Options
SmugMug, meet Fine Art America
Mesenko
Registered Users Posts: 49 Big grins
I'm writing this after a few hrs of frustration on SM today (or maybe I was actually redefining insanity). I should have been and would much rather have been out shooting. :cry
I believe if SmugMug and Fine Art America would meet :lust and have a baby, there'd be some very happy fine art photographers.
FAA knows how to sell people's work. Super intuitive for buyers, previews of frames and mats, to the point of having an external app that allows buyers to preview framed work on their wall. Very cool. Framing is ultra-important since no one in the real world can buy frames off the shelf that fit the sizes of prints most of us produce. FAA even pays out 5% on frame sales. Selling greeting or note cards is a snap and affordable. They also have widgets for incorporating their shopping experience into other sites... They obviously believe and follow the KISS principle.
All awesome, but... (why is there always a but?) FAA only has one preview size with the option of a 100% magnifier (let me pick the %, almost nothing looks good 100%), they give you a personal site, but don't allow custom domain names, and they don't tell you who your customers are. There's no Lightroom plugin. There's no expedited shipping as far as I can tell. It's these simple things that keep me on the fence.
FAA site design is generic, but who flippin' cares, really? it is simple, understandable, efficient and IT'S A SELLING MACHINE. That's what we want, right? To sell stuff and make money? What good is a flashy big imaged slide-showy thing that wastes hundreds of hours of photographers' time to make work if customers can't even figure out how to see a next page let alone order something? I would rather be out shooting than playing "try to hack the software" and answering emails of confused buyers.
I put up 6 images on FAA and sold one within 3 days from organic FAA traffic. The person bought a large print with a frame and mat and they know exactly what it's going to look like. Dumb luck probably, but the point is that it was smooth sailing.
Cost for FAA is $30/yr. HELLO... Newsflash... if your customers are selling their work, then you don't need to charge them up the ying-yang. If the photographers are successful, then smugmug is successful, right?
Why in the world hasn't someone created something that has the best of these two worlds?
Anyway, that is my feature request and rant rolled all in to one!
I feel better now, though still extremely frustrated.
I believe if SmugMug and Fine Art America would meet :lust and have a baby, there'd be some very happy fine art photographers.
FAA knows how to sell people's work. Super intuitive for buyers, previews of frames and mats, to the point of having an external app that allows buyers to preview framed work on their wall. Very cool. Framing is ultra-important since no one in the real world can buy frames off the shelf that fit the sizes of prints most of us produce. FAA even pays out 5% on frame sales. Selling greeting or note cards is a snap and affordable. They also have widgets for incorporating their shopping experience into other sites... They obviously believe and follow the KISS principle.
All awesome, but... (why is there always a but?) FAA only has one preview size with the option of a 100% magnifier (let me pick the %, almost nothing looks good 100%), they give you a personal site, but don't allow custom domain names, and they don't tell you who your customers are. There's no Lightroom plugin. There's no expedited shipping as far as I can tell. It's these simple things that keep me on the fence.
FAA site design is generic, but who flippin' cares, really? it is simple, understandable, efficient and IT'S A SELLING MACHINE. That's what we want, right? To sell stuff and make money? What good is a flashy big imaged slide-showy thing that wastes hundreds of hours of photographers' time to make work if customers can't even figure out how to see a next page let alone order something? I would rather be out shooting than playing "try to hack the software" and answering emails of confused buyers.
I put up 6 images on FAA and sold one within 3 days from organic FAA traffic. The person bought a large print with a frame and mat and they know exactly what it's going to look like. Dumb luck probably, but the point is that it was smooth sailing.
Cost for FAA is $30/yr. HELLO... Newsflash... if your customers are selling their work, then you don't need to charge them up the ying-yang. If the photographers are successful, then smugmug is successful, right?
Why in the world hasn't someone created something that has the best of these two worlds?
Anyway, that is my feature request and rant rolled all in to one!
I feel better now, though still extremely frustrated. 0
Comments
Crystal
www.ghostwinds.com
I remember the old SNL line "It is better to look good than to be good, and you loook marvelous..."
I use FAA for my shopping cart and blog and use the menu links feature to open a new page for each. Kind of a headache for users and would love it was more integrated.
The reason I use FAA (artistwebsites.com) is because of all of the print mounting options (hundreds). SM shopping cart isn't quite as flexible.
Cheers!
Of course, you can actually use both sites if you still want to. Use SmugMug as your main website and portal to also have unlimited storage and backup while still having FAA for your needs. FAA now has your entire gallery available as a link or site embed. I've not tried the site embed yet, but the link could be used in your SmugMug menu, via a custom button or text link. Good luck!
Also, don't run from SmugMug yet. There's still alot of awesomeness yet to be released. Stay tuned!
SmugMug setup & customization services. Contact me!
Proud & helpful Smugger since 2009. Please hire me for Support Hero!!
I first contacted Jill V. in April 2011 & I even wrote a poem.
Ghostwinds, I'm sorry you're still having trouble. I replied to your request for help via another thread, but never heard back from you. I'm still here and I'm still happy to help!
SmugMug setup & customization services. Contact me!
Proud & helpful Smugger since 2009. Please hire me for Support Hero!!
I first contacted Jill V. in April 2011 & I even wrote a poem.
But yes, the shopping experience is high on our list
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
Photo Blog
Right now if someone emails me about framing options, I upload the image they're interested in to FAA so they can purchase it there. In fact, when I need a framed image for myself, I do the same thing.
I hope that some day that SM can be a one-stop shop.
Thanks for the response.
You are very welcome. I appreciate your honest, and well thought out feedback!
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
Photo Blog
Michael, a small, but I believe an important, suggestion as you are working on improving shopping experience, please. It would be great if as you are working in the shopping cart area, collecting images, cropping, selecting quantities, etc. - PLEASE, save the cart for this session on servers so the customer can continue the session later. Simply save the cart for a a few days at least. Please.
Also, provide a confirmation dialog if an Empty Cart button is pressed.
Thank you.
I've tried both and I'm moving to FAA. More sales, better user experience, easier set-up, lower cost, and more time for me to be out shooting. They win.
Speaking of your "list," it would be really nice if SM published some sort of list. I'm a software developer myself, so I know you can't get too exact or precise about these things, but right now, it appears there is nothing out there to indicate what you guys think is important and what you think is fluff. That, IMO, is not a great strategy. From decades in the corporate world, I learned that in the absence of information, people assume the worst, not the best.
Instagram Twitter Facebook