help. Selling prints on online photo gallery

So i've been shooting various cultural events, dinner dances and occasionally weddings the last few years and i'm trying to find a better way to sell prints as the last few events, I've been getting more requests for prints

Currently, i've been using Gallery (http://gallery.menalto​.com/) and would have the person interested view the gallery and then email me the image numbers so that I could post process it and have it printed.

I would like something more automated where they have the option to pay via credit card, paypal or pay later in person, but I would still like to have control over processing and printing the images myself.

I would like to keep costs low as I only have maybe 4-5 events like this a year (hopefully more this year) and there are times where I may only sell like 20 images while other times, its easily over 100+.

Any suggestions on an online photo gallery that could meet most if not all my needs.

I did come across this link that had a pretty good summary of options, but I would like to hear what the POTN community is using.

I ended up trying Zenfolio. My workflow posted below

http://vandelaydesign.​com …money/sell-photos-online/

Thanks

Why do you want to print the images yourself when you also have to mail them yourself? Sign up for Smugmug the Pro account. $150 a year. All you need to do is to upload the images. The customers can select what print sizes they want. Smugmug has 3 pro labs for you to choose from. I use Bay Photo. So far, no complaints.

I am currently in the same boat as OP and here is my take on it.

My business model is to sell limited edition, signed prints of @ higher price than what I've seen people charge on Smugug. From what I hear Smugmug is great for hosting pictures but I do not want to sell every single picture in my portfolio. I think by being limited it creates more demand for fixed supply.

As far as a platform I found http://www.photocrati.​com …y-wordpress-themes/#demos

I am familiar with Wordpress platform and this theme offered everything I need for my situation.

I'm using Photocart (www.picturespro.com) to do what you're looking for. Pay for the software once up front, and then the orders come to me and I handle the fulfillment. No ongoing fees, but of course I'm doing more work than if I just put the pics out and paid another service to handle it.

Dave

well I decided to try and use Zenfolio with self fulfillment and have the option to use auto fill in the future. Here's my workflow at this point. Copy all the images (jpg+raw) to my fileserver (creates a mirror backup). Quickly go through files to delete bad photos. Convert remaining jpgs to a smaller resolution and quality (9). Keeps the file size lower than original for uploading to Zenfolio. This way I can get the gallery up quickly after the event. Since i'm using self fulfillment, I then wait for an email for an order. Once an order comes through, I post process the images using the RAW file, send to my photo lab and deliver or mail them to the client. Yes, sounds like more work on my end than auto fulfillment, however, I don't have to post process all the images when its not needed and literally can get the event photos up the same night. I just have a disclaimer to all clients that photos will be post processed for best quality prior to printing. Would like to hear what others have to say about the workflow.

ronf119 wrote in post #14490026
Would like to hear what others have to say about the workflow.

Workflow seems fine, I just wonder whether you calculated the breakeven point of this flavor versus the $329 cost of Photocart. It seems all you're having Zenfolio do for their money is provide the hosting gallery and payment mechanism.

Dave

tracknut wrote in post #14491094
Workflow seems fine, I just wonder whether you calculated the breakeven point of this flavor versus the $329 cost of Photocart. It seems all you're having Zenfolio do for their money is provide the hosting gallery and payment mechanism.

Dave

Hi Dave. I actually did not see your post until after I was already setting up my Zenfolio site. If I find at some point Zenfolio is not working for me, I will check out Photocart.