Why no calendars?

RKnecht

All of my customers LOVE the prints they recieve from Smugmug. The packaging, print quality, speedy delivery, etc. Now a few are asking for calendars. Are there any plans for us Pro users to get calendars? With the books and canvas prints, I would expect calendars are not too hard to add. I'd hate to have them made at another site because I really like the print quality I have come to expect from Smugmug. Any input on this?

oceanthrsty

I'll second the calander idea

Andy

We have plans for sure. We have some hurdles first, like the UI and the creator/configurator. We'll get there, I'm sure. I hope it's sooner rather than later.

Thanks!

photographz

I *love* the idea of calendars. Can I make a suggestion? If possible, allow the customer to choose the starting month. This versatility is great for those that don't work by the stadard calendar year. By that I mean schools, people following a business or sport year, or even if someone wants to buy one mid-year. Alhtough I'm sure a large number of customers will want to buy Jan-Dec, some may want that flexability, and it's one theme I've seen repeated at another PODs "products wanted" section.

Small pocket or purse sized would also be awesome, like the mini planners.

frostbytes

Andy wrote:

We have plans for sure. We have some hurdles first, like the UI and the creator/configurator. We'll get there, I'm sure. I hope it's sooner rather than later.

Is there an update on this topic? I'd like to offer my customers calendars this holiday season.

[L]

JohnBiggs

frostbytes wrote:

Is there an update on this topic? I'd like to offer my customers calendars this holiday season.

[L]

Wasn't there a site thats pretty easy to order calendars from? I'd like a link. Then maybe I could put an Ad on my site for them.

pilotdave

JohnBiggs wrote:

Wasn't there a site thats pretty easy to order calendars from? I'd like a link. Then maybe I could put an Ad on my site for them.

Zazzle.com makes pretty nice calendars. Pros might be disappointed with the quality/color reproduction, but they work perfectly for my needs. Pretty cheap too.

Can't wait till smugmug offers this kind of thing, but it's a huge step. They don't offer anything that involves more than one picture. Once they find a way to do that, it'll really open a lot of doors... in my opinion.

Dave

digitalpins

JohnBiggs wrote:

Wasn't there a site thats pretty easy to order calendars from? I'd like a link. Then maybe I could put an Ad on my site for them.

I am using http://www.lulu.com/ for my calendars.... really cool so far. The software is pretty sweet and easy to use, also they give you a pretty cool code to use if you have a facebook page. This way you can advertise it on facebook but I also have a link on my website in my "contact me" page

Would be pretty awesome though if smugmug had a calendar and also a nice code to use for facebook/myspace or any other website that gave you a button to buy your calendar

JohnBiggs

Hey guys, That new My Canvas site appears it will be offering calendars starting this month. I haven't tried this but it is supposed to integrate with smugmug.

Ann McRae

earear

JohnBiggs wrote:

Hey guys, That new My Canvas site appears it will be offering calendars starting this month. I haven't tried this but it is supposed to integrate with smugmug.

fotofool

Awesome Calendars
That's right, JohnBiggs, MyCanvas and SmugMug have partnered to offer an awesome option for calendars. You can check out the calendars as well as photobooks and posters at smugmug.mycanvas.com.

• There is a 20% off coupon code, SMHOLIDAY, that can be entered at checkout which is valid until midnight, December 24th.

We'd love to hear what you think.

[/img]

RKnecht

This can be great news. I take it that we can import the pictures from our smugmug account directly to the mycanvas site? If so, as long as their printing quality is up to par with smugmug's, I'm good to go.

Andy

Ann McRae wrote:

earear

Just go try it

http://smugmug.mycanvas.com

MikeMcA²

Too bad this wasn't offered earlier, and wasn't offered as a package we could sell through the checkout just as we would prints, coffee mugs, or mouse pads.

I wasn't going to front the money or work as a shipping/redirection of cash middle man. I've split almost $1000 in calendar sales profits this week alone (my first week of offering the 2009 calendars) with CafePress. I enjoy SmugMug, but business is business. I hope that next year SM decides before the holiday season to offer sales items we need.

Promising "they're coming" in May and still not having them really available except as a cutout weblink, is like saying "volume discounts and coupons are coming, trust us, we're working on important pro features", and then offering nothing but iPhone interfaces and easier Google Maps links. It gets discouraging.

Andy

MikeMcA² wrote:

and then offering nothing but iPhone interfaces and easier Google Maps links. It gets discouraging.

Totally unfair Just since the summer, a few of the more significant additions:

* A new shopping cart, which'll support things like a new pro lab, coupons, and more.

* A new buy multiples interface that makes it easier for clients to buy lots of photos.

* Drastically lowered print pirces on 8x10s, 5x7s and 8x12s.

* Invested a huge amount of $$$ and turbocharged SmugMug with the addition of Akamai for massively improved speed around the globe

* Added Metallic prints to your catalog.

* Added 11 new sizes of canvas.

* Added a bunch of new items to sell, stickers, photo panels, keepsake boxes, desk organizers, etc.

* Added 5x7 folded cards and a whole bunch of new greeting cards.

Sorry that calendars aren't up in time. But it's cool that you can get them from http://smugmug.mycanvas.com at least! We'll see about more calendar options too.

We'll also be getting these sorts of things pro-priceable - meaning you can sell 'em at a profit.

Still to come, and deeply in the works: new pro lab to add to SmugMug, coupons, and more.

We're pedaling as fast as we can. We know it's not always as fast as you want, and we'll try even harder.

MikeMcA²

Andy, you're right, you folks have done well. And if I were all that disappointed, I wouldn't have renewed my pro account. I'm basically a simpleton, and would just rather have a one-stop shop rather than making my brain hurt keeping track of all sorts of places. But this is still the best place on Al Gore's Interweb.