What happened to the Power plan?
redcrown@mchsi.com
Registered Users Posts: 74 Big grins
What's the deal with Smugmug "Plans"? I've been years on a "Power" plan at $120 a year, and Smugmug still offers to renew that plan when it expires next month. If I go to my account settings and click "Change Plans", it shows 3 options: Power, Portfolio, and Pro.
I sent a friend to signup, but there is no Power Plan offered. Only the Portfolio and Pro plans at over 2X the price of the old Power plan. Are we missing the link to get a Power Plan subscription?
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It looks like SmugMug changed the names of the plans; there are still 3 options but with different names. Here is the current Prices & Plans page:
https://www.smugmug.com/plans
While SmugMug staff does check in here periodically your best bet is to contact them directly. You can email them at help@smugmug.com, or click the Contact Us button on this page:
https://www.smugmughelp.com/hc/en-us
Musings & ramblings at https://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com
Denise: Yes, that's the link I'm talking about. All 3 plans are high priced options only for commercial photogs who want to sell prints. No simple photo sharing option shown.
Ah, I see.
Your best bet is to reach out directly to SmugMug staff. They only check in here occasionally.
https://www.smugmughelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/18212445326996-Contact-a-SmugMug-Support-Hero#
Musings & ramblings at https://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com
Well, Smugmug answered the question. They have dropped the less expensive Power plan. So, they are abandoning the market of photographers who simply share their work without selling at a profit. Google can't find any announcement about that, or even coverage on other sites. Strange move, and being done in secret seems even more strange. I'm obviously way out of the loop on internet photo sharing. I can only guess that social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) have sucked up all that action to the point where Smugmug does not want to bother with it anymore.
Samuel (SmugMug Support)
Jun 18, 2024, 7:49 PM PDT
Great question! I hate to say it but neither option is available anymore to new account subscribers.
https://www.smugmug.com/plans
You currently have a Power account, and will be "grandfathered" at that level when it comes time to renew the subscription. The only important consideration is that if you decide to upgrade, it won't be possible to return to the Power level later.
I hope that helps to clarify. Let us know if you have any other questions.
Samuel - SmugMug Support
So, now I get an email from SmugMug offering a discount on my "grandfathered" Power plan if I pay for 2 years instead of just one. One of those things that make you go, "Hummm?". Why promote and extend a business segment that they have terminated for new customers?
When I put my (old, retired) business hat on, I clearly see a couple reasons. Pumping extended subscriptions is what you do to help a short term cash flow problem. Or, what you do when you think a competitor is about to steal customers. That's what my local, small Internet provided did when Google Fiber came into their market.
But locking in deals you no longer offer? That's baffling. SmugMug is a small company, likely not privy to much marketing expertise. Probably just floundering.
I'm glad I came here to browse.
I got the "renew early at a savings of $120/year instead of $120/year" which made no sense.
I guess I should go ahead and pay for two years since otherwise come next year it might not exist (as grandfathered).
They REALLY, SERIOUSLY failed to communicate that they are abandoning this market of non-sales customers.
Guess I'll take it now, and be thinking about another home if I can. It's a shame, been here a LONG time. Not even sure how long, searched my email and found a 2004 email referring someone to my site, so before that. Over 20 years.
Indeed they continued calling it the "power plan" in that email.
Shame on you Smugmug. At least you could have sent your loyal customers an honest, no-spin email. I appreciate the opportunity to miss this increase, but... shame on you.
Now, I have to reconsider. I’ve barely used the site in the past five plus years but I’d keep paying $60 a year if that was offered. $120? That is incentive to reassess my needs rather than letting the subscription keep renewing. Good thing credit cards expire which force this kind of evaluation.
Maybe SmugMug wants Power subscribers to use their Flickr services instead? Wish they’d just say that.