Prices shown on lab printed photos?

The Lazy Destroyer

----I sent this as an email to Smugmug but with the holidays I'm not sure when they'll be available, so posting this here just in case---

I provided some printed photo offers for an event I shot as part of some raffled items.

To keep it simple I just had them let me know which photos they wanted and what size. My plan is to just order via the owner-buy through my site. I thought about using their address as the ship-to instead of my own to get it to them quicker.

But I'm not sure if the Bay Photo package will include a copy of my Smugmug invoice (with owner pricing) or if it will just have the photo information and nothing else. I'm not sure how close the Smugmug and photolab connection is, I'd hate to assume it wouldn't be included and then be wrong :doh


Anyone know for sure?
Or should I just play it safe and have it shipped to me first?

Sam

The Lazy Destroyer wrote: »

----I sent this as an email to Smugmug but with the holidays I'm not sure when they'll be available, so posting this here just in case---

I provided some printed photo offers for an event I shot as part of some raffled items.

To keep it simple I just had them let me know which photos they wanted and what size. My plan is to just order via the owner-buy through my site. I thought about using their address as the ship-to instead of my own to get it to them quicker.

But I'm not sure if the Bay Photo package will include a copy of my Smugmug invoice (with owner pricing) or if it will just have the photo information and nothing else. I'm not sure how close the Smugmug and photolab connection is, I'd hate to assume it wouldn't be included and then be wrong

Anyone know for sure?
Or should I just play it safe and have it shipped to me first?

This is dirt simple. You can order direct from Bay Photo and have the prints sent to you or drop shipped to your client. If drop shipped the package will not contain your invoice.

If Purchased and shipped by Bay there is a good chance depending on the order size shipping charges will be substantially less than ordering through SmugMug.

Full explanation of shipping charge differences is here: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=251730.

Sam

zacHer0

The Lazy Destroyer wrote: »

----I sent this as an email to Smugmug but with the holidays I'm not sure when they'll be available, so posting this here just in case---

I provided some printed photo offers for an event I shot as part of some raffled items.

To keep it simple I just had them let me know which photos they wanted and what size. My plan is to just order via the owner-buy through my site. I thought about using their address as the ship-to instead of my own to get it to them quicker.

But I'm not sure if the Bay Photo package will include a copy of my Smugmug invoice (with owner pricing) or if it will just have the photo information and nothing else. I'm not sure how close the Smugmug and photolab connection is, I'd hate to assume it wouldn't be included and then be wrong


Anyone know for sure?
Or should I just play it safe and have it shipped to me first?

When ordering prints through SmugMug we will never show prices on the invoice that is included in the packages. There is a packing slip, but prices are never included, no matter the lab.

The Lazy Destroyer

zacHer0 wrote: »

When ordering prints through SmugMug we will never show prices on the invoice that is included in the packages. There is a packing slip, but prices are never included, no matter the lab.

Ok cool, that's what I was hoping for, thanks for the reply

The Lazy Destroyer

Sam wrote: »

This is dirt simple. You can order direct from Bay Photo and have the prints sent to you or drop shipped to your client. If drop shipped the package will not contain your invoice.

If Purchased and shipped by Bay there is a good chance depending on the order size shipping charges will be substantially less than ordering through SmugMug.

Full explanation of shipping charge differences is here: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=251730.

Sam

I guess with the smaller stuff it isn't bad.
I just did a quick check and the owner-buy option in SM is a little cheaper than BP's print prices.
Shipping was about identical for SM and BP.

In this particular case at least.

Maybe the bigger prints start to get a bit different.

Sam

The Lazy Destroyer wrote: »

I guess with the smaller stuff it isn't bad.
I just did a quick check and the owner-buy option in SM is a little cheaper than BP's print prices.
Shipping was about identical for SM and BP.

In this particular case at least.

Maybe the bigger prints start to get a bit different.

I would seriously like to know the details!!!

I have been a very strong supporter of SmugMug, but based on recently uncovered facts have been very critical of SmugMug's handling of shipping charges for prints ordered from Bay photo.

If there is any info that would temper my findings I would really like to have that info!!!!

Thanks!!

Sam

AdamNP

Sam wrote: »

I would seriously like to know the details!!!

I have been a very strong supporter of SmugMug, but based on recently uncovered facts have been very critical of SmugMug's handling of shipping charges for prints ordered from Bay photo.

If there is any info that would temper my findings I would really like to have that info!!!!

Thanks!!

Sam

So would I. I have never seen an example where it's even close, frankly.

The Lazy Destroyer

Ok I did it again because I only glanced at it briefly when first testing it.

This is for a basic order of three 8x10's and three 5x7's...
SM shipping: Basic USPS was $4.99, USPS Priority or FedEx GND was $6.99
BP shipping: "Standard" shipping was $6.99
^So assuming BP's standard is USPS Priority, it's the same.


Altho I never looked at the more expedited options, I guess I should have.
The difference is there.

Same order above. SM's FedEx 2day is $12.99, BP's FedEx 2day is $8.99.
SM's overnight was $20.99, BP's overnight was $15.99


I had only planned on using regular shipping but BP's prices on 2day is pretty good.
Note the BP's prices are using the "white label" shipping option since SM's order comes that way (based on their reply above, w/ no invoice numbers included).
If the customer is buying then there is a $1 less in favor of BP's since they can do regular shipping and not the white-label option.
If the order was for bigger quantities and the shipping numbers stay the same, I can see where SM's option starts to even out overall price since they're owner pricing is 10-20% less using the owner-buy.
But at some point I imagine the shipping prices start to rise for both SM and BP.

I had not really planned on comparing the two directly and posting the results, but only doing this at Sam's request above.

Basically in my example, SM and BP are identical except for the expedited (2day and NDA) options.
However when reviewing both, it's not that SM's shipping prices in my example are overly bad. It's just BP's prices on shipping are really good.

It is a shame SM's couldn't be the same, or just slightly more which I think is acceptable. Because $8.99 for 2day is pretty good.

I haven't really read through the "other" SM shipping thread very much.
99% of my sales are digital downloads. The few print-based sales I've seen the shipping price wasn't terrible. I usually only offer 8x10 sizes or less, so I am not sure if the crazy shipping differences were with bigger prints or special prints.

The Lazy Destroyer

Okay I just read through some of the "other" thread, I see now that some of Bay's pricing might be cheaper through their ROES software.
So my info above might not be that helpful. If so I apologize

Since quite possibly 99% of my sales are digital downloads, it doesn't affect me as much but I guess good to know in case I get any more print sales. In my case from my original post, the price wasn't bad, so all's well for me.