Selling JPEGS online...advice appreciated with selecting a website/host
Hi all,
Have decided the time is right to start to make a part time income from selling JPEGS online. Am not expecting to set the world on fire or make megabucks...just a means to subsidise my hobby and possibly fund the occasional extra equipment purchase. If I could clear £500 pa after costs i'd be pleased with that.
I already have a paid website acting as an online catalogue for local retail of popular household products but this is unsuitable for a specialist photo imaging business.
I'm looking to set something up on a trial basis for a year to see how it goes with a view to making it more permanent if it proves successful. Minimising my startup costs is important...was hoping to be able to setup and operate a site or use a generic solution for about £100-£150 p.a
I don't want to get involved in actually selling prints or photo products..at least initially...just JPEGS which I would like the freedom to be able to size and price myself and I would also like the ability to be able to provide small size images for free (maybe 600x400 or 750x500) as part of my marketing strategy. I would like potential customers to be able to contact me directly if necessary to request a free image or a larger paid one without falling foul of terms and conditions by a site provider/host. For this reason I wouldn't necessarily need an e-commerce cart although if it was included that's obviously not an issue...although i'm not keen on having to pay commission on any sale I might make if i'm paying for a plan already.
I would need total control over the sizing of any images posted and also complete freedom to delete at will permanently, in order to free up space for new images. I wouldn't want deleted images somehow counting towards my 'allowance'.
Initially I would start with event photography...have already got hundreds of images from a rowing event near me from late last year with another event imminent. Other potential ideas in the pipeline but would also showcase aviation photography, flowers so would need to be able to setup different pages for different genres and different events...ideally password protected with the option of time limiting this access.
Would need to be able to display literally thousands of images simultaneously at a 'sufficient' resolution with higher resolution images sent once payment received...ideally by bank transfer (paypal or similar only as a last resort).
Am not bothered about social media, networking etc as I don't use that myself for various reasons...most of my activity will be local or regional in nature (Local sells) and i'm confident I can make my potential audiences aware of my service once i'm set up. Would prefer a UK / EU based solution if possible...US as a last resort even though they seem to have most options available.Just don't trust their privacy/data protection as much.
That's about it really...not asking for much am ? !!
Any advice or suggestions particularly from someone with practical experience of this would be gratefully received.
many thanks
Karlo
Have decided the time is right to start to make a part time income from selling JPEGS online. Am not expecting to set the world on fire or make megabucks...just a means to subsidise my hobby and possibly fund the occasional extra equipment purchase. If I could clear £500 pa after costs i'd be pleased with that.
I already have a paid website acting as an online catalogue for local retail of popular household products but this is unsuitable for a specialist photo imaging business.
I'm looking to set something up on a trial basis for a year to see how it goes with a view to making it more permanent if it proves successful. Minimising my startup costs is important...was hoping to be able to setup and operate a site or use a generic solution for about £100-£150 p.a
I don't want to get involved in actually selling prints or photo products..at least initially...just JPEGS which I would like the freedom to be able to size and price myself and I would also like the ability to be able to provide small size images for free (maybe 600x400 or 750x500) as part of my marketing strategy. I would like potential customers to be able to contact me directly if necessary to request a free image or a larger paid one without falling foul of terms and conditions by a site provider/host. For this reason I wouldn't necessarily need an e-commerce cart although if it was included that's obviously not an issue...although i'm not keen on having to pay commission on any sale I might make if i'm paying for a plan already.
I would need total control over the sizing of any images posted and also complete freedom to delete at will permanently, in order to free up space for new images. I wouldn't want deleted images somehow counting towards my 'allowance'.
Initially I would start with event photography...have already got hundreds of images from a rowing event near me from late last year with another event imminent. Other potential ideas in the pipeline but would also showcase aviation photography, flowers so would need to be able to setup different pages for different genres and different events...ideally password protected with the option of time limiting this access.
Would need to be able to display literally thousands of images simultaneously at a 'sufficient' resolution with higher resolution images sent once payment received...ideally by bank transfer (paypal or similar only as a last resort).
Am not bothered about social media, networking etc as I don't use that myself for various reasons...most of my activity will be local or regional in nature (Local sells) and i'm confident I can make my potential audiences aware of my service once i'm set up. Would prefer a UK / EU based solution if possible...US as a last resort even though they seem to have most options available.Just don't trust their privacy/data protection as much.
That's about it really...not asking for much am ? !!
Any advice or suggestions particularly from someone with practical experience of this would be gratefully received.
many thanks
Karlo
I don't wish to disappoint you but selling images online isn't a money earner unless you have a unique or quality image to offer your customers. You are more likely to earn money from selling your prints at a local market or school fete.
Setting yourself up at a local attraction such as motor racing, horse jumping or similar may bring in some work but you need to be careful you don't step on a professional photographers toes who is doing it for a living.
I post & sell images online through a third party, I sell a few but for its not the money but the thrill knowing someone wants one of my images.
In five years I haven't made enough to buy a decent lens.
Steve
Setting yourself up at a local attraction such as motor racing, horse jumping or similar may bring in some work but you need to be careful you don't step on a professional photographers toes who is doing it for a living.
I post & sell images online through a third party, I sell a few but for its not the money but the thrill knowing someone wants one of my images.
In five years I haven't made enough to buy a decent lens.
Steve
Thanks for the reply Steve.
I appreciate that it is unlikely to be a 'money earner'...but i'm not looking to make large amounts as stated.
I do intend that my images will be 'unique' and of an acceptable quality..i.e fit for purpose so i'm not too concerned about that aspect.
Obviously if I were to attend an event that had an admission fee I would enquire beforehand as to any limitations on photography for payment etc. Plenty of opportunity I feel though to attend non fee paying events.
Am more interested in the online options though...who do you use and would you recommend them?
I appreciate that it is unlikely to be a 'money earner'...but i'm not looking to make large amounts as stated.
I do intend that my images will be 'unique' and of an acceptable quality..i.e fit for purpose so i'm not too concerned about that aspect.
Obviously if I were to attend an event that had an admission fee I would enquire beforehand as to any limitations on photography for payment etc. Plenty of opportunity I feel though to attend non fee paying events.
Am more interested in the online options though...who do you use and would you recommend them?
PM sent
Quote:I sold an image today for the first time in weeks.
I made 74p. I'll try to spend it wisely. 😅
Invest some. Save some and spend the rest...
Quote:
Quote:Invest some. Save some and spend the rest...
Thank you for that wise and sensible advice.
I got the tip from Martin Lewis.
Quote:I sold an image today for the first time in weeks.
I made 74p. I'll try to spend it wisely. 😅
Oh dear...that is sad...74p? Does that mean you are paying 26% commission?
Quote:
Quote:I sold an image today for the first time in weeks.
I made 74p. I'll try to spend it wisely. 😅
Invest some. Save some and spend the rest...
Lol...very good
Karlo
I don't know about selling a picture, Sony stole one of my Jpegs and used it in a TV ad for there TV's, it was an autumn shot of lots of yellow leaves lit by the sun under a tree in a park about 3 years ago, I won't say where other than in Hertfordshire. The pic was taken on a Olympus E-620 with a Zuiko 14-54 F/2.8 lens.
Its my fault I never made them safe from theft, they are now.
Its my fault I never made them safe from theft, they are now.
Hi Karlo
I'm looking at a similar setup at the moment, the main difference being ecommerce including the sale of prints etc and being able to direct the sale to a printing house of my choice or their choice which is acceptable to me. I also want the flexibility to print & mount at home.
So far, I'm asking questions of Click.com with their build facility called Clickbuild [fee only applicable in the first year] - https://www.clikpic.com/index.cfm?section=index I don't know if anyone on this forum has experience of using Clickpic.com ?
Best of luck.
Cheers
Bob
I'm looking at a similar setup at the moment, the main difference being ecommerce including the sale of prints etc and being able to direct the sale to a printing house of my choice or their choice which is acceptable to me. I also want the flexibility to print & mount at home.
So far, I'm asking questions of Click.com with their build facility called Clickbuild [fee only applicable in the first year] - https://www.clikpic.com/index.cfm?section=index I don't know if anyone on this forum has experience of using Clickpic.com ?
Best of luck.
Cheers
Bob
Challenges include
1/ how is your target market going to find your images?
I presume via a website - this does not come for free - and until word of mount about your images build up potential customers need to use a search engine.
2/ are you going to advertise locally - if yes this costs money.
3/ part of your completion is buyers going on a site like Alamy, searching images from perhaps the 15 best highest sellers (this is how Alamy rank) - and perhaps paying as little as £2 an image of their choice.
I am not saying some income cannot be made - though the chances of doing so are likely well below 100 to one.
1/ how is your target market going to find your images?
I presume via a website - this does not come for free - and until word of mount about your images build up potential customers need to use a search engine.
2/ are you going to advertise locally - if yes this costs money.
3/ part of your completion is buyers going on a site like Alamy, searching images from perhaps the 15 best highest sellers (this is how Alamy rank) - and perhaps paying as little as £2 an image of their choice.
I am not saying some income cannot be made - though the chances of doing so are likely well below 100 to one.
Study a member of our community, if you have time, visit her website & other pages, i think you may get proper clue which can help you...Selling images to Third party is not a great idea, invest to create a good website, and publish your name or your website by participating & winning on various dedicated photography Sites, where you can attract the views of your potential customers...
Angi_Wallace...
Angi_Wallace...
