online sales - password protect or not?

[gavrd1]

hi everyone

i am just redeveloping my website and bulding my own online sales section for it (i can write php so building a function sales section and cart is no problem).

we cover mostly events, weddings, portraits and christenings and so the current sales gallery is a mixture of all these. our current sales section has the option to have each gallery password protected if required.

however, for this new sales section i am wondering if it worth continuing as before providing the option of password protected or not, or whether just to password protect all galleries as i've noticed many photographers password protect all theirs.

i just wondered what peoples general views are on this and if they personally find it makes a big difference on views and sales?

I appreciate that in theory the hard bit is making all the appropriate guests know the password which can be a big factor, or if is the case, what would be the best way to let guests know as efficiently as possible?

it seems better for privacy to password protect all galleries, but if it makes a big difference to sales/visits then im not sure it may be worth doing unless a good method can be found.

so far ive found sales/visits not to be as good so far when protected, however this often has levered on the ease of making people aware of the password and also bride/grooms letting them know or not.

any thoughts?

 

[Overread]

I would say the easy way to give out the password is to print of load of business cards before the even with the password printed (printing is better than writing onto a black box since printing is often clearer and the letters won't be as open to missreading). That way you can not only give out the cards with the password for the guests, but also (at the same time) you're giving them your business card as well. You can get an idea of numbers of cards needed by asking the number of guests attending the wedding.


As for passwording or not I would say that having a password, whilst fiddly, most likely installs a feeling of confidence in you the photographer for your clients. It might also make your site easier to navigate (if you have a lot of clients) if you just have a "select name of bride/groom dropdown and then the password than lots of galleries.

Backlash is that passwords might be a problem for repeat orders at a far later date and this depends how long you host ordering facilities online to your clients.

 

[bentcountershaft]

I'd give them the option with password protected being the default. Some people are more concerned with images of themselves and/or their kids than others while some people would love to be able to tell their family, "Hey, check out our new baby shots at whatever dot com and let me know what poses you want to order."