Hard Rejected and I have no idea why. . . .

Envato Authors Theme Authors
1

My item was hard rejected and the reason they gave me was so generic (and rude) that I’m absolutely clueless as what they want from me for items in the future, Their reason:

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS NOT MET: Your item does not meet the minimum technical design requirements for this category.

I was wondering if there anyway to find out what these “minimum technical design requirements” they mention are.

They also said also that my item:

. . . isn’t at the quality standard needed to continue forward with the review process on ThemeForest. As the submission is too far off the standards we require . . .

All this is so vague that they could just say “your template sucks!” I need something more specific and more tangible.
So, again, can anyone point me to these specific “minimum technical design requirements” they mention are cus I can’t find them anywhere.

2

Link to demo?

Reviewers won’t provide feedback in detail if they feel the file is too far from approval.

In these cases there is too much chance that even with detailed feedback the file won’t be ready next time and it will be unlikely that authors will fully understand and be able to act upon a huge amount of aspects

3

I might do that in a different topic, right now I’m looking for the technical specifications they refer to. Do they actually exist?

4

It depends on the category ie. there are some guidelines for: WordPress or PSD

There are not really any for HTML templates.

I (am not a reviewer so can’t officially comment) imagine that the “technical specs” is more of a figure of speech, and refers to best practice design, coding etc. It’s not really possible to list these out and there is an assumed knowledge that people submitting files in marketplace for professionals will be accustomed to these.

It’s frustrating to get the hard rejection message but there is a good reason behind why the less detailed responses exist.

1 Like
5

I didn’t think there was any list of technical specifications. Thanks for confirming. I found the ones on WordPress and PSD’s and others but nothing for the site templates like mine.

I find the generic message to be rude and counterproductive. Unless of course they’re goal is to drive people away. Which, maybe it is. That would be legit if that’s what they wanted. Honesty is really the best policy and “your template sucks so bad you shouldn’t even try again, and no, don’t ask why it sucks cus we won’t tell you.” is really just rude.
For one thing I know it doesn’t suck. I’ve been doing this since 1995 and I put a lot of effort into it and even included my own art / with license which most (all?) other don’t.

6

Hey texxs do not bother, same happened to me today. Irony is, I find 40% of all items devastatingly low-grade and I had to get refund on a few of them too. So, the review process whatever that is, is not exactly fair or transparent. It is vague without proper guidelines. Unless your time is really “worth-nothing” don’t bother on submitting anything further here… Instead make your own website and sell from there. That is what some of the top guys do :slight_smile:

1 Like
7

Just to be clear I am not saying that certain things, process, guidelines etc. could not be improved, but a genuinely curious question…

Guidelines:

Many people who are rejected ask for guidelines to be approved… What would this look like exactly?

There are thousands of files here, each (on the whole) different, and I am trying to understand how there could be singular guidelines or a list of requirements other than simply best practice design and coding (specific coding requirements for plugins & themes etc. excluded)?

In a marketplace of premium products aimed at professionals or highly skilled amateurs, should authors not be fully aware of these standards?

Feedback:

It’s been discussed thousands of times and again of course it would be good to see things improved on this too, but authors are already upset by delays and trying to provide actionable feedback on every file would take up an unrealistic amount of time plus in a vast % of cases not actually resolve the problem.

We see in these forums many rejected files and envato themselves have even said that one challenge they have is that a huge % of submissions are nowhere close to the standard (not to mention in a numbe rof worrying cases ripped from others).

If reviewers took the time to explain that typography or hierarchy etc. is not good enough – how many
of the authors of hard rejected files would actually have the skillset and ability to interpret, understand and execute proper resolution to fix it?

Surely if they understood best practice in these areas then they would have implemented it in the first place?

As with everything here envato will never be able to please everyone but what they do is the best option.

Again I am not saying it could not be improved and happy to be proved wrong but irrelevant of the delays etc. which envato are working to resolve it’s not their responsibility to teach people how to design, code, create etc. and with such volume & diversity in products I would like to understand how generic cross product guidelines could exist.

p.s. I would like to see the files which got rejected - maybe someone in the community would be able to offer advice to help. Of course there are exceptions that should have been approved but in 95% of cases seen in the forums the reviewers decision was correct.

8

I love you man, but that is just way off. Envato is making BILLIONS in profit. They could and should just hire some more people and make this happen.

And hey, if they don’t want specific guidelines, fine. By why mention them in rejection letters if they don’t exist? Or if they are hidden from Authors and potential Authors?

And seriously, how could publishing some guidelines NOT improve the products in their marketplace and their review process? It’s just common sense to ask for what you want instead of just saying you want something and rejecting most of it… unless of course one of the things you want is to reject things.

The worst part? I don’t think this is greed. I think it’s just dysfunction.

1 Like
9

I do hear what you are saying but in all the years I have been here I don’t remember there being a definite list – I think that phrase is more a figure of speech. While that is not especially helpful and I agree it could be worded better, but is maybe because of my point above and the difficulty to define these requirements.

These arguments have gone on for so long now and I feel the reason they never come to anything, and why I am asking for a practical suggestion to it, is because there are completely different view points.

Envato could (and are) hiring more reviewers or set guidelines – but unfortunately this won’t prevent the huge number of unrealistic submissions that are sent by authors who are simply not good enough, and this won’t cure the issues with delays or value in replying.

At the end of the day submission will always be subjective but there has got to be someone who makes the final call to prevent the quality/quantity balance which sets envato apart from diminishing, and with this there will always be decisions that authors do not agree with.

Please share a link to a demo or preview here of what you had rejected…

Please note: I am not looking to start an argument – just giving a different perspective.

10

I’m sure this conversation has happened many many times before. And since you are on the front lines of this conversation, I’m sure you are sick of it.

“and this won’t cure the issues with delays or value in replying.” au contraire… That’s a big part of how one solves the problem. the other is by setting expectations.

I don’t think it would be all that hard at all to set some guidelines for prospective authors. Would they cover every case? No, of course not. But it would definitely reduce the load for the review team. That’s why they have guidelines in the other departments. Because they work.

BTW, I admire your patience and I know it’s not easy being a company man, that’s why not everyone can do it. I know I can’t. You should get a raise.

11

ha ha thanks but I do not work for envato - I am just a volunteer and someone who has been around for some time and am familiar with how things work here.

12

Ouch, I sure how they are giving you something of value. It’s a for profit company and they are literally banking BILLIONS per year. Please give them free labor, that’s taking a job from someone.

I’m sorry I just don’t understand why people volunteer to give free labor to people that are making so much profit. Especially when it’s a position that needs specialized training.

I get why they want it, not only do they not have to pay but they can also say “We didn’t say that” . . .

Sorry, I just don’t understand . . .

1 Like
14

Old Topic