Getting started with selling your photos can seem intimidating. This FAQ round-up should help you test the waters with more ease of mind. We also have lots of great business tips over here.
Preparing and adding files.
What resolution/DPI should I use?
You'll find great information here about how to save your image files. As for DPI? You might be surprised to hear it doesn't matter.
How do I crop before uploading to fit all products?
No need! Instead, use SmugMug's proof-delay feature to choose an appropriate crop after the order is placed. Read more about proof delay right here.
Can I upload RAW/PSD/TIF/Any?
Your SmugMug account supports uploading of JPEG, GIF, PNG, and video files within our size limitations. But you can only purchase and sell prints of your JPEG files and video files. With a SmugMug Source add-on subscription, you can upload RAW files (currently PSD files are not supported). The RAW files are not available for sale. However, if you have Shopping turned ON in a gallery with RAW files, the display JPG for that RAW file will be available for purchase. To prevent this, turn Shopping OFF in your gallery settings.
Do you have FTP? Can you add files for me?
Not at this time, but it's easy to upload yourself! SmugMug has some great upload choices built in for you.
There are also some powerful, third-party uploader options if you want even more variety.
How can I protect my images?
Excellent question. SmugMug provides lots of image-protection features for you.
How will my workflow differ if I switch labs for prints?
As a SmugMug Pro, you can choose between print labs for your portfolio, and choose differently for certain galleries.
Lots of things are different depending on the lab you choose, such as backprinting and color correction. Additionally, each lab provides their own selection of print products and sizes, so be sure to check both and plan accordingly.
How do I prepare an image for a gallery wrap (WHCC), canvas wrap (Fujifilm, Bay Photo), or fine-art wrap (Loxley)?
You'll find a great general help article here.
From wall art, to paper prints and more, here's are the descriptions of the products our labs provide. Details on how to prepare a canvas print and a Bay Photo giclée print are explained here.
Setting prices.
What should I set my prices at, and how do I do it?
For the "how" on setting prices, read this help page carefully.
When it comes to deciding what prices to set, that's much more subjective. The Are you Charging Enough For Your Photography article in the Development Lab is great information about how to set your pricing.
How should I set prices if I don't live in the US?
You can choose between ten currencies to display, and we'll remember your choice.
Keep in mind that prints ship from the United States or the UK, depending on the lab you've chosen, and you can get a shipping quote by adding items to your shopping cart and entering your shipping address. Of course, if you opt to sell digital downloads, no shipping is required.
How do I limit the sizes of prints offered for my folder/gallery/image?
Use folder, gallery, or image pricing to override the default pricing you have in place. To remove a specific product from a pricelist use the Choose Products button and then deselect the product(s). More pricing help.
How can I prevent "at cost" sales?
Existing Basic and Power accounts do not include the selling tools. All sales from these plans are at cost. With a portfolio or pro level you create and set a custom pricelist. You can use our suggested pricing or you can use percentage increases with or without rounding to increases by a specific margin. Or, you can also type a custom price or profit directly into those fields. More pricing help.
Handling orders.
How can I change the order my customer just placed?
If you use SmugMug's proof-delay feature, you'll be able to adjust the cropping for each item. You'll even be able to replace the entire image, if you'd like.
However, you cannot modify what is ordered. This includes changing print sizes, quantities, or finishes. If your customer wants to change an order, ask them to email us as soon as possible so we can try to cancel the order before it processes and help them place a new order.
My customer hasn't received their order, what should they do?
SmugMug guarantees all our prints, no matter what. That includes orders lost or damaged in transit.
Whether your customer typoed their mailing address, a mail carrier was careless, or the neighbor's dog fancied some prints for dinner, we've got your back. Just have your customer email our Support Heroes.
My customer isn't happy with the prints, how do we resolve this?
SmugMug guarantees all our prints, and our Support Heroes will do everything they can to make sure your customer is thrilled.
Feel free to have your customer email us, and we'll take good care of them. Often, we'll work with you to obtain adjusted images and reprint them at no cost to you or your customer. Occasionally, the images won't make acceptable prints, and we'll ask the customer to return the unsatisfactory prints for a full refund.
Should I enable color correction?
When in doubt, enable color correction. Our help page explains why.
The color correction you'd pay for through WHCC uses auto color correction on small prints. Bay Photo, and Loxley and larger prints on WHCC are done by a human looking for color casts or anomalies that software could miss. Fujifilm uses software enhancements for color correction. You'll find the results are consistent and save you lots of hassle with post-processing.
Can I proof-delay digital downloads?
Yes. Full details are available in this article.
How do I replace an image for just one item if it was ordered for multiple items?
Unfortunately, you can't. When you replace an image, it replaces SmugMug's only copy of it, so it will affect all prints from that image in the proof-delayed order.
Is there a catalog without prices that I can show my customer?
Sure thing. Here's a catalog showing all our available products with no pricing.
How does shipping work?
Your customer will select a shipping method in the shopping cart, and they'll pay shipping costs in addition to your custom print prices and any applicable taxes. We ship domestically and internationally.
No worries, there's no invoice or mention of pricing in the order packaging.
Loxley lab has their own keepsakes, while keepsakes from all other labs are shipped through Fujifilm (formerly Thread Studio). You can choose which lab you want to handle your prints: Bay Photo, Fujifilm, WHCC, or Loxley. Each lab will ship their products separately.
Where can I send my customers for help ordering?
Right here.
How can I be sure that my customers can reach me?
The simplest way is to add your email address in the profile section of your Account Settings, or create a special page with all your contact information.
When you fill out the Contact Email section of your Account Settings, found under the Edit My Profile About Me, we won't publish this information openly on your site. But messages sent via the Contact link in your navigation will be forwarded to you there. Customers will only see your email if you reply to their question, or if they purchase your photos.
More.
How do I stay current on new features?
Subscribe to SmugMug's Developement Lab. You can get SmugMug news in your inbox as well, if you subscribe to our newsletter (scroll to the footer to sign up). Also check out the, What's New, tab on the right in your logged navigation bar.
How do I get paid?
Show us the paperwork, and we'll show you the money!
Can I use my pro profits for renewal, print orders, or giving the gift of SmugMug?
No, sorry. For accounting purposes, your profits can't be used to apply toward subscription costs.
Do you offer coupons or package pricing?
We are extremely proud of our great coupons feature! With it, you can create different types of discounts for clients that can be applied toward the total cost of an order.
For packages, look no further.
What email address should people use to log in with the Assistant Password?
Assistants can use the email address on the account or, even easier, they can simply type your SmugMug nickname in the Email field on the login page. So if your SmugMug URL was myphotog.smugmug.com, your assistants could log in with "myphotog" and your assistant password.
I have more questions. How do I ask them?
Shoot our Heroes an email. We'd love to hear from you.
Are there any additional charges other than subscription fees I need to worry about?
There are just a few Pro-only features that we think are worth the extra buck or two, because they help you make more money. Read about them here.