Print sizes and the marketing department

rutt

Does anyone have any advice about which print sizes sell best? Is it a mistake to offer 8x12 and not 8x10? Is it a mistake not to crop for 8x10 (and just let smugmug and the customer do their thing) if so?

Shay Stephens

Most popular:

1. 4x6. Hands down, the all time winner and champion of the universe.
2. 5x7. A distant second place that takes the crumbs dropped by 4x6.
3. 8x10. A ghostly size. It exists on vapor and dust. It just doesn't understand what all the fuss is about with those tiny print sizes. Can't people see that it is the king?!?!
4. All others. They dream of one day being born. A few get to see the light of day, but many believe it is only rumor and fable.

Mikko

Hello,

I feel its up to that photographer to choose what size. When you take the photograph you compose for what you want in it and what you don't. It's your art work. However, the hard part is finding frames for 8x12 prints and that is probably why people stick with the standard size. Although you can make mats for each print that will allow it to fit standard frames. Its all up to you and your creative intent.

It also depends who you are marketing towards.
Consumer - such as portraits, sports, etc stick to the standard sizes of 4x6, 5x7 and 8x10.
Fine art - do it the way you like it.
Commercial - what ever they want.

Here are some web sites that might help you out.

http://luminous-landscape.com/

http://www.kenrockwell.com/index.htm

Hoped this helped,

marlinspike

My most sold print size this year? I think it might actually be 20x30...maybe 4x6, I should check...but I'm in a rush. I upload in the 2:3 ratio and let customers handle the cropping. I pretty much offer any size other than the 4:3 ratio ones except for 40x30. Choices are what people want. Couldn't hurt might help, right? I should add though that my sales are so few that my experience is statistically insignificant.

bham

Exactly what Shay said. About 1500 of my images sold in last year and I would bet over 90% are 4x6.

rutt

Thanks, guys. I'll make sure to price 4x6's.

Now here is a related question. What sizes/papers not to price? For example, I thought I'd only price luster paper in order to reduce the number of offerings and make it less confusing for my customers. Is this a good idea? Is it a good idea to try to offer each shot only in the sizes that require the least cropping? Is it a good idea to crop to fit the most popular sizes? How much of this work is it worth my doing?

Shay, I'm gussing that you make the bulk of your sales on wedding shots. True? If so, don't you think this impacts on the sizes you sell? Many will go into albums, right?

Shay Stephens

Now here is a related question. What sizes/papers not to price? For example, I thought I'd only price luster paper in order to reduce the number of offerings and make it less confusing for my customers.
I never get people asking for either luster or glossy. Most people I would say don't care. My default is luster unless something else is requested (which never happens).

Shay, I'm gussing that you make the bulk of your sales on wedding shots. True? If so, don't you think this impacts on the sizes you sell? Many will go into albums, right?
Yep, the public do like them 4x6's. What kind of customer base are you thinking of marketing to? What kind of work will you be offering?

rutt

Shay Stephens wrote:

Yep, the public do like them 4x6's. What kind of customer base are you thinking of marketing to? What kind of work will you be offering?

Now the marketing department is doing it's job: product definition! Thanks.

marlinspike

rutt wrote:

Now here is a related question. What sizes/papers not to price? For example, I thought I'd only price luster paper in order to reduce the number of offerings and make it less confusing for my customers.

Personally, I prefer glossy in all situations except for poster size prints. So, if I were a customer, I know that I would like to be able to buy glossy.

binghott

the print size that sells the most prints for me is 4x6 by a lot. however, i'm not sure which sizes generated the most revenue. i charge a good amount more for the larger print sizes and i believe they might make me the most money.