Sunday, October 27, 2013

Discussion: Using Fake Names on Template Products in Zazzle

Ever since I started creating template products on Zazzle I've noticed different examples of how shopkeepers present their products for others to fill with their information. Below are two examples of what I've seen throughout my exploring of the marketplace.
Personalize Field with Fake Name and Address
Personalize Field with Placeholder Text 
I've been a proponent of using the example on the left, that is, a made up name and address because I feel like it makes your page look more professional and allows for the customer to see what it would look like with more complete information filled in. This is also a chance for you to have your product feel like it reaches your target audience of your store.

The names and addresses that I use are generated from a pretty cool tool that I found called the Fake Name Generator. This site gives you a completely fictitious profile for a person (that includes a fake address, email, occupation, and more) and allows for you to even change the name set, gender, age, and country of origin.

What are your thoughts on using fake names and addresses versus placeholder text? Does it matter? Comment below with your thoughts. Thank you!