SmugMug: How to Sell Different Size Prints?

[Randy]

You can't stop a crop on the order? I know that you can set up so that you get to see, and fix, prior to print, but I would be concerned if the person purchasing could do an "on-order" crop and then get something different.

Thanks for the info.

i meant you can't stop them from cropping but you can proof/fix/recrop it before it prints whiich is what i do. I also tell them to not worry about croping since I make sure every pic looks good

 

[Randy]

Question(s):

How many orders do you all get on average per photo?

I know the sales part depends on if folks like your photos, etc., but I'm just trying to guage if it's worth it to open on of these accounts.

Thanks. :smile:

on average zero
the vast majority of pics never sell and I'm guessing a high % are never seen by the parents and that's one of the reasons. Another reason is money, bad economy or not.

 

[Retief]

i meant you can't stop them from cropping but you can proof/fix/recrop it before it prints whiich is what i do. I also tell them to not worry about croping since I make sure every pic looks good

That's a bummer, if you can't set an image to "no crop allowed". We already have issues at times when edges of an image are cropped just to match the size print requested. I'm not sure what the deal is whith people when they get angry because they can't see that ugly pole in the picture anymore :wink: This is one I will have to research between Smug and Zenfolio for sure.

on average zero
the vast majority of pics never sell and I'm guessing a high % are never seen by the parents and that's one of the reasons. Another reason is money, bad economy or not.

I sure agree with Randy on this one. I'll have kids come up to me and talk about a picture they saw on line of themselves, and even parents who talk about how great they are, but many of those parents simply look and don't buy. Would be nice to find the "magic formula", that is for sure.

 

[Randy]

That's a bummer, if you can't set an image to "no crop allowed". We already have issues at times when edges of an image are cropped just to match the size print requested. I'm not sure what the deal is whith people when they get angry because they can't see that ugly pole in the picture anymore :wink: This is one I will have to research between Smug and Zenfolio for sure.



I sure agree with Randy on this one. I'll have kids come up to me and talk about a picture they saw on line of themselves, and even parents who talk about how great they are, but many of those parents simply look and don't buy. Would be nice to find the "magic formula", that is for sure.

I crop for composition (to sell the pic) and upload 60%ers from LR so I don't care what the parents can do in crop.
If there was no crop tool it would freak out most of my customers so I'l glad they can get pacified before they checkout

i have got 2 complaints on cropping in 4 years and thousands of sales....i try to keep the portrait vs landscape aspect ratio crop a parent wants but only if it makes sense. I regularly make major changes to the parents crop firguring I know what looks better. The key is obviously to know who their kid is and since most order multiple pics it's not hard.

The 2 complaints were reprinted by smugmug at no charge.


i think the magic formula may be not keeping the pics online forever (like I do) but I'm not sure enough to start removing them....I still sell pics from 2006.
Parents know they can look whenever they want. I still get hundreds and thousands of hits on 1+ year old galleries. It's no surprise that I sell older pics around the holidays.

And the best pics rarely sell becuase they were never seen. You will be amazed at what does sell. I'm not saying post crap and certainly never unPPed posted pics but parents will buy anything and everything with their kids in the frame. So shoot em when they are standing still, go for those candids. I once shot a pic of a kid blowing his nose w/ one hand (u know what I mean) and his dad bought the pic in 2 sizes.

 

[ArtScott]

You can't stop a crop on the order? I know that you can set up so that you get to see, and fix, prior to print, but I would be concerned if the person purchasing could do an "on-order" crop and then get something different.

Thanks for the info.

On SM you can ....stop.....ceint side.......cropping.......there is a tic box if I remember correctly.........but then you need your photos sized for the aspect ratio(s) and sizes you want to sell......I keep mine in the 4x5 (or 5x4) aspect ration and normally only sell in sizes 8x10 and up keeping in the same aspect ratio......so much easier and also it is much easier finding mats and frames...............

 

[ArtScott]

Question(s):

How many orders do you all get on average per photo?

I know the sales part depends on if folks like your photos, etc., but I'm just trying to guage if it's worth it to open on of these accounts.

Thanks. :smile:

You need to think of it as an avenue of ADVERTISING......
as advertising is a tax deduction and if you make any sales off the site then it is a bit of gravy for you................

what i hear at SM is that the ones doingthe best actual sales of events are doing it by selling and printing at the event........but then you need at least 1 assist to take your card download it and process and then print or 2 or more assistant to break down the work a bit and make it easier on all involed and that includes shooting as jpgs so that not so many need to be processed........

 

[KristinB]

If you get a "PRO" level site from Smugmug all of your questions are answered.
I upload almost everything in a 2:3 ratio. I use JPG. My site "shows" a square thumbnail image but opens to the correct ratio when clicked on.
The buyer has the option of cropping the way they want the image during the "buy" process which Smugmug handles for me. They also select the size they wish from a large selection.

Lee,

I'm not clear on whether you want the square thumbnail image or not -- but if you don't, did you know you can change it? I find it very annoying to not be able to see the entire image in the thumbnail, my feeling as a potential customer is that you might as well not have a thumbnail at all. (Just go to "customize", then "thumbnail", then "original" instead of "square".) Just my two cents...