Questions about digital downloads, packages and payment options

kyllitedre

Hey,

I am planning to migrate to Pro plan (from Power), but I have very specific needs and need to make sure that I know everything in advance. Sadly there is so much info everywhere and so little time and I didn't get all my answers from Google.

1) What are the current payment options for a client?
2) Can I have ONLY digital download (and no print buy) options in my galleries?
3) If I have a gallery that has a pricelist, is there an option where some specific users could somehow have free download option (the only workaround I can think of is giving them my password so tat they can log in as admin)?
4) if I have a digital package option, can a client collect those images from different galleries or the images need to be in one gallery?
5) if a client uses "buy multiple photos" view, I am assuming one can pick photos from different galleries (not just one) and add them to chopping cart?
6) how does tha package feature work - does the client need to decide that he is buying a package in advance, or the cart turns into a package automatically when certain amount of photos are picked?

I am very grateful if someone could help me out here

denisegoldberg

I'd recommend that you contact SmugMug support directly. While they check in here periodically you will get a faster response by reaching out to them as noted in the article I've linked below.

https://www.smugmughelp.com/en/articles/309-contact-a-smugmug-support-hero

kyllitedre

Thank you, Denise

kyllitedre

@kyllitedre said:
Hey,

I am planning to migrate to Pro plan (from Power), but I have very specific needs and need to make sure that I know everything in advance. Sadly there is so much info everywhere and so little time and I didn't get all my answers from Google.

1) What are the current payment options for a client?
2) Can I have ONLY digital download (and no print buy) options in my galleries?
3) If I have a gallery that has a pricelist, is there an option where some specific users could somehow have free download option (the only workaround I can think of is giving them my password so tat they can log in as admin)?
4) if I have a digital package option, can a client collect those images from different galleries or the images need to be in one gallery?
5) if a client uses "buy multiple photos" view, I am assuming one can pick photos from different galleries (not just one) and add them to chopping cart?
6) how does tha package feature work - does the client need to decide that he is buying a package in advance, or the cart turns into a package automatically when certain amount of photos are picked?

I am very grateful if someone could help me out here

I got a reply from SM, so I will list them here, in case anyone else is looking for an answer to the same questions.

1) Clients may pay with credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover), using Apple or Google Pay on the respective devices and PayPal (if outside of the US)

2) Yes, you choose which products you'd like to offer in your pricelist. If you don't wish to offer print products, you would still pick a lab when creating your pricelist (as you as the owner may always buy prints of your own photos) and could then choose to not add any print products for sale.

3) You can enable the "allow downloads" setting in the gallery settings > photo protection section and set a download password so that only people with the download password could download your full size originals. You can even do that right now on the Power plan.

4) We do mention this on our help page for packages at the very bottom:
If you've allowed a package to apply to multiple galleries, then they'll be able to switch between galleries to pick their favorite images. If they select the package option while in an unlisted gallery, they won't be able to switch between galleries.
So the option to switch to a different gallery to pick a photo for a package is only available for public galleries.

5) That view is for the current gallery only, but of course a client may add photos from any of your galleries to their shopping cart and only once they have added all items, would they proceed with the check out to place their order.

6) Your client would need to actively select the package option if they'd like to buy a package. Individual items in the shopping cart could not be turned into a package.

slpollett

There is another way to allow downloads for your clients. It is a fairly new option, but I love it. Your can create a download link that you give to your client. It either allows them to download the gallery or you can select a certain number of images they can download. Unfortunately, you cannot spread this across multiple galleries, or at least I don't know how to do it. Maybe it would work for multiples if you created an event, but I haven't tried that.

Once you pull up your gallery, select the 3 vertical dots over the top right of your gallery, then choose Create Client Download.

This is what you get. You can just click on Generate Unique Link or you can click the box to limit the number of downloads. I like this if I want to give a client a free download for a purchase of a certain amount. It can also work if someone has prepaid for a package of any certain number of downloads.

This is what you see if you click the box to limit the number of downloads.

And then your link is generated. Copy the link and send it to your client. When they click on the link, they will go to the gallery with a message that they can download images. If that number is limited, it tells them that they can download 10 images. The link will work until the client has downloaded their 10 images.

You can also create packages for digital downloads now. Just create the package you want and attach it to your galleries.

I have used both methods. I love being able to create the link for the download. I have used it to deliver the images for prepaid packages or to offer a free download for whatever reason.

I have also created a number of download packages.

Hope this helps.

Sherry P.