Selling Prints from your website

[glen gaffney]

I have sold 6 prints of  8x10 average price 15$US. My website cost about 2000$ so I am way in the hole. My  two websites has had over  25000 hits over 4 years. I advise you not to waste your money setting up a website to sell prints.

[robertwatcher]

Cliff - Thank you for the link to Dan Hellers site. It is very informative and believable.

[robertwatcher]

Dan Heller states on his site what is involved in his web site. He does all the coding and updating himself - so it is time and the cost of the host server -  which is very insignificant compared to other forms of advertising.

My portrait business is 100% web based for the last year and a half and supports me very well with 100% of my families income coming from it. Very cheap compared to the 10 years that I struggled with making payments for a studio each month, tying up all my time babysitting it  and getting less return than I do now - and now by base of customers has broadened geographically.

The reason I have inquired is because just recently I have started receiving calls from publishing houses, advertising agencies and a web designer for images. If they could just steal them why are they contacting me? Any business that I want to deal with cannot afford the consequences I believe. I could have put out a tremendous amount of cost and energy trying to setup appointments with these companies and never get in the door. And yet here they are calling me because I have worked very hard at promoting my web site and have good search engine placement.

I am really not interested in large amounts of money from it - the 6  to 8 prints Dan sells a month would suppliment me (mind you not at $15 each). I already maintain my website so any advise from other photographers selling prints successfully would be appreciated.

[robertwatcher]

With so many photographers participating in this forum who have excellent work on their websites, I am curious as to whether anyone is actually selling prints directly or as a residual from their site?

If you are, could you let us know what sizes you offer and on average how many are sold in a month and where you have success in marketing prints. I know this is no ones business but it is beneficial to serious photographers. In my portrait business customers presume I am doing thousands of sittings a year when in fact it is between 50 and 75 that provides me with a good living.

This information would be valuable in giving a realistic perspective of our passion and business - photography.

Any tips/ hints would be appreciated.

[Cliff LeSergent]

Take a look at Dan Heller's site:

www.danheller.com

Dan makes an average of $4000 to $4500 per month from print sales through his web site.  He also has some good information and advice about the business of photography posted on his site.

[glen gaffney]

My personal opinion is the supply and demand ratio is totally out of wack. To many photographers not enough buyers. The internet has made the situation worse. When people can steal your images why would they pay?.With such sites as webshots where you can download for free I beleive this has deteriated the situation. I do not beleive about an individual making 4-5 grand a month. What are his expenses for his website?