Ordering Prints from Me or from a Website?

[MatthewGx]

Yeah, that's a good idea. Ross, are you currently selling this stuff after each event? If you find a clever way to present it (like uploading online and having 2-3 laptops avaialble for viewing) ... that'd be really cool.

[ARKreations]

Originally Posted by MatthewGx

...
I'm not even sure I would increase the prices online. Partly because you may ultimately want to encourage online shopping... because it's saving you (what sounds like hours) of selling in person.

... your other alternative would be to print up a few books of photos and then people could browse through those while you're making a sale. Anywho, that's the way I see it. Time is valuable.

The reason for the price differential is that my local lab costs less than the online provider and there is no sales commission locally. On the other hand, sales made online are not subject to state sales tax.

Printing the book wouldn't be cost effective in my case - I have almost 8000 photos from this spring's competition and recital performances

[innershell]

Originally Posted by krossk

The reason for the price differential is that my local lab costs less than the online provider and there is no sales commission locally. On the other hand, sales made online are not subject to state sales tax.

Printing the book wouldn't be cost effective in my case - I have almost 8000 photos from this spring's competition and recital performances

I think the cost of an online provider will far outweigh your personal time selling one-to-one. Time is valuable, whether you use it to sell photos, attend more events, or spend more time with your family.

[ARKreations]

I would most certainly prefer to sell online rather than in person. But the option to do either only enhances the customer service aspect of doing business - especially when there are cases when the customer would rather deal with a human than a computer!

[imagesbyjk]

Those who sell in person and online will tell you that you make much more money selling in person. Your sales decline significantly once the images are posted online for sale.

[waffles]

Ordering prints in person isn't better. You have to deal with the photographer's schedule, everyone else who wants to order prints, the schedule and other limitations of the venue, and the photographer has to have a way to show the photos to the customer.

Order prints online isn't better. The customer can't get instand answers to questions, they're dealing with a computer and not a person, and some of the emotion from the event is gone.

Both have their ups and downs. And I see no reason why you should limit yourself to one or the other.

[private]

When I got married the photographer gave me a proof book and an order form. He said that I could then keep the proof book and send him the order through email (eCommerce was not popular back then ) Today, sooo many people are used to going online to get what they want, it should not be a problem, I will dismiss a business if I do not like their web page and if you cannot buy on-line...? forget about it

However, the personal touch is very important and you want to make the sale NOW! I would put the photos on-line, keep the pics on-line for two months and deliver the proof book. Sometimes, you want to look through the catalog before you jump on-line and order it - heck, treat it like a catalog business, let them order over the phone, give out coupons that will expire in a month...whatever the market will tolerate.

[ARKreations]

You've just touched on another element of my marketing strategy. Going forward, I am planning on putting what I think is the "saleable" subset of my pics online with a notice that additional proofs are available for in-person viewing. I'm also planning on offering a short term coupon to encourage online sales.

One of the biggest challenges will be that the pics that I think are the best are not always the ones that my customers prefer.

[AnneWynne]

I enjoy taking my camera to spots around town. It had occurred to me that I could get post photos to a site like smug mug and pass out a card with my name and link to photo site to folks I take photos of, hoping that they like the candid shots and purchase them, and like my protfolio and purchase my services.

If I did something like this, would I need to have model releases signed by individuals in the photos (since I am selling them, hopefully to the individual in the photo) to post on the site since other people could purchase the photos as well.

This is particularly important for photographing kids....there is a great skate park, playground, and dog park in my local county park. Kids abound, and they make great subjects. I could password protect the gallery with kids and take it down within a couple of weeks of posting.

I do verbally ask permission of the adults if they mind if I take photos of their kids (as well as of them), and have taken e-mail addresses so I could send a link to them. But that is a pain, I would much rather give out my card with the info on it and let them come to me (although, getting e-mail addresses is a good thing for building an e-mail list, and sending an e-mail is a way of reminding them to look at the photos). Perhaps I should just have a clipboard with a form for gathering contact information and a place to sign off that also gives me permission to post online....hummmmm

What do ya'll think?

Anne Wynne

[OhSnapPhotos]

Great suggestions and additional questions.

I can definitely see the appeal from both sides of conducing orders in person. But as was mentioned, a lot of folks from out of town might be interested in prints, and it's hard to get back in touch with them.

I would never refuse to sell in person, I was just wondering if it would be worth my while to try to find a host who would handle print orders for me.

If I don't have an outside source handle the printing and shipping of online orders, should I offer them at all? I can set up a web page fairly easily, but setting up an ordering system seems more difficult.

Any additional information and opinions welcome!