Location, Location & Currency Rates

skydognz

Right, i must admit i'm totally new to this, however, for the last month i have sat patiently and searched, crawled, fought and explored the dark deep depths of the internet looking for the ultimate professional online photo site to host my images - AND be prepared to pay for it!

Finally, after weeks of trawling the net, i have found SmugMug!!! And right up till about an hour ago, I was almost prepared to even look at trialing the site; with possibly looking at forking out cash to afford a PRO option site to sell my images. I mean; this site absolutely rocks!!!! and i love it's layout, it's easy of use, searching, personalising, (love the idea of having my own SITE and my own NAME on it too!!). BUT.....there is always a but.....

Am i a professional photographer??? (Does this exist anymore???) NOT in any sense of the word! No Way! I'm purely an ameteur; someone who loves and has a passion for photography who wants to show the world my images; and sell a few as well

I live (and was born and breed) here in New Zealand. I'm a kiwi, I'm a kiwi who is about to explore and travel the world! capture images of it and put them (hopefully!!!) onto a SMUGMUG site; for the world, my friends and my family too to look at; and if possible; buy. BUT!!!!.....

2 things came to me in wanting the perfect photo selling website.

a). For my customers to pay for their images in THEIR currency. Not one unique US currency. (have you seen the exchange rates????????????)

b). For my customers to know; that their images are actually being printed and posted from within their own countries! Therefore they pay postage for their country. For example; it would cost me nomore than $2-$3 NZ Dollars to post photos to a friend from one end of New Zealand to the other; after i had been down to my local Photo Lab in my town to print them.

I would love to try and encourage, explore and see what i can do to help; to get SMUGMUG to be the first (possibly not really) to have their own Photo Labs in many countries around the world!!!! And to have their customers pay their own currency rates to purchase images. (Or have photo labs say yes! I'll be apart of this awesome site!)

I have tried, tested and looked at trying to purchase images from other SMUGMUG photographers, (and i'd have to say; there's some magically talent people out there!!!!) though; I have not agreed to pay the overwhelming cost for 1 single image to be processed, printed and sent from the US to me here in New Zealand! Shame!

The ideal and I think; can be an acheiveable way; is that i want my customer to have the image printed in their country that they live/visting in; by a SMUGMUG affliated Photo Lab in that particular country (which in New Zealand, is a majority of Chemists/Phamarcies here); And only pay local postal charges to their doorstep. If the Photo Lab wants 20c for every images it processes; fine - that particular Lab is paid the money from the order. We (the photographers) keep receiving our commission once a month from SMUGMUG.

Could SMUGMUG itself be missing out on a commission by not receiving our orders directly? or will it be the photographers? I would think both due to us having to deal with the brunt of the exchange rates from each country.

Maybe it's only a handful of varying major currencies; other than exchanging images for animals or children! But say; the more international currencies of the world.

I have been reading the forums (which i've only just subscribed to) and the threads are starting to echo a similar frustration with this; a most well thought-out and professional site; i SO DO want to call my new home; but the exchange rate/currency process seems to be confusing many wanting to sell their images around the world.

Though i'm a New Zealander; i'm venturing off around the world in June. So, there's no use setting up my pricing for New Zealand currency; or for everytime i enter and leave another country!

By letting the customer choose the currency of his/her own country; then we as photographers will/may have to deal with LOSSES and GAINS by selling at different exchange rates; So, what would work best? The customer saying " I can't afford to pay that much in $US currency!" or that we as photographers need to set a 'workable' rate of currency to either break-even or make a GAIN; if only by a few dollars for a image? Isn't about someone at the end of the day; saying; i have YOUR photo on their wall or photo album???????? Let them have it for a REASONABLE price!

The debate will rage i suppose; by seeing it from SMUGMUG's $US exchange rate and the idea of our customers setting currency rates???

Andy, truely, this site rocks; no doubts whatsoever; please if there is anything; and I'm sure i'm not the only one on this site who cares most about our customers, images and protecting SMUGMUG's existence and reputation; I'll do what i can to help! As i'm sure all of the photographers on here will!

I suppose; What is stopping us from using a flexible customer based billing/postage rates? Software costs? Loss of profits? Complications? Or just lack of time to do it???

I would be interested to hear why we CAN"T have (in the future) customers buy their images in their money; in their own country and postage set by their local Labs! Then lets find out how we can make it happen.

I'm a skydiving equipment Importer as well here in NZ; and i turn so many customers away from overseas wanting our services and products because; most of all; the exchange rates and POSTAGE! It's a killer!

Am i still going to be a member of SMUGMUG! Damn Straight i am! It would be totally rude to stand away from SMUGMUG, it's photographers and it's owners and cheer (or boo) from the sideline! I'll be joining in the next day or so; But, All i want is; some assurance; encouragement towards how viable; lasting and solid this relationship will/can be, when i venture around the world for the next 4-5 years with SMUGMUG being there to show my images? Will my customers be there to support me and my way of life? Or will they just say; where's my photo you took of me? Why isn't it free? I'm not paying that much for it!

We're all here to help; and I'm offering my help for free! I think other SMUGMUG photographers have skills and experience to fill this currency/postage gap we seem we feel we have fixed; So, lets see who's keen to help!

Time for lunch! Laughs.

Many regards

Hamish Carmichael
New Zealand
Via the world!!!

Andy

Hi Hamish and welcome

Thanks for the detailed post - it's like gold to us, we really love it.

The simple fact is, we aren't able at this time, or for the near future, to support multi-country printing, shipping, service, and support. Same goes for local currencies. I wish I had a better, different answer for you, but I simply don't.

Shipping to your part of the world is rather fast! Have a read here, from a fellow New Zealander:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=58572

If you sign up for a trial, I'll even comp your first order of sample prints (a few, to give you the idea).

- Andy

skydognz

Hi Andy. Thanks so much for your reply. It's mainly (and i'm sure there are other countries too) that can't compete with the $US only because of our $$$. It's getting better at the moment for us here in NZ; it used to be $1.00 brought only .50c US. Now it's about .75c US. The UK, well, that kills us completely! I think $1.00 buys about .30 pence. (equvilant to the cent).

Appreciate the reply though. The debate i'm sure will continue for some time! laughs. It's a pity I can't legally work and live in the US! Otherwise i'd be fine.

I know Kiwi's are very proud people, and where they can they'll support New Zealand made 100%. When the feel $$$ are going to another country's pocket, they'll look elsewhere; but i suppose like me; i'm looking elsewhere to make a life of my photography; so sometimes; opportunity before pride gets to make the day.

Cheers.

Hamish.

skydognz

Hi Andy.

I'm still here! I'm still figuring out by what name i'll go by on this site! It's not that easy!! I have a few ideas, and just narrowing down my options. The name is everything!!

Hamish.