Prepaid Gift Cards (smugprints)

jmarkworth1

I shoot a number of amature sporting events. I would like to provide the option to parents to purchase a $20, $50 or $100 prepaid gift card that can be used to purchase prints and merchandise. There are other very popular online stores that do this for the purchase of music as an example.

With this feature, I would like to also set an expiration date on the prepaid card where the balance would expire after a period of time and the balance remaining would be credited to my smugmug account (fee for services I guess).

I suppose there are tax implications for both parties and a whole new set of accounting issues, but I think I could increase my sales 10 to 20 times using this method.

Thoughts?

Matt S

jmarkworth1 wrote:

I shoot a number of amature sporting events. I would like to provide the option to parents to purchase a $20, $50 or $100 prepaid gift card that can be used to purchase prints and merchandise. There are other very popular online stores that do this for the purchase of music as an example.

With this feature, I would like to also set an expiration date on the prepaid card where the balance would expire after a period of time and the balance remaining would be credited to my smugmug account (fee for services I guess).

I suppose there are tax implications for both parties and a whole new set of accounting issues, but I think I could increase my sales 10 to 20 times using this method.

Thoughts?

That's a pretty neat idea. I can see the use for portrait photographers as well. People could do a session and then buy gift cards for family and friends.

I imagine the implementation may be difficult. For instance issuing cards to photographers, who then have that "inventory" on hand to resell. Work around would be simply to make it all electronic, customers buy a credit on smugmug receive a electronic coupon. They could then give the code to whomever they wish to give it to.

jmarkworth1

Matt S wrote:

That's a pretty neat idea. I can see the use for portrait photographers as well. People could do a session and then buy gift cards for family and friends.

I imagine the implementation may be difficult. For instance issuing cards to photographers, who then have that "inventory" on hand to resell. Work around would be simply to make it all electronic, customers buy a credit on smugmug receive a electronic coupon. They could then give the code to whomever they wish to give it to.

I would like it to be electronic - maybe a .pdf delivery of the image of a gift card - of course we would get to choose and change the image on the card - with the ability to refill the card from a credit card on file.

I can only imagine how difficult this might be, but it seems like the coupon idea may be similar to implement. The coupon codes will need to be registered somehow as "public" - like a coupon in the paper - or "private" - registered to an individual to use - and will also need an expiration date and email reminders to "use the coupon before it expires" - that kind of thing.

The simple difference between the coupon and the gift card is that one is a percentage off the total and the other is an amount that may or may not have a balance to track.

However, if I was going to really look at how coupons would make sense marketing, I would place a minimum dollar limit on the order - get 15% all orders / up to / your first order over $500 - and would also consider a maximum of up to the first $2500 and 25% off all orders $2501 or greater.

Once you add this kind of logic to the coupon, the database structure required to contain the data to manage the coupon lifecycle is at least half of what is required to handle pre-paid gifts.

jmarkworth1

jmarkworth1 wrote:

I would like it to be electronic - maybe a .pdf delivery of the image of a gift card - of course we would get to choose and change the image on the card - with the ability to refill the card from a credit card on file.

I can only imagine how difficult this might be, but it seems like the coupon idea may be similar to implement. The coupon codes will need to be registered somehow as "public" - like a coupon in the paper - or "private" - registered to an individual to use - and will also need an expiration date and email reminders to "use the coupon before it expires" - that kind of thing.

The simple difference between the coupon and the gift card is that one is a percentage off the total and the other is an amount that may or may not have a balance to track.

However, if I was going to really look at how coupons would make sense marketing, I would place a minimum dollar limit on the order - get 15% all orders / up to / your first order over $500 - and would also consider a maximum of up to the first $2500 and 25% off all orders $2501 or greater.

Once you add this kind of logic to the coupon, the database structure required to contain the data to manage the coupon lifecycle is at least half of what is required to handle pre-paid gifts.

One more thing - coupons could be good for a dollar value as well. In effect, they are prepaid gifts.

Ann McRae

Coupons are under discussion/development.

Check this thread


And if you might have thoughts on package offerings, pop in here


ann

jmarkworth1

Ann McRae wrote:

Coupons are under discussion/development.

Check this thread


And if you might have thoughts on package offerings, pop in here


ann

Good point Ann. I guess I started on one thing and turned the corner only to find it related to another. I guess that's what I get for being a photographer playing a dba or maybe it's the other way around.

I will continue this thread in the right places...