CafePress today announced changes to their marketplace to respond to the needs of their growing customer base. This announcement is a reflection of the growing trend in community e-tailing. I really like this company and hope to get a briefing from the company. Here is the news on their big change.

Over the months to come, CafePress will be rolling out changes in their marketplace to improve their customer experience for their 11 million monthly shoppers in two key areas:

1. Search Platform and Algorithm changes to ensure they better deliver the designs and merchandise their customers are looking for by bringing the best designs to the front and reducing redundant designs.

2. Pricing and Designer commission structure changes in order to offer their customers consistent and competitive prices and invest in their site experience.

CafePress’ changes to their marketplace mark a major milestone in the evolution of the very space they have pioneered. The vision for the marketplace is to become more retail-like, where innovative and quality designers are rewarded with premium shelf space and customers can consistently and easily find relevant and unique designs at a great price.

“These changes are all about listening to our customers and using their feedback to launch the next generation of the CafePress marketplace, streamlining how customers find products and investing in a quality experience,” comments Durham.

I’m not sure what this will mean to their business. CafePress is a private company and doesn’t discuss financials, but the word on the street in Silicon Valley is that they are doing great in this down economy. They have a great business model and a vibrant community. I am curious to see how these “mainstream” like changes will affect their business and their bottom line.