Zazzle

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Zazzle is an American online marketplace started in 2005 by the Beaver brothers. It lets designers and customers create their own products—like clothing, posters, and more—using items made by independent manufacturers. Users can also use images from big brands such as Disney and Warner Bros. The company is based in Redwood City, California and ships products worldwide. It offers digital printing, embroidery, and other ways to personalize items.

Key moments in its history:
- Zazzle raised $16 million in 2005 from Google investors John Doerr and Ram Shriram, and $30 million more in 2007.
- In 2007, TechCrunch named it the “best business model” at its Crunchies awards.
- In 2022, Zazzle began talks with Citi and Barclays about a possible initial public offering (IPO).
- The company used to offer custom postage stamps with the USPS but stopped in 2018 due to USPS rules.
- In 2014, Zazzle removed thousands of items featuring the pi symbol after a trademark dispute, then brought many of them back later after customer backlash.

Legal notes:
- In 2022, designer Nicky Laatz sued Zazzle, claiming the company secretly bought a license for her trademarked fonts and made them available to many designers and users, earning large profits. Zazzle says it asked to purchase a server license but did not get a reply, and that the font copyright issue is contested. Zazzle argues that fonts and font licensing can be complex, while Laatz says the fonts are protected and that she created them with special software. The case is ongoing.

Overall, Zazzle remains a platform for customized goods, with partnerships that expand its image library and options for personalization, available in multiple languages to customers around the world.