SmugMug UK pricing

TonyStewart · June 18, 2011

Hey there

I have moved back to the UK and have just realised SmugMug is pretty U.S. centric.

I can't find anywhere to change pricing to £'s. Is this possible.

After all this time I would be pretty shocked if this was still a U.S. centric site? Failing that I'll have to close my account which I really dont' want to do.

Cheers

SamirD · June 18, 2011

This has been an issue for years for international customers. Everything is in USD. I think there's a request on the feedback system for international payments methods: http://feedback.smugmug.com

Andy · June 18, 2011

Stay tuned! http://feedback.smugmug.com/forums/17723-smugmug

TonyStewart · June 28, 2011

Appreciate the update. It appears that request is 2 years old.

DO you have dates? or at least a date range.

paulg · June 28, 2011

TonyStewart wrote: »

DO you have dates? or at least a date range.

I wouldn't push for it too much, Zenfolio have recently introduced paying in UK currency, its around 60% more expensive than paying in dollars - no prizes for guessing how most UK customers are paying

David-Stallard · June 28, 2011

I think the simple / obvious thing here is keep smug where it is (as it's so good) BUT make a deal with a UK printer and have an option within your setup to choose the US 'buy buttons etc' or the UK 'buy buttons'.

I have successfully set up PayPal on my page BUT have lost quite a few of the homepage extras because of it - example: if I 'show' most popular the PP buttons are there but when you select a shot and 'buy it' the link goes to a completely different photo. Not the end of the world but it is stopping me from attempting to spruce up my site due to fear of losing my PP, not great when your a PRO subscriber

and before anyone say's "ask for a solution in the help section" I tried that SEVERAL TIMES and got a big fat zero in replies.

.DAVID.

TalkieT · June 29, 2011

TonyStewart wrote: »

Appreciate the update. It appears that request is 2 years old.

DO you have dates? or at least a date range.

Chuckle... Try 5 years at least... and that's just me asking.

Something seems to be happening on this though, but SM don't have a history of quick development of complex features, and they have stated that supporting multiple currencies is a major and complex development for them.

Even if they are working on it now, I'd be surprised to see anything within 6 months.

Paypal does work well when setup properly. Check out my site for an example.

www.nzsnaps.com

Cheers - N

TonyStewart · June 29, 2011

Well I got around it.

I set up a paypal business account so I could take credit cards in the UK.

I was trying to sell a photo DVD for an event and for that the paypal button takes you straight through to the check out in UK sterling.

As for the rest of my site, I am not aiming to sell photos that way but I would like to in the future, including charging for downloading images.

If smugmug can't do that then eventually I may have to move unless i can do something similar with papypal. I haven't investigated the market yet but most of what I see out there is crap.

TonyStewart · June 29, 2011

I'll check out zenfolio too. Competition is good!

David-Stallard · July 1, 2011

Andy:

Question regarding us UK / worldwide lot (yes we do exist outside of the US of A) - rather than all the hassle of finding a UK printer and setting up different 'buy buttons' etc would it not be easier and quicker to set up PayPal buttons with the option to turn them off / on within the control panel.

Just seems you have a VERY wide 'client' base that would grow considerably if it was for this one simple action.

Thank you for your time.

.DAVID.

Andy · July 1, 2011

David-Stallard wrote: »

Andy:

Question regarding us UK / worldwide lot (yes we do exist outside of the US of A) - rather than all the hassle of finding a UK printer and setting up different 'buy buttons' etc would it not be easier and quicker to set up PayPal buttons with the option to turn them off / on within the control panel.

Just seems you have a VERY wide 'client' base that would grow considerably if it was for this one simple action.

Thank you for your time.

.DAVID.

That's sure a possibility, but I'd rather see an amazing UK lab integrated first.

David-Stallard · July 4, 2011

oops - I seem to have 'bumped' this topic up again

Been checking for updates and still no new posts

.DAVID.

Luc De Jaeger · July 4, 2011

If this is implemented I hope my customers can make the choice between UK and USA labs because I have worldwide visitors. It would be far more easy if I had only visitors from 1 country or continent, but it's not (and I like it that way

-- I opt for a worldwide audience

).

So, I cannot make the choice in their place...

Visitors from the USA should be able to opt for an USA lab while visitors from the UK/Europe should be able to buy through a UK lab if they prefer. Other visitors too should be able to make a choice depending upon their residence, prices etc...

Luc

Andy · July 4, 2011

Luc De Jaeger wrote: »

If this is implemented I hope my customers can make the choice between UK and USA labs because I have worldwide visitors. It would be far more easy if I had only visitors from 1 country or continent, but it's not (and I like it that way -- I opt for a worldwide audience ).

So, I cannot make the choice in their place...

Visitors from the USA should be able to opt for an USA lab while visitors from the UK/Europe should be able to buy through a UK lab if they prefer. Other visitors too should be able to make a choice depending upon their residence, prices etc...

Luc

Shouldn't the pro pick the lab?

Luc De Jaeger · July 4, 2011

Andy wrote: »

Shouldn't the pro pick the lab?

Interesting question!

If I pick the lab with the best quality with a large assortment of products (cards, merchandise, prints, posters etc.) -- that's my aim -- it's likely to be a US lab because I assume they may have far more customers (seen the population) that buy from them, resulting in more profit and the best and most sophisticated printers/paper available. It's likely they have more return on investment and can afford the best of the best.

FYI, I've done a very small experiment buying photos and posters from European based (large) labs. I've found the quality to be mediocre compared to the labs SmugMug has partnered with! Of course, I've not tried them all but went with the largest ones in Europe and I was quite disappointed with the results so far.

Also, customers in Europe or the UK who notice my prices in USD (because I might opt for a US lab) almost always only want to pay in Euro or GBP. When they see my prices in USD, they rarely buy. Also, the postage to send orders to Europe is very high and this can be an issue too for any potential customer in Europe/the UK. On many occasions, potential buyers from Europe mailed me in asking for prices in Euro. They did not buy from my site because I could not deliver. Also, the delivery time can be another issue (from my own experience ranging between 3 weeks and 3 months...).

On the other hand, when I opt for a UK/European service (I assume resulting in prices in Euro), it's likely going the opposite way. In that case, my assumption is that US based residents/potential customers who notice my prices in Euro will not buy any photo, merchandise etc... from my site. Also, they might experience very high postage costs to send the order to the USA.

Either way, if there is only one lab to choose from (in either continent), I'm blocking half a part of the world of potential customers to buy photos or merchandise from my site. That's because I went global instead of local in presenting my photos.

I only want my customers to know that from whatever source (lab) they order when buying my photos, the result should be tops and totally awesome. Imho, it should be up to them to choose the lab that has the best price (incl. postage and delivery time!) especially depending upon their place of residence.

Luc

Andy · July 4, 2011

Luc De Jaeger wrote: »

. Imho, it should be up to them to choose the lab that has the best price (incl. postage and delivery time!) especially depending upon their place of residence.

Luc

I disagree here, IMO, the customer wants a print. Period. They can't decide if Bay, EZP, or XYZ UK lab is better for them. You, the pro are best suited for this.

SamirD · July 5, 2011

And to look at it from an even 20,000ft view, the pro isn't even concerned with individual labs, but the quality of the end product going to their customer. The pro wants the quality level they've selected, and the customer wants it in their currency and shipped locally.

If all the right arrangements can be made, this should happen instantly and transparently based on the logistics and supply chain set up. Then any of our items can be ordered quickly by anyone in the world, in their local currency, with the quality we pros expect.

That would be a truly worldwide business.

David-Stallard · July 5, 2011

Easy answer - just give us PayPal, that way we can chose our own printers on experience and the buyer can pay in whatever currency they are comfortable with.

Don't make it harder than it needs to be just to look good / clever.

.DAVID.

gpa · July 5, 2011

Andy wrote: »

I disagree here, IMO, the customer wants a print. Period. They can't decide if Bay, EZP, or XYZ UK lab is better for them. You, the pro are best suited for this.

Agreed so when can we start using a UK lab integrated within Smugmug then

SamirD · July 5, 2011

David-Stallard wrote: »

Easy answer - just give us PayPal, that way we can chose our own printers on experience and the buyer can pay in whatever currency they are comfortable with.

Don't make it harder than it needs to be just to look good / clever.

.DAVID.

While that is a solution, it's not exactly a seamless process like it is here in the states. Besides, SM's cut would have to be more since they may not get any incentives from the printers like they may be here in the states.

Not only does it have to work, but SM has to be able to make a profit on it. If not, it's doesn't make business sense.

Luc De Jaeger · July 5, 2011

Andy wrote: »

I disagree here, IMO, the customer wants a print. Period. They can't decide if Bay, EZP, or XYZ UK lab is better for them. You, the pro are best suited for this.

Quality-wise you may be right but if the price is not reasonable (due to expensive postages) or because of another currency, the print will no longer interest them and they will not buy.

If the partnered labs would accept payments in different currencies (USD, Euro, GBP...) and if we would be able to list our prices in different currencies, the problem would be solved.

Then I would be able to choose the lab, the customer would have the option of paying in USD, Euro, GBP,... and we would all be happy.

Not sure if that's do-able though.

I have mixed feelings with PayPal. I know of lots of businesses that had very nasty experiences with PayPal and lost heaps of money. I myself have not encountered any severe issues so far, but I think it's unwise to go for just one single service. If something goes wrong with PayPal (a blocked account, blocked money transfer etc.), this will affect our whole business.

In business, diversity rules and we need different options in case one option fails or gets discontinued. Life and the world is not a static and linear process but a dynamic and non-linear and an ever changing one and our businesses should be able to cope with it.

Luc

paulbrock · July 9, 2011

Andy wrote: »

Stay tuned! http://feedback.smugmug.com/forums/17723-smugmug

Fab news! Also been waiting years for this, you may yet get a Pro membership out of me.

And prices in UKP right?

edit:Joined 2004(!) Has it been so long..... not sure I've had a flat/apartment as long as I've been with you!

dbarnby · July 22, 2011

Andy wrote: »

I disagree here, IMO, the customer wants a print. Period. They can't decide if Bay, EZP, or XYZ UK lab is better for them. You, the pro are best suited for this.

Hey Andy, I think what is meant is that, yes the photographer/Pro should choose the labs based on quality and performance providing the right level of quality. However the customer should be able to choose from the list of labs that the Pro has chosen which one suits best geographically/economically - I am based in the UK and have, to be fair, only just started with smugmug and although I love everything about the service - the one issue I have is there not being a european lab just because people get weirded out having to pay in USD and calculating the exchange rate by themselves... and the posting is horrendous...

Just my 2 cents but if you guys are working on getting a UK lab part of your team that would be fantastic!!

Dan

David-Stallard · August 17, 2011

bump again - still nothing yet

.DAVID.

azetlitz · September 25, 2011

Andy wrote: »

Stay tuned! http://feedback.smugmug.com/forums/17723-smugmug

Are we talking sometime this year, or sometime this decade?

Also, will there be an option to take orders, but to use a local printer of our own choosing, instead of being locked to the ones you decide is best for me, located in a country that may or may not be anywhere near my location?

Why isn't it possible to show prices in the currency we choose, regardless of which printers are available, and in which countries? Because we only have the option of a US printer I can only sell digital downloads, because let's face it, having a business in Norway and a printer in the US is just bad business. Since I use your printer it should be fairly easy to let me choose any currency I want, shouldn't it?

SmugMug UK pricing

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