Thinking about using SmugMug but I don't GET IT!

ajcphotoajcphoto Registered Users Posts: 2 Beginner grinner
edited February 10, 2014 in SmugMug Support
OK maybe I get it a little but need some clarification. First why no phone support? Drives me a little nuts. Alway let me explain my thoughts and situation. I am a portrait wedding photographer. I don't really want to deal with prints or printing any more. I want to spend my time shooting and editing. So I basically have my clients pay me a flat fee for the shoot/session and digital image downloads. I would love to have a place where I can post and password protect the images and allow them, my clients, to with the correct password access and download them images. I don't want to have to pay smugmug to download their images. They have paid me up front and I don't want them to be charged by Smug. First is this possible and under what plans. Second I wouldn't mind allowing my clients to order prints via smugmug with a little markup for me but if they order prints I again do not want them to be charged for the download. I contacted SM heroes about this and the answer I received was I could but only if I offered my clients a "coupon". This makes zero sense to me. Can someone help me and make this clear. When are my client charge by smugmug and when aren't they. Can I offer FREE downloads but still charge for prints?

Comments

  • AllenAllen Registered Users Posts: 10,013 Major grins
    edited February 10, 2014
    In their passworded galleries leave originals enabled. There should be a download botton on every photo.
    It's one photo at a time but free to them.
    Al - Just a volunteer here having fun
    My Website index | My Blog
  • FergusonFerguson Registered Users Posts: 1,345 Major grins
    edited February 10, 2014
    I'm a bit confused but it may be because I don't have a pro account, so I do not sell from Smugmug.

    On my "power" account, I can permit originals and permit downloads and people can download to their heart's content.

    Does the pro account REQUIRE that you pay Smugmug? Or only that you pay them if you "sell" the download?

    If you are trying to let everyone see, but only some people download -- that's more problematic (but could be done with two separate galleries I suspect).

    But if anyone who can get to the gallery can download -- doesn't that just work?
  • FergusonFerguson Registered Users Posts: 1,345 Major grins
    edited February 10, 2014
    Allen wrote: »
    In their passworded galleries leave originals enabled. There should be a download botton on every photo.
    It's one photo at a time but free to them.

    Incidentally, I think you can do an owner-download-zip for the whole gallery, then provide the link to them and for a limited time they can download the entire gallery as a zip.

    Again, works on a "power" account, don't know about the pro accounts, but would think so.
  • ajcphotoajcphoto Registered Users Posts: 2 Beginner grinner
    edited February 10, 2014
    Ferguson wrote: »
    Incidentally, I think you can do an owner-download-zip for the whole gallery, then provide the link to them and for a limited time they can download the entire gallery as a zip.

    Again, works on a "power" account, don't know about the pro accounts, but would think so.

    As I understand it you can sell via SM and they take 15% of the mark up. For me this would work great I just don't want to hassle with printing.

    Tell me more about the "zip" download where is this found?
  • zacHer0zacHer0 Registered Users Posts: 655 Major grins
    edited February 10, 2014
    ajcphoto wrote: »
    As I understand it you can sell via SM and they take 15% of the mark up. For me this would work great I just don't want to hassle with printing.

    Tell me more about the "zip" download where is this found?
    To download a gallery, in the gallery click Organize. In the organizer click the download icon on the right side of the tool bar, then click Download Gallery. We will send you an email with a link to a .zip file that you can forward to your client. Keep in mind that the link expires after 14 days.

    Here is the help page http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/articles/93331-can-i-download-all-photos-in-one-of-my-galleries

    Visitors can only download one photo at a time, which Allen mentioned. You can send them the .zip file link if they need to download the entire gallery. There is no charge for downloading photos using these methods.
    Zac Williams
    Support Hero
  • FergusonFerguson Registered Users Posts: 1,345 Major grins
    edited February 10, 2014
    ajcphoto wrote: »
    As I understand it you can sell via SM and they take 15% of the mark up. For me this would work great I just don't want to hassle with printing.

    Tell me more about the "zip" download where is this found?

    Sure. It's here:

    http://help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/articles/93331-can-i-download-all-photos-in-one-of-my-galleries

    Note it's not completely obvious but if you use folders which contain galleries, you have to click on the gallery so it is shown in the left panel, not the right, before the download button comes active (vs. settings which you can do from either side).

    Haven't done it in a while, but it's always worked fairly quickly and is convenient if you want to give someone everything.
  • FergusonFerguson Registered Users Posts: 1,345 Major grins
    edited February 10, 2014
    Sorry, I overlapped with zacHer0.

    I guess it's worth noting that if you give them original resolution images, and there are a lot, this can be a BIG file, whereas doing one by one let's them break them up. Depends on what kind of internet they have. Someone with 512k DSL may prefer a DVD. :)
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