SmugMug, Ipad, POS, Kiosk

Yergi · January 25, 2011

I know i am stirring a big pot for my first post, but here goes.

I am REALLY supprised that i am not able to find (On here, or on google) a single solution that does the 4 things i am looking for.

Here is my idea, not a unique one: Sell photos AT the event i am shooting.

Here are my tools, Nothing unique: 1D, EyeFi, Internet, Smugmug Pro, iPad, ....

That is where the trail goes cold. The SM iPad app is not intended to sell photos from what i can tell. So it doesnt do this well, OR AT ALL. The next thought is to just follow the web link from the app. And i will say that the user experience on the full web version as experienced on a iOS device is ABYSMAL when you take the step to actually purchase the photo. (but that is a completely different conversation)

Does anyone have any suggestions for SELLING photos on SM from iOS device?

Kudos to SM. LOVE WHAT IT DOES, jusst need to know how to do a little more.

RogersDA · January 25, 2011

Yergi wrote: »

I know i am stirring a big pot for my first post, but here goes.

I am REALLY supprised that i am not able to find (On here, or on google) a single solution that does the 4 things i am looking for.

Here is my idea, not a unique one: Sell photos AT the event i am shooting.

Here are my tools, Nothing unique: 1D, EyeFi, Internet, Smugmug Pro, iPad, ....

That is where the trail goes cold. The SM iPad app is not intended to sell photos from what i can tell. So it doesnt do this well, OR AT ALL. The next thought is to just follow the web link from the app. And i will say that the user experience on the full web version as experienced on a iOS device is ABYSMAL when you take the step to actually purchase the photo. (but that is a completely different conversation)

Does anyone have any suggestions for SELLING photos on SM from iOS device?

Kudos to SM. LOVE WHAT IT DOES, jusst need to know how to do a little more.

https://squareup.com/

Yergi · January 25, 2011

So you are saying that Squared up will provide a customer an easy iOS way to place orders? I thought squared up was a way to accept credit card payments via a iOS device.

I have Square and dont really see how it provides any additional functionality. I do not want to be involved with the ordering process, i want to let people order themselves.

Rocketman766 · January 28, 2011

It sounds like you want to take the photos at the events, have them uploaded to SM or a kiosk or something to let customers view and purchase onsite without you being involved other than taking the photos. Did I get that right?

I would think you would need some type of custom built software to run on the hardware. I am sure its out there, I think a few of the top guys on here run their own custom software. I would love to, so I will keep up with this thread, but for now, I have tons of interaction with the order process, mainly due to budget restraints.

Not knowing how many shots you take at the events, the only thing that comes to mind would be to upload the shots to a manned computer (behind the scenes), have that person upload the photos to Smugmug and then the customers can view and order on your iPad. I have not used the iPad or its SM app, so I don't know how well that part actually works. If it doesn't work well, you could always substitute a laptop for the iPad, I know that is a whole different thread topic....
If you are taking tons of shots, this could be a slow process. You could upload small images (large enough to allow them to be purchased at the sizes you offer) and set the delay to xx days so you can replace the photos that are ordered with the larger files. Hmmm.. now that I think of it, I may tinker with doing this myself.

Yergi · February 15, 2011

Rocket, you are right. I want to be less involved with the order taking.

I too came to the conclusion that there would have to be "a man behind the curtain" and he would be "culling" photo's.

I also thought that a custom software is in order. But it seems that this would be a dream of many guys on here, so i wonder if someone has started marketing their custom software.

My thought is that someone needs to make an iOS app that will use an EASY GUI and use SM as the back end. There is nothing easy about the SM site when viewed in Safari on a iPad, and there is no purchase function in the SM app.

Right now, my solution is to send the files to a FTP, have the"Wizard" cull and then re-post to a Mobile Me account and then have the customer viewing a mobile me gallery on the ipad. They write down picture numbers and check the sizes, and then total and pay. I have to have someone who collects paper order forms and verifys, and then collects payment. ONE PERSON TO MANY!

At least the customer is "Driving themselves" and not saying to my person "oh go back, now forward, now back, now forward" they choose themselves.

Any other ideas?

Rocketman766 · February 16, 2011

I guess I should have asked what type of events you shoot, that could make a small difference. If you have hundreds or thousands of customers trying to view, then one ipad won't cut it. Also, if you have alot of customers filling out order forms and giving payments, then you may need more than one person behind the counter. I have to have at least 2 people behind the counter, one loading photos, one taking orders and helping customers. When I tried to get by with one, it failed. I shoot tethered whenever possible, and load the photos to the server myself now, freeing up one person behind the counter. If I could figure out how to use iPads with the software I use (purchased, not made by me...), then I would. For now I have to carry around a small network of computers and monitors.

SmugMug, Ipad, POS, Kiosk

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