a need a directory outside of CafePress to help real human beings find our shops.
No, you need a good marketing plan.

> DMOZ seems the best way.
It certainly is not.

> Can't you please find a way to help us?
Sorry, DMOZ is not interested in helping people to make money.

You have no idea how hard some of these shopkeepers work.

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And perhaps you have little idea of how hard some ODP editors work. Their goals, however, are to improve our directory for the benefit of surfers. They are not to maximise your profits.

If you are unhappy with the way that the CafePress website navigation/searching is done, you'd be best advised to address your comments to CafePress. We won't be used to overcome what you think are their shortcomings. Neither will we feel guilty about adopting that attitude.

I'm Sorry

jimnoble said:

And perhaps you have little idea of how hard some ODP editors work. Their goals, however, are to improve our directory for the benefit of surfers. They are not to maximise your profits.

If you are unhappy with the way that the CafePress website navigation/searching is done, you'd be best advised to address your comments to CafePress. We won't be used to overcome what you think are their shortcomings. Neither will we feel guilty about adopting that attitude.

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I am sorry. I did not mean to make anyone feel guilty. And I did not mean to insinuate that your editors do not work hard, because I know they do. And, I truly did not mean that you should help me make money.

All I meant was that, while CafePress does a lot of stuff that is good, they are limited in what they can do. It isn't possible for them to have a shop directory, in addition to the image search they do. Doing both just wouldn't work.

I just meant that to benefit surfers, who might be looking for a specific item or design, DMOZ might be a good place to start. Shopkeepers could list their shops by theme/catagory. There are some shops in CafePress that should not be listed because their quality is not good. Others would benefit DMOZ's surfers because of their quality.

See, you guys are NOT a scam. A lot of directories are. I wanted to be in this directory because I respect it and what you are trying to do.

It is nearly 6AM where I live. Perhaps I should have just gone to bed earlier, instead of trying to resolve this by answering posts late at night.

I think I accidently insulted you all and I really didn't mean to. I just really believe that it would be a good thing to have for everyone, surfers, shopkeepers, DMOZ, everyone.

And while I am frustrated at the lack of non-scam directories for commercial stuff, it isn't your fault. I just thought we could figure out a way to make it work to everyone's benefit.

If you think that there really ought to be a CafePress directory, why not start your own? There are plenty of free scripts around and there might even be money in it .

<added> cafepressdirectory.com and cafepressdirectory.org are both available, but they might be taken within minutes . </added>

CafePress.com is headquartered in Foster City, California, and its production facility is located in Louisville, Kentucky.

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I would think those two could be listed in Regional, if they have sites for them, but, good grief, with 2.6 million of these shops, what a nightmare it would be to even consider listing any of them.

No wonder they don't have their own directory.

That isn't the only problem. Of the 2.6 million 2.599 are selling the same stuff all produced by CP and in the eyes of DMOZ not original content.

jimnoble said:

If you think that there really ought to be a CafePress directory, why not start your own? There are plenty of free scripts around and there might even be money in it .

<added> cafepressdirectory.com and cafepressdirectory.org are both available, but they might be taken within minutes . </added>

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That's actually a good idea. But I can't do it because I have repetitive stress syndrome issues. My computer time is very limited because of it. That's why I need to make my living on the internet. I have no other options at present.

The other thing is, I would have to charge in order to make money and support the directory. I don't trust most directories, whether they charge or not, because a lot of them are scams. But, to me, directories that charge lose credibility. They just want to make money, and, often, do not care about the quality of the sites they add.

While making money to pay one's bills is a good thing, scamming people or making outrageous profits is not.

I know DMOZ is on the up-and-up, so I trust it. Years ago, a short time before my injuries, I applied to be a DMOZ editor. I don't know if I was ever accepted or not, because when I hurt myself I was not able to use a PC for several months. When I got back online, I just had to delete all the email I had, or I would have been back in physical therapy. And, now, I just couldn't do what is required to be a DMOZ editor.

If I could afford to do a CafePress directory for free, and I had the physical ability to run it, I would. But it still wouldn't solve the problem of getting into some directories that will only accept you if you are in DMOZ.

I would think those two could be listed in Regional

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The Foster City one for sure. I don't see any clue to their Kentucky presence on their website, so no on that despite other references (eg. many of their job ads on Monster) showing they're there.

But it still wouldn't solve the problem of getting into some directories that will only accept you if you are in DMOZ.

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That's a problem that you should take up with them; there's no point trying to lay it upon us.

Please stop looking upon ODP as a free promotional medium which will cause money to fall from the sky because it isn't that at all - as I hope we've now made clear. If you need advice on how to promote your website, there are plenty of forums around that will help. This isn't one of them though.