The Packages Help Thread

Andy

Without a doubt, one of our most-asked for Pro features has been for SmugMug to offer Packages. We're happy to announce that they're here, and ready for you to create and sell!



Start by going to your Control Panel > Pros tab and create your package. You can pick as many different products as you like, then choose a lab and price the package. They're immediately available for purchase, using all your public galleries or only galleries you choose.

More help on how to create them here, and here's how your customers will order them.

So many of you have shared your feedback as we created this feature and we know it's been a long time coming. Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for being so very patient with us.

Let us know how we did in this thread, and of course, ask your questions. I'm sure that some of you will have plenty of feedback, too. We want it - it's truly like gold to us!

All the best,

The SmugMug Family

FAQs

Do coupons apply to packages? Yes. If you have a coupon that would work for a certain dollar amount, say, it'll work on single items or a package.

TxTortoise

Quick questions, to verify the obvious, but Coupons apply on top of package pricing, correct?

For instances I have a 25% coupon running now. If I do a package that builds in a discount, then the coupon would apply to the final price of the order?

Basically, a package price is treated the same as a single print price in terms of a sale.


Looks pretty slick guys, just hurrying to put them to work... ;-)

Andy

TxTortoise wrote:

Quick questions, to verify the obvious, but Coupons apply on top of package pricing, correct?

For instances I have a 25% coupon running now. If I do a package that builds in a discount, then the coupon would apply to the final price of the order?

Yup- post #1 updated.

Sheaf

TxTortoise wrote:

Quick questions, to verify the obvious, but Coupons apply on top of package pricing, correct?

For instances I have a 25% coupon running now. If I do a package that builds in a discount, then the coupon would apply to the final price of the order?

Basically, a package price is treated the same as a single print price in terms of a sale.


Looks pretty slick guys, just hurrying to put them to work... ;-)

Along those lines, would people like to have an option on Coupon and/or Package creation that disables that stacking?

Mox

Sheaf wrote:

Along those lines, would people like to have an option on Coupon and/or Package creation that disables that stacking?

Definitely!

This is so exciting - thank you!

twincitiesphoto

The package features is cool - looking forward to implementing it and hopefully generating some sales.

I would love the ability to disable coupons on packages - Some of the coupons I've created are pretty generous based on a prior purchase and I don't want to give my stuff away by allowing stacking like that

Great Job Smugmug!!!

Photometric

I just created 3 packages...all I can say is....

clapclapclapclapclap
bowbowbowbow
:ivar:ivar:ivar:ivar:ivar:ivar:ivar


One question, can digital downloads be added as an option in the future? It would be a good selling point to bundle a large package with a low-res file for facebook/etc.

Ben

Photometric wrote:

I just created 3 packages...all I can say is....

clapclapclapclapclap
bowbowbowbow
:ivar:ivar:ivar:ivar:ivar:ivar:ivar


One question, can digital downloads be added as an option in the future? It would be a good selling point to bundle a large package with a low-res file for facebook/etc.

Yes, this is absolutely planned. It got left on the cutting room floor for now, in order to expedite shipping the feature. It will be added in a future revision in the not-so-distant future.

sellis

I'm psyched about this! I am just beginning my marketing for next year's seniors and I'm happy to be able to promote package deals. I stumbed upon this in the control panel this afternoon when I went in to check on something. It was a nice surprise.

Between this and the coupon release a few months ago, I'm a happy customer! Just yesterday I sent all my 2008 clients with unused print credits an email with a SM print credit code with an expiration date. Hopefully that gets them moving so I can close out their accounts. I might even send them a 10% off code as additional incentive

Thanks SM for making business even easier!

Dota

I was playing around with the packages and notice that it does a calculation total based on what is picked for the package. Then you set your price to see the profit margin. Is there a way to add in the ability to see what the package items would cost individually? It would save me from having to go back and forth to see if I'm really making a savings with the package vs. the ability of the person to save just buying individual prints.

Torgado

Great job on the packages feature! I love it already! Fantastic how easy it is to setup packages. And the interface from the user perspective is pretty good too. I think I would rather have the user presented with each size on an individual page in the order process, rather than scrolling down to drag-n-drop into the next size. So, first fill in all 4x6's, then hit the "continue" button to fill out 5x7's and so on.

BIG Enhancement Request: Let us limit package to Categories.

When choosing to limit the galleries the package applies to, allow us to select a category so that all galleries within that category get the package option. Make this setting sticky, so that the package applies to any new galleries added to that category. With this functionality, the feature might be better titled, "Limit the categories and or galleries the package applies to"

For example. I have a category--- "Clients". I would like to limit a certain package to all galleries within "Clients" so that when I add new galleries to "Clients," the package is automatically available in the new gallery. As it is now, I cannot select the category, only galleries within the category (thank you for the Select All button, btw ;-)

Torgado

Dota wrote:

I was playing around with the packages and notice that it does a calculation total based on what is picked for the package. Then you set your price to see the profit margin. Is there a way to add in the ability to see what the package items would cost individually? It would save me from having to go back and forth to see if I'm really making a savings with the package vs. the ability of the person to save just buying individual prints.

I second this motion- adding a field based on current default portfolio prices would be great.

ADMIT Photography

Torgado wrote:

I second this motion- adding a field based on current default portfolio prices would be great.

I third the motion for indiv. prices to be displayed as well!

jasonscottphoto

I agree - I want to know how much of a discount I am giving people off my usual prices!

Photometric

Dota wrote:

I was playing around with the packages and notice that it does a calculation total based on what is picked for the package. Then you set your price to see the profit margin. Is there a way to add in the ability to see what the package items would cost individually? It would save me from having to go back and forth to see if I'm really making a savings with the package vs. the ability of the person to save just buying individual prints.

I was thinking the same thing regarding, but this will get complicated for people who price galleries differently and use the global package feature, because which gallery will it be used for? I think it's do-able for packages tailored to specific galleries.

GJMPhoto

Congratulations and Thanks - and of course questions!
Andy,
I really think you guys nailed the requirements on this one! It's a sweet interface! It's been a long wait...but so far, it looks pretty nice. This is really going to change things...welcome to the professional world!

I'm sure getting packages out represents a major sigh of relief for the Smugmug staff...and you probably don't want to hear MORE ideas...but:

1) Can I create a package 3 that contains a Package 1 and a Package 2? This might be useful if I have some EZ Prints mechandise Items to be combined with Bay Photo prints or for parents with multiple kids, etc.

2) In lieu of that, can I already put a coupon in place for a two package purchase? In other words, if I create a Package 1 and a Package 2, can I offer a coupon to give you a discount if you order BOTH?

3) Is there a way to force a particular photograph into the package? For example, a group photo (that everyone gets), plus 2 5x7s and an 8x10 of anything from this gallery.

4) The Chinese menu approach: 2 5x7's from this gallery and 2 5x7's from that gallery...

In case you don't realize, all four can be solved with the capabilities you now deliver if I can put one package inside another.

Anyway...this is a WELCOME sight! Thanks so much for listening to our needs! It took a long time, but I like the approach to gathering our requirements.

Thanks!
- Gary.

GJMPhoto

Usability Question
Andy,
My excitiement is growing ... so now I'm thinking about how the customer will use the package and I come up with a usability issue:

Let's say they're looking at a gallery of 100 photos. They've gone through the gallery and are liking some of the photos and have decided they would like to purchase a package containing 5 of them. So they go to the buy packages and go through the workflow.

How do they know which photos they liked? The thumbnails are too small to pick out the subtle differences that sometimes differentiate one photo from another, and they can't see the image numbers when looking at the thumbs!

Can you provide a capability for the customer to view the images in a larger window and also provide the image numbers on the thumbnails?

Or can you implement the equivilent of the virtual gallery? I.e., Let the customer 'gather photos' from the package galleries and then let them build their package from the virtual gallery?
I realize that screen real-estate will be an issue - maybe a magnifying mouse-over?

putting the gallery on the left and the package contents on the right would help also - it would let me view more of the gallery. You could let me have a view window below the gallery on the left (a la Bridge), if you wanted.

Thanks again,
- (a very excited) Gary

Photometric

GJMPhoto wrote:

Andy,
My excitiement is growing ... so now I'm thinking about how the customer will use the package and I come up with a usability issue:

Let's say they're looking at a gallery of 100 photos. They've gone through the gallery and are liking some of the photos and have decided they would like to purchase a package containing 5 of them. So they go to the buy packages and go through the workflow.

How do they know which photos they liked? The thumbnails are too small to pick out the subtle differences that sometimes differentiate one photo from another, and they can't see the image numbers when looking at the thumbs!

Can you provide a capability for the customer to view the images in a larger window and also provide the image numbers on the thumbnails?

I realize that screen real-estate will be an issue - maybe a magnifying mouse-over?

putting the gallery on the left and the package contents on the right would help also - it would let me view more of the gallery. You could let me have a view window below the gallery on the left (a la Bridge), if you wanted.

Thanks again,
- (a very excited) Gary

I have the customer comment on the photos, which ones they want to buy and what size, and then I pull and size and put in a buy gallery that I will create a package specific to the buy gallery.

GJMPhoto

Photometric wrote:

I have the customer comment on the photos, which ones they want to buy and what size, and then I pull and size and put in a buy gallery that I will create a package specific to the buy gallery.

Good idea, but not always practical...for example, during a dance recital, I may have 400 customers, each with 5 or 6 individual photos of their daughter and 4-5 group photos to select from. It won't work if I inject copying and building sub-galleries for them into the flow.

GJMPhoto

GJMPhoto wrote:

...
Or can you implement the equivilent of the virtual gallery? I.e., Let the customer 'gather photos' from the package galleries and then let them build their package from the virtual gallery?...

Andy,

As I think about this more, this is the best idea and should be pulled out for consideration. The combination of the excellent package interface with a customer-created virtual gallery is a truly elegant solution.

What do you think? No promises...I know.

- Gary.

Photometric

GJMPhoto wrote:

Andy,

As I think about this more, this is the best idea and should be pulled out for consideration. The combination of the excellent package interface with a customer-created virtual gallery is a truly elegant solution.

What do you think? No promises...I know.

- Gary.

Wondering if adding comments as an option to the smart galleries would work since they are already virtual galleries? Just spitballing here.

GJMPhoto

Photometric wrote:

Wondering if adding comments as an option to the smart galleries would work since they are already virtual galleries? Just spitballing here.

I enjoy spitballing...

Help me to understand...if they comment on the gallery...how do they see that when they open the package dialog?

Andy

GJMPhoto wrote:

I'm sure getting packages out represents a major sigh of relief for the Smugmug staff...and you probably don't want to hear MORE ideas...but:

We do want to hear. Awesome suggestions - don't forget you can also put them on http://smugmug.uservoice.com

Thanks so much, Gary!

Andy

GJMPhoto wrote:

Andy,

As I think about this more, this is the best idea and should be pulled out for consideration. The combination of the excellent package interface with a customer-created virtual gallery is a truly elegant solution.

What do you think? No promises...I know.

- Gary.

'tis a fine idea. Thanks!

Photometric

GJMPhoto wrote:

I enjoy spitballing...

Help me to understand...if they comment on the gallery...how do they see that when they open the package dialog?

This is my thought. Create a smart gallery of no images, but with a new option to collect images from the source gallery that have comments posted. Once that's done, the images appear in the smart gallery. This will have the clients feeding the gallery they purchase from.

Have a package targetted to the smart gallery and you're in business (As it were).

This would require an addition to the smart gallery feature. Unless you want them to favorite photos and this will work right now.

If you are concerned because many people can see the galleries and purchase, a really nice feature would be to be able to create the smart gallery to be created when an individual comments via their username so a specific gallery is created by the person who is commenting that will be the gallery that individual can use to purchase from. That would really provide the experience because it's that person's image and they can purchase the package that appears to be created for them individually.

Sheaf

GJMPhoto wrote:

Or can you implement the equivilent of the virtual gallery? I.e., Let the customer 'gather photos' from the package galleries and then let them build their package from the virtual gallery?

I *think* this is already doable with a little effort on your part. If you create an event and a participant, it will automatically create a favorites gallery for that participant. So create a package and apply it only to that gallery. Then send out a link to the person. They will be able to browse the galleries, choose favorites, and then order a package from that favorites gallery.

thaKing

Sheaf wrote:

I *think* this is already doable with a little effort on your part. If you create an event and a participant, it will automatically create a favorites gallery for that participant. So create a package and apply it only to that gallery. Then send out a link to the person. They will be able to browse the galleries, choose favorites, and then order a package from that favorites gallery.

maybe my question belongs in the "events" thread, but it is a follow-up to your answer...using this scenario, there would be one gallery, but have different "participants"? would each participant then be like a virtual gallery? i haven't created any packages yet so i'm guessing here, but you're saying we could then have a package for each participant's gallery?

Sheaf

thaKing wrote:

maybe my question belongs in the "events" thread, but it is a follow-up to your answer...using this scenario, there would be one gallery, but have different "participants"? would each participant then be like a virtual gallery? i haven't created any packages yet so i'm guessing here, but you're saying we could then have a package for each participant's gallery?

Each event can have one gallery or a thousand galleries. Each participant will have his or her own favorites gallery. So yes, you could have a package for each participant's favorites gallery. Or you could have a single package and add each favorites gallery as it is created. Essentially, you're creating a virtual gallery each time you add a new participant. And the participant can collect images to it.

thaKing

Sheaf wrote:

Each event can have one gallery or a thousand galleries. Each participant will have his or her own favorites gallery. So yes, you could have a package for each participant's favorites gallery. Or you could have a single package and add each favorites gallery as it is created. Essentially, you're creating a virtual gallery each time you add a new participant. And the participant can collect images to it.

gotcha! thanks....

DrDave

Packages V2
Thanks for adding Packages! What I would like to see implemented next is as follows: 1. Allow packages to include 2 (or more) specific photos and 2, Allow packages to include 1 specific photo and then add another one (or more) that can be from one or more galleries. What I shoot a lot of is theatre. A lot of my packages today include a cast photo and headshot. The headshot is in different sizes and quantities.

Photometric

Sheaf wrote:

Each event can have one gallery or a thousand galleries. Each participant will have his or her own favorites gallery. So yes, you could have a package for each participant's favorites gallery. Or you could have a single package and add each favorites gallery as it is created. Essentially, you're creating a virtual gallery each time you add a new participant. And the participant can collect images to it.