What image hosting/online sales program do you use?

[craigsexton]

Hello All, just wanting to get some addtional ideas on the software that you all are using for your online proofing/sales.

I currently use imagequix. It's a simple "you pay x for uploading x #'s of pictures". It's a password based system. Works really well, but for certain pictures (like speciality items) I want to set a different price sheet for it. Like a speciality collage in 8x20. There's no need having the entire price list pull up when someone wants to buy it. They will have to scroll down for a while just to find it.

Anyway, tell me what you use and if its user friendly. I'm not awesome when it comes to online stuff. I did build my website with frontpage, but that's about it.

Thanks,

Craig

[brice]

Exposure Manager for me. It is customer friendly. Moderately photog friendly. The more you know HTML, the more you can do with it. It cut my costs for self fulfillment by 10% over Shutterfly so I'm quite happy with it.

[drkranger]

I host my own with a PayPal connection to handle the customer purchasing information. Since the hardest part is setting up a shopping cart system, you do have to know some type of programming or pay to have it done. The only thing I pay is for the host itself and a very small percentage to PayPal, which I'd have to pay anyway for credit cards and such.

[Waleed]

I registered with smugmug 2 days ago, and currently configuring it.. This is my area:

stock.fo2oz.com - powered by SmugMug

I selected them because I can sell downloads, as I'm not interested in selling prints.

[olivier_nyc]

Printroom: Web Storefronts, Online Sales, and Digital Printing for Professional Photographers is sleek.

O-

[brice]

Originally Posted by olivier_nyc

Printroom: Web Storefronts, Online Sales, and Digital Printing for Professional Photographers is sleek.

O-

Seems like an expensive solution.

[craigsexton]

I never could even find out how much they charge per month.

[brice]

Originally Posted by craigsexton

I never could even find out how much they charge per month.

Printroom: Compare Features is the only info I could find but their print costs and % of sale is high!

[rex]

I use smugmug. I can't say enough good things about it. For $150/year you get unlimtied space and you can sell prints and price them however you wish. You can fully customize your site as well.

My website: A & M Studios Online - powered by SmugMug

If you want to try them use this link to save an extra $5
The ultimate in photo sharing. Online photo albums, photo sharing, photo hosting and photo storage. - powered by SmugMug

Also for a comparasion for what you get see:

Gorgeous online galleries. The easy way. - powered by SmugMug

[waple]

I'm using the SmugMug Pro trial and I really like it so far. There's a lot of cusomization available, and their support is REALLY fast. I got an email reply 2 days ago only 7 minutes after I sent it.

I tried Exposure Manager and really wanted to like it but I have had several problems uploading images there which was a real pain. Plus, there's less customization available. However, they do have nice pricing, coupon and package offers. But I'm assuming one day Smug Pro will have that too, so I'm holding out.

[rex]

Smugmug will add packages soon I am sure. At least I hope. Also if you need some customizing help check out:

www.dgrin.com

A forum for smugmug users and toward the bottom you will find a section just for customizing.

[joshranwest]

Try instaproofs, free and I love them. Instaproofs.com: Online photograph sales and proofing

[RalphXJ]

Exposure Manager for me as well!! VERY powerfull, and you can customize your site how ever you want!!

You can use them to print and ship, or you can do that yourself with your own printer. It has all the same features as any of the other places out there, and it costs less! They take less off the top of your order as well.

I did a ton of research before I picked a host, and they were WAY ahead of the others.

[D.Rodgers]

I'm using printroom pro but find its more geared to events and sports.

[captlen]

I have used smugmug for years and have been very happy with them.

(Stingrayimages)'s photos- powered by SmugMug

[m.b.]

Collages.net gets my vote

[edleg]

I use instaproofs for weddings & special events... and some portrait sessions. Instaproofs does NOT do printing fullfillment... you must take care of your own printing (lab or inhouse) and shipping. There is no cost to signup, no monthly fees, no maximum number of images uploaded. Galleries automatically get up to 9 months free hosting; after that a particular gallery must be renewed for a small fee.

Their fee is 15% of the sales price. This sounds expensive, but it includes the credit card fee and they have a really great customer management system consisting of automatic e-mail reminders. You can post different prices for different kinds of events and have discounted sales for different events or all events.

I am getting ready to do a Holiday sale to get one last shot at the old events posted from this year... it costs me nothing for the system to e-mail everyone who has ever looked at any of the galleries and about 5 minutes of my time to set it up (the hardest part is figuring how much of a discount to give...and the dates to include to guarantee shipment before Christmas).

BTW, even for the weddings where I include a hi-rez disk of images to the B&G and/or a package with included proofs and prints, I still get around $350-$500 dollars of sales to relatives, friends of the B&G, wedding party, etc. Not a lot, but easy money.

I sell a lot of 4x6 "proofs" (uncropped) and quite a few 5x7s. With enough 8x10 and 11x14 prints to make it worth while.

I either send my images out for printing (4x6 & 5x7 prints mostly go to local Costco) or do in inhouse printing up to 11x14 (Epson 1800).

Whatever hosting system you do... use it and include it in your advertising, brochures, business cards, etc.

[mikepetry]

Ive been playing around with orderpicture.com

Their options for printing is almost too much. You can choose packages, singles and much more. The customer has the ability to add borders crop or what ever. You can either have the prints sent to you or the customer. They give you a base price and you can markup to your price. They give you a handfull of skins to use with your site. Thats one thing I dont like about it. There isnt a whole lot of room when it comes to buidling your site, not that I've seen anyways.

Heres my test site over there Petry's Photography I only have a VERY small amount of print options and the prices have not been thought through so ignore those if you will. Check out photo sharing


Mike