Need Help. My HTML Template Got Hard Rejected. :(

Envato Authors Theme Authors
1

I just received an unpleasant hard rejection email for my html template. I really need help with the reasons becase the reviewer doesn’t explain anything. I got the HTML code validated in W3 validator. I double-checked my code. I credited all third-party codes. Prepared documentation as clear as possible. I would really appreciate if you could check out the template and help me find my mistakes.

Here is the demo of my template: Selfolio Template Demo

2

While this is better than many of the personal templates we see in these forums having been rejected (it is a vastly oversaturated category) there are some more obvious issue points:

  • ‘Here comes the twitter/Facebook/Instagram feed of your account’ is just lazy. Either include it or properly or don’t. This feels unfinished
  • Portfolio items that are clickable but don’t open lightbox or go to item page also feel unfinished and rushed
  • Likewise, why have a blog with no post pages? Typography on post preview needs work esp. Hierarchy
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3

Thank you for your positive comment on my theme. I am new as an author and know there is lot to learn. I will definitely make improvements in accordance with your each point.

There is this issue of not being able to submit the same template again. I now know that “Hard rejected themes cannot be resubmitted.” Does that mean my template is useless now. How much improvement and change to the template is required to make it resubmittable?

4

You can resubmit it if you make significant chages (which in truth is probably what you need).

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5

That is a relief. Great. I don’t want to be assailing with lots of questions, but I have also been doing some reading about theme submissions. Some people claim that it is a better method to submit the PSD version of a page and then HTML and finally wordpress version. Do you think that is true?

6

No not at all. Approval in one category does not guarantee approval in another.

Arguably if the PSD is approved then the design must be at a reasonable standard, but you could spend ages trying to get approved as a PSD (standards for design are significantly higher than when coding items)

Sales are FAR less for PSD

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7

This is still a bit off standards. Mobile scroll feels a bit buggy and overall design is like average. You got to put more work in this in order to have a chance to be approved. Be careful with contrast when playing dark mode. Hardly legible in some areas. Good luck. Thanks.

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8

I see what you mean… Your comments are greatly appreciated. Thank you…

9

You spent your efforts and time for building the template. Unfortunately, you got rejected. Think, it’s not a bad thing, something good is waiting for you. Just correct your missings.

Here is my reviews-

  1. https://prnt.sc/t2jj7m
  2. https://prnt.sc/t2jkur
  3. https://prnt.sc/t2jmax
  4. All over the template, images, typography should be improved.

My suggestion is, first compare your item with available templates in the marketplace. Then you will understand what you have to improve.

You can do one thing as you are newbie. You can design PSD / XD first, then code it. Do it for 2-5 templates. Then you can go your own way…

Best wishes

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10

Really appreciate your help. Thank you very much.