Print for Sale Galleries on the Web

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

04/12/2006 09:32:17 AM · #1

Anyone using other print for sale services on the web?

As much as I like DPCPrints (not leaving there), I am looking to expand to another service which takes care of the printing and orders, like DPCPrints, in order to get more exposure and add more customer traffic and potential sales. I've found several, but I'd like to hear from anyone using another service.

It would be great if they:

1) Allowed me to organize within galleries within my gallery (and had a top level thumbnail like our portfolios)
2) Offered matted framing
3) More photographer "branded" gallery (perhaps customizable)
4) Had a 30% or lower commission on top of production costs

As long as D&L don't mind us discussing other services here (if they do, they can suppress this thread), I'd like to hear about other services people are using, and their experiences with them (especially sales).

Thanks in advance.

Cutter

Nikon D700

04/12/2006 09:34:02 AM · #2

I am interested in this exact thing as well, good post.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

04/12/2006 09:34:51 AM · #3

Neil - check out clickimage.com and photoreflect.com - both fit your criteria. I'm sure there are others, but I have only worked with those 2.

Message edited by author 2006-04-12 09:35:41.

Kavey

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Sigma 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC for Canon

04/12/2006 09:43:31 AM · #4

Thanks Idnic, I'm going to check those out too...

KHolt

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM

04/12/2006 11:02:03 AM · #5

anyone know of any for the English contingent....

bluenova

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

04/12/2006 11:03:34 AM · #6

Originally posted by KHolt:

anyone know of any for the English contingent....

//www.photobox.co.uk

Edit to add: link to info about pro-gallery:
//www.photobox.co.uk/static/sellyourimages.html

Message edited by author 2006-04-12 11:04:32.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

04/12/2006 12:07:27 PM · #7

Originally posted by idnic:

Neil - check out clickimage.com and photoreflect.com - both fit your criteria. I'm sure there are others, but I have only worked with those 2.

Thanks Cindi. Do you have a site hosted with either?

jenesis

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

04/12/2006 12:23:36 PM · #8

Is it true that Photoreflect.com is only Mac Friendly? I was interested in using them at some point, but heard it can only be used with Macs. I never investigated further after that.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

04/12/2006 01:14:14 PM · #9

Hey guys. Yes I currently have a site hosted with clickimage and i LOVE their web-building interface.... but I really prefer the fullfillment system at PhotoReflect. I used PhotoReflect for the last year and have many really nice prints from them - never been disappointed. I haven't ordered prints from ClickImage yet, but the print lab they use is well known and reputable, so I'm sure it won't be a problem.

Can't say about mac friendly as I'm a PCer, PhotoReflect works great with PC.

My ClickImage site: PenrodStudios

I've also been playing around with SmugMug, but so far I don't like their interface and I suck at html...

Message edited by author 2006-04-12 13:14:50.

jenesis

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

04/12/2006 01:31:43 PM · #10

That's good to know about the PC thing. I was under the impression that you could only use Macintosh's with their service. Not sure why that would be, BUT now I know it's not the case. I'll check them out again, when I'm ready to set up an online storefront/gallery for clients.

Thanks Cindi. :-)

04/15/2006 09:24:27 AM · #11

Just thought I would add a follow up. I joined clickimage, and started to build the gallery. But I don't think I'll carry it to the finish. I don't like the fact that you are carried off to their "brand name" site ad part of the shopping cart process. In fact, I have been really unable to see what I can purchase, to preview my cart without joining the "user" site. I think a shopping cart system should:

1) Retain the photographers web site look/branding
2) Allow people to add to a cart, and then keep looking around for more items, returning to the cart when they want to. Even if they never actually buy.

Further, I guess I was disappointed that

1) There doesn't seem to be a way to limit the products you sell. You set prices for all the items, including "gifts" they can make. Then I suppose any of those are available to the users. You can't exclude any.

2) They don't have matted prints as an option! Just framed like DPC. I want to sell matted prints, and better still matted and framed prints.

So I will probably keep looking. Photoreflect may be nice, but I am still looking for a place that not only gives me the site I want, but does DPC-like fullfillment.

Actually, matted prints is so important I might consider

//www.worldonpaper.com

They have a high commission on sales though, similar to DPCPrints without referrals. (I got a "personal" invitation to join them, but I suspect they were harvesting the list of photographers from BetterPhoto, since although they make it look like you were hand picked, they still want me to submit "samples" to join.)

rex

Canon PowerShot SD780

04/15/2006 09:40:17 AM · #12

Neil,

Have you thought about smugmug?

It is $150/year but you get pro services and unlimited storage.

You can fully customize the site and everything.

Mine is a pro but I have not fully customized it.

//www.jstantonjr.smugmug.com

//www.smugmug.com

I am not going to push my referrer link on you but you can look at mandyturners or micknewtons smugmug and get a better idea for the pro versions.

//www.micknewton.smugmug.com/

//turnerphoto.smugmug.com/

If you do decide you will use smugmug then I will give you the code to save $5

oh and two more to look at that is great. These are both ran through smugmug.

//www.moonriverphotography.com/

//photos.mikelanestudios.com/

Message edited by author 2006-04-15 09:50:21.

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

04/15/2006 09:49:38 AM · #13

I looked at it last year when it only cost $99. At that time I didn't like the web management interface and particularly the lack of drag and drop file loading. I think it was missing an FTP option too (at that time anyway).

I was thinking of giving them another look, but I have to say, that's quite an increase to $150. Did they keep existing users at the same rate? That does seem expensive for a single purpose hosting plan. (I already have several servers I can use for my own photo hosting, but that doesn't give me any order fullfillment optons.)

Perhaps I'll do the trial again just to see.

rex

Canon PowerShot SD780

04/15/2006 09:51:55 AM · #14

Originally posted by nshapiro:

Did they keep existing users at the same rate?

Yes they kept their existing user at the same rate. Part of the reason I went ahead and moved up to the pro so I can stay at $100/year

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

04/15/2006 09:56:49 AM · #15

i used to use photoreflect for a store front, but found myself hating the interface, and also hating the 18% they take off the top. i use their labtricity network for printing because the best local lab is part of their network and i get great prices and turnaround time is less than 24 hours.

at this point, this is where i am:
i don't like either the interfaces, the surcharges, and/or the fees that i have found with most online galleries. i also don't like the fact that most galleries end up making you look like...most other galleries.

so, i have my own website. it's not perfect, but it basically works.
at the moment, i use simpleviewer, but that's temporary.
i market direct to teams and parents.
they email or call me to place orders.
i have my own merchant account for processing credit cards.

what i'm doing:
i'm developing my own integrated gallery/shopping cart site.