New Designer Prints

This is actually an old thing, you must have missed the roll out announcement. Unfortunately everybody was opted in automatically, that's what FAA does for all it's programs so it's a good idea to check and make sure you are not opted in to something else you don't want.

Thanks David I did not know this They have not sent a email to me in over two months. After I sent this to them To day they sent me the first email in two months

Designer Prints has been around for much longer than 2 months. It's a good idea to visit here and check your behind the scenes area to see what's new. This is your store, you may have to take some initiative to know what's going on. There are other programs too, a digital delivery program for example. You may want to review everything carefully and make sure you're set up the way you want to be.

This deal was inttially set up with everyone "opted in". I check every now and then to be sure I'm still "opted out".

Thank all of you for letting me know the box is now checked. And I will look at everything that is on there. Hard way to learn.

Like everything and everyone else nearly - you get opted in and have to figure it out that you really didn't wish that - everyone should automatically be opted out of everything and have to opt in - not just here on FAA/Pixels - but every internet activity that gives you a choice.

I checked mine - I'm still opted out - at least it says "NO".

You may also want to check that area in the 'Behind the Scenes' under 'Special Features'.

There are 6 options currently, make sure your wishes are correct for each one.

I'm opted in. It's a sale I wouldn't have made if I wasn't.

Jessica, of course, is correct. These are only prints. I'm still opted out because I don't like the percentage and while I like sales - I am not in real need of the bit of money it would bring. For me it would have to bring at least $30 for each image - or it is a no go - and since we can't opt on individual images - it's a no go.

It seems I asked the same question as James in a discussion a couple of weeks ago. I received $13 for a Designer Print. I have to agree with Jessica, I stayed opted in. It didn't cost me anything.

a sale is a sale, and it helps in the search. when it was first launched, everyone was signed up automatically. there are probably still tens of thousands that are signed up without knowing it. ideally though you should increase your profit for that size. your undercutting yourself.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

i think its been around for at least 2 years now. while its a bummer you can't control the discount, its still money. i think some only shop there and that's all.

---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

It is worth noting that your prices are on the rather low side especially if you choose to stay opted into DP.

A sale may be a sale and that is true, but then why not just sell everything we have for 5 bucks, bring the whole online market down so art and photography is worth nothing, Also not a good idea to sell your work to a person for the intended price and then give another a discount for the same thing. Doesn't look good to me, but who am. Just a person who opted out.

I would suggest that if you wish to sell in the designer market or any other wholesale market that you structure your prices accordingly. Otherwise you are making nothing on a sale. In years past selling at Art Expo NYC it was expected that wholesale (to a distributor or catalog like print Bruce McGaw) prints would be sold 50% off then 50% off that and often another 10% - 20 % off which would take a $100. print down to $22.50 and $20. respectively. That kind of deal was given only with a minimum purchase of 100 prints at a time. This was the general structure before the digital giclee. Volume buys equaled lower pricing. It worked then. Today I suspect a licensing deal might be also on the table.

Just opted out myself. Not interested in cutting my profit so someone else can sell retail and make money off my hard work and expenses. If they like it bad enough they will pay up or move on.

@kevin - because only a select few buy from there so far. and i'm here to sell retail. just like any other place that has a retail store, there is also the wholesale section. in the case of the OP, he was on the side of luck, much of the order came from him. usually its only 1 item.

people sell their stuff on stock sites all the time. and the prices there are very very low. so that ship has sailed. plus if you sell direct and sell it as stock yourself, so they can mass print it for a hotel, per image, the amount you get is very small anyway.

i've thought about leaving DP, but it hardly matters, i get 1-2 sales there a year. but because my prices are higher, its not that hard a hit. instead of getting $150, i may get $80 or something like that. and that would be $80 i didn't get before.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

1, Your standard prices are way too low. Walmart like.
2, It's a sale.
3. A designer found your work and liked it enough to buy it for their client. Consider it a professional discount - although see point #1. Plus you just nearly doubled your sales.
4. 18 images sold since 2010? Time to do some marketing.
5. Rearrange your galleries so the pictures of kids are not the first few galleries shown.
6. Yes, please opt out. More sales for me.

I sold one a few months ago - Designer Prints Normal Price: $71.00 Discount: $29.00 Net $42

I consider it a finder's fee. No different than if I show at a local gallery.

I don't consider my self as a conventional store, as most artist don't. I don't sell at an art fair with anything called retail , wholesale, bargain basement, clearence. Selling here took me many years to do because I don't think that way, never will. Kinda like , bite the bullet and see how it goes. That's why I stopped uploading more work.

Never sold a print at a gallery for peanuts, OMG Edward. My last piece at an art gallery sold for $2,700. It's a different animal than online.

then why would you be in a pod site? a place that technically cheapens the work, if your selling work for that much at a gallery. the comparison is the same, your selling for less here.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Your right, I explained that above already.

I had another DP sale more recently - 6 prints - took home $66 a pop or nearly $400. No fixed costs other then the $30 a year fee. I'll take it. I'm selling unsigned open edition prints to the home decor market, I understand my market and price accordingly.

I have no overhead, no inventory costs, no possibility of inventory damages, no printing up things that may or may not sell, no packing up the van and sitting in a tent all day, no gallery commission to pay, no rental fees etc. Plus POD print can sell indefinitely. No limit on inventory.

Kevin maybe share your actual profit margin after gallery fees, framing costs, long term storage, transportation etc.
....

BTW - no sale is final until the 30 day money back guarantee period.

I would LOVE to sell something through DP! Send them my way :-)

** Mary Lee Dereske
maryleephoto.com

DP can be great if artwork is priced right. My biggest sale ever in here netted about $1,000 through DP. Think it was 9 prints to one place all in the 30 inch size range.

It opens up a new market and raising prices in here doesn't seem to deter sales.

"My last piece at an art gallery sold for $2,700."

I have not followed the entire thread here but I will throw this out.

At a gallery or art show, you are in a fine art marketplace.

On a POD site, you are in a place is perceived to be selling and is for all practical purposes, decorator prints, reproductions of fine art.

Photographers that are able to sell their "prints" as fine art photography are going to be able to demand and get a higher price. Artists that are selling their originals will also get a higher price for the originals then the POD reproductions.

The difference is that the POD piece and the "fine art" piece is not going to be that much if any difference for the photographer. So it is for each photographer to decide how they are going to address that pricing issue in the different venues.