I've searched the forum for this question, but can't seem to find anything so please forgive me if it's been asked before.

I have a Power User account. I understand that photos can be purchased (via the "buy" option when viewing the photos in a certain gallery). In addition, I understand that I can't set my own pricing (only Business Users can do that), correct? What I'm confused about is whether this "buy" option is for customers to buy photos, calendars, etc., of my photos or is it for me to buy those items? (For example, if I decide to have a calendar made from my photos to give to someone as a gift). I know that's a dumb question, but I'm a little confused.

The second part of that question is whether or not I should be adding my own watermark to my photos prior to uploading? I realize if I do this, then that watermark will also appear if a print is made from that item. Maybe watermarking is not such a good idea?

Thanks for letting me ask yet another dumb question. :-) It probably won't be the last.

Alice

HERE IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT...IF SOMEONE does purchase off your power site then you do not get any thing from that sale ... ... it all goes to SM and bAY...so if it were me I would be watermarking the hell out of them and if you want to sell for a profit then use either google check out or paypal, which will have to be done with html or css or a combo and self fulfill ... ... clients really like the personal touch ... ...

About watermarks. I was a bit confused myself at first. If the print option is enabled then the printing is done based of off your originally uploaded file. So, like you said - if you upload with watermarks - it will be printed with the same watermark. If you still want to protect images on your site with the watermark but you want the customers to order prints without watermark then you upload the images WITHOUT watermark. You have to attach a watermark image to your account in Account Settings > Business > Watermarks. After this is done, go to the gallery, click Tools menu. Under the "Many Photo" category click More > Watermarks.

What the above does is it applies watermarks on ALL the display images but does not touch your original. So, viewers will see the watermark while browsing your website. And buyers will be able to order clean prints without watermark.
http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/articles/93343

Custom watermarking (through gallery settings) is only available to Portfolio and Business accounts (unless I am mistaken - and that occurs more frequently these days). The OP has a "Power" account. You can only specify a "generic" Smug watermark.

Originally Posted by mylifeinfocus I have a Power User account. I understand that photos can be purchased (via the "buy" option when viewing the photos in a certain gallery). In addition, I understand that I can't set my own pricing (only Business Users can do that), correct? What I'm confused about is whether this "buy" option is for customers to buy photos, calendars, etc., of my photos or is it for me to buy those items? (For example, if I decide to have a calendar made from my photos to give to someone as a gift). I know that's a dumb question, but I'm a little confused.

With a Power account, if you set your galleries to printable = yes, anyone can buy your photos. With a power account they will pay the base smug price, and you will not be notified of any sales. In order to set prices and be notified of sales and earn a profit you need a Business level account.

If you don't want viewers to be able to purchase photos you need to set printable = no on all of your galleries.

See http://help.smugmug.com/customer/por...-right-for-me-.

--- Denise

Thanks Art. I didn't realize the sales go to SM. That kinda sucks. Especially since I purchased my SM account with the understanding (which I was apparently wrong about) that I could sell from my website (even with a Power accout). I think they added the Business User option a couple weeks after I joined. Figures.

I'll definitely "watermark the hell out of them" as you said. Ha! Thanks for the tip about Google Checkout. I've not used it before but have used Paypal, so I'll look into possibly adding one of those.

Thanks for your help.

Originally Posted by Art Scott HERE IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT...IF SOMEONE does purchase off your power site then you do not get any thing from that sale ... ... it all goes to SM and bAY...so if it were me I would be watermarking the hell out of them and if you want to sell for a profit then use either google check out or paypal, which will have to be done with html or css or a combo and self fulfill ... ... clients really like the personal touch ... ...

Thanks Denise. I didn't think about looking in the gallery settings, so I'm glad you mentioned that. I'll definitely turn off the printing option. I'd prefer to be able to set my own pricing on my sales (AND have the profit go to me, not SM). I'm not out to price-gouge my customers, but I'm not out to give my stuff away for almost free, either.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by denisegoldberg With a Power account, if you set your galleries to printable = yes, anyone can buy your photos. With a power account they will pay the base smug price, and you will not be notified of any sales. In order to set prices and be notified of sales and earn a profit you need a Business level account. If you don't want viewers to be able to purchase photos you need to set printable = no on all of your galleries. See http://help.smugmug.com/customer/por...-right-for-me-. --- Denise

Thanks for your help. I thought I remembered custom watermarking was only for the upper-end users, but I wasn't sure. I'll add my own watermark prior to uploading, instead. I'm looking into Paypal or Google Checkout as options for setting up my own shopping cart. Hopefully that will work.

Originally Posted by AceCo55 Custom watermarking (through gallery settings) is only available to Portfolio and Business accounts (unless I am mistaken - and that occurs more frequently these days). The OP has a "Power" account. You can only specify a "generic" Smug watermark.

Thanks Mishenka. I'm glad I'm not the only one who was confused about the watermarks. I think I'll continue including my custom watermark on my images prior to uploading. (I think the watermark option you mentioned is only available to Business users, but I'll check it out just in case. I have a Power account). If the automatic wm turns out not to be an option, I'll just include my own in the photo. I'm checking out other options for shopping carts.

Originally Posted by mishenka About watermarks. I was a bit confused myself at first. If the print option is enabled then the printing is done based of off your originally uploaded file. So, like you said - if you upload with watermarks - it will be printed with the same watermark. If you still want to protect images on your site with the watermark but you want the customers to order prints without watermark then you upload the images WITHOUT watermark. You have to attach a watermark image to your account in Account Settings > Business > Watermarks. After this is done, go to the gallery, click Tools menu. Under the "Many Photo" category click More > Watermarks. What the above does is it applies watermarks on ALL the display images but does not touch your original. So, viewers will see the watermark while browsing your website. And buyers will be able to order clean prints without watermark. http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/articles/93343