How to price a digital file

[Charliedelta]

Hi,

I sell my prints online. Someone just contacted me requesting the digital file of a print as they would like to print the photo themselves to save time. How would you price it compared to the usual prints?

Thanks

 

[zombiesniper]

I would want to look at this as a licensing agreement and price it accordingly. If they don't like it then they can buy a print.

 

[tirediron]

I would want to look at this as a licensing agreement and price it accordingly. If they don't like it then they can buy a print.

Potentially; it really depends on use. If it's a commercial customer wanting it for commercial use, then absolutely (bearing in mind that the world of licensing is no longer what it once was!), It it's a retail customer who simply wants the digital file because that's what they're used to, then it becomes a fish of a different colour. In that case, a simple multiple (3-5x) of your print price.

 

[Charliedelta]

Thanks for the replies. It's just someone who needs the print in his living room in a rush. I'm not sure if being in good faith and price it at the price of the print size he wants, say he wants a 16x20, pricing it like a regular 16x20; or if asking for more, and in that case how much. Is the 3-5x multiple good in this case?

Thanks

 

[tirediron]

I would say so; once he has the file he can make as many prints as he wants, right? How much of a hurry can he really be in? Almost any commercial lab has a 'rush' option. With mine, a grand total of about $50 more will put a print anywhere in Canada in 48 hours and almost anywhere in the US in <72.... charge him a $75-100 premium for rush service and he's got his print at a lot less than your digital file rate.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Nope, no digital file, not for this. I sure wouldn't. How would someone possibly 'need' a photo to frame and hang on a wall that urgently??? Red flag on the play.

They can buy a print, in the US anything ships usually within 2-3 days, just charge for the fastest shipping option they want to pay. (I can even get something from Canada in less than a week! and being a long time hockey fan I remember when it used to take 2-3 weeks.)

A digital file isn't usually sold, not an original file. Maybe if it's a big job (I mean money wise), commercial work that is licensed appropriately for the job. Or if a photographer is doing work for hire (which isn't this).

Maybe this person just wants to print it cheap and wants the file for that reason. If they want cheap they can go to their wally mart and buy something! lol

 

[pixmedic]

maybe your client needs to get a print fast, maybe not. thats not really even an issue. the real issue is whether or not you are willing to sell digital files. we chose to sell digital files because thats what our clients wanted.
blah blah blah prints= $$$.... blah blah blah money left on the table...blah blah blah
honestly, people view their pictures much differently than they did 15-20 years ago. pictures are viewed on phones, tablets, and social media far more than in print now. you know what leaves more money on the table than insisting on selling prints only and not digital files?
losing all of those people as clients just because they wanted a digital file.
ask yourself this. how much money are you going to make sitting on that file waiting to sell prints? how many prints do you expect to sell of that picture? if the answer is "not much", then figure out a fair price for that file and sell it to them.
im assuming this is not commercial? commercial is a whole different ball game....
if its just a portrait/family type shot, tell them $100 and be done with it.

 

[PersistentNomad]

Yeah, if it were me, I also wouldn't hand out digital files. I personally wasn't burned, but there was a big hullabaloo in my old city where a few people had uploaded images to what was billed to them as a portfolio site, only to find out later that the guy had been reproducing their images for merch.

But, if you're willing to do it, definitely charge more for it for the reasons @tirediron said. I wonder if also the guy is thinking he can get it cheaper by printing himself, like because it's not a physical object you're selling you won't charge as much. Don't do that, if you are selling a file that is print quality, charge more than what the physical costs.