Why no die cut wallets?

rkswart

I have been hoping for over a year now that the wallets would get die cut and packages would finally show up. This doesn't seem to be coming. I love the ability to customize the website, but the print offerings are much lacking. I hate having to take the orders in myself just so I can get the print quality I want. Seniors DO NOT want to cut their own wallets. What's worse is my other printers charge the same price for a nicer wallet product. Zenfolio is becoming more attractive with the lower price, ability to mark up, and the ability to pick a printer that offers a better choice for the images I sell. I WANT to stay with smugmug but you guys are making it hard to justify without these options. If you offered watermarking at the power user it would be better. At least then I wouldn't feel as bad getting charged for the print cart that doesn't offer the things I need.

coleygm

Ditto

This time of year, i have to send all my business through a nother print-house...and so i'm not using smugmug, which means SM is losing out on a ton of money too.

Andy

Still working on it, we know it's important to you and other pros. I wish we had 'em now as well. I'm sorry we don't

coleygm

Andy wrote:

Still working on it, we know it's important to you and other pros. I wish we had 'em now as well. I'm sorry we don't

Thanks Andy...we look forward to it in the future.

Glory2Jesus4Photography

Andy wrote:

Still working on it, we know it's important to you and other pros. I wish we had 'em now as well. I'm sorry we don't

Is there any update on this? Because I can not be spending hours a week to cut wallets and the way they come now looks very unprofessional!

Andy

Glory2Jesus4Photography wrote:

Is there any update on this? Because I can not be spending hours a week to cut wallets and the way they come now looks very unprofessional!

Hi, if we had an update (we don't I'm sorry) we'd put it in our release notes

http://blogs.smugmug.com/release-notes/

PS: Have you thought about a cutter?

Glory2Jesus4Photography

Andy wrote:

Hi, if we had an update (we don't I'm sorry) we'd put it in our release notes

http://blogs.smugmug.com/release-notes/

PS: Have you thought about a cutter?

Yes I have and it is my Wife for the smaller orders of 200 or less Thanks Andy

preemiemomxtwo

Is there still no way to get die cuts via smugmug printing?

coleygm

preemiemomxtwo wrote:

Is there still no way to get die cuts via smugmug printing?

EZPrints still doesn't offer, so I'm guessing SmugMug doesn't either.

More than half of my orders i personally have to take care of and send through Mpix these days for their mounting options, metallic prints, specialty items, and especially die cut wallets for seniors. If Smugmug offered this, it would save me hours of work a week.

Not sure what EZPrints is doing these days improvement wise, but Mpix even just launched their new 2.0 web version, and have streamlined their ordering system which resolved my biggest issues with them. ...that along with a ton of new product offerings, even better framing options and DROP SHIPPING...it's hard not to do business with them.

Speaking of frames and on a side note, i tried ordering a framed print through EZPrints once.....ONCE. What a nightmare that was. ...between their lack of inventory on almost every frame they list as having, and poor customer service...it made me look pretty bad to the customer i was ordering for.

SMUGMUG...if ezprints is never going to offer any of these services that your customers are wanting (Die Cut, Mounting Options, and Drop Shipping are home runs for me)....SWITCH to someone who will.

colinj

Say Yes to Die Cut
Put me down as another person who wants die cut wallet sized photos.

It's little things like this that keep me from using SmugMug.

Montec

We need all of the above. Picture packages is high on my list. Switch to another printer please. One that can fill orders in Canada and other countries.

I also have been taking orders offline and using MPix and WHCC because they just do better with products we need.

Andy

Montec wrote:

We need all of the above. Picture packages is high on my list. Switch to another printer please. One that can fill orders in Canada and other countries.

I also have been taking orders offline and using MPix and WHCC because they just do better with products we need.

Neither lab you mention there fills orders in Canada, Monte.
We'll be adding to our printer stable but it won't be in Canada, I'm sorry We will ship there though, as we do now, from our current lab

Die Cuts are on the list. What else are you looking for?

Montec

Andy wrote:

Neither lab you mention there fills orders in Canada, Monte.
We'll be adding to our printer stable but it won't be in Canada, I'm sorry We will ship there though, as we do now, from our current lab

Die Cuts are on the list. What else are you looking for?

Picture packages are high on my list. I do a lot of school portraits and create my own packages that I advertise to students families. Sports teams are similar. I do relatively few weddings and your current system works fine for those. I use WHCC 'pick a pak' and I am evaluating Millers and Marcos Undergrad order software right now for the 2008 school season. I would not expect SM to create a system like that but the ability to create my own packages would be so helpful.

I use Mpix all the time for Memory mates, trader cards, buttons and different textures like metallic that is use in my sports templates.

SM is in my opinion head and shoulders above any other image 'viewing' service. They do not meet my needs for order fulfillment at this time and that is something I am dealing with by using other services. It would be so much easier for me to be able to do everything from my SM galleries instead of uploading the images yet again to another service for fulfillment. As it is now I am by-passing SM in many cases if the sports teams just pre-order a set package as many do. If they want to order other items I put their images up and they let me know what they want and I fill the order. I do very little printing with SM right now. I would like to do all my printing directly from my galleries.

In regards to Canadian currency/lab option, I have had many people that will not order from the US. Even when it is explained that there is no difference. It would be a nice option that when someone from another country placed an order it was seamlessly made to look like they were not purchasing from another country. Billing in CDN dollars would be an easy implementation wouldn't it? being billed in US currentcy always gives you a surprise when you get your CC bill.

The main reason I would want you to partner with a Canadian lab is that it typically takes much longer to clear customs than actual transit time of the shipments, essentially doubling or more the time it takes to get an order, not good.

The drop shipping with no branding from MPix is very nice as well.

Make no changes and I will still stay with my Pro account at SM but in my opinion there are many improvements you could make to the order fulfillment side.

coleygm

and with the launch of MPIX 2.0...it's hard not to take a second look at them. They've always offered a greater variety of products, and now with there new ordering system options...i'm starting to use them more and more.

SM is the best service around i would agree. However the limited offerings by EZPrints is hindering SM and their customers (IE me). IMHO, Smugmug should switch to partner with MPIX. Die cut Wallets, DropShipping, proof books, and their array of specialty products would help everyone.

Andy

coleygm wrote:

and with the launch of MPIX 2.0...it's hard not to take a second look at them. They've always offered a greater variety of products, and now with there new ordering system options...i'm starting to use them more and more.

SM is the best service around i would agree. However the limited offerings by EZPrints is hindering SM and their customers (IE me). IMHO, Smugmug should switch to partner with MPIX. Die cut Wallets, DropShipping, proof books, and their array of specialty products would help everyone.

Or, as we've been saying for quite a while now, another pro lab, eh? We're not "switching" btw, but rather augmenting

Stay tuned, and no, I don't have more to add other than yes, there are Die Cut Wallets

goldentwig

I know that Mpix uses Zenfolio, but it is even a possibility that Smugmug could team up with Mpix? I gotta admit, the new Mpix 2.0 site looks pretty darn amazing!!

(Oops, didn't realize there was a second page of comments before I posted, but I will still leave my point.)

Andy

goldentwig wrote:

I know that Mpix uses Zenfolio, but it is even a possibility that Smugmug could team up with Mpix? I gotta admit, the new Mpix 2.0 site looks pretty darn amazing!!

The site does look good, you're right. But there's more to quality prints than a nice website

MattDJ

Andy wrote:

The site does look good, you're right. But there's more to quality prints than a nice website

OK, I just had to sign up and say that after hearing so many good things about MPIX's quality from other well known pros, I cannot wait to see what Smugmug has up their sleeve.

You guys are a tease!

Andy

MattDJ wrote:

You guys are a tease!

:tuesday

Montec

Any updates on the picture packages?

I just shot over 1500 little heads this past week and will be printing them elsewhere...
Typical package is 1 - 8x10, 2 - 5x7's , 4 - 3x5's and 8 wallets. About 25% purchase add-ons like magnets and key chains.

I would rather give the money to you

Andy

Montec wrote:

I would rather give the money to you

I'd rather get your money. As we've been saying, a lot, coupons first. Then packages. And updates will be given here on Dgrin and in our Release Notes.

Thanks!