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Price Increase
Constantine
Registered Users Posts: 7 Beginner grinner
I just looked into renewing my Pro account for this year and SmugMug has raised my price by 67%. You all better check your credit card statements and see what you were charged starting August 2012. They justify it by saying they have not raised prices in 7 years. Who's fault is that? So they are trying to make up for those years by justifying themselves a 10% increase for each of :scratchtheir lost years? The service is fine, but this is on top of the 15% of each photo sale, a cut they get from the printers, and the outlandish shipping prices they charge to customers. Not to mention the crazy boutique pricing costs, if you choose to use it. I do not.
Let me know what you think Smuggers, are we being mugged?:dunno
Let me know what you think Smuggers, are we being mugged?:dunno
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http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
While you are now just experiencing the price increase Constantine, this is old news. It created quite the stir at the announcement time and even since then. There are several threads and past blog posts if you want the full story/updates. Including but not limited to:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=226223
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=225922
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=225917
http://news.smugmug.com/2012/11/
http://news.smugmug.com/2012/09/
and on and on and on...
Take from all the debate what you will.
And since the general public's increased expertise in taking their own photos because of digital cameras, advanced ways of copying photos from our Smug sites and printing them, SM has basically rocked a boat that will never be steadied. If they believe they can just deal with this by letting everyone vent, they are flying in the wave of economic theory.
A first year econ student will tell you that for every increase in your service or product results in lost sales of existing or new customers. Now that SM is the MOST EXPENSIVE PHOTO SERVICE IN THE WORLD FOR ALL CLASSIFICATIONS OF USERS. Wow I would hate to see their cancellation list. My name will be on there!
Maybe that first year econ student can name one product or service that hasn't raised their prices in the last 5 years. If I stopped buying cameras every time the price was increased I would still be shooting with my Kodak Brownie.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
The point is not the raise in price, but the amount of the raise in one year. They already make plenty of profit off my going out and shooting eight months out of the year, shooting two to three days out of each week, three to four hours per day, which means two to three hours of editing for each day at the least. Then hoping it will upload. Get it? Who says they will not do the same next year, or the next. You may do this as a hobby, I dont know, but this is a living for some of us. I have spent plenty of time working on my smug site and do not take this lightly. But I now am on my way to building a site that will cost me $300 per year with NO share of the profits to SmugMug! In fact I currently sell services off my Smug site, and because of Smugs slow upgrade schedule they can do nothing about it, and it is with their blessing. I was on my way to converting my whole site to that, but Smugs predatory practices made me leave. Got it! Good!
Plus, "old and lazy", my last camera body cost $3400. The filter I bought for the $2000 lens I purchased last week cost $129, $29 more than what they are raising my price. It has nothing to do with cost but with their predatory practice of raising prices by 67 to 100%. No subscription service in the world in history has ever raised their prices like they did!
Plus, "old and lazy", my last camera body cost $3400. The filter I bought for the $2000 lens I purchased last week cost $129, $29 more than what they are raising my price. It has nothing to do with cost but with their predatory practice of raising prices by 67 to 100%. No subscription service in the world in history has ever raised their prices like they did!
You can say that again. Oh, you did.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
No, I don't think we're being mugged. Constantine, take a look at the plethora of posts that have already been going on this topic. AlliOOP was kind enough to place links to them here.
The reasons may not get you to change your mind, but you should probably read through so you have all of the information available.
http://mcq.smugmug.com
My ISP, cell phone, hard drives, computers... most things about data storage and bandwidth is cheaper now than 5 years ago. Digital cameras are cheaper too.
borealphoto.smugmug.com