DPC Prints: Turning visitors into buyers

07/01/2003 03:39:42 PM · #1

I'm interested in starting a brainstorming session on how to improve print sales at DPC Prints. I am concerned that quite a number of people are actually coming to DPC Prints, but that very few are actually buying anything (and most of those are DPCers). I am soliciting suggestions on what can be done to improve the buyer experience on DPC.

I'm asking everyone who is willing to head over to //www.dpcprints.com and look at it from a buyer (or potential buyer) perspective. Please post any specific suggestions you have for improvement here. If you're a seller, especially, please do this as you have a vested interest in the site's success.

-Terry

Message edited by author 2003-07-01 16:10:52.

07/01/2003 03:58:34 PM · #2

My suggestions:

1. We need search back. This is probably the biggest barrier to a buyer who is looking for photographs that need a specific theme.

2. For search to be effective, photographers need to fill in their keywords.

3. The featured photographer and featured print pages are nice, but should be moved off the front page. Taking their place should be selections from the most popular and/or recently sold prints. These are prints that have proven their marketability.

4. When viewing a photograph, the fact that the photographer's name is not a link is not evident. Perhaps a "More selections from this artist," and for the galleries "Browse this gallery" buttons would be more appropriate.

5. I'd like to see the search options expanded to include print sizes and price.

6. Prints appearing in thumbnail should have a price range below them (something like "$5.00-$20.00"). Viewers clicking on the thumbnail would then see the full list of sizes and prices as they do now.

-Terry

07/01/2003 04:06:23 PM · #3

I'd like to see a Slide Show feature. Also would like to see more emphasis put on individual photographers, ie. have the option of selecting a particular photographer from the front page much like what you have for the themed galleries.

07/01/2003 04:08:59 PM · #4

Originally posted by orussell:

Also would like to see more emphasis put on individual photographers, ie. have the option of selecting a particular photographer from the front page much like what you have for the themed galleries.

Actually, you can. The photographers name is a link, but this is not evident from the page design... this ties in to point (3) in my post above.

-Terry

Message edited by author 2003-07-01 16:09:40.

crabappl3

07/01/2003 04:15:48 PM · #5

My biggest gripe is that it doesn't show the same size preview image that I uploaded. They do a resize shrink to some size that is smaller then our usual 640 longest side. This makes the images fuzzy and sometimes small enough that detail is too small to make out. What's the problem with just showing the preview size we uploaded? If I use 800 on my longest so as to allow the most detail, but my image size is 75kb then I should be allowed to have my best looking preview.

07/01/2003 04:16:31 PM · #6

Originally posted by ClubJuggle:

Originally posted by orussell:
Also would like to see more emphasis put on individual photographers, ie. have the option of selecting a particular photographer from the front page much like what you have for the themed galleries.

Actually, you can. The photographers name is a link, but this is not evident from the page design... this ties in to point (3) in my post above.

-Terry

I realize this but it would be nice to have a link to a page listing all print sellers on one page, not just the winners.

07/01/2003 04:18:26 PM · #7

Originally posted by orussell:

I realize this but it would be nice to have a link to a page listing all print sellers on one page, not just the winners.

Browse/By Artist?

-Terry

07/01/2003 04:20:16 PM · #8

Yes that's what I'm trying to say. Don't tell me that feature already exists.........

*edit...it's not very evident. Maybe if it was a the top of the page....sort of Browse by: (insert options)

Message edited by author 2003-07-01 16:22:27.

07/01/2003 04:21:45 PM · #9

Originally posted by orussell:

Yes that's what I'm trying to say. Don't tell me that feature already exists.........

I think I just did. ;-)

But, it's good that you said it. If you're not seeing it, then other people might not be either... so it's a potential design issue.

-Terry

07/01/2003 04:23:30 PM · #10

Originally posted by ClubJuggle:

Originally posted by orussell:
Yes that's what I'm trying to say. Don't tell me that feature already exists.........

I think I just did. ;-)

But, it's good that you said it. If you're not seeing it, then other people might not be either... so it's a potential design issue.

-Terry

You replied before I got to edit....lol

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

07/01/2003 04:37:40 PM · #11

How about a gallery for "Prints on Sale" where each artist can put some fixed number (1-3?) of prints at a reduced price for a week or two.

"Nothing" encourages impulse buying like the thought of getting a bargain.

joshua

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

07/01/2003 04:43:37 PM · #12

Originally posted by GeneralE:

nice idea

jmsetzler

Sony Alpha a6000

Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 E-mount

07/01/2003 04:44:16 PM · #13

I think that all these suggestions are probably good ones. I don't know what the 'hit' statistics on DPCPrints looks like other than the referrals query that some can see already. We don't really know where all those hits come from. A lot of the referrals I see come from various other sites such as photosig, deviantart, and some personal webpages and pbase galleries.

Who is our target audience? Are we targeting the general internet surfer? WHERE the hits come from may be more important than how many hits we get.

We should make the site as user friendly as possible, but we should also define who our target audience is and then make it visible to that audience.

Who buys prints? How can we become visible to them?

I wouldn't put all the effort here into sucking a sale out of a casual surfer who clicks on a link somewhere.

07/01/2003 04:50:27 PM · #14

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

John, these are excellent questions. I hope you don't mind if I defer them to the near foture though. I do have some stuff in the works as far as targeted advertising, something that I think many agree need to be done. Based on some preliminary testing, though, I think it is important to put these interface issues to bed, and only then spend the time and money necessary to get the site in front of the right people.

To clarify, though, we should build in to this duscussion the assumption that the person came to the site looking for art available for purchase. Anyone else, we will not get a sale from no matter what we do.

-Terry

Message edited by author 2003-07-01 16:51:57.

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

07/01/2003 04:57:58 PM · #15

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Who is our target audience? ... we should also define who our target audience is and then make it visible to that audience.

Who buys prints? How can we become visible to them?

This is the essential question in any marketing exercise, and I suggest brainstorming answers to that (here or a separate thread) before spending too much more effort on specific design suggestions.

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

07/01/2003 05:04:23 PM · #16

Make every gallery (topic-related or individual artist) into a slideshow-type arrangement so by clicking on any thumbnail you go to a photo page with Back and Forward buttons to scoll through the photos ... essentially the way our voting pages work, but without the randomizing factor. I guess also have a Return to Thumbnails Page link for people who want to jump to specific prints, the way we're forced to now.

JPR

Sony Alpha a55

Sony DT 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Super Wide Angle Zoom

07/01/2003 05:08:52 PM · #17

I just went onto DPPrints and looked at it from a consumer's perspective and I have some suggestions for major changes. The basic premise of my changes is that the current look of the site is not professional. I don't mean that it's not a good looking site, I mean more that it still seems tailored mostly for DPChallenge and not as a seperate Print buying site. When people go onto a site to buy prints they want to be under the illusion that these are all high quality prints that other members of the general public will be buying. This all starts with the name. I suggest that you drop the word "challenge," and just call it DP Prints or Digital Photography Prints. In my opinion, "challenge" implies that it isn't professional in any way and is just a place for amateurs to submit art and get some feedback, etc. This, of course, is what DPChallenge is, but we also have a lot of really talented photographers on here that I would consider professional. On the same note, I think it would be best if the intro page didn't have the exact same look as DP Challenge. The colors are fine and all but it's just too crowded. It looks more like a membersite with a lot of forums and searching to do. The inital page that open when viewers come to the site should be very simple and eye catching. All of the search parameters and photographer profiles, etc, should be on a page that opens second in my opinion. I think that the site is a good way to inform people about DP Challenge as well, but I think that information is too obvious at the top of the page. From the intial page you should have two links, one for shoppers/browers, and one for submissions/photographers. This all relates to the target market issue that has been raised. Is the DP Print site supposed to be a lead into DP Challenge or is it supposed to be a lead in for photo sales?

jmsetzler

Sony Alpha a6000

Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 E-mount

07/01/2003 05:11:28 PM · #18

I'm just having trouble seeing how this site could be deemed 'not buyer friendly'.

There is a browse option on the top menu bar. There are browse methods in that list. Granted, the search function is not working, so if I wanted a print of an 'umbrella' I would not be able to easily find it.

I agree that removing the 'featured' prints and artists from the main page is a good idea.

I think the front page should resemble the 'by gallery' page a little more, if not exactly.

FranziskaLang

Nikon D100

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Nikon

07/01/2003 05:11:36 PM · #19

Give potential buyers the option to shop without having to create an account. They'll provide a lot of the same information when shopping, but I know I'd feel much more comfortable if I didn't have to create an account at a site just to buy a print.

Don't take that option away completely, some people may like it and be encouraged to come back, but don't force buyers to create a profile, make it an option instead.

JPR

Sony Alpha a55

Sony DT 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Super Wide Angle Zoom

07/01/2003 05:19:04 PM · #20

I agree with Franziska's comment. Also with Jon's. I think that the browsing and the site in general is browser friendly (assuming that search will work eventually). I think the most important factor is getting people to start browsing in the first place, which relies on the inital page looking like somewhere people would want to spend their money.

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

07/01/2003 05:25:13 PM · #21

Originally posted by JasonPR:

In line with your earlier post, change the home page logo to "DPC Prints!" People will eventually get the connection to the challenge site, and it has the advantage of matching the site's URL.

Imagineer

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

07/01/2003 05:38:37 PM · #22

I've had a brief look at the site and I think one of the key points here is what does a purchaser actually receive? This may be on the site - but it's not prominent.

Here are a few of my top-level questions from a consumer's point of view:

Are they inkjets or photograhic paper?
Are they mounted?
Do you ship overseas?
What if I don't like the quality?
Is there volume discount?

Sorry if this repeats other queries or if I've missed anything and, for the record, I agree that the title of the site should lose the 'Challenge' connection and maybe use are bit of colour coding to assist the subliminal 'signposting'.

KarenB

Canon EOS-70D

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

07/01/2003 06:33:49 PM · #23

Originally posted by crabappl3:

I agree with this too.

OneSweetSin

Nikon D3000

07/01/2003 07:06:27 PM · #24

I decided to see just how first time friendly DPCPrints is. So what do I do. Out of the blue I wanted to see if there were any deer prints. So as a first time user my first question would be where is the search? Although it is there, it isn't out in the open to find easily. Next thing I did was I looked in the animal gallery, hmmm no deer there.

So I look over the gallery choices, ok nature that might work oh now what do I do there are 13 pages of prints there so I start on page 1, then 2, I feel like giving up, now 3 and finally on page 4 I find this.... //www.dpcprints.com/print.php?IMAGE_ID=19183 but it isn't exactly what I am looking for so I continue my search and then I realized wait there are 13 pages in the nature gallery but I only saw one page in the animal gallery. Were there more pages there did I just miss them?

So back to the animal gallery I go...by this time I'm tired of all the other prints I have seen and I just give up never finding what I really wanted. When it might be there, but I'm too busy to go and look for it and sort through all the other prints.

LOL yeah that is what I just did I screwed up while looking through animal prints and didn't notice the next page so with the search engine not working on the prints and this is the message I got when I tried to use it
Sorry, searching is temporarily disabled. Please try again later. I am sure we are turning potential buyers away.

If I was a customer who was looking for a print of a deer I might have just given up and went to another site that all I had to do was type the word deer into the search engine and I would have had a vast array of deer prints in front of me.

I really wasn't planning to find out what could be happening the way I did but seriously if it happened to me someone who knows that DPC has lots of pages in a challenge and that the prints are set up the same way, I am sure we are losing customers by simply not having the search feature working. Cause as you read I was ready to give up even before I found a deer print.

Ok anyone wanna go look for a print that would be pretty in a country styled kitchen something with maybe some very appetizing food in it? Might be interesting just to see if you give up or find it.

Ok I'm rambling here but I think the lack of a search feature is hurting us big time.

Message edited by author 2003-07-01 19:13:53.

SharQ

Canon EOS-30D