DPCPrints Seller Percentages - DPChallenge Forums

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

10/28/2003 05:58:14 PM · #1

I think that DPC Prints should increase the photographer's percentage of the markup after a certain sales goal is reached. I believe that a ladder should be created along these lines or something similar:

After a photographer has profited the following amounts, the photographer keep percentages change to:

$200 - 60%
$300 - 65%
$400 - 70%
$500 - 75%

If a photographer is establishing sales that reach these levels, it would seem that the sales are strong enough to warrant letting the photographer keep a little more of the profit from the sales.

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

10/28/2003 06:06:19 PM · #2

Sounds fair to me, DPCP will still make more money from them than other people below this number, due to the amount of prints that they had to sell to reach that point. It would also be an extra benefit to encourage avertising, as referrals will help people reach this goal quicker. It's a bonus over other similar services as well :)

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

10/28/2003 06:07:25 PM · #3

Referrals are not working for me at all. I have zero sales from referrals and I have a steady stream of referrals coming in.

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

10/28/2003 06:17:10 PM · #4

I've made 3 sales through referrals... granted, they werent my shots that sold, but its still money (about a dollar) :P

10/28/2003 08:28:12 PM · #5

I just think that once you sell a certain dollar value in prints, your own take should increase along with that volume.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

10/28/2003 08:35:20 PM · #6

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

I just think that once you sell a certain dollar value in prints, your own take should increase along with that volume.

And the site's take will also still increase on an absolute basis, although not as fast.

I think you need to develop a scale, though, with fixed minimum and maximum values. I'm not sure I'd agree with your specific suggested values without more thought, although they seem a reasonable starting point. Also, I'd like to think about whether it should be based on gross or net sales, or number of sales, and how "commissions" for referring to sales of others' photos should be accounted-for.

10/28/2003 08:43:11 PM · #7

I think the numbers I posted are excellent points to start. Number of prints is no good cause a lot of people are selling prints for barley over the markup. There is no incentive for D&L to increase the cut to those because there is nothing in it for them to start with.

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

10/28/2003 08:44:14 PM · #8

I desperately need to find a way to make sales via referrals. I would love to get that extra 25% but it ain't happening.

drewmedia

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

10/28/2003 11:35:21 PM · #9

Do you feel like the percentages now are keeping you from wanting to / being able to sell more prints? The main reason I ask, and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, is that for us to consider changing our business model, I'd want to see the logical connection in action/reaction. Or am I trying to draw a conclusion that just won't be there?

This larger problem is the one that you mention in your second post -- we have lots of traffic, and not lots of sales. To our credit, sales have been steadily climbing, and continuing to develop the site's performance is of the utmost concern to us.

We are VERY open to suggestions and are working every day behind the scenes to plan out the future of the site.

Drew

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/28/2003 11:48:01 PM · #10

Originally posted by drewmedia:

Percentages are NOT keeping me from wanting to or being able to sell at all.

I think the connection in action / reaction is simply that, if a photographer wants to make a higher percentage, they must generate a higher volume of sales dollars. I think the model I posted is somewhat logical. If any given photographer produces a certain dollar amount in sales, maybe their percentage could go up. If I generate $200 in profit for myself, I have generated at least $200 in profit for the site as well.

Maybe a different model could be considered as well... Maybe if a photographer averages a certain $ profit over a period of time, they go to a higher percentage bracket. That definitely would keep the photographer in the mood to push his/her own print sales.

Create a baseline of some sort. Say... if you profit $100 in a certain time period, you move up to a higher percentage bracket. If you don't maintain that level, you drop back for the next period.

I am doing everything I know how to generate traffic. As you know, it has been somewhat successful, but my referral sales don't show it. I don't know where my sales are coming from, but they aren't from referrals.

Natator

Canon EOS-5D

10/28/2003 11:52:51 PM · #11

Just looked at your DP Prints stuff jmsetzler. An awful lot of prints there, and all great shots.

Without asking you for anything too specific, do you make a decent amount selling your prints there, or is it just the occasional sale that eventually adds up to a cheque?

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

10/29/2003 12:26:30 AM · #12

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Create a baseline of some sort. Say... if you profit $100 in a certain time period, you move up to a higher percentage bracket. If you don't maintain that level, you drop back for the next period. . .

This would be similar to the system used by Safeway Stores in conjunction with eScrip charities; the first $200 in purchases in a [accounting period] pay a rebate at x%, the next $200 at y%, and anything over that at z%. Unless you are going to cut a check for every sale, this should be fairly easy to implement.

It is based on current sales, and so is an incentive to maintain continuous traffic, and rewards only "current" performance. And it "re-sets" every "pay period" so there's no carry-over sales to track and calculate.

Now, let us in on the real secret -- how do you have so many images in your portfolio and stay under 10mb? I am almost maxed-out, but don't want to eliminate shots which may be linked to forum threads and such.

Natator

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/29/2003 12:34:36 AM · #13

I don't think the shots on DP Prints are linked at all to the 10Mb on DPC.

I have 2 shots on DP Prints, both 4 or 5 Mb, but have only used about 2 Mb on my DPC account.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

10/29/2003 01:02:20 AM · #14

Originally posted by natator:

I don't think the shots on DP Prints are linked at all to the 10Mb on DPC...

The printable files don't count, but the JPEG you first upload to your portfolio to which you link the printable image DOES count, unless it was already submitted as a challenge entry.

10/29/2003 07:35:09 AM · #15

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by jmsetzler:
Create a baseline of some sort. Say... if you profit $100 in a certain time period, you move up to a higher percentage bracket. If you don't maintain that level, you drop back for the next period. . .

This would be similar to the system used by Safeway Stores in conjunction with eScrip charities; the first $200 in purchases in a [accounting period] pay a rebate at x%, the next $200 at y%, and anything over that at z%. Unless you are going to cut a check for every sale, this should be fairly easy to implement.

It is based on current sales, and so is an incentive to maintain continuous traffic, and rewards only "current" performance. And it "re-sets" every "pay period" so there's no carry-over sales to track and calculate.

Now, let us in on the real secret -- how do you have so many images in your portfolio and stay under 10mb? I am almost maxed-out, but don't want to eliminate shots which may be linked to forum threads and such.

I don't upload large images to my portfolio. I try to keep them all relatively small in file size.

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

10/29/2003 07:37:03 AM · #16

Originally posted by natator:

I'm not unhappy with the amount I get to keep from my print sales. I would just like to keep more of it :) I have only sold 16 prints since the beginning of DPCPrints.

Kavey

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

10/29/2003 08:08:57 AM · #17

I'm not (currently) selling prints but have been talking about choosing a site to do so since I have some photos I took in Africa that friends would like to buy.

John I think your idea is excellent and certainly strikes me as a great way to incentivise vendor sales efforts.

10/29/2003 11:30:34 AM · #18

Stragegy Idea #1:

Total Sales Percentage Increases:

As a photographer reaches the following profit levels, the percentages increase:

$200 - 55%
$300 - 60%
$400 - 65%
$500 - 70%
$600 - 75%

I think that if a photographer is able to create that much profit for himself and the site, the extra percentage of the keep is warranted. At those sales levels, DPC will continue to make good money even as they take a lower cut. This would certainly push me to find new and better ways to increase my online sales. It's something I should be doing anyway, but extra incentive never hurts.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

10/29/2003 03:58:28 PM · #19

Do you mean total profits ever, or profits within some time frame?

10/29/2003 04:17:01 PM · #20

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Do you mean total profits ever, or profits within some time frame?

Total profits ever in this example.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

10/29/2003 04:45:41 PM · #21

In that case I think maybe fewer brackets and higher upper thresholds would be better.

If the idea is to drive in more traffic and increase regular sales, I don't think a person who (maybe by arrangement or a fluke) sells a single, super-high-priced print, should get the same, lifelong benefit as someone who's sold forty or fifty less-profitable prints.

I think I'd rather see lower thresholds which recycle each month or quarter, and with fewer brackets -- maybe 60%, 67%, 75%.

jfaulkner

Canon EOS-600D/T3i Rebel

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

10/29/2003 04:47:17 PM · #22

I don't think you are going to get the "Total profits ever in this example."

I could picture those percentages as a quarterly goal and find it reasonable from a business stand point. But if my calculations are correct with the photographer getting 75% and a potential referer(sp?) getting 25% that leaves the store receiving only the base price. And while that might be acceptable on a quarterly basis once the photographer has reached those levels, I can't picture it as a forever and ever thing. However it might be a great incentive on a quarterly basis. I have no idea what the sales levels are like so I don't know how realistic your dollar levels are on a quarterly basis.

10/29/2003 05:00:14 PM · #23

I think something like this should replace the current referral bonus system.