New features in the Portfolio account

TalkieTTalkieT Registered Users Posts: 491 Major grins
edited November 12, 2012 in SmugMug Pro Sales Support
http://news.smugmug.com/2012/11/08/new-for-portfolio-accounts-price-sell/

Congratulations for listening and responding. I'm still NOT a fan of your manner of doing this (zero communication then dropping a feature), but I am happy to see this compromise. It removes most of the issues I had with the gap created between Portfolio and Business.

A few little questions remain...

- What grandfathering credit from old Pro accounts will apply to the NEW Portfolio account? Is it unchanged?
- A single price list is a cute limitation which seems kinda artificial - but no complaints from me on that.
- It's not clear from the comparison table if the single price list limitation now means we get to only choose a single currency to support... Is that the case or can a single pricelist still be ultimately billed in all the currencies you support?

Thanks for finally making a change. Your communication still sucks but this is a good compromise.

BTW, this hasn't changed my underlying state of mistrust in Smugmug. To fix that you need to communicate openly and honestly like you used to many years ago. You've lost that and I see no indication it's going to be fixed. I still won't be recommending you to others - but I hope for my personal sake that you stem any customer attrition so you stay in business long enough for someone else to come up with a completely customisable system.

Cheers - Neil G
--
http://www.nzsnaps.com (talkiet.smugmug.com)

Comments

  • HeroOfCantonHeroOfCanton Registered Users Posts: 208 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2012
    Hello Neil,

    Thanks for the feedback.

    We only emailed those customers that would be effected by this, no point in bothering those that wouldn't with unnecessary email. The blog post was just as a heads up to everyone else, sorry if that seems like poor communication.

    Regarding your questions, the old Pro accounts will still be grandfathered into the Business account like we originally stated. There is no change to Portfolio pricing, it is $150 for everyone, new and old. Regarding the currency, they will have access to all the currency options we currently provide.

    With best regards,
    Ryan W.
    Quality Engineer - My SmugMug Site

    Getting started on DGrin? Go here first!
    Contact a Support Hero: http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/emails/new
  • TalkieTTalkieT Registered Users Posts: 491 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2012
    Thanks for the quick response Ryan...

    I am on the oldest grandfathering for Pro so it's $200... I probably won't change just so I don't have to do any changing of my site for the sake of $50 difference... But I would suggest you should tell pro customers about this since many of them will not have had to renew yet, and may not know about the improved portfolio level account.

    Cheers - N
    --
    http://www.nzsnaps.com (talkiet.smugmug.com)
  • HeroOfCantonHeroOfCanton Registered Users Posts: 208 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2012
    Some of the people we emailed are Pro account holders who will haven't renewed yet and look to be ones that could use Portfolio instead.
    Quality Engineer - My SmugMug Site

    Getting started on DGrin? Go here first!
    Contact a Support Hero: http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/emails/new
  • TalkieTTalkieT Registered Users Posts: 491 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2012
    Ah ok - I just know that I wasn't among the people contacted. I understand how looking at my profile wouldn't necessarily indicate I was considering a lower tier account.

    Cheers - N
    --
    http://www.nzsnaps.com (talkiet.smugmug.com)
  • mbellotmbellot Registered Users Posts: 465 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2012
    TalkieT wrote: »
    http://news.smugmug.com/2012/11/08/new-for-portfolio-accounts-price-sell/

    Swing and a miss.

    TalkieT wrote: »
    - A single price list is a cute limitation which seems kinda artificial

    Extremely artificial for an "easy commerce" account.

    I can understand eliminating image level pricing and all the other "fancy" sales features (coupons, packages, events, multiple currencies, etc), but one single price list for an entire site is ridiculous.

    It also makes it real difficult to sell to clients and family from the same place, unless you're mercenary enough to charge family members full price.

    It's a really promising announcement, to bad it fell short of a genuine commerce option.

    I doubt we'll see any further "give" from SM, so I guess it's time to start looking at the other options that are out there and figure out how to move my photos. Oh well...
  • McQMcQ Registered Users Posts: 165 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2012
    HeroOfCanton wrote: »
    Hello Neil,

    Thanks for the feedback.

    We only emailed those customers that would be effected by this, no point in bothering those that wouldn't with unnecessary email. The blog post was just as a heads up to everyone else, sorry if that seems like poor communication.

    Regarding your questions, the old Pro accounts will still be grandfathered into the Business account like we originally stated. There is no change to Portfolio pricing, it is $150 for everyone, new and old. Regarding the currency, they will have access to all the currency options we currently provide.

    With best regards,
    Ryan W.

    Really?

    I'm affected by this. No email though. How would I have been notified if I hadn't read this thread?

    SmugMug needs to immediately and completely address the points Neil made regarding the horrendous communication.
    And by the way, saying, "Sorry if this seems like poor communication." is an amazingly condescending and passive-aggressive response and is not an apology.

    My gosh, does SM not realize what a terrible job they're doing right now?
    "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you?"

    http://mcq.smugmug.com
  • AceCo55AceCo55 Registered Users Posts: 950 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2012
    I have a Portfolio account but didn't get this update.
    My opinion does not necessarily make it true. What you do with my opinion is entirely up to you.
    www.acecootephotography.com
  • mbellotmbellot Registered Users Posts: 465 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2012
    McQ wrote: »
    Really?

    I'm affected by this. No email though. How would I have been notified if I hadn't read this thread?

    Wild guess, but I bet you're like me... A Pro account with more than one price list (yeah, I have a whopping three price lists).

    SmugMug ASSUMED (they love doing that for us) that since you have more than the one price list you wouldn't be interested in a commerce account that only allows a single active price list.

    I didn't get the email either, which is why I think the number of price lists is probably what drove the email. It's certainly the only "feature" that stands out as something that could divide the Pro accounts.
  • AllenAllen Registered Users Posts: 10,013 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2012
    Portfolio account
    It sounds like we can have only one price list to apply anywhere printing is turned on.
    I would think it would be best to have two, one at cost for family, etc. and other with
    profit to apply to the public. So I'm assuming we could apply the "at cost" price list by
    picking "default" and by picking "the one created price list" for profit to others.
    Al - Just a volunteer here having fun
    My Website index | My Blog
  • rainforest1155rainforest1155 Registered Users Posts: 4,566 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2012
    AceCo55 wrote: »
    I have a Portfolio account but didn't get this update.
    You may have to clear your browser cache, close and reopen your browser. Your account settings is showing a business tab with the making money and getting paid section for me as admin.
    Sebastian
    SmugMug Support Hero
  • McQMcQ Registered Users Posts: 165 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2012
    mbellot wrote: »
    Wild guess, but I bet you're like me... A Pro account with more than one price list (yeah, I have a whopping three price lists).

    SmugMug ASSUMED (they love doing that for us) that since you have more than the one price list you wouldn't be interested in a commerce account that only allows a single active price list.

    I didn't get the email either, which is why I think the number of price lists is probably what drove the email. It's certainly the only "feature" that stands out as something that could divide the Pro accounts.

    Yep. Three price lists for me too. You called it correctly.

    I'm still trying to let this sink in and see what it eventually means for me.
    "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you?"

    http://mcq.smugmug.com
  • DotaDota Registered Users Posts: 258 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2012
    I'm sorry but they GOT to keep the multiple pricelists. I did have a easy pricelist system but since the new price listing scheme was forced on everybody I have WAY too many pricelist all because I can't change the price for 1 feature (total gallery download price). These foreign currencies are purely irrelevant to me since I'll never have an international customer. I'll switch my video feature for this feature...video means absolutely nothing
  • AceCo55AceCo55 Registered Users Posts: 950 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2012
    rainforest1155 wrote: »
    You may have to clear your browser cache, close and reopen your browser. Your account settings is showing a business tab with the making money and getting paid section for me as admin.

    My account dropped back from Business to Portfolio on 10th Nov (this had been set to do this from the time of the new subscription levels)

    Essentially it won't make any difference to me in Australia anyhow. NO-ONE here is going to order a print and then have to pay the significant delivery charge and the extended fulfillment time. Just imagine how enthusiastic your customers in the US would be if the only lab they could get their photo orders completed, was in Australia. Flexible download plans on the other hand would be something I could use.
    My opinion does not necessarily make it true. What you do with my opinion is entirely up to you.
    www.acecootephotography.com
  • xlubenxluben Registered Users Posts: 60 Big grins
    edited November 12, 2012
    McQ wrote: »
    Really?

    I'm affected by this. No email though. How would I have been notified if I hadn't read this thread?

    SmugMug needs to immediately and completely address the points Neil made regarding the horrendous communication.
    And by the way, saying, "Sorry if this seems like poor communication." is an amazingly condescending and passive-aggressive response and is not an apology.

    My gosh, does SM not realize what a terrible job they're doing right now?
    AceCo55 wrote: »
    I have a Portfolio account but didn't get this update.
    mbellot wrote: »
    Wild guess, but I bet you're like me... A Pro account with more than one price list (yeah, I have a whopping three price lists).

    SmugMug ASSUMED (they love doing that for us) that since you have more than the one price list you wouldn't be interested in a commerce account that only allows a single active price list.

    I didn't get the email either, which is why I think the number of price lists is probably what drove the email. It's certainly the only "feature" that stands out as something that could divide the Pro accounts.
    McQ wrote: »
    Yep. Three price lists for me too. You called it correctly.

    I'm still trying to let this sink in and see what it eventually means for me.
    I also only use a couple price lists and did not get any notification. Only found out about this through a random photo blog. Not good communication.
    mbellot wrote: »
    I can understand eliminating image level pricing and all the other "fancy" sales features (coupons, packages, events, multiple currencies, etc), but one single price list for an entire site is ridiculous.

    It also makes it real difficult to sell to clients and family from the same place, unless you're mercenary enough to charge family members full price.
    Allen wrote: »
    Portfolio account
    It sounds like we can have only one price list to apply anywhere printing is turned on.
    I would think it would be best to have two, one at cost for family, etc. and other with
    profit to apply to the public. So I'm assuming we could apply the "at cost" price list by
    picking "default" and by picking "the one created price list" for profit to others.
    These are spot on. I barely make any profit print sales, but I still want to have that option available. I also want to be able to sell prints to family at cost. It appears this is not possible with the new "Portfolio" account. If this account level had at least 2 price lists available then it would work for me. Right now it does not. And I have no desire to pay an extra $150/year to upgrade to the top tier and get a bunch of other features I have no interest in.
    Ben Johnson Photography
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