Using Smugmug to sell prints

So my husband wants me to start selling some of my images and I'm currently using smugmug for my website, it claims on their website that 85% of the profit from each sell is the photographer's while smugmug gets 15%. My husband is deadset that they are lying and I would be lucky if I received something like $5 from each sell, and I should focus on building my own company with the intent of owning a quality printer, a framing machine that builds the frame, and do all the work rather than use any website or printing company.
We are arguing, I have no idea about all of that stuff other than shooting the image, editing/post-processing and then uploading on my website - and I am not certain I really want to get in to that mess, plus I'd probably have to charge twice what smugmug charges for the same size and framing.
Can anybody with experience help me out, because I don't know whose right and why one of us is right and the other wrong.

A couple of key rules for success in any business....

1. Do what you do best, outsource the rest.
2. Don't spend money you don't have to.

Firstly it would be a mistake to invest the necessary time to get good at printing/framing when that time could be better spent taking photos or promoting your business.

Have you already been selling prints? Do you have an established customer base? If not then how do you know anyone will buy? If you don't have a proven market it would be a mistake to shell out for printers and other equipment only to find there aren't enough customers to make it worthwhile. Much better to outsource that work while you build demand and then invest in in-house equipment when there is a proven need.

Lastly, what your husband thinks he knows about smugmug is no replacement for actual knowledge. Do some actual research into the various accounts they offer before deciding. Also look into having sales handled by smugmug and printing framing done by a local company. Chances are that they will be able to offer a wider range of services at better prices than you will be able to do at home.

FreeSoul1987 wrote in post #18711944
with the intent of owning a quality printer, a framing machine that builds the frame, and do all the work rather than use any website or printing company

...and you'll end up with closets full of framed, matted pieces that did not sell. Did it for years (printing, building frames, cutting mattes). Yes, the profits are greater when you do it yourself, but the sales are much thinner. Do what Dan says - do what you do best - take pics and PP them. Let a service fulfill orders.

I was also on smugmug for years. Dumped them. Too expensive, not a hot seller. Also consider Fine Art America.

Thank you both, I totally agree with you.
No I have not sold any yet. My husband currently has his own manufacturing shop and 3 companies, he has a know-it-all attitude but I think I made mistakes and compared different "product pricing" on WHCC to smugmug thinking they were the same, which confused him and has him thinking there's no money in it whatsoever if you do it at smugmug's base prices.
He is also very ambitious... and is always looking at opportunities with the "go big or go home" attitude.

FreeSoul1987 wrote in post #18712652
....... has him thinking there's no money in it whatsoever if you do it at smugmug's base prices.

Well, of course there's no money in it at all for the photographer if you sell at the base prices.

That's what a base price is - just the price for the actual product itself.

The only way to make money with print sales is to add a commission to each sale, and then with SmugMug you'll get a percentage of that commission.

The only way I see you doing everything (Photographing, printing, matting, framing) and making it a profitable endeavor is if you can market that whole process as a part of the final piece. And, be able to price that piece accordingly. Your time, vision, and execution are your ultimate commodities.

However, your now approaching the demographic of "fine art". Your end product has to be desirable, and it has to come to the awareness of that demographic.

So, you'll also have to factor in the time and experience of "expert marketing".

ߙ agree, but after talking to my husband about it, his plan does make sense and seems more profitable for me in the long run. Just this week I've acquired 4 orders for one image, things are picking up but my current demographic aren't rich, they can't afford $150-$200 images. A 10 x 15 frame I bought for one cost $21 and then $8 shipping, my husband looked it over and knew it only cost like $5 to make. My price for the overall product is $80. His game plan won't happen for another 2 years, so I'm in no rush and will just see how things go, and learn more about the business.

Picture North Carolina wrote in post #18712616
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I was also on smugmug for years. Dumped them. Too expensive, not a hot seller. Also consider Fine Art America.

I agree with this^. Smugmug does not cater to different tiered sellers. It's unfortunate that you have to pay the same high dollar fee for their business plan if you only sell small volume. They can make money off off of print sales under any of their packages by letting me set my price. I only use Smugmug for storage now and have removed the shopping cart from my galleries as to not confuse potential buyers that I am profiting from base account sales.

I too have been thinking of selling prints through SmugMug. I have a friend that once did it and it worked fairly well for him. I do host my images on Smugmug and in looking at the selling portion of the site, you can go in and set your own pricing for each size and product. I've found their base pricing to be fairly comparable to other sites.

Are their other hosting sites that let you set up a "website" page and sell through them that may be better?

Also.... I haven't ordered any prints from Smugmug yet, so can anyone comment as to the quality of their prints??

Thanks,

Jamey

Picture North Carolina wrote in post #18712616
...and you'll end up with closets full of framed, matted pieces that did not sell. Did it for years (printing, building frames, cutting mattes). Yes, the profits are greater when you do it yourself, but the sales are much thinner. Do what Dan says - do what you do best - take pics and PP them. Let a service fulfill orders.

I was also on smugmug for years. Dumped them. Too expensive, not a hot seller. Also consider Fine Art America.

I was with FAA for several years........complete waste of time. Sold ZERO through them.

saea501 wrote in post #18762309
I was with FAA for several years........complete waste of time. Sold ZERO through them.

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What did you do to direct people to your galleries at FAA?

Did you invest a lot of time promoting your FAA site, yet still come up without a sale? . Or did you just put stuff up on FAA, set prices, and wait, hoping that somehow someone would find your stuff on there?

I have done fairly "ok" selling large metal prints on FAA - about $11,000 gross over the past 4 years .... which has resulted in about $4,000 net to me. . But only two of those prints just "sold themselves". . All of the others are the result of me instructing customers to go to my FAA site and buy from there. . That is the only way anybody is ever going to have any substantial online print sales nowadays.

The idea of people "just finding" your stuff on the internet is a ridiculous myth. . And the idea that the company that hosts your images is going to market them for you is a myth as well.


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Tom Reichner wrote in post #18762317
The idea of people "just finding" your stuff on the internet is a ridiculous myth. And the idea that the company that hosts your images is going to market them for you is a myth as well.

Just quoting for emphasis. It doesn't matter what platform you use if no one knows you exist. You need a marketing plan.

Sounds like hubby has a handle on this, so just let him handle the printing and framing. Not sure as to your pricing tho, 22 bucks seems a lot for a frame, could you not source anything cheaper? This side of the pond, Ikea can do frames for 10x8 for a fiver and i can get decent prints for £1.50, so seven or eight pounds all in (about $10) As said above, concentrate on marketing and worry about the practicalities once you sell an image.