Smug-bashing

DJ-S1 · December 28, 2006

Being a true Smugmug nut, I was pretty annoyed reading this, uh, I guess you'd call it an "article". Maybe it's just me, but I don't get the whole point of the writing. The one and only mention of Smugmug is as follows:

We looked at the most popular photo sites as rated by ComScore/Media Metrix, an independent online-audience-measurement firm: AOL Pictures, Kodak EasyShare Gallery, Shutterfly, Snapfish, Smugmug and Yahoo Photos. HP's Snapfish offered the best prints for the least money and, as a result, earned our Best Bet award. But, while Smugmug has excellent search, archiving and other features for the technically minded photographer, its hefty monthly fee and lagging print quality kept it off our chart.

Lagging print quality? With no explanation, and no mention of the "100% guarantee, even if it's your fault not ours"? :humungus

Andy · December 28, 2006

Thanks for posting that, DJ.

Here's what our CEO wrote to the editor of that website:

onethumb wrote:

Hi Paul,

I'm the CEO and Chief Geek at SmugMug, and I couldn't help noticing that we were unfairly excluded from your review. I'm hoping I can set the record straight.

You mentioned a "hefty monthly fee" and "lagging print quality" specifically, which raised our eyebrows. A SmugMug subscription with unlimited storage is $39.95 per year, or $3.33 per month. Hardly hefty.

As for the print quality, we're renowned in the industry for having the best prints around, bar none. We certainly won't win on price, but you get what you pay for. We have tens of thousands of professional photographers who build their businesses on SmugMug. As you can imagine, when you're shooting a wedding or selling multi-hundred dollar prints of Yosemite, the print quality has to be pristine.

As a result, we conduct blind "taste tests" of various printers (10 at last count, including all of those listed in your review) every year. What's more, we publish the results for all to see, and they're widely distributed on the net. Some of our competitors have personally thanked us for publishing the results, since it helped them select their own printing partners. You can see for yourself:

http://www.smugmug.com/prints/digital-prints.mg

We use a top-of-the-line professional lab in Georgia called EZPrints at the moment, since they've consistently won the "taste test" for 3 years running, but we're committed to print quality at all costs. Ask any of our customers, or try a Google search for 'SmugMug print quality', or better yet, order some prints and see for yourself.

I hope that sets the record straight, and by all means, holler if you have any other questions about our service. Hopefully we can make it into the next one!

Thanks,

Don

I also added this, in an internal discussion we've been having:

Order #88000 was in Late December, 2005.
We just filled order #231000 today.

That's 143,000 orders in the last 12 months. Returns? Figure 1 per day (365 for the year) and that's generous. So that's MAYBE one quarter of one percent. I think that's pretty darn good

dogwood · December 28, 2006

For what it's worth-- many of those other sites listed in the review are basically photo sharing sites. They don't seem like they'd work for photographers who want a custom site with the ability to sell a lot to cover expenses.

I'm not bashing those other sites-- but as a photographer I've grown a lot over the last two years and I can truthfully say that SM has grown with me. Not only that, but my SM site makes me money. It's purpose is not to share photos with family and friends. I'm now considering a portfolio front page site for marketing purposes-- but I'll still keep the SM site just for it's ease of use, ability to sell prints/downloads, and it's storage capacity among other reasons.

And honestly-- I'd be really surprised if any other photo site had the sort of community and help offered by SM and dgrin. But hey, I'm sure I'm preachin' to the choir here...

gluwater · December 28, 2006

I doubt anyone in this forum would agree with that article. It seems like they just had something against SmugMug. What is the purpose of mentioning a company in a negative manner and then not comparing them to the rest of the group? Did they ever reply back to Don?

jsedlak · December 28, 2006

I think I'm going to buy a SmugMug account soon...

wlriv · December 29, 2006

if only the winners at that publication had taken a minute to really explore smugmug and dgrin, that article would have gone differently.

i have been with clubphoto, shutterfly and snapfish - while they offer photo hosting services and printing, none of them can hold a candle to the functionality, family feel and helpfulness of smugmug/dgrin.

as long as i can pay your steep fees ($3.50 a month) then ill be here

jsedlak · December 29, 2006

question, are there any coupon codes out for SmugMug right now?

DavidTO · December 29, 2006

jsedlak wrote:

question, are there any coupon codes out for SmugMug right now?

I'd give you my referral code, but first the monkey has to go.

ivar · December 29, 2006

DavidTO wrote:

I'd give you my referral code, but first the monkey has to go.

jsedlak · December 29, 2006

DavidTO wrote:

I'd give you my referral code, but first the monkey has to go.

Edit, keeps saying Invalid File when I change it now... grrr.

Frog Lady · December 29, 2006

I don't mind the monkey:D, so you can use mine: 6sFXFmCnPJ3fY

C.

Andy · December 29, 2006

Frog Lady wrote:

I don't mind the monkey:D, so you can use mine: 6sFXFmCnPJ3fY

C.

Let the Monkey Stay!

DavidTO · December 29, 2006

jsedlak wrote:

Edit, keeps saying Invalid File when I change it now... grrr.

I wasn't serious!

Well, maybe a little....

jsedlak · December 29, 2006

DavidTO wrote:

I wasn't serious!

Well, maybe a little....

I am looking for a new monkey actually.

But why do you not like him? Unprofessional?

Frog Lady wrote:

I don't mind the monkey:D, so you can use mine: 6sFXFmCnPJ3fY

C.

Thank you!

DavidTO · December 29, 2006

jsedlak wrote:

I am looking for a new monkey actually.

But why do you not like him? Unprofessional?

Nah. It's your avatar. As long as it's not pornographic or offensive, have at it.

wxwax · December 29, 2006

I missed the monkey. More monkey!

Bendr · December 29, 2006

Bring the monkey back!!

DavidTO · December 29, 2006

Bendr wrote:

Bring the monkey back!!

More cowbell!

dogwood · December 29, 2006

Bendr wrote:

Bring the monkey back!!

Just not Seamonkey. SM doesn't officially support THAT monkey.

Andy · December 29, 2006

dogwood wrote:

Just not Seamonkey. SM doesn't officially support THAT monkey.

Justiceiro · December 29, 2006

Smugmug just mailed me two reprints of a 20x30 print that I thought were off color a bit, based on my purely subjective analysis (I think I was right, of course, but that's not the point). No fuss, no muss, no questions asked- on a $65 order. You think snapfly will do that? Hardly. I've ordered through other on line services before, and ain't one of them can even come close. Not one.

Awais Yaqub · December 29, 2006

the reason i recommend smugmug is management is very near to customers.Never saw that kind of cooperation anywhere on earth

Don't know about printing but i should know soon as i have to send a photo to a guy who is in Oklahomma
Should i send it by mail from Pakistan

or by smugmug ?

jsedlak · December 29, 2006

I just ordered my first print...

GraphyFotoz · December 30, 2006

No matter how good something is someone hasta find fault with it!

Like was said the sites reviewed are just photo storage sites.
I've been with Fotki for years but their customer support sux.
Sent em a MO 2x and they lost em and I got no refund!
After that I paid by Paypal with a delay even after I sent instant payment 3-4 days before.

Smugmug has 5 star customer support and you get what ya pay for!

$40 a year is not HUGE for all you can do at SM!

Franjessca · December 31, 2006

I just recently purchased a Smugmug Pro in November and the price wasn't hefty at all...I love Smugmug and so do all my Family and Friends. My Customers also love this Site and love how everything is set up. I was using Yahoo at first, but didn't like the fact I was having some of my Photos stolen from me without my permission.
Hefty? I went to another site...I believe what is called Blackbag and they were costing over $400 to store not many Photos. That's hefty!!

Franjessca · December 31, 2006

Oh...and I ordered my First prints this past week and this is the only site I'm going to order from now on. I love how the Photos turned out and the quality.

Art Scott · December 31, 2006

Awais Yaqub wrote:

the reason i recommend smugmug is management is very near to customers.Never saw that kind of cooperation anywhere on earth

Don't know about printing but i should know soon as i have to send a photo to a guy who is in Oklahomma
Should i send it by mail from Pakistan or by smugmug ?

I would ask SM to mail directly to customer...this would be the most convienent for both of you and he would not have to pay an import duty on the photos...also they will not have to be opened and inspect by customs or homeland suxcurity......

Which pic did he buy..and congrats on the sale.

Awais Yaqub · January 3, 2007

Art Scott wrote:

I would ask SM to mail directly to customer...this would be the most convienent for both of you and he would not have to pay an import duty on the photos...also they will not have to be opened and inspect by customs or homeland suxcurity......

Which pic did he buy..and congrats on the sale.

he did not buy. he used to live in my city long ago he mailed me i thought i should give him gift same old clock tower
not a sale

Smug-bashing

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