Zero Dollar Order still requiring Credit Card?

PhotoLasVegas

(I did about 15 minutes of searching on this topic, and I'm a newbie so be kind!)


UPDATE: I've heard back from SmugMug support and they are saying you can't order without a credit card... so I need to find out how to ask for a feature change - there's NO reason whatsoever to need a credit card for a $0-balance DIGITAL DOWNLOAD order...



I have a client that had 12 digital files included in a special package we put together. I have low-res digital files priced at $10 each. She has gone in and chosen 12 files, total is $120. I set up a dollars-off coupon for $120.

The coupon worked, balance shows $0, but it won't let her go farther without putting in a credit card.

Obviously there's no real reason to do this- so what is she doing wrong or is this normal? Is there a work-around?

Thanks in advance!

Andy

You can request features here http://smugmug.uservoice.com

BUT- the way to do a free deal is to not use our shopping cart (that costs us money)... give the clients access via a special gallery just for them, expose the originals, turn protection off, and allow them to hover and save the file. Does this make sense/help?

PhotoLasVegas

Andy wrote:

You can request features here http://smugmug.uservoice.com

BUT- the way to do a free deal is to not use our shopping cart (that costs us money)... give the clients access via a special gallery just for them, expose the originals, turn protection off, and allow them to hover and save the file. Does this make sense/help?

It makes sense if you want them to have access to ALL the photos - but this client got 12 out of about 110 photos. So I couldn't just give them access.

I dont' know your business but I can't see how "using the cart" would cost you money - if so then maybe you shouldn't allow zero-dollar transactions at all?

Had she put in a credit card, she wouldn't have been charged, so asking for a card doesn't make sense.

My workaround was for her to just write down the 4 digit file numbers and email them to me, I created a ZIP file and put it on my own FTP site.

I guess what bothers me is that I'm paying Pro prices, I pay 15% of any orders that come in, 15% of any paid downloads, and about 2x the cost of my local printing company for prints... but in the rare occasion I need someone to safely download (safe for me, so they aren't downloading too many files) some files for free, Smugmug is making it more difficult than need be. I bought the yearly "membership" so I didn't have to spend more time compiling orders and messing with stuff like this, but just on this one client, I've spent more time than it would typically take me to process/compile 5 print orders on my own.

Andy

I see.

You could've also moved (with our move tool) those 15 files to a private gallery, passworded it, then emailed a link to the client. Then they could just download them. Far easier than using a shopping cart, no?

PhotoLasVegas

Andy wrote:

I see.

You could've also moved (with our move tool) those 15 files to a private gallery, passworded it, then emailed a link to the client. Then they could just download them. Far easier than using a shopping cart, no?

No, because that still causes extra work for me, and for her, AND makes the entire process take a lot longer.

I put them on the gallery, she chooses the files and then we have two options:

1. She has a zero-balance so it allows her to download instantly, in one quick transaction, no reason for a credit card, easy for me and her.

2. She has to email me the file numbers, I have to receive the email, log onto Smugmug, create an entirely new gallery (which will have to be customized to allow "originals" as well as right-click enabled), then go to her gallery, find the "move" tool, select each file individually (via moving from page-to-page and selecting individual files), move the photos. Then I have to email her with the location to the new gallery, explain the clunky process of right-click, save as for EACH file, etc.

A 3-minute instant download where I'm not even involved time-wise just became a full-day email back-and-forth and "work-around" day.


Again I say I'm paying almost $200 plus all the extra fees, and higher print prices to begin with, for the benefit of having my workflow sped up. Yet a zero-balance, digital download transaction inexplicably requires a credit card and the "reason" I'm getting is that "the cart costs us money".

jfriend

You really need to add some feature requests to uservoice. Smugmug doesn't support no cost digital downloads through the cart. Never have. I understand why some folks want this. I've had many customers confused with this too on images I didn't intend to charge anything for in digital form.

But, your coupon is a pretty uncontrolled way for you to enable this. Do you realize what might have happened if they had used the $120 off coupon to order prints instead of used it on the digital downlaods. I don't think that's what you would have wanted.

As Andy has said, the only work-around for now involves a separate gallery that has originals enabled. You can either make it unlisted or password protected to limit access to only those viewers you want. I use a download image button in those galleries to make it easier for the viewers to see how to do it (hovering over the image is very hidden unless you are familiar with Smugmug).

PhotoLasVegas

jfriend wrote:

You really need to add some feature requests to uservoice. Smugmug doesn't support no cost digital downloads through the cart. Never have. I understand why some folks want this. I've had many customers confused with this too on images I didn't intend to charge anything for in digital form.

But, your coupon is a pretty uncontrolled way for you to enable this. Do you realize what might have happened if they had used the $120 off coupon to order prints instead of used it on the digital downlaods. I don't think that's what you would have wanted.

As Andy has said, the only work-around for now involves a separate gallery that has originals enabled. You can either make it unlisted or password protected to limit access to only those viewers you want. I use a download image button in those galleries to make it easier for the viewers to see how to do it (hovering over the image is very hidden unless you are familiar with Smugmug).

I have 7-day delay on all orders. If a coupon isn't used correctly, I can cancel the order

Foques

I'm with the OP, and am in the same position..
I want to provide ONLY the low res copies for download...

Where it stands right now, I have to create another set of 47 images in low res, create a new gallery, and turn off the protection.

Stupid don't you think?
Why can't we enable low res download for free, and anything better for $$? Thats the deal I have going right now.


What I will end up doing tonight is burning a disc and snailmailing it to my client. It is very uncomfortable solution for both parties.:bash