Sell pics through your website- a few questions

dinneenp

Hi,
For anyone that offers selling pictures through their webstie-

1.What do you charge (if you dion't mind me asking)? I'm wondering what people seem willing to pay. I'm guessing that charging very high (e.g €100 will put off a lot of people) but cursious as are people willing to pay €20, €30 etc. I know people might reply whatever you're happy with....

2. How do you sell- people e-mail you with details or 'in-site selling' and if so what software/company do you use for this?

I don't have many visitors or imagine I'd sell many but it's no harm having the option there...

Cheers,
Pa.

PopeBuckfastXVI

My experience: nobody has ever bought a print off my site that wasn't specifically for them (i.e. my cousins baby's christening, and I only charged cost on that anyway, so they just paid for the print).

I've had loads of people tell my my pics are great (they aren't, but my family and friends are nice) etc, but no-ones ever bought so much as a 4x6 for a fiver, despite always encouraging me and telling me that pics would look lovely printed or hanging here or there in their houses.

I messed around with setting up a gallery of 'Irish landscapes' or whatever and put an ad on facebook got plenty of tire kickers, and 1 pageview wonders, but no purchasers, and very rarely did people even look beyond the landing page.

I'm not saying it *can't* be done, but I don't think many people buy prints online, certainly no-one I know.

I'd say you'd be better off with a market stall and a few mounted 9x6's or 12x9's if you want to generate sales.

Unless you are offering something very targeted, like sports pics or something, where the person *in* the picture will be the one buying it.

Just my experience and 2c.

PaulieC

Yeah, I have had much the same experience as Pope, although I have a had a couple of random sales in the US and one very large sale in London, which was nice. These came from (I think) Irish people abroad, specifically Dublin people I would think, judging from the sales...
I recently sold two 4x6 prints of Poolbeg lighthouse to a woman who lives locally. I got talking to her one night a couple of weeks ago and she spent ages telling my how my pictures reminded her of her childhood. In fact, she liked them so much, she was taking one of them up to the Pharmacy in Sandymount to get them to enlarge it and print it on canvas . I laughed and told her not to do that, that the quality would suffer, that I would give her a full-size jpg to get it done, but she was adamant. It's that kind of mentality that you're dealing with these days...

dinneenp

@both people above: do you have 'in-site-selling' or do you people e-mail you saying they'd like to buy a picture and you take it from there?

I've just checked cambo gueno's site and I see you're using Zenfolio so have in site sales built it....

Cheers,
pa.

PopeBuckfastXVI

I'm on zenfolio aswell - www.hughwphamill.com

Waking-Dreams

Yeah, I flirted with this idea too. ‘Twas no shortage of positive comments and encoragement from friends and well-wishers but it didn’t translate into proper sales. The fact is: people can get photos on websites like www.allposters.ie for next to nothing and have access to world-renown prints. Trying to compete with this from a personal website is an uphill battle. Plus, I suspect that many people who enjoy hanging up photos also enjoy taking them too.

Since taking up photography, I’ve never bought any more stock prints and probably never will again (given that I can now print off my own). Unlike musicians, who buy other people’s music, I get the impression that while photographers thoroughly enjoy the work of other photographers, only a handful might actually make a purchase. Maybe I’m wrong about that. I don’t know. I get the impression that buying photo books and the work of famous names is normal but buying prints from your ‘peers and equals’ isn’t that commonplace.

So this means as more and more consumers start taking their own pictures, there are less people who will buy yours.

I’d agree with the marketplace venture. Buying pictures from a website just isn’t the same as having the tactile experience.

It’s just one of the many vicissitudes of the photography/art/music world.

Prenderb

[CAN-Opener: Item: worms]

Say you managed to sell a photo, either from the web or at the market, what are the tax liabilities of the seller/photographer?

Is s/he liable for VAT on the sale of a print? Is s/he liable for income tax on the sale, or does it come under the artist's exemption? It'd be mad to think that I could somehow sell a print, but if I did, I'd want to do it right.

[/CAN-Opener]

dinneenp

I'd imagine you're liable for tax. Same as a baby sitter or a house keeper/cleaner or even a busker on the street.

woody_2000

Prenderb wrote: »

[CAN-Opener: Item: worms]

Say you managed to sell a photo, either from the web or at the market, what are the tax liabilities of the seller/photographer?

Is s/he liable for VAT on the sale of a print? Is s/he liable for income tax on the sale, or does it come under the artist's exemption? It'd be mad to think that I could somehow sell a print, but if I did, I'd want to do it right.

[/CAN-Opener]

You may have to register for VAT if your annual revenue exceeds €35,000 for services, or €70,000 for goods. So... Depending on whether you're providing a product or a service... :rolleyes:

Artist Exemption info:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/tax/income_tax/artists_exemption_from_income_tax.html

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/reliefs/artists-exemption.html

Note: Second link includes reference to VAT liability.

thefizz

Prenderb wrote: »

[CAN-Opener: Item: worms]

Say you managed to sell a photo, either from the web or at the market, what are the tax liabilities of the seller/photographer?

Is s/he liable for VAT on the sale of a print? Is s/he liable for income tax on the sale, or does it come under the artist's exemption? It'd be mad to think that I could somehow sell a print, but if I did, I'd want to do it right.

[/CAN-Opener]

If you are only selling an odd print then obviously you won't hit the turmover limits mentioned already so you don't need to register for vat.

You would be required to pay income tax on any profit made from your sales.

woody_2000

thefizz wrote: »

You would be required to pay income tax on any profit made from your sales.

You would need to declare your income from any profit made...

Exemptions/allowances may apply, and maybe the possibility of an Artist Exemption...

stcstc

you have to apply in advance for the artist excemptions

there are conditions, for example all the sales i belive have to be signed editions

thefizz

woody_2000 wrote: »

You would need to declare your income from any profit made...

Exemptions/allowances may apply, and maybe the possibility of an Artist Exemption...

Of course, if you pass the criteria.

woody_2000

thefizz wrote: »

Of course, if you pass the criteria.

Yes, of course.

Ricky91t

I've made my own online shop for my site( very basic ) but I have sold images from it, Some where after linking to the gallery on a forum with event competitors.

But another time I just got an email out of the blue (months after the event) to say I sold 2 12x8 prints, It was a nice surprise!

If you've got a bit of experience in PHP/Sql then I'd say give it a shot! After I sold one photo my whole website expenses were covered( hosting €7 + domain €6 ), Once it's up and running they'll be very little maintenance and uploading is as easy as pix.ie/flickr

PopeBuckfastXVI

hojphotography wrote: »

Ive been looking into this market stall idea myself. Ive tried a lot of different websites over the past few years and only ever sold one print. At least at a market you might get "traffic" and some feedback. anybody know of some some good indoor markets (irish weather and all that) around dublin. Do you think any of my prints would have a hope of selling, if you could take a look at the site www.houseofjosephphotography.com
thanks

I don't know Dublin that well, so can't advise on markets, I like your photos, nice tone to them, sure give it a go, you'll soon find out!