Anyone use Zenfolio?

[OhioGuy]

I see they offer various price packages and wasn't sure which one would work for me if I decided to start using a site like that for customers.

Right now photography is a hobby but I'm getting ideas for the future, when I upgrade my gear and decide how to market myself more, like a part-time business to help pay for gear mainly until I retire. I would never quit my day job unless I started making more doing photography, which realistically I wouldn't have the time to put in working full-time. If I lost my job, now that's another story. I'd have a skill to fall back on.

My current plan is Wordpress blog, Facebook (as a store front) and some site where folks can proof images. I imagine I'd order the prints and have them shipped to me, then present to customer?

How do most of you do it who's in the business?

:mrgreen:

Are there better options than Zenfolio? Again, just getting ideas to gain the best profit margin. I don't own a printer, nor do I want to mess with printing my own images.

 

[wyogirl]

Yup. Love it. Here is a code for like 20% off: ZBU-SMS-VMP
Its very easy to use and looks nice. You get a storefront with a lot of various products for your customers to choose from.
It links with PayPal or a bank account to pay you.
You can customize several settings, and each gallery is can be customized with different permissions, price lists etc.
I've looked at others, but I'll stick with Zenfolio. This is my second year using it.

 

[KmH]

I used a Zenfolio Pro account for several years for some of my fine art images, and was very please with the site.

For my retail work (portraits, events, etc), in-person proofing and selling yielded way better average sales amounts than using an online web site

 

[Designer]

I imagine I'd order the prints and have them shipped to me, then present to customer?

Two things; why did you bold that phrase? and Does it send up any red flags or sound any warning bells for you?

The only way that will work for you is if you are paid in full in advance for the prints.

 

[OhioGuy]

[/QUOTE]...Two things; why did you bold that phrase? and Does it send up any red flags or sound any warning bells for you?...[/QUOTE]

Because I wanted to stress the importance of my question, particularly that part of the question and to make sure if that's the ideal way to handle prints. No red flags, just trying to get honest feedback from people who sell prints.

 

[The_Traveler]

I think that's the best way to handle them; it obviously increases costs but it keeps standards up.
TBH, unless you are doing events, sales is not a big concern.