Question to international SmugMug users

silverdigit

Hi, Not sure if this is the right place to post this but here goes.

I am from the UK and have been trying to find other UK photographers that are currently using Smugmug sucessfully. It looks like a really good service but I am a little concerned with the distance, postal issues etc. If anyone fancies chatting about this I would be very grateful.

Roger

DoctorIt

Hi Roger,
I've moved your post to its very own thread (I doubt it was going to get much attention buried within another thread over in the contests forum). Never be afraid to ask questions!

I believe there is a very healthy international community of SmugMug users. I myself opened my account years ago in the US. I'm now in Australia and just as happy as I was. Yes, of course shipping of prints is slightly more expensive and adds a bit of time, BUT, compared to other US based firms that I've ordered from/dealt with, the costs from SmugMug are more than reasonable.

As for distance, I don't know how there can be any difference. SmugMug does all their support over email. A message to help@smugmug.com has given me results usually in a matter of hours, from both continents that I have lived in. I'm convinced they have someone checking email around the clock!

And, I'm not a SmugMug employee, just a mod at DGrin, in case you were wondering.

gus

silverdigit wrote:

Hi, Not sure if this is the right place to post this but here goes.

I am from the UK and have been trying to find other UK photographers that are currently using Smugmug sucessfully. It looks like a really good service but I am a little concerned with the distance, postal issues etc. If anyone fancies chatting about this I would be very grateful.

Roger

As with doc ..im a mod in here but not a smugmug employee. Im in Australia & the prints that i have ordered arrived very quickly. What i have noticed time & time again over the last 7 odd years i have been using smugmug is the unmatchable customer service...the owners/manager of smugmug read these forums continuously day & night and actually listen & act on client input to ensure they are always up at the sharp end of what is happening with online photo storage & customer service.

Ive never experienced service quite like it.

Richard

Since you are in an English speaking country, I think you will be fine. As mentioned above, there will be somewhat greater delays with delivery. One other issue in the past has been the down time for scheduled maintenance, as the middle of the night in California is prime time in Europe. However, I haven't seen that for quite a while, so perhaps they have worked out a better way of doing it.

[Deleted User]

Hi SilverDigit, I'm am also from the UK, I have been using Smugmug for nearly 12 months without a problem but I must admit I never choose Smugmug as a way for selling my photos. To me it is purely a site for hosting my pictures and a good forum. Which part of the UK are you from, I'm down south in Bournemouth I know there is another guy in the Salisbury area and there another in Preston (I expect there are more but they are the only Brits I can remember at tghe moment).

Tim

silverdigit

draggin wrote:

Hi SilverDigit, I'm am also from the UK, I have been using Smugmug for nearly 12 months without a problem but I must admit I never choose Smugmug as a way for selling my photos. To me it is purely a site for hosting my pictures and a good forum. Which part of the UK are you from, I'm down south in Bournemouth I know there is another guy in the Salisbury area and there another in Preston (I expect there are more but they are the only Brits I can remember at tghe moment).

Tim

Hi guys, thanks for all the input and thanks for moving the post Erik.

Tim can I ask why you don't use SM to sell and if you do sell what do you use cos its a big issue for me. I have put a post up in the Pro forum in an attempt to get some feedback from fellow Brits.

gus wrote:

Im in Australia & the prints that i have ordered arrived very quickly

Hi Gus - My main concern with being in the UK and using a US based site is that all the prices are in US $. Now I know that you have dollars in Aussie land but you still have the issue of currency conversion. Does it cause your customers problems, do you lose sales because of it? What is your definition of quick delivery?

Thanks

Roger

gus

silverdigit wrote:

Hi Gus - My main concern with being in the UK and using a US based site is that all the prices are in US $. Now I know that you have dollars in Aussie land but you still have the issue of currency conversion. Does it cause your customers problems, do you lose sales because of it? What is your definition of quick delivery?

Thanks

Roger

I dont have customers...i dont sell my photos, its just a hobby so unfortunately i cant assist you that way.

However the US dollar & Aussie dollar are almost equal these days & everyone here pretty well knows that if something is $10 USD then its $10.50 here. We just add a bit to the US figure.

jogle

silverdigit wrote:

Hi guys, thanks for all the input and thanks for moving the post Erik.

Tim can I ask why you don't use SM to sell and if you do sell what do you use cos its a big issue for me. I have put a post up in the Pro forum in an attempt to get some feedback from fellow Brits.


Hi Gus - My main concern with being in the UK and using a US based site is that all the prices are in US $. Now I know that you have dollars in Aussie land but you still have the issue of currency conversion. Does it cause your customers problems, do you lose sales because of it? What is your definition of quick delivery?

Thanks

Roger

I think that because you use pounds you are in a better situation then my New Zealand customers. Because we use dollars and the US uses dollars there is more confusion. I have had more customers email me and have me print the orders in NZ myself because they feel there is no quality control when ordering from overseas (I have tried to explain it over and over) Although most of my paying jobs are referrals from people I know and have an upfront fee.

OsirisPhoto

I've used SM for a while now.. expecting my first pro sales cheque next month, albeit only small amount. Most UK customers have found the shopping cart easy enough, although there was (is?) an issue when selecting "Scotland", "Wales", etc in the delivery options... it doesn't work.. have to select "United Kingdom" instead (which is fine if the user realises that option is there and doesn't just give up because they get a "we don't deliver to your country" message ).

Delivery times for me have usually been 5 to 7 days.. not bad at all. I've never had any issues with customs.. which is just as well because it would be a deal breaker if it did happen.

I plan to add Google Checkout to my site so I can have more control over the products I sell, e.g. framed prints / photo sessions, and have more profit of course

It would be really great if SM ever develop a more international shopping cart.

Justiceiro

This is good to know. I am moving to Germany in 10 days- when I order prints are they made in Europe or the US?