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07/17/09--22:48: Multiply Theme Design Contest: Vote Now! (chan 1457488)

Update 7/19, 1 PM ET: Well, I goofed. The list of themes is now correct, and the vote count has been reset. If you've already voted, please do so again. Voting has also been extended; see below for the updated end date. My apologies.    - Everett


In our recently-announced theme contest, we received so many amazing themes — thanks to everyone who entered! — that choosing only eight was much harder than expected. We spent a good amount of time talking about and debating the merits of the entries, before painstakingly narrowing the list down to just eight, but we somehow managed.

Our work here is done. It's your turn. :-)

Check out the screenshots below. Browse the great themes. Find your favorite. Then go vote for it.

Voting is open to all Multiply members, from now through July 24 July 26 at 11:59 PM, ET. Limit one vote per member.

Vote and win, too!  When we announced this contest, a number of members expressed regret that they didn't quit...


09/29/09--11:14: Typhoon Ondoy Relief Group on Multiply (chan 1457488)

Yesterday we brought you word (and links to photos and more) of Typhoon Ondoy, which swept through the Philippines over the weekend. Now, we've created a Multiply group to serve as a central place for those in the region to share information related to the calamity... and also help willing individuals, both inside and out of the Philippines, find places they can donate their time, goods or money. Visit the group – ondoyrelief.multiply.com – for more information.


04/16/10--07:15: Sample Photos (chan 1457488)




05/19/10--06:06: Multiply Premium brings your Hi-Res Media to Life (chan 1457488)

We talked about it a bit on our staff blog, but never quite "officially" announced the latest upgrades for Multiply Premium. So it's about time we officially introduce the changes that bring hi-res photos and videos to life...


• Hi-def video: If you shoot a video at a resolution of 1280x720 or better, we'll display it in HD format right in the Multiply video player. Even if you didn't shoot in HD, we now show your videos in their original resolution right in the Multiply player.


• Large format media: To really see the beauty of hi-res videos and photos, grab one of our new Hi-Res site themes. If you have a large monitor, you'll really be blown away by how stunning it is to view videos and photos on Multiply now. Since we're using one of those themes here on the staff blog, you can see for yourself - just maximize your browser and view the photos in this album.

And now all of your friends and family get to see your high-res photos and videos even if they don't have Multiply Premium (assuming y...


06/22/10--12:53: Open a free online shop! (chan 1457488)

UPDATE: I have removed the link below because you should now simply add yourself to the Marketplace. Click on the Shop tab and then look for the link in the Seller Tools box at the left side of the page.

Did you know that the same tools that make Multiply a great site for sharing with your friends and family, like a fully customizable web site and powerful media capabilities, can also be used for setting up an online shop? Over 50,000 shops are already running on Multiply! In countries where we already have a large number of shops, we have opened up a Multiply Marketplace. A "Shop" tab at the top of every page leads to a centralized shopping destination where people can search through product listings in numerous categories. Once we have enough sellers in your country, we'll open up the Marketplace for you as well!

If you are already using your site to run an online shop, click the button to mark your site as a shop so that we can make progress towards opening the Marketplace f...


06/22/10--13:08: Marketplace opening soon! (chan 1457488)

As you know, the Multiply Marketplace has been open in Southeast Asia for some time now. Now it's coming to your country as well! We don't want shoppers to find an empty Marketplace though, so we need you to do two things. First, add your shop's Marketplace listing. The Marketplace has a directory of shops and this listing determines where you will show up in that directory. 

Add Your Shop



Second, you should start adding your product listings to the Marketplace right away. When you edit one of your photo albums (or post a new one), you'll see a "Marketplace" checkbox towards the bottom of the form. Check that box, then select the appropriate category for your product, and the listing will then appear in the Marketplace.
In a few days, once we have enough product listings to create a nice shopping experience, we'll open up the Marketplace by adding a "Shop" tab to the top of the page for everyone in your country.



06/24/10--15:24: The Marketplace is now open to the world (chan 1457488)

The Multiply Marketplace, which has been open for the past few months only to Southeast Asian members, is now available to everyone! The Marketplace is our directory of stores operating on Multiply, and in recent weeks we've been hearing from members all over the world who want the Marketplace in their country - not just sellers who want to open their own stores, but also shoppers who want to see what products are out there. So today you have it - just click the Shop tab at the top of any page to check it out.
Some of you may be saying to yourselves... there are stores operating on Multiply? The answer is Yes:  thousands of them!  We introduced the Marketplace so these sellers could connect with people who are truly interested in shopping, without bothering anyone else.
Over 50,000 stores are already up and running, but since the Marketplace is new for many of you, and stores are just now getting set up in your country, it may appear a little empty at first. Please ke...


07/17/10--07:20: Multiply in Thai (chan 1457488)

Thai Multiply users rejoice - our site is now available in your language. That's our sixth language, with still more to come.

Just click the language setting in the footer of any page, or visit My Account, then My Account Info, to view Multiply in Thai - or in Spanish, Portuguese or Indonesian.

Don't forget, any new features added to the site after today will initially be available only in English, until our community of translators enter their new versions.

Thanks to everyone who helped translate Multiply into Thai!


08/23/10--11:31: Scheduled maintenance on Wednesday (chan 1457488)

Edit (8/25): The maintenance was completed earlier today. Thank you for your patience. Our ISP has scheduled some minor software upgrades this week, which are currently set to begin sometime between 3 and 7 am (U.S. Eastern time) Wednesday morning. See what time that translates to in your local area. Unfortunately we don't know the exact time they'll get started. Just be aware that it will be sometime during that 4-hour window. These upgrades aren't anything you'll notice visually on the site, however they will ensure our technology remains state-of-the-art. And because they will require some brief downtime, we wanted to make sure you were aware well ahead of time. Please contact customer service with any questions. And thanks in advance for your


09/08/10--11:31: Vox importer now available (chan 1457488)

If you've ever used the blogging service Vox, you should be aware that they are closing their site on September 30th. 
Make sure you save your Vox posts by importing them to Multiply. Just look for the Vox option when posting blogs, photos or videos.



09/20/10--07:41: Multiply is glad to be part of Naspers (chan 1457488)

We have some great news. Last week we finalized a deal to join forces with Naspers Limited, a world leader in e-commerce and Internet business. We're proud and excited to be joining the Naspers family.

Why is this great news?
As you know, the Multiply Marketplace has become one of the largest online shopping malls in the world. Naspers is a leader in that area, with strong resources behind it. They totally believe in what we're doing, so we'll be able to continue building and improving the Marketplace for many years to come.

But I don't use the Marketplace. What does this mean for me?
Whether or not you use the Marketplace, this is great news because it means Multiply is here for the long haul, with more resources than ever. Nothing is fundamentally changing - the same management and team will remain in place. Peter, Dave and the rest of us are still here. And like you, we all still use Multiply to share our lives with the people who are most important to us. We'll stil...


10/15/10--07:54: Two new offices, and job openings at Multiply (chan 1457488)

Today we are proud to announce that we've opened Multiply offices in Manila, Philippines and Jakarta, Indonesia, to address the rapidly growing social commerce activity in Southeast Asia.
There are now more than 70,000 Multiply shops operating in the region, and having local offices will allow us to better support these entrepreneurs, as well as the millions of shoppers who visit Multiply every month.
We've already begun hiring new employees and have more positions to fill. If you are interested in joining our team, please see our Jobs page for descriptions of what's available.
This is an exciting time for Multiply as well as for me, personally. I'll be spending a lot of time at our new offices in the coming months and I look forward to meeting some of you who are local to Manila and Jakarta. I'm proud that Multiply can now call these two great cities our home.



11/17/10--10:32: Photo printing update (chan 1457488)

As Multiply's e-commerce business continues to make great strides, and we focus on the incredible growth and excitement around social commerce, we've had the chance to take a fresh look at our photo finishing service, and make a decision about how to best serve our customers going forward.
Over the last few years, we've seen many more of you using Multiply as the final destination for your photos. With so many connected devices available to provide constant access to your Multiply photos from anywhere, this makes perfect sense. And it's just fine with us. But there are still some people - like myself - who make an occasional poster, or photo book, and we'd like to continue to serve them as best we can.
We made the determination that the best way to do that is to recommend a service that specializes in photo print products, and we're happy to recommend Kodak Gallery. We have a special offer for Multiply members in the United States: starting today, as you flip past the last photo in a...


11/18/10--07:20: Looking for Merchant Sales Reps in the Philippines (chan 1457488)

Last month we told you about our new office in Manila, one of the true hotbeds of social commerce in Southeast Asia. The office is already up and running with several new hires but we're not finished building the team. We just posted a new listing on our Jobs page for Merchant Sales Reps - these reps will have one of the most exciting jobs at Multiply because they'll be on the front lines, helping us stay in constant communication with the tens of thousands of Multiply sellers in the Philippines. Please see the Jobs page for all the details, and if you're interested in joining our team, send a resume to multiplyjobs@multiply.com.


02/08/11--07:32: Coming soon to the Multiply Marketplace (chan 1457488)

We recently told you about the Naspers deal, our new offices in Manila and Jakarta, and the fact that we're adding lots of new people to the team. Let's call this phase I of our plan to transform Multiply into a dominant Social Shopping destination. With a community of more than 100,000 merchants, we're already on our way.

Over the past couple of months we've been hard at work on phase II: a set of new features that will significantly upgrade our e-commerce platform. The centerpiece will be official product listings - so sellers no longer have to post their products in photo albums or the old-style market items - plus an integrated shopping cart and our own payment processing system.

If you're a merchant running a store on Multiply with our current tools, your life will get much easier soon. And if you're a frequent shopper at the Multiply Marketplace, your experience will become more secure and enjoyable.
We're planning to launch these new features in April. More upd...


02/11/11--12:34: Welcome, Jack Madrid (chan 1457488)

The news is out: Jack Madrid has joined the Multiply team as our country manager for the Philippines.  Jack, formerly of Yahoo!, will run our Manila office, and we couldn't be more excited to have him on board.

Welcome, Jack.

Read the official announcement here


02/24/11--20:11: Multiply nominated for Reader's Choice Award (chan 1457488)

A big thanks to About.com's readers for nominating Multiply for a Readers' Choice award. It is a great honor to be recognized.


The 2011 About.com Readers' Choice Awards will showcase the best products, features and services in dozens of categories. Readers' Choice grew out of a successful awards program on our Computing channel, and it's being expanded this year to include multiple channels, from technology to hobbies to parenting.





03/11/11--14:41: Earthquake relief (chan 1457488)

This morning a major earthquake struck near Japan, triggering tsunamis and causing major damage to the region, even reaching as far as the western part of North America.

First and foremost, our thoughts and feelings are with the people of Japan, and anyone who has been affected by this disaster. Multiply has many members, as well as employees and friends in Southeast Asia, and their safety is our primary concern.

Relief efforts are already underway. If you would like to help, here is one article with links to many organizations that are taking donations.


05/03/11--11:27: Bring your Friendster photos over to Multiply before May 31 (chan 1457488)

If you still have photos or blogs on Friendster, you might want to check out the TechCrunch article linked above to learn how to save your content by exporting it to Multiply:

On the help forum, Friendster encourages all users to use the ‘Friendster Exporter’ app to download or export their profile information, friends list, photos, messages, comments, testimonials, shoutouts, blogs and groups. Options include porting content to Flickr or Multiply.

On May 31, Friendster will move to wipe out all photos, blogs, comments and groups uploaded or created by its users. The company will, however, keep all accounts alive, along with user friends lists, games details and basic profile information.




05/19/11--14:40: Feature updates: Simplifying Collections, and more (chan 1457488)

We just rolled out a couple of small changes to the site:

1. For Sellers: Collections will now include products with any of the tags you specify. For example, if you have a Collection called "Men's Clothing" that uses the tags: ties and sport coats, a product with only the tag ties will be included in the Collection. Previously, the product had to include both tags to be included.


2. For Shoppers: If you choose to pay by bank deposit, you'll now see a link to print your deposit instructions, so you can take them with you to the bank.

And we have more, coming soon:

The ability to rearrange product listings

The option to offer discounted courier rates in the Philippines, courtesy of Xend

An upgraded Meebo chat bar




05/23/11--08:44: Tornado relief (chan 1457488)

Last night, a major tornado struck Missouri, causing mass destruction to the city of Joplin and claiming many lives. Massive tornadoes have hit other areas of the Southeastern and Midwestern US in recent months, most notably Alabama, killing hundreds and causing millions of dollars in damage. Many of us in the Multiply family have ties to these areas and our thoughts and prayers are with anyone who has been affected by these terrible storms.

If you would like to donate to the relief efforts, please visit the Red Cross website, or simply text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10.


06/06/11--11:22: Feature updates: Rearrange your products (chan 1457488)

This week we serve up some new features for sellers, as well as a couple of bug fixes.
First, for sellers, you now have the ability to rearrange your products:

Just go to the Stock Room, select Products and click the Rearrange icon at the top of the page. Then simply drag and drop your products in the order you want them:



Also new today, for all sellers: 
A buyer's shipping information is now visible to you right away when an order is submitted, even when the order's status is still Pending. Quite a few sellers asked us for this change.
And for sellers in the Philippines:

Multiply has partnered with Xend to offer discounted courier rates when shipping from Metro Manila or Rizal. Learn more.
Finally:

• Over the past week or so we've been testing new ways to stop spammers, which caused some members to see a Captcha verification screen when they tried to post a reply. As of today we've addressed those issues and made sure things are back to being more human friendly. :-) 
• Som...
  

09/29/11--11:31: Coming soon: a new look for Multiply (chan 1457488)

Multiply has introduced a number of upgrades over the past couple of years, but one thing that hasn't changed lately is the look and feel of our web site. Until now.
In a week or so we'll be rolling out a significant site redesign, which will not only introduce a cleaner and more modern look to Multiply, but will also include some new features and enhancements that were a long time in coming. Here's a quick preview:


In addition to a fresher, cleaner look, you'll be able to do more on every page: from easier posting at the top of the inbox, to the ability to search from any page via the global navigation.




















The global nav is now "permanent" on the homepages of all users. It won't be affected by anyone's site customization, so you can always find your way around.    













 




The redesign should be ready sometime next week. We hope you're as excited about it as we are. Please let us know what you think in the comments. 




10/05/11--13:02: How do you like our new look? (chan 1457488)

Our redesign is live... what do you think?




















We are already working on some last minute updates in response to your feedback. If you haven't shared your thoughts yet, please leave a comment below and let us know what you think. 
To report a problem, please contact customer service as that is the fastest way to get things resolved.
Thanks to everyone who has chimed in so far.



10/17/11--13:44: Little things can mean a lot (chan 1457488)

A couple of weeks ago we introduced our site redesign, which brought with it a number of small changes that we think really improve the Multiply experience. Let's take a look:

1. Search now has a spot in the global header, so you can pop in your search terms from any page and find what you're looking for fast, whether it's a specific post, person, group or an item in the Marketplace.

2. A new Account summary page adds security by documenting your Multiply activity, letting you see:


• The date you joined Multiply
• The last time you logged in
• The last time you changed your password (if at all)


The account summary page also allows you to enable dropdown menus in the global header for quick access to your contacts, groups and posts from any page.


3. Posting is much faster from the new posting area at the top of your Inbox. And when you click Post from any page we display the posting options in a snap, without having to load a new page.

4. Finding help is much easier on...


01/13/12--08:09: Help stop SOPA and PIPA (chan 1457488)

We normally avoid politics on this forum but today we are making an exception to stand up for something that we feel is very important, not only for the future of Multiply and all of our members, but perhaps for the future of the Internet itself.
There are two bills currently being debated in the United States Congress which we believe are unnecessary and dangerous because they would effectively allow the U.S. government to censor the internet. Both bills - "The PROTECT IP Act" (PIPA) in the Senate and "The Stop Online Piracy Act" (SOPA) in the House of Representatives - would give copyright holders the power to block access to websites for alleged copyright infringement. There are already laws in place that compel Internet providers and websites, such as Multiply, to remove copyrighted content in a timely manner without taking such drastic measures. This is important because it allows companies like ours and other social media, search and internet providers to exist and innovate wit...