You’ve got some juicy tidbit? Some insider-information you want to share? You want to drop a little tantalizing tidbit about something you’d like to see me comment on or blog about?

Source it or it didn’t happen.

I have no problem talking about possibilities but I’ll qualify it by making it clear it’s not a stone-carved fact. However, if you want to just drop me a little piece of information with nothing to go on? Forget it – it won’t even see the light of day here – not even in speculation. I have no problem respecting a request for anonymity but if you don’t give me enough to go on – then your rumor isn’t even worth reading let along typing about.

Before anyone gets a crooked eyebrow… no, this has absolutely nothing to do with topics I’ve posted about in the last month (or probably before). It’s purely coincidental that I’m making two posts recently about speculative subjects- but that’s where the similarity ends. Don’t read anything into this beyond this particular blog post… you know who you are.

So do I.

Okay, “letter” is stretching it but since I haven’t finished my coffee yet a blog post is all I’m wishing to do.

I’m posting this because I know for a fact some folks at Zazzle read my blog (certainly one of many they read, I’m just a little blipfish in a big ocean). However, since I know they read I’m going to take advantage of it.

Originally, the topic of Zazzle came up this morning in a discussion about a possible new product they may offer (embroidery). I was first alerted of this potentiality from Adam O’Connor over at TShirtChat.com

We’re in agreement that Cafepress’ “InfiniStitch” Embroidery stretches the word “embroidery” a bit far for the English language to sufficiently bear the weight of. In other words… their I-S Embroidery is hard for me to call “embroidery” even if I squint. It’s a nice enough product but trying to call it that is a stretch. I’d be thrilled if Zazzle could come up with something better. However, could they do it well enough to overcome their own claims about what CP’s version left to be desired? (Yes, I read other blogs too…).

When I think of Zazzle here’s what comes to mind: Young and hip. Trendy. A little edgy. They’ve got some of the usual POD stuff (shirts and so on) but they’re not afraid to get adventurous with new gear and new corporate relationships brought into their fold. It’s admirable.

I also, unfortunately, think about some less-than-positive moments in their history. I won’t detail those because it’s not the important message here.

I will say, instead, that it’s rarely wise to undermine your own future progress by setting a tone of negativity to counter a competitor only to travel the same path later yourselves. In the POD world paths often are similar – it tends to be unavoidable. The POD community is still new and young enough where memories don’t need to be that long to recall the day bad karma was born.

We see in political arenas that negative campaigning only polarizes for a while… it eventually alienates and creates resentment.

There’s room for rock stars in both PODs… Cafepress and Zazzle. Fans (users) win most if there’s room to praise both of their favorites and don’t feel caught in-between.

My “open letter” is to encourage Zazzle to move forward and onward from a previous level of fistacuffs and, instead, do what they show they can do well: brainstorm new angles, put a cool and hip face on otherwise stuffy POD fare, attract a crowd of sellers and buyers that know how to rock and roll, appeal to a generation that represents the next generation with no built-in limitations, no idea that rules exist, who only know how to think outside the box and require a POD that suits that style.