Update on Packages/Coupons?

iklimon · June 11, 2008

I've been a member of SmugMug for a bit over a year now and since I joined the scuttlebut has been that packages and coupons/discounts were being worked on. There are other services that have been offering packages/coupons from their inception. Now, I prefer SmugMug and I work in software development so I understand how things can take time, but a feature like this should be out, especially a feature that would be so very useful to your professional customers. Can we get some sort of update on this feature? I know that you had to do the new cart before you could do the packages/coupons. And the new cart has been out for some time. Can we please get an update on this? I don't want to change services, but if it continues to be vaporware, I'm going to be forced to move by my clients needs.

On a side note, you really should consider allowing for the sales of the JPGs on a CD (not unlike you've done with the backup CDs), but let folks select a number of photos and say purchase on CD/DVD instead of prints.

:deal

Andy · June 11, 2008

Packages and coupons are on the roadmap. Both are waiting on some improvements we're making to our cart. Yes, we've all been waiting a while - and your patience is appreciated.

We'd like to be able to sell DVDs & CDs, and in fact, they are on the road map as well.

Hang in there!

GJMPhoto · June 11, 2008

Packages

Andy wrote:

Packages and coupons are on the roadmap. Both are waiting on some improvements we're making to our cart. Yes, we've all been waiting a while - and your patience is appreciated.

We'd like to be able to sell DVDs & CDs, and in fact, they are on the road map as well.

Hang in there!

WooHoo!!!! You've got the maps...I'm ready for the roadtrip!!!

Let me know if you want anyone to beta it!

jhelms · June 12, 2008

Andy wrote:

Packages and coupons are on the roadmap. Both are waiting on some improvements we're making to our cart. Yes, we've all been waiting a while - and your patience is appreciated.

We'd like to be able to sell DVDs & CDs, and in fact, they are on the road map as well.

Hang in there!

Cool - that's good to hear.

Those two items (coupons and DVD/CD ordering) would 'complete' the perfect smugmug experience for me!

I recently attended an event where a pro was shooting and selling pics through pictage.com so I signed up for an update from them - they sent me a coupon which I thought was awesome...

Gary Peterson Photography · June 16, 2008

Great News

Andy wrote:

Packages and coupons are on the roadmap. Both are waiting on some improvements we're making to our cart. Yes, we've all been waiting a while - and your patience is appreciated.

We'd like to be able to sell DVDs & CDs, and in fact, they are on the road map as well.

Hang in there!

What type of timeframe are you looking at in regards to both items....

Both items would be of great advantage, but the disc sales would be of great value..

TCS · June 16, 2008

Gary Peterson Photography wrote:

What type of timeframe are you looking at in regards to both items....

Both items would be of great advantage, but the disc sales would be of great value..

I started a thread just on that subject but on the mind your business section, I had not seen this.
Photobiz allows that but the monthly fee is too high for small volumes.

Christine

lynnesite · June 20, 2008

TCS wrote:

I started a thread just on that subject but on the mind your business section, I had not seen this.
Photobiz allows that but the monthly fee is too high for small volumes.

Christine

The hardest thing when envisioning how to implement packages would be the degree of control over the crop--different sizes of the same uploaded images, the photographer has to be able to insure all package size contents "work". I'm really looking forward to the implementation of this feature, and expect a real boost in sales from it.

TCS · June 20, 2008

lynnesite wrote:

The hardest thing when envisioning how to implement packages would be the degree of control over the crop--different sizes of the same uploaded images, the photographer has to be able to insure all package size contents "work". I'm really looking forward to the implementation of this feature, and expect a real boost in sales from it.

Hi Lynne,

I love your pictures!
I am also a horse (specifically Arabian horse) lover. If you ever need a backup for the endurance rides, I am right here!

Christine

lynnesite · June 22, 2008

TCS wrote:

Hi Lynne,

I love your pictures!
I am also a horse (specifically Arabian horse) lover. If you ever need a backup for the endurance rides, I am right here!

Christine

Hi, and thanks! Are you in Pacific South? I'm traveling out of region the next 3 rides, and regretting it somewhat due to fuel costs: Mariposa, Tevis, Swanton.

timgangloff · June 22, 2008

packages and coupons
Sorry if this sounds a bit sarcastic, but I think it is warranted. Smugmug has said for over a year now that packages are on the horizon, the roadmap or whatever. In the meantime, they've been busy rolling out important stuff like changing papers and allowing video uploads. Curiously though, these two improvements did not come up very often as feature requests on these boards, or if they did, I missed them. I posted a similar question (How much longer?)and got a similar response from Andy. I don't blame him, as at least he is taking the hits for the team, but someone needs to light a fire under the programmers and their bosses rears and make this happen.

MikeMcA² · June 23, 2008

This is my most-often asked question. "I'm buying three of the same 5x7, why don't you offer a package discount? The old guy who used to print stuff at the track gave discounts." I would love to see coupons or large-sale discounts. Even "buy a large print, get 2 4x6 prints free" or something. I've gone in manually and lowered prices until the one customer buys their product and then set them back. Seems a little odd to have to manually do things in the computer age lol.

Glory2Jesus4Photography · June 23, 2008

I really think that they are doing something about Packages because it is not only one of the biggest asked about things here it is also the one biggest complaint I have heard from Smugmug customers on other forums as well.
So I know this is killing their potential customers as well as ours when you here other pros say "I really like SmugMug but They have not been able to fully support my business by not supplying Packages of any form it is so much easier at ______. It just saves me enough time that it over rides any price difference"
I have even seen SM Heros on other forums replying to these kind of comments So it has to be on their Radar. I will be glad that SM took so long to implement Packages if they get it right from the start. I do not want something halfway from a under-par vendor that can't meet my expectations. That would just make things worse.

timgangloff wrote:

Sorry if this sounds a bit sarcastic, but I think it is warranted. Smugmug has said for over a year now that packages are on the horizon, the roadmap or whatever. In the meantime, they've been busy rolling out important stuff like changing papers and allowing video uploads. Curiously though, these two improvements did not come up very often as feature requests on these boards, or if they did, I missed them. I posted a similar question (How much longer?)and got a similar response from Andy. I don't blame him, as at least he is taking the hits for the team, but someone needs to light a fire under the programmers and their bosses rears and make this happen.

TCS · June 25, 2008

lynnesite wrote:

Hi, and thanks! Are you in Pacific South? I'm traveling out of region the next 3 rides, and regretting it somewhat due to fuel costs: Mariposa, Tevis, Swanton.

Hi Lynne

I am in Juniper Hills (Pearblossom).
Tevis must be great!

Christine

bkatz · June 25, 2008

Just an update - according to another thread on the new shopping cart coupons are after the new shopping cart so sounds soon.

decals · July 27, 2008

I have been hearing about the coupons for two years now. When I signed up they said "right around the corner"

I love my SmugMug support, they are the best! But for us sports guys, we need packages. I have started an account on another site that offers them, and it outsells my SmugMug site two to one, with the same pictures! The customer service is OK, but not up to SmugMug's levels. I am going to keep both accounts for now, but I will not renew when my time comes if we do not have packages or coupons by then.

jhelms · July 27, 2008

bkatz wrote:

Just an update - according to another thread on the new shopping cart coupons are after the new shopping cart so sounds soon.

And the new shopping cart has been implemented right?

bwg · July 31, 2008

jhelms wrote:

And the new shopping cart has been implemented right?

We were planning on doing coupons right after the new Cart, but something with a short fuse came up so we had to push them back. Coupons are on the immediate list and will happen sooner rather than later.

brjphoto · August 1, 2008

bigwebguy wrote:

We were planning on doing coupons right after the new Cart, but something with a short fuse came up so we had to push them back. Coupons are on the immediate list and will happen sooner rather than later.

I have a short fuse. Does that count?

I just got a request to bid on a photo packages for a local cheerleading orgainzation. Without packages or coupons I'm really not sure what to tell them. Even if packages are futher down the road, coupons would at least give me options.

Let's get it moving guys. :deadhorse

Techman1 · August 5, 2008

Been asking for these ever since I started!
I am extremely hopeful this will happen this year. Otherwise, this will be my last year with SM as I get asked this all of the time from clients. I've also been using another service since I really need this for my business. I just renewed my account with SM and am really hoping to continue, but if not ... it's been a good run.

Update us soon SM guys!

-Fred

Andy · August 5, 2008

brjphoto wrote:

Let's get it moving guys. :deadhorse

We know you want them. We will have 'em

But there's something else, equally important and it's being done right now by our sorcerers. Thank for your patience and understanding.

Schnooks · August 6, 2008

A question from a new SM...
So I literally just signed on to SM as my trial period ended today. One of my questions I had regarding SM was coupons/package pricing so I began searching the FAQ's for past info on the subject. I am a little gun shy now to see this has been an ongoing issue with SM for some time. I agree with above comments regarding support help being FABULOUS

with SM but do you have any timeline for a resolution to this coupon/package pricing issue?

Andy wrote:

We know you want them. We will have 'em But there's something else, equally important and it's being done right now by our sorcerers. Thank for your patience and understanding.

Andy · August 6, 2008

Schnooks wrote:

but do you have any timeline for a resolution to this coupon/package pricing issue?

Welcome to SmugMug!

We don't give Timeframes or pre-announce dates, sorry. Know this: it's very important to us to get Coupons!

dlanter · August 7, 2008

Since Andy is reluctant to answer, I thought I would share the answer I got from another smugmug rep on another forum.

"We are right now in step 2 of a 3 step process. The first step was to completely revamp the shopping cart, which we did already on June 27! Next steps are to integrate with a Pro lab and then coupons. I think suffice it to say we are pushing really really hard for this year."

Still not a definitive answer, but at least for me anyway I don't feel like I am getting the run around. I just renewed my membership confident that we will have the upgrade soon.

Dan

jhelms · August 8, 2008

dlanter wrote:

Since Andy is reluctant to answer, I thought I would share the answer I got from another smugmug rep on another forum.

"We are right now in step 2 of a 3 step process. The first step was to completely revamp the shopping cart, which we did already on June 27! Next steps are to integrate with a Pro lab and then coupons. I think suffice it to say we are pushing really really hard for this year."

Still not a definitive answer, but at least for me anyway I don't feel like I am getting the run around. I just renewed my membership confident that we will have the upgrade soon.

Dan

That's cool, and I would rather hear 'sometime this year' from SM and I know they mean it than to hear 'we are shooting for sept 1 rollout' and then hear excuses about how they couldn't hit that date.

I like the way SM does things!

Andy · August 8, 2008

dlanter wrote:

Since Andy is reluctant to answer, I thought I would share the answer I got from another smugmug rep on another forum.

"We are right now in step 2 of a 3 step process. The first step was to completely revamp the shopping cart, which we did already on June 27! Next steps are to integrate with a Pro lab and then coupons. I think suffice it to say we are pushing really really hard for this year."

Still not a definitive answer, but at least for me anyway I don't feel like I am getting the run around. I just renewed my membership confident that we will have the upgrade soon.

Dan

We've said the same here on this forum, that Markham said on your other forum, I'm sorry you feel I gave you the runaround, that's not my intention at all and I'm not reluctant to answer anything, ever, here on dgrin

Update on Packages/Coupons?

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