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06/08/2003 12:38:46 PM · #1 |
I've sent several of my friends and family to DPC Prints to help out. Invariably they come back to me with the same response "all the photos are so expensive." I was looking at the front page today and I can see how people would get that impression.
The featured photographer is shiiizzzam who happens to be a long-time friend of mine. The lowest price on any of her prints is $9 for a 4x6. She's got some great photos up there, but at those prices you're going to turn many casual customers away.
You can also count on seeing at least one of jmsetzler's photos up there on any given day as well. Though I can imagine he's sold quite a few prints, the prices he sets seem a bit exorbitant to me and several other people I've sent to the site. If a prospective buyer were to get the impression that this type of prices were the norm for the site, it might turn them away.
It also seems to me that there are several photographers and photos that are continually recycled as featured prints and featured photographers. I've seen several great photos within the site that have never made it to the front page and that are much cheaper. These are the kinds of photos I'd like to see get more attention because these are the kinds of photos that are going to draw in the more casual customers.
This is all just my opinion but it's not based totally off my experiences alone. I posted a link to this in an online journal of mine and got at least 15 comments about the prices of the prints.
Something to think about.
Message edited by author 2003-06-08 12:40:27. |
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06/08/2003 12:44:34 PM · #2 |
My prints are almost at base price until I get unlazy enough to change them back. I see prices as REALLY LOW right now - are you kidding? Average photogs charge 10 times what Setzler is charging! We've all priced ourselves low and it puts us in a certain market, but it's a lower end market.
What kind of person expects to get an 8x10 direct from an artist for less than 20 bucks? That's just silly and I think people's views are that we're just people selling our hobby. These aren't posters from Walmart. If someone wants a 20x30 for 5 bucks, they need to hit Wallyworld.
Shiz charges $9.00 for a 4x6 probably because she takes great pride in knowing that the "casual" customer can't replicate her photos. If we were selling snapshots, $3.00 may be a better price range for 4x6, but we're not.
//mavrik.dpcprints.com
There's their Walmart link - but I think saying dpcprints is overpriced is ignoring a lot.
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06/08/2003 12:48:20 PM · #3 |
| I priced my prints based on who I'm catering to. I'm not targeting the casual buyer. I'm targeting the people who may be looking for photographs to decorate their 'space' with. These buyers pay significantly more that I'm charging when they buy from local shops and galleries... |
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06/08/2003 12:51:35 PM · #4 |
I agree that they are way to expensive. I want to buy prints but won't because of that. My family and friends have also mentioned that some prints are just to much. Maybe put in a price catagory for people who know what they are wanting to pay. I would love that so I don't have to click through all of them till I get to the price range I want.
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06/08/2003 12:52:36 PM · #5 |
But not listening to the opinion of the general public is ignoring even more.
I'm not saying shi or jm shouldn't charge that much. If a person truly understands and appreciates photography, they will know about prices involved in buying photos. What I am saying is that it would be nice to see some less expensive prints featured once in a while to keep the casual buyer around.
I also realize that there are many reasonably priced photos on DPC. My point is that when you feature the same people and the same photos over and over there are many customers that won't stick around long enough to find them.
Message edited by author 2003-06-08 12:54:21. |
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06/08/2003 12:58:35 PM · #6 |
I just cut my prices in half. I was charging $20 for an 8x10, and while this didn't seem excessive to me at the time, perhaps I will make a few more sales now. (I have only sold 1 print so far.)
$10 bucks is reasonable for an 8x10 isn't it? |
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06/08/2003 12:58:51 PM · #7 |
| I have put prints on sale several times. It hasn't helped much because I guess my sale prices are still too high. |
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06/08/2003 01:01:30 PM · #8 |
| I would like to have a way to offer a discount price to DPC members though. I would sell to DPC people for significantly less if there was a method to do that effectively. |
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06/08/2003 01:04:34 PM · #9 |
I have 10 sales at my Walmart prices - it's more about distribution for me than making a big ole profit - at the same time, who can blame those with $2500 and 1000s of hours invested into their hobby to try to earn some of that back by selling regularly priced prints.
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06/08/2003 01:27:03 PM · #10 |
I'm in the process of re-upping my prints ready for a 'sale', mainly so that DPCers can take the opportunity to grab 'em - I would like a 'DPC member discount' option too. I may keep 4x6s low afterwards, but the larger sizes will be going up.
Mavrik would have to sell over 50 of his 'Walmart' 4x6s to make what Shiz would make on one. I don't think we're aiming to shift huge amounts, but to do reasonably well on what we do sell.
Cheap prints that have been featured on the front page: //bod.dpcprints.com
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06/08/2003 01:31:33 PM · #11 |
My photography is just for fun and I´m far too old to plan to make any big money in selling prints. So therefor I´m putting down all my prices permanently to a more reasonable level.
4x 5 = 1.00
8x10 = 5.00
16x20 = 15.00 |
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06/08/2003 01:52:42 PM · #12 |
My prints are going pretty cheap. If I ever had something in the featured prints, they might be seen. I can't say I'm never there. I've seen my prints twice on the featured prints. I only check a couple times a day, and it isn't like I've had stuff for sale the whole entire time either. I think I waited until the third day DPCPrints was up and running. I gotta think that not being up there is not helping my print sales (1 so far). I'm also wondering what I did or am doing wrong. Maybe I should be "Inspzzzil" instead :P
I am a bit annoyed though that I don't ever seem to have a featured print. Obviously I am not as skilled or as marketable as Shiz or Setzler, but I paid the same $25 they did. So I'm with you Mav on the "Walmart" pricing. Well mine might be little higher, like "Target" or something, but still, I know people will likely not spend more than $10 for an 8x10 of any of my stuff.
Done venting. That's been bugging me for awhile. I like the idea of having a "bargain center" somewhere on the site for we lesser photographers. Take care - Bob |
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06/08/2003 02:04:22 PM · #13 |
I find it interesting to see all the price sales being announced here. You guys have a completely different marketing model than the one I am operating on. That's great, just different. I have not submitted any prints to dpc yet because the price ranges are way too low and will spoil my market.
My feeling is this: I will never make huge money on my photography. So, I prefer, as an artist, to sell a few $300 prints a year to people who really appreciate it, rather than 1000 prints at $2 to casual viewers.
Different markets, different strategies. Good luck to us all!
Edited on advice of tax lawyer!
Message edited by author 2003-06-08 14:24:59.
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06/08/2003 02:34:24 PM · #14 |
@Jak - I believe that right now most of the people buying prints are other photogs. With this belief, I wished to offer low prices - I want copies of their pics, I think someone may even want a copy of mine - but I don't want to try to make money off other dpc'ers. I'm with those who say we need more featured photogs - I like those who are up there, just add more!
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06/08/2003 02:47:28 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by Jak:
Edited on advice of tax lawyer! |
LOL. I saw the unedited version :p
My prices at the moment are representative of somebody who has been an amateur photographer for 6 months or so. After the sale I will increase them to be representative of somebody who tends to do fairly well in the challenges. I'm guessing you have a fair bit more experience behind you!
I agree with what Mavrik just posted - we're pretty much selling to each other at the moment, and most of the people we're pointing to the site probably can't afford too many zeros on the price.
Originally posted by Jak:
Different markets, different strategies. Good luck to us all! |
Indeed : )
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06/08/2003 02:50:19 PM · #16 |
after reading this forum .. i decided to go through my photos and prints and lower some of the prices ... the difference in prices being whether i'm able to go and recreate that image again or it was a one time or once in a lifetime shot ... those of course would be a little more ... it's all about what iamges have more feeling and emotions towards me and which ones i could consider snap shots ... i'm proud of my work and happy with what iamges i have to offer ... whether or not someone else likes them enough to buy them .. well that time will come ... and when it does ... that's a bonus for me :)
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06/08/2003 02:57:05 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by bod:
My prices at the moment are representative of somebody who has been an amateur photographer for 6 months or so. After the sale I will increase them to be representative of somebody who tends to do fairly well in the challenges. I'm guessing you have a fair bit more experience behind you! |
I do have a bit more than 6 months experience, it's true, but not THAT much. And, frankly, I don't consider myself a particularly fine photographer, either (I believe I have a good eye for composition but my impatience with details lets me down at times). But ...
I do have a decent marketing brain and my highly targeted campaign has been very successful in my own terms.
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06/08/2003 03:21:49 PM · #18 |
Selling to me is not a huge motivation for making great pictures, yet. It is something I've been researching. We have a few things happening around here this summer that may present some opportunities to peddle a few pictures. I'd like more to make a little pocket money doing portraits and stuff. I have a few photos that have gotten the attention of some people, but most of them don't have $200 to spend on a car more or less a photograph.
I wish we could have a little members discount section where the prints could be sold to other members at a certain low low price. Maybe once a minimum number was reached, the prices could go back up to normal. That might stimulate a little more action in the DPCPrints "economy". Requiring that we sell 10 prints minimum at $5 (for example) I think might also motivate people to try to get one of the first 10.
I might actually sell 10 prints this way too. At the rate I'm going, I should get my $25 check for xmas, 2006.
Just a thought. Carry on.... Bob |
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06/08/2003 03:40:13 PM · #19 |
A couple more suggestions for the print site:
Price range option on the search facility - this would likely help the people getting frightened off by Shiiizzzam :p
A method of highlighting your own prints - sorta like a 'featured' section on your own prints page. This could help seperate out your best (more expensive) work from the rest, or be used as a sale section.
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06/08/2003 04:51:00 PM · #20 |
As a storyteller, I almost always charge for my storytelling, and I usually charge the going rate for someone at my level (i.e. regional, local teller). If I were to really market myself and go out and do the storytelling "thing," and get some wider exposure, I would charge more. My photography is similar. I'm just not good enough to charge high prices. Also most of my prints are priced so that folks who know us and who want photos from us can get them.
I suspect that in the future my prices might go up, but I'm not as good a photographer as Setzler or Shizzam (or many others!), so the site has mainly been for family and friends who are interested in my work.
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06/08/2003 04:56:36 PM · #21 |
I have my 4x6's real low, and the enlargements somewhat more moderately priced. Remember, these are not one-offs or printed by us; we are not (so far as I know) offering these as limited or signed editions through this site.
In the food industry, meals are usually priced about 3-5 times the cost of the ingredients; that markup is supposed to cover overhead, helpstaff, and the culinary talents of the chef. Considering my artistic talents (or lack thereof) and our method of manufacture and distribution, this seems like a reasonable model for me to use for now.
I think I would rather (and am more likely to) sell 2000 prints for $1 than 6 prints for $300. But then, I'm NOT good at marketing ....
I would REALLY like the option of flagging a print for a specified DPC-member discount. Or maybe we can have two sets of prices; I guess that would set up a separate "member's store" in addition to the private and public stores. |
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06/08/2003 04:59:20 PM · #22 |
| I forgot to say that I use the 4x6's kind of as samples -- I figure someone maybe be willing to check out some of my stuff for a couple of bucks, and hopefully like it enough to order enlargements. |
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06/08/2003 06:49:58 PM · #23 |
| My prints are cheap because, well, they just are. :-) |
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06/23/2003 11:29:17 AM · #24 |
heh I see your point krets :)
I have lowered some of my prices. I just loaded a new print that is my fav right now. I worked hard, as everyone has, to learn what I do now and the gas, props and time to carry out my ideas. I feel if they truly like my prints, they will buy them. Same as in a store. You buy what you like.
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06/23/2003 11:44:10 AM · #25 |
Originally posted by Shiiizzzam:
heh I see your point krets :)
I have lowered some of my prices. I just loaded a new print that is my fav right now. I worked hard, as everyone has, to learn what I do now and the gas, props and time to carry out my ideas. I feel if they truly like my prints, they will buy them. Same as in a store. You buy what you like. |
Don't feel bad about your prices, remember all professionals set a price they feel the deserve based on experience, education and cost of doing....Hey did you know the average price of a perm is under $5 for a cosmetologist and yet it is hard to find a salon that charges less than $50 for a perm with the exception of a few chain salons.
Those who are complaining about prices are the ones who have never bought a real piece of art and only have the Wal Mart Prints that are $5 hanging on their walls. Oops did I just say that...lol I got lots of those in my little boys room...although I also have a small collection of orginal paintings and drawings by various artist and believe me I couldn't have even bought a square inch of those works of art for what we are selling prints for here.
The prices aren't the problem the problem is DPCPrints is just to new yet and hasn't caught the attention of the right people. Give it time it will... |
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